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Aston Villa fans must have been hoping their team could build on their 2-1 FA Cup victory over Tottenham Hotspur back in the Premier League, especially with relegation candidates Ipswich Town travelling to Villa Park.

Instead, however, another bump in the road presented itself, as the Tractor Boys – despite being reduced to ten men for all of the second half – managed to salvage a point come full-time as Unai Emery’s men couldn’t make their mammoth 25 shots count in the disappointing 1-1 draw.

This will have understandably worried Emery, considering the recently closed transfer window saw the Villans boost their attacking ranks with the likes of Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio entering the fray, whilst there were also some notable missed captures.

Aston Villa's winter spending

Indeed, Rashford has now joined the West Midlands side on an initial loan basis, with a buy option also added into the deal if Villa want to make his stay permanent.

They could well be tempted by this proposition down the line if his Ipswich cameo is anything to go by, with the Manchester United outcast turned flashy Villa loanee managing to hit the woodwork with one of his four second half efforts, alongside also creating two big chances to try and steer his new side to a victory.

It will cost the top-flight side £40m to obtain the former England international’s services for good, which could be seen as a hefty amount of money to splurge, considering his up-and-down form at Old Trafford has resulted in this shock loan switch transpiring.

Rashford could have been joined by Joao Felix if another statement deal got over the line during the final hectic days of the transfer window, with the former £45m buy by Chelsea eventually heading to AC Milan on loan, instead of relocating to Emery’s side.

Whilst lots of cash could have been burned here, it’s fair to say Villa have struck absolute gold when it comes to this top star in attack who has been leading the line with swagger for many years now, with his high value now worth more than both Rashford and Felix.

The "world class" star worth more than Rashford and Felix

Even before all this last-ditch spending took place, Emery still had plenty of top attacking talent he could call upon, with the likes of Morgan Rogers strutting his stuff in claret and blue by amassing ten goal contributions this season in top-flight action.

But, away from the former Manchester City youngster, the main marksman for Villa – Ollie Watkins – still manages to lead by example, having now reached 11 goals in the league this campaign when sparing his team’s blushes versus Ipswich.

Rashford would have been gutted that his free-kick didn’t directly sail in, but would have been happy all the same that Watkins was there to convert the rebound to gift his side a golden equaliser.

In total now, Watkins has an unbelievable tally of 85 strikes next to his name donning a Villa shirt, with 70 of those coming his way in the Premier League when he was once just a promising centre-forward honing his craft in the EFL with Brentford.

Stat

Watkins

Games played

203

Goals scored

82

Assists

35

Top scorer accolade

5x

Original fee

£28m

Value now

£60m

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Looking at the table above, it has certainly been £28m of Villa’s money that has been well spent, with Watkins’ valuation now coming in at above £60m – which is more than both the £40m-rated Rashford and the £45m-rated Felix – amidst late interest in the window from Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.

Villa obviously laughed off the Gunners’ attempts at completing a dramatic swoop, with the “world class” striker – as he has been labelled by journalist Jack Grimse in the past – crucial to Emery’s plans moving forward, regardless of who arrives in through the door down the line.

Emery will just have to hope that Watkins’ continued excellence in front of goal leads to his inconsistent troops rising up the league standings soon, away from a drab mid-table offering.

