Ben Stokes has a strong chance of resuming his international career in Hamilton on Sunday, 155 days after he last put on the England shirt, barring any reaction to an increased bowling workload during training

Andrew McGlashan23-Feb-20181:00

How do England make room for Stokes?

Ben Stokes will resume his England career in Hamilton on Sunday, 155 days after he last put on the shirt, barring any reaction to his bowling workloads in training over the last few days.*When Stokes flew out to join the tour after his court appearance in Bristol, where he pleaded not guilty to affray, England coach Trevor Bayliss indicated the second match of the series against New Zealand would be a likelier comeback date following Stokes’ absence from international cricket since late September.However, towards the end of the tri-series, when Stokes had linked up with the squad, Eoin Morgan was more positive about his potential to make the opening ODI at Seddon Park. The England captain has watched him at close quarters – Stokes’ workload included an eight-over spell in the nets on Friday – since the squad returned to training ahead of the one-day series.England had a final training session on Saturday, in which Stokes batted and bowled, but Morgan will wait until the day of the match to make sure Stokes has come through without issues although indicated he would not have to be available for his full ten-over allocation straightaway.”He’s pulled up well over the last couple of days and providing he gets through a little bit of bowling these next two days of prep, then he’ll be fit,” Morgan said. “If he’s not, it’s not a big decision for me to leave him out but he’s arrived here, he’s pulled up really well. He’s travelled very well and he’s turned up incredibly fit. The bowling would be the hiccup if he did pick up a niggle or something where it might put him back, but at the moment, it’s looking good.”He could equally be picked as a batter, but if he can’t bowl there will be a reason behind that, a niggle or something wrong with some part of his body. If he’s fine, he should be able to play some part with the ball. Coming back in the Champions Trophy, he couldn’t bowl at a hundred percent so he bowled four or maybe five or six overs and built it up from there.”Since the incident in Bristol following the one-day international against West Indies on September 24, Stokes’ on-field action has been limited to six pre-Christmas outings for Canterbury in the Ford Trophy and Super Smash competitions. Having been made available for England selection again last month, his journey to New Zealand was delayed when his initial court date clashed with the T20 against New Zealand in Wellington.Morgan had no doubt Stokes would be able to focus on his cricket. “It’s a skill of any professional sportsman, or any professional when it comes down to doing your job, and it’s actually a nice release because you get to focus on one thing. He looks in great nick, he’s hit the ground running and he’s been himself which has been great to see.”Stokes’ availability would give England a sixth frontline-bowling option and allow them to return to the balance of four quicks and two spinners, while also having Joe Root up their sleeve after he played an important role in the one-day series against Australia.In turn, that will provide a selection conundrum to open up a spot for Stokes. It would appear that it is Jonny Bairstow and Alex Hales vying for position with Jason Roy seemingly safe in the security of his England-record 180 in the first ODI against Australia. Even though his scores have faded since, it is unlikely it would have any bearing on his chances. In that series, Hales batted at No. 3 with Root – who was Man of the Series – at No. 4, with Root likely to move back up to first drop with Stokes’ return. Potential indication of England’s thinking could have come from the fact that Hales did not bat in the nets on Saturday.”Again, it’s a tough decision,” Morgan said. “We’ve been spoilt for batters the period of time we have been together in this group but it’s a nice choice to have. I can’t tell you which way I’m leaning, sorry.”Since being called on to open the batting in the Champions Trophy semi-final against Pakistan last year – when Roy was dropped – Bairstow has scored 502 runs at 62.75, including two centuries. He, however, failed to build on starts against Australia with scores of 14, 60, 39 and 44.Hales made three single-figure scores in the one-day series against Australia alongside a half-century in Brisbane and 35 at Perth. Given he joined Adil Rashid in signing a white-ball-only contract with his county, Nottinghamshire, this week, it would be a blow to his psyche if he were to miss out on England’s first limited-overs side since making that decision.*0120GMT, February 24: This story was updated following England’s training session on Saturday

After such a disappointing 2022/23 campaign for Everton, it was inevitable that manager Sean Dyche was going to shake things up a bit ahead of the current season.

Finishing 17th, just two points above relegated Leicester City, the Toffees swerved the unfathomable prospect of sinking into the second for the first time in their Premier League history, but the early omens this year do not bode well.

Indeed, Everton have picked up just one point from their opening four matches, and Dyche will have utilised the ongoing international break to instil optimism and uniformity into his squad, desperate to now construct a promising spell of form.

