Category Uncategorized

Nathan Lyon took four wickets after tea to prevent India from setting up a substantial first-innings lead, as the hosts finished the second day 52 runs behind with four wickets in hand

The Report by Daniel Brettig26-Mar-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details3:09

Chappell: India lacked proactivity against spin

Bounce giveth, and bounce taketh away. Nathan Lyon took his opportunity to use the extra vertical lift available in Dharamsala and work his way through India’s middle order, but a pair of dropped catches from Matt Renshaw at either end of the day prevented Australia from getting full reward from their toil on the second day of the fourth Test.Five 50s, no 100s

5 Scores of 50-plus for KL Rahul in this series – the joint-most by an India batsman without scoring a century. Before this series, Rahul had converted four of his five fifties into centuries.

1316 Runs for Cheteshwar Pujara in Tests in the 2016-17 season – the second-most for any batsman in a season. The highest is Ricky Ponting’s 1483 in 2005-06. Pujara’s 12 50-plus scores in the season are also the joint second-most.

54 Runs for Karun Nair in four innings – with scores of 26, 0, 23 and 5 – since his unbeaten triple-century against England.

63 Wickets for Nathan Lyon against India – the joint second-most for any spinner. He is equalled with Lance Gibbs and trails Muttiah Muralitharan by 42 wickets.

10 India players to achieve the double of 1000-plus runs and 100-plus wickets in Tests. Ravindra Jadeja became the 10th to do so. He also completed 500 runs and 50 wickets in the 2016-17 season.

The pitch offered more bounce to the touring bowlers than at any other time in the series, while Dharamsala’s altitude helped the ball swing more or less all day. Lyon duly adjusted his approach to seek maximum overspin, and in a long spell after tea claimed four wickets to reduce India’s chances of building a substantial lead.It might have been even better for Australia, were it not for Renshaw at first slip failing to react in time to a KL Rahul edge while the ball was still new in the first hour, then making a mess of a more straightforward chance offered up by Wriddhiman Saha in Pat Cummins’ first over with the second new ball. Cummins’ anguished reaction underlined how hard he and Josh Hazlewood had toiled, in defence of a total that has left the game open to either side with three days remaining.Rahul and Cheteshwar Pujara played India’s most substantial innings’, while the stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane offered an approach of polar opposites – attacking the pacemen and offering a dead bat to the spinners. Pujara had seemed capable of emulating his Ranchi effort, but fell prey to Lyon’s bounce shortly after tea as Australia’s No. 1 offspinner found lovely rhythm to pose questions to all comers.Hazlewood came exceptionally close to a wicket with his second ball of the day, when M Vijay’s checked drive fell fractionally short of David Warner at mid-off. It was not a moment representative of the rest of the morning, as the ball flew through to Matthew Wade with more venom that at any other time over these four Tests.Amid the occasional verbal barb from bowler to batsman, Vijay edged Hazlewood just short of Wade, before touching another delivery behind that carried rather more comfortably to present Australia with their first wicket. Next over, Renshaw was unable to get more than fingertips to a flying edge from Rahul.Nathan Lyon claimed four wickets after tea•Associated Press

