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Moeen Ali says England will be up against it as they venture into unknown in Guyana

Matt Roller25-Jun-20240:46

Could England hand Tom Hartley his debut in the semi-finals?

Moeen Ali believes that England will have to be at their best to beat India in their T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final, but hopes that they can draw on the 10-wicket thrashing they inflicted on the same opponents at the same stage in the 2022 tournament when they meet in Guyana on Thursday.England were the first team to qualify for the semi-finals but spent two more nights in Barbados after securing their progress with a 10-wicket win over USA at Kensington Oval. Their semi-final venue was confirmed on Monday when India beat Australia in St Lucia, and they arrived in Georgetown on a charter flight on Tuesday morning. India flew on Monday night.It is a step into the unknown for England. They have not played a game at Providence Stadium since the 2010 edition of this tournament, when they lost to West Indies and then scraped through their initial first-round group thanks to a no-result against Ireland. Chris Jordan played there twice in the CPL in 2019 and is the only member of their squad to have played a T20 match at the venue.Related

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Not that India’s experience there is extensive: a young squad played two T20Is at Providence last August, while some also featured in a 2019 T20I. It will come down to which team adapts best to conditions. “I’ve never been there, but I’ve heard it’s an amazing place,” Moeen said before England’s flight. “You can expect some sort of spin and a tough-ish wicket.”Moeen described England’s World Cup to date as “a rollercoaster ride”. An extra hour of rain in Antigua would have knocked them out in the first round and despite their progress to a fourth successive T20 World Cup semi-final, they have still only beaten one Full Member side – West Indies – at this tournament. “Getting here was quite tough,” he said. “But it’s nice to be here, when you’re two games away from winning the World Cup.”India, by contrast, have a 100 percent record in completed matches over the last three weeks and underlined their status as tournament favourites by beating Australia on Monday, a result which knocked the 50-over world champions out of the tournament. “They looked very, very strong, like they did in the last World Cup,” Moeen said.England booked their semi-final spot with a 10-wicket win over USA•Getty ImagesRohit Sharma was particularly dominant, hitting 92 off 41 balls from the top of the order. “He’s a world-class player – one of the best players in the world,” Moeen said. “You sometimes just hope they get out in T20s. That’s the thing in cricket, especially T20 cricket: you’re not always guaranteed runs, no matter how good you’re playing. But they’ve got other players as well.”They’re just a brilliant side. They’ve got everything covered, so we’re going to have to be at our best to beat them. I’m looking forward to it, actually: it’s a great challenge, similar to the last time we played them in the semi-final in Australia. It’s going to be a challenge, and we’re going to have to plan and play really well.”The Adelaide semi-final is best remembered for Jos Buttler and Alex Hales’ unbroken 170-run partnership which led England to victory with four overs to spare, but was set up by their bowlers. India managed only 62 for 2 off their first 10 overs after being asked to bat first, and Hardik Pandya’s late hitting was not enough to get them to a winning total.Moeen said his main memories of the game were “just how clinical” England were in their preparation. “But [also] the way we took them on, and we were unbelievable with the bat. We set the game up on that wicket with the ball. Even when they got away from us a little bit at the end, it was a bit late. That was a great day, and a great performance.”Arshdeep Singh, who bowled two wicketless overs in the Adelaide semi-final, was reluctant to look ahead after India’s win over Australia. “It’s exciting when you come to World Cups and in the knockout stages you have really nice opponents,” he said. “But our motto here is ‘stay where your feet are’ and right now, we are just trying to enjoy this moment.”

It’s been an extremely long time coming, but after eight years outside of the Premier League promised land, Sunderland are finally back.

Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats would go on to stun Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United 2-1 at Wembley courtesy of a last-gasp effort from Tommy Watson, with the tense tie looking to be going in the favour of the Blades, before a remarkable Sunderland comeback was kick-started.

Now, an exciting summer awaits the newly promoted side as they attempt to land some statement deals ahead of the challenge of top-flight football.

One deal that will go through is Enzo Le Fee joining Le Bris’ camp permanently after his standout loan stint more than helped the Wearside outfit seal a dramatic path back up to the Premier League.

Le Fee's heroics at Sunderland

Whilst the skilful Frenchman didn’t pick up a goal or an assist at Wembley, he would still prove his worth during the two semi-final clashes versus Coventry when collecting two assists.

