Rudi Second made a combative 94 again but South Africa A were bowled out with seven balls remaining on the final day

The Report by Deivarayan Muthu in Bengaluru07-Aug-20181:16

My job is to challenge the India A and U-19 teams – Dravid

South Africa A wicketkeeper-batsman Rudi Second wore down India A’s attack for the second time in the game and threatened to hold them off to a draw amid fading light at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. But Mohammed Siraj’s maiden first-class ten-wicket haul sewed up the hosts’ thrilling innings victory with 1.1 overs remaining on the final day.Yuzvendra Chahal, who was playing his first red-ball match since the Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Jharkhand in 2016, bowled as many as nine front-foot no-balls in the game and struggled for rhythm, but he struck when it mattered, to nab Second and leave him six short of a hundred again.”Chahal has had a lot of success in white-ball cricket,” India A coach Rahul Dravid said after the win. “Even for us, I have been seeing from two-and-half years, when he first came to Australia, he wasn’t considered a red-ball player as such. But we wanted to give him opportunity to showcase how he does in red-ball cricket. It’s about what he can do in red-ball cricket and that’s really what A team is about. We are here to supplement and do what is best to make the national team stronger. We want to create good options for India team. Chahal, they [selectors] were very keen to know how he performs in red-ball cricket. The more he plays red-ball cricket, the more experience he gets.”When the last hour began, South Africa A were 286 for 7 in 115 overs, still facing a deficit of 52. Soon, Chahal trapped Second with a slider to break the game open for India A. Malusi Siboto, Beuran Hendricks and No. 11 Duanne Olivier ate up 93 balls collectively and ticked down the overs, defending resolutely. However, Siraj, who had set the game up for India, fittingly returned to provide the coup de grace.”Maturity is one thing [that stands out about Siraj],” Dravid said. The last three four-day games, in England and here has been terrific. To get 26 wickets in the last three games is terrific.”He is someone who has played very less first-class matches. He hasn’t been really part of the system as he hasn’t played much junior cricket. So he is learning all the time. So even in white-ball cricket I won’t be too harsh on him too quickly because he hasn’t played that much, maybe a little bit of IPL, he had one good season and then he was in and out. It’s been great to give him the chance to perform. He has been bowling in much better areas and he has grown better physically.”Such a tense finish did not appear as likely in the morning, when Vidarbha’s Rajneesh Gurbani had overnight batsman Zubayr Hamza jabbing a catch behind for 63. At that point, South Africa A were 121 for 5. The overnight rains in Bengaluru had juiced up a pitch that already provided seam movement and variable bounce to the bowlers. Siraj, Nitin Saini and Gurbani simply did their thing: throwing the bait outside off but the other South African batsmen showed greater restraint outside off.Second, who displayed the tightest defensive technique among the South African batsmen, however, held nothing back against the loose balls. He cracked a Chahal full-toss through midwicket and then eased him through the covers.While Chahal did turn some past the outside edge of Shaun von Berg, he could not find it. Whenever Chahal overpitched outside off, Second and von Berg leant into the drive and handsomely stroked the ball through the covers. Second also employed the flat, hard sweep effectively: the shot that brought him his fifty off 115 balls. Von Berg, who had conceded 107 in 20 overs with his legspin, had some joy with the bat and scored a fifty of his own.All told, the Indian bowlers could not find a way past Second and von Berg for 50.4 overs. They even resorted to the short-ball attack but the two batsmen evaded them or comfortably fended them off. Von Berg is a fairly competent batsman with five first-class hundreds to his name, and he reminded everyone of that when he slapped Siraj on the up through the covers.Gurbani then returned, after another spell of rain that had forced early tea, to have von Berg nicking off twice in two overs. While R Samarth dropped the first chance, a more difficult one diving to his left from slip, he pouched the second without any fuss at the same position. The reprieve cost India A nothing: von Berg’s innings ended on 50 off 175 balls, the sixth-wicket partnership on 119, the visitors’ only century stand in the match.Second continued to give South Africa A hope of pulling off a coup, when he stretched forward and drilled a drive between Siraj and wide mid-on for four in the 109th over. However, seven overs later, Chahal, who had frequently erred in lines and lengths in the first two sessions, finally found his groove and bowled an accurate flat dart to leave Second and his team heartbroken.

Wolverhampton Wanderers became a driving force in England behind signing and developing Portuguese talent under Nuno Espirito Santo, with an influx of players from his home nation welcomed to Molineux during his reign and beyond.

