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As most of the continent's 'Big Five' leagues reach their respective halfway points, Goal picks out the most impressive performers in all competitions

Getty ImagesGK: Alisson

Alisson may have made a couple of errors since joining Liverpool during the summer but the Brazilian has had a massive impact on Merseyside.

His excellent distribution has added a new dimension to the Reds' play, as so spectacularly underlined by his role in the first penalty won in the rout of Arsenal on Saturday.

Alisson has also exhibited a helpful habit of making big saves at big times – it was his ast-minute save against Napoli that saw the Reds through to the last 16 of the Champions League. 

So, while Jan Oblak, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Tomas Vaclik and Samir Handanvoic have all been excellent for their respective sides, none of them have kept more clean sheets than Alisson (14), who also boasts a better save percentage (80.77) than all of his rivals for the No.1 jersey.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesRB: Joao Cancelo

Inter's loss has proven Juventus' considerable gain, with Joao Cancelo now excelling in Turin after spending last season in Milan on loan from Valencia.

The Nerazzurri were unable to make the Portuguese's stay at San Siro permanent due to Financial Fair Play restrictions, so the Bianconeri swooped, paying €40.4 million for a player who has made Massimiliano Allegri's defence even stronger.

Compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo is understandably drawing more attention but the versatile Cancelo has been consistently excellent for Juve, offering an outlet down the right flank.

GettyCB: Virgil van Dijk

Andy Robertson has admitted that he has grown tried of talking about the brilliance of Liverpool team-mate Virgil van Dijk.

Just like everyone else, the left-back is running out of things to say about the Dutch giant, who has transformed the Reds' defence and, as a consequence, the team's fortunes since arriving at Anfield for record-breaking £75m during the 2018 January transfer window.

The numbers speak for themselves, though, with Premier League leaders Liverpool having only conceded eight goals in 20 matches this season primarily due to Van Dijk's aerial prowess, fantastic reading of the game and organisational skills.

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Getty ImagesCB: Kalidou Koulibaly

Kalidou Koulibaly has reportedly just signed a contract extension that makes him the highest-paid player at Napoli and there is no player more deserving of that status at the San Paolo.

The Senegalese centre-half has once again been immense at the back for the Partenopei, the foundation on which their game pursuit of Juventus has been built, and his dismissal against Inter does nothing to change that.

Indeed, watching Koulibaly win everything that is thrown at him in the air, week in, week out, it's easy to understand why Manchester United allegedly bid €100m for his services last summer – and why Aurelio De Laurentiis turned it down.

As he underlined with his response to the incessant racial abuse he received at San Siro, Koulibaly is as inspirational a character off the field as he is on it.

The ECB cut payments to the counties while increasing spending on the national team and their own administration, according to figures in their annual report

George Dobell10-May-2016The ECB cut payments to the counties while increasing spending on the national team and their own administration, according to figures in their annual report.They also increased the amount of money they hold in their reserves despite a drop in turnover of more than £40m.The figures will increase concern around the counties that they are being pushed into a situation where they have to accept the ECB executive’s plans for a city-based domestic T20 competition to meet short-term financial requirements.While the Ashes contest may remain the most emotive for supporters in both England and Australia, the figures in the report leave no doubt that encounters with India are now by far the most profitable. So while 75,000 more spectators watched international cricket in England and Wales in 2015, when Australia toured England, the total income for 2015-16 was £134m. That compares to £174.7m for 2014-15, which encompasses the period when India toured England.At a glance

Turnover: £134m (£174.7m in 2014-15)

Reserves: £73.106m (£70.039m)

Community expenditure: £21m (£24.2 m)

Professional game expenditure: £48.4m (£63.8m)

England teams expenditure: £30.6m (£27.5m in 2014-15)

Support expenditure (governing body plus administration): £14.1m (£12.4m).