Therefore, nobody will be up in arms about the Black Cats having to fork out £20m to land Le Fee for good, with that fee coming in as a mandatory amount to fork out if the high-flyers were to win promotion.

There will also be an expectation in the air that Le Fee can deliver when making the gigantic leap-up, considering he does have plenty of top-flight experience in his native France up his sleeve with soon-to-be ex-side Lorient, when tallying seven goals and 14 assists from 132 Ligue 1 encounters.

Moreover, despite only being 25 years of age, the entertaining number 28 is arguably one of the more senior members of Le Bris’ promotion-winning side, meaning he shouldn’t hopefully fold when the Premier League spotlight is beamed onto him.

1. GK – Anthony Patterson

25

2. RB – Trai Hume

23

3. CB -Daniel Ballard

25

4. CB – Luke O’Nien

30

5. LM – Dennis Cirkin

23

6. RM – Chris Rigg

17

7. CM – Dan Neil

23

8. CM – Jobe Bellingham

19

9. LM – Romaine Mundle

22

10. ST – Enzo Le Fee

25

11. ST – Eliezer Mayenda

20

To help calm down the inexperienced team’s nerves more, Sunderland could go all in to land this former star who knows the Premier League inside out.

The incredible signing Sunderland could make

The Black Cats will already be up against it reentering the top-flight, with the last six teams that went up all coming straight back down miserably.

Therefore, if Sunderland are able to win back the services of former homegrown ace Jordan Henderson – with Football Insider reporting a return could be on the cards – they should go full steam ahead to snap him up, with this signing potentially as exciting as Le Fee’s was when he surprisingly entered the building in the second tier.

Henderson, before his career fell somewhat to the wayside in Saudi and now at Ajax, was the heartbeat of many a successful Liverpool side in the daunting division, skippering the side to Premier League and Champions League glory.

Jurgen Klopp referred to the midfield veteran as “incredible” during their memorable days together at Anfield, with the 34-year-old’s numbers below speaking for themselves in terms of how he could offer plenty of know-how.

Games played

492

Goals scored

33

Assists

58

Premier League titles

1x

Champions Leagues

1x

Footballer of the Year

1x

So good has Henderson been at the top level that he amazingly picked up a Footballer of the Year accolade at the close of the 2019/20 season, with a hope now that the former Reds captain can roll back the years upon his potential return to the Stadium of Light.

Indeed, with Sunderland in need of a calming and steady presence to complement the more livewire figures of Jobe Bellingham, Chris Rigg and the attack-focused Le Fee, the local lad would be the dream addition for Louis-Dreyfus and Co as they enter a new dawn.

Surely a return to your hometown club on the eve of their first Premier League season in eight years is motivation enough to get back to your dominating best, with this deal perhaps going down as another steal like Le Fee’s if all goes to plan, particularly if he can keep his boyhood side afloat.

Forget Jobe: Sunderland may have their next Jordan Henderson in 8/10 star

Sunderland are finally back in the Premier League after a dramatic 2-1 victory over Sheffield United.

ByKelan Sarson May 25, 2025

Wolverhampton Wanderers know that a couple of their prized assets could very well be sold this summer.

Matheus Cunha’s £62.5m release clause certainly looks like it could be triggered by Manchester United. Elsewhere, Rayan Ait-Nouri has attracted interest from some of Europe’s heavyweights, including Liverpool.

Much will depend on how much money Vitor Pereira will have to spend when the window opens, but there are several players who have already been eyed up.

Wolves plotting move for Premier League youngster

With Wolves having secured their Premier League status weeks ago, one eye has been turned towards the transfer market.

Midfielder Morten Frendrup was linked with a move recently, while defender Dennis Cirkin has also emerged on the club’s radar.

Player

Club signed from

Sam Johnstone

Crystal Palace

Tommy Doyle

Man City

Craig Dawson

West Ham United

Ki-Jana Hoever

Liverpool

Matija Sarkic

Aston Villa

The pair would make solid signings, but it is the Old Gold’s interest in a current Premier League midfielder which could eclipse both deals.

Indeed, according to Caught Offside, the club are plotting a move for Liverpool youngster Harvey Elliott, although he could cost around £50m.

