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In his second game after a two-month break, Kohli serves a reminder with an explosive innings at Chinnaswamy

Hemant Brar26-Mar-20242:11

Moody: Kohli showed all his gears

The boisterous Chinnaswamy crowd had gone quiet towards the end of Punjab Kings’ innings as Shashank Singh carted Alzarri Joseph for two sixes and a four in a 20-run final over.That lifted Kings to 176 for 6. Given the average first-innings total in Bengaluru last IPL was 196, it felt below par. But this was not a typical Chinnaswamy pitch where you could hit through the line. It had just enough grass covering and help for both seamers and spinners.Just like the RCB bowlers, Sam Curran also found movement with the new ball, and drew a false shot from Virat Kohli first up. But the thick outside edge did not carry to short third.Related

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On the next ball, Kohli was even luckier. This time the outside edge burst through Jonny Bairstow’s hands at first slip. Usually, the first-slip fielder stands one metre behind the wicketkeeper, but Bairstow was right next to Jitesh Sharma and, therefore, had little time to react.From there on, it was a Kohli innings like no other. On the third ball of the over, he came down the track, cut the movement, and creamed it through the covers. By the end of the first over, he had found two more boundaries, and the Chinnaswamy faithful went “Aaar Ceee Beee! Aaar Ceee Beee!”Next in the firing line was Kagiso Rabada. Before Monday, Rabada had dismissed Kohli three times in 24 balls while conceding just 27. Here, on Rabada’s very first ball, a length delivery around off stump, Kohli jumped out of his crease and smashed it over extra cover. In the next over, he meted out the same treatment to Arshdeep Singh.In his first 15 balls, Kohli had hit eight fours and raced away to 33. It was the most runs he had scored off his first 15 balls in a T20, and his eight boundaries were the joint-most by an RCB batter after four overs in an innings.And he was not slogging. He rarely does. When Arshdeep slipped in a slower ball, he delayed his shot and opened the face at the last moment to steer it past a diving Bairstow for four.In the sixth over, Kohli got another reprieve when he mistimed Curran to the left of short midwicket, but Rahul Chahar could not latch on to it despite a full-length dive.1:46

Rapid fire review: A 10/10 innings from Virat Kohli

It is after the powerplay that Kohli generally drops the anchor. Since the start of 2020, his middle-overs strike rate in the IPL is 117.53. But on Monday, he kept playing attacking cricket and scored at a strike rate of 150 in the middle overs.Previously, he had scored only 32 runs off 37 balls against Chahar in the IPL. Here, the first ball he faced from the legspinner, Kohli smashed it over extra cover for a six.Kohli brought up his fifty in 31 balls – his 100th score of 50 or more in T20s. But there was no celebration – just a thumbs-up to acknowledge the applause from the dressing room. The reason was that while Kohli himself was off to a flying start, RCB were behind the asking rate. Moreover, they had lost Faf du Plessis and Cameron Green for a combined six runs.Harpreet Brar then bowled Rajat Patidar for a run-a-ball 18 and Glenn Maxwell for 3. But Kohli singlehandedly kept RCB alive.When Kohli was India’s captain, one of the things he demanded from his batters was intent, even in Tests. “Intent does not mean you have to go out and start playing shots from ball one,” he once explained. “Intent is there in a leave. Intent is there in defending as well. Intent is about being vocal out there in calling.”That may be true in Test cricket, but in T20s, intent means only one thing: playing your shots. And that is exactly what Kohli did against Kings. As per ESPNcricinfo’s logs, he attacked 11 balls in the powerplay, the most he has ever done in T20 cricket. In the middle overs, he attacked 14, the second-most in his career.

“I know my name is nowadays quite attached to just promoting the game in many parts of the world when it comes to T20 cricket. But still got it, I guess.”Virat Kohli