There were more good deliveries to follow and scoring was slow, but Pujara and Rahul were happy to reach the break without further loss. They accelerated notably on resumption, threatening momentarily to take control of the game.Cummins was recalled to the attack to try to make something happen, and he obliged by getting at Rahul with a combination of short balls and verbal rejoinders. Eventually, Rahul was coaxed into trying a hook shot at a bouncer pitched well outside off stump, and the resulting toe-end miscue lobbed gently to an exultant David Warner.Runs became harder to come by after an initial burst from Rahane, as Lyon and Steve O’Keefe concentrated on economy. But only one chance of any sort was generated – an lbw appeal by Lyon against Rahane that was turned down by the umpire Ian Gould and not reviewed. Ball-tracking showed the delivery would have gone on to strike the top of leg stump but remained umpire’s call.Australia did not have long to wait in the evening session, however, as Lyon’s bite drew an inside edge onto pad from Pujara that was well held by Peter Handscomb diving forward from short leg. Karun Nair, never comfortable at the crease this series, fell in similar fashion albeit on the back foot rather than the front.Lyon’s attack on Rahane was fascinating, as he varied quicker, straighter deliveries threatening the outside edge with loopier stuff devised to spin and catch the inside edge. Ultimately, it was one of the former offerings that found the edge and was exceptionally taken by Smith at slip, just as Rahane and R Ashwin had been threatening to build a partnership of value.Ashwin had played his best innings of the series, but then failed to get forward far enough to avoid being given lbw by Gould. A review showed the ball had struck Ashwin marginally in line with the stumps and was going on to strike middle. Lyon’s first ball to Jadeja then turned and kicked, striking Wade in the shoulder.A pair of meaty blows from Jadeja in the thin Himalayan air were enough for Smith to call upon Cummins to take the second new ball, and an exploratory first five deliveries led to a perfectly-pitched sixth that Saha edged. It sailed at comfortable catching height to Renshaw, but bounced out of his hands. A pensive Australian viewing area were left to hope that this would not be a pivotal moment of the match and the series.

Both South Africa and Sri Lanka, filled with youngsters accustomed to the shortest format, clash in the first of three T20s at SuperSport Park on Friday evening

