Next season, for the first time since 1999, Match of the Day will have a new host.

Earlier this week, the BBC announced that Gary Lineker will leave the role at the conclusion of the current campaign, bringing to an end his 25-year stint as the face of the broadcaster’s flagship football show.

Starting in 1964, Match of the Day has been the place for Premier League football highlights, with the BBC also gaining rights for the Football League, FA Cup and European football over the years.

“We want to thank him for everything he has done for the show, which continues to attract millions of viewers each week,” said Alex Kay-Jelski, director of BBC Sport.

Greg Dyke, former BBC director general, told BBC Radio 4 that Lineker was “the outstanding sports presenter of his time”, but that “life moves on”.

How the running order is decided on Match of the Day

Here’s how Match of the Day is pieced together behind the scenes.

ByStephan Georgiou Aug 16, 2024

So what now? Who will replace Lineker as host of Match of the Day after so long at the helm? Can anyone do the job? Does this mean we won’t ever get to see anyone present in just their pants again?

Here, FootballFanCast outlines the top candidates to replace the legendary host.

1 Mark Chapman

Mark Chapman is, unsurprisingly, the favourite to replace Lineker.

The 51-year-old has hosted Match Of The Day 2 for more than a decade and has also filled in for Lineker on the main show when he’s been unavailable on numerous occasions, including when the former England striker was briefly suspended by BBC bosses over his social media activity last year.

As a familiar face with plenty of experience, Chapman is the logical choice.

2 Alex Scott

Alex Scott has been a leading light for female pundits since retiring from professional football in 2017.

In 2018, she became the first female analyst to cover the men’s World Cup on the BBC, while in the same year, she also became Sky Sports’ first-ever female football pundit.

Now the host of Football Focus, she has also stood in for Lineker on Match of the Day.

3 Gabby Logan

Already one of the BBC’s best-known sports presenters, Gabby Logan first joined the broadcaster in 2007, having also worked for ITV.

Since then, she’s presented at the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Invictus Games, the World Cup, the European Championship, and has also occasionally filled in for Lineker. This season, she has fronted Amazon Prime’s Premier League and Champions League coverage.

In 2020, she was awarded an MBE for services to sports broadcasting and promoting women in sport.

4 Alan Shearer

Alan Shearer has been Lineker’s right-hand man on the Match of the Day for years.

Though he has no experience as the main presenter, the former England international could be a good choice for the BBC if they are looking to keep things familiar.

It would also be a strange turn of fate given that Shearer replaced Lineker as England’s first-choice striker when he retired in 1994.

5 Micah Richards

Since retiring from football in 2019, Micah Richards, or as he calls himself, “Big Meeks”, has quickly established himself as one of the most likeable football pundits around.

He’s been a mainstay on Match of the Day alongside Lineker and Shearer, while he’s also worked alongside Kate Scott, Thierry Henry and Jamie Carragher on CBS Sports.

Lineker has previously admitted that he would “love” to see Richards replace him as host of Match of the Day.

“I think you’d be brilliant in the chair,” Lineker told Richards during an episode of The Rest is Football podcast earlier this year.

6 Kate Scott

Kate Scott, formerly Kate Abdo, has earned critical acclaim for her work with CBS Sports since 2020, where she has anchored the network’s coverage of the Champions League alongside Richards, Carragher, and Henry.

The 43-year-old, who previously presented sports on Sky, Fox and CNN, would be a great replacement for Lineker, but could be out of reach for the BBC given that last year she signed a new, four-year exclusive contract with CBS.

7 Kelly Cates

The daughter of the former Liverpool player and manager Sir Kenny Dalglish, Kelly Cates is a highly experienced presenter who has worked for a number of well-known broadcasters, including ESPN, Setanta Sports, and Channel 5.

Her most notable work, however, has been with Sky Sports. She left the channel in 2006 but returned in 2016, and now covers the Premier League’s biggest games alongside the likes of Roy Keane, Jamie Redknapp and Gary Neville in the studio.

8 Jason Mohammad

Welsh broadcaster Jason Mohammad is the current host of BBC show Final Score.

Since joining the BBC in 1997, he has also deputised for Lineker and Chapman on Match of the Day and Match of the Day 2. He would be an experienced figure in front of the camera, though you would imagine he will stick to stand-in appearances.

