South Africa captain Faf du Plessis said that while the pitch offered assistance for the spinners, South Africa’s batsmen needed to adapt better and string together partnerships

Sidharth Monga in Durban02-Feb-20180:44

‘Scoring runs in a losing cause is not ideal’ – du Plessis

Faf du Plessis has had a frustrating week or three. He doesn’t just want to win Test series, he wants to whitewash teams. That has not happened. He wants – or at least that’s what he says in his press conferences – the pitches to have pace and bounce, and not too much seam movement. What he gets is a slow subcontinental pitch, followed by one that is just too extreme with both bounce and seam movement. He might have wanted the Wanderers Test to be called off, but that would mean a sticky situation for his employers and the country’s premier venue.Two days after a tough week of not great bowling and general exasperation at the groundsmen, du Plessis was at Kingsmead, in charge of tired bodies and minds, going into an ODI series against the No. 2 side in the world. He hoped pitches won’t be talked about now because ODIs are played on flat surfaces, but this one again gave India’s spinners an opportunity to control the game, an opportunity they grabbed in the manner of veterans rather than ones playing for the first time in South Africa.Then, as he batted, du Plessis saw Quinton de Kock walk without looking back when given out lbw. Replays showed the legbreak was going on to turn past the left-hander’s leg stump. In such circumstances, with so much happening around him, with a tour that began with much promise now threatening to fall to pieces, du Plessis led from the front with the bat, scoring a century even as others kept falling around him.Du Plessis’ side was still comfortably second-best on the evening, and that has left the captain unhappy with his batsmen. “We didn’t bat well today,” du Plessis said. “As a batting unit, for the second top score to be 30-something or 40 shows that there weren’t partnerships. The most basic thing about one-day cricket is two guys getting together and putting some sort of partnership together. I thought the Indian spinners bowled well, but still, we should have been better against them.”Certainly, tonight, we needed 300. Two-sixty wasn’t enough on that deck. The last two games we played here, we got more runs and won. We chased 370 here against Australia. So, I think it’s unfair to say the bowlers tonight were poor. I thought purely we didn’t have runs. The way the wicket played, and the way that our bowlers had to try and get wickets made it difficult for them. If we had got 60-70 more, it would have been easier for them out there.”It was a slow pitch with unalarming turn for spinners, something du Plessis feels the batsmen should be able to adjust to. “When it’s hot and dry leading up to a game, potentially it can be there,” du Plessis said of the assistance for the spinners. “I remember playing a game against Sri Lanka here, where it was similar. But then, there was someone in myself and David Miller, who got a massive partnership together. Even though the conditions are challenging, you’re international cricket players, so you should adapt to it a little bit better. We didn’t adapt to it at all today. We lost too many wickets in that middle period, and if you lose wickets, it’s difficult to create any sort of partnership and put pressure back on the opposition.”This will put a lot of pressure on the middle order – missing AB de Villiers for the first three ODIs – of JP Duminy, Aiden Markram and David Miller, who don’t carry a great reputation as players of spin. This match could have already sent a big message for the series: the middle overs are not going to be easy for South Africa. Du Plessis, though, expected his batsmen to get better.”Quite a few guys haven’t faced their spinners, so it will take one or two games for them to get used to it,” he said. “Some of the guys played against these guys in the IPL, but not all of them faced them recently. With mystery spin or wrist spin, it takes you one or two games just to get used to the guys’ actions and their wrists. Then, hopefully, you get better at playing them.”We’ll have a good discussion after this game and some feedback on the things we picked up, especially from my side. If there was anything that I can share with the guys that I picked up. And hopefully in the second game, we’ll play them better.”Unlike with his opposition counterpart, it is difficult to tell how du Plessis is feeling from his tone. Whether he is talking of his frustrations or he’s joking, his tone and manner of speaking seldom changes. He is similarly in control of his emotions on the field, but upon reaching his century, he allowed himself a moment of exultation. “Scoring runs in a losing cause is not ideal,” du Plessis said. “Obviously, the first game of the series, you want to put your footprint in the series. That’s why I probably had a little bit more celebration than is normal for me. Big games, you want to score big runs, so it’s very disappointing that it’s in a losing cause.”Only a winning cause can make these disappointments go away. Even if that does happen, du Plessis’ tone will be the same.

