All posts by h716a5.icu

Wolves have agreed a deal with Celta Vigo to bring Norwegian striker Jorgen Strand Larsen to the Premier League after an impressive season in La Liga.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Wolves agree deal to sign Strand LarsenNorwegian impressed in La LigaWolves brace for Kilman bidsWHAT HAPPENED?

Strand Larsen appears set to complete his move to the Molineux next week and complete a move worth €30m (£25m/$32m), reports. The striker scored 13 goals and registered three assists in La Liga for Celta last season and Gary O'Neil believes he can add a new dimension to his attack.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Wolves struggled to find the back of the net last campaign, scoring just 50 goals in their 38 Premier League games. This total was even beaten by relegated Luton Town and Wolves will have to improve to ensure they remain safe in the division for another year. With key forward Matheus Cunha linked to a move away, Wolves will need to get proven goalscorers through the door.

DID YOU KNOW?

Strand Larsen was not the only Norwegian striker to find his shooting boots in La Liga last season. Villarreal's Alexander Sorloth scored 23 goals in the division last season to further demonstrate Norway are producing some of the best strikers in Europe.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR WOLVES?

Wolves have been busy in the transfer market so far but they will be concerned that their captain, Max Kilman, could be on his way out of the club. Kilman has been the subject of interest from both West Ham and Newcastle and, should he leave, will need replacing.

As David Moyes emerged from the tunnel before West Ham United's Premier League home fixture against Brentford, there was a tacit understanding of sorts: victory was imperative.

United had dragged themselves through the thorny mire of the New Year period, last winning in any competition in late December – out of the FA Cup and at risk of falling into midtable, the atmosphere had soured.

Who should rise to the occasion when West Ham need a hero most but Jarrod Bowen? The 27-year-old's resounding hat-trick earned the Irons a maiden 2024 victory to place the squad behind seventh-placed Brighton only on goal difference.

Jarrod Bowen's game vs Brentford in numbers

Class is permanent. Bowen might have blanked for seven successive Premier League matches before Monday night's romping but his sweeping hat-trick underpinned his top quality.

Remarkably, his goals place him on 14 strikes for the league season, behind only usual suspects Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah in the charts. Not bad for a winger in a 'defensive' system.

#

Player

Stat

1.

Erling Haaland

17

2.

Mohamed Salah

15

3.

Jarrod Bowen

14

3.

Dominic Solanke

14

3.

Ollie Watkins

14

As per Sofascore, he took 42 touches and completed 80% of his passes, and while he only won four of his 15 duels, was dribbled past twice and failed to make a single tackle or interception, he was tasked with serving as the focal frontman and he served as the conduit between playmaker and net to perfection.

Few would be surprised to learn that Brentford manager Thomas Frank lauded Bowen's "unplayable" display to consign his team to further misery, with Everton's recent points deduction slash sparking fresh fears for the safety of the Premier League's relegation contenders.

Now just two goals away from his finest-ever goalscoring campaign for West Ham, the £120k-per-week dynamo is so impressive and after clinching the winning goal against Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final last June, he has maintained his talismanic aura and then some.

The fact is, Bowen's brilliant. He's an attacking outlet to rival any across Premier League football. he would thrive at Liverpool; he would score goals for fun under Pep Guardiola.

West Ham's system has been knocked askew across recent weeks but perhaps now a palpable sense of cohesion has rematerialised.

Moyes, naturally, has been rather placid in his disposition over recent matches, also saying after a defeat against Nottingham Forest at the start of February: "Maybe there would be managers who excite them more – but the one who is sitting here wins more."

Fair enough, but results have been dire and a turnaround was needed, and here it is. Bowen's innate faculty for sparking influential moments was never in question, he was always a threat.

The collective unit needed to step up, however, and the big victory over Brentford has highlighted some of the England international's peers' finest attributes.

Providing the all-action energy in the centre of the park, Edson Alvarez, for example, produced a display that allowed his free-scoring teammate to enter the limelight.

Edson Alvarez's performance vs Brentford

Lucas Paqueta returned from a long-term layoff but it was not he who caught the eye in Moyes' midfield, though, granted, the Brazilian maestro did enhance the fluency and spirit that had dissipated over the past few months.

