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Hayley Jensen put in another Player of the Match display after Ritu Moni career-best 4 for 18 set up the chance of an upset

Report by Alex Malcolm at Junction Oval29-Feb-2020Tournaments are all about surviving and advancing.New Zealand survived an almighty scare against Bangladesh at the Junction Oval, setting a new Women’s World T20 record for the lowest total defended, but will need to play much better to beat Australia on Monday advance to the semi-finals.They were bowled out for just 91 having won the toss. It was their sixth-lowest score in T20 internationals and second-lowest total at T20 World Cups, with Ritu Moni taking a career-best 4 for 18 in her first game of the tournament while the skipper Salma Khatun bagged 3 for 7 including the prized scalp of Sophie Devine.But Bangladesh imploded in the chase under the weight of history and an experienced and disciplined New Zealand attack. They failed to find the boundary or rotate the strike. Two calamitous run-outs triggered a collapse before Hayley Jensen strangled the tail with some wonderful stump-to-stump bowling to take 3 for 11 from her four overs and claim Player of the Match honours. Nigar Sultana fought bravely making 21 in an innings where she was forced to retire hurt for a period after a blow to the face but they came up short.The result sets up a virtual quarter-final against Australia at the Junction Oval on Monday, with the winner to progress to the semi-final alongside India from Group A.Priest dries up DevineHaving started the tournament with an unbeaten 75 to register a world record sixth consecutive T20I score of 50 or more, Devine’s run of form has come to a grinding halt, but her opening partner Rachel Priest was partly responsible. Bangladesh’s bowlers kept Devine from the strike in the powerplay just as India did in the previous game. She faced just 15 balls in the first 6.5 overs as Priest chewed up deliveries at the other end without doing any damage to the scoreboard. Panna Ghosh, who was strangely omitted from the game against Australia, Fahima Khatun and Salma Khatun bowled superbly to their fields on a surface that had plenty of grass. Priest and Devine could not find any timing against the slow pace and spin. Priest faced 15 dot balls while Devine was at the crease and the skipper eventually succumbed slicing a catch to point. Priest then fell lbw to Salma Khatun attempting a sweep, and burnt New Zealand’s only review as well, having made 25 from 32 with 18 dots.Moni causes mayhemMoni had not played in Bangladesh’s opening two matches and had not played an international since taking 3 for 1 against Maldives in December last year. But she immediately made an impact castling the world’s number one T20 batter in Suzie Bates with outstanding delivery that nipped back through the gate. New Zealand’s collapse then featured all the stereotypical panicked dismissals. Maddy Green was stumped trying a wild slog having not found the boundary in 15 balls, Hayley Jensen was run out in ridiculous circumstances next ball and Katey Martin offered a return catch to Rumana Ahmed which was dropped, but it bounced off her hands onto the non-striker’s stumps with Jensen unable to get back to safe ground. Moni then forced mistake after mistake through disciplined lines and lengths and her fielders backed her up with Fahima Khatun taking two more sharp chances at point while Fargana Hoque took a phenomenal diving catch running in from deep midwicket to dismiss Anna Peterson. New Zealand folded to be bowled out with 10 balls left in the innings.Dots build pressureBangladesh’s required run-rate was just 4.55 for an historic victory. They started the chase well thanks to two classy strikes down the ground from Murshida Khatun, a dropped catch at slip from Amelia Kerr and a wayward over from Lea Tahuhu that featured four wides. At 0 for 17 from 2.5 overs, Murshida fell to a top edge trying to sweep Leigh Kasperek. Devine and New Zealand then squeezed Bangladesh over the next six overs. Devine took all the pace off turning to Hayley Jensen and her spinners. Ayasha Rahman holed out trying to clear the infield off Jensen. Devine attacked with her field, posting a catching cover, a short leg and a slip at different stages. Bangladesh faced 41 dots in the first nine overs and did not find the boundary in the first three overs after the powerplay. The rate slowed so dramatically that equation reached more than a run-a-ball in the 10th over.Salt in the woundsSultana held the key as Bangladesh’s leading run-scorer in the tournament, but she was forced to retire hurt in the 10th over after being hit in the face attempting to sweep Peterson. She got a top edge that ricocheted into her jaw, just underneath the grill of the helmet and she was driven off the ground on a cart. Bangladesh then did their own damage with two horrible run-outs. Hoque attempted to drop and run to cover but Moni called no and Devine swooped to leave Hoque stranded. She gave Moni a verbal spray on her way off for not responding, which was ringing in Moni’s ears two overs later when she over-committed anticipating a tight drop and run from Rumana Ahmed. The call to run never came despite Moni running halfway down and she was left stranded and staring at a dumbfounded Rumana. Devine turned the screws. Jensen pinned Rumana plumb in front and Sobhana Mostary holed out as the rate got out of hand. Kerr then produced a stunning wrong ‘un to clean bowl Jahanara Alum for a first-ball duck. Sultana returned to bat with Bangladesh eight wickets down and 35 runs needed from just 20 balls. She found the boundary twice but picked out Devine in the last over with all hopes dashed.

