Pair expected to be fit for the second Test; Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Wasim jnr called up as cover
ESPNcricinfo staff27-Feb-2022Pakistan have suffered a massive blow ahead of their historic first Test against Australia with the loss of both Hasan Ali and Faheem Ashraf through injuries. Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Wasim jnr have been called up to replace the pair, but the holes left by the injured pair will not be easily filled.Both Hasan and Ashraf were part of Islamabad United’s injury-hit PSL campaign that ended on Friday evening with their narrow loss to finalists Lahore Qalandar.Ashraf missed the game with a hamstring strain while Hasan played, but limped off towards the end of Lahore’s innings with what has now been confirmed as an abductor strain.The pair have been key to Pakistan’s Test side over the last year. Ashraf has been the seam-bowling allrounder Pakistan haven’t had for years and though he’s taken only 10 wickets in the eight Tests he played in 2021, he was essential in providing shape and discipline to the attack, as well as relief for the other bowlers – something successive Pakistan attacks over the years have lacked. With the bat he’s averaged nearly 40 through 2021.Related
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Hasan, meanwhile, was the third-highest wicket-taker in Tests last year, behind his team-mate Shaheen Shah Afridi and R Ashwin with 41 wickets at an average of just 16.The pair is expected to be fit for second Test, which starts in Karachi on March 12.”Faheem and Hasan will rejoin the squad in the coming week and, after completing their three-day mandatory isolation, integrate with the rest of the squad during the first Test. Both are expected to regain full fitness before the second Test that will be played in Karachi 12-16 March,” the PCB said.”Both Iftikhar and Wasim (chosen due to their all-round ability) will reach Islamabad tonight and start their three-day isolation at the team hotel, after which they will join the rest of the squad after clearing Covid tests.”The first Test begins in Rawalpindi on March 4, the first international game Australia have played in Pakistan in over 23 years.
One Everton player’s agents has been in contact with a club in Italy over a potential January move, it has emerged, with the Toffees battling for survival in the Premier League.
Everton in a relegation battle
A 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester United in their most recent outing confirmed that Everton are going to be in a relegation battle this season. A series of mistakes saw Sean Dyche’s side fall apart in half an hour either side of half-time as goals from Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee helped the hosts to a comfortable win.
It leaves the Toffees in 15th place in the Premier League, but just two points above the relegation zone and 19th placed Ipswich Town, with an equally poor goal difference as Kieran McKenna’s side.
Now without a win since they beat Ipswich six games ago, things are only likely to get worse for the Toffees in the weeks to come, with a tough fixture list that sees them face four of the current top five in successive games, beginning with the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
Wolverhampton Wanderers (Home)
Liverpool (Home)
Arsenal (Away)
Chelsea (Home)
Manchester City (Away)
That could pile pressure on Sean Dyche, and with the club also mid-takeover, there is little certainty on Merseyside at present in what could could prove a difficult campaign for them. They also have the issue of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has been linked with a move away in January and will leave in the summer at the latest as things stand, with his current deal coming to an end amid widespread interest. Now, another player has been receiving enquiries ahead of January.
Everton man in the sights of Serie A sides
That comes courtesy of reports in Italy, which claim that Beto’s agent has been in talks with Serie A side Torino, while two more Italian sides wait in the wings.
Beto was handed his first start of the season against Manchester United, but missed a glorious chance with the score at 0-0 and had little other service. In the post-match player ratings, the Liverpool Echo handed him a 5/10, warning that he needed to be more composed and lacked the quality for the Premier League.
“We saw a lot of what we already knew about Beto as while he found himself on the end of several more chances than Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been getting, he needed to be more composed with his finishing having skewed an early left foot chance high over the bar and then shooting wide when one-on-one with Andre Onana, more quality must be shown to be a success in the Premier League.”
Since moving to Goodison Park from Udinese, Beto has struggled for game time, starting just 13 times in 2 seasons and having little impact off the substitutes bench when turned to.
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ByAngus Sinclair Dec 3, 2024
With that in mind, Torino have spoken to Beto’s agent, in order to “find out more about Beto’s situation and the possibility of a transfer” in January, while it is added that both Juventus and Roma are also keeping a close eye on the forward’s situation.
