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Liverpool striker Divock Origi is preparing to leave Anfield this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano. 

The lowdown: Yet more heroics from Origi

The 27-year-old was once again the hero for the Reds on Sunday as Jurgen Klopp’s side overcame Everton 2-0 in the Merseyside derby, scoring once and playing a pivotal role in the build-up to Andy Robertson’s opening goal.

The Belgium marksman has developed a happy knack of turning up when he’s needed the most and now has six derby goals to add to a Champions League final strike and a stunning brace in an unforgettable 4-0 victory over Barcelona.

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However, despite multiple iconic moments from the 27-year-old, it appears that the end could well be nigh for Origi at Anfield…

The latest: Romano provides Origi latest

Taking to Twitter to cite Klopp’s glowing words on the enigmatic Belgian, reputable journalist Romano confirmed that the 32-cap international is heading towards the exit door.

The reporter tweeted: ‘Jurgen Klopp: “We will miss Divock Origi – if he leaves, he will explode wherever he goes. He is a world-class striker, he is a legend and will stay a legend forever”. #LFC

‘Origi will leave Liverpool in June – AC Milan are leading the race to sign him as free agent.‘

The verdict: Time to say goodbye

Liverpool have certainly gotten their money’s worth from the £10m spent when bringing Origi to the club from Lille in 2014 (BBC). During his time on Merseyside, the Belgium striker has scored 41 goals and provided 17 assists in 173 outings as a Red.

However, with the likes of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota all ahead of him in the pecking order and Takumi Minamino also somewhat in the cold, it has become apparent that opportunities will be few and far between for the man once described as a ‘monster’ by Klopp following a last-gasp winner against Wolves in December.

Out of contract in July (Transfermarkt), so far this season Origi has netted six times in 16 appearances across all competitions, and his latest derby exploits would suggest that should AC Milan indeed be the benefactors, the Serie A outfit would be landing a big-game striker for nothing in transfer fees.

In other news, Liverpool have been linked with a shock move for one player. Find out who it is here.

New South Wales’ trio of Test hopefuls – Phil Hughes, Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith – struggled to make an impression on the first day of the Sheffield Shield match against Western Australia at the WACA

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Nov-2010
ScorecardUsman Khawaja was in Brisbane earlier this week hoping to make his Test debut, but today could manage only 17 for New South Wales•Getty ImagesNew South Wales’ trio of Test hopefuls – Phil Hughes, Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith – struggled to make an impression on the first day of the Sheffield Shield match against Western Australia at the WACA and it was left to 18-year-old Nic Maddinson to hold the innings together as the visitors were bowled out for 291. Maddinson, who struck a century on first-class debut against South Australia last month, made 72 of those to counter a strong performance from the Warriors’ seamers, and the home side’s opening batsmen then negotiated a four-over burst to go to 0 for 3 at stumps.Hughes looked in superb touch as he and Phil Jaques went past an untroubled half-century opening stand, and was particularly punishing through the covers as he rattled along at close to a run a ball. He collected three boundaries in one Ryan Duffield over and looked set to advance his claims for a Test spot before both he and Jaques fell in quick succession to seamer Drew Porter as New South Wales slipped from 0 for 83 to 2 for 90.Porter, whose last first-class appearance was in 2008-09, was only included in WA’s side for this match after Michael Hogan withdrew with a back problem. He struck in consecutive overs, trapping Jaques lbw and tempting Hughes into an edged drive to second slip. Not long afterwards Smith, batting at No. 4, chipped to mid-on where Michael Beer held a juggled catch and New South Wales were 3 for 104.When Khawaja and Moises Henriques were dispatched in the afternoon session, the visitors were 5 for 164 and wobbling. Maddinson and wicketkeeper Peter Nevill eased them past 200 with a 62-run partnership for the sixth wicket, Maddinson striking 12 fours in his half-century before he was removed by Beer. A typically bellicose 19-ball 33 from captain Stuart Clark took New South Wales close to 300, but his new-ball bowlers were unable to break through in a short burst before the close as Liam Davis and Wes Robinson dug in with extra-cautious tenacity.

