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On the Mohammad Ali selection, the Pakistan captain said they “wanted someone to bowl like Aamer Jamal”

Mohammad Isam20-Aug-2024

Saim Ayub made 0 and 33 on Test debut in Sydney•Getty Images

Pakistan have picked Saim Ayub as an opener for the first Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi for continuity, according to Shan Masood. The Pakistan captain also said that Pakistan were considering Muhammad Hurraira for selection but he will have to wait for his international debut.Hurraira, 22, has been a heavy scorer in domestic cricket and last month he scored 218 against a Bangladesh High Performance XI in a four-day game in Darwin. Earlier in his debut season in 2021-22, he racked up 986 runs at an average of 58, including a triple-hundred. As for Ayub, he scored 0 and 33 in his only Test so far, against Australia in January in Sydney.”We have plenty of riches in our opening batting,” Masood said. “Imam-ul-Haq isn’t in this series. We don’t limit ourselves to 17 players. We have 20-25 players who are part of our squad. We initially felt that it was our ideal chance to check Muhammad Hurraira – what he could offer the Pakistan team after doing so well in domestic cricket in the last three or four years. We rested Imam in this series. Saim, who is in good touch now, showed potential in the second innings against Australia. As a team, you have to send a message of continuity. So we will try to back the players. We want to give him a fair chance.”Related

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Pakistan will also go into the series opener against Bangladesh with an all-pace attack, a rarity in their selection policy. Masood explained that the conditions in Rawalpindi influenced the combination of their side. He said they wanted Mohammad Ali in the line-up to do a similar job to Aamer Jamal who had excelled in Australia earlier this year. Ali’s 19 wickets in PSL 2024 propelled him into the limelight but he has also been a consistent performer in domestic cricket. He has 150 wickets in 41 first-class games at an average of 25.72.”Firstly, you have to look at a few factors,” Masood said. “You have to take into account Pakistan’s position in the WTC. We at least have to win the home matches. Secondly, you have to look at the ground conditions. Thirdly, we have to look at our team combination.”We considered Aamer Jamal as a weapon in Australia. When the other three fast bowlers showed discipline, Aamer Jamal used to attack. He got crucial wickets in the middle overs. He used to eliminate Australia’s tail, which usually makes the difference by scoring 80-90 runs. As Shaheen [Shah Afridi] and Naseem [Shah] will take the new ball, we wanted someone to bowl like Aamer Jamal. I think Mohammad Ali gave us the surprise element in the PSL but we have been seeing it for a long time. He hits the deck hard. He has the quality to move the ball with the seam and in the air. He has extra pace too.”Having not made the finals of the last two WTC cycles, Pakistan are hoping to buck the trend and bring cheer to their fans.”I think you want your fans and media to write good things about the team,” Masood said. “We want to play cricket that everyone enjoys watching. Obviously, it is a result-oriented business so you need to have results in mind. We were sixth and seventh before [in the WTC], but we would like to play in the final this time. We want to play finals. We have to win our home Tests. Our challenge is to play consistently and play an exciting brand of cricket.”The first Test against Bangladesh will also be Pakistan’s first under coach Jason Gillespie. Masood wanted the new staff’s approach to align with Pakistan’s strengths. “We have a different coaching staff,” he said. “They bring a different mindset and culture but we also have to look at where we have to go as a side. I think fast bowling has been Pakistan’s strength. We have six quality fast bowlers. You need 20 wickets to win a Test. That’s a non-negotiable. Our goal is to get those 20 wickets and then batters can back up the bowlers. That’s how we went into the Australia series, and that’s how we will go into this series.”

Burnley are preparing for life back in the Premier League and could now be in the lead to sign a proven international defender, according to a report.

Burnley ready to break cycle of newly-promoted clubs in Premier League

Many newly promoted sides of the past have found it difficult to transition to life in the Premier League after claiming promotion, which is something the Clarets are desperate to change at Turf Moor.

Speaking ahead of their return to top-flight action, Nedum Onuoha believes Burnley should use Brentford as an example of how to survive and grow among the elite of the English pyramid over the next few years.

He explained: “It sounds a bit dull if you are a Burnley fan, but stick with the process. Clubs that manage to maintain their identity, can end up doing well. Brentford, for example. They never really deviated away from the model that they have, and now they’re an established Premier League side.”