The influence of renowned agent Jorge Mendes made the Old Gold the ideal spot for both upcoming and certified talents from Liga Portugal, in the bid to make themselves known in the Premier League.

Some stars took the route with Nuno from the Championship to the top flight, with the likes of Ruben Neves making his name in the second tier before exerting his quality in the Premier League to eventually become captain and leave for £47m.

Neves’ success story was shared by a host of Portuguese talents at Molineux over the years, although not every talent from the nation had a similar outcome, with one name now playing back in the second tier in England.

Ruben Vinagre was one of the highly promising talents unearthed by Nuno from Portugal, and despite all the signs being there for the defender to thrive at Molineux, things didn’t quite go to plan for the full-back.

When did Wolves sign Ruben Vinagre?

Rewind to 2017 and Wolves had just announced the loan signing of 18-year-old Vinagre from Monaco’s academy, a versatile left-back who had joined the French outfit’s academy from Sporting CP in 2014.

It quickly became apparent how highly regarded the teenager’s talents were in Nuno’s side, as he recorded five consecutive appearances at the start of the Championship campaign playing at both left-back and left-midfield.

After the quick spell, the youngster’s game time became more sporadic as he continued to develop in both the youth and first team, however, he made his mark with his electric performances when called upon in the senior side.

On only his sixth appearance in the Championship, Vinagre registered his first goal for Wolves in fine fashion, highlighting just how dangerous of an element he could be to Nuno’s promotion-pushing squad.

By that summer, the Old Gold had secured promotion back to the big time and sealed the permanent signing of Vinagre from Monaco for a fee of just £2m, a worthy acquisition for a reliable young fringe player.

How did Ruben Vinagre perform at Wolves?

Despite the former Sporting CP starlet only making nine appearances in the second tier during his debut campaign, the manager’s faith in him was rewarded with 17 Premier League appearances in the 2018/19 season.

The versatile defender’s progression was highlighted the following year, as he became a more prominent member of the squad, as suggested by his 33 appearances in all competitions.

That term, the youngster was faced with a host of challenges to maintain his position in the pecking order at both left midfield and left back, finding himself in a duel with the likes of Jonny Otto throughout the campaign.

Speaking to the media during the season, Nuno was full of praise for the starlet, calling him a “massively important” member of the squad for his versatility, branding him as “special”.

As Wolves’ success began to grow, by reaching the quarter-finals of the Europa League in the 2019/20 campaign, the need for added quality in the squad became a paramount target for Nuno in the transfer window.

The summer of 2020 proved to be pivotal for Vinagre’s future at Wolves, as the club welcomed two players deployable at left-back in Rayan Ait-Nouri and Marcal, automatically pushing the youngster further down the pecking order.

What happened to Ruben Vinagre?

In October 2020, Wolves sent the promising defender on loan to Olympiacos in a bid to continue his development away from Molineux, where the squad had been bolstered without his involvement in mind.

At the time, journalist Josh Bunting admitted he was sad to see the Portuguese leave England, explaining that he had shown “so much potential” during the time he spent discovering the boundaries of his game under Nuno.

Unfortunately for Vinagre, life in Greece did not go to plan, as he struggled for game time at Olympiacos, resulting in him returning to Wolves in December after just four appearances in all competitions.

The Old Gold sought the sanctuary of home comforts as the next destination for the defender to thrive, as he spent the remainder of the 2020/21 campaign on loan at Portuguese side Famalicao.

The Wolves loanee was handed 20 Liga Portugal appearances during his time at the club, where he recorded three assists, which inspired his next journey in the summer of 2021 as he returned to his boyhood club of Sporting CP.

How much did Wolves sell Ruben Vinagre for?

In July 2022, the end of Vinagre’s critical time at Molineux came to a permanent end, as Sporting paid a fee of €10m (£8.5m) to welcome him back to Lisbon, where he remains as a player today.

Despite being a representative of the Lions, the full-back has played all of his football in England since his permanent transfer, however, the extent of his playing time is rather small.

Last summer, Vinagre returned to the Premier League to join Everton on a season-long loan, however after playing just 24 minutes of league football in the campaign, the Portuguese left Goodison wishing his time could’ve “been different”.

An achilles problem kept the 1999-born ace away from the action in what was a failed loan spell, resulting in him having to take a step backwards in order to push on again in the future.

Where is Ruben Vinagre now?

After returning to Portugal from Merseyside, the 24-year-old was shipped away once more to rediscover his form and fitness, returning to where it all began at senior level in England with the Championship.