Aston Villa have become one of the more active clubs when it comes to being busy in the transfer market over the past few years.

The previous January window saw the Midlands club bring in five new players on permanent or loan deals as well as moving some other players out in the other direction.

However, one player that the Villans were not able to secure over the winter was Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Yves Bissouma.

After being mentioned with a potential £50m move away from the south coast club, Bissouma remained at Brighton and continues to play for Graham Potter’s side.

Once the window had closed, Steven Gerrard revealed that Villa had a bid of £25m rejected for the Mali international.

Since arriving at Brighton back in the 2018 summer transfer window from Lille in a deal worth a reported fee of £15m, the midfielder has become a pivotal figure for the Seagulls.

With 120 appearances under his belt for the club across all competitions, the 25-year-old has chipped in with five goals and two assists.

To highlight how important he is for his side, no other Brighton midfielder has been able to match the combined total of tackles and interceptions (115) he’s been able to rack up in this Premier League.

Labelled as an “exceptional” player in the past by Gary Lineker, Bissouma also showed during Brighton’s recent 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur just what he’s capable of on the pitch.

During the 90 minutes, the former Lille ace made four interceptions, three tackles, won seven of the nine duels he was involved in and completed all three dribbles he attempted.

This shows just how talented he is on and off the ball against an Antonio Conte team that, not long before, had put four goals past Gerrard’s side at Villa Park.

This also led to Potter describing his player as being at “Champions League level” in terms of his performances on the pitch.

Moving forward, it would be sensible for the Villans and Johan Lange to not only reignite their interest in Bissouma but to not consider giving Brighton the money that they would want for him.

In other news: “Gerrard wants..“: Journo drops teasing transfer claim, AVFC supporters surely buzzing

Ricky Ponting has told his team to maintain its newly-found high standards after Australia’s breakthrough victory ended a five-Test winless streak and squared the Ashes series

Peter English at the WACA19-Dec-2010Ricky Ponting has told his team to maintain its newly-found high standards after Australia’s breakthrough victory ended a five-Test winless streak and squared the Ashes series. The crushing 267-run success gave the hosts some much-needed momentum as the sides heads to Melbourne for a Boxing Day Test that will now be a blockbuster.”We got a nice old hiding in Adelaide last week and so to bounce back as drastically and dramatically as we have done, it says a lot about us and where we’re at,” Ponting said after missing the final morning with a broken little finger. The result caused a dramatic shift as the campaign swung in a similar way to the see-sawing 2009 Ashes in England.”There was a lot of emotion in this win, we hadn’t had much to celebrate up to now,” Ponting said. “We have now set a new set of standards this week, this is the best way for us to play our cricket, and we have to maintain those standards. We have had a better team performance here than we have for a long time and it is important we don’t take this for granted, but make sure this win is significant.”Australia have picked an unchanged 12 for Melbourne and have the option of adding a standby player if Ponting’s injury continues to be a problem. Phillip Hughes and Steven Smith held their spots after unconvincing contributions and Michael Beer retains his place as Australia seek stability.Beer, the left-arm spinner, was released to play for Western Australia in their Sheffield Shield loss to Tasmania and went wicket-less in 11 overs. Australia had huge success with a four-pronged pace attack at the WACA but will need more variety on the drop-in surface in Melbourne, where Beer is in line to debut in front of a crowd that could top 90,000.”He’s grown up in Melbourne his whole life, so he’ll know what the conditions are going to be pretty much down there,” Ponting said of Beer. “Whether he plays or not will depend on what the wicket looks like a couple of days before the game.”After the innings thrashing in Adelaide, Ponting thought “here we go again” when Australia slumped to 5 for 69 on the first day, but they recovered through the batting of Michael Hussey, Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson. Johnson then surged Australia ahead in England’s first innings before he and Ryan Harris finished off the match.The Australians were the target of fierce criticism after their performances in the first two Ashes Tests and this was the first time they have sung the team song since they beat Pakistan at Lord’s in July. “It has been warranted,” Ponting said of the public and media reaction over the past month. “Yes, it has been pretty harsh, but you expect that when you’re not performing the way people want you to perform. That is the way the team has taken it.”We’ve not been that worried about it, we’ve just tried to be better to give you guys something good to say about us and we’ve done that this week. The feeling around our group has been great and nothing has changed. I’ve just waited for it to click together like it has done this week and that is what makes me so proud of the guys.”The last Ashes series had a handful of key turning points and this campaign has a familiar feel as two solid sides trade blows without any knock-outs. England won the second game at Lord’s after being out-played in the drawn opener, while Australia drew level in the fourth Test before losing the match and the urn at The Oval.Ponting said his side had gained momentum and confidence after failing to grab it in Brisbane and Adelaide. “We’ve got the tide going back in our direction now and, more importantly, we’ve got some of our key players going well,” he said. “Like Mitchell, who is on top of the world and has as much confidence as he’s ever had in his career.”Mike Hussey is in the same boat, as is [Shane Watson], Ryan Harris, Ben Hilfenhaus and Brad Haddin, so we’ve got a number of guys playing somewhere near their best and that is why I’m confident in this group. It is amazing what impact confidence and that winning feeling amongst the group can have. It can make the team achieve some special things.”Australia squad Shane Watson, Phillip Hughes, Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Steven Smith, Brad Haddin (wk), Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle, Michael Beer, Ben Hilfenhaus.