The brilliance of Newcastle United's exploits on the pitch has become synonymous with the diligence and precision of technical director Dan Ashworth on the transfer front.

Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento have all joined the first-team fold this summer after the Magpies secured an extraordinary fourth-place finish in the Premier League last term.

With Eddie Howe at the helm, the Toon will feel that they can continue the feat, and indeed started the season off with an emphatic 5-1 victory over Aston Villa.

Howe has recently claimed that he would "love" one more signing, and the central defence is likely to be bolstered.

Who do Newcastle United want to sign?

According to the Daily Mail's Craig Hope, the Tyneside club have compiled a list of possible defensive options this month, with Torino defender Perr Schuurs currently being considered.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

Crystal Palace and Liverpool have registered an interest of late, with the 23-year-old commanding a valuation of €40m (£34m).

How good is Perr Schuurs?

While Fabian Schar has been fantastic since Howe's arrival in 2021, said to have 'gone under the radar' by Harry Redknapp, the 31-year-old has entered the final year of his contract and the club might be looking to introduce a long-term option to partner the imperious Sven Botman in central defence.

Botman arrived last summer from French side Lille for £35m and has truly been exemplary, having been praised for having made a "huge difference" for the Magpies, who complemented their top-four finish with the league's joint-best defence last term, alongside Manchester City.

A no-nonsense, unflinching defender, the Dutchman recorded an average Sofascore rating of 6.99 last season, keeping 11 clean sheets from 36 games, completing 87% of his passes, averaging 3.3 clearances per game and winning a remarkable 67% of his duels.

The 23-year-old has cemented an untouchable starring role at St. James' Park and it is unlikely that will change over the coming years, and he will need a partner; as such, Schuurs could fit the bill.

Schuurs, also 23, is an imposing defender – hailed as a "mountain" by journalist Josh Bunting – and boasts a similar profile to his Dutch compatriot Botman.

The Torino ace recorded an average rating of 6.88 last year in Serie A, completing 88% of his passes and averaging 3.2 clearances per game; very similar numbers to that of Botman.

He also ranks among the top 8% of centre-backs for assists and the top 19% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, indicating that he could contribute effectively to the ball-playing transitions on Tyneside, assuming Schar's role superlatively, with the Swiss titan ranking among the top 6% of positional peers for assists and the top 2% for shot-creating actions per 90.

Therefore, signing Schuurs could prove to enhance the cohesion on Tyneside and provide Botman with a defensive confrere to solidify a rock-solid partnership for years to come.

The compatriots' variegated skills would also increase the multi-dimensional feel of the Newcastle team, ensuring that the ascent to the very top of European football continues.

India have never lost a Test in Johannesburg, and they have never been whitewashed in South Africa. Both those records are under threat as the hosts push for 3-0 with a green pitch and overcast conditions to aid them