As a result of that widely anticipated drop in revenues, the ECB was forced to look at cost across the game. But while community expenditure – effectively spending on the grassroots of the game – was cut by £3.4m (from £24.2m to £21m) and spending on the professional game – effectively the first-class counties – was cut by more than £15m (from £63.8m to £48.4m), the cost of the England teams increased by £3m (from £27.5m to £30.6m) while the cost of the game’s administration increased from £12.4m to £14.1m.The ECB also increased their reserves by £3m from £70.04m to £73.11m. County debts total roughly double that amount – the result primarily of ground improvements over the past decade.The report also contains details on the growth in women’s cricket – there were 93 women’s clubs in 2003; there are 615 now – and the number of spectators who watched professional cricket in 2015. There were 2.3m in all, with 1.5m attending domestic cricket. The NatWest Blast attracted 827,654 spectators in 2015.

The superstar France forward was blanked as Luis Enrique's side dropped their second straight road game in Europe

There is something about Paris Saint-Germain and Champions League away games this season. Although the Parisians are a fearsome side at home, their form away from Parc des Princes has been alarming, and so it proved on Tuesday, as they surrendered an early lead to a rampant AC Milan side. And it happened in perhaps the most puzzling way possible, with Kylian Mbappe left anonymous as the Parisians lost 2-1.

Luis Enrique's side took the lead inside 10 minutes as one centre-back combined with the other, Marquinhos flicking a corner to the far post, where an unmarked Milan Skriniar nodded home from close range. But the Milan response was swift, Rafael Leao providing it with an acrobatic volley inside the six-yard box to tie the game early.

PSG nearly had a second midway through the opening period, only to see Mike Maignan deny Mbappe as he ran through on goal. Ousmane Dembele, too, came close, rattling the bar with a curled effort.

But it was Milan who grabbed the next goal, as Olivier Giroud peeled away at the back post and met Theo Hernandez's cross with a thumping header early in the second half. Their chances multiplied from there, the Rossoneri midfield simply outrunning a lifeless Parisian outfit. By the end of it all, the visitors were pinging balls to Mbappe and praying for a European miracle — one that never arrived.

GOAL rates PSG's players from San Siro…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Gianluigi Donnarumma (6/10):

Booed by the home support from the first minute. Perhaps could have done better on the opener, but was helpless on the second. Made a few sharp saves to rescue what was otherwise a miserable homecoming.

Achraf Hakimi (5/10):

Given all sorts of problems by Leao, who was excellent on the night. Didn't offer his usual quality in the final third, either.

Marquinhos (6/10):

Assisted the first, but then obstructed his keeper's view on the Milan equaliser. Held his position well and distributed effectively.

Milan Skriniar (5/10):

The former Inter defender opened the scoring, but was outjumped by a 37-year-old Giroud for Milan's second. Lucky not to see red after putting in a number of challenges that should have earned him bookings.

Lucas Hernandez (5/10):

Picked up a silly booking in the second half and didn't deal with the lively Pulisic. Removed after 65 minutes.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Manuel Ugarte (4/10):

Dispossessed consistently, and struggled against Loftus-Cheek in the middle. A forgettable night.

Warren Zaire-Emery (6/10):

Struggled to find a foothold against an impressive Milan midfield. A few nice moments, but he was ultimately overrun.

Vitinha (5/10):

Very tidy on the ball, and linked up well with the forward line. Lacked the grit required in such an intense game.

Getty ImagesAttack

Ousmane Dembele (5/10):

Dangerous on the ball, but tried to go alone a lot. Rattled the bar with a curled effort in the first half, which was pretty much his only threatening moment in the final third. World-class — until he gets into key areas.

Randal Kolo Muani (5/10):

A disappointing hour from the Frenchman. Enjoyed some solid moments, but didn't get involved enough.

Kylian Mbappe (5/10):

On the ball a lot, only to be met with a swarm of Milan defenders. Misfired on a one-on-one in the first half, wasting his only good chance of the night.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Fabian Ruiz (5/10):

Helped his team find a foothold in the middle, without really offering any game-changing moments.

Lee Kang-In (6/10):

Offered an injection of quality and intensity.

Goncalo Ramos (5/10):

Came on for Kolo Muani, who appears to have sealed his spot in the XI. Didn't get on the ball much.

Nordi Mukiele (5/10):

Offered an extended go of things to relieve Hernandez.

Luis Enrique (4/10):

Went back to a 4-3-3, but found his side outmatched in the middle. PSG couldn't deal with Milan's pace or intensity, and will need to consider how this keeps happening on the road.