There could be a couple of reasons behind it. With the T20 World Cup in June, this is the way the Indian team wants him to bat. Secondly, RCB’s batting depth might also have freed him up. Green joined them before this season; Anuj Rawat and Dinesh Karthik had made handy contributions in the previous game; they had an extra batter in Mahipal Lomror, slotted at No. 8, against Kings.Kohli eventually fell for 77 off 49 balls, slicing Harshal Patel straight to deep-backward point. RCB still needed 47 from four overs at that point, but Karthik and Lomror took them home with four balls to spare.”I was very disappointed I could not finish the game; that ball was in the slot,” Kohli said after being named the Player of the Match. “But yeah, not a bad start for playing after two months and getting into the tournament.”Talking about his mindset while batting, he said: “In T20 cricket, as I am opening here, I try to give the team a blazing start. But if the wickets fall from the other end, you have to understand the conditions as well.”The wicket was not as placid as Bangalore usually is. It was a bit two-paced. And I thought I needed to play correct cricketing shots. Playing across the line was not quite working; I tried a few.”What about his lofted cover drives after coming down the pitch to Rabada and Arshdeep?”They know I play the cover drive pretty well,” he said. “So they are not going to allow me to hit through the gaps. And with guys like KG [Rabada], and Arshdeep as well – he is also tall, if they are hitting [good] length, you have to create some momentum into the ball. Once you are closer to the ball, you kind of negate the bounce; you meet it earlier.”You have to come up with a plan here and there, and try to keep improving your game. I know my name is nowadays quite attached to just promoting the game in many parts of the world when it comes to T20 cricket. But still got it, I guess.”Who could have disagreed?

Playing against a team they have often put on a pedestal, the hosts’ use of spin was baffling, yielding little reward

Danyal Rasool12-Mar-2022If there is one thing you know about Pakistan cricket, it is that just about everyone in a position of influence respects Australian cricket. The Prime Minister wants to copy their domestic structure. The chairman wants to reproduce their pitches. And of course, their , which, when the chairman says it, can mean almost anything you want it to mean.And the captain called them the “best side in the world”. Which may be technically true, but you just know Babar Azam didn’t spend any time looking at the ICC rankings website before uttering those words. He was instead speaking what is imprinted on the psyche of Pakistan cricket supporters: a collective belief in Australian supremacy.There is merit to most of those points, of course, but idolising a cricket structure to that distinctly odd level of worship is perhaps less than ideal when you have to play the side you have placed on that pedestal. And when, two sessions into a Test match that was still nip and tuck, Pakistan walked out onto the field alongside Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith, it felt inescapably like Pakistan didn’t just revere Australia, they also feared them.Related

• Tidy Ashraf gives Pakistan an opening, but floodgates stay shut

The game – a Test match, remember – was just 54 overs old. The last 13 overs – ten of which were bowled by seamers – had allowed just 16 runs, and Pakistan had begun to wrest back some of the control they had ceded to a brisk start by Australia’s openers. The destination of the first day’s spoils felt very much like it was yet to be determined in what should have been an absorbing final session.Rather, as it turned out, Australia didn’t have to fight for those spoils so much as they watched them handed over meekly on a golden platter. Gone, completely, were Shaheen Afridi and Faheem Ashraf who had asphyxiated the visitors before tea. Absent too was Hasan Ali, at a time when the aging ball should have given him the greatest opportunity to go searching for reverse swing.Instead, a small pocket of fans watched bemused as Babar let Sajid Khan, the most expensive bowler on the day, bowl alongside Nauman Ali, who had been about as incisive as a newborn’s teeth. Even Azhar Ali and Babar himself would come on to bowl as Pakistan locked their quicker bowlers out of the game in wait for the second new ball. On just five occasions have Pakistan bowled more spin inside the first 80 overs of a Test in Pakistan.Mohammad Rizwan, who emerged for the post-match presser, perhaps for no other reason than because he might have drawn the shortest straw, explained that Pakistan had been worried about Australia’s brisk scoring rate.”They won the toss, which was quite important,” he said. “They have capitalised on winning the toss and batting first. They scored runs with the new ball. The pitch was dry. They capitalised on that by putting on 100 runs in the first session. We had to dry the runs. This is not negativity.”A lot of teams employ this tactic, and I thought our bowlers came back very well. You should play according to the way the situation demands. Their run rate was very good because they played well in the first session, and we had to dry the runs.”

“The pitch is similarly slow [to Rawalpindi]. But I think it will offer turn and will produce a result because it will offer help to spinners”Mohammad Rizwan defended his bowlers after the first day’s play

There was merit to that, though Afridi and Faheem had pulled things back fairly well in the hour before tea. It had been a stiflingly hot day, and Babar’s desire to keep his attack fresh for the new ball was evident. However, having the extra seamer in Ashraf, an option they did not have in Rawalpindi, meant the pace bowlers were never in serious danger of being overworked. But with Australia up against them and the memory of that belligerent first session fresh in their mind, Pakistan reverted immediately to what came naturally against Australia: timorous self-preservation.Rizwan defended the bowlers, but insisted Test cricket sometimes called for flexibility in approach. “Test cricket is such where sometimes, they’ll have the ascendancy and other times us. We tried, but sometimes you don’t get any assistance from the pitch no matter what you do,” he said.”Our bowlers tried really hard. Shaheen Afridi tried to go short to the batters but he wasn’t getting anything. The situation doesn’t always go your way. The pitch is similarly slow [to Rawalpindi]. But I think it will offer turn and I think it will produce a result because it will offer help to the spinners.”Unless there is a remarkable inversion of history, that result – should it come – is most likely an Australian win. In 17 games where Australia have posted in excess of 350 while batting first against Pakistan, they have triumphed in 12 without ever losing one. At 251 for 3, it will take a brilliant first session from Pakistan to keep that first-innings total under check. A session that requires a bit more bravery and – with any luck – a lot less respect.

