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Last year’s finalists will begin the semi-finals phase this year. St Lucia Kings beat the defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders in their first fixture this season, and lost the return leg immediately after. Since then, it’s been an upward trend in general for both teams in a tightly fought league stage. But Knight Riders come into the semi-final with a victory in their last game, and as the leaders of the league, while Kings come in with a crushing defeat against Barbados Royals on Sunday in which they played without the injured Faf du Plessis.The search for a first CPL title will hinge a lot on du Plessis’ availability for this game; while they managed to make up for his absence in the batting by reintroducing Rahkeem Cornwall into the team as an opener, his absence in the field was telling, particularly evident when stand-in captain Andre Fletcher had several tense discussions with his bowlers as they tried to halt Royals’ charge in the chase. It is a groin injury that he picked up on Saturday, however, and getting him fully fit by Tuesday is a near-impossible task; if he does end up playing, he is likely to be playing through injury.In comparison, Knight Riders have looked a far more settled side, having won five of their last seven games, with one of their losses coming in a Super Over. They will feel confident in their charge to win a fifth CPL title.

Form guide

Trinbago Knight Riders WLWWW (last five completed matches; most recent first)
St Lucia Kings LWLLW

Players to watch

It was a late introduction for Ali Khan this season, but in three matches, he has already taken eight wickets. If his 4 for 6 against Jamaica Tallawahs seemed a flash in the pan before he was taken for 54 in three overs against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, he put that to rest with 3 for 19 in the return fixture on Sunday. How he bowls alongside veteran Ravi Rampaul will have a huge impact on the direction of the game.All eyes will be on Faf du Plessis’ injury status•CPL T20/ Getty Images

The most reliable batter in Kings’ top order has been Roston Chase and the eyes will be on the tournament’s highest scorer so far as Kings look to go into a second straight final. It is no secret that Kings have relied on Chase and those who come after him in the order to make up most of the runs in the last week or so, and should du Plessis miss out on the XI, the pressure will be even higher on him.

Team news

Sunil Narine was rested for the last group match so he will need to slot back in somewhere. Despite Isuru Udana’s good showing, it could even be at his expense. The other option would be to leave out the struggling Darren Bravo.Trinbago Knight Riders (possible): 1 Lendl Simmons, 2 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 3 Colin Munro, 4 Darren Bravo, 5 Kieron Pollard (capt), 6 Tim Seifert, 7 Sunil Narine, 8 Akeal Hosein, 9 Jayden Seales, 10 Ali Khan, 11 Ravi RampaulSamit Patel has endured a difficult season so far. He hasn’t got the runs, he hasn’t been bowling too much, and he dropped Kyle Mayers on Sunday, who led Royals to victory in the end. But his experience should still make him the first choice overseas player should du Plessis miss out. That will mean Cornwall will open alongside Fletcher.St Lucia Kings (possible): 1 Andre Fletcher, 2 Faf du Plessis/Samit Patel, 3 Mark Deyal, 4 Roston Chase, 5 Tim David, 6 David Wiese, 7 Keemo Paul, 8 Kadeem Alleyne/Rahkeem Cornwall, 9 Wahab Riaz, 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Jeavor Royal

Pitch and conditions

The first semi-final is a morning fixture. That has usually meant some assistance due to overnight moisture for the team that bowls first. This could continue to be the case on a pitch that has otherwise leaned heavily towards batting after the curator decided to shave off more grass for the final stages of the league. Rain has been a presence throughout the last week, but hasn’t been heavy or persistent enough to affect matches so far.