Alex McLeish has now dropped a Glasgow Rangers transfer claim involving Josh McPake.

The Lowdown: McPake free to leave Rangers

As per Football Insider, a source from Ibrox has revealed that Giovanni van Bronckhorst and co have now given the ‘green light’ for the 20-year-old to leave in the summer, as he is ‘surplus to requirements’.

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They have personally ‘told’ McPake that he can go after his loan spell at Tranmere Rovers ends this season.

The Latest: McLeish reacts to McPake latest

Speaking to Football Insider, former Light Blues manager McLeish has given his reaction to the news, claiming that Rangers should be looking to sell players like McPake who do not quite make the grade.

The 63-year-old said: “If they can generate some big money for these sorts of players they feel are not up to the required level, then why not?

“That’s good business. Chelsea have done it over a vast number of years.

“Chelsea have got these players in and later on down the line, they’ve secured big fees for them – and there are plenty of other clubs who have done the same. Why not Rangers?

“It really does take a lot to play at the Scottish Premiership level for Rangers. The demands it comes with are massive, and you can’t always get it right.

“There won’t always be players coming off the conveyor belt, but if there’s a method of raising big money for players who can’t make the grade – then it’s a no-brainer.”

The Verdict: Sell

Having been sent out on loan no fewer than five times by the Gers over the course of his fledgling career so far, it is now time for both McPake and the Ibrox club to part ways for good.

He has only managed one senior Gers appearance, which came in a Europa League qualifier in July 2019, and at 20 years of age, he needs to move on from the club once and for all in order to enjoy more regular first-team football.

It is a shame for the player, who came through the youth ranks at Rangers and was sufficiently regarded to be given a new deal just last year, but this summer feels like the perfect time to let McPake go, so long as the club can get a decent fee for him.