Beto still has almost three years left to run on his £50,000 a week deal at Goodison Park, and with Calvert-Lewin’s future unclear, Everton would likely be reluctant to sell him unless they could recoup their initial outlay.
How much does Real Madrid's charismatic winger Vinicius Jr earn playing for Los Blancos?
Vinicus Jr is easily one of the best players in world football right now.
The pacy Real Madrid winger is always a threat for opponent defenders and his ability to decide games on his own makes him one of the most influential players in the world.
For this, the player has been rewarded handsomely by the Real Madrid management. Vinicius is currently one of the top earners at the 15-time Champions League winning team despite his young age.
But just exactly how much does the Brazilian earn playing for Madrid, though?
GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!
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Vinicius Jr’s wages at Real Madrid in numbers
According to the current contract, Vinicus is set to stay at the Santiago Bernabeu until 2027.
The Brazilian superstar earns about £330,187 ($421,792), which scales to over £17 million ($21m) across a year.
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages in GBP
Weekly wages in USD
Annual wages in GBP
Annual wages in USD
Vinicius Jr
Brazilian
£330,187
$421,792
£17,169,698
$21,933,182
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTop earners at Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappe is the highest earner at Los Blancos, followed by the experienced, David Alaba.
Meanwhile, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius earn identical wages at the club, acquiring the third and fourth spot.
At number five comes in the engine of the team in Federico Valverde who is also looked upon as a future captain of the club.
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages in GBP
Weekly wages in USD
Annual wages in GBP
Annual wages in USD
Kylian Mbappe
French
£498,248
$629,355
£25,908,917
$32,726,459
David Alaba
Austrian
£356,659
455,608
£ 18,546,242
$ 23,691,627
Jude Bellingham
English
£330,187
$ 421,792
£17,169,698
$ 21,933,182
Vinicius Jr.
Brazilian
£330,187
$ 421,792
£17,169,698
$ 21,933,182
Fede Valverde
Uruguayan
£264,244
$337,555
£ 13,740,704
$17,552,863
Top earners in La Liga
When it comes to the top earners in La Liga we have Barcelona's veteran striker Robert Lewandowski as the highest earner.
Mbappe makes his appearance at second position, once again followed by David Alaba.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid's only entrant in the list is goalkeeper Jan Oblak, followed by Bellingham who is on equal wages with Vinicius at number five.
Nationality
Weekly wages GBP
Weekly wages USD
Annual wages GBP
Annual wages USD
Robert Lewandowski
Polish
£528,330
$ 674,908
£27,473,166
$35,095,197
Kylian Mbappe
French
£498,248
$629,355
£25,908,917
$32,726,459
David Alaba
Austrian
£356,659
£455,608
£18,546,242
$23,691,627
Jan Oblak
Slovenian
£330,187
$421,792
£17,169,698
$21,933,182
Jude Bellingham
English
£330,187
$421,792
£17,169,698
$21,933,182
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Getty ImagesHighest paid players in the world
Although Vinicius is one of the top earners at both Real Madrid and LaLiga, he is yet to reach the numbers in terms of wages when compared to the highest-paid players in the world.
Leading the charts are former Real Madrid forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema at first and second spot respectively.
Meanwhile, Riyadh Mahrez comes in at number three, followed by Senegalese internationals Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly.
Newcastle United just keep building the blocks and it's becoming increasingly clear that St. James' Park is going to house European nights for many years to come, but manager Eddie Howe will understand the importance of continual growth.
Indeed, the PIF club takeover provided the Magpies with the financial means to bolster the squad with a multitude of new additions, but it is the diligence of the transfer work that resulted in a fourth-placed Premier League finish last year.
That opened the door to Champions League football after two decades away in a remarkable ascendancy to the forefront of the game, eclipsing the speed of development that would have been targetted two years ago.
With Howe navigating away from relegation danger in 2021/22, the following campaign resulted in the ecstasy of newfound success, courtesy of the brilliant transfer activity merging with the Englishman's tactical vision on the pitch.
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe.