Currently, the left-back is playing for Hull City on a season-long loan from Sporting, having made six appearances in the league so far for the Tigers in an encouraging start to the season.

With an average Sofascore rating of 6.53 in the Championship this term, it’s suggested that there is a long way to go for Vinagre to rediscover his level of performance on show at Wolves, but he is finally on the right path.

At times there was hope that Vinagre could be one of the best left-backs in England at Molineux, however, squad competition and failed loan spells have caused the 24-year-old to take a very different path back to the top.

Everyone at Wolves can only look back at the youngster’s time in the Midlands with fond memories, with the hope that he can fulfil the potential he showcased under Nuno’s guidance.

Thibaut Courtois has cast uncertainty over his future with the Belgium national team by publicly criticising manager Domenico Tedesco.

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• Tedesco and Courtois relationship strained
• Tedesco reveals he tried to mend relation
• Courtois calls coach a liar on X

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  When Courtois was not selected for the captaincy during Belgium's June 2018 matches against Austria and Estonia, the tension between him and Tedesco grew. Tedesco stated earlier today that his team will play without Courtois in the Euros despite his best efforts to patch things up with the goalkeeper. The Real Madrid shot-stopper responded with the 'liar' emoji to the Belgium boss' quotes on X.

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• WHAT TEDESCO SAID

  Talking to the media, Tedesco said [via Football Transfers]: “It's good that Courtois is fit again, but he communicated very clearly. We are focusing on the players who are here.

  “We plan our preparation based on his statements. I tried everything to take him to the European Championship this summer, but the last thing I heard was that he didn't feel ready to go. It was clear and honest on his part.”

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Courtois made his debut for the Red Devils back in 2011 at the age of just 19. He has since gone on to make 102 appearances for Belgium, making multiple appearances at World Cups and the Euros with the country's golden generation.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR COURTOIS?

  The Belgian is on the way back to action after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament earlier in the season, and could return to action for Carlo Ancelotti's side after the March international break.

Glasgow Rangers appointed just their 19th permanent manager in the club's history on the weekend as Philippe Clement joined the Ibrox side.

Following a woeful start to the current campaign under former manager Michael Beale, the Belgian faces a tough task in order to get a tune out of the current crop of players, where confidence appears to be low.

Hopefully, the new appointment will spark some inspiration across the squad, and with a clash against Hibernian to come this weekend, it represents an ideal chance for Clement to see where he stands with the first team.

Despite overhauling the playing squad in the summer, bringing in nine new faces to Ibrox, It's fair to say that Jack Butland has been a standout performer so far, saving 76% of the shots against him at Premiership level, out of Beale's business.

The likes of Cyriel Dessers, Danilo, and Sam Lammers have struggled to hit the ground running and perhaps found Scottish football harder than first anticipated.

It was not just his incomings that have been disappointing, as several players who became cult figures departed in the summer following the expiration of their contracts.

Ryan Kent, Scott Arfield, and Filip Helander all left following the end of last term and have since moved on to other clubs, yet it is the decision to release Alfredo Morelos that could come back to haunt the Gers, especially when you consider his current market value.

How much did Alfredo Morelos cost Rangers?

The Colombian striker was arguably the only positive aspect of the failed Pedro Caixinha reign. The Portuguese manager signed him from HJK Helsinki in the summer of 2017 for a fee in the region of around £1m.

Spending that amount on a 20-year-old who had recently played in Finland seemed like a slight gamble, yet he had scored 46 goals in just 62 appearances for the Finish side and if there was something the Gers needed following the 2016/17 season, it was an out-and-out scorer.

Despite Caixinha being relieved of his duties just a few months later after the Light Blues suffered yet another poor start to the campaign, Morelos went on to become a shining light at the club, helping them return to the summit of Scottish football with some swashbuckling displays, not only in Scotland, but on the continent too.

What happened to Alfredo Morelos?

Early impressions were good, as he scored 18 goals during his first season, yet when Steven Gerrard took over ahead of the 2018/19 campaign, Morelos took to the next level.

The next two seasons saw him score 30 and 29 goals respectively across all competitions, and he began to make an impact across European ties for the Gers.

Across the 2019/20 Europa League season, he scored 14 goals in total and his efforts against Porto and Feyenoord were key in allowing the Ibrox side to secure some impressive results.

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Morelos even became the top European scorer in the club’s history the following season, scoring goal number 22 against Benfica, overtaking the record set by club icon Ally McCoist during the 1990s, and the very same season, he scored 11 Premiership goals to spearhead the club to their first title in a decade.