Alvarez, aged 26 was hailed for his "unreal" recent performances by analyst Jack Fawcett despite West Ham's troubles, and against Frank's Bees he sparkled once again, handed a stunning 9/10 match rating by London World's Toby Bryant, who wrote: 'A titan tonight. Really impressive as he mopped up in midfield.'

Booked, the Mexican certainly didn't play a perfect game, completing just 75% of his passes, losing the ball 19 times and winning less than half – five out of 12 – of his contested duels, but statistics do not portray the full brilliant picture and, as such, his positioning, fortitude and rock-like protection of his backline must be factored in.

Alvarez also made two key passes, succeeded with two of his three attempted dribbles and won four interceptions and clearances apiece, showcasing his roundedness and mettle.

Having made the £35m move to the English capital from Dutch Eredivisie giants Ajax last summer, combatting the lucrative departure of Declan Rice to Arsenal, Alvarez has been largely excellent, completing 30 matches across all competitions, starting 21 times in the Premier League and receiving praise for his impact by The Athletic's West Ham correspondent Roshane Thomas.

Moreover, the 6 foot 1 machine ranks among the top 12% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles, the top 9% for blocks and the top 1% for clearances per 90, as per FBref.

His expertise as the anchorman allowed James Ward-Prowse – who provided his side with a fine display – to control and create and keep it crisp further up the pitch. Alvarez is the solvent to keep the Irons intact, cohesive, uniform.

West Ham now eyeing move to sign £60m "Rolls-Royce" in summer swoop

The midfielder is in demand.

ByTom Cunningham Feb 25, 2024

Again, is he perfect? No. Is he Rice? Afraid not. But this is a player signed last summer with a point to prove; industrious and deceptively elegant, Alvarez did the hard work to facilitate Bowen's scoring feats.

An ostensibly favourable run of fixtures pepper the road ahead for West Ham, and if Alvarez can harness and sustain his recent performance, the narrative might change pretty quickly at London Stadium.

It is just the one positive result at this stage but Paqueta is back, Bowen is firing and Alvarez is performing at the top of his game once more. There is much for the Hammers support to eagerly anticipate ahead of the business end of the campaign.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are on course to have their best Premier League season since the two seventh-placed finishes during the 2018/19 and 2019/20 campaigns under Nuno Espírito Santo.

The Old Gold were excellent during their first two seasons back in the top flight and much of this was down to their large contingent of Portuguese players.

Indeed, the likes of Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho and Rui Patricio were all esteemed international players, and it was the influence of Santo and agent Jorge Mendes which led these superstars to Molineux in the first place.

Season

Position

2022/23

13th

2021/22

10th

2020/21

13th

2019/20

7th

2018/19

7th

Another signing, Raul Jimenez, was their main attacking option and Wolves looked like they were building a squad which could see them cement their place in the top half of the table for the years to come.

Several of their signings during this time period lived up to their hype, especially Neves, but there was one who failed to make his mark at the club – Rafa Mir.

Why Wolves signed Rafa Mir from Valencia

Midway through their Championship winning season, Santo was already looking at bolstering his team ahead of potentially playing in the top flight.

In January 2018, the club announced that they had signed the 20-year-old on a four-and-a-half-year contract, and he joined that month for an undisclosed fee.

"I'm really excited to play with this team and to try and help the players achieve all the goals that the club has,” said Mir upon his arrival.

"It's a club that has already played in the Premier League. It's one of the biggest clubs in England and I'm really looking forward to my time with Wolves.”

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.

After scoring 15 goals in just 19 matches for the Valencia B side, it was evident that Mir was a player who would continue his development in England in the hopes of playing regularly in the Premier League.

Unfortunately, it didn’t quite work out like that for the youngster, as he failed to impress at the club.

Rafa Mir was meant to replace Raul Jimenez

After loan spells at Las Palmas and Nottingham Forest, Mir went on another loan spell to SD Huesca in January 2020 for 18 months.

Jimenez had scored 44 goals for Wolves during his first two seasons, and it was clear the Old Gold had a player who was going to score them at least 20 goals per season, something which would be hard to replace.

The 2020/21 campaign, however, saw the Mexican striker net just four goals through injury, and Santo was seemingly in need of some added firepower in his squad.