A significant update has emerged regarding the future of Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers, following a disappointing recent run of results.

Celtic hand initiative to Rangers

The Hoops went into the 2023/24 season as favourites to win yet another Scottish Premiership title, and for a while, it looked as though that would be the case, as they gained a healthy advantage over Rangers, who struggled under previous manager Michael Beale.

Things have changed fairly dramatically in recent weeks, however, with some sloppy performances and results seeing Celtic now trail their bitter rivals by two points with the same number of games played.

In fact, Rodgers' side have drawn two of their last three league matches, including conceding a stoppage-time equaliser at home to Kilmarnock last weekend, and quick improvements are required moving forward.

This below-par recent run has put pressure on Rodgers, with failure to win the league title something that would arguably be seen as a huge shortcoming, and an update has now dropped over his immediate future.

Update on Brendan Rodgers' Celtic future

According to a key claim from Football Insider journalist Pete O'Rourke, Rodgers isn't under threat of losing his job as Celtic manager currently, despite his side's recent dip.

"Celtic are not set to make a knee-jerk reaction on the future of Brendan Rodgers despite falling behind Rangers in the Scottish Premiership title race, sources have told Football Insider. The Gers are now in the box seat to lift the title after moving two points clear of their Old Firm rivals on Sunday (18 February) following a series of dramatic results.

"A well-placed source has told Football Insider that there is not likely to be any movement on the 51-year-old’s role before the end of the 2023-24 campaign. Two more Old Firm clashes remain this term and Celtic will be confident about their chances having won the first two encounters last year."

This is arguably the right decision by Celtic, even though Rangers are setting an ominous pace at the moment. To sack Rodgers now would feel extremely knee-jerk, giving a new manager little time to come straight in and make a big impact in the middle of a title race.

The Northern Irishman has plenty of credit in the bank, in terms of his achievements with the Hoops in the past – he has won two Scottish Premiership crowns at Parkhead – and it is still a close call as to who will end up going all the way out of Celtic and Rangers.

The two adversaries still have to play each other twice in the league, which could prove to be defining fixtures, and given the Hoops' know-how of getting over the finish line in recent years, it wouldn't be a surprise to see them come out on top.

Celtic now battling multiple Premier League clubs for English winger

The player has just changed agents as he assesses his options.

By
David Comerford

Feb 16, 2024

Celtic's all-round performances have to improve if they are to seal yet more title glory, however, and if they do come up short, Rodgers' job could then be in understandable doubt.

Brentford striker Ivan Toney has reportedly been handed a transfer ultimatum amid links with Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli.