Everton's Opening PL Results

Score

vs Fulham

0-1

vs Aston Villa

0-4

vs Wolverhampton Wanderers

0-1

vs Sheffield United

2-2

After finishing last term as the division's second-lowest scorers, Everton have welcomed several attacking additions to the fold but did so at the expense of bolstering the central midfield and defence.

That's despite selling Alex Iwobi, winger-turned-central-playmaker, to Fulham for £22m, with another centre-midfielder seeing his contract terminated in Jean-Philippe Gbamin, who failed to make so much as a mark during his four years on the Merseyside club's books.

How much did Everton pay for Jean-Philippe Gbamin?

Everton signed Gbamin from German Bundesliga outfit Mainz for £25m in 2019 on a five-year contract, viewed as an apt replacement for Idrissa Gana Gueye after the Senegal midfielder completed a £30m transfer to Paris Saint-Germain.

It's ironic that Gbamin's time at the club is nothing other than a catastrophic failure – largely due to his injury misfortune – and Gueye returned to the Goodison Park side in 2022 to bolster the defensive fortitude of the midfield.

Gueye had been a crucial part of Everton's team since signing from Aston Villa for £7m in 2016, heralded for his "amazing" performances by former teammate Morgan Schneiderlin.

Gbamin was supposed to be the perfect successor, athletic, aggressive and energetic, but soon after arriving on English shores his dream move unfurled into a nightmare.

Why did Everton sign Jean-Philippe Gbamin?

It looked to be a promising acquisition at the time, with Gbamin impressing during his time in Germany and Silva acknowledging his "very good level of performance".

Having made 95 appearances for Mainz, the 17-cap international was meant to be the solution to Gueye's outgoing; a like-for-like transfer and a defensive midfielder with proficiency in his ball-playing ability.

Indeed, as per Sofascore, Gbamin completed 80% of his passes during the 2018/19 Bundesliga term, averaging 1.6 tackles per game and winning 57% of his aerial duels, very much showing signs of an all-encompassing No. 6 tailor-made for life in the unrelenting Premier League.

There was a solid foundation to build from, and for all his natural talent, Gbamin's shocking luck on the injury front has left the decision to sign him for Everton a most expensive blunder.

How much did Jean-Philippe Gbamin earn at Everton?

Penning his five-year deal with the Goodison Park side, Gbamin earned a pretty penny to complement his £25m acquisition, which was part of a lucrative summer of spending for the Toffees which saw them part with more than £100m as they looked to close the gap on those at the top of the Premier League after finishing eighth the year before, just three points off European qualification.

Earning a reported wage of £75k-per-week across his career on Merseyside, Everton now look back on the deal with poignant regret for a player who spent such little time on the pitch due to his injury problems, sidelined for 99 matches during his time at the club.

Gbamin earned the best part of £8m across his two full seasons before loan moves away at CSKA Moscow and Trabzonspor, and when partnering this with his £25m transfer, he cost the Premier League outfit around £33m during his stay, despite making just eight appearances since his arrival.

It says it all that Dyche decided to terminate the ace's contract at the end of the 2023 summer transfer window, cutting their losses on a signing who will go down as one of the worst, most non-existent deals in the side's modern history.

How did Jean-Philippe Gbamin perform at Everton?

It's safe to say that Gbamin did not enjoy success on the pitch at Goodison Park, scarcely gracing the grass across his four years registered as an Everton midfielder.

Playing in the opening two matches of the 2019/20 season – keeping clean sheets on both occasions – the Ivorian looked like an unrefined if talented midfielder and one who could grow into an impressive cog in the machine under manager Marco Silva.

However, the second of those fixtures – against Watford – would prove to be his last appearances for the Toffees for over a year, undergoing surgery on a hamstring injury that was expected to rule him out for several months, however, he would not play again that season.

The following campaign yielded similarly rotten fruits, with 11 minutes of action off the bench against Crystal Palace all the 27-year-old had to build on from his fleeting presence at the start of life with the club, shackled by incessant setbacks that all but eradicated any chance of building form and fluidity for his outfit.

Gbamin would make just five more displays across the past two campaigns, loaned out twice to Russia and Turkey after “struggling” to impress – as was said by pundit Jamie Carragher.

When considering the maximum that the 6 foot 1 dud cost the club was spread across just eight competitive games, Gbamin potentially cost owner Farhad Moshiri £4m per appearance.

