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While PNG lost both their tournament warm-ups, the hosts had a decent build-up to their first game

Shashank Kishore16-Oct-2021Big pictureOctober 17, 2021 promises to be the start of new things in Oman cricket. Until three months ago, the stadium in Al Amerat resembled a village ground with park benches to accommodate a few hundred people. On Sunday, the venue that was used as a recreational facility by morning and evening walkers from the neighbouring residential suburb, will witness history when Oman take on Papua New Guinea in the opening game of the T20 World Cup 2021, with 3000 fans expected to be in attendance apart from many others who will watch on TV.Oman’s players, most of whom play on the weekends away from their full-time jobs, spent their first four weeks in August “knocking off extra kilos” before trying to pack in as much cricket as they could to be match-ready for their second-ever big-tournament appearance. PNG, meanwhile, have endured a tough second wave of the pandemic. Having qualified for their first-ever World Cup, they want to use the tournament as a platform to bring smiles back on their people’s faces. After all, they will be playing in front of a televised audience back home for the first time. Ever.Related

PNG: a close-knit family of ace fielders who never lose their smiles

Assad Vala wants PNG to become World Cup regulars

'No one can tell us we played one World Cup and vanished'

Meet the T20 World Cup hopefuls

FAQ: All you wanted to know about the T20 World Cup 2021

Oman, the last team to qualify for this event after beating Hong Kong by 12 runs in a sudden-death playoff, have the confidence of beating Indian domestic powerhouses Mumbai 2-1 in the T20s in August. They also competed hard in the three 50-overs matches that followed, losing the series 2-1. They also competed well before going down to Sri Lanka in two T20s earlier this month.PNG too have had a decent build-up, having arrived in Oman early September. They have played eight ODIs in all, two each against USA and Nepal, apart from four World Cricket League Division 2 matches against Scotland and Oman. In between, they had two intense camps and have topped off their preparation by playing in two ICC warm-up games: they were toppled over easily by Ireland, who restricted them to 96 for 8 in the first. In their most-recent outing, they managed to give Sri Lanka a brief flutter before falling short by 39 runs chasing 163.Players to watchKashyap Prajapati, a 26-year-old top-order batter, struck a 138-ball 146 in Oman’s total of 248 against Mumbai last month. The knock paved way for his international debut against PNG later in the month. Apart from offering explosive hitting ability up top, he is also a handy offspinner. Having arrived in the country from India, for work only recently, he has made heads turn in local cricket and is believed to be a clean striker. A T20 World Cup debut can top off what can best be described as a whirlwind journey so far.Tony Ura is PNG’s big-hitter at the top of the order•Peter Della PennaTony Ura is PNG’s rockstar. A big-hitter at the top of the order, he is also their leading run-scorer in T20Is, with 768 runs in 26 innings at an impressive strike rate of 140. He is PNG’s only T20I centurion, who also has four of the top five highest individual scores for the team.Form guidePNG lost both their tournament warm-ups, by eight wickets to Ireland and by 39 runs to Sri Lanka. They ran Namibia close in a T20I last week, eventually falling short by 14 runs in a tall chase of 175.Oman beat Namibia in their first warm-up and were in control of their chase of 162 against Netherlands before falling four short. Prior to that, they gave Sri Lanka a tough fight in the two T20s before going down.Stats that matter Assad Vala’s chart-topping 197 runs in eight innings at the T20 World Cup Qualifiers in 2019 is one of the reasons why PNG are in their first major ICC tournament. He also picked up ten wickets to go with all the runs he made. Norman Vanua, the fast bowler, is PNG’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is with 35 strikes in 24 matches. Oman left-arm fast bowler Bilal Khan, who began his first-class career with Peshawar in Pakistan, is the joint-sixth-fastest, along with Dale Steyn, to 50 T20I wickets. He got there in his 35th match. Ajantha Mendis, Imran Tahir, Rashid Khan, Mustafizur Rahman and Yuzvendra Chahal are in the top five. Eighteen of these wickets came in the World Cup Qualifiers two years ago. Jatinder Singh, who was part of Oman’s historic first T20 World Cup win over Ireland five years ago, is their leading run-getter in T20Is, with 697 runs in 28 innings. Khawar Ali is second-best with 601 runs.Quotes”We believe in ourselves. We want to play to the best of our abilities. We want to express ourselves. We want to make it to the second round to test ourselves against the best teams in cricket. We don’t want this World Cup to be a one-off.”
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Kalvin Phillips has been linked with potentially sealing a sensational return to Leeds United and now a new update has emerged regarding the situation.