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• Toney linked with Brentford exit
• Wanted by Saudi side Al-Ahli
• Striker sent transfer ultimatum

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The England international has to decide whether or not he wants to join the Saudi outfit by the end of Monday, according to . The report adds negotiations involving Saudi Pro League vice-chairman Saad Al-Lazeez and sporting director Michael Emenalo have taken place in London as they aim to green light this transfer.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The 28-year-old, who has also been linked with Chelsea and Arsenal, has been left out of Brentford's first two matchday squads this season amid the transfer links. He is in the last year of his Bees contract and may have played his last game for Thomas Frank's team, with Saudi the most likely next destination due to his reported wage demands.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Since Toney swapped Peterborough United for Brentford in 2020 for a fee worth around £15 million, he has scored 72 goals in 141 appearances for the London outfit. He hasn't played first-team football since helping England reach the final of Euro 2024 this summer.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Bees boss Frank said Toney's future will be resolved by the time the transfer window shuts on August 30. The Saudi window runs until September 30, and it remains to be seen if the forward will stay put or move on before then.

Leeds United are back in Championship action once again this afternoon as they take on Plymouth Argyle at Home Park for the second time this month.

The Whites ran out 4-1 winners in Devon in the FA Cup as they needed extra time to secure the win, which earned them a clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the next round.

Daniel Farke's side are now going there in search of three points as they look to continue their march towards automatic promotion back to the Premier League.

Every match and point is important as the Whites compete with Southampton and Ipswich to secure second place, whilst Leicester City appear to be uncatchable with a 12-point lead over the Yorkshire-based outfit.

Leeds head into this match off the back of an emphatic 4-0 win away at Swansea in Wales on Tuesday night, as they demolished Luke William's side.

With games coming thick and fast, and a huge game against Leicester on the horizon, Farke could make some changes to his team to keep players fresh.

With that in mind, the German head coach should move Georginio Rutter aside, after an underwhelming – by his standards – display on Tuesday, to unleash Daniel James alongside Wilfried Gnonto in the attack.

Georgino Rutter's performance against Swansea

The French gem has been one of the best creative talents in the Championship this season with his ability to consistently unlock opposition defences.

However, that was not on display in Wales earlier this week as the 21-year-old maestro failed to create a single opportunity for his teammates on the night.

The former Hoffenheim whiz also had four shots, totalling 0.32 xG, and did not find the back of the net, which meant that he ended the match without a goal contribution in the 4-0 drubbing.

Rutter, who did complete five of his nine attempted dribbles, is capable of far more than that when he is at his best as a number ten in the Championship.

The Leeds star currently ranks within the top 2% of forwards in the division for shot-creating actions (4.34) and Expected Assisted Goals (0.34) per 90 respectively, which shows that not many other players in his position create high-quality chances for their teammates as frequently as he does.

In 31 league appearances, Rutter has contributed with five goals and ten assists for his side, whilst the talented ace has also created a whopping 19 'big chances' for his fellow attackers.

These statistics show that the young magician has the quality to unpick defences with his fabulous passing, which is why his performance against Swansea was underwhelming.

This long trip to Plymouth could be the perfect opportunity for Farke to rest the Whites gem, ahead of next Friday's clash with Leicester at Elland Road.

That would open up the door for James to make his return on the right side of the attack, as Gnonto could be moved into a central position behind Joel Piroe at the top end of the pitch.

Wilfried Gnonto's recent form

The Italy international has been in sublime form for Leeds in recent weeks and is finally showcasing his quality in the final third on a regular basis.

He had only managed one goal and one assist in his first 21 appearances in the Championship, which included seven starts for the former Zurich whiz.

Gnonto has started the club's last three matches in the division and chipped in with three goals and one assist, to take his total to four goals and two assists in 24 games.

The 20-year-old ace also found the back of the net against Plymouth at Home Park in the FA Cup in the middle of that run of fixtures, which means that he has already made an impact on this ground this month.

Interestingly, that goal also came from Gnonto moving into a central position to receive the ball from Glen Kamara on the edge of the box, which allowed him to take a touch and fire the ball into the bottom corner.