The Preview by Firdose Moonda19-Jan-2017Match factsJanuary 20, 2017
Start time 1800 local (1600 GMT)South Africa’s T20 squad has a new look to it – just four members of their World T20 campaign have been included for the Sri Lanka series•Gallo Images/Getty ImagesBig PictureIn a year with no World T20, it would be easy to forget the shortest format exists at international level, but South Africa and Sri Lanka are doing their bit to keep it alive and kicking. The three-match whirlwind series takes place in five days and will feature an almost entirely new-look South African outfit. Only four members of the squad that played in the World T20 last March, 10 months ago, have been included in the 13-man group for the first two matches as South Africa look to the future.They have assembled the best players from the last two seasons’ domestic T20 competition, and given an opportunity to veterans like Heino Kuhn, who has played professional cricket for more than a decade, and rookies like Lungi Ngidi, who at 20 has already featured in two franchise T20 finals. Of particular interest will be Jon-Jon Smuts, who may make a case as a long-term opening option and Theunis de Bruyn, whose star is rising in all formats.Sri Lanka’s squad has a more familiar hue but with one superstar omission. Lasith Malinga has failed to regain fitness after a bout of dengue fever and had to make himself unavailable for the South Africa tour, leaving Suranga Lakmal and Nuwan Pradeep to carry the seam-bowling responsibilities along with recalled players, Nuwan Kulasekara and Isuru Udana.With only one new batsmen in their ranks, Thikshila de Silva, Sri Lanka will look to their line-up to do a better job than they managed in the Tests even though their form in shorter formats has not been particularly promising. Still, such an inexperienced host side may present Sri Lanka with their best chance to enjoy some success.Form guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa: WLWLL
Sri Lanka: LLLLL
In the spotlightDavid Miller is in the unusual position of being South Africa’s most experienced batsman. Captain Farhaan Behardien confirmed that Miller will bat higher than his usual No.6 spot, perhaps at No.4 where he scored a century for the Knights earlier in the season, in order to give him the best chance of facing as many balls as possible. Behardien said if Miller faces between 50 and 60 balls, he is almost guaranteed a hundred because of his strike rate. No pressure, then.Sri Lanka will look to their captain Angelo Mathews to spark a revival•Associated PressAngelo Mathews was under fire for his tactics in the Test series, particularly in the way he used his bowlers, including himself. The limited-overs contests will be a chance for him to redeem himself. Mathews is much more respected as a short-format bowler and will likely take the new ball in a bid to strike upfront. He will have the opportunity to set the tone and, having failed to do that in the longer formats, will know his performance over the next few weeks could be important to his survival as captain.Team newsSouth Africa could field as many as six new caps in a completely new-look XI which should see the T20 competition’s leading run-scorer Jon-Jon Smuts open the batting with veteran Heino Kuhn. David Miller, who will bat up the order through the series, and Farhaan Behardien will provide middle-order experience around Theunis de Bruyn and Reeza Hendricks. Mangaliso Mosehle will keep wicket, while Wayne Parnell and Andile Phehlulwayo make the allrounder contingent. Dane Paterson will compete with Lungi Ngidi for a place while Imran Tahir could edge out Aaron Phangiso as the sole spinner.South Africa: 1 Jon-Jon Smuts, 2 Heino Kuhn, 3 Theunis de Bruyn, 4 David Miller, 5 Farhaan Behardien (capt), 6 Reeza Hendricks, 7 Mangaliso Mosehle (wk), 8 Wayne Parnell, 9 Andile Phehlukwayo, 10 Dane Paterson, 11 Imran TahirSri Lanka will need a new opener to partner Danushka Gunathilaka and may turn to one of their youngsters Kusal Mendis or Dhananjaya de Silva to do the job. Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal will hope to turn a disappointing tour around, while Thikshila may make his debut. Two specialist spinners and two seamers, in addition to captain Angelo Mathews, could make up the Sri Lankan attack.Sri Lanka: 1 Danushka Gunathilaka, 2 Kusal Mendis/Dhananjaya de Silva, 3 Angelo Mathews (capt), 4 Dinesh Chandimal (wk), 5 Niroshan Dickwella, 6 Asela Gunaratne, 7 Thikshila de Silva, 8 Sachith Pathirana, 9 Seekkuge Prasanna, 10 Nuwan Pradeep, 11 Suranga LakmalPitch and conditionsCenturion is known for its spicy surface but in limited-overs matches it tends to favour batsmen a little more. This season, though, it has been a touch slower and seen some lower-scoring contests in the domestic T20 competition. Still, at altitude, the ball is set to travel. Tickets have been sold out for the spectacle. A perfect summer’s evening is forecast, with temperatures cooling down from 31 degrees and no afternoon thundershowers lurking.Stats and trivia South Africa and Sri Lanka have never a played a T20 in South Africa before. They have faced each other six times, of which South Africa have won four matches and lost two. The last time South Africa and Sri Lanka met in a T20 was at the World T20 – which was also when South Africa last played in the format – and South Africa chased 121 to win comfortably by eight wickets with 14 balls to spare.Quotes”As a captain I try to be very lighthearted. The players need to make their own decisions, bring their own flair in the change-room. When they do that, that’s when they can perform at their best and not feel restricted to any sort of structure or anything.”

Potential new Manchester United owner Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani has been handed a transfer boost as he looks to sign Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe.

What’s the latest Man United news involving Jassim and Mbappe?

Jassim has been interested in taking control from the Glazers for months now and has placed five Old Trafford offers, with the last being a take-it-or-leave-it bid. Should the Qatar group prove successful, Jassim would clear all of United’s debt and have a separate fund for the club and local community.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Ineos Group are the other main party in the race to purchase Manchester United, with both bidders yet to find out if their takeover attempts have been successful.

However, should Jassim come out on top, it appears as if he has an immediate transfer plan to win United supporters over. Reports have claimed that Jassim feels that Mbappe “belongs at Man United” and is planning a sensational transfer move for the star forward.

PSG would look to sell Mbappe if he doesn’t extend his stay at the Parc de Princes stay over the coming months and value the player at £170m.

Now, The Mirror have shared a further positive update on Mbappe and a potential move to Man United, saying:

“Paris Saint-Germain are prepared to sell Kylian Mbappe to Manchester United this summer should the Qatari-backed Sheikh Jassim takeover bid at Old Trafford prove successful.”