Nevertheless, signings are necessary for the EFL Championship runners-up to build a squad that can live up to that feat. CJ Egan-Riley could be set for the exit door, and Burnley are now plotting an ambitious swoop for Liverpool’s Joe Gomez that could total £25 million.

Rennes midfielder Jordan James is also on Scott Parker’s radar. This development may become an ideal trade-off between youth and experience if Josh Brownhill leaves Turf Moor, signalling that there is plenty of work going on behind the scenes in Lancashire.

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Henry Jackson

May 26, 2025

The revolving door of transfer speculation never stops and Burnley are now reportedly in the lead to win the race to sign a talented defender with top-flight experience.

Burnley could win the race to sign Chris Mepham

According to Graeme Bailey in conversation with EFL Analysis, Burnley could trump Sheffield United and Sunderland to sign Chris Mepham, potentially on a free transfer with his contract at Bournemouth set to expire at the end of this month.

The Wales international earns £35,000 per week and spent the campaign on loan at the Black Cats, scoring once in 40 appearances as they also claimed promotion via the playoffs.

Chris Mepham’s campaign for Sunderland in numbers – EFL Championship (Fotmob)
Tackles won	31
Aerial duels won	109
Interceptions	34
Recoveries	138
Blocks	3

Dubbed “superb” by Dan Ballard, Bournemouth also have an option to extend his deal for a further 12 months despite his contract being set to run out, though Bailey anticipates that Burnley could skip to the front of the queue in any case.

He stated: “It could be one of those promoted teams. Do we see Burnley coming in for him? They may have to lose Maxime Esteve, and they’ve lost CJ Egan-Riley already. I wouldn’t rule Burnley out of the running on that one.”

Whether Bournemouth do activate his extension clause or not, the Clarets appear to be well in the race to bring Mepham to Turf Moor and he would be an ideal fit given he has made over 60 Premier League appearances across his career.

Footballers who possess a unique style of play, supreme technical ability or untapped potential are often referred to as ‘streets won’t forget’ players.

Whether it be Premier League one-season wonders like Michu, tricky mavericks such as Hatem Ben Arfa or players who simply grabbed their moments on the biggest stage like South Africa World Cup star Siphiwe Tshabalala, football fans will always have a soft spot for those players who captured hearts and minds.

Some, like Adel Taarabt, never fulfilled their true potential, while others had glittering careers, but the rise of social media and the pure volume of football coverage has led fans to yearn for those stars who rocked up once a week on a Saturday afternoon with no intention other than to amaze their spectators.

10. Yannick Bolasie

9. Andrey Arshavin

8. Papiss Cissé

7, Dimitri Payet

6. Morten Gamst Pedersen

5. Mousa Dembele

4. Jay-Jay Okocha

3. Adel Taarabt

2. Michu

1. Hatem Ben Arfa

“The boy Michu has been a revelation,” Sir Alex Ferguson once said of Swansea’s Spanish striker. “To sign him for just £2 million and get 20 goals out of him – what a bargain!”

Such cult hero status doesn’t exclusively belong to goalscorers however, as Mousa Dembele proved during his time at Tottenham Hotspur. The Belgian only found the net ten times in 249 appearances for Spurs, but is regarded as one of the most technically gifted midfielders of all time.

Dembele's teammates called him the one of the best players in the world

Winning 82 caps for Belgium, Dembele drew praise throughout his career for his ability to evade the press, weaving his way out of trouble as a deep-lying midfielder.

Dembele started his career as a winger and idolised legendary forward Patrick Kluivert, which led to him being almost impossible to dispossess in midfield, and Harry Kane once said he was the most technically gifted player he’s played with.

Plenty of Spurs stars have echoed this sentiment down the years, with Dele Alli claiming Dembele was the best player in the squad back in 2016, and current captain Son Heung-min revealing: “Mousa he is incredible. I haven’t seen a player like this. I have never seen this.”

Perhaps the best indication of a player’s talent however is what their opponents have to say, and Arsenal icon Jack Wilshere named Dembele as his toughest ever opponent – even despite being left in awe of Lionel Messi.

2012-13

26

1

3

5th

2013-14

22

1

1

6th

2014-15

10

1

1

5th

2015-16

27

3

1

3rd

2016-17

24

1

1

2nd

2017-18

21

0

0

3rd

2018-19

7

0

0

4th

With elite teams now spending hundreds of millions on finding the perfect midfielder, the Tottenham legend’s aesthetically pleasing style would catch a hefty fee in today’s transfer market.

