You can't go far wrong with an all-white Madrid home kit, but which is the best ever? GOAL decides…

There is, admittedly, little to be done with a Real Madrid home kit. The Spanish giants will always wear white, with some sort of accent occasionally thrown in. But that doesn't mean there haven't been some legendary kits worn by Los Blancos.

From the early days of their adidas partnership in the 1980s to the golden stripes of the early 2010s, the club have released some gorgeous shirts. And with the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Raul suiting up for the club, there's plenty of star appeal, too.

And so after their new home kit for 2023-24 was released, GOAL takes a look at Real Madrid's best home shirts from over the years…

Getty102012-13: It falls apart under Jose

Madrid's struggles in 2012-13 have been well-chronicled at this point. It was the year when Jose Mourinho left the club in dramatic fashion, making a conscious effort to burn every bridge possible before he departed by "mutual consent" the following summer.

Still, there were some positives here. Los Blancos beat Barcelona three times, signed Luka Modric, and got 55 goals out of Ronaldo.

AdvertisementGetty Images92004-05: The end of the Galacticos

This should have been a memorable season. Sure, some of the famous Galacticos were past their best, but Ronaldo and Raul remained world-class. That Zidane guy wasn't bad, either. Add a prime Michael Owen, and all the ingredients were there for a La Liga win. It didn't quite go to plan, with Los Blancos falling short of Barcelona by four points.

European success was similarly elusive, as Real Madrid crashed out of the Champions League in the last 16 to an excellent Juventus side.

Lintao Zhang/Getty Images82015-16: Zizou wins the Champions League (again)

Madrid were enduring a tricky first half to the 2015-16 season when they brought Zidane in to manage the first team. And the club legend took over a top-tier squad with aplomb. Los Blancos battered Europe, with the famous Benzema-Bale-Ronaldo attacking trio leading Madrid to a famous 11th Champions League title.

Any other year, and Madrid would have been celebrating a double. However, a rampant Barcelona side pipped them to the league title by just a single point.

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Getty Images71999-2000: Champions League dominance

The 1998-99 season was something of an underwhelming campaign for Los Blancos, and they tried to amend that with a series of signings for the next year. And they did so with aplomb.

Madrid spent big in the transfer market while Raul came into his own as a goalscorer. It all amounted to a team primed for European glory. And they delivered, winning the 2000 Champions League, battering Valencia in the final.

The Melbourne Renegades kept their BBL campaign alive with a dramatic one-run win over hosts Brisbane Heat

The Report by Alex Malcolm in Brisbane20-Jan-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsSunil Narine picked up two wickets in the 19th over and set up a dramatic finish•Getty Images