Phillips struggling amid Leeds links

The 28-year-old was such an integral player for the Whites under Marcelo Bielsa, combining quality and energy in midfield and becoming a crucial part of Gareth Southgate’s plans for England.

In fact, Phillips was a key starter for the Three Lions at Euro 2020, helping his country reach the final that they eventually lost to Italy, and his form eventually earned him a £45m move to Manchester City in 2022.

The midfielder’s time at the Etihad has been hugely disappointing, however, with Pep Guardiola never making him an important player and injuries continually holding him back. He was shipped off to Ipswich Town on loan during the summer transfer window, but has struggled there, too, even being sent off in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home to Leicester City in the Premier League.

With Phillips desperately looking to get his career back on track, Leeds have been linked with bringing him back to Elland Road, getting the best out of him and making him an integral figure under Daniel Farke. Now, a new update has dropped regarding a potential move.

New update on possible Leeds return for Phillips

According to a new claim from Football Insider journalist Pete O’Rourke, Leeds “are not expected to” seal a reunion with Phillips, despite rumours suggesting otherwise.

The report says that “there is a belief that his head is still at Elland Road and that Phillips would like a return to Leeds” but he may not be granted his wish.

It is sad to see how Phillips’ career has unravelled since he moved to City a couple of years ago, at which point the sky appeared to be the limit for him. Injuries have clearly played a massive part in his struggles, but Guardiola has still praised him at times, including during pre-season this year before he joined Ipswich:

“Kalvin was really good. When he can get the ball and see all of the pitch in front of him he is a really good player. When I have him in smaller spaces we have more problems. With the ball he was really good and helped us a lot. I am very, very pleased with his performance.”

The brutal truth is that there isn’t necessarily a great urge for Leeds to re-sign Phillips, even with the likes of Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev out injured, with Ao Tanaka and Joe Rothwell starring in recent weeks.

If Farke doesn’t believe that the Englishman is at the level required fitness-wise to be an asset for his team, it is important that he goes with his head over his heart, considering the nostalgia that would come with him making a return to the club.

"We're told" – Adam Pope shares new update from Leeds on Patrick Bamford

His absence has been explained.

ByHenry Jackson Nov 3, 2024

Supporters may be divided when it comes to Phillips – a January move could go down well, in terms of adding depth – but there is no question that he doesn’t look the same player as the one who left.

Paris Saint-Germain have been busy as the Ligue 1 giants have handed contract extensions to head coach Luis Enrique and four star players.

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Luis Enrique signs new PSG contract through to 2027Four first-team stars also sign renewalsMan Utd-linked Mendes extends until 2029Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Luis Enrique has largely impressed as Paris Saint-Germain boss, leading the Ligue 1 giants to a domestic treble in his first season and to the Champions League semi-finals. This season, Les Parisiens have impressed again as they sit atop the league standings despite losing star striker Kylian Mbappe in the summer to Real Madrid.

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PSG bosses are clearly happy with Luis Enrique's work as the former Barcelona manager has been handed a new contract until the summer of 2027 with the Parisiens also handing extensions to four first-team stars: Achraf Hakimi, Vitinha, Manchester United-linked full-back Nuno Mendes and Yoram Zague. Hakimi, Vitinha and Mendes' deals have been extended until 2029, while 18-year-old Zague has been handed improved terms through to 2028.