While Gbamin's hopes of succeeding in Everton blue were simply ravaged by his terrible luck on the injury front, there is no escaping the fact that for such a tall fee and high wages, he has bled the club dry over the past several years.

The termination of his contract says it all, it's one that the club will just hope to bury and forget now as they aim to avoid yet another relegation battle.

Karachi Kings continued their dominance in the PSL by coming back from behind several times during the game to complete a 27-run victory

The Report by Varun Shetty26-Feb-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Lahore Qalandars came close to overturning their poor start in the tournament, only to falter in a chase of 160 that had been set up by a Powerplay where they blitzed 68 runs. Captain and opening batsman Brendon McCullum made his first score of greater than 40 in the PSL, but a slide engineered by Shahid Afridi, with support from Imad Wasim, ensured that Qalandars’ slim middle order were put under enough pressure to fall short by 27 runs. Left-arm seamer Usman Khan cleaned up the lower order to hand Karachi Kings their third win in as many games.Having elected to bat, Karachi had three successful phases in their innings. However, the phases were separated by two collapses. Opener Joe Denly led a brutal start to the innings. After surviving an lbw decision – on field and then on review – he carted fast bowler Shaheen Afridi for a six over long-on that measured 104 metres.The introduction of Yasir in the Powerplay did pay off for Lahore though when he got Denly to top-edge a pull. Mustafizur Rahman trapped Babar Azam lbw off the next ball, extended that start into a wicket-maiden, and by the time Sunil Narine was halfway through his first over, Karachi Kings had fallen to 36 for 3. A fifty-run stand followed, but another collapse ensued and they fell from 86 for 3 to 117 for 7. However, Ravi Bopara, in the company of Mohammad Irfan Jr. sparked a late surge that lifted them to 159.Lahore lost Narine for a first-ball duck, which offset their decision to push Fakhar Zaman to No. 3 in order to bolster the middle order. The left-hander did make a contribution in the Powerplay as he is wont to do, but when both him and McCullum were dismissed playing reverse sweeps, Karachi Kings latched onto the opening and completed the job. They’ve now taken 28 wickets in three matches.Joe Denly hits down the ground•Pakistan Super LeagueWhere it was wonKarachi had two distinct moments that gave them the victory in a match where they were constantly battling to stay ahead. After collapsing a second time, they were seven down in 18 overs, but Bopara and Irfan Jr. didn’t let that change in momentum cost their team. With three sixes and a four in the last two overs, they stretched the score from 128 to 159. Ten runs fewer could have made a difference to Lahore, whose strategy was to play the spinners out and make up against pace.The strategy might have worked too, had it not been for the second moment. Denesh Ramdin, brought into the side to give the spinners more confidence through his keeping abilities, was also meant to play the finisher’s role in the middle order. Just when he decided to take on Irfan Jr., he ended up slapping a cut forcefully, only for Denly to leap to his right and take the catch of the tournament at backward point. That was the end for Lahore.The men that won itAfridi hit his first ball for six today, but was dismissed next ball with more than three overs to go. With the ball, however, he sychted through Lahore’s middle order. After getting 68 in the Powerplay, they only managed 38 runs in the next six overs, losing four wickets in the process. Three of these were to Afridi, who conceded only 19.Moment of the matchShaheen Afridi was among the most expensive bowlers in the game, but he has reason to remember it. Colin Ingram had been the more adventurous batsman during his partnership with Bopara. Once the pair had stabilised the innings with their fifty-run stand, Ingram looked to lift the scoring rate with a slog sweep. He ended up getting too far under it and lifted it high towards deep midwicket where Shaheen had it covered. In the end though, it seemed like he wasn’t sure of keeping his balance and completing this catch. Instead, he used his height to dab the ball back into play while lifting off the ground like a volleyball player, and found Umar Akmal had come to his aid from long-on. With an exaggerated tumble, Akmal grabbed hold of the lob and completed the catch.Where they standThe result didn’t affect the standings. It was Karachi’s third win in a row and they continue to lead the table. On the flip side, Lahore’s third loss in a row makes their situation even more dire at the bottom of the table.

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A partir das 21h30 (Horário de Brasília) desta quarta-feira, Ceará e Fortaleza abrem a decisão do estadual e a rivalidade é colocada em jogo, no encontro que promete muita entrega na Arena Castelão.

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Esta será a quinta vez que os maiores rivais cearenses se encontram. Até agora, o Vozão leva uma pequena vantagem nos duelos com uma vitória a mais.

