Scotland go into their latest match of their Intercontinental Cup campaign acutely aware that nothing less than a win tomorrow against Namibia, who lead the table, will suffice if they’re to stay in the competition.Scotland are languishing in fifth place on 26 points. Although the weather hasn’t helped them this season – two draws were rained off – they nevertheless need to perform now if they’ve any hope of staying alive.”It is a must-win game for us,” Ryan Watson, the captain, admitted. “We have been hurt by the weather in previous fixtures and so it has not turned out how we wanted but we still have a chance.”They (Namibia) are in the middle of their season and have been doing well in the South African competition they play in so this match is going to be one hell of a challenge.”Ironically, having got on the road and away from the unpredictable Scottish weather, there is a chance that this four-day game in a region that boasts the famous Kalahari Desert could be interrupted by rain. There has been an unusually large amount of rainfall in the Windhoek area in recent weeks and the Met Office has predicted a mixture of sunshine and showers for the next few days.”There’s nothing we can do about that,” Watson said. “We have prepared well for this tour. We’ve been here for a week now and we had a good win over a Namibia Invitational XI. Ideally we would have had one more preparation game but I think we are ready to go. No excuses, we know it will be tough but we have a good side.”Without the services of Dougie Brown and Kyle Coetzer, the Scots will rely on the experience of Gavin Hamilton, Fraser Watts, Neil McCallum and the skipper for the majority of their runs while John Blain has been in good form with the ball.The pitch at the Wanderers Cricket Ground in Windhoek is normally a batsman’s dream but with all the rain that has been around, it is not known how it will play this time. It might even take a bit of spin and, in that case, Majid Haq could come to the fore for Scotland.In contrast to Scotland, Namibia’s confidence is high. Topping the ICC Intercontinental Cup table ahead of Kenya in second place and defending champion Ireland in third, Namibia are favourites to make the final but Louis Burger, the captain, refuses to get carried away.”Scotland is a really good team and we know it’s going to be a tough battle for us. They will come hard at us because they know they need full points from this game or they are probably out of contention,” Burger said.”But the atmosphere in our team is very good. Everyone is happy and confidence is high so we are not going to be a pushover either. We love this competition, we take it very seriously and before it started we targeted a place in the final. We know that if we can just focus on our game and do what we do well, we should be OK.”The Namibia squad reads like a list of in-form players. Gerri Snyman, Craig Williams, Jan-Berrie Burger and Bjorn Kotze are all in the runs while Louis Klazinga, Kola Burger and Snyman are all in a hot streak with ball in hand.SquadsNamibia: Louis Burger (capt), JB Burger, Raymond van Schoor, Gerri Snyman, Deon Kotze, Bjorn Kotze, Kola Burger, Tobias Verwey, Louis Klazinga, Craig Williams, Sean Silver, Sarel Burger, Nicolaas Scholtz.Scotland Ryan Watson (capt), Richard Berrington, John Blain, Gordon Drummond, Gavin Hamilton, Majid Haq, Omer Hussain, Dougie Lockhart, Neil McCallum, Dewald Nel, Glenn Rogers, Qasim Sheikh, Simon Smith, Fraser Watts, Sean Weeraratna, Craig Wright.