His goal against Bristol City and his second against Swansea also came from him drifting into the middle to run onto a pass before unleashing a fine shot to find the back of the net, which is why moving him into Rutter's position today could be a good move by Farke.

Why Leeds should unleash Dan James

The German head coach should unleash James alongside Gnonto, and Crysencio Summerville, in the attacking three behind Piroe as the Welsh gem has the quality to be a difference-maker in the final third.

He came off the bench in the 4-0 win over Swansea for his first appearance since the 1-0 win over Norwich in January and could make his return to the starting line-up today.

As you can see in the table above, the former Manchester United winger was in fantastic form before his recent injury with at least one goal or assist in each of his last five appearances in all competitions.

James, who was hailed as "electric" by journalist Sanny Rudravajhala earlier this term, has been impressive throughout the 2023/24 campaign with his exciting play in the Championship.

The 26-year-old whiz has racked up ten goals, from 7.45 xG, and six assists, from 5.49 xA, in 23 league starts for Farke's side so far this term.

Only Piroe (11) and Summerville (15) have scored more goals than James in the second tier for Leeds this season, which speaks to how important his contributions have been at the top end of the pitch.

Ten goals to his name from 7.45 xG also shows that the Welsh dynamo has been ruthless in front of goal and more than made the most of the chances that his teammates have provided him with.

This suggests that Farke would not significantly weaken his team by ditching Rutter to unleash James alongside Gnonto and Summerville for this clash, which is why he can afford to rest the French whiz to hand important minutes to the 5 foot 7 winger to get him back up to full match fitness.

Players can take part in PSL and three overseas leagues, with a new NOC policy set to come into effect

Umar Farooq06-Feb-2020In a major change to the existing policy governing participation in T20 and other leagues across the world, Pakistan’s cricketers will now be allowed to play four leagues, including the PSL, in a year. Permission to play in other leagues is contingent on a number of factors, including taking part in the national one-day cup and the T20 cup.The earlier policy, which was introduced in 2018, had restricted player participation in several leagues, but the PCB has undertaken a review of the policy for the first time. The PCB took the board of governors into confidence to approve the new NOC guidelines for all national and domestic cricketers, in a move that is likely to prove beneficial to players who had otherwise suffered major financial blows in the last two years due to the inconsistency of the policy for featuring in foreign leagues.Pakistan’s players are already among the lowest-paid professionals in world cricket, and aren’t allowed to take part in the IPL. The old policy had added to the uncertainty, with players often given NOCs for an entire tournament, only to be pulled out by the PCB midway to return home and either join national camps or undergo fitness tests. That sparked frustration and discontent among the leading white-ball cricketers and emboldened them to revolt against PCB’s restrictive participation policy on foreign leagues.A meeting of several high profile players with PCB chief executive Wasim Khan averted the threat of a players’ revolt last year when PCB had revoked NOCs for the T10 league in Abu Dhabi. Khan, however, promised to review the policy and arrive at a lasting amicable solution.ESPNcricinfo understands that henceforth, the policy to issue an NOC will be more thorough than before, and will be based on the player’s prospects for national selection, fitness and fulfilling the domestic commitments. Once NOC is handed out, it won’t be revoked. The aim is to maintain a balance between players taking part in national tournaments and their workload, while also ensuring that players don’t face financial losses during a period when they are not playing any domestic cricket, particularly for the white-ball specialists.”The Board of Governors approved the No Objection Certificate guidelines for cricketers,” PCB said after its first-ever meeting in Peshawar this week. “Amongst other guidelines, the policy allows centrally contracted players to seek clearance for up to a maximum of three ICC-approved foreign leagues, excluding the HBL Pakistan Super League, as long they don’t coincide with the PCB-organised events and player workloads and fitness regimes are properly managed. The CEO shall have a final approval right. Further details on the NOC policy will be announced in due course.”When Mickey Arthur was the Pakistan coach, a number of centrally contracted players featured in the world’s major T20 leagues, apart from the IPL. This meant the national coaches and selectors raised concerns about fitness and the risk of injuries due to the added workload. Those concerns came to a head in 2018 with Arthur pushing for higher fitness standards across the board. The worry was that players hadn’t maintained fitness standards while travelling around the world, and they had also missed their domestic tournaments. That led to the PCB formulating a strict policy. However, the policy had lacked clarity since its inception.This time around, Misbah-ul-Haq – who took over from Arthur as head coach and also holds the additional role of chief selectors – will have a major role in the process of issuing NOCs. While Khan has the final right of approval, the entire process will depend on Misbah’s planning for each player. He is also working on forming a national selection policy with the help of selection committee convener Nadeem Khan and all the head coaches of the six provincial teams – who are acting as national selectors. Misbah had presented his plan and briefed the Board of Governors since he took over the reins of the national team, and informed the Board about his future plans and selection criteria.”The interaction with the board of governors was a wide-ranging one, which I found positive and supportive. They asked all the relevant questions and provided some constructive advice,” Misbah said. “I am satisfied with the progress the team is making, though I acknowledge a lot of work still needs to be done. Having said that, we are now a different group as compared to what we were when we started.”In the past five months, we have significantly improved our fitness levels and the players are also gaining confidence as they are now performing consistently at the international level.”