The backline, in particular, was at the heart of the club's endeavours, with Newcastle actually finishing the Premier League campaign with the joint-best defence in the league, conceding 33 goals alongside Manchester City.
Sven Botman has been the rock and leader at the back, but Fabian Schar has been immense in his Tyneside renaissance under Howe's wing.
The Swiss international, aged 31, is out of contract next summer however, as is captain Jamal Lascelles, and it's becoming clear where the priority area will be when the next course of action is assessed.
Who are Newcastle interested in signing?
Newcastle have been linked with a move for Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe of late and the creative ace would undoubtedly pump fresh life into the St. James' Park side and offer a kind of dynamic threat to add another angle to their offensive efforts.
According to the Northern Echo, the Gunners star is on the Toon hierarchy's radar this January, disgruntled having last started in the Premier League in the penultimate match of the 2021/22 campaign.
A loan move appears the most probable course of action for the three-cap England international, and while this is an exciting prospect for Newcastle, the news that Jean-Clair Todibo is on the club's radar is even more electrifying.
Indeed, as per Spanish sources, the OGC Nice central defender is a Toon target, with Howe hoping to consolidate his team's position of strength with a lasting defensive acquisition of merit.
Having been pursued by Manchester United in the summer for a fee of around €40m (£34m), Newcastle may need to act swiftly to entice the player with a package, but given the club's snowballing stature, this is more than feasible.
Why are Newcastle interested in Jean-Clair Todibo?
As previously mentioned, Schar and Lascelles are both currently playing their final season in England's North East, and while Lascelles is not a regular starter he has been important this season, with Botman missing five matches due to injury.
Schar, however, has been a pillar of strength in the Dutchman's absence this season, earning praise for his "magnificent" performances by the Daily Mail's Craig Hope.
jean-clair-todibo
Callum Wilson's recent one-year contract extension could be followed by the renewal of the former Basel player's deal, and indeed the Northern Echo report that advanced discussions have taken place to reward Schar for his role over the past two years under Howe.
Despite this, it would be wise to bolster the backline further, and Todibo, hailed as a “Rolls-Royce” by journalist Antonio Mango, appears to be a custom-made choice, boasting the kind of playing style to slot sweetly into life on Tyneside, fighting for one of the most ambitious projects across Europe.
Player
#
Gabriel Magalhaes
1
Eder Militao
2
Ronald Araujo
3
Manuel Akanji
4
Pau Torres
5
Sourced via Football Transfers
The former La Blaugrana talent was always going to offer passing proficiency after rising through the ranks in Catalonia, and while he is contracted to his French Ligue 1 side until 2027, the financial package Newcastle are able to present could seal a deal cross the line.
How good is Jean-Clair Todibo?
The Les Aiglons defender has been sensational so far this season, completing 91% of his passes in the French top-flight, making 8.4 ball recoveries per game and winning 66% of his contested duels, offering skills that would provide the Magpies with a truly terrifying rearguard.
Botman is a superb distributor of the ball but is more conservative in his play, with the £90k-per-week machine ranking among the bottom 7% of defenders for progressive passes per 90, instead keeping it crisp with his innate composure and awareness in front of Nick Pope's goal.
Praised for his "incredible impact" by pundit Leon Osman since joining Newcastle from French team Lille for £35m in 2022, the 23-year-old has been fantastic and has worked so well with Schar, who plays a more creative, fluid game – ranking among the top 5% of positional peers for shot-creating actions per 90.
Todibo could serve as the dream heir, with the perfect range of qualities to bolster the pack and, eventually, succeed Schar to form a formidable partnership with Botman, who may well remain at St. James' Park for many years to come.
The Frenchman is very much omnipresent at the back, more than comfortable on the ball and eager to wade into the thick of the action, controlling the flow and direction of the game through his ball-playing ability and intelligence in possession.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 18% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 13% for passes attempted, the top 17% for progressive passes, the top 4% for successful take-ons and the top 6% for tackles per 90.
Very much the "complete package", as has been said by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Todibo is exactly what is needed to serve as the dream heir to Schar's position at St. James' Park, offering a similarly pass-reliant individual gameplan to work in tandem with Botman's dominant style.