After a short three game slate on Monday, all of Major League Baseball is back on Tuesday.

While teams are starting to find themselves in the crosshairs of postseason races, preconceived notions are forming around certain teams and players. However, I'm fading some pitchers that started the season strong, but are due to regress as the season goes on, and at a big price tag.

Below, you'll find my betting analysis on every game on the Tuesday, July 2nd slate, including why I'm backing underdogs such as the Giants, Reds and Diamondbacks.

White Sox vs. Guardians Prediction and Pick

Pick: White Sox (+170)

The Guardians may be in the lead in the AL Central, far ahead of the last place White Sox, but I can’t trust Carlos Carrasco given his current state at this high of a price tag. 

Carrasco gets no movement on his pitches anymore, fourth in pitching run value with a 5.27 ERA. 

Simply put, it’s a dead fade of the veteran right hander who appears to be far from a quality arm anymore. 

Cardinals vs. Pirates Prediction and Pick

Pick: Pirates (-125)

Mitch Keller has turned it on after a slow start, and I’ll back him and the Pirates as small home favorites. 

Keller is off a June in which he posted a 2.35 ERA, after posting a 1.30 ERA in four May starts, and will have a significant pitching edge against soft tossing Kyle Gibson.

Gibson has an ERA of 3.70, but an xERA of 4.84 that signals regression can come swiftly for the right hander. 

Red Sox vs. Marlins Prediction and Pick

Pick: Red Sox (-170)

Boston was fourth in OPS in June and should have little issue out-pacing the Marlins, who were last in that same metric, the only team to post a sub-.600 OPS. 

Mets vs. Nationals Prediction and Pick

Pick: Mets (-140)

The Mets are the far better team when hitting left handed pitching, which is impactful when both teams are starting southpaws. 

New York is fourth in OPS against lefties while the Nationals are 28th.

Reds vs. Yankees Prediction and Pick

Pick: Reds (+165)

Luis Gil’s slide has been noticeable over his last two starts, allowing 12 earned runs in less than five full innings. With erratic control and diminishing velocity, I’ll fade Gil once more at this number. 

Astros vs. Blue Jays Prediction and Pick

Pick: Astros (-105)

I’ll ride with the streaking Astros, who took the first game of this early week series and are in line to win yet again on Tuesday. 

Jose Berrios remains untrustworthy as his xERA is far higher than his actual ERA (4.50 vs. 3.38), signaling that he can face a downturn in the second half of the season. 

I’ll take the better team as slight underdogs. 

Giants vs. Braves Prediction and Pick

Pick: Giants (+155)

I’ll take the big underdog in Atlanta. 

San Francisco will start Hayden Birdsong for the second time. While he struggled in his first start, he showcased some serious velocity (85th percentile fastball velocity) and generated swings and misses. 

Against a free-swinging Braves team, Birdsong may be in line to put together a strong start with low expectations. Meanwhile, I’m interested in fading Reynaldo Lopez, who has a 1.70 ERA but an xERA of 3.98. 

Tigers vs. Twins Prediction and Pick

Pick: Twins (-110)

The Tigers receive the benefit of the doubt with AL Cy Young candidate Tarik Skubal on the mound, but this offense isn’t up to the task. 

Detroit is hitting .228 as a unit this season and ranks 28th in OPS over the balance of the season. 

Meanwhile, Minnesota may be up to the task to knock around Skubal, posting the second highest OPS against southpaws. 

Padres vs. Rangers Prediction and Pick

Pick: Padres (-105)

The Padres have been rounding into form, top 10 in OPS in the month of June, and likely have a slight pitching edge with Dylan Cease on the mound. 

Cease has lowered his walk rate to a career low level (less than three per nine) while maintaining a massive strikeout rate with more than 11 punchouts per nine innings. 

Phillies vs. Cubs Prediction and Pick

Pick: Phillies (+105)

The Phillies will start prospect Michael Mercado, making his second appearance of his career, likely as an opener. While there may be some concern about his viability, I’m thrilled to get the Phillies at an underdog price against the Cubs, who are off a month in which it was bottom third in the bigs in OPS.