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1 ByCharlie Smith Jun 7, 2025

Make no mistake about it, this has been an utterly dreadful campaign for Manchester United.

Whether it was Erik ten Hag in the formative months of the season or Ruben Amorim in the latter stages of the term, no one has been able to get a tune out of this downtrodden Premier League giant.

After suffering a 4-3 defeat at the hands of Brentford on Sunday afternoon, it reduced the Red Devils to their 16th league defeat of 2024/25. That’s the first time that’s happened since 1989/90, before the Premier League even existed.

In truth, United were not expected to win this one. Their focus is well and truly on their Europa League semi-final next Thursday, and as a result, Amorim rang the changes.

There was a first start for 17-year-old striker Chido Obi, while 20-year-old Tyler Fredricson started at centre-back and 18-year-old Harry Amass was given a run out at left-wing back.

On that evidence, the defeat was not a shock. Still, it did little to help an already dispondent fanbase.

Where it went wrong for Man United at Brentford

While teenager Chido Obi struggled in attack, notably having just 18 touches of the ball, it was not an awful day for United in attack.

Mason Mount – who had not found the net in 400 days – opened the scoring, darting into the penalty area and finishing off a close-range opportunity.

Alejandro Garnacho and Amad also scored late on to save United’s blushes somewhat, but those two goals were too little too late. Still, it showed that there is promise for the future at Old Trafford.

It was at the back where United met their downfall. The tone was set when Brentford found their equaliser on 27 minutes. Amass was absolutely bullied by Michael Kayode who beat the youngster to the ball inside the area and then it cannoned off Luke Shaw for an own goal.

The second goal was equally as comical. Matthijs de Ligt went down injured and United switched off, which allowed Mikkel Damsgaard to find Kevin Schade who didn’t have to do much at the back stick.

For Schade’s second and the hosts’ third, there was very little resistance at the back post either where Fredricson left the Bees forward open at the and he was left with a simple finish.

It was then made all the worse when United failed to apply their offside trap correctly. The ball was slid in between the back line on the edge of the box and then Kayode laid it on a plate for Yoanne Wissa to score, completely unmarked again.

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Clearly, very little in the United backline helped but it was Shaw who was notably bad.

Luke Shaw's performance in numbers

At the peak of his game, Shaw proved himself to be one of the best left-backs not just in the Premier League, but also in Europe.

That was certainly the case at Euro 2020 where as you should all remember, he scored in the final against Italy for England.

Well, since then, it’s been a sad and agonising tale of woe for the left-sided defender who has struggled to stay fit, most notably in the last few seasons.

While Shaw managed over 30 league appearances in 2022/23, he was only seen on 12 occasions in the top-flight last season and only five times in 2024/25 to date.

In truth, this should be his last start in United’s famous colours; he was not good enough.

Luke Shaw vs Brentford

Minutes played

45

Touches

30

Accurate passes

19/24 (79%)

Key passes

0

Shots

0

Successful dribbles

0

Clearances

2

Tackles

1

Interceptions

0

Duels won

1/3

Stats via Sofascore.

The own goal was bad enough but he had already nearly turned one into his own net in the first three minutes of the game. In the words of Manchester Evening News reporter, Samuel Luckhurst, he simply “wasn’t at it” having also been given the captain’s armband.

Well, it wasn’t a captain’s performance, let’s put it that way. The left-back was handed a 2/10 match rating by the Express and was consequently was hauled off after just 45 minutes.

One can excuse a lack of match fitness and you may well blame that for Shaw’s display in London this weekend, but he’s really not shown very much in his limited outings this season.

During his 45 minutes on the field, he only completed 79% of his passes and won just one of his three duels. Unsurprisingly, his 30 touches were also fewer than goalkeeper Altay Bayindir’s total of 57 touches.

We are so used to seeing Shaw as a flying wing-back and perhaps he should have started there on this occasion given Amass’ own struggles. Yet, this was evidence that he now completely lacks confidence, perhaps not just in his fitness but in his own abilities.

The 29-year-old left the action having been dominated by the Brentford attack. Their clever play and trickery on the edge of the box were simply too much for him to handle.