Former Wolves striker Steve Bull spoke to Football FanCast towards the end of that season and claimed Mir could return from his loan spell to spearhead their attack during the following campaign.

"He could turn into a great striker so Wolves could send him back out on loan again for another six to eight months where he can get more game time and goals under his belt,” said Bull.

“Therefore, when he comes back he can replace Jimenez."

He ended up being worse than Patrick Cutrone, however, another striker who failed to live up to expectations when he moved to Wolves.

How much Wolves paid for Patrick Cutrone

Cutrone arrived in the Midlands in the summer of 2019 for a staggering fee of £23m, joining from AC Milan, and it proved that Santo was keen on taking the club to the next level.

The Italian had scored 27 goals in 90 appearances for the Serie A side, and it looked like a stunning coup at the time for the Old Gold, as they were keen on adding more young talent to their first team.

He made 24 appearances during his maiden season in England, yet could only find the back of the net on four occasions, and it was beginning to look like £23m wasted.

Loan spells at Fiorentina Valencia and Empoli failed to convince the club that he was the man to lead the line and cement a place in the starting XI, before being sold to Como in the summer of 2022.

He was an expensive flop to say the least, but at least he scored for the Old Gold, something which Mir was never able to achieve.

What Rafa Mir is doing now

Following three loan spells, Mir was finally sold by Wolves for a fee of around £14m, going on to join La Liga side Sevilla.

The striker made an immediate impact back in his homeland, finishing the season with 13 goals in all competitions as he became a key member of the squad for the Andalusian side.

At the time of writing, Mir has scored 24 goals in just over 100 appearances for the Spanish side and, while this is hardly a wonderful strike rate, it proves that he has finally found a place to showcase his true talents.

What could have been had he remained at Wolves and was offered more chances in the first team, however? The centre-forward is clearly a wonderful player, as demonstrated by his stint at Sevilla.

Perhaps he was moved on far too soon, and if this was discussed a year or so ago, the decision may have come back to haunt Wolves.

Under Gary O’Neil, however, the club have improved from this time a year ago, and they have forwards such as Hwang Hee-Chan and Matheus Cunha, who are currently proving their worth for the Old Gold.

Wolves shouldn't have let £51m-rated ace go who's better than Gomes

The star only made five Premier League starts for Wolves.

ByTom Lever Feb 23, 2024

Mir was once looked upon as the natural successor to Jimenez a few years ago, but it just did not work out for him in the Midlands, and he has had to return to his homeland in order to restore a career that was going nowhere.

O’Neil will be looking to have greater success in the transfer market than a few of his predecessors. This could mean spending money on a few players, but making sure they are the correct fit for the club.

If they finish in the top half of the table, then this task could be made much easier.