Getty Images SportWHAT LUIS ENRIQUE SAID

Speaking after the announcement, Luis Enrique said to PSG's official website: “I’m very happy to continue this story with Paris Saint-Germain. I feel very comfortable here; we have all that we need in order to work in the best possible conditions. I think that the future looks very bright, and I hope to enjoy a lot more success with the club.”

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WHAT NEXT FOR PSG?

Luis Enrique has a major task on his hands up next as Paris Saint-Germain will travel to fellow French side Brest to play in the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie on Tuesday, February 11 as they look to make their way into the knockout stages.

Bangladesh batters chased down the 73-run target with more than 31 overs to spare

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Nov-2021Left-arm spinner Nahida Akter’s five-for helped Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe and seal the ODI series 3-0. Akter ran through the hosts’ line-up to skittle them out for 72 in the third ODI, following which Bangladesh batters chased down the target with ease.Opting to bat, Zimbabwe were off to a decent start before they lost opener Modester Mupachikwa in the seventh over. Akter’s double-strike in the tenth over caused the Zimbabwe collapse, as they slid from 35 for 1 to 72 all out. Akter went on to take two more wickets in the 12th over and returned to take another one in the 14th.Rumana Ahmed and debutant Fariha Trisna also picked four wickets among them to remove the rest of the batters as Zimbabwe surrendered within 28 overs. Sharne Mayers was the top scorer for the hosts, making a 61-ball 39. Five Zimbabwe batters were dismissed for ducks and four for single-digit scores. Akter finished with 5 for 21, her best figures in ODIs, taking her series tally to 11 wickets.Bangladesh lost three wickets in the chase, but opener Murshida Khatun followed up her half-century in the second ODI with 39* off 48 balls to stay till the end and help chase the target down in 18.2 overs.

Dravid and stand-in captain Rahul both felt India were short on runs in the first innings, and expect Kohli to return for the decider

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jan-20227:29

Dravid: As a batting unit, we can look to seize a few key moments

India head coach Rahul Dravid has said the team management will have conversations with Rishabh Pant over his shot selection, even as they continue backing his natural aggression with the bat. Pant was out for a duck in India’s second innings in Johannesburg, edging Kagiso Rabada behind after charging out of his crease.”We know Rishabh plays positively and he plays in a particular manner and that has got him a little bit of success,” Dravid said in his post-match press conference. “But yeah, of course there are times when we’re going to have some level of conversations with him around, just a little bit of maybe just selection of the time to play that [shot].”No one’s ever going to tell Rishabh not to be a positive player, not to be an aggressive player, but sometimes it’s just a question of picking and choosing the time to do that. I think when you just come in, maybe giving yourself a bit more time might be a little bit more advisable, but look, in the end we know what we’re getting with Rishabh – he is a really positive player, he’s someone who can change the course of a game very quickly for us, so you naturally won’t take that away from him and ask him to become something very different. Sometimes it’s just about figuring out what is the right time to maybe attack or maybe play out a slightly difficult period that sets the game up for you or sets the innings up.”He’s learning. He plays in a particular way, so it’s always something that he’s going to keep learning, he’s going to keep improving and keep getting better.”Related

Report: Elgar's unbeaten 96 seals Johannesburg Test for SA

'Immensely proud' Elgar lauds South Africa's character

On a challenging pitch characterised by uneven bounce, India were neck-and-neck with South Africa for three-fourths of the Test match before the hosts pulled away in a fourth-innings chase of 240, their captain Dean Elgar steering them home with an unbeaten 96. Dravid felt the result could have gone differently had India put up a bigger first-innings total after winning the toss.”It’s been challenging wickets for both the teams,” he said. “This fourth innings was probably their best innings as well. The wickets have been a little challenging, I will give that to the batsmen, but yes, honestly we pride ourselves on wanting to do better and wanting to get better, so yes, as a batting unit we can certainly look to maybe seize a few key moments and when we get those partnerships, maybe make them a little bit longer.2:54

Cullinan: ‘I thought India’s batters were too loose’