Competition comes from Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Newcastle United and Bournemouth, indicating how tough a job Pereira has in convincing the Englishman to move to the Wolves.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

How Harvey Elliott could replace Pedro Neto at Wolves

Since selling Pedro Neto last summer, the Molineux side have failed to adequately replace his influence on the right flank.

Neto enjoyed a superb five-year spell with Wolves. Across 135 matches, he scored 14 goals and recorded 27 assists. These figures would have been much more impressive if he hadn’t missed 112 games through a succession of injuries.

This term, Pablo Sarabia, Carlos Forbs and Marshall Munetsi have tried to fill the gap left by Neto, either playing out wide on the right or as a number ten.

But, could Elliott – a left-footed player who thrives on the right – be the ideal candidate to fill the void left by the Portuguese winger?

The Liverpool ace, who can operate either out wide or as an attacking midfielder, has the skillset to finally allow the club to replace one of their former talismans.

Lauded as a “special talent” by former Liverpool striker Neil Mellor, Elliott has demonstrated his attacking qualities over the previous 12 months.

When compared to his peers across Europe’s top five leagues, the 22-year-old ranks in the top 1% for non-penalty goals, assists, shot-creating actions and touches in the attacking penalty area per 90.

Additionally, he even ranks in the top 4% for progressive carries, passes and total shots, proving that he has the required abilities to shine for Wolves on the right flank where Neto was such a carry-heavy player himself.

As a left-footed player, Elliott would likely cut in on his stronger foot when he has the ball in the final third.

If given consistent gametime, there is no reason why the Englishman cannot improve his goal-involvement tally at Molineux.

This season may not have been great, but under a manager who will give him plenty of opportunities in the starting XI, the youngster can sparkle at Wolves.

Wolves flop is now a Ballon d'Or contender and a bigger name than Cunha

Wolverhampton Wanderers must surely rue losing this talent who is now arguably better than Matheus Cunha.

1 ByKelan Sarson May 12, 2025

Having last played in India in 2015, he has returned with much more knowledge and skill, and it was on display on the second day of the Kolkata Test

Firdose Moonda15-Nov-20252:21

What did Simon Harmer do right?

Pretend you’re reading just this after both teams had batted once in the Eden Gardens Test. Pretend it’s the point at which South Africa have limited India’s lead to just 30 runs and the match is still evenly poised and bubbling with promise. Pretend that the most important talking point is how a South African attack did what South African attacks are known for and brought their side back into the game, this time without Kagiso Rabada, this time thanks to Simon Harmer.The offspinner made the most important incisions on the day when he removed Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel and Ravindra Jadeja, all of whom threatened to bat South Africa out of the game, and finished with 4 for 30. He extracted more turn than anyone else in the match so far – including the Indian spinners – with an average of 4.3 degrees, and quickly assessed the right lines, length and pace to bowl for maximum efficacy.Harmer’s game plan developed in the solitary over he bowled on the first evening when he started off bowling quite full to Washington, then pulled back the length a touch, drew Washington forward and nearly took the edge. The ball spun away sharply and didn’t find Washington’s bat but Harmer knew he could use that to his advantage on day two.Related