The third season of the tournament is set to be played between November 15 to 24

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Oct-2019Trevor Bayliss’ hunt for more trophies continues with the former World Cup-winning coach of England unveiled as the man in charge of the Abu Dhabi franchise in the T10 league. He will have a familiar face for company with allrounder Moeen Ali announced as the side’s marquee player at the tournament draft held on Wednesday.The T10 league is into its third season and is set to be played between November 15 to 24. Eight teams will take part in the competition including three that have been newly formed: Team Abu Dhabi, Qalandars, who signed former Pakistan allrounder Shahid Afridi as their icon player last month, and Bangla Tigers, who picked up 2015 World Cup-winner James Faulkner. He last played for Australia in October 2017.”T10 cricket is big, and it’s bold, but it also requires a certain style of player and capability,” Bayliss said. “It tests players’ tactical talent and skills at the very highest level.”Moeen said: “It’s an impressive list of some of the best T10 players on show in Abu Dhabi. Fans are going to be treated to something quite special, there’s no doubt about it. I would say there’s extra incentive playing for Team Abu Dhabi to show the world what Abu Dhabi T10 cricket is all about.”There is a strong English presence in the T10 league this season with Somerset’s new sensation Tom Banton, often compared to Kevin Pietersen and mentored by Marcus Trescothick, picked up by the Qalandars. Eoin Morgan, who became the first England captain to win a 50-over World Cup, is an icon player with Delhi Bulls (a rebranding of the Bengal Tigers team which took part in the 2018 T10 league) and he will have the assistance of legspinner Adil Rashid, who played a key part of the revolution that culminated with an ICC trophy. Former England head coach Andy Flower is at the helm of the Maratha Arabians franchise, who chose Australia’s T20 specialist Chris Lynn as their icon player.Most short-form tournaments become a hub for West Indian players and this one is no different. Darren Sammy, the two-time T20 World Cup winner lines up for Northern Warriors. His team took the trophy home the T10 league last season. West Indies’ current white-ball cricket captain, Kieron Pollard, was picked up by Deccan Gladiators (previously the team called Sindhis) while Marlon Samuels and Evin Lewis will partner former South Africa batsman Hashim Amla and Nepal legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane at Karnataka Tuskers.Pakistan also had solid representation with fast bowler Mohammad Amir, who retired from Test cricket to focus on the white-ball formats, finding a place with the Arabians. Allrounders Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Hafeez are part of the Qalandars, who have close links with their Pakistan Super League (PSL) namesake Lahore Qalandars. Young fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain and the now retired (from internationals) allrounder Shoaib Malik were picked up by the Bulls.Sri Lanka’s T20 stars such as Lasith Malinga, Thisara Perera (Bangla Tigers) and Niroshan Dickwella (Abu Dhabi) will also be a part of this season’s actionThere was no Indian picked up at the draft but the reported that the T10 league is in talks with a very big name. “Yuvraj Singh is almost there,” tournament chairman Shaji Ul Mulk said. “We hope to make an announcement soon. We are in the final stages of negotiations with him.”This season, we are limited by the BCCI’s policy of having only retired India players in leagues outside India.” Harbhajan Singh recently took his name out of consideration from the Hundred for the same reason.The early seasons of the T10 league had issues with corruption. This year they have shifted base from Sharjah to Abu Dhabi and claim that the ICC will be involved in dealing with it.”We have always had a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to corruption.” Shaji Ul Mulk was quoted as saying by the . “The whole monitoring of the tournament has been done by the ICC. We have outsourced anti-corruption and dope testing to the ICC. All key elements are outsourced to the ICC.”

Cristiano Ronaldo repeated his tried and trusted "reality" message after his Portugal sided inched past Slovenia on penalties at the Euros.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Ronaldo misses penalty against SloveniaPortugal reach Euros last eight after shootoutVeteran sends out 'reality' messageWHAT HAPPENED?

Ronaldo's blushes were saved by Portugal after they beat Slovenia in a penalty shootout after his spotkick in normal time was saved. The 39-year-old scored when it came to penalties after the game ended goalless after 120 minutes, and after breathing a huge sigh of relief, the Al-Nassr ace has taken to social media to try and get his feelings across.

AdvertisementWHAT CRISTIANO RONALDO SAID

The former Real Madrid star posted a photo of therapist Phil Stutz' 'Three Aspects of Reality'. They are: pain, uncertainty, and constant work. Ronaldo has repeatedly posted this message on Instagram in recent years, including after Portugal's World Cup exit in 2022 and their trophyless season with Al-Nassr this term.

InstagramTHE BIGGER PICTURE

After two impressive wins in the Euros, Portugal have struggled in most recent games. First, they lost 2-0 to Georgia in the final game of the group stages and then squeezed past Slovenia in the last-16. He and his team-mates will have to improve if they want to beat France in the last eight.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWHAT NEXT?

Ronaldo's Portugal team take on the country they beat in the 2016 Euros final, France, on Friday night at Volksparkstadion in Hamburg. The winner will play either Spain or tournament hosts Germany in the semi-finals.

It’s quite an honour being able to pull on the white jersey and go to war for your country on the field, with only a very select few actually getting the opportunity to do so during their lifetime. But, there are even fewer players who are good enough and have the longevity to be able to rack up tens of appearances and possibly even reach the century mark.

Here is a list of the most-capped men’s players in England football history, as well as an in-depth look at the players to pull on a Three Lions jersey most often…

All information correct as of 7th May 2025.