No Cearense, os dois se enfrentaram na Segunda Fase. Em noite inspirada de Yuri César, o Fortaleza levou a melhor por 2 a 0.

A vingança do Ceará veio no Brasileirão. Com gol marcado por Vinicius Vina, o Vozão derrotou o maior rival pela vantagem mínima.

Pela Copa do Nordeste mais dois encontros. Na fase de grupos empate por 1 a 1. Já na semifinal a história foi diferente e o Ceará venceu por 1 a 0.

Além da decisão deste meio de semana, Ceará e Fortaleza voltam a se encontrar no dia 21 de outubro, quando os dois disputam a partida de volta da final.

David Moyes cemented himself in the West Ham United history books earlier this year as he lifted the Europa Conference League trophy at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

The Scottish boss secured the club their first piece of silverware since 1980 and their first European trophy since 1965, which means that he won the first competition of many current supporters' lifetimes with the win over Fiorentina.

He has enjoyed two spells in charge of the Hammers and has been in his current term in the hot seat since December 2019. The former Everton chief has led the team to two top-seven finishes in the Premier League to go along with his success in Europe.

During this time, the ex-Manchester United manager has overseen a number of excellent signings in the transfer market who have been superb additions for the club.

Moyes has been able to unearth some gems, such as Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen, and one player he struck gold with was right-back Vladimir Coufal.

How much was Coufal worth at Slavia Prague?

At the time of his move to the London Stadium in October 2020, Transfermarkt valued the talented full-back at €2m (£1.7m) after he had spent two years with his Slavia Prague.

Coufal racked up 88 appearances in all competitions in little more than two seasons with his former club and caught the eye with his ability to bomb forward and make things happen at the top end of the pitch.

The Czech Republic international produced seven goals and nine assists from right-back in total as he showcased his quality on the ball.

He also accumulated some valuable experience in the Champions League during the 2019/20 campaign with Slavia. The imposing defender averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.74 across six matches in a group that consisted of Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona, and Inter, which means that he was able to compete against some of the biggest teams in Europe.

Coufal held his own in those matches with a duel success rate of 54% to go along with 2.8 tackles and interceptions per game for his side, as per Sofascore. The quality of the opposition did not stop him from being able to dominate from a physical perspective and he was able to win possession back for his team on a regular basis.

This means that the Czech defender was able to display his quality on and off the ball during his time with Slavia as he showcased his attacking prowess domestically and his defensive strength in Europe against tougher opponents.

His two years there also came after the attack-minded full-back chipped in with six goals and ten assists in 156 matches for Slovan Liberec in his home country.

Coufal's performances for Slavia, however, were enough to convince Moyes to swoop for his services ahead of the 2020/21 campaign and the Scottish boss' decision has turned out to be an inspired one.

How many appearances has Coufal made for West Ham?

The 31-year-old ace has amassed 113 appearances for the Hammers in all competitions to date since his move to the London Stadium in 2020.

He immediately nailed down a place in the starting XI and enjoyed a terrific first season in England with his consistently impressive displays at right-back for Moyes.

Coufal averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.01 across 34 Premier League starts throughout the 2020/21 term, which was the fifth-highest score at the club – behind Declan Rice, Aaron Cresswell, Tomas Soucek, and Jesse Lingard.

The Czech Republic international caught the eye with his superb defensive work as he made 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game to go along with a duel success rate of 57%, as per Sofascore. No West Ham player made more tackles (2.1) per match than the former Slavia star and only four players made more interceptions per clash.

He also provided an excellent attacking outlet down the right flank with 1.3 key passes per game and seven assists in total, which placed him second within the squad in both statistics – behind Cresswell.

The experienced defender, who created nine 'big chances' for his teammates that season, then started 25 Premier League matches during the 2021/22 campaign and followed that up with 24 starts in the division the following term.

Coufal also played a big role in the club's Europa Conference League success last season as he started nine matches, including the final, and delivered quality at both ends of the pitch.

He made 1.7 key passes and 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game for his side to go along with an average Sofascore rating of 6.94, which was higher than both Soucek and Lucas Paqueta's respective scores.

How much is Coufal worth now?

At the time of writing (22/09/2023), Transfermarkt have his value at €9m (£7.8m) and this is a significant rise of 350% from the initial €2m that he was valued at in 2020 at the time of his move from Slavia.

This shows that Moyes struck gold with the signing of the Czech star, who the Scottish boss hailed as "ambitious", as he has gone on to be a reliable performer for the Hammers over the course of a number of years.