Rays vs. Royals Prediction and Pick

Pick: Royals (-120)

Kansas City maintains a fantastic home record, 30-16 at Kauffman Stadium. 

In a coin flip matchup, the Royals have the hitting edge and home field advantage to get this done in the series opener.

Brewers vs. Rockies Prediction and Pick

Pick: Rockies (+105)

Dallas Keuchel will be pitching in the hitter friendly Coors Field, which sets up to be problematic for the journeyman left hander. 

Keuchel hasn’t struck out more than 15% of batters in the last three full seasons with a walk rate above 8%, highlighting in bloated ERA’s that have consistently been above 5.00. 

I can’t trust him as a favorite even with a talented Brewers lineup backing him up.

Orioles vs. Mariners Prediction and Pick

Pick: Mariners (-105)

The Mariners will have the better pitcher on the mound in George Kirby, who has elite command and has done a fantastic job of limiting hard contact. The right hander is in the 99th percentile in walk rate with a 72nd percentile hard-hit percentage. 

I’ll take a stab on Seattle as slight home underdogs. 

Angels vs. Athletics Prediction and Pick

Pick: Angels (-115)

In a battle of two poor teams, I’m taking the road favorite who has shown a bit more of late. 

The Angels hit league average in June in terms of OPS while the A’s checked in 28th. 

Further, Jose Soriano (1.93 ERA in two June starts) has been better than Mitch Spence (5.40 ERA in five June starts), leading me to the Halos. 

Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers Prediction and Pick

Pick: Diamondbacks (+160)

I’ll take a flier on the underdog Diamondbacks as a way to bank on the surging offense and fade the Dodgers’ starter, Bobby Miller. 

Miller is a hard throwing right hander, but hasn’t seen the results come together just yet, posting a 6.75 ERA through five starts, mainly due to a near-14% walk rate. 

Miller will face a strong D-Backs lineup that just hit .269 in the month of June (seventh in the bigs) and draws walks at a top 10 rate. 

Liverpool are already reportedly working on their move to sign a £100m winger to replace Mohamed Salah, who was left out of the squad entirely for their trip to face Inter Milan.

Thierry Henry: Salah "wrong" for public Liverpool spat

In truth, Liverpool’s dramatic 3-3 draw at Elland Road feels like an eternity ago such is the drama that’s unfolded since. Salah’s bombshell is still leaving shrapnel around Anfield and around the Premier League, with Jamie Carragher delivering a brutal assessment on Monday Night Football and Thierry Henry since adding to that in midweek.

The Frenchman said on CBS’ Champions League show: “Look, nobody is talking about what Mo Salah has achieved in the game. We’re talking about a moment in time that I think he got wrong.

“You do not talk about your personal situation openly when your team is struggling. You do it in a dressing room. I’ve done it. I went to the dressing room and smashed everything in. I went to the office of the boss and complained about stuff.

“When I was at Barcelona, I went away with the team. They put me in the stand. Did you hear me talking about it? No. There is a team. You need to protect your team at all costs, all the time.”

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Liverpool appear to have turned their attention to signing a suitable successor to Mohamed Salah.

ByRobbie Walls 4 days ago

Arne Slot, meanwhile, is still awaiting an apology and has at least seen his side bounce back from the Leeds game with a professional 1-0 victory over Inter Milan at the San Siro.

The Athletic believe that Salah’s outburst was either aimed towards securing an exit away from the club or to put pressure on Slot’s position. If it is the former and there really is no way back then the Reds could reportedly turn their attention towards Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola.

Liverpool begin "work" on Barcola move

According to Caught Offside, Liverpool are already “working” on a move to sign Barcola in an attempt to replace Salah in 2026. The PSG man is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal in France, leaving the door ajar for those at Anfield to make their move.

Sources told Caught Offside: “Liverpool have already begun background work on replacing Salah. A player they really like, and have been following closely for some time, is Bradley Barcola.”

Even though he’s yet to sign a new deal, Barcola’s current contract doesn’t expire until 2028. That means Liverpool will likely have to pay a premium fee to secure his signature, with reports in the summer suggesting that PSG value their winger at as much as £100m.

Dubbed “special” by Como scout Ben Mattinson last year, it’s easy to see why Barcola has emerged as an option to replace Salah. In 1,274 minutes so far this season – the same as around 14 games – the Frenchman has scored five goals and assisted another three from out wide.

Replacing Salah will be one of the toughest jobs that Richard Hughes has had as sporting director, but he may already have an ideal candidate in mind.