“There could have been phases in the first innings where it was challenging, the ball was tending to kick up a little bit, but we could have probably got maybe 60-70 runs more, it probably could have made a significant difference in this game.”So yes, certainly we would like to bat a little bit better, maybe some of the guys who got starts could have converted those into, say, hundreds. That was a difference in the first game – we had [KL] Rahul who went on to get a hundred for us and we ended up on the winning side. Second game, they had someone who ended up on 96 at the end of the game and they ended up on the winning side, so it really shows you the importance of, on these kinds of wickets especially, one of your batsmen going on and making a big score.”It’s not easy batting conditions, so if one of your batsmen who gets set can go on and make a significant score, that certainly adds those 60-70 runs to the total, which sometimes prove to be the difference in the end.”‘We had their backs’ – Rahul on Pujara-RahaneIndia’s captain for the Test match, KL Rahul, also felt his team had fallen 60 to 70 short in that first innings.”I think if I have to be really harsh, it’s the first innings, after winning the toss we could have put 60 or 70 more on the board and gone in [to the second innings] with 50-60 lead,” Rahul said at the post-match presentation. “That would have been really crucial for us in the second innings.”Apart from Rahul, no batter managed to get to 50 in that innings, with the second-best score coming from No. 7, R Ashwin, who hit a counterattacking 46 to lift the side to 202. That was to remain the lowest innings total of the match.Dean Elgar solidly carried South Africa past KL Rahul’s India•AFP via Getty ImagesIndia had a wobble the second time around too, going from 155 for 2 to 184 for 6, before Shardul Thakur hit a vital cameo to follow up bowling figures of 7 for 61, the best Test figures for an India bowler against South Africa.Rahul was all praise for Thakur. “Shardul has had a great Test match. In the few Test matches he’s played, he’s really created that sort of impact and won us games. Really happy with the way he’s bowled and with the contribution that he had with the bat as well, it was really crucial for us and gave us a change to win the Test.”Before Thakur, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane did the bulk of the work in India’s second innings, hitting brisk half-centuries in a stand of 111 for the third wicket. The partnership came at a time when the pair’s places in the side were potentially under pressure, with both batters having endured extended periods of poor form.The team’s official stance, however, has always been to back both batters publicly, and Rahul maintained that stance.”They’ve been great players for us, they’ve done the job for the team over the years. They’ve obviously been under the pump a little bit but in the team we really believe Pujara and Ajinkya are our best middle-order batsmen and they prove that time and again,” he said. “So we really had their backs and to go out there and put up a performance like that it really shows the mindset they are in and the fighters they are. We always knew they could do something like that. Hopefully that gives them a lot of confidence and they can do out in the next game and put in an even better performance.”

The billionaire talked up his Manchester links after purchasing the club, but has alienated fans and employees as well as making some big mistakes

When Sir Jim Ratcliffe completed his partial takeover of Manchester United in 2024, there was a great sense of hope among supporters on a number of levels. After almost two decades of neglect from the Glazer family, there was belief that a the club would be heading back in the right direction under a man who had years of experience in elite sport. There was also hope that they would be able to identify with the club once more.

Ratcliffe grew up in a council estate in north Manchester, had been to Old Trafford with his father as a child and had attended the 1999 Champions League final in Barcelona. There was genuine feeling that he was going to put the Manchester back in Manchester United and listen to supporters' concerns rather than show them contempt.

And yet it has taken little more than a year for Ratcliffe to show his true colours. GOAL runs through 10 moments that have demonstrated that he cares as little for the club, the people that work for it and its supporters as his co-owners from Florida…

Getty ImagesFA Cup final faux pas

The week before an FA Cup final is normally one of great excitement, but United's top brass chose to spend it sounding out potential successors to Erik ten Hag. That United wanted to replace the Dutchman was totally understandable after he had overseen the club's lowest league finish, but the news that the club had been speaking to Kieran McKenna in addition to other candidates completely overshadowed their preparation for the final against Manchester City and undermined Ten Hag ahead of the biggest game of the year.