In other news, these were Rangers’ three worst players against RB Leipzig

Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan Test captain, has said the team’s 10-wicket win over New Zealand in Hamilton has given his side a lot of confidence

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jan-2011Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan Test captain, has said the team’s 10-wicket win over New Zealand in Hamilton has given his side a lot of confidence and that they will be looking for another win in the second Test at Wellington, rather than seeking to protect their 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.”Cricket is so fast nowadays that you rarely see a drawn Test match, unless the wicket is really flat,” Misbah told . “Our best policy for the upcoming match at Wellington will be to go for a win, rather than just consolidate our one-nil lead. I want my team to perform well, play good cricket and look to wrap up the series two-nil.”Misbah expects the Wellington pitch to be a sporting one that will lend itself to a result. With New Zealand obviously intent on evening the series, he says Pakistan will have to be careful not to let their advantage slip. “Our opponents, no doubt, will push us hard, as they will be going into the second Test on the back of a heavy defeat. They will be looking to level the series. We need to be wary of the fact that New Zealand will come hard at us. We will need to work even harder and ensure that we are even more focused in Wellington.”At the same time, Misbah also believes his side has room to improve. In the first Test, three batsmen made half-centuries, including Misbah, but were unable to convert them into big scores. “If you look at our batting in the first Test, a lot of us got starts and nobody went on to score a hundred,” Misbah said. “What I would like to see is for our batsmen, myself included, to ensure that we make full use of our good starts, and ensure that we bat for long periods. If a similar situation to Hamilton presents itself, we should ensure that we earn a bigger lead than 92. I really want our batsmen to make sure that the good starts are not wasted.”Pakistan have cycled through four Test captains over the last 12 months, including Misbah, who was surprisingly recalled to lead the side for the South Africa series in the UAE, but he appears to have brought a level of stability to the team in the midst of the spot-fixing crisis. “Credit to all of the team for the fantastic way in which they have responded to me. I am hardly having to say anything to the side and everybody knows their role in the team. I’m seeing a great degree of professionalism and responsibility from all of the players, which is fantastic, and makes my job a lot easier. I’m seeing the right response from the players at the right time.”Misbah is particularly pleased with how the younger members of the squad have responded to the challenge of coming together and performing. “It is very important for senior and experienced players like myself to set a good example for the youngsters. However, it makes my life so much easier and it’s very satisfying when I am given such a responsible and committed group. It is also heartening to listen to inputs from the younger boys in the squad in group discussions, and they deserve credit for the responsibility and application they are showing.”He also expressed his support for the Umpire Decision Referral System (UDRS), saying it should be used all over the world rather than being selectively implemented, as it is now. “I think the UDRS should be made compulsory in all international cricket, as I feel it’s of help to the umpires as well as to the cricketers.”The second Test match against New Zealand starts in Wellington on Saturday. The Test will be followed by six ODIs.

Wolverhampton Wanderers could be without their Portuguese winger Daniel Podence for their trip to Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

What’s the latest?

That is according to a recent report from Nathan Judah, who claimed via Twitter: “Podence is a bit of a grey area, has an injury and potentially could play through injections, but he’s unwilling at the moment because he might aggravate that problem.”

Lage will be worried

The latest news comes as a big worry for Lage and Wolves, who have registered their worst run of the season over the last three games. Their three-match losing streak has seen them leak five goals with no reply.

Coincidentally or otherwise, Podence has been absent for all three of those games in which Wolves have failed to score, evidence of his creative importance for the Old Gold.

Despite struggling to boost his end product for what is now a second consecutive season, the 26-year-old is the most creative outlet in Lage’s side, having registered seven big chances out of Wolves’ entire tally of 35 as a team this season.

His defensive acumen in the side is also overlooked all too often, with Podence topping the charts out of the Wolves squad for possession won in the final third with an average of 1.3 per game. This metric places him as high as joint-sixth for the entire Premier League, tied with Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne.

His average of 2.1 successful dribbles per 90 could have presented an opportunity for Lage’s side to attack in a more direct manner against what will likely be a close-knit Chelsea backline, so the news of his continued absence comes as a big blow for Wolves and Podence, who may not feature again this season.

However, if he wants to hit the ground running next season, his decision to not play through injections and instead let his injury heal over the summer could most certainly turn out to be the best move for everyone involved.

In other news: – Forget Semedo: Wolves can unearth new Doherty in rarely-seen 18-year-old who’s a “top player”