Stats

• Kings (123 fours, 72 sixes) have scored significantly more runs off boundaries than Knight Riders (102 fours, 68 sixes) this season
• Knight Riders are the most economical team in the end overs this season, going at 8.73 so far. Kings’ bowlers have leaked at 12.38 in that phase this season, with only Royals (12.52) doing worse

The stand-in coach for the tours of Bangladesh and Pakistan will be joined in the backroom by former Sri Lanka batter Thilan Samaraweera

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Aug-2021

Glenn Pocknall believes Ben Sears ‘has got all the skills and attributes of bowling fast’•Getty Images

New Zealand’s stand-in coach Glenn Pocknall believes ​”there is a huge amount of growth” the team can look forward to from the uncapped pace bowler Ben Sears, who is among the fresh faces selected for the white-ball tours of Pakistan and Bangladesh beginning September.Pocknall is standing in for regular head coach Gary Stead, who is taking a break before he joins the squad alongside batting coach Luke Ronchi for the T20 World Cup in the UAE in October. Also joining the new coaching staff for the Bangladesh and Pakistan tours will be former New Zealand fast bowler Graeme Aldridge, who will be the bowling coach, and the former Sri Lanka batter Thilan Samaraweera, who has been named the batting coach. Samaraweera has previously worked with New Zealand during their tour of Sri Lanka in August 2019.Related

Ben Sears, the latest New Zealander in the fast lane

McConchie set to live his childhood dream for New Zealand

Tom Latham to lead New Zealand in Bangladesh and Pakistan with IPL-bound players unavailable

New Zealand’s regular bowling coach Shane Jurgenson will rejoin the squad as head coach for the T20I series against Pakistan.With a number of first-team players including Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson and Lockie Ferguson unavailable owing to their involvement in the IPL, which clashes with part of the tour, several young players who have shown promise at the domestic level have been drafted into the squad. This includes the top-order batters Finn Allen, who is in all three squads, and Rachin Ravindra, who is in the squads for the T20I tour of Bangladesh and the Pakistan ODIs.Glenn Pocknall is standing in for Gary Stead on New Zealand’s upcoming tours of Bangladesh and Pakistan•Getty Images

Sears, who featured in the Under-19 World Cup in 2016 alongside Ravindra and Allen, has come through the NZC pathways system and Pocknall feels he is one to watch out for.”He is 22 years old, he is still pretty raw in terms of the first-class cricketer. For him, the world’s his oyster,” Pocknall said. “He has got all the skills and attributes of bowling fast. It is just harnessing his skill and harnessing his mind in the right direction, wherever that takes him, we will see. There is a huge amount of growth that we could all look forward to. It is just a start for him, he will be relishing the opportunity.”He’s got the pace since he was a kid. We just have to harness that, with the body growing in right position and mind growing in the right direction, the outcome that we are looking for at the end of the day is trying to get all the pieces of the puzzle together. “Pocknall also heaped praise on Allen, who missed out on selection for the T20 World Cup. “At the moment, there is so much depth in New Zealand cricket that you could probably blanket over 25 names. He is still new to international cricket but he did have a great season last year. He is only young and he has got a bright future.”The squad, led by Tom Latham, leaves for Bangladesh on August 23 for the T20I series when they will play five T20Is. This will be followed by the Pakistan tour, which includes three ODIs starting September 17, and five T20Is. Pocknall believes that with depth in the squad, the team will be able to step up to the challenge in the subcontinent. New Zealand will play three ODIs from September 17, followed by five T20Is.”I can’t wait to get over there,” Pocknall said. “It’s a part of the world I haven’t been to – both Bangladesh and Pakistan. There is a challenge in the unknown in terms of conditions. I know we have got a group that has depth. So whatever is thrown at us, we are gonna work together and achieve what we want to achieve. It’s an exciting time.”

Leeds United recorded their second successive win without conceding a goal in the Championship at the weekend as they beat Coventry City 3-0 at Elland Road.

The Whites had beaten Cardiff City 2-0 in the previous match and are now sitting fifth in the table after seven matches, having only lost once so far.

Daniel Farke is plotting a promotion to the Premier League at the second time of asking after his side lost 1-0 to Southampton in the play-off final in May, after they had finished third in the Championship during the regular season.