As it turned out, the situation ended up being a rallying cry for Ten Hag and the team as the Dutchman out-smarted Pep Guardiola at Wembley, with Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo firing United to an unforgettable victory over their local rivals. However, the fact that talks with other managers had taken place behind Ten Hag's back left a sour taste, and Ratcliffe remained silent when asked whether or not Ten Hag would be staying.

The Dutchman's moment in the sun was thus spoiled, and his post-game press conference, which should have been a moment of celebration, was dominated by questions about whether or not he would be sacked.

AdvertisementAFPTen Hag's new contract

United's victory over City at Wembley did leave Ratcliffe and his colleagues in an awkward situation, but the general consensus among pundits and supporters was that one great result could not erase an embarrassing season and that Ten Hag still had to go. So there was a huge amount of surprise when, one month after the cup final and after further discussions had been held between United and Thomas Tuchel, it was announced that Ten Hag was not only staying in charge, but had been offered a contract extension.

Ten Hag was then backed in the transfer market as the club spent close to £200 million on five new signings, with Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs de Ligt having previously played under the manager for Ajax. But the fact that the club had come so close to sacking Ten Hag undermined his position, and when the team got off to a rocky start, losing three of their opening six league games, including being thrashed at home by Liverpool and Tottenham, it felt like a matter of when he would be fired, rather than if.

Getty ImagesRound of redundancies

There had been a steady stream of stories regarding Ratcliffe's cost-cutting measures following his arrival, some of which many supporters agreed with, such as cancelling credit cards and private cars for senior staff. But the most impactful measure was the July announcement that 250 employees would be losing their jobs.

Among those cut were long-running media officer John Allen, who had been at the club since 1999, as well as historian Cliff Butler and kitman Alex Wylie, who had each been working at Old Trafford for 40 years.

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Getty ImagesEnding Sir Alex's ambassadorial role

Another bombshell landed in October when it was revealed that Ratcliffe had decided to end Sir Alex Ferguson's role as a club ambassador at the end of the 2024-25 season. Ferguson had held the position since retiring in 2013, and while the Scot could no doubt take the financial hit, the move felt hugely insulting given that he single-handedly turned United into the global phenomenon they are today.

It was also a statement of intent from Ratcliffe. As Rio Ferdinand put it: "If Sir Alex can be taken out, then no one is safe at Man United. Anyone can get it now." Eric Cantona was a bit less diplomatic when he heard the news. "Sir Alex Ferguson should be able to do anything he wants at the club until the day he dies," the legendary former United striker wrote on Instagram. "Such a lack of respect. It’s totally scandalous. Sir Alex Ferguson will be my boss forever! And I throw them all in a big bag of sh*t!"

Rangers are already plotting for the January transfer window as they look to recover from a woeful start to the season under Philippe Clement.

Rangers well off the pace

After finishing as runners-up to Celtic in the Scottish Premiership and the Scottish Cup last season, Rangers were expected to challenge once more this term as Clement appeared to have figured out a winning formula.

However, that has proved far from the case, and the Ibrox side have made a horror start to the Scottish season. Knocked out of the Champions League in the qualification stage by Dynamo Kyiv, they also sit a massive nine points off the pace in Scotland at the November international break.

The Rangers star who was just as good as Raskin vs Hearts

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ByDan Emery Nov 11, 2024

Behind both Celtic and Aberdeen, who have won all but the game between each other, Clement’s side have lost three times already this campaign – already half as many times as they did throughout the entire first phase of the 23/24 season.

It has left Clement’s future at the helm in doubt, with the Rangers boss in need of a strong set of results to begin turning things around. One silver lining has been their Europa League campaign so far, with the club having picked up two wins and a draw from their opening four games and on course to qualify for the knockout stages as things stand.

But one problem continues to dominate the headlines – and now Rangers may have found a solution.

7 potential candidates to replace Philippe Clement at Rangers

Rangers manager Philippe Clement is under severe pressure after a poor run of results recently.

ByRoss Kilvington Oct 24, 2024 Rangers ready to sell "exceptional" defender

That comes as Football Insider reports that the Scottish giants are ready to part ways with James Tavernier, and could set the wheels in motion for his exit as soon as the January transfer window as the club have now started to seek a replacement.