He could be captain after Van Dijk: £35m star very keen on joining Liverpool

Leeds United moved out of the relegation zone in the Premier League this week with an impressive 3-1 win over Chelsea at Elland Road on Wednesday night, in a game that was underpinned by Daniel Farke’s structural changes.

The German head coach, who has typically deployed a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3 formation during his time at the club, opted to start with a 3-5-2 system against Enzo Maresca’s team.

It worked wonders for the Whites as they went on to claim all three points, thanks to goals from Jaka Bijol, Ao Tanaka, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Why Leeds United's formation change worked so well

Changing from a 4-3-3 to a 3-5-2 worked so well for the Whites because it allowed Jayden Bogle, who assisted the second goal, and Gabriel Gudmundsson to push higher up the pitch with three centre-backs providing enough cover defensively.

It also meant that the Whites could play with two strikers, instead of leaving one isolated on their own, and that led to Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha causing plenty of problems.

The two centre-forwards combined to win 13 duels against the Chelsea defenders and won four fouls, without committing any, per Sofascore, which shows that they were a nightmare to deal with throughout the game.

Nmecha, in particular, has benefitted from having Calvert-Lewin’s physicality alongside him. The German forward, who has scored four Premier League goals, has lost 69% of his ground duels this season, per Sofascore, which shows that he struggles with the physical side of leading the line on his own.

Having another, more physical, striker alongside him means that he can focus on making runs in behind and pressing opposition defenders, which is what makes it such an effective pairing, or at least what made it so effective against Chelsea.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Whilst Nmecha and Calvert-Lewin got the job done on Wednesday, Harry Gray could be perfect for the new role that Nmecha is now playing for Leeds.

Why Harry Gray should be unleashed in Lukas Nmecha's new role

Bringing young players into the first-team is difficult in any circumstance, but even more so in the Premier League with all that is at stake in a relegation battle.

Academy talents are not used to the physicality of professional football and may need time to adapt, particularly strikers, which is why this new role that Nmecha has could be perfect for Gray.

Farke must finally unleash the 17-year-old centre-forward for his Premier League debut in the coming weeks because playing alongside an experienced striker like Calvert-Lewin could be an ideal introduction to regular football at senior level.

Gray, who was described as the club’s “newest Wonderkid” by talent scout Jacek Kulig and his contributor Joe Blackburn, has scored a whopping ten goals in 11 games in all competitions for the academy this season, per Transfermarkt.

Appearances

3

Goals

2

Conversion rate

50%

Assists

1

Dribbles completed per game

2.0

Ground duel success rate

52%

Aerial duel success rate

38%

As you can see in the table above, the teenage forward has scored two goals in three EFL Trophy games, playing against League One and League Two sides, but has struggled with the aerial duels in those games.

This suggests that he would not be well-suited to playing as a lone striker in the Premier League for Leeds, as he would need to duel with towering top-flight centre-backs and hold the ball up under intense pressure, which is also where Nmecha struggled earlier this season.

Therefore, playing alongside Calvert-Lewin, who won six of his nine aerial duels against Chelsea (Sofascore), could be the perfect way for him to be introduced into the first-team this season.

Gray’s return of 14 goals in 20 U21s games and eight goals in 11 U18s matches for Leeds, per Transfermarkt, shows that he has the technical and goalscoring qualities to potentially make an impact for the Whites, but it is the physicality that is questionable.

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This change in formation from Farke, though, may alleviate those concerns because of how the two-striker system works, and that is why the manager should unleash the teen sensation in Nmecha’s role in the coming weeks.

The word coming from FSG’s camp is that Arne Slot’s position as Liverpool’s head coach is not immediately under threat.

However, the owners who watched as Liverpool dominantly conquered the Premier League last season are now staring down the barrel of a gun regarding the Dutchman’s future at the helm, with nine losses from 12 matches in all competitions an inexplicable slide in form.

Liverpool’s crisis of confidence has left their title defence in tatters, and Slot is now facing a fight to save his position at Anfield, with the upcoming run of league fixtures – West Ham United, Sunderland, Leeds United – over the next week sure to shape the narrative and whether this rut deepens.

FSG might feel that Liverpool’s title-winning boss still has some credit in the bank, but that will change if things don’t improve, and sporting director Richard Hughes has already compiled a list of potential replacements.

Hughes begins search for Slot successor

While Liverpool are not ready to pull the trigger, they would be remiss not to sound out a few options in the event that things continue to deteriorate on Merseyside.

Earlier this week, Spanish sources suggested Jurgen Klopp is back in the mix as Hughes looks for solutions, but this would not be the right path to travel back down. The legendary German departed Liverpool in 2024 after admitting he was tired from so many taxing years at the top.