The Preview by Sidharth Monga in Johannesburg23-Jan-20185:36

Cullinan: South Africa will win 3-0

Big Picture

“A lot of big names have played for 20 years, they have come here many times, and they have never done it. But this team has done that. This team is used to doing things that a lot of other teams haven’t done, and that too overseas.”This is a slightly abridged version of a quote from India coach Ravi Shastri in Sri Lanka last year. He was talking about India winning the three-Test series 3-0.There is a real threat that it could be adapted for use in the current climate. Many weak Indian teams have come to South Africa since the first tour in 1992-93, and none has been whitewashed. This “strong” team, with so many options that the team management has admitted to the inevitability of highly debatable, even controversial, selections, now needs something special to avoid a whitewash. If there is any consolation, they are making this attempt at a venue that should inspire them: the Wanderers is where they won a World T20 final and also brought up their first Test win in this country. India have played four Tests at this venue, and have never lost.The series is gone, but neither side is seeing this as a dead rubber. Not only is it a matter of pride for India to avoid a whitewash, it is also about bragging rights in a world where it is the mark of a good side to lose less poorly away from home. South Africa, still smarting from the ambush in India in 2015-16, which ended their nine-year run of never losing a series away from home, are in no danger of treating this as a dead rubber either.The hosts not only want to avenge their defeat in India with an identical scoreline, but also want to close in on the No. 1 ranking, which will be only a few decimal points away from them should they win on the green Wanderers pitch. The weather has been overcast in the lead-up to the Test, and there has been more than a bit of rain forecast, so this should be a difficult Test for batting, in conditions where both sides could choose to go without a spinner.India see the green pitch as an opportunity. It brings their seam bowlers into the game, and if their batsman can do something special – which they have been waiting for since the start of the series – they feel they can come close to winning a Test.

Form guide

South Africa WWWWW (last five completed games most recent first)
India LLDWDAFP

In the spotlight

One way to look at this series is to say the batting of AB de Villiers has been the difference between the two sides. He has dragged South Africa out of crisis on two occasions, and has contributed 35 and 20 on the other two. He has also been superb in the slips and wherever he has been posted in the outfield. India will be tempted to imagine what it feels like to get him out of the way, but to do that in reality they will need to work harder.The only man certain to play for India, and hence in the spotlight, is Virat Kohli. He scored a superlative 153 in the last Test, but that wasn’t enough to prevent his first series loss as captain. Between the Tests, questions have been raised about his leadership. Kohli needs to replicate some of that batting form, and also to select properly and motivate his side out of this mire. The test of his captaincy is only just beginning.

Team news

There has been talk that South Africa might go without a spinner – as they have done in their two previous Tests at the Wanderers – and beef up their batting, but the injury to Temba Bavuma might have changed the equation a little bit. If Keshav Maharaj is indeed left out, it could open the door for batsman Theunis de Bruyn or allrounder Andile Phehlukwayo. Chris Morris is away on paternity leave. Aiden Markram, who was off the field for parts of the Centurion Test with a left quad strain, is fit and will open.South Africa (probable): 1 Dean Elgar, 2 Aiden Markram, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 AB de Villiers, 5 Faf du Plessis (capt), 6 Quinton de Kock (wk), 7 Theunis de Bruyn/Andile Phehlukwayo/Keshav Maharaj, 8 Vernon Philander, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Morne Morkel, 11 Lungi NgidiIndications are that Ajinkya Rahane and Bhuvneshwar Kumar seem set to make their way back into the side, but at whose expense? The men under threat are Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin (because of the pitch) and one out of Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah. Don’t count against an all-seam attack. Parthiv Patel, ordinary with the big gloves in Centurion, could lose out to Dinesh Karthik, who doesn’t have too much long-format match practice behind him: he only played four first-class matches in the 2017-18 domestic season, and only kept wicket in two of them .India (probable): 1 and 2 Two out of M Vijay, 2 Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul, 4 Virat Kohli (capt), 3, 5 and 6 three out of Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya, 7 Parthiv Patel/Dinesh Karthik (wk), 8 to 11 four out of R Ashwin, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah

Pitch and conditions

The pitch at Wanderers is unmistakably green. The head groudsman Bethuel Buthulezi might be tempted to not shave any of the 6mm grass because there is rain expected on every day of the Test. The sun has beaten down in the lead-up to the Test to create some cracks, but it has also helped the groundstaff roll the pitch nice and hard. Faf du Plessis said his side didn’t ask for anything over the top but a track with pace and bounce. Kohli expected the pitch to do more than the one at Newlands for the first Test. There are some cracks on offer, but it is possible overhead conditions will play an equally important role in this Test.