Nine deliveries, 16 runs and three wickets featured in one of the most bizarre final overs in BBL history. But the Melbourne Renegades kept their finals hopes alive with a nail-biting one-run win over the Brisbane Heat at the Gabba.The equation was simple at the beginning of the final over. The Heat needed 18 runs to secure a home semi-final. Nathan Rimmington needed to defend 16 or less to keep the Renegades alive.Rimmington did his job, but only . He bowled four wides, conceded two sixes, took the wicket of Joe Burns and completed two run-outs in roller-coaster ride that would have left the most adventurous of thrill-seekers feeling nauseous.It had been a night for the batsmen. The Renegades had set a big total of 199 on the back of a stunning opening stand from Aaron Finch and Marcus Harris. They scored 106 runs in just nine overs before Harris fell.The Heat then trumped that start with the second-highest score in the Powerplay in BBL history. Brendon McCullum and Sam Heazlett took 84 from the first five overs of the chase. The Renegades, though, pulled Heat back courtesy outstanding spells from Thisara Perera and Brad Hogg. Extraordinary hitting from Ben Cutting and Joe Burns and some rain then added to the drama of the final overs but the Renegades somehow held their nerve. 1wd 6 6 W 1wd W 1wd 0 W(1wd)
The final over of the match from Rimmington had to be seen to be believed. The Renegades had lost three final-over thrillers this season with Finch, Perera and James Pattinson all entrusted with the final six balls and all conceding the winning runs. Finch turned to Rimmington for this over instead of Pattinson after Perera, one of their best bowlers on the night, had bowled out. Rimmington had bowled an excellent 18th over, conceding just eight runs and removing Cutting, who had scored a rampaging 35 from 18 balls and was threatening to end the Renegades’ season. Burns was 23 from 19 balls and had only found the boundary once, so the Renegades were favourites.But Rimmington bowled a wide first ball, attempting a yorker. 17 off 6 balls. Burns then nailed two short balls over the long boundary at midwicket for sixes. 5 off 4. He got a third in the slot but mis-hit it to long-off and Perera held on to keep things interesting. 5 off 3. Rimmington bowled another wide. 4 off 3. Buchanan nailed the next – a full wide ball – to cover where Finch gathered and fired at the non-striker’s end. Rimmington’s collect to break the stumps was superb as Buchanan was run-out. 4 off 2. Rimmington bowled another wide to Mark Steketee. 3 off 2. He tried the wide yorker for a sixth time in the over and finally got it inside the guideline beating Steketee, who strangely backed away to leg, for a dot ball. 3 off 1. Rimmington went wide again for the final ball. Swepson got a running start at the non-striker’s end, hoping to run two for a super over if Steketee made contact, but he instead left alone another wide only to look up and see his team-mate charging at him. Debutant wicketkeeper Andrew Harriott threw the ball to Rimmington and the run-out ended the game. Although not everyone on the ground was certain of the result, with Finch admitting later he thought it was only the eighth wicket.Aaron Finch gave the Renegades a blazing start with 71 off 35 balls•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Finch’s fireworks
Finch has responded to his axing from the Australian one-day side in the finest possible fashion with three half-centuries in his last four BBL innings. This was the most destructive. He clubbed 71 from 35 balls with six fours and four sixes. He started in the first over with a mammoth hit over cover that landed in the second tier. Incredibly, he played second fiddle to Harris for the next three overs. At the end of the fourth over Harris was 30 from 15 balls while Finch had scored just 18 from nine balls. But he took charge in the eighth over. He was gifted a life, and six runs, from Burns in the deep during a hat-trick of bombs off Marnus Labuschagne. Callum Ferguson also played a vital hand scoring 31 not out from 15 balls to help get the total up to 199.Now the waiting begins
The result puts the Renegades into the top four on the table for now. The Heat’s loss means a home semi-final is in jeopardy. Everything now hangs on Saturday’s matches. If the Scorchers beat the Hurricanes and the Stars account for the Sixers, the Renegades will play in the finals. But if the Sixers beat the Stars, then the Renegades will likely be squeezed out due to an inferior net run-rate. The Hurricanes are now likely to miss out on the finals after the Heat’s loss even if they beat the Scorchers due to a very poor net run-rate. Peter Nevill might be available for a potential final after being cleared of a facial fracture. He could come back in for Harriott who did a fine job having been plucked from NSW premier cricket to make his T20 debut at the Gabba. He took two catches and kept well throughout.Brendon McCullum shellacked a fifty off 18 balls – the second fastest in BBL history – but it was not enough for the Heat to secure a home semi-final•Getty Images

Hogg, the unsung hero
While Finch was named Man of the Match, his 71 was just one of a number of blistering knocks on a night where the batsmen were very productive. McCullum also set the Gabba alight with a fifty off 18 balls, but, arguably, it was Hogg who turned the game. McCullum was a runaway freight train in the first five overs before Perera arrived and bowled a brilliant sixth over, conceding just a single. Hogg then spun his web. His first three overs cost only eight runs, all singles, although there were five leg byes. McCullum scored just six runs from his next 17 balls after reaching fifty. Overall, Hogg bowled nine balls to McCullum and conceded only two runs. He also removed the dangerous Alex Ross to apply additional pressure on the Heat.

The Manchester City star came into the tournament in wonderful form, so after her nerveless penalty against Nigeria, can she rediscover that?