The long-term servant and club captain has endured a rough few months under Clement. The Rangers boss dubbed him “exceptional” after he broke the British goalscoring record for defenders in March, but his defensive capabilities have always been questioned, and they have once again reared their head this season, leading to Tavernier being left on the bench for their 1-1 draw with Olympiacos.

James Tavernier in the SPFL 24/25

Appearances

11

Goals

0

Assists

3

Yellow Cards

2

He was strongly linked with an exit over the summer but opted to stay in Scotland, where he still has 18 months to run on his £30,000-a-week deal.

Now though, Football Insider claims that Rangers are “planning to offload James Tavernier at the end of the season” amid “a growing feeling from the Ibrox hierarchy that it is time for both parties to move on”.

It is added that “his declining performances have raised major red flags behind the scenes”, and that a replacement could be signed as soon as January, with a list of targets already being drawn up.

Though given his “continued importance to the team and the dressing room”, a January exit is deemed “unlikely”. Meanwhile, any January addition will depend on finances at Ibrox, with the club having shelled out £14m over the most recent summer transfer window and yet to see a significant return on their investments.

For Tavernier, it would be an ignominious exit after a decade at the club, where he will be remembered as a legend.

Australia batter also spent first half of 2018 season with the county, replacing Cameron Bancroft after ball-tampering scandal

Matt Roller18-Jan-2022Matt Renshaw has signed a contract to play for Somerset as an overseas player in 2022. Renshaw, the 25-year-old batter who played 11 Tests for Australia from 2016 until 2018, will be available for most of the season in both the County Championship as well as the Royal London Cup.The club said in a statement that he would be available “until at least the end of August”. Andy Hurry, Somerset’s director of cricket, said: “There is no doubt that Matt is a quality performer, and he has proved that on the biggest stage. He burst on to the scene and caught the eye at a young age, and through hard work and determination, he is once again on the cusp of international recognition.”We wanted to bolster our ability to put opposition bowlers under real pressure, and this will be a great opportunity for him to contribute to our success and to put himself right back in the frame for selection for the national team.”Renshaw previously spent the first half of the 2018 season with Somerset, replacing Cameron Bancroft in the aftermath of the Newlands ball-tampering scandal. He scored three hundreds in his six Championship games – including one before lunch against Yorkshire – and proved a popular signing at the time.He has also been pressing his case for a Test recall in the Sheffield Shield this season, capped by a call-up for Australia A against the England Lions.”I really enjoyed my time at Somerset in 2018, and I can’t wait to go back,” Renshaw said. “It’s a special place, and there’s a great atmosphere around the whole club. I’ve kept in touch with a lot of the guys there, and when I got the opportunity to go back, I jumped at the chance.”Although I was only there for a short time, the members and supporters really got behind me and made me feel extremely welcome. I’ve never forgotten that, and hopefully I can help give them something to cheer about in 2022. I know they’ve always wanted that Championship trophy, so let’s see what we can do.”Renshaw is the second overseas signing that Somerset have confirmed for 2022, with Marchant de Lange, the South Africa fast bowler, also returning for the second year of a two-year contract across formats.

Aston Villa are now winless in their last four games in all competitions after a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Club Brugge on Wednesday night.

This was Villa’s first loss in the Champions League this season, and it will be a result that stings for Unai Emery’s men, owing to the comical nature of Brugge’s winner.

Tyrone Mings was front and centre of the Belgian side’s laughable goal in the contest, with the experienced 31-year-old lackadasically scooping the ball up after an Emiliano Martinez goal-kick, only for the referee to point to the penalty spot.

Mings' performance in numbers

It was a huge lapse in concentration from the Villa number five, who would have just been glad to be back out on the pitch getting more minutes after a serious injury layoff, away from the incident at hand.

Still, Mings’ moment of madness ultimately cost his side the game, with his entire display going down as one to forget.