Coufal has proven himself to be a dependable Premier League option at right-back, who can hold his own defensively whilst also providing a threat going forward, and that has been reflected in his soaring market value over the last three years.

He also remains an integral part of the team at the age of 31 as the impressive full-back has started all five of the club's top-flight games this season and registered one assist.

Along with that, the £52k-per-week gem has made 4.2 tackles and interceptions per game to win the ball back for his side on a consistent basis. He ranks joint-second and joint-fifth within the squad for tackles and interceptions respectively, which shows that he is one of the best at the club when it comes to disrupting the opposition's attacks.

Hopefully, Coufal will be able to maintain his form and enjoy yet another strong season at right-back for West Ham and increase his market value by even more, to hammer home the point that Moyes hit the jackpot by signing him from Slavia.

Manchester United scouts have travelled today to watch an exciting talent who has also attracted interest from a number of clubs in England and around Europe, according to reports.

What's the latest news involving Manchester United?

Speaking to The Athletic, former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has criticised some of his ex-players and their character in times where the going got tough, stating: "Some weren't as good as their own perception of themselves. I won't name names, but I was very disappointed when a couple turned down the chance to be captain. I was also disappointed when others said they wouldn't play or train because they wanted to force their way out."

He then added: "When you have a group you need everyone to pull in the same direction. When things didn't go right, you could see certain players and egos came out."

Of course, Manchester United have now lost their last three successive fixtures in all competitions against Arsenal, Brighton & Hove Albion and Bayern Munich, respectively, which has piled the pressure on Red Devils' boss Erik Ten Hag to turn things around following a poor start to this term.

On the takeover front, Sky Sports report that both Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al Thani are still keen to purchase the club despite complications in the takeover process.

United midfielder meanwhile Scott McTominay could be allowed to push through an exit from Old Trafford in January as he is not believed to be pivotal to squad plans at the Premier League giants, according to Football Insider. Bayern Munich were linked with a swoop for the Scotland international in the summer and the 26-year-old is reportedly keen to force a move to ensure he is regularly involved at first-team level ahead of EURO 2024.

Who could Manchester United look to sign?

According to HLN via Sport Witness, Manchester United are one of a number of clubs to have sent scouts to watch Club Brugge attacker Antonio Nusa in the flesh against Besiktas on Thursday, who will also be observed by Premier League pair Chelsea and Arsenal.

Marseille, Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid will also send officials to watch the highly-rated Norway international, who has been described as "amazing" and dubbed "The Norwegian Mbappé" by Talent Scout Jacek Kulig.

Primarily operating off the left-hand side, Nusa has managed to register two goals and three assists from 11 appearances in all competitions this term, as per Transfermarkt. In the Jupiler Pro League, Nusa has been able to emphasise his excellent ball-carrying skills so far in 2023/24, averaging around four dribbles per 90 minutes in the Belgian top-flight, according to WhoScored.

Manchester United are in a predicament regarding their options on the flanks, with Antony and Jadon Sancho both not in the first-team picture for reasons that have been well-documented in media circles. Facundo Pellestri started for the Red Devils against Bayern Munich in the Champions League; nevertheless, it is clear that Manchester United could use some depth in the wide areas and Nusa could be an exciting addition to the ranks.

Sheffield United resume their Premier League return by hosting Champions League side Newcastle United at Bramall Lane on Sunday afternoon. And Football FanCast has everything you need to know about the fixture as the two teams prepare to meet in the Premier League.

Both sides now have five games under their belt in the 2023/24 Premier League campaign as the table begins to take some shape after a hectic opening month of the new season.

And both clubs will feel it has not been the easiest of starts to the league campaign with Sheffield United having only racked up a single point thus far and Newcastle tallying six points to their name.

This Sunday's meeting in South Yorkshire will provide both clubs an opportunity to truly get their season up and running, but how does the history book reflect on this fixture from years gone by?

Sheffield United vs Newcastle: What's their head-to-head record?

Meetings between these two clubs go all the way back to the 1893/94 campaign when they met in the FA Cup. And it was the Toon who came out on top in the fixture with a 2-0 win to see them through to the second round.

Over the years, these two sides have met 127 times across all competitions with the large majority (96) of those games coming in the English top flight.

Across the 127 meetings, the points have been shared out fairly evenly over their history, but it is the Blades who have edged it with 50 wins to Newcastle's 48. For those counting, that leaves 29 draws between these two sides.