Is Kylian Mbappe signing for Manchester United?

Mbappe making the move to the red side of Manchester would be a huge deal and one that could take Erik ten Hag’s side to the next level.

The £893,000-a-week forward has scored a whopping 212 goals in 260 games for PSG and already has 38 goals in 68 games for France.

Still just 24 years of age, the World Cup winner netted 41 times in all competitions last season, with United scoring 58 goals in the Premier League, the fewest out of the top seven sides.

You can see how Mbappe would fit into this United side and possibly star in England, however, a lot still needs to happen before we can think about a transfer.

A deal needs to be struck between the Glazers and Jassim, and with Mike Keegan claiming it could take eight to 12 weeks for an approval process, meaning that the Glazers may remain in control at the start of next season, so a transfer could be tricky.

Chelsea have submitted an enquiry regarding a summer deal to sign AC Milan star Mike Maignan, according to reports.

Who is Mike Maignan?

Maignan is a goalkeeper who first arrived at the San Siro Stadium from Lille back in 2021, and despite not initially being Stefano Pioli’s official number one, was a regular feature throughout the 2022/23 season.

In the Serie A, the 27-year-old started 22 matches even though he spent a significant period of time on the sidelines due to sustaining a serious calf injury, and his impressive performances between the sticks when available have caught the eye of Mauricio Pochettino in the Premier League.

Todd Boehly is reportedly entering the market to find a new first-choice shot-stopper with both Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga facing uncertain futures, and if the following update is to be believed, the businessman has used ongoing negotiations to try and secure a deal of his own.

Are Chelsea signing Maignan?

According to 90min, Chelsea have used their conversations with AC Milan over an exit for Ruben Loftus-Cheek to “enquire” about a switch for Maignan. Blues officials are believed to have used the "opportunity” to mention the goalkeeper in discussions, but their “approach” was turned down with “fierce resistance” by the Italian giants, who are “not keen” to part ways with their prized asset.

Stamford Bridge chiefs are “big fans” of their target, but it sounds like he won’t be moving to SW6 anytime soon.

Should Boehly make another move for Maignan?

AC Milan might be adamant in their stance of not wanting to let Maignan leave now, but money talks in football and a sizable offer being tabled could change everything, so Chelsea should definitely consider making a second attempt in the weeks ahead.

The 6 foot 3 “giant”, as lauded by talent scout Jacek Kulig, kept eight clean sheets from 22 Serie A games last season and was recognised for his high standard of performances in the net by receiving one man-of-the-match award.

The Champions League semi-finalist, who pockets £59k-per-week, also made 40 saves from 62 shots on target against so isn’t afraid to come out and prevent the danger and is even strong when it comes to spot kicks, ranking in the 92nd percentile for most penalty saves.

Finally, Maignan has an extremely strong range of dispatching balls with a 99.3% success rate on short length passes and a 98.3% success rate on medium length passes, as per FBRef, so he’s a well-rounded goalkeeper and one that would be a great fit for Pochettino at the Bridge.

أكد فيتور بيريرا رئيس لجنة الحكام بالاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، أن طاقم إدارة مباراة الأهلي والزمالك في نهائي كأس مصر سيكون وطنيًا، مشيرًا إلى ظهور قضاة الملاعب المصريين بشكل مميز في كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023 بكوت ديفوار.

وقال بيريرا في تصريحات تلفزيونية بفضائية “أون تايم سبورتس2” عبر برنامج “جمهور التالتة”: “مستوى الحكام المصريين في أمم إفريقيا يتوافق تمامًا مع التوقعات التي وضعتها لجنة الحكام بالاتحاد الإفريقي، والنتائج واضحة”.

وأضاف: “مصر والمغرب كانتا الدولتان اللتان أرسلتا حكامًا أكثر، هذا الرقم يثبت مستوى التحكيم المصري ويستجيب لهذه التوقعات، ويجعل كل منا سعيد وفخور بهذا المستوى”.