Stats and Trivia

• Hashim Amla is one catch short of becoming the fourth South African to 100 catches as a fielder, joining Jacques Kallis, Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers. Amla will be the slowest to the mark.
• Contrary to reputation, the Wanderers has historically not been a graveyard for spinners. Among venues that have hosted at least 20 Tests, spinners have worse averages in 15 grounds than their 35.76 at the Wanderers. Those 15 grounds include Lahore, Port of Spain and Adelaide.
• Apart from Virat Kohli’s 153 in the first innings in Centurion, India’s specialist batsmen haven’t scored a single fifty in this series. The top six batsmen have averaged 20.45 – their third-worst in any series of two or more Tests. If Kohli’s 153 is discounted, the average of the 23 innings played by the top six drops to 14.08.
• Rohit Sharma’s difference of 60.09 between home and away averages is the worst for India batsmen who have scored a minimum of 500 runs each home and away

Quotes

“They’ve played some good cricket here. The last Test match we played against India here was a fantastic Test match. Their bowing is good. They’ve come this time around with a very good seam attack and if you have that you will be able to compete. We have got a fantastic seam attack as well so it will be the battle between those two. The pressure is in making sure we keep their batsmen under pressure. It’s been a pretty quiet series for most of them and if we can keep doing that, we will change that stat.”
“As a team we are looking to correct all the mistakes that have happened, Wanderers has been a special venue for us, hopefully we can play the same kind of cricket.”

Leeds United once again failed in their pursuit of a first Championship win of the season, as Daniel Farke's problems were devastatingly emphasised…

How did Leeds get on vs West Brom?

Hosting Carlos Corberan's impressive but threadbare West Bromwich Albion outfit, there was a quiet confidence that the Whites would be able to secure all three points at the third time of asking.

After all, a disappointing opening-day draw with Cardiff City and a subsequent defeat to Birmingham City hardly have fans excited for the new campaign.

Last night marked yet another spirited display, but once which lacked that cutting-edge to see off the travelling Baggies.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

They enjoyed 57% of the ball and rained down 16 shots, yet found themselves behind just after the restart and searching for an equaliser, via Sofascore.

Whilst it eventually came, they were forced to settle for the 1-1 draw, with a few standout individuals having let the side down.

Of all that disappointed, Jamie Shackleton was arguably the weakest of the toothless bunch.

How did Jamie Shackleton play vs West Brom?

Making his 82nd appearance for the Yorkshire outfit, it should have marked a triumphant return to the starting lineup for the 23-year-old seeking to stake his claim within the senior side.

However, he likely has ended up denting his chances of further opportunities, with an underwhelming display on the wing where he created little.

In fact, his 6.8 Sofascore rating throughout the clash was the third-worst of all of Farke's starting side, made especially terrible due to his anonymity in a game where he should have excelled.

After all, they did enjoy the bulk of the possession, exacerbating his dismal 39 touches. Even Illan Meslier, who was one of the two worse performers than the young wide man, managed more touches (43), via Sofascore.

The French shot-stopper even managed to complete more passes (29) than Shackleton (24) too, suggesting that his lack of influence also fed into an inability to even link up with his teammates sufficiently.

The £1.5k-per-week earner was offensively lacking throughout as well, failing in both of his attempted dribbles and failing to register a single shot, striking the woodwork after a slice in fortune. Had he offered something defensively the academy graduate could have been forgiven, but even then he won only three of the six total duels he competed in, a 57% failure rate, via Sofascore.

It seems that journalist Beren Cross shares this sentiment with regard to his profligacy, as he briefly lauded his physical assets before suggesting an area of improvement in his post-match ratings: "His pace, intensity and work rate really shone in the first half as his pressing drove errors from the visitors. Still lacking a little quality on the ball when he's playing in this final-third role."

Although Shackleton is only young, this should mark a damning indictment for Farke, who has seen his squad slowly dismantled before his very eyes.

