Arsenal's young striker Folarin Balogun is Inter's "top target this summer", but the Italians expect negotiations to be challenging as the Gunners want "big money" for their star, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Is Folarin Balogun leaving Arsenal this summer?

Has there been a better transfer window for the Gunners in the last couple of decades? The north Londoners look to have taken their second-place finish last season to heart and have aggressively attacked the market, making three first-team signings already.

First came Kai Havertz for a cool £65m and Jurrien Timber arrived from Ajax for £34m, before the club smashed their transfer record – and the record for a British player – to sign Declan Rice from West Ham United for an eye-watering £105m.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

With talk of yet more potential incomings this summer, it's not too surprising to hear that Mikel Arteta and Edu are looking to sell a few players as well, with the Spaniard saying earlier this week:

"We have 30 players here, which is unsustainable, and obviously the market is still open. Things can happen – but we are prepared."

United States international Balogun is one of those players who looks like they could be on their way out of the club.

According to Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport (via the Daily Mail), Inter have now made the 22-year-old their primary target after ceasing their interest in Romelu Lukaku and Alvaro Morata earlier this month.

The main issue for the deal, however, is that the Gunners are expected to want at least £50m for their asset – a price the Nerazzurri are not willing to match.

However, there is a belief within the blue half of Milan that the price can be negotiated down, so he remains their No 1 target, per Fabrizio Romano.

He explained the situation on his Here We Go podcast:

"Balogun is a very concrete target for Inter; it's not an easy negotiation with Arsenal, because Arsenal want big money for Balogun. It's not like you can get there and sign the player whenever you want.

"But, Inter are having conversations, Inter are having conversations and I think Balogun is the top target."

How good is Folarin Balogun?

During a season in which the Gunners came agonisingly close to dethroning the indomitable Manchester City, the player with the most league goals wasn't even in the country; they were plying their trade in Ligue 1 with Stade Reims.

That was Balogun, who, in just 34 starts, scored a seriously impressive 21 goals, provided two assists and achieved an average match rating of 6.90, per WhoScored.

For comparison, the highest-scoring Arsenal players in the Premier League were Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli, with 15 apiece.

It would be easy to call the American's season a fluke or good luck, but his underlying numbers suggest he was performing at the right level for his talent.

According to FBref, which compares players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, the New York City-born gem sits in the top 7% for non-penalty expected goals, the top 9% for total shots and progressive passes received, as well as the top 19% for touches in the opposition penalty area per 90.

His decision to take a risk and play in France was something that Arteta was keen to praise earlier this year when he said: "He's a boy that, again, has a really clear idea of what he wants to do with his career.

"He's really ambitious, really committed and really brave. We discussed a lot before he made that move whether it was the right place to go and other choices he had [and] he was so convinced.

"I'm really happy for him and he deserves what he's getting."

Selling a player with the potential of Balogun could be something the Gunners come to regret, but with starting spots limited at the Emirates and the potential to make £35-50m, it might be best for all involved, at least for now.

Everton survived the drop last season by the skin of their teeth and now could be set to improve their Premier League prospects by returning for Shakhtar Donetsk winger Tete this summer.

Sean Dyche arrived at Goodison Park in January and succeeded in preserving the club's top-flight status with several key results, culminating on the final day of the term when a narrow victory over Bournemouth sank Leicester City.

Improvements are paramount this summer, however, and while Arnaut Danjuma has been signed on loan and Ashley Young has joined the fold on a free transfer, there is still work to be done on Merseyside, with Tete now a target.

Who wants to sign Tete?

According to Calciomercato, the Brazilian ace is available on a free transfer, with Serie A champions Napoli set to give the Toffees stiff competition.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

This follows claims from talkSPORT that the Merseyside outfit have scribbled Tete into a shortlist after missing out on Leeds United's Wilfried Gnonto, who is set to stay at Elland Road.

How good is Tete?

Dyche will be desperate to get things right in the transfer market this summer, and will bear the knowledge that his grit and determination alone will not craft framework sturdy enough to climb the Premier League table.

Signing Tete would signify a real statement of intent, bolstering the attacking ranks and securing a signature of an ace who was of interest back in January, only to pen a short-term deal with Leicester City instead.