Outscoring Watkins: Aston Villa could regret ditching "throwback" for £0

Aston Villa could rue ditching this “throwback” star who’s outscoring Watkins

2 ByConnor Holden Feb 17, 2025

Former Pakistan U-19 batter Shayan Jahangir in line for USA debut on the tour

Peter Della Penna02-Nov-2022Just over a year after creating history as the fourth man to hit six sixes in an over in international cricket, batter Jaskaran Malhotra has been dropped from USA’s 14-member ODI squad for the four-match tour of Namibia later this month.Malhotra set numerous records with his 173 not out against Papua New Guinea in Oman in September 2021. But he has struggled to replicate those exploits since then, scoring just one half-century in 11 ODIs. That came in September against PNG when he made 53 off 44 balls as the match ended in a tie. His last significant contribution came against Scotland at Aberdeen in August when he made 36 not out off 25 balls, including 15 runs off the final over bowled by Safyaan Sharif, to help USA chase down a target of 250 in a dramatic two-wicket win.Called up in his place as one of five changes in the squad is former Pakistan U-19 batter Shayan Jahangir, who played as part of a representative side captained by Sami Aslam on a tour of England in 2013. Jahangir migrated to Texas in 2017 and was spotted in the club cricket scene by the then-owner of the Barbados Tridents (now Royals) franchise, leading to him being drafted in the CPL. He appeared in one match in 2020. He has since been playing for the Lone Star Athletics in the Minor League Cricket T20 competition. Jahangir finished 10th overall – but first among USA-eligible players – in 2022 with 507 runs at an average of 42.25 and a strike rate of 134.48 with four half-centuries.Among the other changes, the teenage batting duo of Rahul Jariwala and Saiteja Mukkamalla have been dropped along with fast bowler Kyle Philip and legspinner Yasir Mohammad. Sushant Modani, who missed the September tour to PNG due to visa issues, has been recalled along with Ian Holland who was unavailable in September due to his county commitments at Hampshire.Along with Jahangir, the other player who could possibly debut for USA is batter Saideep Ganesh. The 21-year-old had represented the Karnataka U-16 side in the Vijay Merchant Trophy in December 2016. Ganesh scored 402 runs at an average of 30.92 and a strike rate of 136.27 with three half-centuries and a best of 56 for the East Bay Blazers in the 2022 MiLC.Offspinner Usman Rafiq, who last represented USA in February 2018, has also been recalled. Rafiq finished sixth overall with 23 wickets as captain of Houston Hurricanes in the 2022 MiLC.USA’s first ODI on the tour is on November 20 against the hosts. They play two games against PNG before finishing the last ODI against Namibia on November 26. The tour completes USA’s full 36-match slate as part of Cricket World Cup League Two, the Associate qualifying competition on the pathway to the 2023 ODI World Cup.USA is currently third on the seven-team table with 29 points from 32 matches. The top three teams automatically advance to the 10-team World Cup Qualifier.USA squad: Monank Patel (capt & wk), Ian Holland, Saideep Ganesh, Shayan Jahangir, Aaron Jones, Nosthush Kenjige, Sushant Modani, Saurabh Netravalkar, Nisarg Patel, Usman Rafiq, Gajanand Singh, Jessy Singh, Cameron Stevenson, Steven Taylor.

Real Madrid's injury woes continue as two more defenders have now joined Antonio Rudiger on the treatment table.

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Fresh injury blows for MadridMendy and Alaba join Rudiger on the treatment tableLos Blancos trail Barcelona by four pointsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The 2024-25 campaign is slowly turning out to be a nightmare for the reigning European champions as two more Madrid defenders, Ferland Mendy and David Alaba, have now been ruled out of action for the remainder of the league season in a fresh blow to the club. Earlier on Tuesday, the club had confirmed that Rudiger went under the knife after suffering an injury during their Copa del Rey final defeat.

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While Rudiger was spotted with a heavy ice strapping on his knee towards the end of the final, Mendy had to be replaced in the 11th minute after he felt some discomfort. The club have confirmed that the left-back has been diagnosed with a tear in his right thigh muscle. Alaba, on the other hand, suffered a tear of the internal meniscus in his left knee.

WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

The official club statements on Mendy and Alaba read: "Following tests performed on our player Ferland Mendy by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a tear of the proximal rectus femoris tendon in his right quadriceps. The outcome is pending.

"Following tests performed on our player David Alaba by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a tear of the internal meniscus in his left knee."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

The defensive injury crisis comes as a huge blow for Los Blancos at a time when they cannot afford to drop any more points in La Liga. They are trailing leaders Barcelona by four points and will be next seen in action on Sunday as they host Celta Vigo.

The 15-year-old had a standout performance in his first senior start

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Cavan Sullivan earns first Union startPlays 120 Minutes in U.S. Open Cup thrillerPhiladelphia Union defeat Indy Eleven 1-1 (5-4) in penaltiesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

U.S. men's national team prodigy Cavan Sullivan, 15, earned his first senior start with the Philadelphia Union senior team Wednesday evening in the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as they defeated USL Championship side Indy Eleven 5-4 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw across regulation and extra-time.

Sullivan has a lucrative deal in place to join Manchester City when he turns 18, though he remains under contract with the Philadelphia Union until then.

During the 2025 MLS season, Sullivan has been named to the bench for every game so far, making three appearances off the bench to total 45 minutes. At the MLS NEXT Pro level, Sullivan has two goals and one assist.

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Wednesday evening, across 120 minutes played, Sullivan completed 30 of 40 attempted passes while taking six total shots throughout the game. Three of the six landed on target, while two attempts were blocked. He registered 59 total touches on the ball, with four of them coming in the opposition box.