Chloe Kelly has always enjoyed the big moments – see her extra-time winner in the Euros final last year, or her winning penalty in the Women’s Finalissima in April. When she stepped up to take another decisive spot-kick on Monday then, one to seal England’s place in the Women’s World Cup quarter-finals after a nervy meeting with Nigeria, few thought she’d miss. Even the unorthodox hop-skip-jump technique of the penalty wasn’t enough to cause jitters for those rooting for the Lionesses as she smashed the ball into the top corner and allowed a nation to breathe a sigh of relief.

Asked what was going through her head when she stepped up in that pressure moment, Kelly's response said a lot. "I just thought, 'I’m going to score'," she replied. "When you win that mental battle, it's always important."

The 25-year-old’s mentality has always been a key factor in her success. Speaking to GOAL back in late 2019, the young winger reflected on how enjoyable her experiences were in the first-team environment as a 16-year-old at Arsenal, the most successful club in English women’s football. “I think when you embrace the opportunity, obviously you’re going to be nervous, but you’re there to show what you’re capable of,” she said.

That attitude of taking everything in her stride has been there this whole time and, alongside her wonderful talent, it is what has turned her from a promising forward into an England – and Manchester City – star. Just look at how she went from rupturing her ACL right before she was almost certain to go to the Olympics with Great Britain, to fighting back to fitness in time to go to the Euros and score the goal that won the thing.

She’s had a quiet World Cup so far, Kelly. After failing to make a serious impact as a starter in England’s first two games, the winger netted from the bench in the 6-1 thrashing of China but couldn’t make too much happen against Nigeria, brought on as a late sub with the Lionesses already down to 10 players.

But that spot-kick could ignite her tournament. After all, she loves the big moment, and they’re only going to get bigger and bigger from here.

GettyPlaying the best football of her career

After coming through at Arsenal and cutting her teeth in the Women's Super League with Everton, Kelly joined Man City in the summer of 2020 and has taken her game to the very next level with the club.

At a time when all eyes were on the U.S. women's national team stars that were flocking across the Atlantic during the Covid-19 pandemic, Kelly was the actual signing of the season, named to the PFA Team of the Year after leading the league in assists and scoring 10 goals, too. Fran Kirby, who swept up the Player of the Year awards as Chelsea won the title, was the only other player with Kelly to hit double figures for both.

An ACL injury suffered on the final day of that season was a devastating obstacle, but Kelly's return to form ahead of the Euros got her into the squad, and she ended the season just gone in special form, too.

“I believe what we saw recently was probably some of her best football, so far,” Man City boss Gareth Taylor said in May. “She missed a lot of football with the injury that she had, which was a frustrating time for her and obviously for the team because we lost a real top player. I think it's taken her a while to get back to her level, but then I think she's exceeded some of those levels more recently.”

AdvertisementGettyHer partner-in-crime

Kelly is part of a devastating front three at her club, with Jamaica star Bunny Shaw spear-heading the attack while England team-mate Lauren Hemp lines up on the opposite flank. Despite not being near each other much on the pitch, the pair have a really good connection that can pay dividends.

“Me and Chloe have such a good relationship that I know when she's going to shoot and I know when she's going to put the ball in the box,” Hemp said in May, having just got on the end of a Kelly cross to score for City. “She has been fantastic this season. Same with Bunny as well. Having them just sort of makes my job a lot easier.”

It’s unclear how England will line up for the quarter-final clash with Colombia on Saturday. The Lionesses switched to a 3-5-2 against China and it worked a treat, but that wasn’t the case when they set up in that formation against Nigeria. Could head coach Sarina Wiegman revert back to the 4-3-3, then?

Time will tell, but if she can figure out a way to best utilise this relationship between Kelly and Hemp, it would certainly be beneficial. It’s electric in Manchester.

GettyCould she change roles?