The German head coach was dealt a number of blows during the summer transfer window, though, as Georginio Rutter, Rennes, Archie Gray, and Crysencio Summerville were all sold, to Brighton & Hove Albion, Rennes, Tottenham Hotspur, and West Ham United respectively.

Their exits did open the door for Leeds to make signings of their own, however, and the likes of Largie Ramazani, Jayden Bogle, Manor Solomon, and Ao Tanaka, among others, came through the door.

Farke’s squad was also bolstered, in an attacking sense, by the return of Brenden Aaronson, who had spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Union Berlin.

Brenden Aaronson's strong start to the season

The USA international is looking to redeem himself at Elland Road, after scoring one goal in 36 games as Leeds were relegated from the Premier League in his first season at the club, and has plenty of work left to do.

The Whites reportedly splashed out a fee of £24.7m to sign the attacking midfielder from RB Salzburg in the summer of 2022 and is currently valued at just £9.2m by Transfermarkt, after difficult seasons with Leeds and Union.

This shows that Aaronson still needs to do more to raise his value and prove that it was not a huge mistake from the West Yorkshire outfit to bring him to England.

Appearances

7

Starts

5

Goals

2

Big chances created

3

Key passes

7

Assists

1

As you can see in the table above, the American dynamo has enjoyed a strong start to the Championship season since his return to the club this summer.

The 23-year-old talent, who still has plenty of time left to develop and improve at his young age, has contributed with five goals and ‘big chances’ created in five starts in the division so far.

This suggests that he is on the right track to redeeming himself at Leeds and, hopefully, there will be many more top-quality performances from the midfielder to eventually justify his huge price tag.

However, things could have been so different for the Whites if they had landed one of their top targets in one of the transfer windows before they signed Aaronson – Rodrigo de Paul.

Leeds United's interest in Rodrigo de Paul

In the summer of 2020, after Marcelo Bielsa had just led the club to the Championship title, it was reported that Leeds were interested in signing the attacking midfielder from Udinese.

One that got away

The transfers that nearly happened but never did. This article is part of Football FanCast's One That Got Away series.

The Guardian claimed that Bielsa was very keen to bring the Argentina international over to Elland Road and that it would have cost the Whites a fee of around £31m to snap him up from the Serie A side.

Fabrizio Romano went on to report that Leeds were in talks with Udinese to secure an agreement for the central midfielder’s signature at the start of September, at the time that they were trying to sign Josko Gvardiol – now of Manchester City.

The Argentine wizard had produced seven goals, six assists, and 17 ‘big chances’ created in 34 appearances in the Serie A for Udinese during the 2019/20 campaign, which is why his club demanded a fee of £31m.

Ultimately, no club opted to move for de Paul that summer and former Leeds sporting director Victor Orta later revealed that the financial demands from the Italian side were too much for a team that had just been promoted from the Championship.

The Whites may feel like he is one that got away from them in the end as he has gone on to enjoy a great career in recent years and is now worth more than Aaronson in the present day.

Rodrigo de Paul's current market value

At the time of writing (1/10/2024), Transfermarkt currently has his market value at €30m (£25m) and that is around £16m more than Aaronson is currently worth.

De Paul produced an outstanding nine goals and ten assists in 36 Serie A appearances during the 2020/21 campaign, after Leeds opted against a £31m move for him, and earned himself a move to Atletico Madrid.

The Spanish giants swooped in to secure his services for a fee of around £30m in the summer of 2021 and he has been a key operator for Diego Simeone in recent seasons.

He has racked up 11 goals and 17 assists in 142 appearances in all competitions for Atletico over the last three seasons or so, and has played at least 30 matches in LaLiga in all three of his full campaigns with the club.

During his time in Spain, de Paul also became a World Cup winner with Argentina in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and was a key player for his country.

Starts

7

Pass accuracy

86%

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.6

Duel success rate

53%

Touches per game

93.3

As you can see in the table above, the central midfielder started seven times for Argentina in the finals and played 102 minutes in the final against France, as his side went on to win on penalties.