خاص.. اتحاد الكرة يُقلص صلاحيات بيريرا بقرارات جديدة بشأن لجنة الحكام

وبسؤاله عن أسباب تألق الحكام المصريين في الخارج مقابل بعض الاهتزاز في المسابقات المحلية، أوضح بيريرا: “أنا أختلف، هذا الموسم الأداء بشكل عام في الدوري كان جيدًا، لعبنا حوالي 100 مباراة، وحوالي 95% نسبة الكفاءة، والتحكيم يشمل تقنية الفيديو، الأداء بشكل عام بين الحكام على نفس المستوى”.

وأردف: “عاشور أدى في أمم إفريقيا نفس الدور الذي يؤديه هنا في الدوري المصري، كان متخصصًا في تقنية الفيديو، وهو واحد من ضمن الأفضل في إفريقيا، ويؤدي نفس الدور هنا، لا يوجد شيء غريب”.

وعن إيقاف أمين عمر بسبب خطأ تحكيمي، استكمل: “الإدارة واضحة جدًا، وأنا قلت للحكام وشرحت لهم الموقف، إذا كان ما حدث في المباراة حدث مرة أخرى الإدارة ستطبق نفس الطريقة، والحكام يستجيبون لذلك، إذا كان الحكام ينزعجون بسبب عدم تحكيم مباريات كثيرة فلابد أن يكونوا على مستوى أعلى لكي يُحكمون، هذا ما يفعله المدير الفني مع اللاعبين في المباريات، الذين يكونون في المستوى يُشاركون وغير المستعدين يكونون على دكة الاحتياط، تعيين الحكام في المباريات ليس له علاقة بخبرة الحكام أو أهمية المباراة”.

عدلي القيعي: لا تغيير في سياسات اتحاد الكرة ولا يوجد ما يدعو للتفاؤل

وواصل: “أصر على أن يقود الحكم المصري مباراة القمة بين الأهلي والزمالك، ولم أشك مُطلقًا في جودة حكامنا، هذا شيء واضح، فهم يستحقون ثقتنا ويستحقون التواجد في أي مباراة، أثق بهم وسأستمر في هذه السياسة”.

وتابع: “مباراة نهائي الكأس بين الأهلي والزمالك ستكون بطاقم مصري، وتم وضع الأسماء بالفعل، أنا لم أخبر الحكام المختارين حتى الآن ولكن لن أعلن الآن في الإعلام حتى أخبر الحكام”.

واستأنف: “تطوير الحكام موجود، وفي نهاية الموسم سنرى هل إذا كنا سنستمر بهذا التصنيف والتطوير أم لا، وأنا أتحدث دائمًا مع الحكام عما يجب عليهم فعله، لنرى في نهاية الموسم، نحن نعمل بمنتهى الجدية، وأنا متفائل جدًا بشأن المشروع الذي نحن بصدده”.

وأتم: “لدينا 3 أو 4 حكام واعدين وجيدين في الفئة الأولى، ولدينا 12 حكمًا واعدًا في الدرجة الأولى، ليست معي قائمة الأسماء الآن، ولكن نحن نتابعهم في المباريات ونراقبهم ونعتقد أن نتيجة هذا المجهود ستكون جيدة”.

It would not be a surprise to see a mass exodus from Elland Road this summer should Leeds United suffer relegation back to the Championship.

The Yorkshire outfit sit 19th in the Premier League heading into the final-day clash with Tottenham Hotspur, where only a win combined with Everton and Leicester City dropping points will be enough to keep Leeds up.

A rebuild will be necessary in the second tier if Leeds are to mount a promotion challenge and that means getting rid of players that haven't shown enough at Elland Road, as well as selling those that clearly don't want to be at the club.