If Wiegman does opt to stay with the 3-5-2, could there be a new position for Kelly? One huge selection dilemma she has is how to fill the shoes of Lauren James in the No.10 role after her red card against Nigeria. Ella Toone didn’t light the tournament up there before James replaced her and Jordan Nobbs, who could be an option, hasn’t seen a minute of action yet.

Former England captain Steph Houghton has another idea, though. A team-mate of Kelly’s at City ever since the forward arrived at the club three years ago, she believes the 25-year-old could thrive as the playmaker.

“I’d love to see Chloe Kelly taking over that position, getting on the ball and working the opposition defence,” she wrote in her column for . “In Chloe, you have a player you can count on to work incredibly hard.”

She’s played on both wings and came through at Everton as a No.9, so she can be versatile. Could her creativity and skilfulness be an asset in a more central area?

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Getty ImagesSuper-sub turned starter

Whether Wiegman sees that as a possibility or not, whether she opts to start Kelly or use her from the bench, there is definitely more potential in her as an England player that can be realised.

Like Toone and Alessia Russo, she is one of those super-subs from last year’s Euros that has been absorbed into the starting XI more frequently in the past year because of injuries, and though Kelly has shown the best form of the trio as a starter in that time, it’s not been seen at the World Cup just yet.

“With the World Cup, you never know what happens. Sometimes a player that has finished the season really strong doesn't probably catch fire as you would expect and vice versa,” City boss Taylor noted before the tournament. “But certainly confidence-wise and what she's able to achieve, I think Chloe's in a really good place.”

She was certainly confident when she stepped up to take that high-pressure penalty. But is there something Wiegman can do to get her to show that in her play on the pitch? What’s missing?

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe is eyeing a move for Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay as he seeks clarity over the side's newfound prominence.

What's the latest on Newcastle's pursuit of Scott McTominay?

That's following a recent report from the Northern Echo, which states that the Scotland international is a 'viable' option for the Toon as they look to fortify the midfield after qualifying for the Champions League.

The long-term target is believed to be seeking an exit from Old Trafford after telling friends that he is disgruntled after falling out of favour under Erik ten Hag.

The 26-year-old is valued at around £30m by the Red Devils but Magpies technical director Dan Ashworth is cautious to part with such an exorbitant fee for a player so firmly on the periphery at the Theatre of Dreams.

Should Newcastle sign Scott McTominay?

The general consensus is that McTominay will be shipped on this summer after starting just ten times in the Premier League this term, though he did play 39 times across all competitions and missed 15 matches due to injury.

However, his recent exploits with the Scottish national team have exhibited his prowess and just how effective he can be when provided a central role, with the 38-cap international scoring four goals from two matches during the last international break, including a dominant performance against Spain that left him with a Sofascore rating of 8.0.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 19% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for touches in the attacking box, the top 21% for tackles, the top 1% for clearances and the top 2% for aerials won per 90, and has also been hailed as "superb" by former MEN writer Hesham Bilal-Hafiz.

The £60k-per-week ace could emulate former Newcastle star Yohan Cabaye at St. James' Park, with the Frenchman forging 93 displays for the Toon, scoring 18 goals and 14 assists, before signing for Paris Saint-Germain for around £20m in 2014.

Cabaye was once lauded by former Magpies manager Alan Pardew for his "true character" and for having "that X-factor", with an analysis from James Eastham stating that his teammates were 'primed to expect penetrative, precise service whenever Cabaye is in possession'.

McTominay, who was dubbed a "real threat" by Roberto Martinez, could emulate that role and combine his aforementioned defensive aptitude with a knack for effectively contributing to the offensive transitions.

And with Cabaye boasting career defensive metrics of 2.6 tackles and 2.4 interceptions per game, as per WhoScored, he too served as a rock that Mctominay could indeed emulate to contribute towards Newcastle's present endeavours, searching for success unseen at the club in a very long time.

Despite it being Julie Ertz's big night, Lynn Williams quietly stole the limelight with a brilliant two-goal performance.

All eyes were on Julie Ertz, and rightfully so. The U.S. women's national team legend was here to say goodbye, one last run and one last game for a player that has had so many important ones over the years. With her 2023 World Cup teammates around her, Ertz made way early on to a much-deserved ovation.