The world was at his feet, no doubt about it, yet the final two full seasons of his spell in Glasgow failed to really hit the notes of previous achievements.

18 goals followed under Giovanni van Bronckhorst during 2021/22, however a serious injury sustained in April 2022 while on international duty for Colombia ruled him out of the Scottish Cup and Europa League finals, which meant that he was forced to watch on as his team lost against Frankfurt in Seville.

The 5 foot 9 machine was hailed as being a “nightmare for defenders” by one former Premiership opponent who remained anonymous and, during his peak, he was a menace to opposition players in Scotland.

Morelos had everything in his locker, from a clinical nature in front of goal to showcasing his ability to play as a lone striker, holding up the ball well using his physical strength, and he left the club in the summer for nothing having scored just 12 goals all season.

How much is Alfredo Morelos worth now?

Since leaving Glasgow, Morelos initially struggled to secure a club for the new season, yet he found solace at Brazilian outfit Santos, who snapped up the former Gers hitman last month, yet offered a cryptic message to his fans via social media.

The striker said: "I will always be ready to be there for my friends in Royal Blue.

"This is not a final farewell but a see you later filled with hope. See you in the future Rangers."

Could we perhaps see the 27-year-old back at Ibrox in a playing capacity? Since his move to Brazil however, his market value now currently stands at €3.7m (£3.2m) according to Football Transfers, clearly indicating that it was a mistake letting him run down his contract and leave for nothing.

Indeed, this figure is lower than the €17.2m (£15m) he was valued at back in November 2021, yet it is perhaps unsurprising given his recent form in Scotland.

The Gers had opportunities to sell Morelos when he was at the peak of his powers, including rejecting a staggering £16.5m bid for him during the summer of 2020 from French side Lille.

The Colombian has made two appearances for his new club thus far, failing to get on the scoresheet in any of them, and it could take him a while to get up to speed having not completed a proper preseason.

Morelos was one of the Gers' finest strikers since the turn of the century, scoring 124 goals across 269 games for the Ibrox side, and it will be hard to replace his qualities. Clement will give fresh starts to the likes of Dessers and Danilo, yet early signs indicate that they have not demonstrated the vast potential that led Beale to bring them to Scotland.

Hopefully, Morelos can return to some sort of form during his spell in South America, and he may prove that Rangers had a shocker by letting his contract expire, given the lack of production from his successors and his current market value being more than £0 they let him leave for.

The impressive young allrounder took six wickets but Worcestershire’s batsmen struggled in turn

David Hopps at New Road04-Sep-20181:56

Burns piles on the runs after England snub

ScorecardIt’s September, the pitches are seaming and Worcestershire are bottom again, in obvious danger of relegation. Not much changes, you might assume. Except it does because this time nobody in county cricket is blithely assuming that it is Worcestershire plus one other for the drop. This time, a talented young side suggests it is as well-equipped as anybody to survive.But Worcestershire’s defeat against Lancashire at Southport last week felt like an opportunity wasted, as well as Dane Vilas and Josh Bohannon must have played to turn the game in Lancashire’s favour. It left Worcestershire and Hampshire in the bottom two, and encouraged the feeling that this is crunch time. With Hampshire dismissed for 191 and Worcestershire subsiding to 68 for 4 in return, both sides suffered some first-day bleeding.A first appearance at T20 Finals Day in the Vitality Blast is also looming and for Worcestershire if the glass half-empty interpretation is that it could be a diversion from the task ahead, the half-full conclusion sees it as a statement of the development of a young side which Kevin Sharp, as head coach, has inherited so calmly since the removal of Steve Rhodes in unfortunate circumstances last winter.Talking T20