Although the respective players have their differences on the pitch, this really could be utilised to great effect by an adept tactician such as Howe, and Newcastle's exciting journey would find a good chance of scoring illustrious success should this defensive machine be signed in 2024.
Arsenal were emphatic on their Champions League return last night, waltzing past PSV Eindhoven by four goals to nil in front of a raucous floodlit Emirates.
How did Bukayo Saka & Leandro Trossard play vs PSV?
For many within Mikel Arteta's squad, this was their first taste of Europe's elite competition, with that iconic anthem music to their ears. Stars such as Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard, all of whom started, were likely given an added incentive to shine due to it being their first start at such a level with the club.
However, the latter two played as if it was their 100th showing, with poise and purpose about their attacking play that helped create such an emphatic atmosphere.
They both scored and assisted, proving to be a consistent threat down both flanks. Their pace, trickery and directness helped them terrorise the Dutch outfit, who had no answer to their outstanding performances.
However, despite that, there was one man who even managed to stand out among these two flourishing stars. Having been voted the TNT Player of the Match, and handed the highest Sofascore rating, it couldn't really have been anyone else but captain Martin Odegaard.
How did Martin Odegaard play vs PSV?
"We’re in this competition to compete, to fight to go all the way. I think it’s a great start & now we have to keep working hard & we’ll see," were the words of their spirited leader after his goal capped off a wonderful night in north London.
Although he took more of a silent role, facilitating the standout showings of his teammates, many have still rightly rushed to praise his exploits. Even as he rolled in their fourth from just outside the box, the TNT Sports commentator claimed: "Odegaard! The Golden Vision of Arsenal's future. Captain. Martin Odegaard. A player who leads by example in every way."
After all, enjoying 82 touches, the Norway international was their quiet conductor in the engine room, dictating everything good that happened by finding neat pockets of space and linking defence to attack. As such, his 91% pass accuracy supports such a notion, whilst he still managed to enjoy three shots on target, as per Sofascore.
Not only this, but he also enjoyed success when it came to both dribbles and duels, as if to outline both his silkiness and solidity. He would waltz past three men successfully, whilst winning five of the seven duels he competed in. This was as complete a performance as it comes from a playmaking midfielder who has already now taken Europe's premier competition by storm.
Journalist Dan Kilpatrick would echo such a sentiment in his post-match player ratings, handing the former Real Madrid star a 9/10 rating and claiming: "Scored a brilliant fourth goal with a fierce drive after creating a yard. Made the opener when his shot was parried by goalkeeper Walter Benitez and was at the heart of so much of Arsenal’s attacking play."
Arteta will be running out of superlatives to describe his creative captain who only seems to continue reaching new lofty heights. Plenty sought to herald the £115k-per-week earner after the game, with the Telegraph's Sam Dean in awe of his "world-class" abilities and Scouted Football's Phil Costa suggesting he was just a "ridiculous footballer".
It was a joyous night not only for Odegaard but also for the club. On this evidence, who knows how high he could fly this campaign.