Even now Wilfried Gnonto has compounded such misery by finally handing in a transfer request, with his exit surely now looming amidst the exit of numerous other first-team stars.

Shackleton may well offer a fine option in the future, but if performances like last night are to become a regular feature, his starting spot could be in jeopardy.

However, if it forces them into the market, fans will remain elated. They certainly need reinforcements regardless.

Ivan Toney made the perfect return for Brentford on Saturday as he fired in a free-kick just 19 minutes into his first game back from suspension.

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Toney back from eight-month suspensionBrentford star scored from free-kickMade gesture with shirt in celebrationGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The striker returned from an eight-month suspension for breaching betting regulations. After Nottingham Forest took the lead just three minutes in, Toney smashed in a low free-kick to bring his team level and paid his respects to his uncle by holding up a shirt in his celebration.

The shirt read: "For you, Uncle Brian."

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The game is Toney's first of the season after he was hit with a lengthy ban. The 27-year-old scored 20 goals in 33 matches in the Premier League last season and has attracted interest from Arsenal, but Brentford hope to keep their star forward and it is reported they will have to pay around £80 million ($102m) to get him this month.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Toney has now scored three direct free kicks in the Premier League since the start of last season – and from just 10 attempts, according to . The only player to match that record in the same timeframe is James Ward-Prowse, who scored three from 25 tries.

Harry Kane is popular among Bayern Munich supporters and has been serenaded with a bizarre song sung to the tune of Christmas classic ‘Jingle Bells’.

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• England striker starring in Germany
• Chasing down records on and off the field
• Already a hero to passionate fan base

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The England international striker has plundered 27 goals for the Bundesliga giants through just 26 appearances. An immediate return has been delivered on the €100 million (£85m/$108m) transfer fee that was required to prise him away from Premier League side Tottenham.

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  Kane is on course to smash all kinds of records in Germany, on and off the field, and has already become a cult hero in the eyes of a passionate fan base at the Allianz Arena. Some fans have a slightly odd way of showing that support, as the 30-year-old found out when attending a recent function in Munich.

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  WHAT BAYERN FANS SUNG TO KANE

  Despite Christmas having come and gone, Bayern followers welcomed Kane to the stage – as they presented him with a special wooden cannon – by tinkering with the lyrics to ‘Jingle Bells’. They sang: “Harry Kane, Harry Kane, Harry all the way. Oh what fun it is to see Harry score again.”

Corey Anderson has not played since suffering a stress fracture while with Somerset last year

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Feb-2018Corey Anderson, the New Zealand allrounder, will return to Somerset for this season’s Vitality Blast. Anderson has not played since suffering a stress fracture while with Somerset last year but is hoping to return to action during the latter part of the New Zealand domestic season.Having made 81 off 45 balls on debut for Somerset at The Oval last July, Anderson only managed three more appearances before succumbing to back pain. He underwent surgery in September and has been working on his rehabilitation back at home ahead of an anticipated comeback for Northern Districts.Anderson, 27, is expected to be available for the entirety of the Blast. Somerset begin their campaign with the west country derby against Gloucestershire on July 6.”I’m really excited to be returning to Somerset for this year’s Vitality Blast,” Anderson said. “Having had my time at Taunton cut short with injury last season, I feel I have unfinished business and I hope I can help Somerset go all the way in 2018.”Although Anderson was overlooked at the IPL auction earlier this month, he has pedigree as one of the most powerful hitters in the game. He briefly held the record for the fastest ODI hundred, off 36 balls, and has scored 1768 runs at a strike rate of 138.23 in his T20 career. He also offers a handy left-arm bowling option.Somerset’s, director of cricket, Andy Hurry, said: “We are delighted to have secured Corey for the entire Vitality Blast campaign. I believe that continuity throughout this competition is going to be key in achieving success and therefore it was crucial for us to be able to bring in a high-quality player who would be available for the duration of the tournament.”Corey has a vast amount of experience and is very well known here at Somerset. His all-round ability will have a huge impact on our performances.”