However, the Reds might choose to move for another manager who is established as one of the best in the business, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Luis Enrique emerging as a contender.

Enrique, 55, was the man behind PSG’s incredible quadruple-winning 2024/25 season, previously reaping riches with Barcelona, and reports – via The Mirror – believe Liverpool have made him their long-term priority in the event of Slot’s dismissal.

The suggestion is that conversations have been held at boardroom level at Anfield, amid fears over whether Slot has lost the dressing room, hence why Enrique could be lined up as a potential successor.

Why Enrique could be perfect for Liverpool

Some critical observers would suggest that Liverpool started foundering after PSG knocked Slot out of the Champions League in the last 16. Certainly, the English side petered out as the season entered the business stretch.

An experienced and decorated manager, Enrique has been hailed as “the best manager in the world” by French journalist Julien Laurens for reaching unprecedented heights with PSG, creating a stable and multi-faceted attacking outfit that was practically invincible last season.

His fluid philosophy could be attracting Hughes’ interest. Enrique employs a 4-3-3 formation, but he’s experimental with his ideas, utilising full-back width and clever passing patterns in the build-up.

This could give rise to the qualities of Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz, but Alexander Isak might benefit most from this potential managerial switch.

Enrique’s teams score goals. Moreover, they do so with style. Ousmane Dembele would certainly attest to that.

The current crisis makes it easy to forget that Isak is one of the deadliest strikers of his generation, and Enrique’s acumen would surely see a system wrought to accommodate the 26-year-old’s qualities.

Isak looks a world away from that world-class striker who tore English football apart at St. James’ Park, but, as with several other summer recruits, he has struggled to adapt in a dysfunctional team.

Liverpool are hardly a hothouse for player growth at the moment, but that is why Enrique could be such an interesting pick.

They are hardly carbon copies, but Isak and Dembele share a likeness, and, considering this, Enrique could reshape the Swedish striker into a free-scoring superstar.

Dembele vs Isak (past 12 months)
Stats (per 90)	Dembele	Isak
Goals scored	1.08	0.72
Assists	0.32	0.19
Shots taken	4.69	2.91
Touches (att pen)	7.94	5.93
Shot-creating actions	6.02	2.91
Pass completion	80.2	74.7
Progressive passes	7.46	3.25
Progressive carries	5.94	2.72
Successful take-ons	1.80	1.44
Ball recoveries	1.36	1.81
Tackles + interceptions	0.68	0.57
Data via FBref

While it might look like Isak pales in comparison to the 2025 Ballon d’Or recipient, different factors need to be considered. Isak plays in an ostensibly tougher league and was considered to be “the best striker” in England last season, as was said by pundit Jamie Carragher.

If anything, this bears testament to Enrique’s tactical prowess, and given the natural stylistic similarities, it could be the perfect move to finally unlock the latent qualities of Liverpool’s star striker.

He's like Semenyo: Liverpool to bid £105m for "world-class" Gakpo upgrade

Liverpool are gearing up to sign a left-sided forward in the transfer market this winter.

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Angus Sinclair

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As Rob Manfred continues to look for ways to spice up Major League Baseball, he apparently is considering a new out-of-the-box idea.

MLB's commissioner recently told Puck's John Ourand that the "Golden At-Bat" rule has been discussed throughout the league.

"There are a variety of [rule change ideas] that are being talked about out there. One of them—there was a little buzz around it at an owners' meeting—was the idea of a 'Golden At-Bat.'" Manfred said on podcast.

Most probably haven't heard of the proposal for a "Golden At-Bat," but the basic concept is that a team could choose one at-bat in every game to use its best hitter regardless of where they are in the lineup. So if, say the New York Yankees had the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, they could bring Aaron Judge to the plate even if it wasn't his turn in the order. It would be a one-time replacement, not a substitution like a pinch hitter.

There could be variations on it. As Jayson Stark points out, restricting the rule only to teams trailing at the time could be an interesting constraint. It could also lead to scenarios where a hitter bats one spot before his turn in the lineup, so what would happen if he gets on base? Would the original hitter take his spot on the bases, for the Golden hitter to step back in the batter's box for a second consecutive at-bat? There is a ton to think through here.

"That rule, and things like that, are in the conversation-only stage right now," Manfred clarified on the podcast.

One thing is for sure: If the "Golden At-Bat" rule is eventually implemented, scorecards are going to be an absolute mess.

Tottenham Hotspur are finding their feet in the Premier League this season and there is a swell of internal belief surrounding one of their most promising stars.