1

Peter Shilton

1970-1990

125

2

Wayne Rooney

2003-2018

120

3

David Beckham

1996-2009

115

4

Steven Gerrard

2000-2014

114

5

Harry Kane

2015-present

112

6

Bobby Moore

1962-1973

108

7

Ashley Cole

2001-2014

107

=8

Bobby Charlton

1958-1970

106

=8

Frank Lampard

1999-2014

106

10

Billy Wright

1946-1959

105

11

Kyle Walker

2011-present

95

12

Bryan Robson

1980-1991

90

13

Michael Owen

1998-2008

89

14

Jordan Henderson

2010-present

88

15

Kenny Sansom

1979-1988

86

16

Gary Neville

1995-2007

85

17

Ray Wilkins

1976-1986

84

18

Raheem Sterling

2012-present

82

19

Rio Ferdinand

1997-2011

81

20

Gary Lineker

1984-1992

80

Euro 2024: The ultimate England guide for fans

FFC has created the ultimate hub to track all of England’s fixtures, tickets, kits, tables, locations and how to watch ahead of Euro 2024.

ByLuke Randall Feb 5, 2024

Here is a detailed look at England’s top 10 most-capped players…

11 Bryan Robson 90 caps

Bryan Robson, who was well-known for his leadership qualities and adaptability on the pitch, was one of England’s most-capped players at the time, having played for the country 90 times between 1980 and 1991. Often referred to as “Captain Marvel,” Robson led England in 65 of those games – a tally which was only topped by icons such as Bobby Moore and Billy Wright.

His contributions to England’s World Cup campaigns in 1982, 1986, and 1990 were significant. A personal highlight came when Robson’s goal against France in England’s 1982 World Cup opener came after just 27 seconds. Unfortunately, he had injuries during the latter parts of the 1986 and 1990 tournaments, which stopped him from climbing further up this list.

10 Billy Wright 105 caps

Many of the younger generation won’t be aware of the fact that Billy Wright was one of the most renowned English football players during his career with the England national team, which lasted from 1946 to 1959. During that period, he scored three goals and gained 105 caps.

He made history in 1959 when he became the first player in history to get 100 caps for his country and holds the record for the most games as captain with 90 – a feat matched by Bobby Moore.

Under his leadership, England saw both highs and lows, with great triumphs as well as difficult World Cups. One of his major honours was receiving a CBE in 1959, as well as a statue outside Molineux.

9 Frank Lampard 106 caps

With 106 appearances and 29 goals during his England career, Frank Lampard has shown his important contributions to the national team. During his time with England, Lampard participated at three World Cups and earned a berth in the Team of the Tournament for his efforts at Euro 2004. Notably, Lampard won the England Player of the Year award twice, in 2004 and 2005.

Lampard’s significant influence on the national team has cemented his legacy in English football, and in 2015, he was awarded an OBE for his services to the game.

8 Bobby Charlton 106 caps

Bobby Charlton is one of the most renowned football players in England’s history, having had a career filled with memorable moments and noteworthy accomplishments. At the time of his retirement in 1970, Charlton had received 106 caps throughout his international career, more than any other player. However, Bobby Moore would eventually surpass this record in 1973. Charlton demonstrated his goalscoring ability by setting a record of 49 goals for England, which has since been overtaken by Wayne Rooney and Harry Kane.

Charlton was part of the England team at four World Cups (1958, 1962, 1966, 1970). His services were crucial to England’s victory in 1966. Some of Charlton’s best international performances were during that tournament, where he scored twice to secure a 2-1 quarter-final victory over Portugal.

7 Ashley Cole 107 caps

With 107 caps for the England national team during his spell from 2001 to 2014, Ashley Cole established himself as a cornerstone of the squad’s defensive lineup. With appearances in three World Cups (2002, 2006, and 2010) and two European Championships (2004 and 2012), Cole’s efforts were crucial throughout his career in significant international competitions, demonstrating his dependability.

Interestingly, Cole’s influence went beyond the typical defensive position. Even though he did not score for England, he was a vital member of the team in many important games, especially in the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2004, because of his forward surges and defensive prowess. Some of you may remember his impressive display against Cristiano Ronaldo in the Euro 2004 quarter-final.

6 Bobby Moore 108 caps

As an England international, Bobby Moore left behind an enduring legacy marked by leadership and defensive ability. Moore, who played 108 games for England between 1962 and 1973, is regarded as a legendary figure in English football history, which is backed up by his statue outside Wembley.

Although defensive metrics like tackles, interceptions, and clean sheets aren’t given as much attention as they should, Moore’s performances were crucial to England’s defensive strength and helped the team win a lot of crucial games and keep clean sheets over his career.