9 Dion Dublin

Dion Dublin has been a regular feature on the BBC’s sports coverage since retiring from football in 2008, appearing on Match of the Day, Football Focus, Final Score, BBC Radio 5 Live and more.

The former Coventry City and Manchester United striker has plenty of experience presenting outside the world of sports, too.

Since 2015, he’s hosted property show Homes Under the Hammer alongside Martin Roberts and Lucy Alexander, where he’s made a name for himself for regularly letting viewers know exactly where stairs lead to.

10 Jeff Stelling

Famed for his iconic voice, memorable catchphrases, razor-sharp wit and silly sense of humour, Jeff Stelling is one of British football’s most famous broadcasters.

Having presented Gillette Soccer Saturday for Sky Sports from 1994 until 2023, Stelling now works for TalkSport, where he hosts the channel’s breakfast show alongside Ally McCoist.

His appointment would no doubt be a popular one. However, he likely wouldn’t come cheap, though he would almost certainly maintain the show’s prestige by replacing Lineker on Saturday nights.

He believes he has the experience to take over the leadership and become a voice for smaller members and Associates

Nagraj Gollapudi and Tristan Lavalette04-Nov-2022Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani is potentially set to go head to head with the incumbent Greg Barclay in the ICC chairman election scheduled for next weekend. ESPNcricinfo has learned that Mukuhlani, who has been on the ICC board for a long time as the ZC representative, has declared his intention to enter the contest – subject to his getting enough support from the smaller Full Member countries as well as the Associates.ESPNcricinfo recently reported that Imran Khwaja, the ICC deputy chair, was going to stand, but he is believed to have withdrawn. Khwaja suffered a fractious defeat in the 2020 elections against Barclay. Back then, Barclay secured influential support from the BCCI which paved the way for the New Zealander to win by 11 votes to five, in what turned out to be a two-round contest.In July this year, after the ICC annual general meeting, Barclay declared he was ready to contest for a second two-year term. Barclay is believed to be bullish about his prospects, especially as election rules have been tweaked with the winner to be decided on the basis of a simple majority. In 2020 the winning candidate needed a two-third majority from the 16-strong ballot. The 16 votes are from the ICC board of 12 Full Members, one independent director (Indra Nooyi) and three Associate directors which includes Khwaja.Khwaja had received six votes in the first round two years ago, but Cricket South Africa’s vote in the second round tipped the contest in Barclay’s direction. Once beaten, twice shy, Khwaja, one of the most experienced directors on the board, weighed his options and eventually decided not to contest this time, despite having got the mandatory one vote to get nominated.While it could not be confirmed on October 20, the nomination deadline day, Mukuhlani, too, had been proposed by one of the ICC directors. And now he has the second vote, enough to support a nomination. While he is keen to fight the elections, Mukuhlani will likely take a final call in the next week once he senses the kind of support he could expect.Greg Barclay is the current ICC chairman and is looking for another term•Kai Schwoerer/ICC/Getty Images

Mukuhlani is part of the ICC’s Audit Committee and chair of the Membership Committee. He is also part of the global body’s Olympics working group, which is tasked with pushing for cricket’s entry in the Summer Games. Popularly known as ‘Doc’ in ICC circles, Mukuhlani believes he has the experience to take over the leadership and become a voice for smaller members and Associates. He is hedging his chances mainly on getting support from a majority of Asian countries except for the BCCI. At the moment, it is believed that the BCCI vote is leaning towards Barclay, but options remain open till election date. The election is planned to take place during the ICC meetings, scheduled on November 12-13 in Melbourne.Mukuhlani’s manifesto revolves around striving for equity among members and advocating for governance changes. It aligns with the vision Khwaja has had for several years and was to an extent able to put into effect during the four years Shashank Manohar was ICC chairman (2016-20). Both men worked closely to dismantle the Big Three power structure and put in place a fresh financial model where smaller countries received an enhanced share from the ICC revenue pool.That pot has now grown much bigger after Disney Star* bought ICC broadcast rights for men’s and women’s events between 2024-27. The deal, to broadcast in the India market only, is reportedly worth over US$3 billion, considerably more than what the ICC got in the previous rights cycle (which was for eight years, and globally). Barclay, too, is drumming up support and is believed to have put a re-look at the financial distribution model as well as modifying the governance model at the forefront of his strategic plan for a second term. Other than looking at enhancing individual countries’ share of the pie, Barclay wants to invest money in strategic funds as well has promotion of women’s cricket.