Starting nine times for the Foxes, Tete scored just once and faded as the term approached the business end, although he did start brightly. Despite this, his quality was discernible and his weaving runs and directness are two facets that Everton could benefit from.

Indeed, as per FBref, the 23-year-old ranks among the top 17% of attacking midfielders and wingers for goals, the top 24% for tackles and the top 21% for interceptions, and while these are not massively impressive metrics, they illustrate his multidimensional skill set.

The 5 foot 9 wide man is also listed as a comparable player to Chelsea's Raheem Sterling, and could grow into his skin in the Premier League with a permanent home at Goodison, perhaps even emulating the England international.

Sterling joined the west London outfit in a £47.5m transfer from Manchester City last summer and was unable to prevent the Blues from sliding into obscurity – with Chelsea's miserable campaign leaving them mired in a 12th-placed finish.

Over the duration of his career, Sterling has gleaned four Premier League trophies, five League Cups and one FA Cup, scoring 115 goals and supplying 80 assists from 348 matches in the English top flight.

The one-time Liverpool star was definitely not at the races last term but still showed glimpses of his striking instinct, ranking among the top 22% of positional peers for goals and the top 13% for touches in the attacking box, indicating his positional placement is still top-class.

If Tete can work on his ability as a wide vehicle and look to progress into the danger areas with greater regularity, he would undoubtedly find success, especially since he was already averaging 1.2 shots per game with City last season.

Sterling, comparatively, averaged 1.5 shots per game, though the 28-year-old did score six times to Tete's one.

Hailed as a "hurricane" by Shakhtar CEO Sergei Palkin, Tete boasts the tools to craft a successful Premier League career and if he decides to join the ranks on Merseyside, he could star as one of the team's attacking focal points, potentially replicating his tricky positional confrere in Sterling.

Farhaan Behardien held his nerve to make 37 not out as South Africa A opened their tri-series campaign with a two-wicket win over India A in Pretoria

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jul-2017Farhaan Behardien’s sixth-wicket stand with Dwaine Pretorius was the game changer•AFP

Farhaan Behardien’s unbeaten 37 guided South Africa A to a two-wicket win against India A in the tri-series opener in Pretoria.Yuzvendra Chahal almost pulled it back with three quick wickets to leave South Africa A on 145 for 8 in their chase of 153. Behardien calmly finished the game off in ones and twos, with Aaron Phangiso, who earlier in the day picked four wickets, for company. South Africa A won with 74 balls to spare.Their seamers Beuran Hendricks and Dwaine Pretorius did the early damage, removing Sanju Samson and Shreyas Iyer respectively, inside two overs. Pandey and Karun Nair put together 42 to lead a brief recovery before Pretorius trapped Nair lbw for 25. When Rishabh Pant (10)and Krunal Pandya (0) fell, India A slipped to 65 for 5.Pandey waged a lone battle from there on to raise a half-century off just 86 deliveries. He was the seventh batsman out, stumped for 55 off left-arm spinnner Phangiso. Pandey found some support from Chahal, who made 24 not out, to lift the total past 150 before they were bowled out in 41.5 overs.South Africa A wobbled at the start with the seamers picking up the first three wickets. India turned to spin from the 12th over; Axar Patel struck in his first when he removed Khaya Zondo. He then dismissed Heinrich Klaasen (24) in his very next over.South Africa A, tottering at 71 for 5, were then driven by a 62-run sixth-wicket stand between Behardien and Pretorius, who made 38 to go along with his three wickets earlier in the day. As it turned out, the partnership helped them ride a wobble and register two points.India A will play Afghanistan A in the next game on Friday.

Alex Hales’ barnstorming white-ball form continued•Getty Images

A brutal display of ball-striking from Alex Hales powered the Notts Outlaws to a convincing victory over Durham Jets in the NatWest T20 Blast competition.The England international, who scored an unbeaten 187 to help his county win the Royal London One-Day Cup final a month ago, clubbed nine fours and nine sixes in a stunning innings of 95, made from just 30 deliveries.West Indies’ star Chris Gayle holds the record for the fastest individual T20 century of all-time, getting to the landmark from only 30 balls and Hales could have equalled it but his mighty assault off James Weighell sliced high into the Nottingham sky and then down into the waiting gloves of wicketkeeper Stuart Poynter.”I knew there was a chance to go for the quickest T20 century of all-time and you don’t get those opportunities very often,” Hales said. “I love batting at Trent Bridge, for me it is utter paradise, the wickets are great and there are some short boundaries, so I knew there was a chance of doing it.It’s a special feeling to play here and to get so many in the Powerplay overs with Riki. As a team we’ve got real momentum at the moment and hopefully we can keep it going.”Riki Wessels made an undefeated 41 to ensure that Hales’ work didn’t go unrewarded, although there was a clatter of wickets before the home side got over the line to chase down a target of 184 and complete a five-wicket win with 37 balls remaining.