But, while this was Ertz's day, it was also Lynn Williams', too. A player that was overlooked at the World Cup could not be overlooked on Thursday night, even with all the fanfare around Ertz' goodbye.

Williams scored two of the three goals in the USWNT's 3-0 win over South Africa, offering the attacking spark that the U.S. needed so badly at the World Cup. Both goals, as unlikely as it may seem, came via set pieces, with Williams the surprising goalscorer on both.

Trinity Rodman's goal, though, was a display of the threat that the U.S. so desperately lacked Down Under. It was a lovely attacking move, one capped by a pass from Alex Morgan to Rodman for a simple finish.

In the first game of the post-Vlatko Andonovski era, the U.S. put out a lineup not unlike the one we saw at the World Cup. What that team lacked in the attacking end a few months back seems behind them, though, as this USWNT played the way that many expected them to this summer.

GOAL rates USWNT players from TQL Stadium…

• Getty
  

  Goalkeeper & Defense

  Alyssa Naeher (6/10):

  Had just about nothing to do for the bulk of this game. Could this have been a good one to get a look at one of the other goalkeepers?

  Crystal Dunn (7/10):

  A solid game at fullback/wingback. When the lineup came out, there was hope she'd be in midfield. No luck, though, as she exited after 45.

  Naomi Girma (8/10):

  How many better defenders are there in the world today? Had to get back and stop a few South Africa attacks, but she did so effortlessly every time.

  Alana Cook (7/10):

  Totally solid, which only makes it more puzzling as to why we didn't see her more at the World Cup.

  Emily Fox (6/10):

  Helped keep South Africa quiet on that right-hand side. Nothing crazy, but a good performance overall.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  Midfield

  Emily Sonnett (7/10):

  Was a secret weapon in that last World Cup game and she looked good again in a midfield role here. Ran plenty and helped the U.S. in possession.

  Lindsey Horan (8/10):

  Involved in all three goals and was fantastic on set pieces. About as good of a performance as you can expect from a midfielder.

  Julie Ertz (6/10):

  Was given her start, but it didn't last long before she was taken out to a standing ovation. Came oh so close to getting a goal from a corner kick, but it just wasn't quite to be.

• Getty
  

  Attack

  Trinity Rodman (7/10):

  Fantastic run and and great finish on a sequence that would have been very, very welcome at the World Cup. Should be a good one for her confidence after some ups and downs Down Under.

  Alex Morgan (7/10):

  No goal, which isn't ideal given her World Cup drought but, an overall good performance from the USWNT striker. Fantastic pass on Rodman's goal, a good display of what she can do in her role.

  Lynn Williams (9/10):

  Could the U.S. have used Williams in the XI at the World Cup? On this evidence, it sure looks like it! Williams was absolutely fantastic and, for a team that saw their attack sputter Down Under, that will be even more frustrating given her lack of minutes.

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• Getty
  

  Subs & Manager

  Mary Alice Vignola (7/10):

  A very good first impression for the hometown defender, who did enough to show she can play at this level.

  Ashley Sanchez (6/10):

  Stop me if you heard this before: Could we have seen more of her at the World Cup?

  Ashley Hatch (6/10):

  Got her chance after missing the World Cup, and looked okay, but it'll be tough to hold off some of the young forward options behind her.

  Casey Krueger (N/A):

  Came on a bit too late to make an impact, replacing Fox at right back.

  Alyssa Thompson (N/A):

  Got a 15 minute cameo in place of Rodman as she looks to find more USWNT experience.

  Twila Kilgore (7/10):

  Did exactly what you want from an interim manager: made minor changes that produced big results. The next manager can reinvent the wheel, but it's Kilgore's job to make sure that it keeps moving.