Chris Tremlett has said New Zealand should be prepared for a short-pitched attack during the first Test after England Lions gave the batting line-up a working over on the second day at The Rose Bowl. There was one major exception for New Zealand as Aaron Redmond compiled a career-best 139, but Tremlett wasn’t overly convinced.Redmond took a blow from Graham Onions and also a couple of bruising hits on the body from Tremlett. “At times it didn’t look as though he fancied it too much so we got stuck into him but he’s got the bulk of their runs and has played well at the end of the day,” Tremlett said.”On a couple of occasions, the way he reacted to it, he didn’t look too comfortable against the short ball and I think that’s quite obvious from our point of view so we tested him. I’m sure those messages will go across to the boys for the first Test.”During the series in New Zealand the short ball was a tactic England tried with mixed results. Stuart Broad used it well in Napier, but sometimes it was overdone to players like Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum who weren’t afraid to attack.Redmond, who is now in line for a Test debut at Lord’s, said the short stuff is nothing less than he expected. “It’s all part and parcel of being an opener. If I was a fast bowler I would run in and bowl short to any batsman, it’s just the way they are. It’s also good practice for the future games.”Tremlett has been accused of not always bending his back but he was the pick of the bowlers on the second day. Onions produced some nippy away swing, but it was the bounce from Tremlett that caught the attention, and not only of New Zealand’s batsmen. “I’m certainly happy with my first couple of spells from the Pavilion End, I lacked a bit of rhythm from the other end but it was generally a pretty good day,” he said. “It’s probably not the best I’ve bowled all season but it’s good to put my name in the hat.”He doesn’t believe, though, there is much of chance forcing his way into the Test line-up with James Anderson, Matthew Hoggard – who didn’t impress here despite three late wickets – and Andrew Flintoff vying for a place.”There’s lots of competition. Anderson got some wickets today so he’s obviously bowling well and in contention for the first Test. [Stuart] Broad and [Ryan] Sidebottom bowled well in New Zealand so their places probably aren’t up for grabs so it’s just about being consistent and knocking on the door. Realistically I probably don’t think I’ve got a chance of playing in the first Test and the other thing is that Freddie might be back as well.”However, last year a strong performance for the Lions against India earned him a call-up to the squad and he played all three Tests of that series, impressing at stages against the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. A difficult winter followed where he wasn’t selected for the Sri Lanka tour and then got injured after being a late replacement for the Test party in New Zealand when places became available.”I’d only really been bowling in the nets and hadn’t a chance to play any games. Then unfortunately I got injured. It was disappointing that I had to go home, but if my body had held up there would been a good opportunity but hopefully I’ll get a game this summer.”Last year it [the Lions game] got me in the frame against India and then I got called up and played in the first Test. These matches are important and you try to do as well as you can. Hopefully it shows the selectors what you capable of and that you are on form.”
England allrounder Luke Wright has joined the ranks of players who have turned down offers from IPL franchises.Earlier this week Ravi Bopara and Sajid Mahmood revealed that they had also been approached to join IPL, but both opted to put their England ambitions ahead of short-term financial gain.”At the moment my main focus and priority is playing for my country,” Wright said. “Obviously I was very pleased to be considered for the IPL. If the timings were different and it wasn’t going to affect my chances of playing for England then it would be something I would seriously have to consider.”Wright is not centrally contracted to the ECB and so would only have required permission from Sussex to play in the IPL.
Tasmania’s Cricket Australia board director Tony Harrison has lashed out at what he perceives to be a campaign to shift future Test matches typically earmarked for Hobart instead to Canberra, ahead of what is expected to be a small turnout at Bellerive Oval for Australia’s meeting against a West Indies side currently sitting eighth on the ICC Test rankings table.Bellerive has been extensively redeveloped since the most recent Test match held at the ground, against Sri Lanka in December 2012, with the new Ricky Ponting Stand dominating the southern side of the oval. However slim ticket pre-sales and the questionable drawing power of a struggling Caribbean outfit has left many wondering whether Hobart will be able to prove itself as a venue before CA schedules one of next summer’s six Tests at Manuka Oval instead.Harrison recently stepped down from his role as Tasmanian Cricket chairman in order to remain on the CA board as one of nine independent directors. However his loyalty to his state shone through in comments directed at the ACT, who Harrison felt were not working according to the “one team” philosophy adopted as a way of helping the game’s custodians work in a more unified manner.”I have read comments like, ‘we deserve the Test, Hobart doesn’t’ kind of thing. I don’t think that’s helpful,” Harrison told . “We are going through a process in Australian cricket at the moment called ‘one team’, which is the states and Cricket Australia all acting as one, and what has disturbed me most out of Canberra is that it is hardly ‘one team’ behaviour.”[CA] spent a lot of money and effort getting this one team thing going, and here instantly we have an issue… I think that is disappointing. I am frustrated that this debate is on and Tasmania hasn’t been given an opportunity to demonstrate that [the new grandstand] was a worthwhile investment and people will come and support it.”Canberra’s status as the country’s capital with the highest average weekly income in Australia contrasts with that of Hobart as the lowest, and Harrison said money had also been a factor in the ACT bidding successfully for other fixtures, such as last year’s ODI against South Africa in November. Harrison said there were elements of CA who operated with money in mind more so than cricket.”The workers of Tasmania are competing with the fat-cat bureaucrats in Canberra who have the highest disposable income in Australia,” Harrison said.”I do know that [the ACT] have made financial contribution to playing one-day international cricket there. So I suspect that may be the case [for a Test Match], but it hasn’t been confirmed to me. There are certainly people in Cricket Australia management who don’t necessarily look at it from a cricket perspective. They look at it from the dollars and cents perspective. But that’s why we have a board of directors.”Other factors are conspiring against Hobart, Harrison said, such as the lack of a Test match culture based on matches not being scheduled in the state on an annual basis, while the modest state of the West Indies side – something pointed out by plenty of commentators and former players – also serves to discourage spectators.”In the other capitals, they know there is a Test match every year whereas there hasn’t been one in Hobart for three years. So there isn’t the culture, people aren’t used to it,” Harrison said.”The thing that has distressed me most is the talking down of the West Indies, which sends a very poor message to the Tasmanian public. I’ve been very disappointed by the comments of former cricketers who have made a lot of money out of cricket.”
BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur has taken exception to the ICC’s assessment of the Nagpur pitch for the third Test between India and South Africa as “poor” and said the debate over the quality of pitches in the ongoing Test series between India and South Africa is “overhyped”. He has also expressed reservations over the views of Shashank Manohar, the BCCI president and ICC chairman, that India cannot dominate the world body by virtue of its financial clout.
Have written to MEA for permissions to play Pakistan – Thakur
Anurag Thakur was non-committal on the resumption of bilateral cricket ties between India and Pakistan and said the matter was out of the BCCI’s hands, and that India’s Ministry of External Affairs would have to issue clearances. “We play Pakistan in World Cup events. We played them in the 2015 World Cup, we’ll play them next year in the Asia Cup,” Thakur said. “We’ll play them in March in the T20 World Cup. So when you play them in multi-national tournaments, what stops you from playing them in a bilateral series? “Mr Shashank Manohar met the PCB chairman in Dubai and both of them decided to play in Sri Lanka. For permissions and political clearances, we have written to the Ministry of External Affairs to give us the sanction. It is their call, whenever they take it.” Thakur’s views now are markedly different to those in August when he had all but ruled out resumption of bilateral cricketing activity between the two countries. Thakur, who is also a member of parliament from the ruling party, the BJP, said it was a tough decision for the government to make. “When it comes to Pakistan, it’s not that easy to take calls,” he said. “Five years ago, social media didn’t play a role. Today you see a lot of reactions on social media, but you can’t go only by social media, you have to look at the interests of the nation,” he said. “I think diplomatic relations are also very important — whether you want to remain at loggerheads or you want to sit across the table and discuss things. We have been discussing cricket, trade, terrorism, PoK and Kashmir with Pakistan.”
Speaking at the earlier in the week, Thakur reiterated the observations of India team director Ravi Shastri and Test captain Virat Kohli that there were no problems with the pitches produced for the Tests against South Africa.”I think the debate on the quality of pitches is overhyped. When a match gets over in two days – maybe in some other part of the world, like Australia in three days – nobody raises that question,” Thakur said. “But when we see a lot of drawn matches, like in the last few years, we say nobody will come and watch Test cricket.”I have a question to ask about the Nagpur match. Ask any ex-cricketer, how many players from the two teams played a bad shot? Was there uneven bounce? No. Was there more turn than expected? Yes, maybe.”What is the criterion for a good pitch and bad pitch? Was the bounce uneven, were there injuries? The ICC has sent us a letter and we will soon reply to that. But I think there is nothing wrong if a Test match finishes on the fourth day or the third day. You should also look at the batting standards. Remember how [Rahul] Dravid, [VVS] Laxman played on these kinds of tracks?”Thakur maintained there was nothing wrong in exploiting home advantage and said the preparation of turning tracks wasn’t a worrying trend.”Nobody questioned the T20 and the ODI games. What about the pitches when South Africa won?” Thakur asked. “But when India won two Test matches, you start raising questions.”In many parts of the world such as Australia and South Africa, you will see much more bounce. In England, you will see more seam and swing. So how do you compare that? In India and Pakistan, you may see more turning tracks. That is the nature of our pitches, which we call home advantage.”Thakur also clarified that Manohar’s views on the ICC’s restructuring were personal. Manohar recently said the revamp was tantamount to bullying, and that he didn’t agree with the revenue-sharing formula that guaranteed India a significant chunk of the revenue. While his thoughts were endorsed by a section of the board’s members, there has also been considerable resistance. Thakur said there was nothing wrong in India receiving a larger slice of the financial pie.”The [BCCI] president said this in his personal