One man who arguably falls into both of those categories is Junior Firpo, as the former Barcelona man has struggled for consistent form throughout his two years at Leeds.

Should Leeds get rid of Firpo this summer?

The Dominican-born defender joined from the Nou Camp outfit in the summer of 2021, with Marcelo Bielsa looking to bolster a squad that had earned a top-half finish in their first season back in the top flight.

However, he would endure a difficult debut season at Elland Road, making 24 appearances in the top flight and averaging a shocking 6.49 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Speaking in an interview with GiveMeSport last summer, the Mirror's David Anderson lamented the 26-year-old's performances in a Leeds shirt.

He said: "All he seems to do is get booked all the time. I think he's up to 10 yellow cards or something. You don't expect that from a player coming from Barcelona; you expect a bit of class, a bit of maturity, a bit of leadership, and he's provided none of that, really.

"I think he's been a big let-down. You're looking around that changing room thinking, 'Who's going to step up and do it for us now?' And you'd be looking at someone like him, but he's just not. In fact, if anything, he's been more of a liability for Leeds."

That trend has sadly continued this season as he has mustered just 18 Premier League appearances with a woeful 6.42 average rating from WhoScored, with one red card and five yellows to his name, which suggests that his erratic defending has cost Leeds on a number of occasions.

Most recently, the £60k-per-week man gave away a penalty against Newcastle United for an inexplicable handball before receiving his marching orders late on, so surely Sam Allardyce won't be trusting him to start again for this weekend's crunch match against Spurs.

Unfortunately for Leeds, Firpo still has two years to run on his contract at Elland Road but was linked with a return to Real Betis in January, so there is certainly scope for him to leave in the summer, especially if Leeds follow up on their interest in free agent Ryan Manning.

Whatever happens this weekend, there will certainly be a number of Leeds fans who will be hoping that his nightmare against Newcastle was the last time Firpo will ever wear the shirt.

Wolverhampton Wanderers face a trip to Old Trafford next in the Premier League to face Manchester United, as Julen Lopetegui’s team look to end the season on a high in their final three fixtures.

Wolves will be full of confidence after reigning victorious over local rivals Aston Villa last weekend in a 1-0 win at Molineux.

Having just 38% of possession in the game, Toti Gomes’ goal in the opening ten minutes proved vital for the hosts, who have struggled to score all season.

While the victory was against Unai Emery’s in-form Villa side, the trip to Old Trafford will be a tougher challenge, with the hosts desperate for a win to remain as leaders of the pack in the race for the top four.

United have stumbled in their last two games, losing 1-0 to both Brighton & Hove Albon and West Ham United as their bid for Champions League football took a wobble. Despite still remaining in fourth place, Erik ten Hag’s side can’t afford to drop points again with a host of clubs fighting for the spot.

Loptegeui’s side will be reviewing the Red Devils’ weaknesses in recent fixtures, and aim to exploit them to get something from the game at Old Trafford.

One area for change has to be who leads the line for the visitors, with Diego Costa struggling to perform last time out.

Should Hee-Chan Hwang start ahead of Diego Costa against Manchester United?

United have suffered a significant double injury blow in central defence that has altered their performances towards the end of the season.

With no Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, Wolves should pry on ten Hag’s makeshift defence, which he can do by replacing Costa with Hwang Hee-chan in the starting lineup.

The Spaniard scored a poor 6.2 rating, as per Sofascore, against Villa last time out, and was replaced late on having made little impact on the game.

Lopetegui will need to inflict pace and directness against United if Wolves are to snatch anything from the Theatre of Dreams to take back to Molineux, attributes that the club's £14m signing could offer the side instead.

Lauded by Ian Wright as having “everything”, the former Arsenal legend expressed his delight in watching the South Korean striker whilst analysing Wolves’ win over Newcastle United on Match of the Day last season.

“He’s got pace, skill, touch and awareness and he’s always driving to get into the box.”