Lionesses star Mary Earps has shown off the highlights of her first few weeks in France after signing for PSG.

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• Earps left Manchester United
• Has signed for PSG
• Discusses first days in France

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Earps posted a collage on Instagram, showing off her highlights of her first few weeks in France. The England goalkeeper has been brushing up on her French, has put in the hours on the training field, and has even had some time for sightseeing.

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• WHAT EARPS SAID

  Earps wrote on Instagram: "First few weeks of Parisian life." The post included a number of images, which you can scroll through via the arrows below.

• THE GOSSIP

  Earps has become such an iconic figure in women's football that she is set to receive a waxwork from London's iconic Madame Tussauds. The goalkeeper has already revealed her desire to win plenty of silverware in France.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  PSG Women play Le Havre AC in a friendly on Thursday, August 22 as they continue their preparation for the new season. Earps is likely to be involved.

Leeds United are no closer to securing a January signing, with anxiety levels growing at Elland Road that no new incomings will be coming through the door between now and the very near shutting of the transfer window.

With automatic promotion rivals Ipswich Town recruiting well this month, alongside Southampton adding in a new body here and there to strengthen, there is a very real fear the Whites could be left behind in the hunt for the Championship top two if no moves are in the works.

With Leeds now set to miss out on transfer target Daiki Hashioka to Premier League Luton Town, the agitated Whites will now have to go full steam ahead with other right-back targets with this young star potentially arriving.

Who Leeds could sign after Hashioka snub

The Championship promotion hopefuls could well reignite their interest in young Liverpool defender Calvin Ramsay off the back of this Hashioka rejection, with a report last week in the Daily Mail from journalist Lewis Steele indicating that the West Yorkshire side were interested in signing Ramsay on loan.

Returning back to the Reds this season after an injury-plagued loan switch to Preston North End never really got off the ground, it could well be a gamble going after the former Aberdeen star in this window.

Yet, with Ramsay tearing Scottish Premiership defences for fun when at Pittodrie making him an attractive talent to land still, Farke will hope the 20-year-old arrives at Elland Road on his A-Game to finally solve Leeds' right-back issues.

How Ramsay would fit into the Leeds team

Ramsay could also well fancy a move down to the Championship again owing to Jurgen Klopp's preference to start fellow Reds starlet Conor Bradley over him recently, Bradley starring in the FA Cup against Norwich City just this weekend by picking up two assists.

The ex-Aberdeen full-back was an assist king himself up in Scotland, registering nine assists from 39 games in one impactful season playing for his former employers before Liverpool swooped in to land the 20-year-old for a fee of £6.5m.