He has also won two Copa America trophies with his country, either side of winning the World Cup, and this means that the midfielder has won three major trophies for Argentina since Leeds opted against a deal for him.

De Paul has proven himself on the highest stage at international level and proven himself to be a reliable player for a huge European team, in Atletico, which is why the Whites may regret not pushing the boat out to sign him in 2020.

The Haaland of defenders: Leeds nearly signed £77m star over Llorente

The Whites came close to reaching an agreement for the central defender under Marcelo Bielsa.

ByDan Emery Sep 29, 2024

Jhulan Goswami believes that India “need to take up more responsibility” as a bowling unit if they are to save the three-match ODI series against England after going 1-0 down in Bristol on Sunday.Having posted a below-par 201 for 8 after being put in, India suffered an eight-wicket defeat with England chasing the target down with more than 15 overs to spare. While England’s four-pronged pace attack played a crucial part in keeping the visitors in check, Goswami was the only quick to pick up a wicket from the Indian bowling department.Goswami said the rustiness of other seamers – Shikha Pandey and Pooja Vatsrakar – was the primary reason for their disappointing outing despite conditions assisting the quicks. But she has “full confidence” that both players will bounce back given “a little bit of time.”Related

• Ramesh Powar wants to widen India Women's fast-bowling pool ahead of 2022 World Cup

• Shikha Pandey: 'If the batters can't get us runs, we bowlers need to fight hard and back them'

• Karim calls for 'strong foundation' to speed up growth of women's cricket

• Raj bemoans lack of strike rotation after India slip to heavy defeat

• England thrash India by eight wickets with all-round display

Pandey was playing an ODI after nearly 18 months and has now gone wicketless in her 20 overs bowled across two matches (one-off Test and an ODI) in England. Allrounder Vastrakar is also on a comeback trail after having last played an ODI in April 2018 before the first match in Bristol. She returned figures of 0 for 23 on Sunday.”Both of our medium pacers – Shikha Pandey, Pooja Vastrakar – and we have another two pacers in the side, all of them are good cricketers,” Goswami said on Tuesday, the eve of the second ODI.Jhulan Goswami was the only Indian quick to pick up a wicket in the first ODI against England•Getty Images

“At this moment, Shikha is coming back from a break, she was not there in our last series. Pooja is playing after a long time. They need a little bit of time, and they will do well. They have already proved that they are quality bowlers, they have single-handedly won matches for India.”When you are making a comeback in international cricket after a long lay-off, it’s not about your technical abilities. There will be pressure. It’s about how you handle it. I am very confident of our bowling line-up.”India opted for three seamers and two spinners in the first ODI, but they may already be rethinking that. Goswami, though, feels the team “needs to come back strongly as a bowling unit” irrespective of the combination, and not look at individual performances to win the upcoming matches in England.”Whatever the score is on the board, we need to come back as a unit. It’s not about individuals,” Goswami, who has 234 wickets in 187 ODIs, said. “We still lack on that front (firing as a unit). We have discussed a lot of things, hopefully, we sort it out and we come back strongly. You have to believe in these bowlers, they are your best bowlers, they have the ability. They have done well in the past, they are coming back after a long haul. We will come back strongly.”And as a bowling unit, we need to take up more responsibility and perform on the field. As a team, we need to perform well to win the upcoming matches.”India’s inability to post a competitive total and minimise their dot-ball percentage also hurt the team immensely after they were handed a thrashing in Bristol. While Raj’s 72 off 108 balls was crucial to get them past 200, very few of the line-up have shown the ability to ramp up the scoring rate.Goswami believes that it is just a matter of time before the batters, especially the middle order, get into their groove.”It was just the first match for Shafali (Verma). You are expecting so much from her because that’s the impact she has had,” Goswami said. “Coming back to Nos. 3, 4 and 5, Punam Raut has plenty of experience. Mithali has been playing for many years and has been very consistent. She batted very well in the series against South Africa and also scored fifty in the first match against England now. We know what Harman (Harmanpreet Kaur) is capable of. They just need one good knock. If we get some runs from the top order, we will be in a better position.”