Tottenham's resilience leaves Frank delighted

Over the years, external narratives involving Spurs have questioned their mentality to grind out results when the pressure is on, but Thomas Frank appears to be in a position to reverse that trend.

Speaking after Tottenham’s hard-fought 2-1 victory over Leeds United last weekend, the Danish boss made it clear that his side have the dig needed to secure momentous victories even in testing circumstances.

He stated: “I think if you want to build any successful team you need mentality and character and cohesion and togetherness. No matter if you play like Inter or Barcelona or whatever style of play, you need that willingness to do everything to win, and I think we are building that more and more in the team.”

Of course, stiffer tests are to come and Frank’s men will need to show they have the mettle to claim a regular stream of points. Regardless, one loss in seven Premier League fixtures is a marked improvement on last term.

Ambition inside the building will lead that charge, and Spurs’ reported move for Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen is a sign that they aren’t willing to settle for just being part of the chasing pack.

Agbonlahor says Frank should be worried about Tottenham star who gives "zero"

The pundit claims he can’t be relied upon.

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Emilio Galantini

Oct 4, 2025

Putting that aside, Frank will need to focus on the talent he has at his disposal for now, even if the January window offers an opportunity to add new faces to his collective.

Listening to that advice, the Spurs manager now believes he has a player that can rival some of the world’s best in his position over the coming years.

Frank makes exciting Archie Gray prediction

Profiling his role, Frank believes Archie Gray could one day be as good as Declan Rice or Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, and has urged the former Leeds United man to take his game to the next level under his stewardship.

He stated: “I see him as a midfielder who can play six or eight. That is his position and these days midfielders need to be more complete.

Five similar players to Archie Gray (FBRef)
Marin Pongracic	Fiorentina
Clinton Mata	Lyon
Christian Mawissa	Monaco
Jean-Clair Todibo	West Ham United
Ismael Doukoure	Strasbourg

“You need to be a little bit of a six, a little bit of eight and 10 and two of the best in the world right now are probably Rodri and Declan Rice. They can do a little bit of everything. I see Archie, and they are big names to compare him to, but I see he has got the same potential.”

Making 51 appearances for a club of Tottenham’s standing at 19 years of age is a commendable achievement, though it remains to be seen if the England Under-21 international can one day rival two of the Premier League’s most established midfielders.

India captain confirms the return of Jasprit Bumrah for the third Test at Lord’s

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jul-20252:38

Aaron: Akash has been through so much turmoil

India captain Shubman Gill has hailed the performance of his fast bowlers after India bounced back from the opening defeat at Headingley to level the series at Edgbaston. Akash Deep, who had replaced Jasprit Bumrah, led the way with his maiden ten-wicket haul in his eighth Test, including 6 for 99 in the final innings. Akash was ably backed up by Mohammed Siraj, who had picked up a six-for in England’s first innings, and Prasidh Krishna.”They [the bowlers] were magnificent,” Gill said at the post-match presentation. “I think the way we were able to get through the top order, that was very important for us. Both those bowlers bowled brilliantly. Even Prasidh, I felt, he didn’t get as many wickets as them, but he also bowled very brilliantly.”I think he [Akash Deep] bowled with so much heart and the areas and the lengths that he hit, he was just getting the ball to move both ways. On wickets like these, it’s very difficult to get the ball moving in both directions and he was able to do that. He was just magnificent for us.”Gill confirmed the return of bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah for the third Test, which begins at Lord’s on July 10. Bumrah was rested for the Edgbaston Test, meaning he will play two of the three remaining fixtures in the series.”Definitely (when asked about Bumrah). Very excited for that [playing at Lord’s],” Gill said. “Probably the most iconic cricket stadium in the world. And as a kid, everyone dreams about playing there. And I think no bigger honour than to be able to captain your country and lead the team there.”Gill delivered a glowing appraisal of India’s fast-bowling depth. “When two of your fast bowlers take 16-17 wickets, the captaincy becomes very easy,” Gill told the host broadcaster. “When two fast bowlers are in such good form… Bumrah was not playing in this match, but I think there is so much talent in India that the squad we have of 16-17 players, they have India’s best bowlers. And from them, any bowling attack can take 20 wickets in any situation or conditions.”Gill was pleased with his own form: he racked up scores of 269 and 161 at Edgbaston. His aggregate of 430 was the second highest in a Test match behind Graham Gooch’s 456 against India in 1990. Gill also became the second batter to make two 150-plus scores in a Test.”I’d say I’m feeling comfortable [with my batting],” Gill said. “I’m definitely feeling comfortable with my game and hopefully with my contribution, if we are able to win this series, that would be a great achievement for us.”