NBA legend and Mallorca co-owner discusses the club's resurgence and Messi's influence on American soccer

• Nash praises Mallorca's recent performances in La Liga
• Former NBA star shares insights on ownership challenges
• Discusses Messi's transformative effect on MLS

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Steve Nash, the NBA Hall of Famer and co-owner of RCD Mallorca, has opened up about the Spanish club's recent success in La Liga. Nash, along with fellow NBA legend Steve Kerr and former USMNT player Stu Holden, has been instrumental in Mallorca's resurgence since joining the ownership group in 2016. The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player opened up about his time with the La Liga side and how he, and the rest of the ownership group, attempted to turn things around for the Spanish side.

  “When we started, I was on the board and then when I coached, I had to get off the board, just too busy and not on the board anymore, but always in touch, always speaking with the chairman and he keeps us connected. And so really at this point, really being a fan, watching the games on the weekend and following the team. And that's great,” Nash told Flashscore.

  READ MORE:

  “I mean, it's fun. You know, I got my weekends are busy with my kids' stuff. And then I also follow Mallorca, Tottenham, and the Vancouver Whitecaps. So it's a nice fandom for me to follow our three teams and to root for them. So just being a fan of Mallorca and that connection to the place, to the island, to the history is really special."

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• WHAT STEVE NASH SAID ABOUT LIONEL MESSI

  “This guy [Lionel Messi] is unbelievable. For me, the greatest player to ever play the game. You know, he is still scoring a million goals and making highlights and has brought such an incredible lens or attention to the MLS. You know, what a feather in the cap of the league to have, you know, perhaps the greatest player of all time in your league and still scoring goals, you know, just coming off the back of a World Cup,” Nash said.

  “And so, you know, I know he's at the end of his career, but the things he still does, the way he still impacts games, scores goals, is remarkable. So it's been awesome to have him in America and in the MLS and I still can't take my eyes off him. So it's great for the league.”

• DID YOU KNOW?

  In addition to his love of soccer, Nash had a Hall of Fame NBA career — being named MVP twice in the NBA.

• Getty
  

  WHAT’S NEXT?

  Both Real Mallorca and Lionel Messi are having a good start to their respective seasons as Mallorca sit in 8th place with 10 wins, six draws, and 10 losses after 26 matches played. Messi’ Inter Miami, on the other hand, sit third on the Eastern Conference table after their second league game with four points and face Cavalier S.C. next in their next game in the Concacaf Champions League Round of 16.

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Nov-2015Both teams observed two minutes of silence before the start of play to mark Armistice Day•Getty ImagesMohammad Irfan bowled Jason Roy with the second delivery of the match•Getty Images… before Anwar Ali trapped Joe Root, also for a duck, in his first over•Getty ImagesAnwar then claimed his second scalp when Alex Hales edged to slip for 10•Getty ImagesFrom 14 for 3, Morgan repaired the damage with a fluent innings•Getty ImagesJames Taylor played a supporting role in a restorative half-century stand•Getty ImagesSpot the difference: Mohammad Irfan and James Taylor show some anguish•Getty ImagesTaylor manipulated the field well during his half-century•Getty Images… but he was involved in the run-out of Jos Buttler for 1•Getty ImagesTaylor’s innings ended when Azhar Ali caught him at midwicket off a gleeful Shoaib Malik•Getty ImagesBilal Asif was bowling for the first time since being cleared of throwing•AFPYasir Shah removed Moeen Ali as England’s collapse gathered pace•Getty ImagesChris Woakes helped get England beyond 200 but they were dismissed with two balls undelivered•Getty ImagesWith Pakistan chasing 217 to win, England needed early wickets – and Reece Topley duly obliged•Getty ImagesYounis Khan salutes the crowd after being dismissed for the final time in ODIs•AFPMohammad Hafeez controlled Pakistan’s chase with an impressive innings•Getty ImagesBabar Azam helped keep Pakistan steady after Shoaib Malik’s dismissal left Pakistan 111 for 4•Getty ImagesHafeez recorded his 11th ODI hundred as Pakistan cruised to a six-wicket win•Getty Images

Arne Slot’s men are eight points clear at the top of the Premier League. Eight points. Oh Jurgen Klopp, where for art thou? What the German would have given for that sort of a start to the season when he was at Liverpool.