Taufeeq Umar, the left-hand opening batsmen, has made a comeback to the Pakistan Test squad, for the two-match series against Australia in the UAE. Taufeeq played the last of his 43 Tests in July 2012

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Oct-2014Pakistan squad for Australia Tests

Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Ahmed Shehzad, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Ehsan Adil, Haris Sohail, Imran Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Talha, Rahat Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Shan Masood, Taufeeq Umar, Yasir Shah, Younis Khan, Zulfiqar Babar
In: Taufeeq Umar, Mohammad Hafeez, Zulfiqar Babar, Haris Sohail, Yasir Shah, Imran Khan, Ehsan Adil
Out:Saeed Ajmal, Umar Akmal, Abdur Rehman, Junaid Khan, Wahab Riaz, Khurram Manzoor

Taufeeq Umar, the left-hand opening batsmen, has made a comeback to the Pakistan Test squad for the two-match series against Australia in the UAE. Taufeeq played the last of his 43 Tests in July 2012.Legspinner Yasir Shah, 28, and seamer Imran Khan, 27, get maiden call-ups to the Test squad. Mohammad Hafeez has recovered from a hand injury and gets a recall after being dropped for the away Tests against Sri Lanka in August – he had had a poor 2013 in Tests, averaging 17.54, and scored 21 and 1 in the only Test he played this year. He had missed the preceding ODI series against Australia with a split webbing on his left hand.Left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar, who had played those one-dayers, stays on – he last played a Test a year ago. Batsman Haris Sohail, who had been called up for the away Tests against South Africa in early 2013 but had to leave the tour without debuting due to an ankle injury, also makes the 16.Batsman Umar Akmal and left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman, whose fitness levels were found to be wanting by the PCB in September, were left out – both had played in Pakistan’s previous Test assignment, the two Tests against Sri Lanka in August. Opener Khurram Manzoor also misses out from that squad, as do the injured Junaid Khan and Wahab Riaz, and the suspended Saeed Ajmal.Pakistan play two Tests against Australia between October 22 and November 3, in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Uncapped left-arm spinner Taijul Islam is among four Bangladesh players called up for the Test series in the Caribbean

Mohammad Isam22-Aug-2014Taijul Islam, the uncapped left-arm spinner, has left Dhaka on Friday evening to join the Bangladesh team in the West Indies. Tajiul as well as Robiul Islam, Shafiul Islam and allrounder Shuvagata Hom have been added to the Test squad.*Taijul is expected to arrive in time for the only Twenty20 game of the tour, and remain for the two-Test series starting next month.”As I had earlier informed Mashrafe [Mortaza] and Taskin [Ahmed] will not be playing the Test series,” chief selector Faruque Ahmed told . “They will be replaced by two other fast bowlers [Shafiul and Robiul]. Taijul has played recently in the West Indies with the Bangladesh A team where he took wickets. Shuvagata will add some strength in the middle-order.”Apart from Mashrafe and Taskin, left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak will head home early.Taijul is the season’s highest-taker in Bangladesh’s domestic cricket, taking 55 wickets at an average of 22.7. During Bangladesh A’s recent tour of the West Indies, he took nine wickets in the two four-day matches. With Shakib Al Hasan suspended and Razzak not considered a regular Test bowler, Taijul was always seen as a frontrunner for a place in the Test squad.Robiul has been Bangladesh’s Test specialist in the fast-bowling department. He hasn’t had a great year so far though, picking up just 11 wickets in five first-class games, and going wicketless in the only Test he has played this year. He has also struggled with a hamstring injury in the past 12 months.More intriguing is the decision to pick Shafiul, as he has not been in consideration for Test cricket for more than three years. He has been the 12th highest wicket-taker among quick bowlers in first-class this season, leaving many above him frustrated.Shuvagata is another interesting choice, as his all-round performance this season has been taken into consideration, and not just as a batsman. He had played four ODIs in 2011, after which he faded away from the national side. He has averaged 38 with the bat and picked up 21 wickets in the 2013-14 season, and as an allrounder he has leapfrogged Farhad Reza for a place despite Farhad being second highest-scorer in the 2013-14 first-class season and taking 15 wickets.As Faruque suggested, Shuvagata could find himself in the middle-order and expected to bowl a fair share of the overs. But it is more likely that Taijul, if he remains fit, will make his Test debut in the Caribbean.*12.00GMT, August 25: This article has been updated after the BCB confirmed the additions to the Test squad

Everton will submit their official appeal against the 10-point deduction they were handed after being found guilty of breaching financial rules.