capacity. He made it very clear that it was his personal opinion,” he said. “The Indian subcontinent contributes close to 70% of the ICC’s revenues. To take 21% of that is not much. That was the position with Australia and England earlier, and no one objected to it then. If this happens to India today, we shouldn’t object to it.”You have to understand that India plays a very, very important role in world cricket. It’s only India which has a stadium in virtually every state. The money we have been generating in the last so many years has been spent on the ground.”Thakur also said the larger interest of BCCI’s units would have to be looked into before arriving at a decision on Manohar’s proposals, which have already received support from boards like Cricket South Africa and Sri Lanka Cricket. The BCCI, however, will be keen to not ruffle the feathers of its own units. Senior administrator and Saurashtra Cricket Association president Niranjan Shah, who is known to be close to Manohar, had advocated a “middle path”, which would strike a balance between extending a helping hand to financially weaker boards and securing the monetary rewards the BCCI deserved.”We have to look at the overall picture and individual opinions could be different,” Thakur said. “I may disagree, but the final call has to be taken by the BCCI because it is not only in the interest of one association, it is in the interest of 30 units of the BCCI.”
ScorecardIt is only the natural pessimism of England cricket followers – pessimism ingrained by years of hurt and humiliation – that could provoke the thought: the early part of this tour to South Africa is almost going well.A day after the last piece in their bowling plans fell into place, England saw their batsmen take the chance to find some form and confidence with a series of encouraging performances. Alastair Cook and Joe Root, with imperious centuries, dominate the scorecard, but the contributions of Alex Hales, who made an increasingly composed half-century, and Ben Stokes, who bullied the bowling, were equally pleasing.Yet, just as you know that things are about to go horribly awry in the Christmas Special when Dot Cotton says “Now nothing can stop this being the best Christmas ever” – a phrase that usually precipitates a fight, a shooting, a divorce and the appearance of Danny Dyer – the sense remains that life is about to become substantially more difficult. Dale Steyn, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers et al. will surely offer sterner tests.
Root praises Hales’ role
Joe Root credited Alex Hales for helping lay the platform that England’s middle-order built upon to seize control of the match against South Africa A. Hales overcame a tricky start to compile an elegant half-century, helping his captain post 112 for the first wicket in the process. It was a partnership that saw off the new ball, the bowlers at their freshest and allowed the likes of Root and Ben Stokes to accelerate towards a declaration with a first innings lead of 278. Root believes Hales will have taken great confidence from the innings and suggested a strong opening partnership made life substantially easier for the middle-order. “I think it’s vitally important,” Root said of Hales’ performance. “He played extremely well. It was the manner he did it: there were tough conditions last night. The ball was seaming and swinging around and they were runs made against a good attack. That will stand him in really good stead leading up to that first Test. “The platform him and Cookie made laid the platform for guys like me and Ben to be more explosive at the end.” Root was also delighted to make a century of his own. He has been dismissed with his score between 59 and 98 nine times in Test cricket this year and reiterated his desire to convert more of his good starts into the centuries that can shape games. “Going on past 70, 80, when you get into that position as a Test cricketer you need to make big scores and that could be a factor in why we have struggled,” he said. “We’ve got guys in, laying the foundations and not going on. That’s something as a batter you want to make sure you’re improving on and it was nice today to go on and make sure I did get that hundred. It’s all about hundreds and setting games up so the guys have got the time and runs to play with when it comes to taking 20 wickets.”