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“From that first over last night over against Washington, it was quite evident that the ball was going to turn and you want to be testing batters on the front foot,” Harmer said at the post-day press conference. “If you allow them time to go back, it allows them to adjust and play the turn off the wicket. So you try to test batters on the front foot and test their front foot defence, which allows the ball to spin past the bat and brings in both edges. Then you also try and get one not to turn to bring in lbw, but overall, it was pretty evident that you needed to be fuller rather than shorter on that wicket.”Fuller but not entirely full. Harmer bowled 47 of his 92 balls on that length and was especially effective against left-hand batters. He only conceded nine runs off the 38 length deliveries he bowled to left-handers. He was also accurate with his line – 39% of his deliveries were sent down in line with the stumps, leaving batters little room to do anything but defend.That’s ultimately how he got Washington, an hour into the second day’s play. Harmer first went very full and then more on a good length, Washington stepped forward to defend and the ball took the edge as it turned away. He similarly challenged Rishabh Pant. Jurel also went forward and popped a return catch to Harmer and with Jadeja, it was the arm ball that skidded on.”It’s also about having the subtle variations of balls that don’t turn,” he said. “Sometimes you get onto turning wickets, you’re just trying to turn it more and more and more and the skill lies in bowling a ball that doesn’t turn on a wicket that is turning. Obviously, I’ve got a lot more experience since the last time I was here.”Simon Harmer rattled India•Getty ImagesIf there is a secret to Harmer’s success, it’s that he has returned to India a decade after first playing in the country, armed with much more knowledge and skill, and his bowling demonstrates his full evolution.Harmer’s international career can be divided into three parts: his emergence in 2015, his needs-must recall in 2022 during the late Covid-19 pandemic period when several frontliners were at the IPL, and his proper comeback now.In 2015, Harmer was a spinner who had been highly successful on the South African domestic circuit, but because it was not a place known to produce great spinners, he did not come into the national set-up with the reputation of a match-winner. He played one Test at home before tours to the subcontinent and he felt the weight of expectation to perform. “I was quite new to Test cricket. Ravi Ashwin was bowling like a jet and it was the expectation that I needed to do the same, so I was dealing with that and putting myself under even more pressure,” Harmer said.South Africa lost that series 3-0 (and would have lost 4-0 if not for rain in Bengaluru) and Harmer was one of the casualties of the tour that went as badly as it could. Looking back, he can acknowledge his own shortcomings. “When I got dropped from the national side in 2015 was when I realised that I wasn’t good enough,” he said.So he worked on it. “I came back to India in 2016 to work with Umesh Patwal in Mumbai and I discovered a lot about spin bowling that I didn’t know. That was probably the point of my career that gave me the ammunition to get better and develop and become a decent spinner.”That was only the start. In 2017, Harmer signed a Kolpak deal, which began a nine-season-and-counting stint at Essex, where he took his game to the next level. In those nine years, he has not once been outside the country championship’s top ten wicket-takers (he was also the leading bowler in 2019, 2020, and 2022) and the consistency of his returns shows a commitment to continual upskilling. “In the UK, bowling on flat wickets or when there are footmarks and nothing outside of those footmarks, you need to find a way to get the ball to spin quickly,” he explained. “It’s a skill that I’ve developed there by being able to bowl it a little bit flatter, not always just relying on the loop. Sometimes on slow wickets, it’s too slow and batters can play off the back foot. So it’s about understanding my game more and finding ways to be better.”Harmer picked up the key wicket of Washington Sundar•BCCIWhen the Kolpak system ended after the UK’s exit from the European Union, Harmer was available for South Africa, but Keshav Mahraraj was established as their No. 1. Harmer has understood that he will likely only be called on when South Africa need additional spin resources. And then, he can bring the wealth of experience he has gained on the county circuit to the national side.”I’m a lot more confident in my ability. I don’t have as many doubts as I did back then and I was fighting for a place in the team,” he said. “Now I feel like I have the skill set to compete. Whether or not it goes my way is sometimes the luck of the draw, but as long as I can look back and say that I put a good amount of balls in the right area, then I can be happy with that.”If the day had ended there, Harmer could have left the ground entirely satisfied with his work and where he had put South Africa. From a first innings blowout, they were in a position where they could put themselves in the driving seat but to think they did that, we’d have to pretend.South Africa finished effectively 63 for 7, with Harmer next in to bat. He will have to do the same job he did with the ball, and drag South Africa into the contest to give them, and mostly himself, a chance to bowl India out cheaply. He knows it won’t be easy.”In an ideal situation, you’ve got 300 on the board, and you can set attacking fields but it becomes quite intricate when you’ve only got 150 on the board, and you need to take wickets but you also can’t leak runs,” he said. “It’s quite evident that the pitch is going to do enough. It’s just about not getting carried away and making sure that you’re putting as many balls in the right areas as you possibly can. We all know that we need to be at our best but we have the belief that we can still pull ourselves back into this game.”Or, at least, they can pretend to.