Barcelona are preparing meticulously for El Clasico against Real Madrid, with defender Pau Cubarsi revealing they are changing four key defensive elements to counter the threat of Kylian Mbappe. The 18-year-old prodigy is gearing up for a tough test against the French forward and Vinicius Junior when the injury-ravaged teams go head-to-head in Sunday's headline clash.

• Barcelona’s fragile defence and tactical overhaul

  As the Clasico countdown intensifies, Barcelona’s defensive line faces its toughest test of the season. La Blaugrana arrive at the Santiago Bernabeu amid an uncertain run that saw them lose to Paris Saint-Germain and suffer a 4-1 defeat to Sevilla, exposing Hansi Flick’s high defensive line and a lack of sharpness when pressed by top opponents. With key players like Robert Lewandowski, Andreas Christensen, Gavi and Joan Garcia out injured, Barca's preparation for the clash has been far from easy.

  To prepare, Cubarsi says Barcelona have “tweaked four things” with the aim of cutting off Madrid’s attacks and silencing Mbappe. Flick’s system has shifted slightly from a wide build-up to a narrower defensive structure, ensuring faster recovery runs and tighter marking on Madrid’s forwards.

  In contrast, Los Blancos though also struggling with injuries to David Alaba, Antonio Rudiger and Dani Carvajal, the club have leaned heavily on the brilliance of Mbappe, who leads La Liga with 10 goals, and Vinicius, whose pace and dribbling remain game-changing. The French forward's explosiveness has turned him into Madrid’s focal point, while the Brazilian desire to regain his elite status adds edge to his game.

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  Cubarsi reveals Barcelona's defensive 'tweaks'

  Wins against Girona and Olympiacos in the past week have lifted Barca's spirits, but defender Cubarsi says a lot more work has been going on in the background to ensure they are ready for the upcoming test, focusing on Mbappe and Vinicius in particular.

  “Everyone knows who Mbappe is. We have to keep an eye on him and all of Madrid's world-class players," Cubarsi told reporters. “We've tweaked four things and it has to go well for us. We'll have to stop him in the best way possible, but especially focus on ourselves. We have to continue with our philosophy. Last year went well. Now the teams have evolved, but if we tweak a few things, we can improve."

  Asked about Vinicius, he added: "He's an agile and quick striker who moves into space. We have to be very alert at the back to stop him."

  The Barca centre-back further emphasised the importance of Flick, despite the fact that he is very likely to miss the bench against Madrid after being sent off against Girona. "He's important inside and outside. What we want is for him to help us from within; and if not, from outside," Cubarsi said.

• Barca must be extra cautious with Madrid's leading men

  Madrid’s forward line is the most lethal in Europe this season, powered by a reinvigorated Mbappe and a determined Vinicius. Mbappe’s 10 goals and two assists in just nine La Liga appearances have redefined Madrid’s attacking identity. His leadership and relentless drive have filled the void left by Karim Benzema, while his chemistry with Arda Guler has become Madrid’s main creative weapon.

  Vinicius, however, enters the Clasico with something to prove. Once the unstoppable left-wing force, he has struggled for rhythm and consistency under Xabi Alonso. His five goals and four assists in nine games reflect flashes of brilliance, but not dominance. Reports of him rejecting a new contract, wanting to be the highest-paid player at Madrid, have added an extra layer of tension to his form. Yet, Mbappe’s vocal support of him has steadied the dynamic. With Madrid also missing key defenders, Alonso will rely heavily on their directness and speed to test Cubarsi and Ronald Araujo early.

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  Flick's men 'very positive' ahead of Clasico test

  Despite recent setbacks, Flick’s Barcelona still believe they can outplay Madrid with patience and identity. The German manager has urged his players to “trust their instincts” while correcting positional discipline, something missing in recent games. Flick’s expected absence from the touchline due to suspension will be a psychological blow, but his tactical imprint remains clear.

  After a 6-1 win against the Greek side in midweek, Cubarsi feels positive as he addressed his ability to adapt to a new position in defence.

  “Scoring six goals for a Champions League team boosts your morale and helps you be more focused in front of goal. It's a very, very positive thing,” he said. "I haven't played that many games on the left and I felt like I was in a more familiar position, but it's also helped me improve football-wise. It doesn't change much, although on the right, since I've played there more, I find space and open players more quickly. I like the left, and it will help me in the future."

  He further added: “We're all at a spectacular level. I'm also very comfortable with Eric [Garcia], just as I was at the Olympics alongside him. With this season's center backs, we can achieve great things.”