Batsman bows out ahead of Pakistan leg of PSL, to bring end to colourful and controversial playing career
ESPNcricinfo staff16-Mar-2018Kevin Pietersen, one of the most brilliant and divisive cricketers of his generation, appears to have called time on his playing career with a four-word update to his 3.65 million Twitter followers.Pietersen, who had declared in February that this season’s Pakistan Super League would be his last tournament, tweeted “BOOTS UP! Thank you!” to his fans in the wake of what seems to have been his final appearance for Quetta Gladiators on Thursday night.Pietersen’s returns in the tournament were underwhelming as Quetta finished fourth in the table to earn themselves a play-off berth – he made 7 from six balls against Islamabad United in that final innings, and managed just one half-century in eight innings all told – albeit an explosive 52 from 34 balls against Karachi Kings.But now, with the tournament shifting to Pakistan for two Eliminator matches in Lahore before the final in Karachi on March 25, Pietersen has joined his fellow England cricketers, Eoin Morgan, Alex Hales and Jason Roy, in opting out of travelling to the country for security reasons.At the age of 37, Pietersen’s enthusiasm for the hard graft of competitive cricket has been visibly waning in recent months. He warned that he was “nearly done and dusted” during his stint with Melbourne Stars during the Big Bash, and prior to his departure for the PSL, he posted an emotional farewell to his family on Instagram, adding that “this evening is the last one I’ll ever have to do.”Pietersen added a further update on his Twitter feed on Saturday morning, which appeared to cement his decision. “Just been told that I scored 30000+ runs which included 152 fifty’s & 68 hundreds in my professional career,” he wrote. “Time to move on!”Though he has shown glimpses of his enduring class in his recent engagements, it is plain that the passion has ebbed away from Pietersen’s game – and flowed increasingly into his new love of rhino conservation, for which he is an increasingly committed spokesman. He is having a house built near Kruger national park in South Africa, and used two of his final appearances, for Surrey in last season’s NatWest Blast and Melbourne Stars in the BBL, to promote the cause with fund-raising “Rhino Days”.Pietersen leaves the sport as England’s second highest run-scorer across all forms of the game combined, including 8181 runs in 104 Tests between 2005 and 2013-14, until he was sacked in a dispute over team ethics in the wake of a disastrous 5-0 drubbing in that winter’s Ashes.The acrimony of Pietersen’s split with England clouded the final years of his career – not least because the ECB’s selectors have, arguably, never yet found an adequate replacement for him in their Test middle order.But Pietersen’s greatest hits will endure long after the bitterness of the latter years has faded. Foremost among the memories will be his unforgettable maiden Test hundred at The Oval in 2005, with which England secured the most absorbing Ashes contest of all time; his Man of the Tournament display in the Caribbean in 2010, when England won the World T20, their first and, to date, only ICC global trophy; and his central role in England’s series wins in Australia in 2010-11 and India in 2012-13.Michael Vaughan, Pietersen’s captain during that 2005 Ashes, led the tributes on Twitter. “Well done @KP24 on an fantastic career,” he wrote. “Not everyone’s Cup of Tea but you will do for me … Best Batsman I had the pleasure to play with … 1st England batsman that put fear into the Aussies .. #WellDone”
Brendan Taylor’s belligerent century went in vain as West Indies recorded their fifth-highest successful chase in ODI history
The Report by Liam Brickhill in Harare19-Mar-2018 Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsClinching close matches and playing out last-gasp finishes have become a habit for Zimbabwe in this tournament. For once, however, the result went against them as West Indies won by four wickets to record their fifth-highest successful chase in ODI history. This meant they were well in control of their fate heading into their final group fixture against Scotland. Zimbabwe, meanwhile, faced a must-win in their final Super Sixes fixture against UAE.Brendan Taylor scored his 10th one-day international hundred to propel Zimbabwe to 289, a total that could’ve swelled further if not for a controversial no-ball call that resulted in Sikandar Raza’s wicket. In response, West Indies lost Chris Gayle early, but a 135-run third-wicket stand between Shai Hope and Marlon Samuels tipped the chase in West Indies’ favour. Late wickets raised hopes of an unlikely comeback for Zimbabwe, but Rovman Powell’s nerveless cameo helped avoid any last-minute hiccups as West Indies won with an over to spare.Samuels receives one demerit point
Marlon Samuels received one demerit point and a warning after he was found guilty of a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct. Following his dismissal, Samuels damaged a disk at the 30-yard circle with his bat while walking to the dressing room, thereby breaching Article 2.1.8, which relates to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an international match”.