Alas, the new regime with Slot at the helm is going rather well without the old boss. There were some hiccups on the road at St Mary’s on Sunday afternoon but just as they have done during the infant stages of the 2024/25 campaign, the Reds found a way.

Twice Southampton scored but ultimately Liverpool and indeed Mohamed Salah prevailed.

It took a succession of mistakes from Alex McCarthy and Flynn Downes that led to Dominik Szoboszlai’s opener before a neatly taken strike from Salah and a penalty from the Egyptian saw all three goals rather gift-wrapped a month out from Christmas.

It wasn’t plain sailing for the Merseysiders, far from it. Adam Armstrong scored before the break, following up on his spot kick that had initially been saved by Caoimhin Kelleher.

They did actually go ahead in the second period too when Mateus Fernandes fired home following an incisive break away by the hosts.

The inevitable Salah, however, rescued his side.

Salah's performance in numbers

Over the last few weeks, there has been a battle at the top of the league between two of the most prominent names in the Premier League; Erling Haaland and Salah.

It’s safe to say the Egyptian superstar has come out on top. Haaland has scored just twice in his last seven top-flight games while Liverpool’s star man has found the net on six occasions in his last five matches. He is a phenom. He is world-class. He could well be the man who determines where the title heads next May.

Salah might not have been at his fluid best in the first half against the Saints but he came alive in the second half and contributed with an excellent late showing on the South Coast.

His first goal was beautifully taken, latching onto a ball in behind from Ryan Gravenberch. The Reds winger needed just one touch to nudge the ball past McCarthy who was hopelessly out of position.

His second was far simpler, executing from the spot much to the delight of the travelling support. Salah darted over to the away end, tore away his shirt and bellowed loudly into the night sky. This was his moment, yet again.

The attacker was a constant nuisance throughout and hit the post late on with one of his seven shots throughout the contest. He also completed two of his three dribbles and supplied a key pass during another mightily impressive display.

Pass success

Jones (100%)

Duels contested

Fernandes (13)

Most duels won

Szoboszlai (6)

Most touches

Robertson (104)

Most key passes

Robertson (5)

Defensive actions

Harwood-Bellis (9)

Tackles

Szobszlai & Fernandes (4)

Shots on target

Salah (4)

Expected Goals

Salah (1.64)

Dribble attempts

Onuachu (3/3)

He was perhaps let down by the man next to him; Darwin Nunez.

Darwin Nunez's performance in numbers

With Diogo Jota out with an injury, Nunez has had an excellent chance to showcase to Slot exactly what he’s all about. Sadly, beyond his goal against Aston Villa last time out, he’s only showing his negative side so far.

We’ll let Jamie Carragher sum things up. Speaking during commentary of the game on Sky Sports he remarked that the striker “wasn’t involved in one thing in the game”.

The stats rather sum that up too as Nunez registered just one shot on target and failed with his one and only dribble attempt.

The 25 touches the Uruguayan managed were also one fewer than goalkeeper Kelleher while his tally of ten passes (67% success rate), was the worst of any Liverpool starter on the field at St Mary’s.

Minutes played

89

Touches

25

Accurate passes

10/15 (67%)

Shots on target

1

Dribble success

0/1

Key passes

1

Ground duels won

2/6

Aerial duels won

0/3

Possession lost

9

Fouls

1

Tackles

1

Liverpool really needed an out ball and they did get that in Salah but Nunez did little to assert himself on the likes of Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Downes who was playing out of position at full-back.

That point of view was echoed by GOAL’s Tom Maston who handed the forward a 4/10 and wrote that he ‘struggled’ against the out-of-position Downes and ‘cut a frustrated figure at times’.