But while it has become customary in recent times for touring teams to be presented with relatively weak opposition ahead of Test series – and it is true that, in Potchefstroom, England were up against a side some way below the standard expected in international cricket – that is not the case here. This South Africa A side contains several men who can consider themselves realistic options for the national team in the coming weeks, yet England have established a vast first-innings lead and will go into the first Test with confidence soaring. Every one of England’s Test top six has now made a half-century at least on the tour.To further raise England’s spirits, Steven Finn reported no repercussions after his exertions on the first day of this match and James Anderson looked fine while bowling in the middle during the intervals. Hales, too, reported no discomfort following a blow on the hand on the first day and Moeen Ali completed the day by producing a beauty to turn through the gap and bowl Reeza Hendricks.The one minor concern is the lack of time that England’s No. 7 and No. 8 – Jonny Bairstow and Moeen – have had in the middle. But, by the parameters of modern tours with their lack of preparation time, this warm-up period could hardly have gone better.Especially pleasing was the performance of Hales and Cook. England have struggled for a consistent opening partnership since 2011 and while some concerns remain about Hales’ ability to deal with the short ball or cope with the consistency of Test-class bowlers who will provide few scoring opportunities, he came through this test impressively in helping Cook post 112 for the first wicket.After an uncomfortable start on the first evening, Hales unveiled a series a glorious drives – two through extra cover and one through mid-on had the small crowd purring with pleasure – and generally ducked the short ball without too much trouble. While the manner of his dismissal – leaving a straight one for the second time on the tour – was not ideal, this was a generally encouraging effort against bowlers who were, initially at least, impressively hostile.Cook, meanwhile, looked almost completely untroubled in recording the 51st first-class century of his career. He has already scored more Test runs in a calendar year than any England captain in history. If he manages another 125 in the Boxing Day Test, he will surpass the record for any England batsman (1,481) set by Michael Vaughan in 2002. Both will have played 14 Tests in a year.He looks in the form to do it. Since being relieved of the ODI job, he has rediscovered much of the consistency that earned his reputation and here, as he seized on anything fractionally short or on his legs, he looked to have developed a slightly more aggressive approach. He hit two sixes, one a slow-sweep off a long-hop from left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj and the other a pick-up pull off Marchant de Lange to bring up his century.De Lange may have lost just a little of the pace that rendered him such an intimidating prospect a few years ago – his action is markedly smoother – yet he remains unusually hostile and gained a bounce others could not. He has, no doubt, the class to play more Test cricket but it is hard to see how, bowling generally three and four over spells, he could fit into a three-man pace attack.While Nick Compton, beaten by a quicker delivery from the persevering Maharaj, and James Taylor, chipping a return catch back to the same bowler, missed out, Root looked in sparkling form. It is true that the pitch had eased and the bowlers tired by the time that he and Stokes, whose half-century took just 41 balls, added 104 in just 15 overs but the manner in which he swept, skipped down the pitch to drive and pulled when the seamers dropped short suggested he, too, was ready for the Boxing Day tussle.South Africa, as the world’s No. 1 rated side, remain favourites, but England have a confidence that belies the fact that they have lost three of their last four Tests.
Scans have revealed that Australia T20 captain Aaron Finch suffered a “moderate grade” injury to his left hamstring during the second T20 against India. Cricket Australia’s physio Alex Kountouris said having Finch fit for the World T20, where Australia play their first game on March 18, is the target.Finch had picked up the injury while running between the wickets at the MCG, during a 48-ball 74. Kountouris said: “Aaron had scans on his injured left hamstring that confirmed a moderate grade hamstring injury. This is not a recurrence of the previous hamstring injury that required surgery in April 2015.”Although this current injury doesn’t require surgery there is a period of rehabilitation required before he can resume playing.”We are aiming to have Aaron fit for the ICC World T20 in India but will have better idea about his fitness for that tournament in the coming weeks once we see how he responds to treatment and a rehabilitation program.”Meanwhile, batsman Usman Khawaja has been added to the ODI squad for the series in New Zealand, which begins on February 3, to cover for Finch’s absence.