Away from this freak incident, Mings struggled across the 66 minutes he was present on the Brugge turf, with only one duel being won from five attempted sticking out as a sorry statistic from his hour or so on the pitch.

Pau Torres will hope he is reinstated into Emery’s main XI for the next game Villa play away at Liverpool this coming weekend, as the West Midlands side aim to put this dire 1-0 defeat behind them as quickly as possible.

Whilst Mings’ performance stole all of the headlines for all of the wrong reasons, he wasn’t the only notable underperformer on the night, as Morgan Rogers also failed to impress out in Belgium.

Rogers' performance in numbers

Rogers was a bright spark for Villa the match before this sobering Champions League loss, with the ex-Manchester City youngster bagging his side’s only goal of the game in a demoralising 4-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur in Premier League action.

The 22-year-old midfielder couldn’t raise any brief smiles in a similar manner away in Brugge, however, as Rogers failed to ever get going for his side on their European travels, with a drab 1-0 loss the unwanted final outcome.

Stat

Rogers

Minutes played

66

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

29

Accurate passes

15/19 (79%)

Shots on target

0

Successful dribbles

1/3

Total duels won

1/4

Looking at the table above, Rogers was nowhere near his best against Nicky Hayen’s hosts, with only 29 touches mustered up amongst other worrying numbers.

Even Martinez in-between the sticks managed to register more touches at a hefty 46, as Rogers simply let the game pass him by far too often.

Alongside a meagre 26 touches, the out-of-sorts Villa number 27 also failed to notch up a single on-target effort at Simon Mignolet’s goal, as well as only managing one successful dribble and one successful duel, as Brugge celebrated their big win come full-time whilst Rogers and Co trudged off the pitch downbeat.

Goal journalist Harry Sherlock would give the 22-year-old a low 4/10 match rating ater the game consequently, labelling his display as ‘bitterly disappointing’ when contrasted with his usually electric displays for Emery’s men.

Villa are deep into a sticky patch of form now after last night’s defeat, with Emery wanting a major response when his Villans side travel to Liverpool next, in what could end up being another defeat for his despondent side.

Aston Villa had a star on loan who then became a "world-class" £50m ace

Aston Villa did not see the best version of the ace, who was then worth £50m.

ByDan Emery Nov 5, 2024

The Norwegian finally struck against Los Blancos at the fifth time of asking, but he will have to raise his game against his most formidable opponent

Before last week, Erling Haaland had both an awful record against Real Madrid and an excellent one. The Norwegian had failed to score against the Spanish giants in four matches, but at the same time, he had never lost a game against them, with Manchester City winning the Champions League 2022-23 semi-final tie 5-1 on aggregate but falling out of last year's quarter-finals on penalties following two draws.

The Norwegian finally broke his duck against Madrid last Tuesday by twice giving City the lead in the first leg of their knockout phase play-off. Yet paradoxically, Haaland's best individual performance against his bête noire coincided with City's worst collective display and another late collapse, leaving Pep Guardiola's side with it all to do if they are to turn the tie back in their favour and remain in Europe.

After brushing off an injury scare in City's last match against Newcastle, Haaland will be gunning for his first goal at Santiago Bernabeu now that his Madrid hoodoo is over. But the bad news is he will have to hurdle the colossal presence of Antonio Rudiger on the way…

GettyUnbeatable

Rudiger remained in Madrid last week as he was still recovering from a hamstring injury, but he will be back in the squad on Wednesday, and Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed the Germany international is ready to start. That is bad news for City, who have failed to beat Madrid whenever Rudiger has started.

It is especially bad news for Haaland, though. When the pair met each other for the first time at the Bernabeu in May 2023, the Norwegian was in the midst of his record-breaking debut season with City and on his way to finishing as top scorer in the Champions League, having scored five goals in the last-16 second leg against RB Leipzig before finding the net in both legs of the quarter-final tie with Bayern Munich. Rudiger, however, calmly placed the goal-machine in his pocket that night, limiting him to 20 touches in the 1-1 draw, when Kevin De Bruyne struck for the visitors. Guardiola admitted that his star striker had been marked out of the game and sought to justify his lacklustre display by pointing to his age and relative inexperience.