Lionel Messi may be tempted to remain at Inter Miami through to the 2026 World Cup as Alexis Mac Allister sees his fellow Argentine “happy” in MLS.

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• All-time great moved to America in 2023
• Has a year left to run on current deal
• 12-month extension option may be triggered

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner still has a year left to run on the deal that he signed when heading to the United States in the summer of 2023. Messi has enjoyed Leagues Cup and Supporters’ Shield triumphs in Florida, while claiming MVP honours for 2024.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  He remains determined to savour MLS Cup glory and boasts a 12-month extension option in his contract that could be triggered at any time. If he were to agree an extended stay at Chase Stadium, then the all-time great would still be on Inter Miami’s books when Argentina look to defend the global crown that they secured at Qatar 2022.

• WHAT MAC ALLISTER SAID

  Mac Allister has told when asked if he sees Messi gracing another major tournament, with question marks continuing to hang over his future plans at club level: “I hope so. I think so. There's a year-and-a-half left to go until the World Cup, and that's nothing. He looks happy, and although I don't know what will happen with his future, it seems like he's going to stay with Inter Miami to keep playing and enjoying himself. I hope he can make it because he's the player who makes the difference. It's always a plus to have him with us.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Liverpool midfielder Mac Allister savoured World Cup glory alongside Messi in 2022 and added on what his iconic countryman continues to mean to everybody in Argentina: “Leo is everything. For my generation and for those of us who have shared a dressing room with him, he is everything. He shows in every match, training session or in a chat that he is a top person and player. It makes me happy to share a dressing room with Messi and to be able to say that I have played with the best of all time.”

Chelsea have decided they want to sell another 2023 signing alongside Noni Madueke, following the club's capture of Pedro Neto in a £54 million deal from Wolves.

Chelsea ready to sell wingers before summer deadline day

Neto's arrival, coupled with Chelsea's ongoing talks to sign Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid, has cast doubt over the futures of some of Enzo Maresca's current wide men.

£200k-per-week star prepared to leave Chelsea after message from Maresca

The Italian’s words have not gone down well.

ByEmilio Galantini Aug 14, 2024

According to reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, the west Londoners are ready to part company with high-earning forward Raheem Sterling if Felix re-joins Chelsea from Atletico, while Neto's arrival has provided a fresh worry for Madueke over his game time at Stamford Bridge.

Madueke, signed from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023, has gone on to make 46 appearances in all competitions – scoring nine goals and assisting three others over that period.

Last season, the 22-year-old racked up eight goals and three assists across 34 total cameos – starting each of Chelsea's final nine Premier League games under Mauricio Pochettino as the Blues clinched Europa Conference League qualification.

Cole Palmer

7.48

Conor Gallagher

7.13

Nicolas Jackson

7.07

Moises Caicedo

6.85

Noni Madueke

6.84

Despite performing impressively towards the back end of last campaign, reports this week have claimed that Chelsea could in fact sell Madueke for around £40 million, as Newcastle United hold talks with the player's representatives.

It is no coincidence that rumours of a possible Madueke departure have come right after Neto's signing, and if Felix joins Chelsea with his compatriot, there could seemingly be a domino effect of wingers departing to make room for the Portugual internationals.

While both Sterling and Madueke leaving appears a possibility before the transfer cut-off, there is another 2023 signing who may well be sacrificed.

Chelsea want to sell Angelo Gabriel with Madueke after Neto deal

As per BBC Sport reporter Nizaar Kinsella, Brazilian winger Angelo Gabriel is no longer in Chelsea's long-term plans.

The 19-year-old, signed from Santos last July, spent 2023/2024 on loan at their sister club Strasbourg in France. He has since returned to a host of teammates ahead of him in Maresca's pecking order, and it now appears Chelsea want to sell Gabriel this summer rather than loan him back out again.