Dan Norcross and Matt Roller start the build-up to the Vitality Blast Finals Day
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When Worcestershire lost their captain Joe Leach to injury in early season, they lost the heartbeat of the side, taker of 193 championship wickets in the past three seasons. It felt like a blow they could not withstand, but on the first day against Hampshire Leach could stroll around the outfield with Winnie, his Mum’s dog, with reason to hope that they can survive without him.By the time of Winnie’s perambulation, Hampshire had just been dismissed and Ed Barnard, an attacking allrounder with bat or ball, had returned the second six-for of his career, his 6 for 50 outdone only by his 6 for 37 against Somerset at Taunton earlier this season. Barnard epitomises the dash of this young Worcestershire side, relishing the fight and increasingly equipped to come out on top.He knew, nevertheless, that it had taken Worcestershire, hmself included, a session to settle to their task. “We probably had the best of the conditions and didn’t quite utilise them as we would have liked,” he said. “But we came back strongly in the second session and have managed not to lose too many wickets tonight because that was a real tough session for the batters to go out and face those 20 odd overs.”Ed Barnard celebrates a wicket•Getty ImagesHampshire were in reasonable order at lunch, at 81 for 2, Barnard having removed Joe Weatherley with one that bounced a bit, but they proceeded to lose their last eight wickets for 110 in the afternoon, grateful for Sam Northeast’s resistance before he was last out, driving at Wayne Parnell, for 48 as the last two wickets added 65, particularly tough for Worcestershire to take as they had coveted his signature so much in the winter.Barnard found movement from an attacking length, Hampshire drove ambitiously and by the end Ben Cox, the wicketkeeper, and Mitchell, at second slip, had seven catches between them and Barnard had a post-lunch spell of 5 for 21 in nine overs.Division One’s leading wicket-takers make interesting reading. Barnard now lies fourth, with 41 at 20.31, trailing the Essex offspinner Simon Harmer, who has 44 and who has sustained his Championship-winning return unlike many of his colleagues. Most eye-catchingly, the top two are Lancashire’s pair of Graham Onions and Tom Bailey.Hampshire’s afternoon collapse began with the loss of their Championship debutant, Oliver Soames, a 22-year-old student at Loughborough, who had grafted through the morning for 23, fancied letting his hair down against Barnard in the afternoon and immediately paid the price .James Vince fell in similar fashion to Barnard, a little refinement fell out of the day and perhaps, over in the cathedral, a chorister dropped a book of psalms as if to reveal God’s disappointment. Tom Alsop and Ian Holland nicked in turn and Liam Dawson, coming in at No 8, drove Barnard to cover. Five wickets in 12 overs, four to Barnard, had changed the complexion of the game.Worcestershire struggled in turn and would have been grateful when bad light cut 13.2 overs from the day – two overs too late, they might have thought, after Daryl Mitchell’s judicious 41 from 66 balls came to grief when he chipped a leading edge back to Fidel Edwards.

Last season, depth was not a word used when discussing Liverpool's midfield, at least not in a positive light.

Jurgen Klopp's side failed in their seasonal goals and finished fifth in the Premier League, missing out on Champions League, with the sapped and stuttering midfield at the core of the issue.

This season, there is optimism anew with a fresh crop of players restoring the Anfield centre, but the younger stars remain beneath the new additions.

Harvey Elliott is one such player, with his recent performance for England U21s showing that he can perform in the role that £60m summer signing Dominik Szoboszlai plays so astoundingly in the midfield.

How good is Dominik Szoboszlai?

Not has there arguably been a more transformative signing at Liverpool since Virgil van Dijk joined from Southampton for £75m, transcending the defence's past performance.

The Hungary captain arrived from RB Leipzig having earned acclaim for his prowess as a “magician” by the likes of talent scout Jacek Kulig, posting ten goals and 13 assists and winning this second successive DFB Pokal.

Since arriving on Merseyside, the 22-year-old has been sensational, starting all eight of Liverpool's Premier League matches thus far, completing 87% of his passes, making 2.1 key passes, 1.6 tackles and 7.4 ball recoveries per game and, perhaps most importantly, bringing energy and intelligence to turbo-charge the engine.

Described as "a young Steven Gerrard" for his playing style by former England striker Natasha Dowie, the £120k-per-week gem currently ranks among the top 12% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 10% for assists, the top 1% for shot-creating actions, the top 15% for successful carries, the top 7% for successful take-ons and the top 8% for blocks per 90, as per FBref.

He's simply untouchable in the starting squad, but given that he can't be expected to start every match, Klopp will be delighted with Elliott's stunning display against Serbia for his nation this week.

How good is Harvey Elliott?

It's easy to forget that Elliott is still only 20 years old, having been a member of Klopp's squad for several years now after joining from Fulham aged just 16 in 2019.

A Premier League champion, Elliott has already made 75 appearances for the Reds and been hailed as a "special" talent by Fabrizio Romano, and while Liverpool struggled last term, he was entrusted with a prominent role – playing 46 times.

The dynamic midfielder still has strides to make in his defensive game but will continue to improve and boasts the technical prowess to serve as Szoboszlai's understudy.