Hounded for an “embarrassing” moment by BBC reporter Jim Spence in the first half where he went down too easily, that was perhaps one of the most memorable moments of the game from the former Benfica ace. It’s safe to say he was saved by Salah on Sunday afternoon.

Szoboszlai axed, £90m duo sign: Liverpool dream starting XI after January

Arne Slot’s high-flying squad might be set for a reinforcement or two this winter.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 18, 2024

South Africa will remain cautious with Vernon Philander’s hamstring complaint, are not worried about Quinton de Kock’s form and are looking forward to Rilee Roussouw becoming a permanent spot in the XI

Firdose Moonda in Auckland05-Mar-20151:51

Duminy back in squad after fitness test

Should JP Duminy pass his fitness test on Thursday afternoon, he will likely slot back into South Africa’s XI for their Saturday clash against Pakistan in Auckland. But that may not be the case for Vernon Philander, whose hamstring strain will need to be more conservatively managed and may result in his returning only later in the tournament.”A guy like JP will definitely get back in the mix. He has been one of our best players over a period of time,” coach Russell Domingo said. “We need to make sure Vernon is 100 percent ready to go because we need to be careful with a hamstring strain with the important stage of the competition still to come.”South Africa have all but secured a spot in the knockouts and early calculations see them traveling back to Australia to play a quarter-final Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide and they see Philander as key when the competition reaches that stage. Domingo was keen to use him on pitches he has a proven liking for, but if they need to hold him back from their remaining fixtures in New Zealand to ensure he is available later on, they will.”If there is something in the wicket, there are few better bowlers than Vernon Philander. He is able to extract whatever movement there is,” Domingo said. “If there is something in the wicket and particularly at this venue there might be. We’ve had two low scores in the games here, then. Vernon is a handful, he hits that area consistently and finds a little bit of nip, swing.”Although Philander’s experience in New Zealand has been limited to four ODIs, he has taken six wickets at 15.83 and has an economy of 4.22. His skills would be a handy against Pakistan and the UAE, but his chances of making the XI will depend on how well his hamstring has healed.Someone whose place is not in in doubt is Quinton De Kock. The opener has got into double-figures only once in five ODIs since returning from an ankle ligament tear but Domingo said neither the injury nor the lack of game time has hampered de Kock.”The ankle is fine. All batters go through periods when they are looking for runs. It was four games ago in a warm-up game when he got a good 60 against Sri Lanka,” Domingo reminded.That innings came amid de Kock’s lean patch, his first since establishing himself with three successive centuries against India. De Kock followed that run with another ton in Sri Lanka, where he had appeared out of his depth in 2013, and became Hashim Amla’s third-most successful partner in runs terms after Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers. Naturally, a bubble built around de Kock.”The expectation from a lot of people is that every time he bats, he is going to get runs and cricket does not work like that,” Domingo said.”It’s a good time for a young player who has had a great start to his international career and this will be a good test for him to find the form he is capable of. I’m sure it will be challenging for him because he has always been such a successful young player and a lot has been said and written about him for a young player. But players like that need a bit of love and attention and affection.”So who is providing the hugs? “I’m hoping his girlfriend,” Domingo joked. “I am giving him a lot of attention at the moment. Love is not the word. He is an important player for us and we need to get him going in the right direction so we are giving him as much attention as we possibly can.”With de Kock’s spot safe and Duminy likely to come back, that leaves Rilee Rossouw in limbo but all indications are that he has a big future with the ODI side, perhaps even in this tournament. He may yet displace Farhaan Behardien, especially because of the depth Rossouw provides to the batting line-up.”Even though Rilee wasn’t getting runs at the start of his career, he really looked like a guy who could dominate in international cricket. He has always looked good in the nets, in the warm-up games, the way he has gone about his preparation and when he has gone back to domestic cricket, he has always looked like a man amongst boy,” Domingo said. “He has always shown the attributes that we like. Its a big x-factor for him that he is able to dominate against opposition and he has always played with the mantra that he is able to take the game forward. A little bit of luck has gone his way, a little bit of confidence, coming in at the right times has been important for him and he has grown his game nicely.”Nicely enough to be among a World Cup starting XI? Saturday may tell.