“If people want to call us chokers or not, that is out of our control. But I promise you, we are going to the game to win the game,” Coetzee says

Firdose Moonda15-Nov-202313:33

Steyn: If South Africa win the semi-final, they can go on and dominate the final

Rassie van der Dussen was 10. Gerald Coetzee was not even born. So it’s hardly surprising that the 1999 World Cup semi-final between South Africa and Australia at Edgbaston is not part of the memory bank of either the oldest or the youngest members of this South African side.”I don’t remember too much,” van der Dussen said in Ahmedabad, after South Africa ended their league campaign with a victory over Afghanistan. “But looking at that team and by outside accounts, they had a lot of what we have as a team. They obviously had a really good chance to win the World Cup, and I think we have a good chance as well.”In the immediacy of a press conference situation, van der Dussen made a comparison which may yet come back to haunt him, but if you really listen to him, you’ll realise he doesn’t care. “You know what, on the 19th of November we’ll be where we need to be, whether it’s lifting the trophy or not,” he said. “It’s fine, whatever happens, will happen.”Related

• In-form South Africa face serial winners Australia with history on their shoulders

• Bavuma on semi-final availability: 'I'm quite confident but it's not a unilateral decision'

• Business as usual? Contrasting histories prompt different semi-final views for SA, Australia

• Rabada: 'We want to win and we'll fight tooth and nail for it'

• Aus vs SA: Why Starc and Jansen should be in the firing line

You don’t have to believe that is actually “fine” (and why would you, given that we’ve been told most people who answer a question with the word fine don’t actually mean things are fine), which is also fine. But you will have to acknowledge that it seems a mature enough approach for someone who is part of a team that plays for a country which is nothing short of desperate to win the World Cup.Since 1999. In the 24 years that have passed since then, not one of them has gone by without South Africans wondering when a trophy will come home. Even in years with no World Cups, because those were times when planning would be done for World Cups. Then there was 2003 and 2007 – and that semi-final against Australia, when South Africa were 27 for 5 at one stage, does not make it into the highlights programmes – and 2011 and 2015 and many other T20 World Cups that we are not going to rehash here. And you’re sure to find someone who remembers something about everyone of those defeats whether they were chokes or blow-outs or just fairly normal events like a team losing a match (because someone has to, you know).”How many World Cup semi-finals have you watched South Africa play in,” Coetzee was asked, also after the Afghanistan game.His answer was emphatic: “One.”Which one? “2015.”6:18

Rabada: ‘I still do exactly what I would do while opening the bowling’

That’s the most recent ODI one South Africa played in and could easily have put an aspiring cricketer from the losing side off. Especially a player like Coetzee. He was also a competitive school swimmer, so he had other options, but he preferred team spirit to the silence of the deep blue sea and doesn’t remember the match that the South African team tried to forget with the same pain. “That’s the beauty of sport. That’s why people keep coming back to watch it and why we want to be put in those positions.”Don’t get smarmy and ask if Coetzee means South Africa want to fumble in the field and lose with a ball to spare but recognise that he means players live for big moments and pressure situations. “As we always say, if you come to a World Cup and you want to be in the final, you have to win the semi-final.”That is stating the obvious but considering it is where South Africa have historically slipped up, it probably needs to be said. The same applies to the opposite, because that’s what South Africa have not done. Dale Steyn told ESPNcricinfo how the players “tried to move on as quickly as we could,” and left the pain of that night to fester for far too long. This team has already started talking about both outcomes, in what appears to be normal and healthy terms. “Of course we are speaking about winning but we understand it’s a difficult game and there is no dishonour in losing,” Coetzee said. “We are coming to play. What happens on the day is out of our control. If we lose, we lose. If people want to call us chokers or not, that is out of our control. Someone has to lose. But I promise you, we are going to the game to win the game.”And therein lies the real message for those who talk about the 2023 semi-final being an opportunity for South Africa to get over what happened more than two decades ago: perhaps they don’t need to. That team is not this team. That story is not their story. That baggage is not their baggage. They are connected by the colours they wear and the place they represent but they are, in personality, in outlook and in playing style, different and this team is intent on making the most of every moment they have to be themselves.”The time we’ve had together the last eight to 12 weeks will go down as probably some of the best team environments and times I’ve had in my career. And those memories are special already,” van der Dussen said. “Whether we win or not, whatever happens will happen, and we’ll definitely go away from here with fond memories.”