Known as ‘The Bull” by former RB Leipzig teammates, the 27-year-old is a livewire both on and off the ball, having once admitted himself to be "fearless" and "aggressive" to Sky Sports.

Averaging 0.91 successful take-ons per 90 minutes, Hwang is direct on the ball, which is also shown through his high scoring in shot-creating actions, averaging 2.23 per 90, via FBref.

Costa ranks lower for both attributes, winning an average of 0.32 take-ons per 90, as well as making just 1.73 shot-creating actions – showing that Hee-Chan is the more direct threat out of the two.

Therefore, Lopetegui could punish United for their poor luck with defensive injuries, should he unleash Hee-chan from the off this afternoon.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have endured a season below expectation, sitting seven points above the relegation zone and in 14th with just four fixtures remaining until the end of 2022/23 campaign.

It’s been a year of change, seeing two managers take charge at Molineux since the season got underway last summer, with Bruno Lage being dismissed and replaced by Julen Lopetegui in mid-November.

The Spaniard had a huge task on his hands when taking the job last winter, with Wolves threatening relegation after failing to hit form under Lage before his departure. With safety looking likely for the Midlands side, who haven’t had their Premier League status threatened during their five season stay in the top division.

The club's lowest finish came back in 2021 where they ended in 13th, with this season potentially marking a new low since their promotion in 2018. It will be a busy summer for Lopetegui, who will be looking to put his stamp on the squad he inherited from both Lage and Nuno Santo.

There will be some improvement expected to be made in defence, with the 50 goals conceded so far in the Premier League and just 10 clean sheets kept in 34 fixtures. Lopetegui introduced some experience into the defence through signing Craig Dawson in January, a centre-back with 260 appearances in the English first division and a reputable figure to lead a struggling back line.

At 32, the Englishman is playing in the latter stages of his career, however Wolves may not need to look further than their academy when it comes to replacing the commanding defender in the future.

Who is Kamran Kandola?

Kamran Kandola has been praised as a “top baller in the making” by The Guardian contributing journalist and podcast producer Arif Islam for his development as a player in Wolves’ academy.

The English-born defender, who is also of South Asian descent, signed a professional contract at the club in November 2021, and has continued to progress with the U23 squad.

Kandola was part of academy squad that earned promotion to the Premier League 2's top division last season, and has stepped up when it matters, even between the sticks, where he played as a keeper due to a sending off and no replacement earlier this year. The 19-year-old made a number of key saves, showing his commitment to succeed in bizarre circumstances.

Wolves’ ex-technical director Scott Sellars has also previously praised the defender for being “consistent” and a player that has “worked hard” to earn his professional contract, via the Express and Star.

The commanding centre-back has made 12 appearances in the PL2 this season, starting five games and contributing to one clean sheet in the process. The teen talent has won 19 duels in the centre of defence and has shown his innate defensive ability in making 58 recoveries.

Premier League veteran Dawson earned his first professional contract at 19, signing for Rochdale, and the rest has been history.

With a lot of potential shown in the academy by Kandola, he could be a name we see in the future walking in Dawson’s footsteps by representing Wolves' first-team.

أعلن نادي أتلتيك بلباو عن إصابة مهاجم الفريق الأول لكرة القدم، إينياكي ويليامز، قبل ساعات من انضمامه لمنتخب غانا الذي سيخوض كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023.

وتلعب غانا ضمن فرق المجموعة الثانية والتي تضم كلًا من مصر، موزمبيق والرأس الأخضر، وسيكون الأخير هو المنافس في الجولة الأولى.

اقرأ أيضًا | أسطورة غانا لـ بطولات: قادرون على إيقاف محمد صلاح.. وسنتأهل وصيفاً لـ مصر

🚑 PARTE MÉDICO I @Williaaams45 👇@ImqEuskadi I #AthleticClub 🦁 — Athletic Club (@AthleticClub) January 1, 2024

ويعاني ويليامز من نزلة برد خفيفة، ليخضع الغاني لفحوصات شاملة من قبل الجهاز الطبي لنادي أتلتيك بلباو اليوم، الإثنين.