A record-breaking chase

106 Runs scored by Nottinghamshire Outlaws in the Powerplay against Durham Jets – Most runs ever scored in the Powerplay in T20s where ball-by-ball data is available. They broke the record set by Kolkata Knight Riders who scored 105 against Royal Challengers Bangalore earlier this year in the Indian Premier League.
19 Balls taken by Alex Hales to reach his fifty. This is the second time this season he has scored a fifty in 19 balls or fewer. He reached his 50 in 18 balls against Yorkshire.
13.30 Run rate at which the Notts Outlaws chased down the target of 183 set by Durham – second-highest in all T20s where the target was above 150. Netherlands chased 189 in 13.5 overs at 13.95 runs per over which remains the best.
9.63 Average run rate at Trent Bridge since the start of 2016 – highest for any ground that has hosted more than 10 T20s. The ground has a strike rate of 153.09 in the same period which is also the highest.

Durham had earlier scored 183 for 7, after being asked to bat first, with Michael Richardson top-scoring with 53 and Paul Coughlin was left undefeated on 42 from 25 deliveries. Pace off the ball proved beneficial for the home attack, with Samit Patel taking 2 for 23 and both Steven Mullaney and Ish Sodhi also picked up two wickets.The Outlaws’ run chase began in highly dramatic circumstances, with Durham suddenly finding themselves two bowlers short.Thirteen runs, including a six from Hales, came from Weighell’s opening over of the innings but it was the next over that produced a flurry of incidents, with three different bowlers needed to complete the set of six.Usman Arshad was ordered out of the attack after sending down two waist-high full tosses. Coughlin took over and went for two fours and a six before he had to leave the field after being struck on the hand by a blow from Hales. Jack Burnham completed the over with a dot ball.Hales and Wessels brought up the team 50 in only 3.2 overs but only five more balls were bowled before a short shower sent the players off the field.The break seemed to re-invigorate the opener as Hales powered his next three balls to the ropes, to leave the total on 78 without loss after five overs.Ryan Pringle came in for extreme punishment as Hales then took 28 off the next over, passing his 50 from just 19 balls, with seven fours and three sixes. The board read 106-0 at the end of the sixth over, a world record for the Powerplay overs.No bowler was spared, although Cameron Steel put down a bullet of a caught and bowled chance when the international was on 82. Typically, the next two balls disappeared out of the ground.Once Hales had departed mayhem set in. Both Tom Moores and Mullaney departed to the first ball they faced and Christian only made 10, with Steel getting his first two wickets in the format – but at a personal cost of 60 runs.Patel made 26 but fell to Brydon Carse when only four runs were needed, leaving Wessels and Brendan Taylor to take the Outlaws over the finishing line.Earlier in the day, Durham were put under pressure from the very start of their innings when Graham Clark was bowled in the first over by Patel.Richardson and Steel began to re-build the innings with a stand of 54 but Mullaney separated them as soon as he came into the attack. The first delivery sent down by the medium-pacer was helped out by Steel, straight into the safe hands of Hales at deep midwicket.Burnham was bowled by Sodhi for 1 and Gareth Harte, in for the resting Paul Collngwood, lofted Mullaney out to Taylor at deep cover.The visitors had slid from 57 for 1 to 68 for 4 but then had around 15 minutes to regroup after a sudden shower sent the players scurrying back to the dressing rooms.Upon the resumption Richardson went on to reach his 50 from 37 balls but hit all around a Patel delivery and was bowled.Sodhi removed Stuart Poynter but an eighth wicket stand of 52 between Coughlin and Ryan Pringle, who made 25, helped the Jets towards a competitive total.Overthrows helped the Jets take 21 from the final over, with Ball’s last delivery being scooped over his own head for six by Coughlin.Durham’s defeat was their eighth in 10 matches, whilst the Outlaws now top the North Group table, despite having lost their first two matches in the competition.