Defensively, he recorded two tackles on the ball while making five recoveries and winning four of eight ground duels.

The Union's lone regulation goal came from longtime veteran and former U.S. international Alejandro Bedoya, while from the spot, they scored all five attempts. Sullivan did not take a penalty.

DID YOU KNOW?

Sullivan is reportedly set to train with Manchester City this summer in some capacity, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

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ImagnWHAT NEXT FOR SULLIVAN?

The 15-year-old and the Union have advanced to the next round of the competition, where they will host USL Championship side Pittsburgh Riverhounds at Subaru Park.

Celtic are once again back in action in the Scottish Premiership this evening as they prepare to travel to take on St Mirren in the televised kick-off.

The Hoops are currently 13 points clear of Rangers, in second place, in the top-flight table and there are only ten matches left to play before the end of the season.

Brendan Rodgers’ side ensured that they maintained their 13-point lead with an emphatic 5-1 win over Aberdeen at Parkhead last time out on Tuesday night.

Daizen Maeda found the back of the net twice and Jota, Callum McGregor, and Hyun-jun Yang also added their names to the scoresheet, to secure a comfortable win in Glasgow.

Despite not scoring any of the five goals, the star of the show – as Football FanCast pointed out after the match – was central midfielder Arne Engels.

The Belgian ace arrived from Augsburg for a club-record fee of £11m last summer and has enjoyed a strong debut campaign with the Scottish giants so far.

Arne Engels' impressive form this season

Engels has racked up nine goals and 12 assists in all competitions for the Hoops in the 2024/25 season to date, as he closes in on hitting double figures for goals and assists.

His two most recent assists came in the 5-1 win over Aberdeen as he teed up Jota for a tap-in and bundled the ball through to McGregor for his strike.

The 21-year-old talent created a whopping six chances in the win over the Dons, as he consistently split open the opposition’s defence to create opportunities for his teammates to score, and he won six of his seven duels in the match.

His attacking qualities have been on display throughout the 2024/25 season with Celtic, as the Belgium international has caught the eye with his performances in the Premiership.

Appearances (starts)

25 (16)

Goals

8

Big chances missed

1

Big chances created

10

Assists

5

As you can see in the table above, Engels has been incredibly ruthless in front of goal, missing one ‘big chance’, whilst his teammates have let him down with their wasteful finishing.

His tally of five assists from ten ‘big chances’ created suggests that his fellow attackers have not made the most of the high-quality opportunities that he has created for them.

Whilst Engels should keep his place in the middle of the park alongside McGregor, who scored against the Dons, Rodgers could make a change to his midfield by ruthlessly dropping Reo Hatate from the starting line-up.

Why Reo Hatate should be dropped

The Japan international played the opening 59 minutes of the win against Aberdeen but did not manage to secure himself a goal or an assist to contribute to the victory.

That is not to say that he had a poor evening, as the midfielder won three of his four ground duels and completed 88% of his attempted passes, but the 27-year-old star has not been at his influential best in the final third in recent weeks.

Hatate has only recorded two assists, whilst failing to score a single goal, in his last 13 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants, with an assist against Hibernian and one against Aston Villa for Adam Idah in the Champions League.

The Japanese dynamo’s recent dry patch at the top end of the pitch is a surprise because the central midfielder is a technically brilliant player who does have the quality to make a big impact in the final third.

Appearances

28

Goals

6

Big chances created

8

Assists

2

Ground duel success rate

46%

Aerial duel success rate

38%

As you can see in the table above, Hatate has offered a threat as both a scorer of goals and a creator of high-quality chances for his teammates from a midfield position, although he has struggled slightly in physical battles with opposition players on the deck and in the air.

However, his attacking play has not been on full display as of late and that is why Rodgers should drop him from the starting line-up for this clash with St Mirren, unleashing Luke McCowan alongside Engels in the middle of the park in his place.

Why Luke McCowan should start

The Scottish star, who arrived on a permanent deal from Dundee last summer, has been an excellent option for Rodgers to call upon when he has wanted to rotate his side this season.

McCowan once again showcased his ability at the top end of the pitch when he came on as a substitute against Aberdeen on Tuesday night, assisting Yang’s goal with a pass to the forward in the box.

The left-footed star has scored a goal and provided two assists in his last five appearances for the Hoops in all competitions, which suggests that he has been in better form than Hatate of late and would be the better option to select from the start this evening.