At youth level for the Premier League club, the 5 foot 10 defender has managed to collect two assists from five games playing for the U21s with Liverpool keen for their young asset to cut his teeth in the senior game again.

In contrast, failed target Hashioka's best-ever assists total playing out in Belgium has only been five for a singular campaign – Ramsay therefore is arguably an upgrade on the in-demand Sint-Truiden man.

With Farke showing that he's unafraid to give youth a go this season, displayed in 17-year-old Archie Gray amassing 27 Championship appearances to date, the German boss could well venture down the route of utilising more raw and hungry gems away from just Gray in swooping in for the young Scotsman before deadline day.

Described as being a "great talent" by Klopp last year despite suffering many injury setbacks at Anfield, the £15k per week right-back will want to validate his hype by signing on the dotted line for Leeds and instantly helping the West Yorkshire side return to the Premier League with standout displays.

The Strikers are looking to bounce back from a poor season and all eyes will be on AB de Villiers when he joins the Heat

Alex Malcolm and Andrew McGlashan13-Dec-2019

Adelaide Strikers

Captain: Travis HeadCoach: Jason GillespieOverseas players: Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), Phil Salt (England)Full squad: Wes Agar, Alex Carey, Travis Head, Rashid Khan, Jake Lehmann, Michael Neser, Harry Nielsen, Liam O’Connor, Phil Salt, Matt Short, Peter Siddle, Billy Stanlake, Cameron Valente, Jake Weatherald, Jonathan Wells, Cameron White, Nick Winter, Harry ConwayLast season: 7thThe Strikers went from champions to second from bottom in a campaign that never really got off the ground with a four-game losing streak mid-season ending their hopes of a successful title defence.What’s changed for the season?Gillespie has used his Sussex knowledge to bring in top-order batsman Salt, who briefly featured in the England T20I squad earlier this year. Ben Laughlin, a long-time part of the Strikers attack, has moved to the Brisbane Heat for family reasons, with Harry Conway coming into the squad. Cameron White, in what is likely to be the final fling of his career, brings winning experience from the Melbourne Renegades.Australia impactHead and possibly Michael Neser will be featuring in the Test side until early January, and Alex Carey will be lost to the ODI tour India mid-tournament. There is a chance that if Neser remains in the Test squad he could be released for BBL duty if not needed against New Zealand.Player to watchWes Agar has been bowling very well in Marsh Cup and Sheffield Shield cricket this season and, after just two matches for the Strikers last summer, could get greater opportunity in this campaign particularly with the departure of Laughlin and if Neser is on Australia duty.Key stat (Gaurav Sundararaman)Rashid Khan‘s form might have dipped in other T20s and ODIs in 2019 but his performance in the Big Bash is extraordinary. In the last two seasons, Rashid has taken 37 wickets at an economy rate of 5.93 and 45% of his deliveries are dots.AB de Villiers unleashes while down on one knee•Getty Images