West Indies’ hopes hinged on a quickfire start, but Zimbabwe may have entertained hopes of extending their unbeaten run in the tournament when Chris Gayle was out slicing to third man off Blessing Muzarabani in the sixth over. But Hope and Lewis saw the shine off the ball and cashed in on anything loose.Lewis did bulk of the scoring in a partnership of 72 with Hope. But when he played too early, and with hard hands, to give Sikandar Raza a simple caught-and-bowled chance in the 22nd over, Zimbabwe sensed an opportunity. This was however extinguished slowly as Samuels and Hope, went berserk after digging in.The bounce in the track took the bite out of what is usually Zimbabwe’s strength: their spinners. Deliveries that might have shot through at the shins in Bulawayo stood up on this hard surface, and Samuels’ first three boundaries all came off long hops. Adjusting their lengths with the field spread, the spinners didn’t concede a single boundary between overs 26 and 35, but the floodgates opened soon.Hope got to a 71-ball fifty in the 34th over and, seemingly taking that as his cue, Samuels immediately shifted gears. Raza’s offspin was flambeed over long-off for two enormous sixes, and Samuels then added two more sixes and a four to take 18 off an over from Cremer. The game turned then and there.But as they got closer, West Indies let it slip briefly. Samuels started to cramp up as his mobility at the crease suffered. He swiped two more brutal boundaries off Muzarabani, but then pushed flat-footed at one that left him off the pitch to be well caught by a tumbling Taylor behind the stumps. Then, Jason Holder fell. But with two overs to go, West Indies needing 11, Powell boldly stepped out to hit Sean Williams for six over long-on to close out the game.Earlier in the afternoon, Taylor had work to do when he first got to the crease this morning. After Cephas Zhuwao gloved to fine leg, Hamilton Masakadza was removed by a brutal lifter from Holder. When Solomon Mire was forced to retire because of blurred vision after a bouncer struck him on the right side of his helmet grille, Zimbabwe were effectively 30 for 3.Craig Ervine helped steady the innings with Taylor, while Sean Williams helped to hoist the mainsail with a bellicose 34 at better than a run-a-ball. Together they helped to keep Zimbabwe ticking at five an over, or thereabouts, but it wasn’t until Raza joined him at the crease that Taylor really began to let loose. Together they rattled along with a boundary an over, with Taylor fittingly reaching his hundred with a reverse sweep.Raza was given out in controversial circumstances when he was out bowled, only for replays to suggest no part of Holder’s foot was behind the line. The third umpire, however, gave Holder the benefit of doubt to shock a strong home crowd. It was a moment that may have well cost Zimbabwe the 20 extra runs they desperately needed at the end.
West Ham United fell to defeat against Manchester City last time out in the Premier League, but David Moyes' side's first loss of the term should do little to discredit the fine start following the £105m sale of midfield talisman Declan Rice to Arsenal.
The Hammers had won three in a row after drawing away to Bournemouth in the opener, and look well drilled and oiled this year, raring for further success after winning the Europa Conference League in June, defeating Fiorentina in the final.
That triumph clinched a spot in this year's Europa League – United's third successive European campaign – with the group phase now nigh, and Serbian side Backa Topola are the first to wage continental battle against the English side this term.
What is the West Ham team news vs Backa Topola?
Moyes has confirmed that veteran shot-stopper Lukasz Fabianski is in line for his first appearance of the campaign after losing his place to Alphonse Areola in the Premier League.
Rice's £35m replacement, Edson Alvarez, will not be available as the Mexican enforcer is currently serving a suspension after being sent off in the Europa League against Union Berlin in February while playing for Ajax.
£38m
£35m
£30m
£17m
N/A
Speaking on his squad's collective fitness, West Ham's Scottish manager said, “We’ve got everybody available — everybody fit and ready to play. All the players are ready to go.
“I want to keep them all pushing. I think it’ll be a good opportunity for some of the players to show what they can do.”
With a trip to Anfield to face Liverpool looming large at the weekend, the Irons will likely field a much-changed starting XI, and it could be the perfect opportunity for exciting summer signing Mohammed Kudus to make his full debut.
Will Mohammed Kudus start vs Backa Topola?
Kudus has only made two appearances for West Ham since completing a £38m deal to move from Ajax in August, both from the bench, but bagged a hat-trick in Europa League qualifying for the Dutch giants against Ludogorets in a resounding swansong.
He can now continue his rich exploits on the continental stage and truly announce himself to the Hammers faithful, having posted four goals and two assists in the Champions League last term – scoring against the likes of Liverpool, Napoli and Rangers.
The 24-cap Ghana star is a dynamic and incisive player, capable of thriving down the right channel and in a more central role, and has been praised for his "electric" pace by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Ajax midfielder Mohammed Kudus.