Turkish Süper Lig side Besiktas have registered an interest in taking the South American teenager on a permanent deal, but it is believed Todd Boehly and BlueCo prefer to find him a permanent new home, despite only bringing him in 13 months ago.

Gabriel impressed in flashes at Strasbourg last term, bagging four assists across 25 appearances in all competitions.

West Brom are tussling with two other Championship clubs to complete the signing of a "fantastic" player this summer, according to a new transfer update.

West Brom transfer news

The Baggies continue to be linked with a host of players in the current transfer window, with Standard Liege midfielder Isaac Price emerging as a target. They are in talks with him over a move to the Hawthorns, with a £1.7m deal possible.

Elsewhere, Tyrese Campbell is now a free agent after his spell at Stoke City came to an end, and West Brom are believed to be keen on snapping him up ahead of next season. His situation means that he would be available on a free transfer, and he has 31 goals in 142 Championship appearances.

Former Liverpool midfielder Cameron Brannagan was linked with a move to the Baggies, too, however, he has now signed a new deal with Oxford United. The 28-year-old was even once reportedly wanted by Barcelona and Real Madrid, which says a lot about his ability.

Huddersfield Town winger Sorba Thomas is another individual who has been backed to join West Brom in the coming weeks, but a move is yet to come to fruition and he could now join Nantes in France. He registered nine assists in the Championship last season, also scoring four times for good measure.

West Brom leading Championship race to sign "fantastic" forward

Now, according to a new report from La Provincia [via Sport Witness], West Brom are showing the most interest in signing Sory Kaba this summer, with the 28-year-old currently at Las Palmas.

The Baggies are not alone in eyeing up the forward, however, with fellow Championship pair Sheffield United and Cardiff City also in the mix. It is West Brom who are leading the interest in the second tier, though.

Kaba could be a really shrewd signing by West Brom, as Carlos Corberan looks to acquire the services of players who can add much-needed goals to his squad.

At 28, the £13,000-a-week attacker is now an experienced head, and he has racked up a total of 76 senior goals in his career for club and at international level with Guinea. Clinton Morrison has described him as "fantastic", while Sabri Lamouchi has said of him:

"He's a very, very pleasant boy. He tries to communicate with everyone, players, staff, people working in the building and making the playlist for the music in a locker room, so he is absolutely a lovely guy. You can ask the players about the playlist, if they are happy with the music or not!"

Perfect for Mowatt: West Brom negotiating deal for Yokuslu successor

West Bromwich Albion will be looking to bolster in the middle of the park this transfer window.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 26, 2024

The fact that West Brom are said to be the most interested club in Kaba suggests that they could be the current favourites to get their man, and if they pip Sheffield United and Cardiff to his signature, it could feel like a real coup for Corberan.

The Blues are pursuing a sixth successive league title and they are in an early pole position to achieve as much after a huge win at Stamford Bridge

When Emma Hayes left Chelsea in the summer, and in came Sonia Bompastor, some thought the winners of the last five Women's Super League titles would be set for something of a transition season. Saturday's 2-0 win over Manchester City, which maintained their 100 per cent record in the league this term through seven games, made that suggestion look particularly silly.

The Blues might have a different manager in the dugout and a few different players out there on the pitch, but they look as inevitable as ever at the moment. They look like the same winning machine that has emerged as the dominant force in English women's football over the last five years and, now, they are in the driving seat to keep that status after taking top spot from the Cityzens.

Every year, the feeling is that Chelsea's dominant spell has to come to an end. Can they really win yet another league title? Last year, Man City looked set to end their reign at the top, going into the final two games of the season in pole position and seeming unlikely to slip up. But stumble they did and Chelsea were right there to pick up the pieces. Give them an opportunity, and they'll take it.