Chelsea have “verbally agreed” personal terms with Ajax attacking midfielder Mohammed Kudus over a potential switch to Stamford Bridge, according to reliable journalist Rudy Galetti.

Is Mohammed Kudus leaving Ajax?

The Ghana international still has another two years remaining on his contract at the Johan Cruyff Arena, but with Mauricio Pochettino’s side having "registered their interest" in securing his services, which will cost them £40m, there’s a chance he could be on his way out.

The Independent’s Miguel Delaney previously reported that the Blues are currently ahead of Arsenal, who also hold an interest, in the race for the 22-year-old as a result of having a more convincing package on offer to their target, and chiefs appear eager to wrap up a deal as quickly as possible to avoid any potential hijack from their rivals in the Premier League.

Read The Latest Chelsea Transfer News HERE…

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano claimed that Todd Boehly and Co have spoken to the central talisman’s camp to “ask about the conditions of the deal” and are “informed” on what it would take to get the move over the line, something which seems to be edging ever closer if the following update is to be believed.

Are Chelsea signing Mohammed Kudus?

Taking to Twitter, Galetti revealed that Chelsea have been given the green light to sign Kudus on the player’s side and are now simply waiting for the two parties to complete the remainder of the deal. He wrote:

“#Chelsea had first contacts with #Ajax for Mohammed #Kudus. Understand that #CFC have verbally agreed the personal terms with the player: now it’s up to clubs to find an agreement. Other 2 [English] teams have showed a concrete interest in him: evolving situation.”

In the Eredivisie last season, Kudus posted 15 goal contributions (11 goals and four assists) in 30 appearances which is an impressive return for an attacking midfielder, and there’s no doubting that it could prove to be a massive coup should he seal a move to Chelsea.

The Supernova Management client also ranked in the 99th percentile for successful take-ons and pass completion, showing that he loves to dribble past his marker and link up the play with his fellow peers in and around the opposition’s area to try and create as many chances as possible.

Ajax’s “unpredictable” star, as lauded by teammate Steven Berghuis, also has the flexibility to operate in three roles in the centre of the park, out wide on the right wing and even up top as a striker so he would add excellent versatility to Pochettino's ranks and be a great option for the boss to have at his disposal.

According to Sky Sports, Chelsea are believed to have agreed a deal to sign Rennes midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu, but with the boss having not yet decided whether to utilise him immediately or send him out on loan, Kudus coming in may not make a difference, so it’s likely that he could be the next to follow in the 19-year-old’s footsteps by writing on the dotted line in the near future.

Manchester United are currently trying to juggle two separate transfers at once for Rasmus Hojlund and Sofyan Amrabat but according to a report from TeamTalk, it seems they are confident of getting both deals over the line.

What is the latest Manchester United transfer news?

The Red Devils have not been short on transfer links this summer, with plenty of big names rumoured to be on their way to Old Trafford. As the side have been focused on restocking their squad and ensuring they have adequate depth ahead of 2023/24, already bringing in Mason Mount and Andre Onana, it means that plenty of names have been mentioned as having deals in the pipeline and bids have already been placed for a few stars over the summer.

One of the biggest names linked with Old Trafford is Harry Kane. The striker looked as if he could indeed be on his way to Man United, but more recent updates have suggested Spurs won't let him move to another Premier League side. It means that Bayern have now edged in front, but a fresh report has stated that the Red Devils are still keeping tabs on the situation.

Two of the names that are looking a lot closer to moving to the club though are Hojlund and Amrabat. There have been twists and turns concerning both deals, with Hojlund now the subject of a bid from PSG and Amrabat not yet having anyone match the asking price for his services. United have bid for the former of the two and have also made contact with the latter, but as yet, no deals have been sealed.

Are Manchester United signing Rasmus Hojlund and Sofyan Amrabat?

Now, according to a report from TeamTalk on Friday, it seems as though, despite all these other factors, United feel transfers for both players can be pulled off after Erik ten Hag demanded new transfers.

It states that despite PSG making their own offer, the Red Devils are "confident" that they will still be able to land the Atalanta man. It also adds that they want to continue their business by bringing in Fiorentina's Amrabat and are confident of doing so, but that they just need to shift two of their current crop of midfielders before they can advance that deal.