Indeed, he ranks among the top 8% of midfielders for total shots, the top 15% for shot-creating actions, the top 12% for progressive passes, the top 9% for progressive carries and the top 3% for blocks per 90.

Such metrics evidence his creative skills and energy and enthusiasm on the pitch, and with a little bit more work he really could knock on Klopp's door for a regular starting berth.

The £40k-per-week ace was simply sensational for England U21s as they trounced Serbia 9-1, performing at the very heart of the game and excelling with his all-consuming performance.

Scoring two goals and registering an assist, the 5 foot 6 talent complemented his direct return with an 86% passing accuracy, five key passes, success in five of his eight duels, also taking 94 touches and winning both of his dribbles, as per Sofascore.

Such a display led Paul Dalglish to dub him an “incredible talent”, and while Elliott is undoubtedly not the finished article, his potential is boundless and he is edging closer and closer toward the level Klopp knows he can reach.

If the German coach is looking for a dream understudy to Szoboszlai, then the youngster is arguably that man.

Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards has hailed one "outstanding" Tottenham Hotspur player and says he would "love to see" him in an important role.

Spurs form and results

The international break couldn't have come at a worse time for Spurs and manager Ange Postecoglou, as the Lilywhites were flying with six wins from their first eight Premier League matches. Remaining unbeaten over their best start to a season since 1960/1961, the north Londoners' appointment of Postecoglou from Celtic has, so far, proved one of their most popular manager hires in recent years.

They've been absolutely transformed by the Australian, with former Arsenal star and England international Ian Wright recently saying Postecoglou has completely taken him by surprise.

“It’s underrated,” said Wright to Premier League productions on October 2. “It’s an underrated effort he is doing, at the minute. Major Ange Postecoglou fans. I remember people saying at the start that ‘he needs to start well’. With the players he has got, you want them to do well and win some games and stuff. But I didn’t expect it to be in the grove it is now and so quickly.

“Not just physically, but mentally as well. They know what they are doing – we are looking at a team that we know that will improve simply because Bentancur is to come back.”

Members of the Spurs squad are also enjoying their best run of form for a long time under Postecoglou, with the likes of Yves Bissouma, Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski finding a new lease of life. Indeed, summer signings like James Maddison and Micky van de Ven have gone on to flourish as well.

Tottenham – James Maddison news

Former midfielder Jermaine Jenas, speaking to TNT Sports recently, told the broadcaster that the "top-class talent" Maddison is "on the verge" of being world class.

"He’s transformed a team on his own,” Jenas said. “That’s the biggest fear for Spurs, his fitness and maintaining that all year. If you take him out of that team it’s totally different. He’s a top-class talent on the verge of being a world-class talent as soon as he gets on that stage.”

Now, speaking ahead of England's match against Italy, Sky's Micah Richards has told The Rest is Football podcast that he wants to see Maddison in his traditional Spurs number 10 role for the Three Lions – calling the former Leicester City star "outstanding".

Draws fouls

Likes to dribble

Cuts inside

Take shots from distance

Unselfish

“I’d love to see Maddison again,” Richards said. “I think he’s outstanding in that number 10 role. I don’t think he had his best game the other day. They could play him off the left though [if Bellingham starts at 10].”

The 26-year-old has netted two goals and assisted five others in just eight league starts this season, emphasising how he's proven to be one of the bargains of the summer window so far. Maddison cost just £40 million from Leicester, and if he carries on like this, that fee is going to look pretty laughable.

Pep Guardiola says everybody "loves" Bernardo Silva and urged him to stay at Manchester City after his brace against Newcastle United in the FA Cup.

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Man City beat Newcastle 2-0Silva scores brace in FA Cup winGuardiola urges him to extend stayGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

FA Cup holders City advanced to the semi-finals of the competition following their 2-0 victory over Newcastle at the Etihad on Saturday. Two deflected goals from Silva secured their passage into the next round and with the 29-year-old likely to be linked with a summer transfer, manager Guardiola has called on the playmaker to stay put.

AdvertisementWHAT PEP GUARDIOLA SAID

After the match, Guardiola said: "This team, this club, has something special, it's incredible. I know we play to win the finals, but to win it, you have to win the earlier rounds. We won four Carabao Cup finals in a row and now we're in six FA Cup semi-finals in a row. To run and play the way they did is incredible, congratulations to the team, no one has done that before. We played really well, we were so safe with the ball. Mateo (Kovacic), Rodri and Bernardo kept the ball so well. The game was really good. You see us when we come back every three days, three days, three days, three days."