Don’t be surprised if this is one of, if not the last time, we see him start a game for the club.

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During Chris Wilder’s two stints as manager of Sheffield United, he’s had some fantastic players at his disposal.

From goalscoring hero Billy Sharp to the likes of John Egan and John Fleck.

Fleck, a free transfer from Coventry City in the summer of 2016, was a rather understated at the time but quickly became a mainstay in many a Blades lineup with United jumping all the way up from League One to the top-flight under Wilder.

John Fleck's heroics at Sheffield United

It all began with that free-kick against Sheffield Wednesday in the Steel City derby in 2017. Since that moment, he became a firm fan favourite at Bramall Lane.

Fleck quickly turned into a Premier League capable performer at Bramall Lane, with the now 33-year-old ace going on to immortalise himself as a United great across a hefty 278 appearances.

The Glasgow-born ace would effectively become an honourary citizen of the Steel City by the time of his exit to Blackburn Rovers last year, having tallied up a mighty impressive 16 strikes and 48 assists across those games, culminating in two promotions also coming his way.

Many players in Wilder’s camp now will be hoping they can follow in the footsteps of the former number four, with Fleck managing to end his long-standing association with the Blades by notching up a fine nine top-flight goal contributions.

In particular, one holding midfielder – the same role Fleck regularly lined up in – will be taking direct inspiration from the now Chesterfield man.

Wilder's new Fleck at Sheffield United

Originally hailing from Enfield, United number 42 Sydie Peck might not have expected Sheffield to become his permanent footballing home during the early days of his playing career.

But, the emerging talent has now become a first-team regular under Wilder this campaign and for good reason, with his full-blooded yet composed displays centrally meaning his senior minutes have rightly been bumped up.

Games played

35

Games started

26

Goals scored

0

Assists

1

Touches*

48.8

Accurate passes*

29.9 (82%)

Big chances created

4

Duels won*

3.7

Whilst he isn’t anywhere near Fleck’s creative best just yet, Peck has shown signs of promise in an attacking capacity, considering this is his first daunting senior season with the side, resulting in four big chances being created away from his singular assist.

Despite deficiences being present in his growing game, Peck is slowly but surely becoming a fan’s favourite at the Championship high-flyers, with one Blades based content creator in Nick Ingood even heralding the 5 foot 8 engine as a “superstar” off the back of another well-rounded display against Coventry to close out March.

It will be up to Peck to deal with the harsh step-up in quality if Premier League action returns to the red and white half of Sheffield, but if he is aiming to follow Fleck’s upward trajectory, he should be able to deal with the gulf in class in his stride.

After all, the four-time England U20 international – who has been further lauded as “outstanding” by his passionate head coach – already has a Premier League appearance next to his name, with the potential here for Peck to become United’s next modern hero in the middle like Fleck.

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An out-of-form India captain vs a spinner who’s among the top three wicket-takers but is nowhere close to making the Indian team. Why? Because it’s complicated

Andrew Fidel Fernando12-May-20242:20

Moody: ‘Chakravarthy has grown in confidence with the team’

In a dream sequence for the players who have been picked for India’s T20 World Cup squad, they ease themselves into form against IPL teams in May, and then go on to sweep all before them in the Caribbean and USA in June, storming through the competition, devouring oppositions, playing innings that reverberate for generations, bowling spells that snap top orders in two.As far as dreams go, it is not completely unrealistic. We are in the 17th year of the IPL being the biggest franchise show in a world that has increasingly begun to favour franchise shows. Where in the earliest days of this competition, you might have sniggered at the quality of cricket, but no one has sniggered for many years now.In fact, the IPL has become such a resounding showcase of India’s primacy in the cricket market, that perhaps it has given rise to one of cricket’s ironies. India has the world’s greatest bank of cricketing talent in the world*; India has not won a global cricket title in eleven years. In that time, the Australia men’s team have won four, England two, and even West Indies and New Zealand one apiece.Related