McCowan, who was described as a “game winner” by Marvin Bartley, has been a reliable operator in the Premiership and has even outperformed the Japan international, as an attacking force, over the course of the league campaign.

Appearances (starts)

28 (18)

27 (14)

Goals

6

7

Key passes per game

1.0

1.4

Big chances created

8

8

Assists

2

5

As you can see in the table above, the former Dundee star has scored more goals, created as many ‘big chances’, and registered more assists despite playing and starting fewer matches in the division.

These statistics suggest that McCowan has a bigger impact on the team’s attacking play, certainly at Premiership level, as the midfielder can create chances and score goals with greater regularity, and that is why he could be a joy to watch alongside Engels against St Mirren this evening.

Rodgers has unearthed a new Celtic superstar & it's not Daizen Maeda

The Celtic sensation had more touches than Jota in the win over Aberdeen.

ByDan Emery Feb 26, 2025

Rodgers should unleash both of the attacking midfield stars as part of the midfield three with McGregor in an attempt to put the opposition to the sword again with a ruthless display in the final third.

Colin de Grandhomme and Thomas Kelly revived the chase but the home side broke a run of eight defeats

AAP23-Dec-2022Brisbane Heat ruined former favourite son Chris Lynn’s return to the Gabba, a Sam Billings half-century helping the home side to an upset six-run win over Adelaide Strikers.Undefeated Strikers sat atop the BBL table with three wins going into Friday night’s clash against the last-placed Heat, who had lost their opening two games of the season following on from a six-game losing streak to end their last campaign.But Billings fired the Heat to 166 for 9 after the home side won the bat flip, with the Strikers losing early wickets to be 38 for 4 before finishing their 20 overs just short.Related

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Colin de Grandhomme (37) and Thomas Kelly shared a 73-run partnership, Kelly making a career-high 43 off 33 balls, and some lusty late hitting from Harry Nielsen (24) saw the visitors needing 32 runs from the final three overs.But Michael Neser took a wicket and gave up just four runs in the 19th over to put the game out of Adelaide’s reach.Mark Steketee was the most successful of the Heat bowlers with figures of 4 for 34 from his four overs.Lynn, the face of the Heat franchise for 11 seasons, made 12 before he was given out lbw in contentious circumstances in the first meeting against his old side.The all-time BBL leading run-scorer strode to the crease in the first over after Neser trapped Jake Weatherald in front with the first ball of the innings.In an eventful over, Lynn advanced down the wicket to the first ball he faced, which was one of three wides Neser bowled that over, played and missed twice and edged one past a diving second slip for four.The visitors were in trouble at 14 for 2 when Matt Short went in the second over and worse was to come when Lynn was given out off the first ball of the fourth.Strikers were left to rue a wasteful DRS challenge by Weatherald that was unsuccessful, which meant Lynn was unable to review his decision, with replays showing the ball clearly going over the stumps.Earlier, Billings, who was dropped on 22 and 42, bludgeoned 27 runs, including three sixes, off the 19th over bowled by Peter Siddle. He eventually departed for 79 off 48 deliveries, his innings including six fours and four sixes.Max Bryant was the next-best batter for the Heat, with his 46 including eight fours. Short missed out with the bat, but claimed career-best figures of 3 for 14 from his three overs of offspin.Quick Henry Thornton, the BBL’s current leading wicket-taker, finished with 1 for 37 to take his season tally to 12.

Kevin De Bruyne has reportedly given his 'green light' to a transfer to Napoli as he keeps MLS clubs waiting.

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De Bruyne gave 'green light' to NapoliNapoli preparing a two-year contract offerMLS clubs remain interested in the City starFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Manchester City stalwart De Bruyne is yet to take a final decision on his future, having announced his exit from the Etihad Stadium. reports that Napoli are in talks with the Belgian's representatives as they look determined to secure the player's services this summer. The 33-year-old also has offers from several Major League Soccer clubs, but the midfielder is said to have approved talks with the Italian side.

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The report adds that the Serie A leaders are set to submit an initial salary offer of €7 million to De Bruyne's representatives. While that is significantly lower than what the player is earning at City at the moment, taxes are much lower in Italy and he would receive a significant signing bonus. Napoli will table an initial two-year contract to the City star with an option to extend it by one more season.