Nathan Lyon suffered a right hamstring injury on the final day of the Adelaide Test and is in serious doubt for the remainder of the series.Lyon, 38, dived to save a ball at fine leg but got up gingerly and immediately signaled to the dressing room after grabbing his right hamstring. He stepped off the field of play at fine leg and hobbled to the changing rooms after exchanging a brief word with Marnus Labuschagne, who patted him on the back.He left Adelaide Oval on crutches before lunch to have a scan but had returned in time to join Australia’s celebrations after they wrapped up the Ashes 3-0.Related
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He had taken five key wickets in the match, including three in the second innings to swing the game Australia’s way and captain Pat Cummins said he would be hard to replace if he is ruled out for Melbourne.”It doesn’t look great,” captain Cummins said. “I don’t know yet, but seeing someone on crutches doesn’t really bode well for a Test match a week away. Gaz is pretty close to irreplaceable. The ability to take breakthroughs, but also control an innings is really important, so it’s going to be hard to replace.”Lyon suffered a series-ending right calf injury in the 2023 Ashes while running for a ball in the field at Lord’s in the second Test.If Lyon is unable to play in the fourth Test in Melbourne, it will create an interesting selection debate about who would play as Australia’s specialist spinner.”We’ve got some guys who have already had a taste of international cricket around the traps,” Cummins said. “Other guys have done really well in domestic cricket. I think it’s been one of the benefits, actually, of the Sri Lankan tour, even West Indies and a couple of these tours where we take a couple of spinners, there’s guys that can step in and you feel like it’s not going to be too overwhelming for them.”Left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann is on Australia’s contract list as Australia’s No. 2 Test spinner and toured West Indies with the team. But he has that role as a complementary second spinner to Lyon in spin-friendly conditions overseas having played all of his five Tests in India and Sri Lanka in 2023 and 2025.Left-arm orthodox has not been as successful as offspin in Australian conditions in recent years. Kuhnemann has only played two Sheffield Shield matches this summer due to Australia white-ball duty and injury, taking four wickets at 36.Victorian offspinner Todd Murphy, who has played seven Tests including two in the 2023 Ashes as Lyon’s replacement, has bowled well in Sheffield Shield cricket this summer and was Australia A’s specialist spinner in the recent game against England Lions in Brisbane, taking three wickets.Todd Murphy played two Tests in the 2023 Ashes when Lyon was injured•Tanuj Pandey/UPCA
Murphy also has an excellent record at the MCG. He has 10 Shield wickets at 23.70, striking at 55.80, but has not bowled a lot due to the dominance of Victoria’s seamers.Western Australian offspinner Corey Rocchiccioli has been the leading spinner in Shield cricket in recent years with his extra height and bounce proving a handful for Shield batters on his home ground at the WACA. He has 20 wickets at 28.20, striking at 53.30 after taking 38 at 27.71 last season. Murphy and Rocchiccioli were also spin partners on Australia A’s recent tour of India but Kuhnemann was absent because he was touring with Australia’s T20I team.Australia played an all-seam attack in the second Test at the Gabba in Brisbane but would be unlikely to do so in Melbourne.
Manchester United return to Premier League action at home to in-form outfit Aston Villa this afternoon, with Erik ten Hag and his charges likely to still be reeling following Thursday's second-half collapse away to Tottenham Hotspur.
Having largely been in control of proceedings heading in at the break, the momentum shifted after the interval as the north Londoners produced a spirited display despite their recent woes, with Heung-min Son sealing a point late on for new caretaker boss, Ryan Mason.
The United manager may well be regretting his substitutions in that chaotic second period as those alterations saw the visitors "relinquish control", as per club legend Rio Ferdinand, with another former Red Devils man – Owen Hargreaves – subsequently suggesting that Ten Hag will need to "address" the squad "depth" this summer, such were the woes of those who entered the fray in N17.
It was not only the substitutes who somewhat underwhelmed in midweek, however, with summer signing Antony having done 'little' in the second half, in particular, according to Manchester Evening News journalist, Samuel Luckhurst, after 'fading into the fringes of the game' – as per 90min's Sean Walsh.
That limited impact from the Brazilian – as well as the quick turnaround in this hectic fixture schedule – could spark a need to freshen up the forward line against the Villans, albeit with teen sensation Alejandro Garnacho still not yet ready to return.
With Anthony Martial also undeserving of a starting berth after looking 'off the pace' in the capital, according to Luckhurst, it could be a chance for young Facundo Pellistri to make what would be just his second start for the club.
Will Pellistri play against Villa?