Dinesh Karthik will lead the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League 2018. It will be his first season with them, having been bought at the auction in February for INR 7.4 crores (approx USD 1.1 million). An old hand, Robin Uthappa, who was also among the top contenders for the job, has been appointed vice-captain.

Venkatesh Prasad joins Kings XI Punjab

Venkatesh Prasad was announced as Kings XI Punjab’s bowling coach on Sunday. He had recently quit as chairman of India’s junior selection panel in anticipation of picking up a job at the IPL and keeping both positions would have left him on the wrong side of the conflict of interest rules as advocated by the Lodha panel.
Prasad was the bowling coach at Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2008 during the first season of the IPL. He then took the same role at Chennai Super Kings from 2009-10 before moving back to Royal Challengers between 2011-13.

Karthik, 32, has been part of the IPL since its inception in 2008, and he has played for five different teams – Delhi Daredevils, Kings XI Punjab, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore and most recently Gujarat Lions. He has also been stand-in captain for some of those teams, and has long been part of the leadership group with his home state Tamil Nadu.”I think the thing that stood out is that DK is at the age now in his career where he’s got the best years of his career in front of him,” assistant coach Simon Katich told . “He’s been involved in the IPL for 10 years. He’s got a fantastic domestic record captaining Tamil Nadu in the T20 tournament there. I think he’s got a 72% win-rate which is outstanding as a T20 skipper.”Karthik takes over from Gautam Gambhir, who is the Knight Riders’ leading run-scorer and took them to two IPL titles in 2012 and 2014. Venky Mysore, the CEO of the franchise, said they were keen to retain Gambhir for the 2018 season as well but the player had asked for a fresh start. It appears KKR are also chasing the same by putting a man who is yet to make his debut for them as their captain.”The team that Gambhir led in the last seven years, I think he’s done a fabulous job. “Karthik said. “He’s left a sort of legacy which is the kind of thing I’d like to do, where you leave the team in good hands, and you take a team that was probably doing well and take it to a different level altogether. I would definitely like to be a part of that journey.”Knight Riders went all out to pick up the lynch pins of India’s Under-19 World Cup winning squad – Shubman Gill (approx USD 281,000), Kamlesh Nagarkoti (approx USD 500,000) and Shivam Mavi (approx USD 468,000) – and Karthik was keen to see how they fare in the IPL. “It’s a very young side. There are few very interesting talents from the India Under-19s that we’ve picked up. I’m really looking forward to meeting them, interacting with them and getting the best out of them.”Uthappa, the 32-year old who has played for the Knight Riders since 2014, might have missed out on the chance to lead them on account of limited captaincy experience. He has been at the helm of eight T20 matches, whereas Karthik’s corresponding figure is 18.”To come in at this role is really exciting for me,” Uthappa said. “I’ve been able to add value to the team in the past in different scenarios in different forms. This gives me a more direct impact within the decision-making group so I hope to be adding the kind of value that bring us championships.”I’m sure all of Kolkata will be right behind DK, as will I and as will the rest of the team. I’m going to be available to DK anytime he needs me, always ready to share my inputs. DK and I have known each other since our Under-17 days, so looking forward to working with him”The 11th season of the IPL begins on April 7 in Mumbai.

Everton are looking at strengthening their front line this summer, as Sean Dyche hopes to get the Blues firing to avoid a repeat of last season’s lows.

Recent reports have now revealed who they could target before the end of the transfer window, in a name that could significantly bolster the Toffee’s efforts in the final third.

Dyche confirmed his side’s survival on the final day last term, with it being vital that the Merseyside club move away from their form of being relegation candidates in the top flight.

Who could Everton sign this summer?