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Rohit Sharma’s progress in the tournament this year is turning out to be a perfect peek into this dichotomy. He is captain of his national team, but no longer leads the franchise, which sought fresher ideas and regeneration through Hardik Pandya. Rohit had rocked the ODI World Cup last year, batting in a gloriously selfless vein that helped power India to that final.But right now, he’s not quite rocking the only franchise tournament he plays in. He’d made an unbeaten 63-ball 105 in a match his team lost by a sizeable margin. (Read that sentence again – it’s not one you are likely to read in the context of any other T20 tournament.) But in the last six matches, his scores have been 6, 8, 4, 11, 4, 19.This 19, against Kolkata Knight Riders, was kinda torturous. Against seamers, Rohit was beaten frequently, particularly when he tried to hit square of the wicket. When KKR’s excellent spin duo of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy came on, Rohit was visibly uncomfortable, venturing failed flicks, unconvincing sweeps, and when those didn’t work, reverse sweeps that he kept missing. In the end, a top-edged sweep off Varun had him out for 19 off 24. (This sentence you don’t need to read again; that’s a bad innings in almost any T20, let alone one that was 16-overs-a-side from the outset.)Varun Chakravarthy celebrates after getting Rohit Sharma out•AFP/Getty ImagesAnd so we come back to this irony that Indian cricket and the IPL has created. Varun is a 32-year-old wristspinner with 18 wickets this IPL (third on the tournament charts right now), as he frequently turns matches for his franchise. Varun hasn’t made the India T20 World Cup squad, or its reserves. But he’d likely have played many more than his six international matches if he’d represented almost any other team. He was outstanding in this match against Mumbai Indians, taking 2 for 17 off his four overs despite this being a rain-shortened match.”I’d never taken Rohit ‘s wicket, and I meticulously planned for it, and it worked out,” Varun said after the match. Things tend to work out when you’re on as bright a run of form as Varun is.Meanwhile, national captain Rohit, the first name on the squad sheet, is currently skidding through a tournament in a team playing like it wishes its season was already over. His franchise captain Hardik, who will be his deputy in the World Cup if you haven’t been following, hasn’t had a massively fun time in the IPL either, having experienced substantial ire from crowds that resent him for either leaving Gujarat Titans, or replacing Rohit at the helm of Mumbai Indians, or both.Elsewhere in India squad member news, Yuzvendra Chahal is having a rough run himself. Virat Kohli is being questioned for his strike rate, even as he leads the league in run volume. You begin to wonder how good a lead-in to the World Cup a two-month-long T20 competition is for India players.It has been often thought by administrators in other countries, that when India gets its machine in full swing, they will almost inevitably dominate the sport, perhaps for decades.Right now, though, what we know for sure is that India is dominating the cricket economy almost as completely as any nation has ever dominated it. Is it just a matter of time until they start rolling in the global trophies too? Watch how Rohit and Varun are going right now. It’s complicated.

The victory at Old Trafford helped India achieve only their fourth ODI series win in England

Sampath Bandarupalli17-Jul-20224 Bilateral ODI series wins for India in England. Their previous victories came in 2014, when they won 3-1; in 1986, when the series was level 1-1 but India were declared winners based on higher scoring rate; and in 1990, when India beat England 2-0.125* Rishabh Pant’s career-best score that led India to victory in the 3rd ODI at Old Trafford. It is the second highest score for an Indian wicketkeeper in England, after Rahul Dravid’s 145 against Sri Lanka during the 1999 World Cup. Pant’s 125* is also the second highest score for an Indian wicketkeeper in an ODI chase, behind MS Dhoni’s 183* against Sri Lanka in 2005.ESPNcricinfo Ltd2 Number of scores higher than Pant’s 125* while batting at No.4 or lower for India in an ODI chase. Virat Kohli scored 139* in Ranchi in 2014 and 133* in Hobart in 2012 while batting at No.4 against Sri Lanka.Related

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4 Players with 50-plus runs and 4-plus wickets for India in a men’s ODI. Before Hardik in the third ODI against England, the previous player to achieve this feat was Yuvraj Singh against Ireland in the 2011 World Cup. Hardik’s spell of 4 for 24 at Old Trafford was his career-best performance in ODIs. Coincidentally, his career-best figures in Tests and T20Is – 6 for 50 and 4 for 33 – have also come against England in England.ESPNcricinfo Ltd3 Number of ODI series lost by England at home since the start of 2015. Both their previous series defeats in this period came against Australia – in 2015 and 2020.19.2 England’s batting average in this series, their lowest in a men’s ODI competition comprising three or more games since July 2007.2011 The previous instance of India successfully completing an ODI chase after losing three or more wickets in the first ten overs – against West Indies in Cuttack. Since then, India had lost nine chases in which they lost three or more wickets, up until the victory against England at Old Trafford.