There isn’t a lot of firepower in that batting line-up but they have tremendous depth and variety on the bowling front

Andrew Fidel Fernando23-Oct-2021

Big picture

If you look at a certain set of statistics, you’d think Sri Lanka were T20 World Cup kings. In the history of this tournament, they have won more T20 World Cup games (25) than any other side, their win/loss percentage of 2.083 unmatched. They have reached the final in half of the six World Cups played. And they have produced some of the World Cup’s most iconic performances.But such has been their rate of decline since 2014 (when they won), that they were forced to qualify for the main draw this time. They arrive in the Super 12s ranked tenth in the world, having won only two of their last 12 bilateral T20I series. Since the last T20 World Cup, they have had at least five captains in the format. Although their ODI and Test cricket has also suffered substantially over the past few years, T20Is have been Sri Lanka’s worst format.That is not to say they are a write-off in this World Cup, however, because just over the past few months, a focus on youth, fielding, and fitness may have set in motion the beginnings of a reawakening. As with the greatest Sri Lanka T20I sides, bowling is this team’s strength, with plenty of variety on that front. There is no question that they dominated all batting orders they came across in the first round, dismissing Namibia for 96, Ireland for 101, and Netherlands for 44. The batting is fragile, but it is no longer as toothless as it was, say, two years ago.Still, not a lot is expected of Sri Lanka in this tournament. Perhaps it is a cliché, but it is possible the team will find that liberating.

Recent form

Although their top order was in disarray at times, there were contributions from the middle order through the course of various practice matches and the first round over the last few weeks. Against the kinds of sides they will face in the Super 12s, though, their record over the past three years is exceedingly poor.Kusal Perera bears a lot of the hitting burden in the powerplay, but is coming off injuries•ICC via Getty

Batting

There’s not a lot of firepower here. Kusal Perera bears a lot of the hitting burden in the powerplay, but comes into the tournament off some long injury layoffs. He had not been in outstanding form before the injuries in any case. Avishka Fernando can be destructive, but needs a quiet early period to work himself into his innings. And although Dasun Shanaka has been an excellent finisher at the domestic level, he hasn’t yet figured out how to produce finishing fireworks consistently in internationals.

Bowling

It may not be a stretch to suggest Sri Lanka’s is one of the more dynamic attacks around, provided the frontliners all stay fit – spin frontman Wanindu Hasaranga has a niggle. Dushmantha Chameera and Lahiru Kumara were the quickest bowlers in the qualifying stage – Chameera breaching 150kph and clocking 145kph-plus regularly, while Kumara was also usually well into the 140s. Maheesh Theekshana, the mystery spinner, is yet to truly be worked out at the top level. Chamika Karunaratne adds some dependable seam bowling. And Hasaranga is deservingly the No. 2-ranked T20I bowler.

Player to watch

Who else but Hasaranga? His googly has been Sri Lanka’s primary wicket-taking weapon over the past 18 months. He almost never goes wicketless, and goes for runs even less often. He has already showed off his batting prowess in this tournament as well, hitting 71 off 47 balls from No. 5 to rescue Sri Lanka following a top-order collapse against Ireland. On top of all of it, he is a livewire in the field. A potential matchwinner on all three fronts.

Key questions

Sri Lanka were excellent in the first round, but will that momentum transfer into the Super 12s, where they will not only face much higher quality opposition, but also teams that will have done extensive research on the various members of Sri Lanka’s attack. How long will Theekshana’s mystery survive under this more intense microscope? Can Chameera and Kumara keep bowling this fast with a hectic two-week schedule coming up? And even if the bowlers are good (and they have performed even against the top teams this year), will Sri Lanka’s batters cede too much ground for them to make a difference?Ideal XI: 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Perera (wk), 3 Charith Asalanka, 4 Avishka Fernando, 5 Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 6 Dasun Shanaka (capt.), 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Chamika Karunaratne, 9 Dushmantha Chameera, 10 Maheesh Theekshana, 11 Lahiru Kumara

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has offered some bizarre advice to under-fire Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso ahead of Wednesday's huge Champions League clash between the two sides at the Bernabeu. Alonso comes into the match fresh from a damaging La Liga defeat to Celta Vigo and with serious question marks over his future as manager.

Alonso under pressure in Madrid

Alonso has come under pressure just months into his tenure at Real Madrid after an underwhelming start to life in the Spanish capital. Sunday's defeat to Celta saw Madrid slip four points behind rivals Barcelona at the top of the table in Spain after having previously been five points ahead of their bitter rivals following victory in October's Clasico. There has also been speculation that high-profile stars such as Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham are unhappy with life at Madrid under Alonso and that Los Blancos are lining up former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp as a potential replacement.