It’s clear that Everton are pondering making a move for a forward this summer, with links to Leeds United’s Wilfried Gnonto and Southampton’s Che Adams consuming recent speculation surrounding the club.

There has however been another name arise as a contender for Dyche to chase, with Troyes winger Mama Balde identified as a target for the Blues.

As reported by journalist Mike Minay, the 27-year-old has gained significant interest from the Premier League, with Burnley, Sheffield United and the Toffee’s named as those eyeing the Ligue 1 whiz.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

Minay added that a deal for the Guinea-Bissau forward could be struck for a fee in the region of €8m (£7m), making him an affordable acquisition for the Blues.

What is Mama Balde’s playing style?

Deployed primarily as a right-winger, Balde is just as efficient on the left flank, making him a strong and versatile forward to have in the squad.

Identified for his “pace and power” by writer Liam Scahill, as well as being lauded as an “impressive attacking weapon”, the 27-year-old could be the perfect addition for Dyche to integrate into his squad.

In Ligue 1 last term, the versatile attacker netted 12 goals and recorded four assists for Troyes, who struggled in the top flight throughout the campaign, seeing them relegated to Ligue 2.

The Guinea-Bissau international’s contribution to playing within a side that was far from at their best highlighted just how much of a threat he is, showing up when his team needed him most.

Praised as being a “really strong” asset in the attack by former teammate Tristan Dingome, Balde could be the ideal player for Everton, in a talent that could compete with Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The Englishman has had a trialling couple of years, juggling injury with poor form at Goodison Park that has seen his goal tally take a bruising compared to 16-goal Premier League season of 2020/21.

Since then, the 26-year-old has netted just seven goals over the last two league campaigns, prompting that the introduction of some competition could bolster the striker’s performance.

Balde could not only add to the goals for the club, but promote a healthy rivalry with Calvert-Lewin, in a move that could positively encourage the Englishman to raise his game for the good of the club, and his confidence.

The Troyes forward has netted 15 goals over the last two seasons to the jaded Blues talisman’s seven, suggesting just how he could improve Dyche’s options in the front line.

On the other side, the Ligue 1 gem could be the perfect addition to accompany Calvert-Lewin in leading the line, with him being flexible in his ability to be deployed in various positions around the striker.

For a fee expected to be lower the £10m mark, the Blues could land themselves a strong acquisition that could finally improve their fortunes this season.

After all, having failed to score in their first two outings, they could certainly do with some added firepower.

An expert lip-reader claims to be “97 per cent confident” that allegations of Jude Bellingham branding Mason Greenwood a “rapist” are correct.

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Local rivals in La Liga actionEngland internationals crossed pathsIncident reported by the home sideWHAT HAPPENED?

The Real Madrid midfielder lined up against the Manchester United-owned winger when facing Getafe in La Liga action on Thursday. The England internationals crossed paths throughout that contest, with one challenge in particular causing a stir.

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Bellingham was caught on camera aiming a supposed slur in Greenwood’s direction, with Getafe reportedly requesting that the incident be included in the post-game match report pieced together by referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea.

WHAT LIP-READER SAID ABOUT BELLINGHAM

Without audio, any case against Bellingham will be difficult to prove. Forensic lip-reader Jeremy Freeman has, however, told the when offering his opinion on what was said: “After carefully analysing the clip, I am 97 per cent confident that the spoken word is ‘rapist’, particularly when considering the context in which it was used. The visual cues of the lips indicate the presence of the 'R' and 'P' sounds, and the word appears to end sharply. Additionally, the speaker seems to have a pronounced Brummie accent, which I factored into my interpretation. Given the clarity of these visual markers and the absence of any viable alternative interpretation, I am quite certain of this conclusion.”

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

It remains to be seen whether Bellingham could be punished for the alleged slur. Greenwood is spending the 2023-24 campaign on loan in Spain from Premier League giants United. He saw allegations of attempted rape, assault, and coercive behaviour dropped in February 2023 – freeing him to resume his professional career.