What have the ageing stars who helped the franchise reach two consecutive finals been doing in the last 16 months?

Dustin Silgardo15-Sep-2020For the past two seasons, the Chennai Super Kings have defied the belief that T20 is a young man’s game. They have relied on players in their mid-30s and made it to consecutive finals. But with 16 months gone since the last IPL, can their experienced players still deliver? Perhaps a good way to discern whether they have faded is to look at how they have fared in the meantime.MS Dhoni, 39
After several months of mystery, Dhoni announced his international retirement in August this year. He had endured a difficult 2019 World Cup, in which he struggled to accelerate when the team needed him to, and was not named in any India squad in the months after. He also decided against playing any of India’s domestic tournaments in 2019-20. That means when he leads CSK onto the field on September 19, it will be his first professional cricket match in 437 days. Dhoni did attend Chennai’s training camp back in March, where he was met by hundreds of cheering fans, and has been in camp since August 16, ahead of this season.Shane Watson, 39
Watson announced his retirement from the Big Bash League last year, so with his international career already ended in 2016, he is now only playing the Bangladesh Premier League, the Pakistan Super League and the IPL. He had a poor BPL in 2019, with just one score of more than 10 in seven innings for the Rangpur Rangers, who finished second from bottom. He fared better in the PSL earlier this year, scoring at 27.44 and a strike rate of 157.32 for the Quetta Gladiators. He hit two fifties, the second enough to earn him a Player of the Match, but his performances were not enough to take the Gladiators to the playoffs.Faf du Plessis, 36
du Plessis has had a torrid time since the last IPL. He seemed to spend all his time apologising in press conferences as South Africa had a disastrous 2019 World Cup campaign and then suffered sound defeats in Test series in India and England. He eventually stepped down as captain of the national side in February. His own batting remained excellent in ODIs – he has averaged 64.50 in the 50-over format since the last IPL – but his Test form did dip. Things have gone much better for him in T20 franchise cricket: he led Paarl Rocks to the title in the 2019 Mzansi Super League and averaged 27.37 in the tournament.Imran Tahir was the Purple Cap winner in the 2019 IPL season•BCCIDwayne Bravo, 36
It’s been an eventful year for Bravo. In January he played for West Indies for the first time since 2016. After four years of disagreements with the West Indies board, and actually announcing his international retirement in 2018, Bravo returned and is now seeking a spot in the West Indies squad for the 2021 T20 World Cup. During the recent CPL, he became the first bowler to go past 500 T20 wickets. Still, setting the accolades aside, Bravo’s potency as a T20 bowler seems to have dipped. He took just 11 wickets in 12 games in the 2019 IPL and got just nine in ten games in the 2020 CPL. His economy rate of 7.50 in the CPL was unremarkable, considering the tournament was a slow-scoring one in general, though he was part of the title-winning Trinbago Knight Riders side.Imran Tahir, 41
Tahir has not slowed down one bit since he won the purple cap in the 2019 IPL. He has played a remarkable 52 T20s since and has repeatedly finished near the top of wicket-taker charts in various tournaments around the world. He was second in the 2019 CPL and third in the 2020 season, topped the charts in the 2019 Mzansi Super League, was fifth in the 2020 PSL, and sixth in the 2019 Vitality Blast.Ambati Rayudu, 34
It’s been high drama for Rayudu since the last IPL. After being less than subtle in showing his disappointment at not making the India World Cup squad, he retired from all forms of cricket in July, only to retract the retirement a couple of months later. He was named Hyderabad captain for the 2019-20 domestic season but skipped the Ranji Trophy due to apprehensions about corruption in the state’s cricket board. He was back for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and performed mediocrely, getting just two 20-plus scores in seven innings. He has not played any cricket since November 2019.Kedar Jadhav, 35
When he made his India debut in 2017, Jadhav was renowned for scoring quickly, but his strike rate has dropped since. Last season he struck at less than 100 for CSK, and it was his inability to accelerate that cost him his place in the India ODI team after the World Cup, though he did make a comeback during the tour of New Zealand earlier this year. He had an ordinary Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2019, averaging below 25 and striking at 120.65, and a poor Vijay Hazare Trophy, in which he averaged less than 20.