Across all competitions last season, the 24-year-old scored 18 goals and supplied seven assists, despite only playing 29 times from the starting whistle, praised as his side's “star boy” by former teammate Calvin Bassey.
Against Topola, the £90k-per-week asset can continue his European purple patch and prove to Moyes that his qualities warrant further roles from the get-go, ranking among the top 7% of positional peers across leagues similar to the Dutch Eredivisie over the past year for goals, the top 2% for pass completion and the top 1% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.
His directness and guile might also play to the strengths of exciting young striker Divin Mubama, who is also pushing for his first start of the term tonight.
The 18-year-old forward has been on the bench four times this season but is yet to make his first display, having enjoyed a tremendous breakout year last term that saw him make six senior appearances for West Ham, scoring a goal and assist apiece.
Heralded for his "instrumental" role for the United youth side by Academy manager Kenny Brown, Mubama will be hoping for regular minutes in the Europa League group phase as he continues his development and rises closer to the fore.
With Kudus and Mubama heading the Irons attack tonight, Moyes will surely get off to a winning start, with the club now looking to better last year's momentous success and challenge for the next level in European competition.
The band left the stadium after being silenced, only to return in dramatic circumstances
Firdose Moonda in Port Elizabeth10-Mar-2018Port Elizabeth’s signature brass band was told to pipe down – not for the first time – much to their own and the crowd’s dismay during the second day’s play at St George’s Park.The umpires first silenced the band during the second session, which responded by leaving the staidum. In the lead up to tea, this decision resulted in the loud chants of “we want the band,” from the crowd inside the stadium. The band returned in the over after tea to cheers and immediately began playing as Josh Hazlewood bowled the second over of the evening session. Play was stopped twice in that over as the umpires, Kumar Dharmasena and S Ravi, who is standing in place of an ill Chris Gaffaney, met to discuss their options. The band stopped and started sporadically during the over, which ended with the caught-behind dismissal of Dean Elgar.While AB de Villiers made his way onto the field, match referee Jeff Crowe, who has had his fair share of work in this series with four disciplinary issues, addressed the umpires. The band restarted after that, during and between overs. The third session is traditionally when the band play their loudest, often accompanied by song and fanfare.
The next time 100000 people at The great Eden Gardens, start making too much noise(which is far more deafening than St George’s), please can officials stop the game. Ridiculous! Wake up Dharmasena! You should know better, you played!
— mark boucher (@markb46) March 10, 2018
The band is popular among South African fans and players and former wicket-keeper Mark Boucher leapt to their defence on Twitter. “The next time 100000 people at The great Eden Gardens, start making too much noise(which is far more deafening than St George’s), please can officials stop the game. Ridiculous! Wake up Dharmasena! You should know better, you played!” Boucher tweeted.The Port Elizabeth brass band in full flow•Getty ImagesAmla confirmed the umpires had asked both the batting and fielding sides about the band because the officials felt the music was disturbing them.Players on both sides indicated the band was no bother to them. “I love my music, so I’ve got no problem with that,” said Mitchell Marsh, who revealed that he played tuba in school, while Hashim Amla confirmed the batsmen were also unaffected. “The band thing didn’t affect any of the batters,” he said. “When you are batting in the middle, you’ve got more important things to worry about it. It didn’t spoil any rhythm.”However, the band is not to everyone’s taste, especially not match officials. In December 2016, in a Test match against Sri Lanka, the band was told to play during breaks and not while play was on. Sixteen years before that, in 2000, New Zealand’s batsmen complained that they could not concentrate because the music was too loud and the band was asked not to play during their innings. They were allowed to play when South Africa batted.Silencing bands is not uncommon in cricket, with umpires Sri Lanka’s bands frequently facing silencing over the last three years. Perhaps the furthest extent of silencing was when, during the 2007 World Cup in West Indies, musical instruments were banned from stadiums.