Sheffield United wins

50

Draws

29

Newcastle wins

48

Sheffield United vs Newcastle: What's their record at Sheffield United?

Home advantage is a term which is passed about in football and in the case of Sheffield United, in this fixture, it certainly seems to be real.

Indeed, playing at Bramall Lane, the Blades have held a real advantage against the Tyneside club having won 37 of their 62 clashes.

The Blades have also been able to hold Newcastle to a draw on 15 occasions which means the Magpies have only been able to leave South Yorkshire with a victory in 10 of their 62 visits.

Sheffield United wins

37

Draws

15

Newcastle wins

10

Sheffield United vs Newcastle: What's their record at Newcastle?

However, the same can also be said for the Magpies when they are playing against the Blades on home soil.

It is a very similar story on Tyneside with Newcastle holding the advantage having also won 37 times against the Blades.

The pair have faced it off 64 times at St. James' Park across all competitions, and the Blades have only been able to make the journey back down to South Yorkshire on 13 occasions – leaving 14 draws between them on Tyneside.

Sheffield United wins

13

Draws

14

Newcastle wins

37

Sheffield United vs Newcastle: What's their Premier League record?

The majority of the meetings between these two sides have come in the English top flight with 96 games in the history books.

Across those 96 games, there has not been a whole lot to separate these two sides with the Blades holding a narrow advantage with three more victories (38) than Newcastle over the years (35).

There have also been 23 draws between these two sides with the first meeting in the top flight coming all the way back in the 1898/99 campaign which saw the two share the points in a 2-2 draw.

However, it is worth mentioning there have only been eight meetings between the two in the Premier League – as we know it today. Indeed, since 1992, these sides have met eight times in which the Toon have edged with five wins to Sheffield United's three – with no draws being held.

Sheffield United vs Newcastle: Which team has the most goals?

There has not been much between these two sides over their history and that can be seen through the number of goals scored by each side in their meetings.

Sheffield United have edged the results with slightly more wins than the Toon in this fixture, however, it is the Magpies who have scored the most goals over the years.

Indeed, the Blades have been able to find the back of the net 177 times over the course of the 127 games played out between the two sides. But, it is Newcastle who have scored the most with a slightly higher return with 188 goals.

This means, in total, there have been 365 goals scored by these sides in their 127 meetings which is a return of just under three goals per game.

Sheffield United vs Newcastle: What happened in last season's fixtures?Given the Blades earned promotion back to the Premier League last season, there was no meeting between the two sides.

However, you do not have to go too far back to find their last clashes with the pair meeting back in the 2020/21 Premier League campaign. The last time these two sides battled it out, Newcastle were able to seal the points in a narrow 1-0 victory at St. James' Park.

Indeed, it was Joe Willock's goal which proved the difference between the two sides. But in their earlier meeting at Bramall Lane, it was the Blades who were able to secure the points – also in a 1-0 victory – through a Billy Sharp penalty in the final 20 minutes of the game.

Sheffield United vs Newcastle: What is Callum Wilson's record?

Callum Wilson has played against the Blades five times over his career; in which the 31-year-old has only been on the winning side on one occasion.

However, it is worth mentioning only one of those five games has come whilst wearing the black and white shirt of Newcastle. Indeed, he missed one of their meetings in the 2020/21 campaign through injury and played his other four games during his time at Bournemouth and Coventry City.

During those games for Coventry and for the Cherries, Wilson has been able to find the back of the net, but his only appearance for the Magpies ended in defeat.

The Englishman has made an impressive start to the campaign with three goals in his first five games, however, he will be hoping to find himself on the winning side for what would be just the second time against the Blades.

Sheffield United vs Newcastle: What is Sheffield United's biggest win?

The Blades hold the most victories out of the two sides in this fixture and over the course of their history, they have also notched up some impressive wins.

Indeed, the Blades have won on multiple occasions by a four-goal margin with a 5-1 victory back in the 1935/36 campaign one of their most notable results. Alongside that is a 6-2 victory over the Toon coming in the 1954/55 campaign.

However, their 5-0 win over Newcastle in the 1913/14 FA Cup was the Blades' biggest win with a five-goal margin as they advanced through to the second round of the game's oldest cup competition.

Sheffield United vs Newcastle: What is Newcastle's biggest win?

Similarly to the Blades, the Magpies have also enjoyed some considerable victories in this fixture. It was only three years ago since the Magpies enjoyed an emphatic 3-0 win over Shefffield United in the Premier League with goals from Allan Saint-Maximin, Matt Ritchie and Joelinton sealing the points.