A round-up of the Momentum One Day Cup matches played on February 26, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Feb-2017

Cape Cobras climbed from the bottom of the table to the top half with a slim three-wicket against Dolphins in Pietermaritzburg. Their second win of the tournament was led by an all-round performance from Rory Kleinveldt who took 4 for 48 and struck a four and six when they needed 10 from the last over.Chasing 257, Cobras’ opening stand of 63 between Richard Levi (52 off 35) and Omphile Ramela (62 off 90) set the tone before Robbie Frylinck removed Levi and Stiaan van Zyl fell for 8 off 26 balls. Their troubles increased when left-arm spinner Kyle Nipper struck twice and Ramela retired hurt on 60 between those two wickets. Dane Vilas steered them past 200 but lost more partners as Frylink accounted for Ramela once he returned. At 221 for 7 and needing 36 off 32 balls, Kleinveldt joined Vilas and struck a six in the 48th over before his last-over strikes. Kleinveldt finished on 26 off 15 and Vilas on 47 off 58.Dolphins’ decision to bat looked useful when their openers Vaughn van Jaarsveld (54 off 52) and Morne van Wyk put on 90 in under 15 overs. Once Dane Piedt struck, van Wyk went on to score a century but didn’t get substantial support at the other end. The other batsmen struggled to score briskly and van Wyk’s 111 off 127 helped them to 256 for 8 but it was not enough.File photo – Henry Davids followed his 163 in the previous match with a brisk 63•LatinContent/Getty Images

Titans moved one place up to the top of the table with a resounding 109-run win in Centurion where they bowled Lions out for 159 while defending 268.Put in to bat, Titans didn’t see huge partnerships but useful contributions from several batsmen. They stuttered in parts – once when opener Henry Davids fell for 63 off 70 in the 21st over and the second time when they slipped from 156 for 4 to 156 for 6 in the 30th over. However, an unbeaten and run-a-ball 61 from Albie Morkel, at No. 7, helped them survive the 50 overs and cross the 250 mark. Beuran Hendricks finished with 3 for 41 and Bjorn Fortuin with 2 for 46.Titans quicks Eldred Hawken and Junior Dala joined forces to trouble Lions’ top and middle order. They sent the top five batsmen back by the time Lions could score 52 in 13 overs. From there on, the lower order only stretched the score past 100 and then 150, Fortuin the top-scorer with 34, but figures of 8-1-40-3 from Hawken and 6-0-21-3 from Dala meant Lions could not put up much of a fight.

England captain Eoin Morgan says his bowlers were badly let down by their batsmen after a collapse of 8 for 8 sealed a 75-run defeat to India in the third T20I at Bangalore