His most iconic achievement of leading England to their first and only FIFA World Cup triumph in 1966 was the highlight of his international career.

5 Harry Kane 112 caps

Harry Kane became England men’s greatest goalscorer when he overtook Wayne Rooney’s goal haul of 53 in March 2023.

He was also named Three Lions captain for England’s Euro 2020 and Euro 2024 campaigns, as well as the 2018 World Cup, emphasising his role not only as a goalscorer, but as a leader of the team.

Kane also broke into three figures in terms of caps when he reached a ton against Finland in the Nations League, scoring twice on the night. When he eventually calls time on his international career, he will certainly go down as an England great.

4 Steven Gerrard 114 caps

During his time playing for England, Steven Gerrard took part in three World Cups (2006, 2010, and 2014) and three European Championships (2000, 2004, and 2012), where he regularly turned in standout performances. Over the course of his career, his role changed, as he was gifted the armband due to his consistency and leadership on the field.

Gerrard’s international career with England, spanning from 2000 to 2014, involved many vital contributions, and a dynamic midfield presence during his 114 caps. Gerrard scored 21 goals for the national team and was well-known for his strong shooting, exceptional passing range and unwavering work ethic.

3 David Beckham 115 caps

Between 1996 and 2009, David Beckham’s tenure with the England national team was distinguished by his extraordinary talent and memorable moments that cemented his legacy. With 115 caps, Beckham comfortably ranks among England’s most-capped players.

Beckham scored 17 goals for England and had a substantial contribution to goal-setting, frequently delivering critical assists with his accurate crosses and set-piece deliveries. Participation in three World Cups (1998, 2002, and 2006) and two European Championships (2000 and 2004) served as highlights of his international career.

However, the standout performance from Beckham came in 2001 when he scored that iconic free kick against Greece to guarantee England’s place at the 2002 World Cup.

10 memorable David Beckham moments – ranked

Becks has given us some iconic moments – FFC looks back at some of his career highlights.

ByMark Marston Oct 11, 2023 2 Wayne Rooney 120 caps

The fact that Wayne Rooney played for England from 2003 to 2018 is evidence of his significant influence on the national squad. With 120 caps, he remains England’s most-capped outfield player. With 53 goals, Rooney became England’s all-time top goalscorer thanks to his prodigious goalscoring abilities, but has since been overtaken by Harry Kane.

Six major competitions, including three World Cups (2006, 2010, and 2014) and three European Championships (2004, 2012, and 2016), were played during his time with the national squad. Notably, Rooney dazzled at Euro 2004, proving his abilities on a grand scale.

Despite Head’s century New South Wales ended the second day on top at Adelaide Oval

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Nov-2019South Australia 7 for 222 (Head 109) trail New South Wales 289 (Solway 133*, Nevill 53, Sayers 8-64)With the decision looming on Australia’s Test batting line-up, Travis Head made a timely century against a strong New South Wales attack to shore up South Australia’s first innings at Adelaide Oval although the visitors ended the second day with the advantage.Head, who was left out of the final Ashes Test when Australia rebalanced their side with Mitchell Marsh, had made an unconvincing start to the first-class season with a scratchy half-century on a flat pitch at Junction Oval before scores of 0 and 12 against Queensland.However, he was named in the Australia A side to face Pakistan in Perth later this month in what is billed as a showdown for probably two batting spots with Head vying for a middle-order role. He will now enter that game with confidence having brought up his 11th first-class hundred from 200 deliveries with a boundary off Australia team-mate Josh Hazlewood, but he could not reach the close as Hazlewood hit back during an impressive spell with the second new ball.There was less from the rest of the batting order than he would have liked. Trent Copeland struck early to trap Jake Weatherald lbw although the batsman indicated he got an inside edge and Callum Ferguson edged to gully. Copeland struck again when a Henry Hunt got into a tangle against a short ball to leave South Australia 3 for 68.Tom Cooper helped Head added 73 for the fourth wicket only to send a top edge to fine leg where Hazlewood took a well-judged catch. Another 50-run partnership followed before Nathan Lyon earned reward for a probing spell by having Harry Nielsen caught at slip, the batsman happy to take the word of Copeland that the ball had carried.When Tom Andrews was caught behind off Moises Henriques shortly before the second new ball New South Wales were firmly on top and the removal of Head left them sensing a handy lead.The day had started with New South Wales seven down in their first innings and Chadd Sayers claimed two of the remaining wickets to finish with a career-best 8 for 64. Debutant Daniel Solway, who marked the opening day with a century, finished unbeaten on 133.