DID YOU KNOW?

previously reported that De Bruyne’s partner Michelle has already been eyeing up properties in Naples. The city is familiar to De Bruyne and his family as they have holidayed there on several occasions and used to visit ex-Napoli star Dries Mertens on a regular basis.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR KEVIN DE BRUYNE?

For now, the Cityzens star is fully focused on ending the 2024-25 campaign on a high with a trophy as Pep Guardiola's side will next face Crystal Palace in the final of FA Cup at Wembley on Saturday.

Leeds United are a club that have produced countless academy stars over the years, numerous of whom have made themselves key members of the first-team at Elland Road.

Kalvin Phillips broke into the senior side in Yorkshire back in 2016, making himself a regular in the squad after multiple campaigns of settling for minutes off the bench.

He would register a total of 234 appearances for the Whites, before leaving in a £45m deal to join Manchester City in the summer of 2022 – making the hierarchy a hefty profit.

Jack Clarke was another player to emerge out of the club’s impressive youth setup, taking the Championship by storm with his direct dribbling ability in the final third.

Like Phillips, he would depart in a big-money move, joining Tottenham Hotspur for a fee in the region of £10m, with another player following in the attacker’s footsteps in moving to North London over the last few years.

Archie Gray’s time at Spurs in 2024/25

Youngster Archie Gray endured a rapid rise to stardom in the 2023/24 season for his boyhood side, breaking into the first team during his ninth year on the books.

The now 18-year-old made himself a regular under Daniel Farke last season, featuring a staggering 52 times across all competitions despite his tender teenage years.

However, he would look right at home, featuring in various roles such as central midfield and right-back, but starring in both, earning him the EFL Young Championship Player of the Season award as a result.

After such tremendous showings in the second tier, Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur would come knocking, with the Whites reluctantly offloading him for £40m after their failure to secure promotion last season.

Such a big-money fee has massively helped the club’s finances, but they may have sold one player too prematurely, missing out on another mammoth sum had developed him rather than cashing in on him in the summer.

The player who could’ve been the next Archie Gray

As previously mentioned, the club have been lucky enough to have multiple talents develop through the ranks, but not all of whom have lived up to the hype at Elland Road.

One example of whom is centre-back Charlie Cresswell, who appeared as though he could become a key first-team member in Yorkshire after his first-team breakthrough back in 2020/21.

However, he would spend the following campaign on loan at Championship outfit Millwall, gaining valuable experience – something which appeared to be key given the Whites’ relegation back to the second tier upon his return to the club.

Cresswell would struggle to break into Farke’s plans in the German’s first year at the helm, restricting him to just seven appearances across all competitions – leading to his eventual departure last summer.

The 22-year-old would join French side Toulouse in a deal rising to £4m, a deal which would prove to be a bargain given his recent form for the Ligue 1 outfit, starting 19 times since his transfer.

The defender, who’s previously been dubbed a “warrior” by the Second Tier Podcast, has wasted no time in impressing away from Elland Road, showcasing the mistake made by his boyhood club in allowing him to leave on a permanent basis.

Games played

21

Goals & assists

1

Pass accuracy

82%

Tackles won

60%

Duels won

5.6

Duel success rate

63%

Aerials won

3.7

Aerial success rate

70%

After such an impressive loan stint a couple of years ago, it’s a surprise that Cresswell didn’t get more of an opportunity to showcase his talent at Elland Road, resulting in his switch to Europe.

However, given his form away from Yorkshire, the hierarchy may live to regret their decision to allow him to leave, potentially growing into the next academy star to leave for a huge sum – but if that is to happen, Toulouse would now be the beneficiaries after taking advantage of his lack of action.

His skillset and talent so far in 2024/25 is evidence that he could’ve been perfect for the current side, but their loss is now the Ligue 1 outfit’s gain – with Cresswell able to kick on and take full advantage of the chance handed his way, potentially developing into a top-level star.

Leeds hit gold selling "dangerous" striker who's being outscored by Bogle

Leeds United certainly made the right call in allowing the talented star to depart Elland Road.