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Everton hit with 10-point sanctionToffees admitted to financial rule breachClub to appeal against decision this weekWHAT HAPPENED?

Everton have until Friday to lodge their appeal to the independent commission which decided the punishment and are set to present their case before the deadline passes, reports. Everton admitted to the breach of the rules but were disappointed by the extent of the punishment.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The Toffees were handed the biggest ever points sanction in Premier League history and they feel the sporting punishment is unjust given the offence was a financial one. The club's fans have demonstrated their outrage, holding a protest during their 3-0 loss to Manchester United on Saturday.

DID YOU KNOW?

The deduction saw them drop to 19th in the Premier League table, leaving them in danger of being relegated. Many believe the punishment sets a precedent that could affect Manchester City, who have been accused of 115 counts of breaching financial rules.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR EVERTON?

Everton have four points following the sanction and are now five points from Premier League safety after 13 matches. Sean Dyche's team can boost their hopes of crawling out of the relegation zone by getting a positive result against Nottingham Forest, who have won just one of their last nine matches.

Any hope West Indies had of being able to utilise two spinners at Wellington may well have been quashed as soon as the covers were removed from the pitch

Andrew McGlashan in Wellington09-Dec-2013The sight of Shane Shillingford troubling New Zealand’s top order on the final day in Dunedin had peaked West Indies’ excitement at the prospect of confounding them with spin in the remainder of this series, but that notion may have to be put on hold. The 22 yards at the Basin Reserve was barely discernible from the outfield after the covers were belatedly removed following a damp morning.West Indies, though, are encouraged by the fitness of Darren Sammy and the captain took a full part in the fielding drills on Monday without any noticeable discomfort. Although he still needs to bowl in the nets, the signs are that he will take a full part in the Test.Sunil Narine and Veerasammy Permaul are the other spinners in the squad, with the former favourite to come into the side if two are selected. Shane Warne often reels off the saying “if it seams, it spins”, but playing just two pace bowlers is unthinkable if the groundsman leaves such a covering. However, one benefit West Indies do have is that Narsingh Deonarine bowls useful offspin, and so can supplement the same balance of attack as West Indies used in Dunedin.”That’s a strong possibility,” Ottis Gibson, the West Indies coach, said when asked about playing an extra spinner and as the rain kept the pitch covered. “We have to look at the pitch first. We’ve heard some things about it, that we won’t be able to tell the pitch from the outfield so that will make us think for sure about two spinners or not. Shannon Gabriel did not have a good Test, he did not bowl very well, but we believe in him – that’s why we picked him – he’s shown he can be a quality performer. We have to give them the confidence they need.”Real-Time Snicko added after push from teams

Real-Time Snicko will be used for the remainder of this series after both New Zealand and West Indies expressed keenness to have the new technology available.

It was run behind the scenes in Dunedin, and not as part of the DRS, and will now be fully implemented for the Wellington and Hamilton Tests. Geoff Allardice, the ICC’s general manager – cricket, was in Wellington to give the management of both sides a briefing on Monday.

Real-Time Snicko allows the third umpire to see a replay with the pictures matched with audio almost instantly to help adjudicate on edges. Previously, the snicko replays would take up to an over to produce.