Of the two, Amrabat appears to be near the top of his game right now. All of his performances for Morocco in the World Cup caught the attention of many and drew high praise from some of the biggest figures in the game. Fabio Capello even made a comparison that the Fiorentina man will likely be proud of, as he called the midfielder the "Gennaro Gattuso of Morocco." It means Amrabat is clearly viewed in high regard and perhaps even has a similar level of talent.

If that is the case, then United signing Amrabat and exciting forward Hojlund together could be an excellent move from the side as they look to push on in the Champions League and Premier League during Ten Hag's second season in charge.

Aston Villa are interested in bringing Santos star Marcos Leonardo to the Premier League this summer, according to Sky Sports reporter Gianluca Di Marzio.

Who is Marcos Leonardo?

Leonardo is primarily a striker who has plied his trade at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium since his childhood days, having graduated from the club’s academy to get promoted to the first team three years ago. Across all age levels, he’s made 149 appearances to date.

The Brazil youth international's contract isn't set to expire until 2026, but having firmly established himself as Paulo Turra’s top-performing offensive player so far this season, he’s already attracted plenty of interest from several high-profile clubs in England.

Read The Latest Aston Villa Transfer News HERE…

Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Nottingham Forest have all been linked with a swoop for the 20-year-old during the ongoing window, but with a move having yet failed to come to fruition, NSWE & Monchi have seemingly decided to enter the running in the hope of securing his services.

Unai Emery already has Ollie Watkins, Jhon Duran and Cameron Archer as his options at centre-forward, but with Wesley Moraes having completed a permanent move to Stoke City, not to mention that Keinan Davis has told the club that he wants to leave, the boss appears to be dipping into the market to find some new reinforcements.

Are Aston Villa signing Marcos Leonardo?

Taking to Twitter on Wednesday, Di Marzio name-checked Aston Villa as one of the clubs keeping close tabs on Leonardo, but admitted that as it stands, AS Roma are the team currently in pole position to land him. He wrote:

“#SerieA #Calciomercato | @OfficialASRoma, today is the decisive day for #MarcosLeonardo : the @SantosFC has to say whether or not he accepts the Giallorossi's offer. On the attacker there are also @AVFCOfficial and @NFFC, but the player has given priority to #Roma @SkySport.”

How good is Marcos Leonardo?

According to football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Leonardo is a “natural goalscorer” which is proven by his return so far this season having posted eight goal contributions (six goals and two assists) in 12 Serie A appearances, so should the striker put pen to paper, it would be an exciting coup for Aston Villa.

Sponsored by Nike, Santos’ £8.9k-per-week earner has also recorded a total of 28 shots over the course of the current campaign which is more than any of his fellow teammates, via FBRef, alongside being awarded two man-of-the-match accolades for his outstanding performances.

The Itapetinga native is additionally a versatile operator having previously been deployed on the left side of the midfield and out wide on the left wing alongside his usual role through the middle, so his ability to play in three different positions makes him a great option for the manager to have at his disposal.

Emery will undoubtedly begin the 2023/24 campaign with Watkins as his main attacker once again so Leonardo could find it hard to nail down a starting spot if the boss only opts to have one centre-forward up top, but he is definitely someone who could seriously push the former to up his game even more and compete for a regular place in the squad.

By 1959, at the end of a sorry decade for Indian cricket, not onlywere there no bowlers in the country who could bowl anythingabove military medium, but the batsmen also were getting bombardedby pacemen from other countries