How things will look in this title race come April, only time will tell, but Chelsea were certainly opportunistic on Saturday. City had their chances, and they had them fall to their star striker Khadija Shaw too, but it was the Blues who really capitalised in the big moments and showed the ruthlessness that characterises champions.

It will be another six months or so until this WSL title race is properly decided but, despite some huge summer changes, the holders are doing everything right at the moment as they bid to keep that trophy in the capital for a sixth successive season.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Stamford Bridge…

• Getty Images
  

  WINNER: Maika Hamano

  It's never easy to break into a team like Chelsea's as a young player so when the Blues signed Maika Hamano last January, it was understandable that some questioned whether there was a path into the first team for her. However, since being granted big opportunities in the second half of last season by Emma Hayes, the 20-year-old has not looked back, repeatedly shining in vital moments for England's dominant side.

  That continued on Saturday, when Hamano consistently looked the most likely source of a goal for Chelsea, either by finding the back of the net herself or setting up someone else to add the finishing touches. It ultimately ended up being the latter, with her perfectly weighted pass putting Ramirez in behind the Man City defence, with there only one outcome from that point on.

  At the start of 2024, Hamano had played just one WSL game for Chelsea and hadn't started in the competition. As the year nears its close, she's now a game-changing player who must start for the English champions and on Saturday, she underlined why.

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• Getty Images
  

  LOSER: Khadija Shaw

  This game was a tough one for Khadija Shaw, for a number of reasons. Firstly, there was the lack of service she received, especially with no Lauren Hemp out wide to deliver those deadly crosses she so often turns into goals. When she did get the ball in good positions, thanks to errors from Chelsea, she was wasteful, too. There were two gifts presented to her in the first half by the Blues and neither mistake was punished by last season's WSL Golden Boot winner.

  Then there was the fact that Shaw probably should've had a penalty just before Chelsea broke the deadlock. Aiming to attack a cross, the Jamaica international was wrestled to the ground by Ramirez and then, to only add to her woes, got caught underneath a jumping Chelsea defender as she fell and got a painful, albeit accidental, stamp for her troubles.

  When City visited Chelsea in this fixture last season, it was Shaw's goal that decided the encounter. On this occasion, it just was not her day.

• Getty Images
  

  WINNER: Chelsea

  Chelsea already went into this game with a marginal edge in the title race, as they still had a game in hand over Man City despite being a point behind them. However, especially for those that believe in points on the board being more important, that edge became even greater as they usurped their title rivals at the top of the WSL table with this win.

  To be crowned champions of England, teams just cannot drop many points. Over the last few seasons, more than 10 over the course of a campaign has often been fatal for most competing for the trophy. By getting three in this game though, and maintaining their 100 per cent start to the season through seven matches, Chelsea continue to leave themselves with a little more margin for error, particularly given City have now dropped five already. It's only November, but the Blues are in the driving seat.

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  LOSER: Lauren Hemp

  When the team news came out for this fixture, it felt like Chelsea were handed an immediate advantage by the absence of Hemp. The England winger has arguably been the best player in the WSL through the first two months of the campaign, producing electric form and match-winning moments to put Man City at the top of the table. With Lucy Bronze, who would have been tasked with marking her, often leaving space in behind her to attack as well, had Hemp started, it could've been a situation for her to really thrive in.

  However, a knee injury restricted her to a place in the stands as a supporter, not a star player, and not only will that have been difficult for her to come to terms with, it was also tough for her team. The Cityzens lacked real top quality wide play in this game and couldn't really get at Chelsea as a result.

