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Asalanka, Buttler, Babar and Warner round out top five performers

ESPNcricinfo stats team15-Nov-2021Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga is the MVP of the T20 World Cup 2021 according to ESPNcricinfo’s Smart Stats (all matches from start of Super 12s have been considered). In the Super 12s, Hasaranga took ten wickets and conceded runs at just 5.84 per over in the so-called Group of Death. Hasaranga also took a hat-trick against South Africa, but that was not enough to get his team over the line.ESPNcricinfo LtdNumbers, however, do not do full justice to Hasaranga’s impact.To gauge that, we need to look at Smart Stats, which looks at every batting and bowling performance through the prism of match context, and the pressure on the batter and bowler at each delivery when they batted or bowled.The games against England and South Africa stood out. All ten wickets that he took were of batters in the top seven.Hasaranga bowled three overs at the death too, taking four wickets at 6.66. In the middle overs, he bowled 14 overs and conceded just 6.14 runs per over. Hasaranga was the partnership breaker for his team, taking key wickets when they were required. He dismissed Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma and Dwyane Pretorius against South Africa, while he got Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow and Eoin Morgan against England.Hasaranga took wickets when others struggled, which also helped him top the impact charts. Hasaranga’s match impact of 71.6 was way ahead of his team-mate Charith Asalanka, who was next.Asalanka had a match impact score of 55, and scored 225 runs at an impressive strike rate of 153.06. No one had a better strike rate than Asalanka among the top 20 run-getters in the competition. Asalanka’s unbeaten 80 against Bangladesh was a knock under serious pressure, with his team struggling at 79 for 4 in the tenth over chasing 171.Openers Jos Buttler, Babar Azam and Player of the Tournament David Warner complete the top five.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Most impactful bowler

The list of bowlers with the highest Smart Wickets is different from the list of top wicket-takers, because Smart Wickets takes into account the quality of batter dismissed, their score at the time of dismissal, and the match context at that point. Considering all those factors, Trent Boult and Josh Hazlewood take the top-two positions with 15 and 14.6 Smart Wickets respectively.Adam Zampa, who is first on the actual wicket-takers’ list with 13 wickets, is fifth on the Smart Wickets tally with an aggregate of 11.8. Hasaranga and Ish Sodhi complete the top five, while five of the top-ten bowlers are wristspinners.There was not much to separate Boult and Hazlewood. While Hazlewood took the most wickets in the powerplay with seven, Boult was the second-highest wicket-taker at the death with six wickets. Both quicks were instrumental in containing runs or taking crucial wickets. Boult conceded five runs or less in four out of seven games in not-so-favourable conditions for quicks. Hazlewood, on the other hand, had a big impact by either picking crucial wickets early in the match or reducing the run flow, like he did in the final against New Zealand and in the first game against South Africa.Interestingly, both Boult and Hazlewood had very poor semi-finals, conceding more than ten runs per over without taking a wicket.The legspin trio of Hasaranga, Sodhi and Zampa all had excellent impact through the middle overs. Zampa took 13 wickets in this phase and went for less than six runs per over in the competition. Although some of his wickets did come about when the match result was a formality, or were of tail-enders, he made some crucially important strikes too. The former added to the tally for conventional wickets, but didn’t add much to Zampa’s Smart Wickets count. His five-wicket haul against Bangladesh was worth just 3.29 Smart Wickets, while his spells against South Africa and Pakistan counted for a lot more.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Top batting and bowling performances in a match

While Hasaranga and Boult took pole positions in terms of MVP and best bowler, the match-wise best batting and bowling performance went to Martin Guptill and Shadab Khan respectively. Guptill’s 93 from 56 balls in tough, humid conditions against Scotland was the top batting performance.This was the only game that was won by a team batting first in Dubai. Guptill single-handedly powered his team, hitting seven sixes and six fours. His partner in a century stand for the fourth wicket, Glenn Phillips, scored at a strike rate of just 89, making it that much tougher for Guptill.\The only century of the tournament was by Jos Buttler. His brilliant unbeaten 101 against Sri Lanka in tough batting conditions was the second best batting performance of the tournament. Buttler scored 62% of his team’s runs, and at one stage had made only 35 from 38 balls. In his next 29 balls, he smashed 66 runs in bowler-friendly conditions. Kane Williamson’s 85 in the final, Najibullah Zadran’s 73 against New Zealand and Asalanka’s 80 from 40 balls against Bangladesh complete the top-five best batting performances.ESPNcricinfo LtdAmong the impactful bowling performance, Shadab’s 4 for 26 in the semi-finals topped the chart.Defending 176, Shadab took the key wickets of Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith and David Warner. He conceded just 6.25 runs per over when all other bowlers went upwards of 8 per over. Shadab’s four wickets were worth almost seven Smart Wickets. What should have been a match-winning performance sadly ended in a losing cause. Hasaranga’s two spells against England and South Africa are in the top five along with Hazlewood and Boult’s efforts in the final.

تحدث بيب جوارديولا، مدرب مانشستر سيتي في أعقاب فوز فريقه على ريال مدريد ببطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، حيث حقق الفوز بهدفين لهدف.

والتقى الفريقان على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو” ضمن مباريات الجولة السادسة لمرحلة الدوري بدوري أبطال أوروبا، ونشرت شبكة “بي بي سي” البريطانية، والموقع الرسمي لليويفا، تصريحات جوارديولا.

وقال جوارديولا: “في كل مرة كانت الكرة بحوزتهم، عاقبونا، وخاصةً مع رودريجو، لم نتمكن من الدخول في أجواء المباراة حتى جاء الهدف، بالنسبة للعديد من لاعبي فريقي، كانت هذه هي المرة الأولى التي نأتي فيها إلى هذا الملعب، ربما يكون هذا في صالحنا؛ ربما نكون في فبراير أكثر استعدادًا بفضل هذه التجربة”.

وأضاف: “كان ريال مدريد أفضل منا بكثير في بعض المراحل؛ كنا نركض باستمرار، لكننا كنا نتأخر في كثير من الأحيان في استغلال الفرص، لكننا سنتعلم من أخطائنا، سنتحسن في الظروف الاستثنائية”.

وأردف مدرب مانشستر سيتي: “لقد تعاملنا مع مباراتي سندرلاند وفولهام بشكل مختلف تماماً، لكن هذا هو أسلوب ريال مدريد المعتاد، ملعبهم يعشق مثل هذه المباريات”.

وتابع بيب حديثه: “أدرك الواقع، وأنا سعيد بهذه النتيجة، لكنني أعلم أن علينا تقديم أداء أفضل بكثير، التعامل مع مثل هذه المواقف سيجعلنا أقوى، نيكو هو الظهير الأيسر للمنتخب الوطني، ويتمتع بسرعة فائقة، إنه لاعب من طراز رفيع”.

اقرأ أيضًا | هالاند: لست سعيدًا بغياب مبابي.. وأعجبني افتعال ثنائي ريال مدريد للمشاكل معي

واسنطرد: “راضٍ تمامًا بشكل عام، لدينا ثلاثة عشر نقطة مع تبقي مباراتين، بإمكاننا إنهاء الموسم ضمن المراكز الثمانية الأولى، هذا هو هدفنا، والفوز هنا بعد مباراة ليفركوزن أمر جيد”.

وأشار: “يجب أن أكون ممتنًا وسعيدًا، خضتُ العديد من المباريات هنا على مر السنين أمام ريال مدريد، ولعبتُ بشكل أفضل بكثير، لكننا لم نفز، أتيحت لنا فرصٌ لتسجيل المزيد من الأهداف، وبذلنا جهدًا أكبر، في الشوط الثاني، لكن قبل ذلك كانوا أفضل منا بكثير”.

وعلّق جوارديولا: “كان ماتيوس نونيز جيدًا، الظهيران، ريان شرقي يلعب هنا لأول مرة، نيكو أوريلي قدم أداءً مذهلاً، جيريمي دوكو ساعدنا كثيرًا في جوانب عديدة، بدأنا المباراة بخطأ، لكنني كنت أتوقع منهم الضغط أكثر، لكنهم تراجعوا، ووجدنا صعوبة في مواجهتهم، لكننا تقبلنا النتيجة”.

وواصل: “يمتلك ريال مدريد لاعبين سريعين في العمق؛ والهجمات المرتدة قد تحسم المباراة، لكنهم يتمتعون بجودةٍ مذهلة، ويرسلون العديد من اللاعبين إلى منطقة الجزاء، رودرجو، فينيسيوس، بيلينحهام، لاعبون رائعون، سرعة هجومهم خطيرة للغاية، ولهذا السبب لا يمكنك البقاء في منطقة الجزاء، بل عليك الالتزام بالدفاع، افتقرنا لبعض الجوانب، لذا يمكننا التحسن”.

وعن لاعبه إيرلينج هالاند، أشاد: “أرقامه تتحدث عن نفسها، علينا أن نجعله أكثر فاعلية، يجب أن يكون جزءًا من المباراة، في المباراتين الأخيرتين لم يكن حاضرًا، لذا علينا إيجاد طريقة لإشراكه بشكل أكبر”.

وإذا كان هذا الفوز يعزز الثقة للفوز بدوري أبطال أوروبا، اختتم: “لا تسيئوا فهمي؛ الفوز هنا أمر صعب للغاية، لقد أعجبت بروحهم وإصرارهم اليوم، ولكن لكي يفوز فريقي في نصف النهائي أو النهائي، ولكي نلعب ونفوز في باريس أو أنفيلد أو برشلونة، علينا أن نكون أفضل بكثير”.

Coventry City are now reportedly plotting a January deal to sign a Premier League midfielder, who desperately needs a move after playing just two minutes of top-flight action so far this season.

"Frustrated" Coventry must bounce back vs Bristol City

Coventry were cruising at the top of the Championship two weeks ago. Now, however, their lead at the top has been cut to just five points and one more slip-up could see Middlesbrough apply greater pressure than ever before this season.

Manager Frank Lampard admitted his frustration after failing to bounce back from a 3-0 thumping at the hands of Ipswich Town and drawing 1-1 with Preston North End, thanks to Daniel Jebbison’s late equaliser.

The last thing that Lampard needs is a reminder of his past failure in the hunt for Championship promotion and Coventry would be wise to act in January to avoid an all too familiar repeat.

On that front, the Sky Blues could turn to the Premier League to get them over the line and, more specifically, Sunderland’s Dan Neil. The midfielder has struggled for minutes in Wearside this season, but has caught the attention of those in the Championship.

Coventry plotting Dan Neil move

Coventry are now plotting a January deal to sign Neil, according to TeamTalk, and there’s no doubt that the Sunderland man needs a move away from Wearside next month.

The midfielder has gone from lifting the playoff trophy at Wembley as Sunderland’s captain to playing just two minutes of Premier League action following the arrival of Granit Xhaka.

With just over six months left on his current deal, the Black Cats are reportedly ready to cash in, providing Coventry with the perfect opportunity to welcome last season’s promotion hero.

Although Neil has struggled to make an impact in the Premier League, it’s tough to doubt his ability to make his mark in the Championship following Sunderland’s promotion.

It was in the second tier that the 23-year-old earned the most praise from Regis Le Bris, with the Sunderland boss telling reporters last January: “The individual output is not maybe as big as expected but it is still very important for the team. You can feel how strong he is as an individual player. At the same, the role he has for the balance of the team is very important.”

Neil played a pivotal part in the Black Cats’ promotion and may yet get the chance to help Coventry over the line in January.

There have been some miserable nights in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era at Manchester United, with Monday’s defeat to Everton ranking high on that list, having allowed the ten-man Toffees to secure a first away win at Old Trafford for former boss David Moyes.

Ironically, there were shades of Moyes’ own nadir – the 2-2 draw with Fulham back in 2013/14 – about that 1-0 loss, with Ruben Amorim again in danger of heading the same way as the Scotsman in the United dugout.

Indeed, a year in charge has yielded just 12 Premier League wins for the Portuguese coach, with the positivity of the recent five-game unbeaten run now tempered with the angle of three games without a win in the top-flight.

A key crux of the issue is the use – or rather misuse – of Bruno Fernandes in a deep-lying role, with the Red Devils crying out for a new creative hub ahead of him.

Man Utd's search for a successor to Fernandes

From netting 38 goals and assists in all competitions last term, the United skipper has been forced to almost play with the handbrake on, having even operated as the deepest midfielder following Kobbie Mainoo’s introduction against the Merseyside outfit.

Currently looking ill-suited to this 3-4-2-1 system, the 31-year-old – who came close to joining Al Hilal over the summer – might be at the centre of speculation again heading into next year’s World Cup, with his current deal set to expire in 2027.

He does still lead the way at United for big chances created (3) – alongside Amad and Bryan Mbeumo – although that is half as many as the division’s leader, Jeremy Doku (6), as per FotMob, with Fernandes’ powers perhaps on the wane in his new role.

In need of a new chief creator? Well, enter Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise, with reports in Spain suggesting that the Manchester side are among the clubs to have expressed an interest in the fleet-footed Frenchman.

Reportedly valued at around £123m, the 24-year-old is also attracting attention from both Liverpool and Arsenal, albeit with INEOS viewing him as someone who would bring a ‘significant leap in quality’.

Now in his second season in Munich, following a £50m move from Crystal Palace last year, the London-born star is shining in German football. Could he be just what Amorim is looking for?

Why Olise would be a perfect signing for Man United

After a hefty summer of investment totalling almost £250m, there might be a sense that INEOS have already put together their long-term frontline, in the form of Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

As the recent loss indicated, however, a couple of injuries to that latter duo highlighted the lack of real depth, while the pair’s return of just three goals between them is also cause for concern.

Sesko, in particular, is far from the finished article, with Amorim potentially able to fashion a fluid attacking trio of Cunha off the left, Mbeumo through the middle and Olise on the right, with the Bayern gem currently looking so devastating in that role in Munich.

In the Bundesliga alone this season, the one-time Reading winger has chalked up six goals and six assists for Vincent Kompany’s side, while registering seven big chances created in total, as per Sofascore.

A “magician” – according to Bayern teammate Dayot Upamecano – in the mould of Fernandes, the left-footer has also averaged 2.3 key passes per game, while eclipsing that return from his five Champions League outings, with 2.4 key passes per game.

Three goals and assists and three big chances created have also come amid a standout start to this year’s league phase in Europe, with Olise now rightly lauded as “one of the best players in the world” by the likes of teammate Serge Gnabry.

That lofty status is more than warranted, as he currently ranks in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for assists and shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref, while also ranking in the top 4% for progressive passes per 90.

In essence, everything he does is with an attacking thought in mind, possessing that Fernandes-esque knack for being able to unlock a defence with a moment of genius.

There is also an at-times erratic quality that comes with that approach, like the Portuguese, having lost possession on average 17 times a game in Germany’s top-flight.

He is a risk-taker, however, and as Monday showcased, United could certainly do with more of that.

Having – perhaps rightly – allowed the likes of Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho to depart, while clipping Fernandes’ wings, this is a squad in desperate need of a game-changer. Olise might just be that.

Worse than Bruno & Casemiro: Amorim can't start Man Utd duo together again

This change could help turn Man Utd’s season around.

By
Joe Nuttall

Nov 26, 2025

Amid a flurry of roster moves, the Atlanta Braves are re-signing a familiar face.

The Braves have inked outfielder Eddie Rosario to a major-league contract, they announced Monday morning. This will mark Rosario's third stint with Atlanta over the course of his 11-year career.

Rosario first joined the Braves in 2021 via a trade from Cleveland. The deal proved a massive coup for Atlanta; Rosario slashed an otherworldly .560/.607/1.040 with three home runs and nine RBIs in the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He spent two more years with the Braves after that, and returned to Atlanta after an ill-fated stint with the Washington Nationals in 2024.

The 33-year-old opened 2025 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, slashing .250/.250/.250 in just four at-bats with the team.

The Braves are currently 12-15—tied for last in the National League East division with the Miami Marlins, and 6.5 games back of the first-place New York Mets.

Tottenham Hotspur are now closely monitoring Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, viewing him as an ideal fit in Thomas Frank’s system.

Frank has set out to improve Tottenham’s defence since succeeding Ange Postecoglou as manager in the summer, with Gary Neville claiming they have made improvements at the back after the recent 3-0 victory against Everton.

Neville said: “They did things certainly last season they weren’t capable of doing, and that’s being reliable when they’re not playing well.

“Can they withstand pressure? Can they soak up teams putting balls into their box? They did that today. I think they defended really well.”

Spurs are faring much better than last season in the Premier League, despite the 1-0 loss against Chelsea on Saturday, having taken 17 points from their opening 10 games, and Micky van de Ven has caught the eye, scoring a brace against Everton.

However, Van de Ven is now attracting attention from elsewhere, which could pose a problem for the north Londoners, who have set a minimum asking price of £88m amid interest from Liverpool and Real Madrid.

Tottenham closely monitoring Jarrad Branthwaite

With their captain being linked to other clubs, Tottenham are now looking to sign a new centre-back, and a report from Caught Offside has revealed they are closely monitoring Branthwaite, viewing the defender as an ideal fit in Frank’s system.

The Toffees are extremely reluctant to sanction a departure, but they have set an asking price of £70m, which means a deal could be possible if Spurs are willing to break their existing transfer record.

The 23-year-old, who remains under contract until 2030, is happy at Everton for the time being and not pushing for an exit, but interest is growing, with Manchester United also in the race for his signature.

Injuries have hampered the Englishman as of late, meaning he is yet to make an appearance in the Premier League this season, but he has certainly caught the eye in the past, notably putting in a top performance against Spurs in 2024.

The Carlisle-born defender is now very experienced in the Premier League, having made 75 top-flight performances, and he averaged a 7.02 SofaScore match rating last term, the fifth-highest of any Everton player to feature in at least 50% of their matches.

Branthwaite is at a good age to be a long-term success at the Tottenham Hotpsur Stadium, but £70m would be a lot to spend on a player who hasn’t proven himself at the highest level, with the centre-back yet to play for England or in the Champions League.

What Thomas Frank said after snub from van de Ven and Spence What Frank said on snub from van de Ven and Spence after Tottenham loss

It was an evening to forget for Spurs.

ByCharlie Smith Nov 2, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Maior artilheiro da Seleção Brasileira na história, de acordo com a Fifa, Neymar não conseguiu bater mais um recorde com a Amarelinha. Ele não marcou no empate em 1 a 1 com a Venezuela, nesta quinta-feira (12), e tem a vinotinto como pedra no sapato nas Eliminatórias. O camisa 10 nunca balançou as redes contra os venezuelanos no torneio classificatório para os Mundiais.

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Se não balançou as redes, Neymar, ao menos, participou diretamente do gol brasileiro, que foi marcado pelo zagueiro Gabriel Magalhães, de cabeça, após escanteio cobrado por Ney. O jogo foi disputado na Arena Pantanal, em Cuiabá (MT) e foi válido pela terceira rodada da competição, que visa classificar as seleções da América do Sul para o próximo Mundial, que será realizado no Canadá, Estados Unidos e México. 

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O camisa 10 da Amarelinha até já tinha feito um gol contra os venezuelanos, mas ele aconteceu na Copa América de 2021, na vitória do Brasil por 2 a 0 na fase de grupos da competição, onde foi vice-campeão.

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+ Aposte R$100 e ganhe R$375 com o Brasil e Neymar contra a Venezuela nas Eliminatórias

Assim, entre os países da América do Sul, a Venezuela é o único que nunca foi castigado por Neymar em confrontos pelas Eliminatórias.

Além de nunca ter sofrido gol de Neymar, a vinotinto é a seleção sul-americana é a que menos foi vazada pelo atacante entre todos os sul-americanos.

The trophies haven’t always followed, but West Ham United have had some truly sensational players represent them over the years.

You’ve got the historical greats, like Bobby Moore, Billy Bonds, and Geoff Hurst, as well as some more modern ones.

Declan Rice, for example, or Dimitri Payet before him, and going back a little further, the livewire that was Paolo Di Canio.

All three made an enormous impact on the club during their time in East London, and Nuno Espírito Santo has someone in his squad today who should be spoken about in the same way.

Di Canio, Payet and Rice's West Ham careers

Starting in chronological order then, Di Canio joined West Ham in January 1999, and while there were some questions over the move for his rash behaviour, and the fact he had just been banned for 11 games for pushing a referee, Harry Redknaap justified the move by simply stating that the Italian could “do things with the ball that people can only dream of.”

Over the next four and a half years, the Roma-born icon would rack up an impressive tally of 50 goals and 19 assists in 139 games for the club, with his strike against Wimbledon in March 2000 later being named the league’s goal of the decade.

While he left to join Charlton Athletic following the Irons’ relegation in 2003, Di Canio made a lasting impression in East London and continues to call the fan base his second family.

Another maverick star who the East End fell head over heels for during his time in the capital was Payet.

The French magician joined the club from Marseille in the summer of 2015, and it didn’t take long for him to announce himself, providing the assist for Cheikhou Kouyaté from a well-taken free kick on his debut against Arsenal.

He ended that season with an outrageous tally of 12 goals and 15 assists in 38 games, which was enough for him to be named the Premier League Player of the Year at the 2016 London Football Awards, shortlisted for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year and named West Ham United Player of the Year.

However, things would sour the following season, when, in the new year, he refused to play after making it clear that he wanted to return to Marseille, which he eventually did for around £25m.

Finally, the only academy product of the three, Rice was well and truly one of West Ham’s own.

He made his senior debut for the club in a Premier League game against Burnley in the 16/17 season, and over the next six years would go on to amass 244 more for the club, as well as becoming the captain in the summer of 2022.

His crowning achievement in claret and blue came the following summer, when he led the club to their first European title, beating Fiorentina in the Conference League final.

Unfortunately, he then left to join Arsenal a couple of months later, but he did at least bring in around £105m in the process.

In all, it’s impossible to deny that Di Canio, Payet and Rice are three of the very best players to have represented West Ham in the modern era, although another name might have to be added to that list.

The West Ham star emulating Di Canio, Payet and Rice

Now, while neither the results nor performances have been all that great this season, West Ham still have several incredibly talented players in their squad.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, when it comes down to someone who could emulate and be looked at in the same way as the three icons mentioned above, only one player comes to mind: Jarrod Bowen.

The 28-year-old joined the Hammers from Hull City in January 2020, and while there was some excitement around his transfer, it didn’t feel like it would be such a seismic one at the time.

After all, while his first six months at the club certainly weren’t bad, they also weren’t anything special, as in 13 appearances, he scored a single goal and provided four assists.

Things improved slightly the following year, as he recorded 14 goal involvements in 40 appearances, but it was the season after that, the 2021/22 campaign, when it became clear just how special a player he is.

Appearances

245

Starts

220

Minutes

19521′

Goals

77

Assists

52

Goal Involvements per Match

0.52

Minutes per Goal Involvement

151.32′

Points per Game

1.46

For example, in 51 appearances, the “unplayable” winger, as dubbed by Thomas Frank, scored 18 goals and provided 13 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.64 games, which was also enough to see him earn his first senior England cap.

However, it was the year after that in which his defining moment as a West Ham player came, as in the 90th minute of the Conference League final, he made a perfectly timed run, and under all the pressure in the world, scored the winning goal to send East London into delirium.

Since then, the firm fan favourite has continued to improve, and since being given the captain’s armband last year, it’s hard to think og what else he needs to do to cement himself as a West Ham legend.

Ultimately, while he might not get the same recognition outside the fan base, it would be fair to say that Bowen is well on his way to becoming one of the Hammers’ greatest ever – if he isn’t there already.

West Ham are brewing homegrown Diouf in exciting 18-year-old at Rush Green

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After watching on as he limped off in Saturday’s 3-0 defeat against Coventry, Birmingham City boss Chris Davies has confirmed the extent of Ethan Laird’s injury.

David admits "frustration" after Sheffield Wednesday draw

It’s not been a good week for Birmingham, who were pushed aside by Frank Lampard’s Coventry side at the weekend and then forced to rescue a point in the 99th-minute against Sheffield Wednesday last night. The Blues were expected to defeat the Owls, whose struggles away from the pitch have created an impossible scenario for the players on it, but found themselves frustrated once again.

Davies couldn’t hide his frustration in his post-match reaction, but did admit that there is some “relief” among the Birmingham squad after they salvaged a late point.

He told reporters: “We stabilised at half time and regrouped, we came out well again and on the front foot, having moments and chances. We couldn’t take them and then they go in front from a set piece, out of nothing, and a goal.

“What it leads to is a very difficult situation, at home, 2-1 down in a game that we really feel we should be winning. That’s a test of character, that’s a test of mental strength, and the players did it. It could be one of the biggest points of our season, and one of the biggest moments of our season.

“From our point of view there’s very mixed feelings in the dressing room. There’s a sense of relief, or happiness that we got the goal, but there’s an underlying frustration because we know that we let that game turn into a game that was possibly going to get away from us.”

The manager also had more bad news to share regarding the extent of Laird’s injury, who has added to the Blues’ woes.

Birmingham games that Ethan Laird will now miss

Revealing the extent of Laird’s injury, Davies said: “Ethan is unfortunately an injury that will take him some time, a few months, which is a real blow. A real blow to him and us. He’s had it assessed and looked at, and unfortunately it was as bad as we feared it would be. We won’t see him for a few months.”

Based on the manager’s verdict, Laird is likely to miss at least three months of action and will be absent for a number of games as a result. The right-back had featured in all seven of his side’s Championship games prior to his injury – starting four times – but could now be forced to sit out for the next 16 in a monumental blow.

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That run could include games against the likes of Southampton, Sheffield United and will most certainly include Wrexham this weekend. Sat one point adrift of the playoff places, it’s an injury blow that Birmingham could do without.

Pep Guardiola admits he feels bad for not giving Kalvin Phillips more playing time at Manchester City.

The midfielder made a big-money move from Leeds to the Etihad in 2022 but has made only two Premier League starts for Guardiola’s side, while loan spells at West Ham and Ipswich have also proved difficult.

Games

31

Goals

1

Assists

0

Yellow cards

3

Minutes played

914

Phillips, on £150,000-a-week, has not played for City since December 2023, but is now back training with City after an Achilles injury scuppered his chances of a summer move.

Asked why it had not worked out at City for the 29-year-old, Guardiola said:

City have had a stuttering start to the season, with Sunday’s draw against Arsenal leaving them eight points behind leaders Liverpool after only five games.

Guardiola believes the biggest difference to their years of dominance is a change in the prevailing playing style of the majority of teams.

The Catalan cited veteran Italian coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who spent nine years with Atalanta before moving to Roma this summer, as the key influencer in a more combative era.

Guardiola spoke about his players’ fatigue after the Arsenal draw, and he said: “More than the physicality, it’s the way that the opponents play.

“They are more and more aggressive in all departments, more man marking, don’t leave you spaces. In the last one or two years, it changed a lot. I don’t know if it will come back (to) what it was before and the teams have to adapt in a different way.

“You see Bournemouth, you see Brentford with Thomas Frank and now with Tottenham, going a lot in that way. And that’s why football is so nice, not always is it the same and you have to adapt with the players you have, the way you’re thinking, and especially in the way you want to attack.”

Next up for City is a trip to Huddersfield in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, where Guardiola will change his side for the first time in four games.

He confirmed James Trafford will start in goal but one player who will not feature is defender Abdukodir Khusanov, who is expected to miss three games with the injury he picked up against Arsenal.

The young Uzbek has started the last four games, and Guardiola spoke glowingly about his potential.

“He’s been really, really good against the tough, tough opponents we faced,” said the City boss. “He’s so young. He came in a season that was difficult for us. He’s incredible, he’s learned quick. You smell that he’s an incredible top signing for the next many, many years at this club. This guy will make a career in this club.”