Brisbane Heat

Captain: Chris LynnCoach: Darren LehmannOverseas players: Tom Banton (England – first eight games), AB de Villiers (South Africa – expected from January 9), Zahir Khan (Afghanistan), Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afghanistan)Full squad: Tom Banton, Max Bryant, Joe Burns, Ben Cutting, AB De Villiers (overseas replacement), Cameron Gannon, Sam Heazlett, Zahir Khan, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Ben Laughlin, Josh Lalor, Chris Lynn, James Pattinson, James Peirson, Jack Prestwidge, Matt Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Mitch Swepson, Mujeeb Ur Rahman (overseas replacement)Last season: 5thThey had a lot of hype about them but failed to fire, missing the finals by a game. Their much-vaunted top order made a lot of bright starts but fizzled out quickly and the order was chopped and changed throughout the tournament. They saved their best work for the last two games with two magnificent chases but it was too little too late.What’s changed for the season?A new coach and a few new bash brothers. Darren Lehmann, who led the Heat to the title in BBL02, takes charge again after Daniel Vettori stepped down. The signing of AB de Villiers and Tom Banton made a huge stir. They will play half the tournament each with de Villiers available for the finals. The Heat have the best batting line-up in the BBL but historically the best bowling teams have won the tournament and they will need to bowl well. Laughlin’s return to Queensland from the Strikers having won a title in Adelaide is a nice addition.Australia impactJames Pattinson’s availability early in the tournament is subject to his Test duties but he could play more games than the Heat had planned for, given the form of Australia’s incumbent Test quicks. Joe Burns and Marnus Labuschagne will be unavailable in the early part of the tournament but both may even struggle to get a game for the Heat given the batting depth. It is unlikely many Heat players will head to India with the ODI team, although Labuschagne was named joint player of the Marsh Cup and Australia may want to look at him in a second format if they experiment with the side.Player to watchMax Bryant is the obvious choice. He has so much potential but capitalising on starts and finding consistency as a young player is his biggest challenge. He has had a lean season in 50-over cricket for Queensland but a couple of early scores in the BBL and he could go have a huge tournament.Key stat (Gaurav Sundararaman)Tom Banton comes into this competition with very high expectations. Out of the 41 players to have faced 200 balls in powerplays in 2019, Banton has the best strike rate of 160. He scores big and at a brisk pace. The Gabba pitch could be perfect for Banton to showcase his skills.

Tottenham Hotspur are said to be eyeing up their third signing of the January transfer window after deals for Timo Werner and Radu Dragusin…

Spurs' search for a new winger

According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Lilywhites are pushing to secure a deal for Club Brugge forward Antonio Nusa to bolster their attack.

The reporter claims that a new round of talks between the two clubs has been scheduled as Spurs look to beat off competition from elsewhere to sign the young whiz.

However, Romano adds that the teenage dynamo would like to remain at the Belgian side until the end of the season, which means that Ange Postecoglou may not have him as part of the squad until the summer.

The Australian head coach could land Heung-min Son 2.0 by winning the race to sign the 18-year-old forward, who The Guardian previously claimed is valued at £25m by Brugge.

Heung-min Son's goal record at Spurs

Tottenham's captain has proven himself to be a lethal scorer for the club from a left wing position over the course of a number of seasons in England.

The South Korea international has plundered an exceptional 157 goals and 85 assists in 393 appearances in all competitions, including 115 goals in 288 Premier League matches.

This means that Son has averaged a goal or an assist every 1.62 games on average throughout his career with Spurs, which shows that he has been a consistently reliable attacking threat out wide as a scorer and a creator of goals.

However, he turns 32 in July, and Postecoglou may have one eye on the future and what life will look like after Son, with Nusa possibly coming in as the long-term successor to his position.

The stats that show why Nusa could be Son 2.0

The 18-year-old has showcased his potential for club and country this season with an impressive return at the top end of the pitch despite limited minutes on the pitch.

Nusa has only started six Pro League matches for Brugge but has chipped in with three goals and two assists, whilst he has also created five 'big chances' for his teammates and could argue that they have let him down in front of goal with their wasteful finishing.

The right-footed left winger, who U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed has "beautiful potential", has also completed 2.7 dribbles per game for his club in the league.

As you can see in the table above, the Brugge starlet has also caught the eye on the international stage with Norway this season with some impressively creative performances for his country.

Nusa has racked up three goals and five assists in seven starts across the Pro League and European Championship qualifiers for club and country this season, which is one goal contribution every 0.86 starts on average.

There is no guarantee that he would be able to remain as consistent as that over the course of an entire season of regular starts but the young gem also has plenty of time on his side to develop that consistency.

The Brugge wizard could learn from Son at Spurs before eventually taking over as his successor and Postecoglou's next version of the South Korean marksman further down the line if he can fulfill his potential, which is why this could be an excellent signing for Spurs.