Batting coach praises Angelo Mathews’ effort after dismal Sri Lanka display in first Test

Andrew Fidel Fernando22-Jan-2021

Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews steadied the innings•SLC

On the first day of the first Test, Sri Lanka batting coach Grant Flower was at a loss as to how to explain his team’s cavalier approach and catastrophic collapse. After a much better start this time around, Flower was pleased at the grit his batsmen showed, albeit on a flat surface.Angelo Mathews led Sri Lanka’s batting effort with his unbeaten 107 off 228 balls. He batted in long partnerships with Dinesh Chandimal, who made 52 and Lahiru Thirimanne, who hit 43. Sri Lanka went to stumps at 229 for 4.”A much better day than last time, and that’s down to the batsmen just applying themselves much more,” Flower said. “Today it was a flat wicket. It didn’t turn much. There was a bit of bounce for the seamers. So the guys just had to bat, apply themselves, and wait for the loose ball. Jimmy Anderson bowled really well as he always does, but the spinners didn’t get a lot of help from the wicket.”Angelo Mathews showed his experience again and got another really good hundred. He’s showed what a good player he was. Hopefully we can put on another 100-150 tomorrow and put England under pressure.”Related

Niroshan Dickwella's dance of destruction. Or creation. Or whatever it is

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Sri Lanka's top five show their mettle – three days too late

Angelo Mathews edges day for Sri Lanka after arm-wrestle with James Anderson

Flower was critical of three of Sri Lanka’s four dismissals, however, including that of Thirimanne, who edged Anderson to the keeper soon after lunch.”We still gave them three wickets,” he said. “I thought Thirimanne could have left his ball. That said, I thought he played very well.”Sri Lanka also maintained a run rate of only 2.63, with Anderson bowling ten maidens in his 19 overs, and the remaining bowlers conributing eight maidens collectively.”At stages we were a bit slow. We lost some wickets at crucial stages. But also given how we’d played in the first innings of the first Test, the guys probably thought we needed to dig in a bit more and put a larger price on their wickets. You can’t be too critical. And you’ve got to give credit to the English bowlers, especially Anderson.”On Kusal Perera’s dismissal, Flower was critical but not severe. Perera was out in Anderson’s third over, attempting to thump him over mid-on, but managing only to send a catch to first slip. It was the first ball in which Anderson came around the wicket to him.”That wasn’t a good shot at all, and I’m sure he’ll be the first to admit that,” Flower said. “He does have a bit of a licence to play the way he does. That’s why we’ve selected him. But you’ve got to give respect to a bowler like Anderson. You’ve got to have a bit of a look. He wasn’t in control of that by any means. That’s not a technical thing. That’s just a mental thing for Kusal. He showed in the second innings of the first Test what he can do when he applies himself.”

Manchester United were hoping to quickly announce Ruben Amorim as Erik ten Hag's successor but Sporting CP are set to make them wait to seal a deal.

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Amorim has 30-day notice period in contractSporting want €5m extra in compensation for staff and early releaseUnited have already agreed deal with new managerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Sporting are looking to ensure that proper protocol is followed as they prepare to lose their manager to Manchester United. The Premier League giants have agreed to pay Amorim's €10 million (£8m/$11m) release clause, while the 39-year-old is also understood to have told his club he wants to move to Old Trafford. However, Sporting are looking to 'defend their interests' after being blindsided by Amorim's departure, having previously expected their manager to remain at the club until the end of the season.

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According to Sporting are looking to ensure they do not 'roll over' for Man Utd, with some fans disappointed by the low release clause in Amorim's contract. In addition to the €10m clause, Sporting are seeking an additional €5m to release three of Amorim's coaches (Carlos Fernandes, Adelio Candido and Jorge Vital) and to allow him to join United immediately. Amorim is currently expected to serve the 30-day notice period in his contract and Sporting are not looking to budge without extra compensation, having been displeased by their coach's desire to leave in the middle of the season.

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Amorim is expected to triple his wages with his move to Man Utd, with his current contract believed to be earning him a net salary of €2.5m per year.

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR AMORIM AND MAN UTD?

United had hoped to have Amorim in place for their Premier League fixture against Chelsea this weekend, however, Ruud van Nistelrooy is expected to be in the dugout now after being named interim boss following Ten Hag's sacking this week. Amorim is now unlikely to be named as United's new boss until the international break in the middle of November, although talks with Sporting will continue in the hope of reaching a compromise.