AdvertisementAFPGuardiola's advice to Alonso

Guardiola was asked if he had a message of support for Alonso ahead of Wednesday's match and told reporters: "He should pee on his own. I won't pee for him. You like that headline, right?"

The Manchester City boss went on to share his thoughts on Alonso's future, adding: "I wish Xabi all the best, but his future is an answer I don't know. You all know the situation better than I do; I'm far removed from it. I haven't spoken with Florentino, and he hasn't told me that tomorrow will be Xabi's last match. If you don't win big games, things get difficult. But Xabi is in control of the situation and knows what this whole thing is about. My concern is seeing what we've done well. To beat Real Madrid in this competition, it's not enough to be better; you have to be much better."

'Barca and Madrid are difficult to manage'

Guardiola also admitted he had sympathy for Alonso as he knows just how difficult it is to take on one of the biggest jobs in football. The City boss, who took a sabbatical after leaving Barcelona following four successful years, says the pressure can be immense.

"I empathise with him because we worked together and it was an incredible experience. We shared many things. Barca and Madrid are difficult to manage because of the pressure, the environment," he added. "He knows the reality and everything revolves around winning matches. It happened to us last season. He's capable of turning things around and he's capable of doing what's necessary."

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Alonso calls for calm

Alonso has seemed unflustered by the talk about his future before the match. The Real Madrid boss insisted he was only focused on playing Manchester City and aiming to bounce back from a disappointing result last time out.

He told reporters: "This is a team, and we're all in this together. When you are Real Madrid coach, you have to be prepared to face [difficult spells] with calm, unity, and composure. That's how I feel. I'm really looking forward to everything that's coming, starting [with this game against City].

"We know we can turn the anger [at recent results] into something positive. All we are thinking about is City and the Champions League. In football, for better or for worse, things can change quickly. My focus is on the team, on the pitch, and on the next match. That's what I can control, and that's what I'm focused on."

Mohamed Salah has been named on the bench yet again by Liverpool manager Arne Slot for Saturday's Premier League game against Brighton at Anfield. The Egypt international has been recalled to the squad, after being left out against Inter in the Champions League in midweek following his critical comments, but has to make do with a place among the substitutes.

• Salah returns for Brighton game

  Salah is back in the Liverpool squad for the first time since claiming he had been "thrown under the bus" by the Reds and that his relationship with Slot has broken down following the team's draw with Leeds. The Egyptian's critical comments have thrown his future at the club into doubt and he was subsequently left out of the Champions League trip to San Siro. However, he is back in the squad for Saturday's match, although it remains to be seen if he will see any game time. Slot has gone with Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai in attack as he searches for victory against the Seagulls. Liverpool's fixture against Brighton is Salah's last before he is due to link up with Egypt's Africa Cup of Nations squad for the 2025 tournament.

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• Slot speaks out on selection decisions

  Slot had little to say when quizzed about his decision to recall Salah to the squad for the match. He told ahead of kick-off: "Like you said, he is back in the squad and on the bench today."

  The Liverpool boss also explained why big-money signing Alexander Isak was only on the bench: "Got a knock in both games. Games come quite fast and there is also not so much to choose from. Nice to have someone from the bench who can impact the game."

  Slot was also critical of his team's fixture list as the Reds return to Premier League action after a midweek Champions League trip to Inter, adding: "Quite proud because playing four games in 10 days – that is almost criminal for football players. Especially if you have only 13-14 outfield players that are available. We accept playing a lot of games, but four in 10 days. That is a lot to take for players."

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  Will Salah stay at Liverpool?

  Salah's situation at Liverpool means it's still unclear if he will remain at the club for the rest of the season. Slot spoke about the situation before the Brighton match at his pre-match press conference, telling reporters: "I have no reasons not wanting him to stay, if that is a little bit of an answer." Yet Saudi Pro League clubs are believed to be circling and are eager to bring the Egypt star to the Middle East.

  Saudi Pro League chief executive Omar Mugharbel has already admitted that Liverpool's talisman has emerged as a transfer target. He told the World Football Summit in Riyadh this week: "Mohamed Salah is welcome in the Saudi League, but it is the clubs that are responsible for negotiating with players. For sure Salah is one of them [a target]."

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• What next for Salah and Liverpool?