On Silva, he added: "Everybody loves him and we want him. He's really important for him to stay with us."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Guardiola's City are aiming for back-to-back trebles after winning the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup last season – and they are in the running to secure that prestigious footballing triumvirate this term, too. If they want to continue to be successful, keeping Silva – whose City contract runs until 2026 – will be key. He has previously been linked with Paris Saint-Germain.

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WHAT NEXT?

Next up for third-placed City is a huge clash with top of the table Arsenal – who are just a point ahead of them – at the Etihad on March 31. They will face their FA Cup semi-final opponent on either April 20 or 21 at Wembley.

Leeds United have salvaged a solid start to the Championship season after enduring relegation from the Premier League last year, with Daniel Farke's side a distance away from the top two but firmly in the mix for promotion at this stage.

Appointing Farke was a decision made to strengthen the Whites' prospects of returning to the top flight at the first time of asking, with the German manager having won the Championship on two occasions previously with Norwich City.

However, the task was never going to be easy despite the club's stature and the ostensible quality filling the ranks, with a mass exodus removing many former members during the summer.

Plenty of fresh faces have arrived, but pundit and former England midfielder Carlton Palmer has tipped "more to come" from the Whites in January, with sights set on closing the gap on frontrunners Leicester City and Ipswich Town.

Leeds United transfer targets

According to journalist Diego Firmino – via Sport Witness – Leeds are following the situation of Joaquin Piquerez from Palmeiras, with the exciting full-back attracting attention from multiple European clubs following his performances in Brazil.

Numerous outfits are indeed supposedly interested, with Premier League sides Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur both receiving tentative links, but Leeds could offer the 25-year-old a starring role and a platform to build from in West Yorkshire.

The cost of a transfer has not yet been made apparent, but there is no denying that Piquerez boasts qualities that would slot right into Elland Road's starting squad and that Farke and 49ers Enterprises will pounce if given the chance.

The dynamo is currently valued at around £6m by Football Transfers' valuation model, and this ballpark fee would likely be required to prise him away from Palmeiras.

Why Leeds want Joaquin Piquerez

Leeds have been impressive in maintaining a charge on the top of the division despite a range of injury problems, and there may be optimism among supporters that a few well-placed winter acquisitions would work wonders in closing the gap on the front of the pack.

Piquerez would open up a range of possibilities with his thunderous shooting skills and his direct, barrelling approach, having recently starred at the centre of Palmeiras' 5-0 drubbing over Sao Paulo.

As per Sofascore, he has scored three goals and supplied four assists from 21 matches in the Brasileiro Série A this season, completing 85% of his passes, creating 0.9 key passes per outing and also making 6.7 ball recoveries, 1.8 tackles and 1.6 clearances per game, highlighting his impressive multi-functional ability.

Piquerez has also become a regular member of Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay squad, starting four of the last five matches since the beloved former Leeds boss took the reins earlier this year.

Given the stunning football that was pumped into the Leeds squad under the distinguished Argentinian boss, it's no wonder that the Whites are apparently intrigued by the possibility of signing a player that Bielsa has swiftly deemed an integral part of his national side's setup.

Sam Byram is the current host on the left side of the Whites backline, and while he has impressed since the summer, Farke is probably doing the right thing in searching for a successor to dominate for the foreseeable future.

Why Joaquin Piquerez is better than Sam Byram

Byram joined Leeds on a free transfer in the summer after his contract with Norwich expired, having previously kicked his career off at Elland Road after rising through the youth ranks.

The experienced defender, now aged 30, has enjoyed an impressive campaign so far, with Sofascore recording his performances in the English second tier, having completed 79% of his passes, made 4.4 ball recoveries, 1.8 tackles, 1.7 clearances and 1.4 interceptions per game and scored a goal and an assist apiece.

He is an industrious part of the squad and one who has served well in the absence of Junior Firpo, with the former Barcelona player yet to feature this season due to injury – frankly, few expected he would have remained at the club following the summer.

As per FBref, Uruguayan star Piquerez ranks among the top 4% of full-backs across leagues similar to the Brasileiro Série A over the past year for goals, the top 16% for assists and the top 17% for pass completion per 90, illustrating his natural attacking prowess and his crispness in possession.

Content creator Nathan Joyes was among those to be impressed by United's reported interest, saying: "Would be great business. Tidy left-back, likes to press forward and can certainly pick a pass. Great coup for Leeds if it happens."