But this was not their biggest win. In fact, the Magpies have won by significant margins on multiple occasions, however, their biggest win against the Blades came all the way back in the 1937/38 campaign when both sides were playing the Second Division. The Toon ran out 6-0 victors in front of their own fans.

Sheffield United vs Newcastle: What are the recent results?

As a result of the Blades playing a lot of their recent football in the Championship, the last five league meetings between these sides is spread out over the last 16 years.

Indeed, four of the last five meetings have come in the last four years with the Blades playing in the Premier League over the 2019/20 and 2020/21 campaigns.

In that time, the Toon were able to seal the points in three of the four meetings in which the Blades were not even able to find the back of the net. However, there has been one victory for Sheffield United in their recent meetings and you only have to go back to 2020 for that when they were able to take the points in a narrow 1-0 victory at Bramall Lane.

Sheffield United vs Newcastle: When is it?

The Magpies will make the journey to South Yorkshire on Sunday for the late kick-off (16:30 BST) of the weekend. Newcastle come into the game having played on Tuesday evening in their return to the Champions League away to AC Milan.

Paul Heckingbottom's men may have a bitter taste still left in their mouths after three points were snatched away from them in the dying minutes of injury time on the weekend following two late goals from Tottenham Hotspur.

It is a game which both sides will surely be eyeing up as a huge opportunity to get three points on the board and truly kickstart their campaign after turbulent starts.

Seldom within a series do opponents line up to praise a fast bowler in public. But even more seldom do they do so in the knowledge that the same bowler will not be available for the remainder of the series through suspension, meaning all their worries about giving away a “mental edge” to the opposition stand cancelled.That, however, is exactly the case for Australia and Kagiso Rabada, the South African spearhead now sidelined due to an ICC code of conduct ban for repeated issues with celebrating a little too exuberantly in the faces of dismissed batsmen and, in the case of the touring captain Steven Smith, making physical contact. The qualities Rabada demonstrated in Durban and in particular Port Elizabeth led numerous Australian players and coaches to hold forth on his skills, and also on the wicket-celebration troubles that have nixed him from the remainder of the series.The fielding coach, Brad HaddinAs a wicketkeeper batsman, Haddin hammered plenty of the world’s best and fastest pacemen, and knows a special talent when he sees one. But he also thinks how Rabada comes back after missing two important Tests – which will leave him “hurting” – will be key.”He’s very impressive. For someone so young, the smarts he has the with ball in his hand, knowing when to go up and down gears… Looking from the sidelines, it looks like he really understands how to set up a batsman. For someone so young that’s quite impressive. I thought the spell in the second innings [in Port Elizabeth] to go after [David] Warner and the openers – that was a pretty placid wicket, and from where I was sitting that was some pretty hostile bowling. He took it on himself there to get the big wicket of Davey. He is impressive. It’s disappointing for the game that he’s not playing, but from our point of view it’s a bonus because he is a class act. It was a conscious effort [by Rabada] to go hard at him and it was a good ball that got him [Warner] in the end.”Everyone needs to take a step back. Let’s start playing cricket more on skill and less on emotion. Both sides have been guilty of things they’re probably not proud of over the last two Test matches. But we’re 1-1, it’s time to play some cricket on skill and leave that other stuff to the side. It’s disappointing for Rabada. I know the South Africans, playing us, I’ve heard them say a couple of times this is their big series, and now he’s got to sit back and watch what’s going on out there. It will be interesting to see how he comes back after that, because he’ll be hurting, no doubt, over the next couple of Test matches.”AFP