Two days out from a Test is always a tricky time to be judging what the pitch will actually start like, but even within the New Zealand team there was consensus that they had never seen so much grass on a surface at this ground, even for domestic matches where groundsmen tend to produce livelier surfaces.”Even in first-class cricket when you arrive there’s normally a bit more grass on, but I’ve never seen it looking that green,” Peter Fulton said. “It’ll be interesting to see if it does as much as what it looks like it’ll do.”It’s a little bit hard to pick it out from the rest of the block so I’m sure the bowlers will be happy. The last couple of years in New Zealand the wickets have been batter-friendly so there are certainly no complaints from the batters. You don’t expect it to be good for batting all the time.”New Zealand undoubtedly have the stronger hand of pace bowlers – Doug Bracewell is the other available in the squad should a change or addition be required – but there may be a double-edged sword if the pitch is still very green come Wednesday morning because they are coming off the back of 224 overs in the field over the last three days in Dunedin. The bowlers were given a day off on Monday, and are unlikely to do much work tomorrow, either, as they are protected ahead of the Test.There has been some criticism of the Dunedin pitch, but without rain the Test would have concluded with a result in the final session – which is a good yardstick for a well-balanced surface. It was, though, hard work for the quicks and the sight of something promising more life is helping to ease away those aches and pains.”It’s going to be totally different than Dunedin. As a bowler I do enjoy coming here; a lot more pace and bounce and it does swing here,” Trent Boult said. “It was a pretty heavy workload but I’m feeling good. The whole bowling group are feeling good and taking a nice couple of easy days.”Test cricket is extremely strenuous on the body and you’ve got to work out a plan and what works well for you. It takes a lot to keep going at that intensity and you’ve got to be smart with your down time.”West Indies’ quick bowlers, though, are under instruction to improve from their Dunedin showing. “Our bowlers, whenever we got two or three balls right, we looked like getting an edge – sometimes they went over slip – but the New Zealand batsmen just had to wait for a poor ball to score off,” Gibson said. “New Zealand bowled with great discipline, especially Southee and Boult in the first innings, and we have to learn from them. Patience is a skill in itself and something we need to work on as a bowling group.”

For the second successive transfer window, Tottenham Hotspur opted to keep their chequebook closed, making no signings.

Mauricio Pochettino made history in the summer as Spurs became the first side to not sign a single player during the summer transfer window’s history. The Argentine once again admitted that signings were unlikely in January despite a host of players leaving the club. Even with many key players currently sidelined with an injury, there were no new arrivals at Wembley.

Indeed, with their new stadium completed, the summer transfer window should be a completely different story. With more funds available, there could be a massive revamp at the club with many players linked with an exit. With Toby Alderweireld expected to leave and Jan Vertonghen approaching the end of his career, defensive upgrades should be a priority.

One man Pochettino could target is Benfica rock – Ruben Dias. Valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, the 21-year-old is a product of the club’s youth academy and has blossomed into a key player for his side. Despite his young age, Dias is a natural leader in the back four and has captained his side on multiple occasions.

His leadership qualities would add some much-needed stability into the Spurs back four and Dias’ professionalism means he would thrive under Pochettino’s leadership. The Portugal international is also a dominant force in the air, winning 3.6 aerial duels per game in Liga NOS, meaning he should have no problem dealing with the Premier League’s physicality. As well as his defensive prowess, the youngster also excels with the ball at his feet.

Improving with every game, Dias could prove to be a mainstay in the Spurs back four.

Tottenham fans, thoughts?

Chris Martin, the New Zealand fast bowler, has announced retirement from all forms of cricket