This high-octane approach is something that really would slot into Farke's system like a dovetail joint; the 46-year-old likes to implement a possession-based style with an emphasis on intelligent, quick transitions and an understanding of the desired patterns to electrify the opposition on the counter.

Given that Piquerez bombs forward like a machine, he could be the engine on the wing, playing a starring role to catapult the Elland Road side right back into the top flight, serving as the dream heir to Byram.

Byram is a solid and dependable member of Farke's team and offers a balanced skill set across both defensive flanks, ranking among the top 19% of full-backs across leagues similar to the Championship over the past year for shots taken, the top 9% for touches in the attacking penalty area and blocks, and the top 8% for aerial wins per 90.

The links attached to Leeds' interest are admittedly somewhat tenuous, but there is no question that prioritising the left-back position would be a prudent move in the long term.

Byram has been a good signing and has earned praise for his "important" role in the team by Farke, but age is not on his side and Piquerez could be the perfect addition to dominate the left channel for many years.

Firpo's situation is also somewhat indeterminate, and by landing a free-scoring, robust new star in Piquerez, Farke may yet acquire the tools to break back into the Premier League and then cement a position of prominence.

Everton brought in an abundance of attacking talent in the summer in their attempts to become more deadly in the final third as the likes of Moise Kean, Alex Iwobi, Ellis Simms, and Demarai Gray were all sold.

The Toffees used the funds recouped from that talent to bring in Chermiti, Beto, and Arnaut Danjuma, who may have been signed to make Sean Dyche's side more clinical up top.

With only nine goals scored in the league this season, a third of which came in an emphatic victory over Bournemouth, it is glaringly obvious that Everton are still in need of serious firepower in the final third, or perhaps some guile and creativity to help unlock their attacking potential.

In a bid to rectify this problem, Everton could use the January transfer window as an opportunity to bolster their attack by reigniting their interest in Leeds United's Crysencio Summerville.

Are Everton interested in signing Crysencio Summerville?

Everton showed a keen interest in luring Crysencio Summerville away from Leeds United this summer, however, the Dutch dynamo reportedly rejected a move to Goodison Park.

Whilst the door was slammed shut on the Toffees in the summer, his performances for the Whites this season have only heightened speculation linking him with an exit, and several Premier League clubs are keeping tabs on the 21-year-old as the January window approaches, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Writing on X, he said: “Crysencio Summerville with a brace today vs Norwich — he rejected several clubs in the summer to stay at LUFC and feel key player there.

"Bournemouth, Everton and Burnley were all interested and more PL clubs are now monitoring Crysencio towards the January window."

Summerville's brace against Norwich City on Saturday completed a dramatic comeback and took his tally to four goals and two assists for the campaign, establishing himself as a key figure under Daniel Farke.

How does Summerville compare to Dwight McNeil?

Summerville's outstanding individual display against the Canaries has only accentuated why several top-flight clubs are interested in prising him away from Elland Road.

Possessing an abundance of guile and creativity combined with his searing pace and exceptional ball-carrying skills, the 21-year-old has become one of the best players in the Championship and this is backed up by his sublime attacking metrics.

When compared against his positional peers in the second tier this season, Summerville ranks in the top 10% for successful take-ons, top 9% for progressive carries, top 6% for touches in the attacking penalty box, and top 1% for non-penalty xG and shot creating actions, as per FBref.

Lauded by Michael Owen as "exceptional" for his individual performances in the Premier League last term, the 5 foot 6 magician could add the pace and quality that Everton desire in the final third, perhaps replacing Dwight McNeil on the left flank.

Although Everton are restricted by the style that Sean Dyche deploys, compromising fluidity in the final third for a strong defensive base, the Englishman has still flattered to deceive when given the opportunity to drive his side up the field.

Whilst Summerville – who had one of his finishes last season lauded as "incredible" by pundit Nedum Onuoha – is known for unleashing his wonderful flair and trickery that can make a difference in a tight contest, McNeil is unable to provide that same level of threat.

He ranks in the bottom 11% across Europe's top five leagues in the past year for touches in the attacking penalty box, bottom 19% for non-penalty xG, and bottom 29% for carries into the final third.

When comparing that to Summerville's performances in the top flight last term, he recorded more progressive carries (3.22/3.16), touches in the attacking penalty box (4.42/2.24), non-penalty goals (0.25/0.19), and progressive passes (2.84/2.20) per 90.

Dyche must, therefore, reignite his interest in the talented whiz as the statistics suggest that he could provide the Toffees with a much-needed attacking boost.