Virgil van Dijk wants an explanation from the referee in the Netherlands’ Euro 2024 defeat to England as to why he gave a controversial penalty.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Zwayer awarded first-half spot-kickDecision made after VAR reviewThree Lions claimed dramatic winWHAT HAPPENED?

The Dutch suffered semi-final heartache against the Three Lions in Dortmund, with Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins stepping off the bench to grab a dramatic last-minute winner for Gareth Southgate’s side. It is they who march on to face Spain in the final on Sunday.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Ronald Koeman saw his team take the lead in an entertaining encounter, as Xavi Simons crashed home a spectacular strike in the seventh minute, but England were level 11 minutes later after referee Felix Zwayer awarded a spot-kick for a challenge on Harry Kane by Denzel Dumfries.

WHAT VAN DIJK SAID

Kane appeared to kick Dumfries’ boot when getting a shot away inside the box, but Zwayer pointed to the spot following a VAR review. Van Dijk was less than impressed with that decision and pondered on afterwards why officials do not have to explain themselves. The Liverpool defender said: “I don't know if I should say something about that. I said it to the Dutch media. I think it says it all that the refereee went in quite quickly after the game. I had no time to shake his hand. But it is what it is, the game is done, we lost, certain moments were obvious that they should have gone our way, but they didn't, whatever the outcome.

“It is difficult to accept this. It has been a tough year. We had a big dream and we felt we could have achieved it. They keep changing certain things, small changes that could have a big impact. Maybe it's a good thing that they could be held accountable as well. They didn't come here and speak to you and explain themselves like we have to when we do something wrong. That might be something. But I shouldn't speak about others and we have to look at ourselves.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Van Dijk clashed with Zwayer on a couple of occasions, with a yellow card flashed in his direction for contesting a late decision that saw England awarded a goal kick despite the ball being glanced behind off the head of John Stones.

Amid the chaos and euphoria of Manchester United's thrilling 4-3 victory over Liverpool last week, it may have unsurprisingly gone under the radar that summer signing, Mason Mount made his return to the side following a lengthy stint out with injury, the Englishman seeking to make up for lost time following a wretched debut campaign at Old Trafford.

The 25-year-old's last outing had actually come on Remembrance Day back in November, with there likely to have been a certain few who had even forgotten he was on the books at United, such has been his minimal impact to date.

With one assist and no goals to show for his efforts thus far, the £55m signing – who has been restricted to just 11 appearances across all fronts following his arrival from Chelsea – looks to be heading the way of many who have gone before him in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, with whispers rife that he could even be the 'new Donny van de Beek'.

That said, it is far too soon to write off the playmaker just yet, with Erik ten Hag potentially having the means to finally get Mount firing in his starting lineup…

How Man Utd can get the best out of Mason Mount

Signed by Ten Hag with the intention of operating as an attacking number eight, it already looks as if such a plan is unlikely to work, with a midfield pairing of Casemiro and Mount notably "torn to shreds" on the opening weekend against Wolverhampton Wanderers – as per club legend, Gary Neville.

With Kobbie Mainoo now in the picture, however, the dynamic may have somewhat changed, with United possessing a more mobile asset to hold the fort in front of the back four, rather than the ageing Brazilian.

There would be merit in trialling a partnership of Mount and Mainoo, with Bruno Fernandes ahead of them, although perhaps a wiser solution would be for the skipper to be relocated instead, dropping deeper to allow the former Blues star to thrive in a number ten berth.

The Portsmouth-born ace has typically operated in a more advanced role or on the flanks in his career so far – reaching double figures for goals and assists in the league in 2021/22 – hence why it may appear foolish to try and repurpose him as a box-to-box asset when that may not play to his strengths.

Instead, therefore, Fernandes – who has been dubbed a "wizard" by Statman Dave – could take on that deep-lying role alongside Mainoo, having already shown flashes of why that could be his long-term home.