The bowling coach, David SakerWith Victoria, England and now Australia, Saker has worked closely with a host of high-class pacemen. His views of Rabada are more technical, and also in line with the view that when a great talent crosses your path, one of the best things a coach can do is to get out of the way – except, of course, when it comes to send-offs.”I wouldn’t change a thing, it’s a great product. Even two or three years ago when I first saw the guy… He’s still a kid now, he’s just pretty exciting, he’s got raw pace, his arm speed is quite amazing, he keeps running in and, like a lot of good bowlers, he gets wickets in clumps and puts a lot of pressure on the new batters. He’s obviously hard to start against because of his pace. You wouldn’t be changing a thing, he’s a really exciting cricketer and South Africa are very blessed to have him in their team.”I wouldn’t be changing his action or his product. His discipline in the game you would have to change and I’m sure they would look at that, they’ll put people and things in place you would think. Fortunately for us that’s not our problem and I’ll let South Africa deal with that one.”The rival, Mitchell StarcFor most of the past three years, Starc has been arguably the world’s most feared fast man when he gets it right, and certainly the quickest at his peak. To watch Rabada at work, including having to face him, has been an experience both good and bad for Starc. He also had some useful advice to offer, from the perspective of a fast man who, as a younger player, gave his share of send-offs and ran into trouble for doing so.”He’s a pretty good bowler, isn’t he? What’s he got now, four 10-fors? Dale has got five in [many] more Test matches. His record is pretty good, it speaks for itself. He’s their spearhead, the one they go to, and he’s done the job time after time. They’ve got two guys who are in the mix who have taken 300 and 400 Test wickets. They’ve got plenty of bowlers in their stocks. But if he’s not playing in the rest of this series, he’s going to be a big loss for them.”I think that’s the biggest one, how close you get to the batsmen these days. It’s very much a no-no. He’s only young and made a couple of mistakes, but I’m sure he’ll learn going forward that you just can’t get that close to the batter and the [umpires] are going to be on you at all times. He’s a fantastic bowler to watch when he’s in full flight, and he’s going to keep taking wickets and keep celebrating. Maybe [he needs to be] just moving away from the batter a little bit, which I think I’ve learnt in the past as well when I was a bit younger.”The batsman, Shaun MarshAt St George’s Park, Marsh was undone by the full range of Rabada’s skills with a reversing ball, pinned lbw in the first innings with a ball swerving back sharply at him, and then coaxed into following and edging a second-innings delivery of similar length that curled away towards the slips.”He’s obviously a world-class bowler, isn’t he? His stats say that. He’s been a good challenge for us the first two Test matches. Obviously not playing the next two. He bowls good pace and can swing it both ways.”I guess it’s obviously two nations going pretty hard out on the ground. It’s Test cricket and sometimes tensions do boil over. It is what it is sometimes. We’ve just got to keep playing good cricket and keep playing on skill.”

تحدث ديدييه ديشامب، المدير الفني لمنتخب فرنسا، عن حالة النجم كيليان مبابي بعدما شارك كبديل في مباراة الأمس ضد كندا، وديًا.

وتلاقى المنتخبان في مباراة ودية، استعدادًا للمشاركة في بطولة كأس أمم أوروبا، يورو 2024، حيث تعادلا سلبيًا (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

ولم يشارك مبابي كأساسي في تلك المباراة، حيث اقتصرت مشاركته على 15 دقيقة.

وقال ديشامب في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “rmcsport” الفرنسية: “مبابي تلقى ضربة خلال المباراة الأخيرة، أمس في التدريبات كان هناك ورم دموي كبير على الركبة”.

وأضاف: “تلقى العلاج وكان أفضل بكثير اليوم، ولكن حتى لو كان أراد اللعب في المباراة بأكملها، لم يكن هناك حاجة إلى المخاطرة”.

وأردف: “بعد العلاج، شعر مبابي بالتحسن، وأراد أن يلعب لمدة 15 دقيقة، ومن الواضح أنه عندما يكون كيليان في الملعب فإن ذلك يغير الكثير من الأشياء”.

وظهر مبابي في المنطقة الخاصة بالإعلام بعد المباراة، حيث سُئل عن حالته، وقال: “الأمور تسير بشكل جيد للغاية، كل شئ على ما يرام”.

Steyn, who has not played competitive cricket since the New Year’s Test against India, will look to county circuit to get game time ahead of South Africa’s next assignment in Sri Lanka in July

Firdose Moonda01-Apr-2018Dale Steyn will look to county circuit to get game time ahead of South Africa’s next international assignment in Sri Lanka in July. Steyn, who has not played competitive cricket since the New Year’s Test against India where he injured his heel, still requires a month’s rehabilitation before returning to action.Steyn confirmed there was a “possibility,” of him joining Hampshire in June, although he is also looking at other options. Hampshire have already signed Hashim Amla for the first three months of the season, and have two South African Kolpak signees on their books – Kyle Abbott and Rilee Rossouw.Steyn was awarded a new national contract in April and has committed himself to returning for South Africa, though he has only played one Test since November 2016, when he broke a bone in his shoulder at the WACA, and his one-day future is uncertain. Steyn needs three wickets to overtake Shaun Pollock as South Africa’s highest wicket-taker in Tests.