Wrexham made it nine matches unbeaten in the Championship but saw all three points stolen away from them at Deepdale as teenager Harrison Armstrong equalised late on for Preston North End. The Red Dragons had led ever since the fourth minute through a simple Kieffer Moore finish, with James McClean clearing off the line and Arthur Okonkwo making a string of top-class saves before Preston equalised to share the spoils in a 1-1 draw between two sides with play-off ambitions.

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  Wrexham came into the match knowing that a play-off push was within their grasp, just three points outside the top six at the start of play. Their hosts Preston have been in and around the play-off picture for much of the campaign and began the day in fifth, only too aware of Wrexham breathing down their necks.

  The visitors made the perfect start as Moore opened the scoring after just four minutes. James McClean put in a teasing delivery from the left, which was not dealt with by goalkeeper Daniel Iversen as the Dane could only palm the ball to the feet of the grateful Welshman, who tapped gleefully into the net.

  The hosts came quickly back into the match and showed just why they have been so consistent this season, Lewis Dobbin in particular catching the eye. The 22-year-old Aston Villa loanee drove past several Wrexham defenders on a mazy run which was thwarted by a brilliant defensive block.

  Wrexham captain McClean then made a key contribution in his own box just before the half-hour mark, as the 36-year-old used brilliant anticipation to clear an effort by Liam Lindsay off the goal-line. Goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo had battled hard to keep out a host of balls into the box before McClean appeared in the right place at the right time.

  Moore threatened to get through on goal once again at the other end after a defensive slip as the conditions affected both sides, while Wrexham defended stoutly to hold onto their lead at the break. Okonkwo made his greatest contribution as the 24-year-old made a double save from Thierry Small in the final minutes of the half to stun the home faithful.

  It was more of the same after the break, as Preston drove forward in search of an equaliser and Wrexham held firm. Small struck a volley against the post, while the Red Dragons could have doubled their lead at the other end as Moore and McClean forced a brilliant double save from Iversen. Okonkwo had to be at his best once again to keep out Jordan Storey, before using every inch of his 6ft 6in frame to tip wide a Lindsay header.

  But Wrexham hearts were broken as 18-year-old substitute Armstrong stepped forward to equalise, firing in at the near post at the second attempt to get Preston right back into the game. From there on in it was end to end as both sides searched for a late winner, but the two sides had to settle for a point apiece as Wrexham returned to Wales with a share of the spoils.

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• The MVP

  Though his clean sheet was lost late on, Okonkwo was outstanding for Wrexham as they withstood waves of attack by the home side. Preston have been one of the top sides in the division this season but Okonkwo had the answer for almost everything they threw at him. A first-half double save from Small stood out, as did a late stop from Lindsay, as he made six important saves overall. His handling and bravery when coming out of goal to punch the ball were also admirable, though he will have been disappointed that Armstrong managed to squeeze the ball home from the tightest of angles.

• The big loser

  Certainly outshone by the performance of his opposite number at the other end, Preston shot-stopper Iversen made a poor mistake for Moore's opening goal and almost cost his side in the end. Though he made up for it somewhat with a double save in the second half, Iversen's early mistake was the only glaring error in a fiercely-contested battle between two sides who were both determined to leave everything on the pitch in search of victory.

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  Match rating (out of five): ⭐⭐⭐

MatériaMais Notícias

Com a conquista do Campeonato Paulista de 2024, Abel Ferreira chegou ao décimo título à frente do comando técnico do Palmeiras e empatou com Osvaldo Brandão como o treinador com mais taças na historia do clube.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Verdão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Palmeiras

Neste domingo (7), o Verdão derrotou o Santos por 2 a 0, no Allianz Parque, e chegou ao tricampeonato do torneio estadual. Treinador do clube desde de novembro de 2020, Abel levantou seu primeiro troféu justamente contra o Peixe, na decisão da Copa Libertadores da mesma temporada.

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Ao todo, Abel disputou 14 finais pelo Palmeiras e faturou oito delas. Com contrato renovado até dezembro de 2025, o português terá diversas oportunidades para se isolar na liderança da lista de maiores vencedores. Neste ano, o Verdão ainda disputa a Libertadores, Copa do Brasil e Campeonato Brasileiro.

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🏆 Campeonato Brasileiro: 2022 e 2023
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🏆 Campeonato Paulista: 2022, 2023 e 2024
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