In the final, Pakistan were outclassed with the bat, outsmarted with the ball and outdone in the field

Danyal Rasool11-Sep-20223:18

Maharoof: ‘These young lions will be treated like heroes’

A tournament that began for Sri Lanka with tumult at home and turbulence in the UAE has ended with them taking home the Asia Cup trophy. Pakistan were the side at the receiving end of this thumping, outclassed with the bat, outsmarted with the ball, outdone in the field, and out-thought in the captaincy department by an electric Sri Lankan performance which wrapped up a commanding 23-run win.Bhanuka Rajapaksa formed the backbone of the Sri Lankan innings, rescuing his side from 58 for 5 with an unbeaten 45-ball 71 that saw them post 170. It was followed by a spirited showing in the field as Sri Lanka outmatched Pakistan’s intensity, with Wanindu Hasaranga and Pramod Madushan taking seven wickets between them during a listless batting performance.It had begun so smoothly for Pakistan, with Naseem Shah’s opening-over wicket appearing to set the tone for Pakistan. Haris Rauf was in similarly breathtaking form, never more so than during an extraordinary sixth over where he threatened the stumps nearly every ball. By then, both Pathum Nissanka and Danushka Gunathilaka had been accounted for, and Dhananjaya de Silva and Dasun Shanaka would soon follow.A revival led by Rajapaksa and Hasaranga helped Sri Lanka force themselves back into the game and a spirited finish ensured they’d post a competitive score. It was assisted by some ordinary ground fielding and catching by Pakistan; their best fielder, Shadab Khan, had a notoriously poor outing. Sri Lanka, by contrast, showed in the field how desperately they wanted this. Pakistan were stifled through the first half and then blown away in the second.The Sri Lanka players celebrate their victory•AFP/Getty ImagesBabar Azam’s side never quite sure how to pace their innings, with an unrelenting Sri Lanka refusing to let them grind through the gears. In the end, it was a mismatch between a side that had brought their A-game and one that never quite found theirs. Long before it became official, it was evident Sri Lanka would win their sixth Asia Cup trophy, capping a sensational tournament by saving their best performance for last.Naseem Shah’s first over
Whatever gift Shaheen Afridi possessed that got batters out in his first over seems to have been bestowed on Naseem in his absence. In a mesmeric start where the 19-year old found high pace almost right from the off, Kusal Mendis was done in for a golden duck by a near unplayable delivery. It made a beeline for the stumps, at searing speed, and the hapless Mendis could do little about it. The inswinger went through the gap between bat and pad, and uprooted off stump after clipping the thigh. It was Pakistani fast bowling at its scintillating best.The umpire’s call
First, there was a slice of luck, and then the glorious skill. Off the fifth ball of his innings in Rauf’s scintillating sixth over, the bowler sent down a near unplayable leg-stump yorker at the in-form Rajapaksa. The batter played all around it, with the ball crunching into his foot. The umpire deemed it not out, only to have his decision upheld by the barest of margins, with Hawkeye deeming it to be umpire’s call on impact. To the naked eye, it looked out from just about every angle.With Pakistan on top, it was a colossal moment in the final, and Rajapaksa wouldn’t let it go to waste. What followed was an innings of high class, that saw through a period of consolidation while Hasaranga at the other end took on a more proactive role. Sri Lanka were slowly chipping away at Pakistan, and without taking too many risks, Rajapaksa had brought up a 35-ball half-century.2:25

Maharoof: ‘Probably the best I have seen Rajapaksa bat’