Marseille capitalised on PSG's draw to move to the top of Ligue 1. Defending champions PSG were held to a 3-3 draw with Strasbourg in the capital on Friday night as they came from 3-1 down to rescue a point courtesy of second half strikes from Goncalo Ramos and Senny Mayulu. And L'OM will end the weekend top of the table after securing a fifth successive league win.

• AFP
  

  Marseille's impressive start

  Marseille have made an impressive start to the Ligue 1 season winning six of their opening eight matches, which includes a 1-0 home win over rivals PSG in Le Classique last month. And as Lyon fell to a 3-2 loss at Nice earlier on Saturday, Roberto De Zerbi's side will leapfrog the Parisian powerhouse and Strasbourg into first.

  The south coast side started their welcome of Le Havre on Saturday night poorly as Yassine Keechta fired Didier Digard's side ahead midway through the first half. However, any hopes of an upset were dashed in the 34th minute as Gautier Lloris received his marching orders. The centre-back was adjudged to have handled the ball in the penalty area and was sent off to compound a disappointing passage of play for Lloris.

  Marseille were awarded a penalty as a result and the Le Havre floodgates opened. Mason Greenwood made no mistake from the spot in what proved a historic evening for the 24-year-old.

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• Greenwood makes history for Marseille

  While Le Havre managed to hold Marseille until the 67th minute, their resolve was well and truly broken as Greenwood scored his and Marseille's second midway through the second half. The former Manchester United completed his hat-trick in the 72nd minute before adding a fourth four minutes later.

  Greenwood made history in an entertaining Velodrome clash as he became the first Marseille player to score four times in a single league game since Jean-Pierre Papin netted four in a resounding 7-0 win over Lyon back in 1991. The drama didn't end there either as Robinio Vaz added a fifth for Roberto De Zerbi's men in the 88th minute.

  Abdoulaye Toure added a 91st minute consolation for Le Havre, and there was still time for Amir Murillo to restore Marseille's four-goal lead a minute later in an eventual 6-2 win for L'OM. The result means Marseille have scored more goals (21) than any other team in Ligue 1 as they look to claim a first Ligue 1 title since 2010, and their 10th in their history.

• AFP
  

  'I have already threatened the players'

  Marseille have been in rampant form since their 2-1 loss to Real Madrid last month. Timothy Weah had fired the French side ahead at the Bernabeu but Real Madrid responded through Kylian Mbappe in the Champions League tie. Dani Carvajal was dismissed midway through the second half of the European clash but Los Blancos had enough to secure all the spoils as Mbappe scored his as Real Madrid's second to secure a matchday one win.

  De Zerbi's side did follow up the defeat with a 1-0 Classique win over PSG and the Italian issued a warning after that home triumph. "This victory should not give anything more to the team," the Italian said last month.

  "The defeat in Madrid brought us a lot, made us realise that we have strong players. The squad is strong, we know that, but Friday will be even more important than tonight's match.

  "I have already threatened the players, they know it. If we beat Paris and then tap dance against Strasbourg, it means we are not a great team."

  Marseille certainly heeded De Zerbi's advice as they followed up the win over PSG with a 2-1 victory at Strasbourg. Subsequent wins over Ajax, Metz and Le Havre means they have won five on the spin in all competitions since defeat in Madrid.

• What comes next?

  Marseille will look to make it six wins in succession when they resume their Champions League campaign next week. De Zerbi takes his squad to Lisbon where they take on defending Liga Portugal champions Sporting CP for the first time since a 2-0 win in the Portuguese capital back in 2022.

  Sporting currently find themselves three points behind league leaders FC Porto in Liga Portugal having been held to a 1-1 draw with Braga prior to the international break. Rui Borges' side, meanwhile, smashed Kairat Almaty in their opening Champions League clash but fell to a 2-1 loss at Napoli last month as a Rasmus Hojlund brace condemned Sporting to defeat in Italy.