Deivarayan Muthu in Bangalore01-Feb-20171:30

‘We fell away terribly towards the end’ – Morgan

England lost 10 for 83 in the last innings in the second Test in Visakhapatnam. They lost 5 for 70 in the first innings in the third Test in Mohali. They lost 7 for 54 in their second innings in the fourth Test in Mumbai. The visitors then suffered a more cataclysmic fall in their second innings in the fifth Test in Chennai, losing 10 for 104 after piling on 477 in their first dig.The limited-overs players then roused the side from its gloom after Christmas, pushing India in 50-over cricket and proceeded to go 1-0 up in the subsequent T20 series. England were then at the receiving end of two incorrect umpiring decisions and lost the second T20. In the series decider in Bangalore, they unravelled dramatically against legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal and left to head home empty-handed.England experienced a fair share of collapses on this gruelling tour, but losing 8 for 8 on Wednesday night was as chaotic as it could get. Their breezy start to the chase – they were 119 for 2 in the 14th over in pursuit of 203 – starkly contrasted with what was to follow. The two set batsmen – Joe Root and captain Eoin Morgan – were dismissed by Chahal in successive balls and England eventually suffered the second-worst eight-wicket collapse in international cricket to be rolled over for 127 with 21 balls to spare in their innings.England captain Eoin Morgan cut a sorry figure at the post-match press conference, but did not mince any words about his team’s batting performance.”It does hurt. Very disappointing,” Morgan said. “Maybe 60% of the game we were competitive and right in amongst it but fell away terribly in the end. Committed a cardinal sin of losing two in-players in one over and allowed India to build a little bit of pressure and we weren’t up to it at all.”So what really went wrong in the middle?”I can’t put a finger on it. We haven’t produced a batting performance as bad as that in two or two-and-a-half years,” Morgan said. “We pride ourselves on our batting, it has been a strong suit for a long time but this series our bowlers have outperformed our batsmen I think.”Morgan, who had played for Royal Challengers Bangalore for a season in the IPL in 2010, believed that England were on track to exploit the flat surface and the short boundaries at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium at the halfway mark of the chase. Root bedded himself in, and Morgan himself hinted at hitting full tilt with three sixes from Suresh Raina’s part-time offbreaks in three balls during the 12th over.”I thought we were going quite well,” Morgan said. “A majority of the runs at this ground are always scored in the last 10 overs. Bangalore have done it extremely well for a long period of time and India did well today. So, I think we needed 110 [sic 117] off the last 10 maybe with eight wickets in the shed.”Morgan said that England could have chased the target down had he or Root kicked on with contributions from the lower-middle order.”If a better performance from either me or Joe – a 70 or 80 from me or him and if the two of us seeing off – and a couple of guys batting around us could have made a huge difference,” Morgan said.England’s sharp nosedive began with Morgan galloping down the track, fetching a slog-sweep from outside off and skying a wrong’un to deep midwicket. He backed his intent but blamed the execution for the dismissal.”It wasn’t necessarily a big shot,” Morgan said. “It wasn’t executed that well, I didn’t mean to hit it in the air. The ball – it was a googly – held up a little bit. I wanted to hit down the ground, but hit it squarer.”Morgan also conceded that losing a close ODI series “hurt” more than losing the T20 series, but was confident of recovering from the setbacks.”We had performances in the one-day series that were potentially worthy of winning,” he said. “In this series probably the last game [in Nagpur] hurt us more. The game got away from us, we should have won. Today we underperformed and we weren’t good enough.”I don’t think [there will be a lingering feeling]. If there was a consistent run of performances like that it would hurt to fail again. But like I said, our batting has been outstanding for a long time and tonight it wasn’t anywhere near as it should be.”

Everton are unlikely to complete the signing of Burnley striker Wout Weghorst this summer, according to a key update regarding his future.

What next for Weghorst this summer?

The 30-year-old joined Manchester United on loan during the January transfer window, but it was a move that ultimately failed to work out. He failed to score a single goal in 17 Premier League appearances for the Red Devils, and it became clear that he was not at the level required.

That's not to say that Weghorst didn't have the odd moment to cherish in 2022/23, however – Erik ten Had hailed his "great personality" at Old Trafford – scoring twice for the Netherlands in their World Cup quarter-final clash with Argentina, including a last-gasp strike that took the game to extra-time.

With United not deciding to sign the Dutchman permanently, though, and his Burnley contract expiring in the summer of 2025, his future could be up in the air this summer.

Everton have been linked with a move for the towering striker, with the Blues potentially seeing him as an effective addition to their attack before the start of next season, but a new claim suggests that such reports are wide of the mark.

Are Everton expected to sign Weghorst?

According to Football Insider, Everton are "not in the race" to snap up Weghorst in the summer, with the report stating that a "well-placed source has told this site that the Merseysiders will be in the market for a new forward – but the 30-year-old does not figure on Sean Dyche’s wanted list."

While he "doesn’t figure in the plans of Vincent Kompany at parent club Burnley", it seems highly unlikely that Goodison Park will be his next destination.

In truth, Weghorst would feel like a risky signing by Everton this summer, considering the struggles he endured at United, lacking ruthlessness in the final third and looking too one-dimensional, given his height and lack of pace.

The Blues need to be bringing in someone who can guarantee a more regular stream of end product, not to mention an individual who possesses more pace and trickery, ensuring the Merseysiders become a more potent attacking force next season.