Most memorable of all though, was the way he took on Naseem at the end, a bowler who had begun so sensationally in the Powerplay. A flick of the wrists deposited him over backward square leg in his penultimate over, before a four and a six off the innings’ final two balls ensured Sri Lanka had all the momentum with them at the break.The Sri Lankan first over
There might never have been a game that saw such a contrast at the start of each bowling performance. While Naseem was unplayable to begin Pakistan’s work, Dilshan Madushanka was anything but. It wasn’t until the sixth ball that the innings even began with the left-arm seamer starting off with a no-ball and following it up with four wides, one of which went down to the boundary for an extra four. Pakistan had nine to their name without a legal ball being bowled and a free hit to follow. But Madushanka would come back smartly to allow just three more through the over, and Sri Lanka ensured it was a blip rather than a harbinger of what was to follow.The entire second innings
There was so much to enjoy about Sri Lanka in the field it’s almost impossible to pick out individual moments. Madushan’s two-in-two to remove Babar and Fakhar Zaman set the tone. It also helped that an off colour Mohammad Rizwan never really figured out how to manipulate his innings according to the needs of the target.Shanaka was especially canny about using his bowlers, perhaps in stark contrast to Pakistan who mysteriously opted not to have Mohammad Nawaz bowl out his quote. Throwing the ball to the offspinner de Silva just as the left-hander Nawaz came in to bat at No. 5 proved a masterstroke, with a couple of sensational dives in the field saving valuable runs off the first two balls, followed up by four dot balls that saw the asking rate balloon to 14.Sri Lanka caught like a side possessed, too, whereas the only montage you could make of Pakistan’s fielding would be about their sloppiness. In the end, there was a yawning chasm between the performances the two sides put in, with the result a fair reflection.

A “clinical” Chelsea player, who’s already reached double figures for goals this season, could request a January exit as elite clubs come knocking for his signature.

Chelsea back to winning ways with 2-1 victory at Leicester City

Following the conclusion of the last international break, Enzo Maresca’s side made the perfect start to their resumption of Premier League football – beating newly-promoted Leicester City 2-1 at the King Power Stadium.

"Exciting" young midfielder "set to finally join Chelsea" in 2025

He rejected them years ago.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Nov 23, 2024

Goals from Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez secured a solid three points for Maresca’s side, who have started this season in excellent form under their new manager, and the result cost his Leicester replacement, Steve Cooper, his job over the weekend.

Aston Villa (home)

December 1

Southampton (away)

December 4

Tottenham (home)

December 8

Brentford (home)

December 15

Everton (away)

December 22

Chelsea sit third in the table, nine points behind league leaders Liverpool and above Arsenal on goal difference, with the Blues firm favourites to seal a place in the Champions League next season.

A reoccurring theme this season is the stellar form of Jackson, who is leading the line in convincing fashion, as he looks to maintain his place under Maresca amid the Chelsea’s links with a new striker.

“For me, he is doing very well,” said Maresca on Jackson’s performances.

“I have said many times, since we started, he is working hard on the ball and off the ball. He is making an effort to understand the way we want to play. Sometimes we use him almost as a midfielder, dropping. Sometimes we use him attacking in behind. If you remember Brighton, or even today. It depends on the game-plan.

“We are very happy with the way Nico is playing on the ball but especially in the way he is playing off the ball – the way he is pressing. In this moment, we are very happy, and we are sure he is going to get better game after game.”

Jackson is keeping fellow forward Christopher Nkunku out of the starting eleven on a regular basis, despite the France international’s own form when selected.

The £195,000-per-week star has bagged 10 goals in all competitions this season, but Maresca prefers Jackson to spearhead his attack in the top flight, which has apparently left Nkunku unhappy at Chelsea as he becomes linked with a January exit.

Nkunku could ask to leave Chelsea on loan in January

According to TEAMtalk, Nkunku could ask Chelsea to let him leave on loan in January, with both Man United and Borussia Dortmund named as very realistic suitors.

Sources close to the former RB Leipzig star view Old Trafford as an ideal landing spot, but a move to the Bundesliga is seen as more realistic, considering BlueCo are unlikely to entertain the idea of strengthening a direct rival.

Those within the game are apparently bemused over Nkunku’s lack of minutes at Chelsea, and his permanent exit in the summer is very possible as well, with a host of top sides purposely saving their funds for heavy investments later in 2025.

Called a “clinical” forward by the Bundesliga’s official website, Nkunku’s exit appears to be one to watch.

Ruben Amorim suffered a second consecutive defeat as Manchester United boss, losing 3-2 to Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford on Saturday night.

Goals from Rasmus Hojlund and Bruno Fernandes weren’t enough to secure anything out of the clash, with the defeat the first during the 39-year-old’s tenure on home soil.

The clash got off to the worst possible start after Nikola Milenkovic took advantage of the Red Devils’ dismal set piece record, to power his header home after just 90 seconds.