Why Bruno Fernandes could thrive next to Mainoo

The Portuguese magician has been United's go-to man in the playmaking berth for over four years now, boasting a stunning haul of 72 goals and 63 assists in 223 games in all competitions following his arrival from Sporting CP.

The £52m-rated ace has, however, seen his numbers dip since Ten Hag's appointment, with his record of 47 goals and assists in 97 games far below what he achieved under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the same number of games (79 goals and assists).

Games

Goals

Assists

Yellow Cards

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

97

44

35

13

Michael Carrick

3

1

1

1

Ralf Rangnick

26

5

5

6

Erik ten Hag

97

22

23

23

Total

223

72

63

43

That could then mean it may be worth trialling someone else, like Mount, as the 'ten', with the 29-year-old dropping deeper, with his compatriot Carlos Carvahal previously outlining what Fernandes' best position actually is:

"But he is not a 10, he is an 8. He is a box-to-box player who understands very well the game. He doesn't just play. He understands everything that happens around him."

The one-time Udinese man also only recently admitted that he felt his most "complete" performance ever came while playing as a 'six' against Everton last season, having also hinted that he may drop further back as his career progresses.

Ten Hag too seemingly agrees with that sentiment having described his captain as the "best player on the pitch" during that win over the Toffees, with it worth repeating that approach now that Mount is fit and available once again.

With Fernandes – who has created the most chances in the division this season – spraying passes and wreaking havoc from deep, Mount can offer the high pressing, relentless presence ahead of him, having been hailed for his "work ethic" by Rio Ferdinand.

Man Utd were rinsed by flop who earned more than Hojlund & Fernandes

The exceptionally gifted star drained the Red Devils and offered very little in return.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 22, 2024

That switch would come at a cost for United's nine-goal hero, Scott McTominay, yet if the club are to begin to see the fruits of their £55m investment, something – or someone – surely needs to give.

The left-armer is hoping to get three or four spells under his belt during the two-day match later this week

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Dec-20190:51

‘It was my call’ – Boult on sitting out the Perth Test

Trent Boult is confident he will be able to take his place in the Boxing Day Test and the dream not afford to New Zealand for more than 30 years.Boult missed the opening Test in Perth having not recovered sufficiently from the side strain he picked up against England – a call he made himself to admit he wasn’t ready – but is increasing his workload as the squad prepares in Melbourne.They have a two-day game against a Victoria XI later this week where Boult hopes to get three or four spells under his belt with the slightly longer break between the first two Tests working in his favour.”It’s about being confident with the overs under my belt and having enough behind me,” he said. “Feel like I’m in that place and ticking the right boxes. It’s a day-by-day thing, it’s about getting through each session. As I’m tracking right now, touch wood it keeps going that way. I’m very eager to get out there.”It’s nice to have seven or eight days. I’ll be using it the best I can. It will be nice to get some cricket but guess they’ll make a call as late as they can.”New Zealand have not played a Boxing Day Test since the 1987-88 tour when they came within one wicket of levelling the series only to be denied by a dodgy umpiring decision and Mike Whitney. Boult has only played twice at the MCG, once in the 2015 World Cup final and another ODI in 2016, but wants to use the significance of the occasion, which is expected to see an influx of New Zealand support, as motivation.”I don’t really want to ignore it, I want to embrace it, appreciate that stage for what it is,” he said. “Test cricket is my favourite format and this is a stage a lot of people dream of being on so to get this opportunity in my career is definitely something I’m looking forward to. If I can tick all the right boxes with my body, I can’t wait.”Boult is likely to be a straight swap in the XI for the injured Lockie Ferguson whose tour was ended by the calf strain he picked up on the opening day in Perth. The uncapped Kyle Jamieson has been called up and joins Matt Henry as the reserve pacemen.Neil Wagner and Tim Southee put in a huge shift during the opening Test after Ferguson’s injury, bowling 60 and 51.3 overs respectively, taking 16 of the 19 Australia wicket to fall.Jeet Raval is facing the axe after two failures in Perth to continue his poor run of form which would mean a recall for Tom Blundell and a potential reshuffle of the batting. Mitchell Santner’s position may also come under scrutiny after he went wicketless through 41 overs and struggled to tie down Australia’s batsmen.