The City boss said at the time: "Congratulations to Rudiger, but Erling, we cannot forget, is 22 and it was the first time he has played in the semi-finals of the Champions League. For the first time going to the Bernabeu, one of the biggest stages, against a top-class club with good defenders, midfielders and strikers, next time will be a little bit easier."

AdvertisementGetty 'Cyborg deactivated'

Haaland did not get a second bite at Rudiger in the second leg as Ancelotti bizarrely decided to take the German out of the line-up in favour of Eder Militao. City battered Madrid 4-0 at the Etihad, with Rudiger only being called upon in the 67th minute when Guardiola's side were well on their way to the final in Istanbul.

Starting such a crucial match on the bench must have felt like a sucker punch to the ex-Chelsea man, and when the two teams were paired together again the following year, the German was intent on making his mark on the Norwegian. He told the press conference before last year's quarter-final first leg: "It's personal for me as a defensive player, against a super striker like Haaland."

Rudiger won Round Two as Haaland had an even worse game than the year before. City's No.9 had only 20 touches, lost the ball seven times, had one shot on target and failed to compete a single dribble. Rudiger sought to disrupt Haaland every step of the way, getting in his face, nudging him off the ball and beating him in duels.

"Rudiger eats Haaland" declared the following morning, and described the City striker as "impotent". were even more scathing, remarking that "only the substitutes participated less than Haaland" while calling the Norwegian "clumsy and desperate". One writer remarked: "The cyborg was deactivated against Rudiger."

Getty Marmoush can help

Round Three of Haaland vs Rudiger back at the Etihad was a more balanced fight. Haaland hit the bar while the German's botched clearance handed De Bruyne City's equaliser. Rudiger had the final say though, burying the decisive penalty which sent Madrid through to the semi-finals and on their way to their second Champions League triumph in three years, and their 15th European Cup overall.

Round Four is shaping up to be another intriguing clash between centre-back and centre-forward. Rudiger could be lacking sharpness in his first game back since being forced off in the 15th minute against Espanyol on February 15. Haaland, meanwhile, is back in prolific form, having scored nine goals and provided two assists in his last 10 matches. And now he has an equally terrifying strike partner that Rudiger and his fellow Madrid team-mates will need to worry about.

Omar Marmoush only played four minutes plus added time in the first leg, but he heads to Madrid beaming with confidence after his hat-trick against Newcastle. The Egyptian was the second-most productive provider of goals and assists in Europe's top five leagues behind Mohamed Salah when he joined City from Eintracht Frankfurt in January, and his treble against the Magpies lifted him on to 22 goals for the season to go with his 11 assists. Between them, Marmoush and Haaland have 49 goals and 14 assists in 2024-25 – but it is not just the numbers that should concern Madrid.

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Many teams this season have found that to stop Haaland is to stop City. During Guardiola's side's shocking run of one win in 13 matches between late October and late December, the Norwegian scored only four times, and none of his team-mates could fill the gap in the meantime. City netted 15 goals in total in that period, with Josko Gvardiol, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva the only players aside from Haaland to score more than once.

Marmoush's awakening means that even if Haaland does have an off-day like in his previous three games against Rudiger, City will still provide a threat. And the Norwegian can help his fellow forward out without scoring or even shooting, but merely by drawing defenders to him. Newcastle seemed so intent on stopping Haaland on Saturday that they forgot about Marmoush, leaving the Egyptian unchecked in the area even after he had scored two goals, allowing him to calmly slot in Savinho's cut-back to complete his hat-trick.

City have also been trying to get more out of Haaland in their build-up play since their humbling 5-1 thrashing by Arsenal at the start of the month. Gvardiol combined superbly with Haaland for the Norwegian's opening goal in the first leg, hitting him with a low ball down the left wing to begin the move and then meeting him in the area to chest the ball into his path. The Croatian also released Haaland down the left against Newcastle, although on that occasion the forward went for goal and was tackled.