Nuno Espírito Santo ultimately played the perfect strategy to frustrate Amorim and his side, leaving United 13th in the Premier League table, eight points off the top four after the first 15 outings of the campaign.

One player in particular had an evening to forget at Old Trafford, potentially putting his starting role at risk ahead of the Europa League clash on Thursday night.

Man United's worst performer against Nottingham Forest

Goalkeeper Andre Onana has been a key player for United during the opening months of the season, finally showing why former boss Erik ten Hag was keen to fork out £47m for his signature in the summer of 2023.

During 2024/25, he’s kept seven clean sheets in all competitions, producing numerous memorable displays that have earned points for the Red Devils.

His outing against Crystal Palace is still up there with one of his very best for the club, making a magnificent double save that earned him the Save of the Month award by the Premier League for September.

However, last night’s showing against Forest was one he will want to forget in a hurry, costing Amorim’s side dearly and preventing them from walking away from the clash with any points.

The Cameroonian was at fault for Morgan Gibbs-White’s strike, unable to keep out the effort that appeared to be heading straight towards him.

The 28-year-old also failed to deal with Chris Wood’s header, which somehow found its way into the bottom corner after he and Lisandro Martínez were unable to deal with the effort.

Onana wasn’t the only player to fail to impress, with Amorim needing to drop one talent after yet another dismal showing in the first-team.

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Not just Onana: Man United forward needs to be dropped

Winger Alejandro Garnacho has struggled since the appointment of Amorim, unable to feature in his preferred left-wing role in the 3-4-2-1 system.

The Argentine suffered a similar fate against Arsenal in midweek, but despite his disappointing display, he was kept in the starting lineup to try and recapture his best form.

However, it was once again an evening to forget for the youngster, being replaced after just 59 minutes, looking disgusted with the decision by the boss to replace him with Marcus Rashford.

When delving into his underlying stats from the loss against the Reds, his withdrawal was understandable, failing to create any real impact in the final third once again under Amorim.

The Argentine only managed 31 touches during his time on the pitch (fewer than Onana’s 38), failing to complete a single cross and winning just three out of the five duels he entered.

Minutes played

59

Touches

31

Passes completed

20/21 (95%)

Big chances missed

1

Successful dribbles

0

Key passes

0

Possession lost

5x

Crosses completed

0/1 (0%)

Duels won

3/5 (60%)

Tackles

0

Garnacho also missed one big chance, losing possession five times in the process and looking wasteful when on the ball in attacking areas.

As a result, he was handed a 5/10 match rating by The Express’ Joe Krishnan, evidence of how disappointing he was once again for the Red Devils.

Given his display, he will be lucky to keep his place in the starting XI in the Europa League on Thursday night, giving other players an opportunity to stake their claim.

It’s been a week to forget for Amorim with two defeats in as many matches, but if he is to turn such form around, the previously “really good” Garnacho, in the words of Dan Ashworth, must be given a night off.

He lost the ball 20x: Amorim got it wrong by giving Man Utd star 90 minutes

The Man Utd ace was poor against Nottingham Forest

ByJoe Nuttall Dec 8, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

da aposte e ganhe： O Governo do Equador confirmou que a final da Libertadores de 2022 será realizada em Guayaquil, no Estádio Monumental. Nesta terça, o Ministério do Esporte, por meio de um decreto, reiterou a informação, após notícias de que a Conmebol estaria estudando uma mudança de sede.

A decisão da Libertadores de 2022 – a quarta edição a ser realizada com jogo único na finalíssima – está marcada para 29 de outubro.

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da brwin： Além da final da Libertadores, o Governo do Equador também confirmou a realização da Copa Libertadores Feminina no país. De acordo com o comunicado, os eventos esportivos são de interesse nacional e a execução de todas atividades de coordenação e ação estão a cargo do Ministério do Esporte.

+ Veja o chaveamento da Libertadores até a final

Cinco clubes brasileiros estão na briga por uma vaga na decisão da Libertadores 2022: Atlético-MG, Athletico-PR, Corinthians, Flamengo e Palmeiras. Na três edições de final única até agora, em todas tinha pelo menos um time do Brasil, sendo que as duas últimas foram duelos brazucas.