ByEthan Lamb Feb 26, 2025

Cummins is back as Australia captain after recovering from the quadriceps injury that kept him out of the second Test against West Indies

Firdose Moonda16-Dec-20220:50

Maketa: Warner has always brought a lot of intensity against us, we expect nothing different

Big picture
The time for talking is over. We’ve been through the context and the controversies and now, we can get to the cricket. Come 10.20am on Saturday in Queensland, all eyes will be on bat versus ball, or if we’re honest, maybe just ball.In stark contrast to all the Bazballing our Test-cricket-loving eyes have been subjected to, the tone for this series is expected to be set by the fast bowlers. There are a total of 12 across both squads with a collective skill set that includes speed, swing, slower-ball variations and the ability to suffocate run-scoring with strangling lines and lengths. Pound-for-pound, the Australian and South African attacks are evenly matched which only means the most likely place for the series to be won or lost, is in the performance of the batters.Related

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Talking points: Top order vs top order, bowling depth, SA's combination

Australia’s are in fine form: they have not been bowled out in their last four Test innings (all against West Indies) and have totalled over 300 nine times in 17 innings this year. While there is some concern about David Warner’s dry spell, there are enough other big names scoring big runs for that to matter too much. South Africa can only dream of the same. They were bowled out for under 200 in their last four Test innings and their 300-plus scores number just five in 17 innings. Their run-scoring woes are well-documented (only two centuries among them in this edition of the World Test Championship, for example) but every member of the squad who’s been asked about it has explained their low numbers away by citing tough conditions and tougher attacks.If they are correct, and those are the only reasons for averages that hover under 40, Australia could be the place to prove it. The bounce will be true and there won’t be much sideways movement to contend with, which is what South Africa struggled with in England. Although the home attack will be as, if not more, difficult to face than the bowlers they have already been up against, they’re similar in pace and threat to South Africa’s own pack. If some of the top six don’t rack up good numbers in this series, places must be at risk and a personnel shift could be in offing. Similarly, the series is important for South Africa’s team management, as Malibongwe Maketa, currently installed as interim head coach, is learnt to be interested in the permanent role.The task Maketa faces is not quite as daunting as it looks. South Africa only need to win one Test (and therefore can afford to lose the series) and still remain in contention for the WTC final. But nobody thinks like that. Given how dominant South Africa have been in Australia for the last decade and a half, a series win is not too much to expect. Equally, Australia will want to reclaim their home fortresses and re-establish the dominance they had over South Africa pre-2008. They have not lost a home Test in almost two years, since January 2021, and have won six out of seven since then.Form guide
AustraliaWWLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa LLWWWIn the spotlight
Irrespective of how you pronounce his name, Marnus Labuschagne is going to be the talk of the series and not just because he is playing against the country of his birth for the first time in Tests. Labuschagne is in a purple patch most players can only dream of, with three hundreds from his last four Test innings, including a double-hundred. He is the fourth leading run-scorer in Tests this year, just 171 runs off the leader, Joe Root, and with four Test innings to play before 2022 is out, he may well end up at the top of the list. He credits his obsession with becoming a better batter as the key to success and there’s no better country to show that off against than the one he used to call home.Marnus Labuschagne has been in fine form•Getty ImagesWho better to challenge than Labuschagne than South Africa’s best – Kagiso Rabada? Although he had a poor T20 World Cup, Rabada is South Africa’s leading Test wicket-taker this year and, like Labuschagne, is fourth on the overall charts. There’s also just something about Australia that tends to bring out the best in him. Rabada is a bowler for the big occasion and after a disappointing limited-overs year and a Test defeat in England. This is the last chance to make a compelling statement in 2022.Team news
Australian captain Pat Cummins has recovered from the quadriceps injury that kept him out of the second Test against West Indies and will take back the captaincy from Steven Smith with Michael Neser sitting out. Scott Boland retains his place for the injured Josh Hazlewood.Australia 1 David Warner, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Cameron Green, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Scott BolandRassie van der Dussen and Temba Bavuma come back into the batting line-up after missing the last Test and the entire tour in England respectively. Their experience will come in handy as Keegan Petersen is out of the tour with a torn hamstring. That leaves a gap at No. 5, which is likely to be filled by one of Khaya Zondo or Theunis de Bruyn, with Heinrich Klaasen in reserve. South Africa have been considering seven specialist batters but with bowling allrounder Marco Jansen at No. 7, they can afford to field four other bowlers: three frontline quicks and Keshav Maharaj as the sole spinner.South Africa (possible) 1 Dean Elgar (capt), 2 Sarel Erwee, 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 Temba Bavuma, 5 Khaya Zondo/Theunis de Bruyn, 6 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Lungi NgidiPitch and conditions
Known as one of the quickest surfaces in Test cricket, the Gabba should have plenty of bite for the fast bowlers and it’s not shying away from showing off its true colours. It was still very green 24 hours out from the toss although remained a chance a little could be shaved off. “The green colour doesn’t scare us,” Elgar said. However, it can also be deceptive. The last time South Africa played at this venue, they were sucked into the mythology and went in all-pace only to find the pitch was so placid, even Hashim Amla got a few overs. That was a decade ago and the second day was lost to rain. There’s none of that expected this time with sunny weather forecast throughout the Test.Stats and trivia
South Africa have won their last three series in Australia in 2008, 2012 and 2016. Between them, South Africa’s squad has 1675 first-class caps, more than Australia’s 1533. However, South Africa only boast 329 Test caps compared with Australia’s 577.Mitchell Starc needs four wickets for 300 in Tests; Usman Khawaja needs 47 runs for 4000Australia have four batters – Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head and Usman Khawaja – and two bowlers – Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc – in the top ten on the ICC’s Test rankings. South Africa have no batters and only one bowler: Kagiso Rabada. Their highest-ranked batter is Dean Elgar, at No.16. Quotes”It looks like they’ve got a pretty well-rounded attack. Whether they play four of five bowlers, they’ve got a good spinner, and a left-armer. They’re going to be a challenge.”
“We’ve always fought fire with fire. It doesn’t take much for our guys to step up when needs be. We can’t control what Australia does. The only thing we can control is how we go about our business.”