The band and crowd respond to the umpires. #SAVAUS #BandGate pic.twitter.com/H76euNpAbo
— Jay Mueller (@bad_producer) March 10, 2018
The band’s treasurer, Cole Ingram, told SEN radio that the band spoke to the match officials in the morning and “had a good understanding of what’s expected from us during the day,” but that the umpires said they “can’t hear anymore because of us,” in the second session. He called it “impossible,” to restrict the playing to be between overs. “That’s our purpose, to entertain the crowd. And at the moment we can’t do that,” Cole said.
Everton's summer transfer window focused on the crux of the Premier League club's problems last season; sorting out the toothless attacking impetus, as was anticipated.
Having struggled for form and fluidity up front, the Toffees languished to a 17th-placed finish, finishing the term as the division's second-lowest scorers, and to combat this, manager Sean Dyche returned for a failed January target in Arnaut Danjuma.
Why did Everton sign Arnaut Danjuma?
When Dyche was appointed in the endmost days of January, he demanded signings to rewrite the narrative of Everton's season, but signings he did not get; as the winter market slammed close its shutters, the Goodison Park side were the lone Premier League outfit to not make an acquisition.
Dyche called on fans to "stick by the team", claiming that efforts were made to bring in fresh faces after selling homegrown winger Anthony Gordon to Newcastle United for £45m, but success was not found.
Arnaut Danjuma
One player who almost wound up on Merseyside was Arnaut Danjuma, who signed for Tottenham Hotspur on loan in the market's late stage despite agreeing terms on a short-term deal with Everton, with the uncertainty of Frank Lampard's dismissal – who played a large role in convincing the player to join the club, unravelling the prospective move.
While Danjuma did not enjoy a fruitful spell in north London, scoring twice from just 12 displays, he had been an effective figure in Spain, clinching 22 goals and supplying four assists for Villarreal after joining in a £21m deal from Bournemouth, having posted 17 goals across the 2020/21 campaign with the Cherries and been praised for his "exceptional" efforts by Jonathan Woodgate.
Having now completed a season-long loan transfer to Everton, Danjuma, aged 26, has started impressively and netted twice from five matches, including an equalising goal in the side's recent 2-2 draw at Bramall Lane against Sheffield United.
4 games
1 goal
3.5 shots per game
7% goal conversion
0.5 key passes per game
All stats above via Sofascore (Premier League only).
The £52.5k-per-week winger has been hailed by pundit Kevin Phillips, who said: “Danjuma is a very, very good player. On his day he is a nightmare for defenders. He can create and score goals. He can hurt any defence with his pace and directness."
Given the Dutchman's fluidity across the frontline and incisiveness, perhaps Everton have unearthed the solution to Richarlison's £60m sale to Tottenham one year on, having been praised as the "complete striker" by former Toffees boss Carlo Ancelotti, who also dubbed him "clinical" for his exploits on Merseyside.
How many goals did Richarlison score for Everton?
It's fair to say that Richarlison's time in north London has been anything but successful, having posted just four goals and assists since his transfer last summer and been branded a "joke" by talkSPORT's Tony Cascarino, and the Brazilian is not the one laughing.
12
4
2
20
7
3
59
20
4
56
21
4
5
1
1
All stats via Transfermarkt.
There couldn't be greater disparity from his time at Goodison Park, where the 26-year-old was revered for his menacing presence in the offensive third, netting 53 times from 152 outings and playing an instrumental role in the club's seasonal battles.
With 20 goals from 44 Brazil caps, including an “unstoppable” – as was said by journalist Sacha Pisani – acrobatic overhead strike against Serbia at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, he is a talented forward and it just isn't working out right now.
Richarlison-and-Calvert-Lewin-at-Everton
Competent down the left channel and in the central striking role, Richarlison boasts a dynamism to match Danjuma's, who has started life under Dyche's stewardship with promise and could now grow into his skin, adopting the mantle left by the £90k-per-week ace.
Both progressive presences, Richarlison records 2.37 progressive carries per match, while Danjuma, who ranks among the top 7% of positional peers in Europe for that metric at 2.87, clearly looks like a player capable of driving the ball into promising positions and instigating dangerous openings.
Richarlison was an impressive component of the Everton machine and remains a fan favourite, but Danjuma could now prove to be the perfect heir and play a talismanic part in the fight for success this season.