Partab Ramchand05-Sep-2017By 1959, at the end of a sorry decade for Indian cricket, not onlywere there no bowlers in the country who could bowl anythingabove military medium, but the batsmen also were getting bombardedby pacemen from other countries. Through the decade, bowlerslike Ramchand and Phadkar gamely had carried on the Indian newball attack but their effectiveness had gradually declined. Thedays when the Indian opening attack included names like Pataudi, Kunderan, Gavaskar, Wadekar and Subramanyam were still ahead butthe scenario was pretty desperate by the end of the fifties.It was at this stage that Ramakant Desai burst upon the scene. Notyet 20, only around 5 feet, 6 inches in height and slightly built,he seemed an unlikely prospect. But somehow from that comparatively tiny frame, he was able to unleash pace and bounce that disconcerted the best of Indian batsmen. A series of wicket taking performancesin his maiden season in first class cricket in 1958-59 saw him pitchforked into the Indian side to play West Indies in the finalTest of the series. The visitors had already wrapped up the seriesby winning three successive Tests and it was taken for grantedthat they would record a fourth straight triumph at the Kotlaground in New Delhi.The selectors had cast the net around in trying to build a teamfor the tour of England in 1959 and Desai got the nod for thelast Test. The heartless Kotla ground is not exactly the bestpitch for a fast bowler to be making his debut. But even as theWest Indies piled up the runs, Desai was the only bowler who wasnot collared. Not only that, he surprised the much vaunted battingline up – Holt, Hunte, Sobers, Kanhai, Butcher, Solomon, Smith -with his pace and lift and even was bold enough to bounce the ballat them. And at the end of the West Indies innings which lastedtwo days and realised a total of 644 for eight declared, Desaicould walk back to the pavilion with his head high for he hadtaken four wickets for 169 off 49 overs. His victims were Holt,Kanhai, Smith and Sobers – a dream bag especially on one’s debut.To put Desai’s feat in proper perspective, it must be pointed outthat the two great spinners Mankad and Gupte finished wicketlessafter bowling 55 and 60 overs and conceding 167 and 144 runs respectively.So Desai had arrived and it did seem that Indian cricket haddiscovered a medium fast bowler of quality. He finished with 50wickets in his first Ranji Trophy season, a record that stoodtill 1972-73 and embarked on his first tour with confidence. Heplayed in all five Tests in England in 1959 but his inexperienceshowed and he was quite expensive. But he did enjoy a golden momentin the second Test at Lord’s when he took five wickets for 89 runsin the first innings. He fared better against Australia in 1959-60 taking four wickets in the first innings of the fourth Test atMadras and repeated the feat in the final Test at Calcutta.By the time Pakistan came over the next season, Desai was at hispeak. He had even the great Hanif Mohammed hopping at times andthe legendary opening batsman was generally all at sea as Desai troubled him with his pace and bounce. He finished the series with21 wickets. But he had a less happy time against England thefollowing season as also in the West Indies in 1962.By the early sixties, the Indian pitches had become so spinoriented that pacemen were used for just a few overs. It was sadto see a bowler like Desai reduced to this state and indeed he wasmore out than in the team for some time. Still whenever he wasgiven a chance, he showed he still had a lot of fire in him asproved by his four for 128 in New Zealand’s first innings atCalcutta in 1965 and his six for 56 against the same opponentsin the next Test at Bombay. But by now, the Indian pitches wereheavily loaded against pacemen and he missed many matches – theentire series against Australia in 1964-65, the entire seriesagainst West Indies in 1966-67 and the tour of England in 1967.He was however recalled for the tour of Australia and New Zealandin 1967-68 but by now, he was no more the force he had once been.The continued neglect by the selectors and the benign nature ofthe pitches had discouraged him and with his own slight frame notbeing able to take the load further, his effectiveness had beengreatly reduced and it was a matter of time before he called ita day. Desai’s tale is one of the tragic episodes in Indiancricket.Desai was no rabbit with the bat. He was good enough to get acentury in the Ranji Trophy final against Rajasthan in 1962-63.And against Pakistan at Bombay two years before, he hit a brisk85 dominating a ninth wicket partnership of 149 with PG Joshi,which still stands as the Indian record. A popular team man,Desai’s premature retirement was still a loss to Indian cricket.Many years after his playing days were over, he emerged as thechairman of the national selection committee. But it was a farfrom happy tenure. By this time he had health problems and died following a heart attack shortly before his 59th birthday. Todayon his 61st birth anniversary, it is worth recalling the deedsof `Tiny’ Desai who strove manfully in uphill conditions.

انتقد مدرب مانشستر يونايتد إريك تين هاج، التحكيم بعد التعادل أمام بيرنلي في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “البريميرليج”.

وحصل بيرنلي على ضربة جزاء في نهاية المباراة وتمكن من التعادل بهدف لمثله أمام مانشستر يونايتد مساء اليوم السبت.