  Salah will depart Merseyside after Saturday's match and switch focus to international football. Egypt take on Nigeria in a friendly before AFCON starts and then face Zimbabwe, Angola and South Africa in the group phase. If Egypt make it all the way to the final, then Salah is set to be away from Liverpool until at least January 18. 

  During his absence, his agent – Ramy Abbas – is set to hold talks with Liverpool over the 33-year-old's future at the club, according to . Salah signed a new two-year contract in the summer but it remains to be seen if he will now see that out.

  In the meantime, Liverpool face a busy fixture list over festive period and into January with games against Tottenham, Wolves, Leeds United, Fulham, Arsenal and Burnley in the Premier League as well as an FA Cup third round tie against Barnsley.

كشف أحمد جاب الله، طبيب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، عن حالة اللاعبين المصابين عقب مباراة المارد الأحمر أمام الجيش الملكي المغربي في دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

وحل الأهلي ضيفًا على الجيش الملكي في الجولة الثانية من مرحلة المجموعات، وانتهت المباراة بالتعادل بهدف لكل فريق.

وقال أحمد جاب الله في تصريحات للصفحة الرسمية للنادي الأهلي: “أشرف بن شرقي تعرض لآلام في أسفل عضلة الفخذ، إن شاء الله تكون بسيطة، سنقوم بفحصه وسنتواصل مع الجهاز الطبي لمنتخب المغرب لعمل الأشعة والفحوصات”.

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وأضاف: “محمد شريف، بسبب ارتطامه في أرضية الملعب، تعرض لكدمة في عضلة الحوض من الجزء الجانبي، لكن حالته جيدة”.

وواصل: “تريزيجيه تعرض لضربة في الرأس نتيجة الآلة الحادة التي ألقيت عليه من المدرجات، الحمد لله لم تكن قوية وتعاملنا معها بشكل سريع وهو بحالة جيدة”.

واختتم: “ياسين مرعي تعرض لكدمة بسيطة في مشط القدم، تورمت قليلًا ونتعامل معها، ياسر إبراهيم آخر المباراة تعرض لإصابة في عينه لكنها الحمد لله بسيطة”.

كشف الإعلامي أحمد شوبير عن مستجدات مهمة بشأن ملف تجديد عقد المالي أليو ديانج لاعب وسط الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، موضحًا ما وصلت إليه المناقشات بين اللاعب وإدارة القلعة الحمراء حتى الآن.

وقال شوبير، خلال تصريحاته الإذاعية صباح اليوم الثلاثاء: “ملف أليو ديانج لا يزال في مكانه دون تحرّك كبير، لكن من المنتظر، على الأرجح، عقد جلسة اليوم الثلاثاء بين ديانج وبعض مسؤولي النادي الأهلي، وقد يكون من بينهم الكابتن وليد صلاح الدين، الذي قد يبدأ الحديث مع اللاعب لمعرفة الصورة الكاملة بشأن طلباته ورؤيته للتجديد”.

وأضاف: “النادي الأهلي – وكما أكدت مرارًا – حريص كل الحرص على الإبقاء على أليو ديانج، فاللاعب أصبح عنصرًا أساسيًا ومهمًا للغاية في الفريق، وقد نجح مع مروان عطية في تحقيق توازن كبير في وسط الملعب خلال الفترة الماضية”.

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وتابع: “الأهلي اتخذ قرارًا واضحًا: إذا كانت طلبات ديانج للتجديد ضمن الحدود المقبولة، فسيتم تقديره ماليًا بالشكل الذي يليق به، وسيتم إنهاء ملف تجديد عقده بشكل سريع، أما إذا بالغ اللاعب في مطالبه، فسيكون النادي منفتحًا على مناقشة العروض التي ستصل إليه”.

وأوضح: “هناك احتمال كبير لرحيل ديانج في يناير، في حال وصول عرض مناسب، فالأهلي يرى أنه من الأفضل الاستفادة ماديًا من اللاعب في يناير، بدلًا من رحيله مجانًا في مايو عند انتهاء عقده”.

واختتم: “هذا هو الواقع بكل دقة، لدى ديانج عدة عروض خارجية، تُثار أسماؤها في وسائل الإعلام، لكن القرار النهائي سيعتمد على ما ستسفر عنه جلسة اليوم، وعلى مدى تقارب وجهات النظر بين اللاعب والنادي”.