Leeds United lost in the Championship for the first time since November as they were beaten 1-0 by Portsmouth at Fratton Park on Sunday afternoon.

The Whites were hit with a hammer blow in the second half as Colby Bishop raced through to dink the ball over Illan Meslier and into the back of the net to put the hosts in front.

Daniel Farke’s side created three ‘big chances’ and racked up 2.27 xG but could not take their opportunities in front of goal, and were made to pay for it.

There were numerous disappointing performances by Leeds players across the pitch in Hampshire, including from attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson and a certain Joel Piroe who missed a couple of sitters…

Brenden Aaronson's performance against Portsmouth

The USA international was once again selected to start in the number ten position for the Whites, tasked with knitting the midfield and the attack together.

Unfortunately, the former RB Salzburg man made it six games without a goal or an assist to show for his efforts, and just one goal and zero assists in his last 12 outings in the Championship.

Aaronson ended the defeat to Portsmouth with zero shots on goal and zero key passes, whilst he also lost all seven of his duels throughout the game. This shows that he was kept out of the match in and out of possession by the Pompey defenders.

He did, however, only have 20 touches of the ball, completing 73% of his attempted passes, and the midfielder could point to a lack of service into him as the reason why he struggled.

Performance in Numbers

There was, though, a Leeds player who was even worse than Aaronson in the middle of the park for Farke, as Ao Tanaka put in his worst performance of the season to date.

Ao Tanaka's worst performance for Leeds

The Japan international, who was once described as a “tiger” and an “unbelievable” signing by his manager, started alongside Ilia Gruev in midfield, but struggled to impact the game on or off the ball.

Tanaka, who was handed a 4/10 player rating by LeedsLive, was even worse than Aaronson as he completed a lower percentage (71%) of his passes, despite playing in a holding midfield role, and made an error that directly led to a shot for the opposition.

The American, at least, did not do anything to create a chance for Portsmouth, as Tanaka did, whilst they both lost 100% of their ground duels.

Pass accuracy

71%

90%

Ground duels won

0

3.7

Ground duel success rate

0%

54%

Possession lost

11x

8.1x

Dribbled past

2x

1.1x

As you can see in the table above, the Japanese midfielder’s performance – which lasted just 68 minutes – was significantly worse than his average level in and out of possession in the Championship this season.

It was his worst Sofascore rating (6.1), his lowest pass completion rate (71%), his joint-lowest ground duel success rate (0%), and his joint-lowest ground duels won (zero) of the season as a starter so far.

This illustrates how far off his best the central midfielder was, as he put in his worst display in a Leeds shirt this season. Farke will now be hoping that Tanaka, and Aaronson, can get back to their best against Millwall at Elland Road on Wednesday night.

Left for £1m: Leeds sold big Meslier upgrade who was one of the PL's best

Leeds could have had a perfect, long-term goalkeeping solution

ByJoe Nuttall Mar 8, 2025

The Japanese maestro must improve his use of the ball by getting back to his usual levels of efficiency, to ensure that Leeds can dicate the tempo of the game and create more chances in the final third.