Brydon Coverdale02-Jul-2013Chris Martin, the New Zealand fast bowler, has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket at the age of 38. Martin will leave the game with 233 Test wickets at 33.81, making him New Zealand’s third-highest Test wicket taker, behind only Richard Hadlee and Daniel Vettori.Martin played 71 Tests, 20 ODIs and six Twenty20s for his country in an international career that began in November 2000 when he made his Test debut against South Africa in Bloemfontein. It was also in South Africa that Martin played his final Test, at Newlands in January this year, when he finished with 3 for 63, the best figures from the New Zealand attack in an innings defeat.Although Martin has had ups and downs over the course of his career and has been in and out of the side – he has missed 32 of the Tests New Zealand have played since his debut – he had picked up 23 wickets at 27.86 over the past 18 months. However, he leaves at a time when New Zealand have found some talented young fast bowlers, with Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Doug Bracewell all having made their mark over the past couple of years.”It feels like the right time to step down,” Martin said. “I have loved every second and given it everything when playing for the Black Caps, but after 15 years of professional cricket, it’s time to pursue a new challenge. Representing the Black Caps has been a massive privilege, and playing with a group of guys who’re so passionate about doing well for their country has been very special. I wish [captain] Brendon [McCullum] and the team all the best for the future.”Although Martin was rarely the centre of attention in the New Zealand side, he was a reliable performer who in swinging conditions could become a major threat. When Martin passed 200 Test wickets in late 2011, he was described by Vettori as “an under-rated bowler” who “deserves to be regarded as one of New Zealand’s best-ever Test bowlers”.Twice he was Man of the Match in Tests, first with a tally of 11 for 180 in New Zealand’s nine-wicket win over South Africa in Auckland in 2003-04, and then eight years later in Napier, where he collected match figures of 8 for 31 in a crushing innings victory over Zimbabwe. Martin picked up five-wicket hauls on ten occasions in Tests and he saved his best work for South Africa, against whom he claimed 55 wickets at 26.72.The batsmen he dismissed most often in Test cricket tell of his talent: he removed Graeme Smith eight times and Jacques Kallis on six occasions. No bowler from any country has dismissed Smith as often in Tests as Martin. New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said that Martin was one of the most respected players in the New Zealand dressing room and his experience would be missed.”The way Chris goes about his business both on and off the field has made him one of the most respected players in the changing room,” Hesson said. “He’s been a great role model for younger team mates and will be sorely missed. We wish him all the best for the future.”David White, the New Zealand Cricket chief executive, also paid tribute to Martin, saying his work ethic helped him become one of New Zealand’s most successful bowlers in Tests.”During his career Chris has formed a reputation as one of the most consistent performers in world cricket, something which can be put down to his relentless work ethic,” White said. “He’s shown all the qualities required to perform on the international scene – fight, determination and a huge passion for the game. It’s his attitude which has led Chris to becoming one of New Zealand’s most successful Test bowlers.”However, as impressive as his bowling was over 13 years in international cricket, Martin became as well known for his comical batting exploits at No.11, which endeared him to cricket fans the world over. In 104 Test innings, Martin managed only 123 runs at an average of 2.36, and the only time he reached double-figures was with 12 not out against Bangladesh in Dunedin in 2007-08.Only Courtney Walsh (43) made more ducks in Test cricket than Martin’s 36, although he can comfortably claim the record for the most Test pairs. On seven occasions, Martin was dismissed for 0 in both innings of a Test – Walsh, Mervyn Dillon, Bhagwath Chandrasekhar, Muttiah Muralitharan and Marvan Atapattu are all equal second with four pairs each.

The American Cricket Federation has announced the creation of a seven-man honourary advisory board comprised of current and former international cricketers including Michael Holding and Ian Chappell

Peter Della Penna15-Jan-2014The American Cricket Federation has announced the creation of a seven-man honorary advisory board comprised of current and former international cricketers including Michael Holding and Ian Chappell. The move is a significant boost to ACF’s credibility on the world stage and furthers its attempts to challenge the USA Cricket Association’s status as the ICC-recognised national governing body in America.”I’ve been aware of many attempts to move cricket forward in the USA,” Chappell said in an ACF press release, “and I’m also aware that there has been a lot of bickering among the different administrations. With that in mind, I’m hopeful that the ACF can overcome these difficulties and get the game moving forward in the USA at an improved pace.”In addition to Holding and Chappell, other members of the panel include former West Indies batsman Alvin Kallicharran, former Australian Test players Damien Martyn, Stuart MacGill and Nathan Bracken, and current Ireland wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien. In November, the ACF organized a cricket clinic led by Holding and Kallicharran in Washington, D.C.Jamie Harrison, chief executive of ACF, had established relationships over the last several years with Martyn, MacGill and Bracken while serving in his role as president of the US Youth Cricket Association prior to joining ACF. Harrison and the USYCA hosted MacGill in New Jersey last April where the former Australian legspinner held a coaching camp for youth cricketers in the area.”We are delighted to have the support of these legendary cricketers as we move forward with the ACF mission to develop the game in the United States,” Harrison said in the release. “The breadth of knowledge and experience that these individuals bring to the table will be of great value to us as we chart the future of cricket in America, and we are thankful for their backing.”