Just 34 goals in 38 Premier League games in 2022/23 sums up their struggles in that area, and if at least one top-quality striker isn't added, they could again find themselves in trouble towards the bottom of the table.

Steven Gerrard could prove to be an unpopular choice as Leeds United's new manager among supporters, according to journalist Ryan Taylor.

Is Gerrard a front-runner for Leeds job?

The 43-year-old had an unsuccessful spell at Aston Villa earlier in the season, eventually being replaced by Unai Emery, who has ultimately showed him up with a much improved run of results.

Since then, Gerrard has been out of management, instead doing some punditry, but he has emerged as one of the favourites to become Leeds' next boss.

The Whites continue to look for the perfect man to come in and turn their fortunes around, with Championship football coming their way in 2023/24, following a bitterly disappointing Premier League campaign that culminated in relegation.

Gerrard is far from guaranteed the Leeds job, but he is certainly in the conversation, and it is an appointment that could split opinion, should it end up coming to fruition.

Is the jury out on Gerrard to Leeds?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Taylor admitted that Gerrard's failed spell at Villa could make him an unpopular choice, even though he sees benefits behind the appointment:

"I do think Gerrard would be a decent fit. I know that might not be popular among some supporters because of what happened at Villa, but I think it's a different kind of job now. It's a project and something to build.

"I know that was the case at Villa, but their squad was so strong that it's not entirely surprising where they ended up finishing, although I know Unai Emery has done a great job.

"When Gerrard went to Rangers, he built, reasonably, from scratch. I think that's the sort of environment he would be walking into at Leeds as well, so I quite like those appointments. I think Ruben Selles would be a good option as well, but I've not seen any kind of links to Leeds."

There is understandable trepidation when it comes to Leeds potentially appointing Gerrard, given the manner in which things petered out at Villa, following a fairly promising start.

He is yet to properly prove himself in the Premier League or the Championship – he did win the Scottish Premiership title with Rangers, in fairness, which was a great achievement – so it would be more risky than someone like Daniel Farke or Scott Parker, both of whom have achieved that goal, both earning promotion from the latter.

That being said, Gerrard is still a young manager who could end up having a bright future in that aspect of football – his legendary status as a player is undisputed, but that doesn't automatically make you a great boss – so bringing him in certainly wouldn't be a disaster.

Half-century stands for the first two wickets, Naman Ojha leading them both, helped Madhya Pradesh hold off Railways for a last-over victory at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.MP’s chase of 156 began with a 61-run opening stand between Ojha and and 22-year-old debutant MS Raghav (32 off 16, with seven fours). Ojha then put on 50 for the second wicket with Harpreet Singh (26) and it seemed like MP would cruise. Railways, however, hit back with four wickets for 24 runs, including Ojha’s for 54, to set up a tense finale. It took a timely cameo from Sohraab Dhaliwal at No. 7 (16* off 9) to take MP over the line with one ball and five wickets to spare.That left Mahesh Rawat on the losing side after he had cracked a 38-ball 63 with nine fours and a six. His innings was built on the foundation provided by a 53-run stand for the second wicket between Ashish Singh (32 off 23) and Faiz Ahmed (40 off 42). Despite their batting order banding together, though, Railways couldn’t put up a strong enough score.File photo – Sarfaraz Khan hit an unbeaten 31-ball 52 as UP defeated Chhattisgarh by eight wickets•BCCI

Chattisgarh made a bright start to their first T20 match, with a century stand for the second wicket, but it did not suffice as they ended up losing to Uttar Pradesh. After electing to bat, Chhattisgarh captain Mohammad Kaif was dismissed for a second-ball duck. Abhimanyu Chauhan (56 off 54) and Amandeep Khare (72 off 50) then put on 113 for the second wicket to lift them to 157 for 5. Medium-pacer Amit Mishra took 2 for 27 for UP. In their chase, UP got off to a solid start and were 70 for 2 in the tenth over when Sarfaraz Khan (52* off 31) joined Akshdeep Nath (58* off 45) to put on an unbroken 92 off 59 balls that took UP to an eight-wicket win.