وقال تين هاج إلى “سكاي سبورتس”: “بداية قوية للمباراة، سنحت لنا الكثير من الفرص ثم فقدنا السيطرة في الجزء الثاني من الشوط الأول، عاد بيرنلي إلى المباراة وأتيحت له بعض الفرص، الشوط الثاني كنا مسيطرين وفائزين، وخسرنا المباراة في النهاية”.

وأضاف: “أنا محبط للغاية، لا ينبغي أن يحدث ذلك، لقد وضعت نفسك في مواقف صعبة، لقد قدمنا أداءً جيدًا للغاية في العديد من مراحل المباراة، لذا في النهاية علينا أن نحصل على النقاط الثلاث والشباك النظيفة، لقد أهدرنا ذلك مرة أخرى في النهاية”.

وتابع: “لقد وضعنا أنفسنا في موقع الفوز من خلال لعب كرة قدم جيدة، وخلق الكثير من الفرص ثم إهدارها في النهاية في الدقائق الأخيرة، وهو أمر غير ضروري”.

وأكمل: “فهل هذا بسبب سوء الحظ أو العقلية؟ “كلاهما، حظ سيء ولسنا محظوظين بالتحكيم في الأسابيع الأخيرة، لقد استقبلنا الكثير من ركلات الجزاء، هذه ركلة جزاء مبررة ولكن غيرها”.

وبخصوص ركلة الجزاء المشابهة لواحدة لم يتم احتسابها ضد ولفرهامبتون في بداية الموسم، أفاد: “أستطيع أن أرى ذلك، إنها ركلة جزاء، لكن لنا رأيت ثلاث ركلات جزاء على الأقل، التحكيم غير متسق حقًا”.

وأشار تين هاج: “إذا قمت باحتساب ركلة الجزاء الأسبوع الماضي ضد آرون وان بيساكا، فلماذا لم تكن هناك ركلة جزاء واحدة على الأقل لـ جارناتشو؟، أين هو الاتساق؟”.

وأصر مدرب مانشستر يونايتد: “علينا أن ننظر في المرآة، لقد ارتكبنا خطأ، لكن عليك تحمل المسؤولية ويجب أن يفهموا ما يعنيه ذلك للفريق وللمدرب”.

فيما يتعلق بالتأهل للمسابقات الأوروبية، أستطرد: “هذه هي الحقائق، ليس من السهل الحصول على المركز الرابع عندما تكون متخلفًا كثيرًا، كنا بحاجة للفوز، في الأسابيع القليلة الماضية كنا في مراكز الفوز ثم أهدرنا ذلك، الفجوة كبيرة جدًا في هذه المرحلة من الموسم”.

وعن إضاعة الفرص، أفاد: “كل فريق يهدر الفرص، لكن عندما يكون الأمر متروكًا لنا، يكون الأمر غريبًا، لقد صنعنا الكثير من الفرص أيضًا، نحن أحد أكثر الفرق ديناميكية في الدوري في الوقت الحالي”.

وأتم: “نحن نصنع الكثير من الفرص من خلال لعب كرة قدم جيدة ولم يكن من الضروري أن نفقد السيطرة، لقد أصلحنا هذا الأمر في الشوط الثاني وكان الشوط الثاني أفضل بكثير”.

Two wins for Sri Lanka will leave West Indies outside the top eight even if they win their remaining six matches before the September 30 cut-off

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Aug-2017

Sri Lanka, currently ranked eighth in ODIs with 88 points, can secure direct qualification for the 2019 World Cup if they win at least two matches in the upcoming five-ODI series against India, starting August 20 in Dambulla.Winning two games will push Sri Lanka’s tally to 90 while West Indies, currently placed ninth with 78 points, can at best reach 88 even if they win their six remaining ODIs – one against Ireland and five against England – before the September 30 cut-off. The top seven sides along with hosts England gain direction qualification for the tournament.If Sri Lanka manage to win only one match in the series, however, West Indies could pip them on decimal points, provided they win each of their upcoming six ODIs. A loss against Ireland would rule West Indies out of direct qualification, even if Sri Lanka get whitewashed by India.Sri Lanka’s recent form at home isn’t encouraging: they lost 3-2 to 11th-ranked Zimbabwe last month. They have, in fact, lost seven of their last 10 completed ODIs at home.West Indies’ ODI form isn’t encouraging either: in the last five years, and among Full Members, their average of 27.20 and run-rate of 5.10 are only better than Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe.