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Shakib’s presence makes Barishal formidable, Dhaka has the Mahmudullah-Mashrafe-Tamim combo, while Sylhet have great balance

Mohammad Isam19-Jan-2022 Comilla Victorians Team overview
Comilla Victorians, the two-time BPL champions, return to the tournament after missing the 2019-20 season. And Comilla, who won the 2015 and 2019 editions, will be boosted by the return of their head coach Mohammad Salahuddin.They have one of the most balanced squads in the tournament, with a good mix of experience and local expertise. Faf du Plessis and Sunil Narine are their marquee players, while Mustafizur Rahman, Moeen Ali and Cameron Delport are big names in T20 cricket in most places around the world.Among the other batters, Liton Das is in good form, while Imrul Kayes has plenty of BPL experience. Parvez Hossain Emon is the wildcard in the top order, having struck the fastest hundred by a Bangladeshi in T20s, in 2020. Comilla have also roped in allrounder Nahidul Islam, a known T20 specialist, to add to the spin-heavy bowling attack.Related

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Strengths
A potent spin attack led by Narine, in addition to allrounders like Mahedi and Nahidul. Left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam could be one to look out for, too.A well-balanced batting line-up led by du Plessis. Liton and Imrul are capable of giving the team big starts, while Moeen will be in charge of providing a late flourish if needed.Weaknesses
A pace attack in which Mustafizur will have to do most of the heavy lifting. Oshane Thomas and Karim Janat are useful, but Shohidul Islam, Sumon Khan and Abu Hider all have their work cut out.Squad: Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Sunil Narine, Mustafizur Rahman, Liton Das, Shohidul Islam, Imrul Kayes (capt), Tanvir Islam, Kusal Mendis, Oshane Thomas, Ariful Haque, Nahidul Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Sumon Khan, Mominul Haque, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Parvez Hossain Emon, Abu Hider, Mehedi Hasan, Cameron Delport, Karim Janat.Shoriful Islam will lead Chattogram’s bowling attack•ICC via GettyChattogram ChallengersTeam overview
Chattogram Challengers will hope to go a step further than they did at the 2019-20 BPL, where they made it till the second qualifier, where they lost to eventual champions Rajshahi Royals.But Chattogram overall had a decent outing in that season – which is probably why they have retained Rayad Emrit, Enamul Haque, Nasum Ahmed and Chadwick Walton, as well as head coach Paul Nixon. However, they are yet to name their captain for this season.The line-up looks promising. Afif Hossain, Shamim Hossain and Zakir Hasan are all in-form Bangladesh players, and they have the overseas trio of Kennar Lewis, Will Jacks and Chadwick Walton to complement them well. Sabbir Rahman, who has now fallen off the radar, is also part of the team.Shoriful Islam and Benny Howell will lead the bowling attack which also has Mehidy Hasan and Nasum Ahmed in the spin department.Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, a left-arm quick who has impressed in the Under-19 and domestic circuit, is an interesting pick. Chattogram also have three wicketkeeping options in Walton, Zakir and Akbar Ali.Strengths
They have quite an impressive batting line-up that includes several foreign and local big-hitters, so they would hope their batters turn up well at the tournament and provide them with some solid starts up front.Weaknesses
The big names in the side will be expected to keep up with the pressure especially in the back-end of the tournament, where they let it slip last season.Squad: Nasum Ahmed, Benny Howell, Kennar Lewis, Will Jacks, Shoriful Islam, Afif Hossain, Shamim Hossain, Mukidul Islam, Chadwick Walton, Rayad Emrit, Rejaur Rahman Raja, Sabbir Rahman, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, Mehidy Hasan (capt), Akbar Ali, Naeem Islam, Enamul Haque, Zakir Hasan.With a captain-coach combination of Shakib Al Hasan and Khaled Mahmud, Barishal Fortune have plenty of experience in the think-tank•AFP/Getty ImagesFortune BarishalTeam overview
A Barishal franchise returns to the BPL for the first time since 2016. Burners and Bulls had their moments in the first four editions, but now we have Fortune Barishal.Fortune Barishal had finished fourth – out of five teams – in the Bangabandhu T20 Cup in December 2020.For the BPL, they signed up Shakib Al Hasan and coach Khaled Mahmud first up, which gives them a great think-tank. Shakib and Mahmud are linking up again after a coach-captain partnership for several seasons with Dhaka Dynamites, including their triumph in 2016.They have picked a number of young Bangladeshi batters, a Mahmud hallmark. Najmul Hossain Shanto leads this pack that also includes Towhid Hridoy, Munim Shahriar and Salman Hossain. Chris Gayle will join the set-up slightly later on, adding a truckload of firepower and experience to the batting line-up.They have a strong pace attack with Alzarri Joseph and Obed McCoy in lead roles, complemented by local left-arm quicks Mehedi Hasan Rana and Shafiqul Islam. They also have quality spinners to call upon, including Shakib and Taijul Islam, and Afghanistan ace Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who is likely to join the side a bit later on.Strengths
Variety in the spin attack. They have orthodox left-arm spinners in Shakib and Taijul Islam, and left-arm spin of the unorthodox kind from Jake Lintott. Mujeeb Ur Rahman adds a bit of mystery, while Nayeem Hasan is an accurate offspinner who’s in great domestic form.A pace attack with three left-arm quicks. Obed McCoy will bring pace and guile, while Mehedi Hasan Rana and Shafiqul Islam have the local know-how.Weaknesses
If Shakib bats in the Barishal top three, that makes eight top-order batters in their squad. It would mean some of the younger openers may have to do an unfamiliar middle-order job.Not enough allrounders apart from Shakib and an aging Dwayne Bravo. Evidence from previous BPL seasons suggests that bowling allrounders are useful on slow and low pitches where teams tend to pick fewer out-and-out fast bowlers.Squad: Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Chris Gayle, Nurul Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehedi Hasan Rana, Fazle Mahmud, Obed McCoy, Alzarri Joseph, Towhid Hridoy, Ziaur Rahman, Shafiqul Islam, Shykat Ali, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Salman Hossain, Irfan Sukkur, Dwayne Bravo, Munim Shahriar, Jake Lintott.Mushfiqur Rahim will lead a team that has the quality to go all the way•BCBKhulna TigersTeam overview
Khulna Tigers, a team built around allrounders, are sending out positive vibes, they look like a team that can go all the way. The closest they got to that was the last time the BPL was held, in 2019-20, when they reached the final before losing to Rajshahi Royals.Led by Mushfiqur Rahim and coached by Lance Klusener, Khulna’s player choices, even the overseas ones, are tailor-made for Bangladeshi conditions.Mushfiqur has Soumya Sarkar, Yasir Ali, Rony Talukder and Andre Fletcher as the main batters. Mushfiqur is also the wicketkeeper, Soumya bowls useful medium-pace, and Talukder is another keeping option.The genuine allrounders include Thisara Perera, Mahedi Hasan, Seekkuge Prasanna and Sikandar Raza, with support from domestic stalwarts Farhad Reza and Mohammad Sharifullah. Most of them are capable middle-order batters, but they will mostly be required to do the job at the death.Kamrul Islam Rabbi and Naveen-ul-Huq will lead the pace attack, while Khaled Ahmed is there to provide support. Rabbi has made his name as a good death bowler in recent BPL seasons, and has a burgeoning reputation as a big-hitter too. Veteran left-arm spinners Sohrawardi Shuvo and Nabil Samad will come in handy as the pitches get weary.Strengths
Allrounders. Perera, Raza and Prasanna have international pedigree while Mahedi isn’t too far behind, particularly in the BPL.Weaknesses
Managing the expectations could be a big challenge for Khulna. They were finalists in the last BPL and given their overall strength this time, taking them down will give most teams a lot of pleasure.Squad: Mushfiqur Rahim (capt), Mahedi Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Farhad Reza, Yasir Ali, Rony Talukder, Jaker Ali, Khaled Ahmed, Mohammad Sharifullah, Sohrawardi Shuvo, Nabil Samad, Seekkuge Prasanna, Sikandar Raza, Thisara Perera, Naveenul Huq, Andre Fletcher.Mashrafe Mortaza and Mahmudullah, in the same corner this time•BCB Minister Group DhakaTeam overview
Dhaka’s ownership changed dramatically the night before the player draft last month when the consortium that had initially bought the franchise couldn’t pay the bank guarantee. It left the BCB to take over the team, with selector Habibul Bashar getting only a few hours to prepare for the draft.He went on to pick Mahmudullah, Tamim Iqbal and Mashrafe Mortaza. It was an interesting call because this showed the BCB’s faith in these three senior players, who they have felt, at three instances between 2017 and now, were well past their prime, at least for T20s.They have also roped in Mohammad Naim, Shamsur Rahman, Jahurul Islam and Shuvagata Hom among the local batters, apart from the Afghan quartet of Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Shahzad, Qais Ahmad and Fazalhaq Farooqi.They later signed Andre Russell, who at USD 250,000 is the most expensive player in the tournament.They also have Isuru Udana of Sri Lanka, Rubel Hossain and Ebadot Hossain to round off a steady bowling attack.Mashrafe, meanwhile, will miss the first few matches because of a back injury.Dhaka are the most expensive team in the competition at USD 900,000. Comilla and Sylhet Sunrisers are next in line, but their respective spending in players has been less than half that of Dhaka, at around USD 426,000 and USD 418,000.Strengths
Balance in the line-up. They have a strong top and middle order, with Mahmudullah and Russell taking care of the death overs. The bowling attack is also well stacked up with the pace and spin bowlers.Weaknesses
The same as their strengths – they might be a bit over-reliant on those experienced players.Squad: Mahmudullah (capt), Isuru Udana, Qais Ahmad, Najibullah Zadran, Tamim Iqbal, Rubel Hossain, Mashrafe Mortaza, Shuvagata Hom, Mohammad Shahzad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mohammad Naim, Arafat Sunny, Imran Uzzaman, Shafiul Islam, Jahurul Islam, Shamsur Rahman, Ebadot Hossain, Rishad Hossain, Andre Russell.Taskin Ahmed will lead Sylhet Sunrisers’ pace-bowling attack•Getty ImagesSylhet SunrisersTeam overview
Sylhet Sunrisers have picked a pretty balanced squad on paper, but a lack of genuine T20 match-winners may leave them short at some stage in the tournament.Anamul Haque is set to lead a side that includes Colin Ingram, Lendl Simmons and Ravi Bopara among their marquee foreign players. He will also have batting cover from Mohammad Mithun, Alok Kapali, Mizanur Rahman and Nadif Chowdhury among the locals, while Mosaddek Hossain, Sohag Gazi and Muktar Ali are the main allrounders.Taskin Ahmed will lead the bowling attack, along with Kesrick Williams, Shiraz Ahmed and Al-Amin Hossain. The spinners include Nazmul Islam, Jubair Hossain and Sunzamul Islam.Mervyn Dillon, the former West Indies fast bowler, will coach the side; it’s his first assignment in the BPL. Given their lack of top T20 names, Sylhet might have to play out of their skins to compete against top sides like Dhaka, Khulna and Comilla.Strengths
A lot will depend on Bopara, Ingram and Taskin. Ingram has to score quickly at the top while Bopara’s middle-order contributions and four overs with the semi-new ball will be crucial. Taskin has to pick up wickets at the top, and fire in his yorkers in the death overs.Weaknesses
Very few match-winners and allrounders. Sylhet could perhaps load their team with bits-and-pieces cricketers, but that approach is seldom successful in T20s.Squad: Anamul Haque (capt), Taskin Ahmed, Kesrick Williams, Colin Ingram, Shiraz Ahmed, Mosaddek Hossain (capt), Mohammad Mithun, Al-Amin Hossain, Nazmul Islam, Ravi Bopara, Sohag Gazi, Alok Kapali, Muktar Ali, Jubair Hossain, Mizanur Rahman, Nadif Chowdhury, Shafiul Hayet, Sunzamul Islam, Lendl Simmons, Devon Thomas.

What’s better than betting on a few players to hit a long ball on Wednesday night?

There’s plenty of Major League Baseball action – 17 games to be exact – to bet on today, and there are two players that I think are in a prime spot to hit a home run. 

When deciding home run props, I love to fade pitchers that are struggling with the long ball as well as finding a hitter that has some success against them in his career. 

Unfortunately, Patrick Corbin and Marcus Stroman are finding themselves on the wrong side of these home run bets. 

Best MLB Home Run Picks for Wednesday, July 10Josh Lowe to Hit a Home Run (+550)Pete Alonso to Hit a Home Run (+330)

Josh Lowe to Hit a Home Run (+550)

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Josh Lowe has never hit a home run off of New York Yankees starter Marcus Storman, but he’s seen the ball well off of him, hitting 2-for-6 with a triple and a double – good for a 1.167 OPS. 

Stroman has struggled mightily as of late, posting 5.74 ERA and 6.65 FIP in six starts since the beginning of June. 

On top of that, he’s allowed 15 home runs in 18 outings, including five over his last three starts. 

Lowe only has five homers on the season, but I think he’s worth a shot against a pitcher he’s hit well against in his career. 

Pete Alonso to Hit a Home Run (+330)

New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso has hit 18 home runs in the 2024 season, and he’s in a prime spot to go yard against the Washington Nationals on Wednesday.

Why?

Well, Corbin is on the mound for the Nationals, and Alonso has crushed him in his MLB career. In 46 at bats against Corbin, Alonso is hitting .326 with a .717 slugging percentage, five home runs and three doubles. 

Corbin has allowed 14 homers in 18 outings this season, so I wouldn’t be shocked to see Alonso smash his sixth bomb against the lefty tonight.

Ireland will have to forget a rough Test in Sylhet if they are to spoil Bangladesh and Mushfiqur’s party

Mohammad Isam18-Nov-2025Big picture: Bangladesh look for series sweepThe second and final Test between Bangladesh and Ireland in Dhaka will start off as a celebration of Mushfiqur Rahim’s 100th Test match. Mushfiqur is the first Bangladesh cricketer to reach the milestone, and tributes poured in from current and former team-mates and coaches. Ireland, meanwhile, will no doubt try to spoil the party.Ireland were no match for Bangladesh in the first Test in Sylhet, where they went down by an innings and 47 runs. Only when Paul Stirling and Cade Carmichael batted well on the first day did Ireland look in the game. They crumbled for the rest of the game.Related

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Stirling and Carmichael hit fifties, while Andy McBrine also fought hard to get a half-century in the second innings. Left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys took an expensive five-wicket haul. But all told, Ireland had a forgettable outing.Bangladesh had plenty of strong performers including Mahmudul Hasan Joy, who returned to the Test side with 171. Mahmudul looked compact at the crease, and opened up his shoulders once he reached his second Test century. Najmul Hossain Shanto also struck a century, his eighth in Tests and fourth as the captain. It was a rapid knock, aided by Litton Das’ stroke-filled 60. Shadman Islam and Mominul Haque also made eighties.It was Bangladesh’s bowling that put them on top in the first place. The spinners Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam and Hasan Murad took 14 wickets among them. Murad, making his Test debut, bowled tight lengths with found subtle turn from time to time. Fast bowlers Nahid Rana and Hasan Mahmud too contributed with wickets in both innings.Mushfiqur was the only one in the Bangladesh top five who didn’t get a fifty. Perhaps he is saving one for the big occasion.Form guideBangladesh WLDWL
Ireland LWWWLMahmudul Hasan Joy celebrates his hundred in Sylhet•BCBIn the spotlight: Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Paul StirlingMahmudul Hasan Joy returning to Test cricket with an innings 171 is an encouraging sign for the young batter. He is said to have corrected his technique and worked on his mental make-up after he was dropped earlier this year. He played mainly in front of square on the off side, and struck a few good-looking drives. He looked focused and clearly wanted to play a long innings, which was the promise on which he was brought into the Test side in his debut four years ago.Paul Stirling looked comfortable in both innings in Sylhet, though he couldn’t quite make either a big one. He was enterprising in his handling of Rana in the first innings, cutting and square driving with ease. He had a tougher role in the second innings in Balbirnie’s absence from the top order and was later run out for 43. Stirling will have another major role in Dhaka, particularly because of his ability to handle low, spinning deliveries.Andy McBrine was one of the Ireland batters to give a good account of himself in Sylhet•Bangladesh Cricket BoardTeam news: Teams likely to make one change eachEbadot Hossain could take Rana’s place in the only change in the Bangladesh playing XI.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Shadman Islam, 2 Mahmudul Hasan Joy, 3 Mominul Haque, 4 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Litton Das (wk), 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Taijul Islam, 9 Hasan Murad, 10 Hasan Mahmud, 11 Ebadot HossainGavin Hoey could enter the fray for Ireland, replacing Craig Young in the spinners’ paradise that is Dhaka.Ireland (probable): 1 Cade Carmichael, 2 Andy Balbirnie (capt), 3 Paul Stirling, 4 Harry Tector, 5 Curtis Campher, 6 Lorcan Tucker (wk), 7 Andy McBrine, 8 Jordan Neill, 9 Barry McCarthy, 10 Gavin Hoey, 11 Matthew HumphreysPitch and conditions: A spin test as alwaysThe spin fest during the Bangladesh vs West Indies ODI series in Dhaka last month could continue into this Test match. The weather is on the drier side.Stats and trivia: Mahmudul takes second spot Mahmudul’s 171 is the second-highest score by a Bangladeshi opener in Test cricket. Jordan Neill was Ireland’s youngest Test debutant in Sylhet, at 20 years and 69 days. During the Sylhet Test, Taijul became the third Bangladesh bowler after Abdur Razzak and Enamul Haque to reach 500 first-class wickets.

Former South Africa captain and current SA20 commissioner Graeme Smith believes there will be a “shift in how things work” in the cricket calendar after 2027, when the current men’s FTP (Future Tours Programme) comes to an end and a fresh cycle of ICC media rights will also be up for grabs. Smith also said most of the focus on South African cricket’s planning is the build-up to the 2027 men’s ODI World Cup, which they will co-host along with Zimbabwe and Namibia, and only after that tournament will they look to expand SA20, which currently has six teams and is three seasons old.Since its inception, SA20 has been played in January-February and has had calendar clashes with the Big Bash League (BBL) and the ILT20 in the UAE, which started in the same year as SA20 (2023). Even though the PSL has moved to the April-May window now, these three T20 leagues also face a calendar crunch with international cricket, often bilateral series, which creates an availability headache for the boards and international teams.”I’m not saying the other leagues will go away, but there’ll certainly be a tier-one of sort of franchise leagues in different windows, so maybe four to five, probably a club World Cup coming,” Smith said at an SA20 event in Mumbai on Wednesday. “I think bilateral cricket is hard. I think when top nations play each other, it gets a lot of interest. Even with the ICC, they have an event a year, but I think the interesting thing to watch is going to be post-2027 FTP cycle when the new cycle kicks in and all the new rights deals get done.Related

• Graeme Smith: 'Crucial for South Africa to start well' in India

• Graeme Smith: 'Would love to have more Indian players' in SA20

“That’s going to be interesting to watch. I think bilateral cricket, if anything, outside of the top teams playing each other, is lacking a little bit of context at the moment with four games here, two games there. There’s no consistency to these things, but obviously it does come with national pride as well, so I think you’re going to probably see a shift in how things work post 2027.”The ODI World Cup that year will be played in October-November, which gives Cricket South Africa exactly two more years to ramp up preparations to host the global event. Smith said the SA20 expansion plans will begin only after the World Cup.”I think for us it’s also where South African cricket is,” he said. “With the 2027 World Cup now, there’s been big investment into stadium infrastructure, lights, the quality of pitches. So we’ve seen that really being developed over the last six months into the year. I think in all the stadiums now you’ll see new lights in the run-up to the 2027 World Cup. Post-season five [of SA20] is where we will look to grow. That has always been the case.Graeme Smith at an SA20 promotional event•SA20

“I think for us there’s a number of elements when you look to grow. Where do you grow? Do you grow in South Africa? Do you grow in Africa? And then also you want to build up your player base. I think one thing that SA20 has got right is that the six teams have been equally competitive. Probably the amount of South African local players has been at a good standard. And if you introduce a new team then you’ve got to look at another 20 to 26 South African players. And you need to make sure that that quality is there to be able to keep all six, seven, eight teams of a high standard.”The fourth season of SA20 will be the first time the tournament will not start in January, but on December 26, as there is no Boxing Day Test scheduled by Cricket South Africa in the FTP. SA20 will be preceded by five T20Is for South Africa in India and will be followed by another three T20Is against West Indies just before the T20 World Cup kicks off on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka, making it a “big period” for South Africa in the coming months.”I think it’s an important few months for the South African team, obviously, with the big tour to India, if they can find a way to be successful here across the three formats. It really does set up SA20 beautifully as a kind of highly competitive tournament, playing in front of big crowds and getting players ready for the T20 World Cup which is going to be amazing to watch in India. So I think it’s a big period for the next three months for South African cricket to really build on the successes that they’ve had throughout the year. We’ve seen the World Test Championship final. We’ve seen our ladies do well. And the next three to four months can really be an amazing time for South African cricket.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O Juventude encara o Corinthians nesta quarta-feira (17), às 20h (horário de Brasília), pela estreia do Brasileirão 2024. O confronto será transmitido pelo Premiere (TV Fechada).

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFinançasQual é a camisa mais cara do Brasileirão 2024? Veja rankingFinanças16/04/2024Futebol NacionalPower Ranking #4: os melhores times do momento no futebol brasileiroFutebol Nacional15/04/2024CorinthiansGigantes europeus miram Murillo, e Corinthians pode lucrar valor milionárioCorinthians15/04/2024

➡️ Ambos marcam! Coloque R$100 e ganhe mais de R$200 no Lance! Betting se Juventude e Corinthians balançarem as redes

Confira abaixo todas as informações que você precisa saber sobre o confronto entre Juventude e Corinthians (onde assistir, horário, escalações e local).

✅FICHA TÉCNICA
JUVENTUDE X CORINTHIANS
2ª RODADA – BRASILEIRÃO
Data e horário: sábado, 17 de abril de 2024, às 20h (de Brasília);
Local: Estádio Alfredo Jaconi, em Caxias do Sul (RS);
Onde assistir: Premiere;
Árbitro: Bruno Arleu de Araujo (FIFA-RJ);
Assistentes: Bruno Boschilia (FIFA-RN) e Thiago Rosa de Oliveira;
VAR: Paulo Renato Moreira da Silva Coelho (RJ).

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⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES
JUVENTUDE (Técnico: Roger Machado)
Gabriel Vasconcellos; João Lucas, Rodrigo Sam, Zé Marcos e Gabriel Inocêncio; Caíque, Jadson e Jean Carlos; Nenê, Lucas Barbosa e Erick Farias.

CORINTHIANS (Técnico: Bruno Lazaroni)
Cássio; Fágner, Félix Torres, Gustavo Henrique e Hugo; Raniele e Fausto Vera; Ángel Romer, Rodrigo Garro e Wesley; Yuri Alberto (Pedro Raul).

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It’s make-or-break time for Eddie Howe in the Newcastle United dug-out.

Howe has now overseen 190 games in charge of the Magpies, with recent 3-1 defeats picked up away at West Ham United and Brentford surely ranking high when scanning over some of the most abject performances served up during his long-standing tenure.

Former Magpies goalkeeper Tim Krul has come out to say Howe will still go down as “one of the legends of the club”, despite his poor current form in the hot seat, resulting in Newcastle sitting in a lowly 14th position in the Premier League.

All these glowing words will ultimately mean nothing, though, if Howe can’t turn around this concerning rut, with many a selection decision for the under-pressure boss to ponder over now during the international break, in an effort to save his job.

How Howe can save his job at Newcastle

Howe must know he’s under pressure now, with the usually calm and relaxed 47-year-old cutting a dejected figure after the away defeat at the Bees.

He will surely have come to the realisation he cannot rely on the first-teamers he has picked throughout his spell on Tyneside to continue to come up trumps, with the likes of Nick Pope and Joelinton potentially put to one side – owing immediately to injury – but also due to their recurring poor performances as the Toon slide down the division.

It’s a sad decline in real time for both the Brazilian and the ex-Burnley shot-stopper, with Aaron Ramsdale the likely candidate to replace Pope long-term, after he kept a clean sheet when last selected in the EFL Cup.

The faltering Magpies could look to the January transfer window to try and nail down a lasting replacement for Joelinton, but Jacob Ramsey did impress in flashes at the Gtech Community Stadium, winning five duels and amassing two key passes.

Howe could also be willing to gift Harvey Barnes some more first-team chances to save his skin, with the number 11 bagging his first Premier League goal of the season against Brentford to raise a rare smile.

With Anthony Gordon also being stricken by injury, and Anthony Elanga yet to get off the mark after a £55m summer move, the manager’s dependable super sub could be in for a start against Manchester City, after the break concludes.

There is also the major problem of Newcastle’s leaky defence that Howe will need to address, with one first-team figure – who was once even likened to Magpies’ great Alan Shearer – now in grave danger of being shelved for good.

Newcastle's "Shearer-like" star could be given the boot

As the aforementioned Krul touched upon, Howe will be viewed as a heroic icon down the line when his Newcastle tenure does expire, having guided the often trophyless Toon to an EFL Cup triumph just last season.

On that memorable day at Wembley, Dan Burn, all 6-foot-7 of him, got the ball rolling against the heavily fancied Liverpool, with that powerful header too fierce for Caoimhin Kelleher to palm away.

Sky Sports’ Gary Neville even heralded this moment as being “Shearer-like” from the Blyth-born defender, as the passionate number 33 scored an all-important strike, much like Shearer managed during his Tyneside peak, time after time.

Still, Howe cannot afford to be swept up in sentiment right now involving the ageing defender, with a red card picked up against Brentford resulting in the away side collecting a depressing fifth league defeat of the season.

Minutes played

73

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

61

Accurate passes

20/32 (68%)

Accurate crosses

0/1

Possession lost

18x

Tackles won

1/2

Interceptions

0

Clearances

11

Blocked shots

1

Ball recoveries

1

Total duels won

8/17

It wasn’t just the dismissal, though, that would sting from Burn’s off-performance, with the four-time England international also failing to lead by example when only winning eight of his 17 duels, on top of also giving away possession 18 times.

For Howe to save his job, he will need to ditch using Burn as a left-back option, with one content creator certainly right in his assessment now from earlier in the season, that the 33-year-old staying in that spot for the foreseeable future is the “stuff of nightmares.”

It will be a tough call to get rid, with Burn even once being noted as one of the “best signings” his manager has ever made, by Howe himself.

But, with his fralities being exposed all campaign long now, it could be a necessary alteration to bring Lewis Hall in, so Howe lives to see another day at St James’ Park.

PIF must cash in on Newcastle "legend" who is becoming the new Sissoko

This Newcastle star appears to have gone past his sell-by date.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 12, 2025

Manchester United are looking to plan for the long-term under Ruben Amorim and Fabrizio Romano has now delivered a key update on the future of one of their stars.

Matheus Cunha excited for what's to come at Man Utd

Admittedly, the Red Devils have had a mixed start to the season, and it will take time to get things right as they aim to climb the Premier League table, albeit Matheus Cunha has been impressive since his summer transfer from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Opening up on his settling in period, the Brazil international has laid out his plans to continue improving at Old Trafford, claiming that he is enjoying the challenge of helping Manchester United to get back to their best.

He said via the People’s Person: “What I was searching for as a person more than anything else, I’m slowly finding. You constantly want to improve; that’s innate in human nature, but I can’t help but stop and enjoy this moment.

“Feeling privileged to wear the jersey of the greatest national team in the world, one of the greatest clubs in the world… It’s a spectacular personal moment. I have an incredible family, another little girl now, everyone is doing well and healthy. I’m enjoying all of this in a positive way.”

While the Red Devils look to rectify results on the field, club officials are ready to push for Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton despite Real Madrid also holding an interest in the England international.

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However, bringing new talent into the building isn’t their only priority, with an update now emerging on the future of one of their key stars whose next steps have now become clearer.

Fabrizio Romano delivers Harry Maguire contract update

According to Romano in his GIVEMESPORT column, Manchester United star Harry Maguire is in talks over a contract extension, but he won’t be set for a pay rise if he does end up putting pen to paper at Old Trafford.

He said: “No [he won’t be receiving a pay rise]. It would have to be a different salary structure for Maguire in order to make it happen, talks are taking place.”

Harry Maguire at Manchester United

Appearances

253

Goals

16

Assists

9

Trophies

EFL Cup x1, FA Cup x1

Reported to be earning £190,000 per week at Old Trafford, the England international is famously one of Manchester United’s most expensive ever signings following his £80 million move to the club in 2019 from Leicester City.

Throughout highs and lows, Maguire’s leadership qualities and consistent level of performance have always shone through, and he is worthy of an extended stay at Old Trafford while Amorim tries to navigate a transitional period for the club.

Of course, he is likely to garner interest in the transfer market. However, Manchester United fans will hope a new contract can be sorted out for one of their most dependable assets.

Sri Lanka A allrounder Sonal Dinusha posted an unbeaten century as Australia A bowled out the tourists for 272 on day one of their four-day match in Darwin as the visitors plucked another debutant from nowhere.Louis Smith, a 19-year-old seamer from Tasmania where he plays for the same club as Australia A coach Tim Paine, had been playing in Darwin and acting as a net bowler for the home side. He was called up for a hasty debut having never played a full state game after Jack Nisbet suffered an injury.He removed Vishad Randika to claim a maiden first-class wicket with Josh Philippe taking a superb diving catch in front of first slip.”I was pretty pumped,” Smith told . “He dived straight in front of first slip so it was a bit heart in mouth for a moment, but it was super exciting, I was just so happy when it stuck.”After losing the toss, Sri Lanka A were in trouble at 89 for 5 at Marrara Stadium on Sunday before Dinusha steadied the ship. The 24-year-old left-hander hit 10 fours and a six on his way to 105 not out from 148 balls before he ran out of partners.Dinusha had help from Vishad Randika (27) and Isitha Wijesundara (33), while No. 3 Nuwanidu Fernando (34) also made a start.Louis Smith (left) and Zanden Jeh made their first-class debuts for Australia A•Cricket Australia

Jake Weatherald and Campbell Kellaway are set to open for Australia A when they start their reply on day two.Right-arm quicks Liam Scott and Henry Thornton each took two wickets for Australia A, as did Nathan McSweeney with his offspin.Smith, Mitchell Perry, Zanden Jeh and Kellaway also chipped in with one wicket apiece as the hosts spread the load.Jeh, a 21-year-old form Brisbane who has never played top-level state cricket, took 1 for 59 from 11 overs on his first-class debut, as Australia’s search for another left-arm spinners continues having made his one-day debut last week.”I was a bit nervous, to be honest,” Jeh said. “I felt I started all right. I probably lost my way a little through the middle there, and when you do that against quality batsmen they’ll put you away.”If that’s the case, it is what it is, but I felt like I came back towards the end there and finished up the day not too bad.”Jeh had Pavan Rathnayake caught at midwicket off a low full toss.

She picked up a shoulder injury recently but will go on to play until the CPL before she goes for surgery

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jun-2025

Melbourne Renegades were dealt with a big blow ahead of the WBBL draft on Thursday when their star allrounder Hayley Matthews was ruled out of the upcoming season due to a shoulder surgery. Matthews had been signed as a pre-draft recruit for two years by Renegades, the defending champions, but her unavailability was announced just hours before the draft.Matthews injured her shoulder recently while fielding in the first ODI against England, and she had to sit out of the last two games of the series. She has been playing after that – in the home ODIs against South Africa – and will feature in the subsequent T20I series too, followed by the Women’s CPL in September for Barbados Royals, and will then go for her surgery during the Women’s ODI World Cup as West Indies failed to qualify for the tournament. She won’t be available for the rest of the year after that.”We are clearly disappointed Hayley won’t be with us this season,” Renegades general manager James Rosengarten said. “She’s been instrumental during her time with the Renegades, not just with her performances but with her leadership and professionalism.Related

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“There’s a very close relationship between the Renegades and Hayley and we know it will continue next year and beyond. Hayley loves this club and we share in her disappointment at not being available for this year’s tournament.”Renegades will now have all three overseas slots to fill at the WBBL draft on Thursday in Melbourne.Matthews had played a crucial role for Renegades in their run to lift their maiden title last season. She was their top scorer with a tally of 324 runs and a strike rate of 130.64 and was also their second-highest wicket-taker with 14 scalps, while leaking 6.98 runs an over, again among the best in her team. She was also the Player of the Match in the final against Brisbane Heat with a knock of 69 off 61 and figures of 2 for 24.

Juventus are interested in Al-Ahli midfielder Frank Kessie. The former AC Milan player's contract is set to expire in 2026 and Al-Ahli would rather sell the midfielder than lose him for free. Juventus, who were interested in the player in the summer, are set to launch a new bid in January with the Ivorian international interested in a return to Europe.

Juventus interested in Kessie but salary remains an issue

According to , Kessie earns €10 million (£9m/$11m) at Al-Ahli and would have to take a pay cut to join Juventus. The former AC Milan midfielder is keen to return to Europe and has attracted interest from the Bianconeri, who reportedly made an approach for him in July.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportKessie won Scudetto with Milan before move to Al-Ahli

Kessie rose to prominence as he won the Scudetto with AC Milan in the 2021-22 season. He then joined Barcelona on a free transfer and won La Liga in his debut season under Xavi. Despite this success, he was sold to Saudi side Al-Ahli as Barcelona sought to raise funds for signings like Rafinha and Jules Kounde. Since joining Al-Ahli, Kessie has won the 2024-25 AFC Champions League and the King’s Super Cup in the 2025-26 season.

Juventus want ex-AC Milan star to strengthen midfield

Juventus are reportedly looking to sign Kessie to bolster their midfield after failing to land Sporting CP’s Morten Hjulmand in the summer. The rise of Khephren Thuram has helped Juventus cover some gaps, but growing interest from Premier League clubs like Liverpool and Arsenal could see the Frenchman leave the club.

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Getty Images SportJuventus' hope to sign Kessie

Juventus will hope that the prospect of European football, along with a shot at the Serie A title, can persuade Kessie to accept a lower salary and make the move to Turin.