وتلقى الغاني الدولي العلاج اللازم في الساعات القليلة الماضية، ولكن تتطلب حالته المزيد من الراحة، وسيتم تقييم حالته غدًا تحسبًا لقدرته على السفر والانضمام لمعسكر غانا في أقرب وقت ممكن.

وأكد النادي الإسباني أنهم قد أبلغوا الجهات في الاتحاد الغاني لكرة القدم بحالة ويليامز مع أتلتيك بلباو والموعد المحتمل لتعافيه من نزلة البرد.

Manchester United saw their hopes of securing Champions League football next season dealt a significant blow following the loss to Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon, with goals from Joe Willock and Callum Wilson handing the hosts a deserved win at St James' Park.

A major issue for United boss Erik ten Hag following that "lifeless" defeat – as per Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst – is the midfield ranks, with the Dutchman failing to settle on a suitable partnership in the absence of the suspended Casemiro.

With Christian Eriksen also yet to return from injury, the former Ajax head coach opted for a trio of Bruno Fernandes, Scott McTominay and Marcel Sabitzer for the trip to Tyneside, despite the fact that the Red Devils had "barely had a midfield" while utilising those same three players in the FA Cup win against Fulham, as per The Athletic's Adam Crafton.

With the only other senior option that of the polarising Fred – who has been branded "not good enough" by club legend Roy Keane – the Old Trafford outfit are rather limited in that department, hence the latest suggestion that a new 'number eight' could be a priority this summer.

Although such a statement signing is likely needed ahead of next season – amid apparent interest in both Frenkie de Jong and Jude Bellingham – in the short-term Ten Hag may need to look to the academy ranks to find a potential solution, with 18-year-old, Dan Gore, one standout candidate.

Who is Dan Gore?

A shot of life at senior level has yet to emerge for the teenager in his United career to date, although the midfield maestro does appear to be in the manager's thinking, having been called up to first-team training throughout the campaign.

The combative and composed ace – who notably irked Anthony Martial with a crunching, training ground challenge earlier in the season – has been hailed as "one of the most talented youngsters" in the club's academy set-up by talent scout Jacek Kulig, with that sign of the potential gem that Ten Hag has on his hands.

The England youth international was notably "superb" as part of the FA Youth Cup-winning side last term, according to MEN's Steven Railston, and has gone on to make "excellent progress" in the current campaign, notably registering two assists in 14 games for the U21s in Premier League 2.

That fine run included a standout showing as captain in the recent draw with Arsenal in that latter competition, having been hailed as the "catalyst for creativity" in that 1-1 stalemate with the Gunners, as per Railston.

The £1.4k-per-week youngster's quality was also on show during the club's brief EFL Trophy run earlier in the campaign, with Gore averaging 1.3 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game from his three outings to illustrate his tenacious approach, while also averaging one successful dribble per game.

That ability both on and off the ball was only recently praised by youth coach Mark Dempsey, who hailed the young 'leader': "I think he’s a proper footballer, good with the ball, good without the ball, and he can travel with it. His final pass has to improve for me, that’s the last bit for him, but the rest is great.

"I like to see him play football because he’s one of them to get fans off their seats. He smashes into people, technically he’s fantastic and he’s been terrific all season. He’s been captain a number of times and personality-wise, he’s a quiet boy, but he’s a leader.

"He leads by example. He’s a local lad, he loves the football club and you see that in the way he plays. Whether he’s playing at Old Trafford, a three-a-side at Carrington or at The Cliff, it’s the same performance from the kid and we’ve all got a lot of time for Daniel."

Such traits will likely go down well with both United supporters and with Ten Hag, with Gore's all-round attributes potentially making him a dream candidate to fix the club's current midfield woes.