It would be something of a gamble to throw the Uruguayan in against a side who have won five of their last six Premier League games, although the 5 foot 9 gem is clearly a "special talent" – as per journalist Fabrizio Romano – having showcased that quality in flashes this season.
While there have been reports that the wide man could be moved out on loan next term, in the meantime the 21-year-old could still have a part to play over the coming weeks, having previously been described as a player who can "create danger" by experienced teammate, Raphael Varane.
Man United's Facundo Pellistri
Although he has just one assist to his name in nine first-team outings to date, Pellistri has made his mark in his brief cameo appearances of late, having memorably produced a "scintillating" run – as per journalist Alex Turk – in the build-up to United's fourth goal at home to Real Betis in the Europa League last-16 last month.
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The £9m youngster was subsequently handed a first start in the second-leg meeting with the La Liga side and 'took it with both hands' – according to 90min's Jamie Spencer – having been so 'exciting to watch on the ball'.
The Montevideo native is still waiting for a consistent run in the side having thus far made just three league appearances, although today's meeting at Old Trafford could be an opportunity for Ten Hag to put his faith in the promising talent.
The term ‘Sicknote’ may have been used to describe Spurs’ perennially-crocked former winger Darren Anderton, but it seems as though there are a host of current footballers who are all equally as deserving of this title. Whilst the intense and frenetic nature of the modern game means that the sport is more exciting to watch than ever before, the downside is that the game’s best footballers are increasingly susceptible to injury. The following eleven players seem to be better acquainted with the treatment room than the majority of their peers.
GK – Chris Kirkland – Wigan Athletic
The damning statistics:
213 career appearances since debut in 1999
Missed 15 Premier League games for Wigan Athletic over last two seasons
It has been said by many that Kirkland would’ve been England’s number one had he managed to remain free from injury for a prolonged period of time, but unfortunately the former Liverpool custodian has been dogged by injury for most of his career. Such problems meant that Kirkland was restricted to less than 50 outings in four years at Anfield, with his career marred by knee, finger, wrist and back ailments.
DF – Fabio Aurelio – Free Agent
The damning statistics:
50 Premier League starts for Liverpool in last four seasons (averaging 12.5 starts per season)
Defensively sound and in possession of an excellent left-foot, it is with great sadness that I learned of Fabio Aurelio’s recent exit from Anfield. The fact that manager Rafael Benitez offered him a (subsequently rejected) pay-as-you-play deal is indicative of the injury woes Aurelio has suffered on Merseyside, with Reds fans unaccustomed to seeing the Brazilian in the team for prolonged stretches. Aurelio’s early Anfield career was affected by a torn Achilles tendon, with his latter-day Liverpool absences caused by a torn adductor muscle and a knee injury sustained whilst playing beach football with his children last summer.
DF – Rio Ferdinand – Manchester United
The damning statistics:
36 Premier League starts for Manchester United in last two seasons (averaging 18 starts per season)
Rio Ferdinand’s well-documented back problems of the last two years have been of great concern to both Manchester United and England fans. The chronic nature of the injury suggests that the ailment may be degenerative, thus leading to genuine fears over the England skipper’s long-term future. Thankfully for the Old Trafford faithful, the likes of Jonny Evans, Nemanja Vidic and Gary Neville have managed to keep United’s rearguard impressively tight in his absence.
DF – Jonathan Woodgate – Tottenham Hotspur
The damning statistics:
Three Premier League starts last season
104 Premier League/La Liga appearances in last five seasons (averaging 20.8 starts per season)
12 appearances for Real Madrid in two seasons in Spain (no appearances in first season at Real Madrid)
The completion of just three Premier League games for Tottenham last season served to re-emphasise the injury-prone nature of Jonathan Woodgate. Regarded as one of England’s finest centre-backs when fit, Woodgate has constantly struggled to retain fitness for long periods of time. Back problems heartbreakingly prevented Woodgate from appearing at the 2006 World Cup, whilst his recent absence from the Spurs first-team has been attributed to a troublesome groin injury. Woodgate’s infamous injury problems whilst playing for Real Madrid even lead to him being voted the ‘worst signing of the 21st century’ by readers of Spain’s leading sports daily Diario Marca.
DF – Ledley King – Tottenham Hotspur
The damning statistics:
94 Premier League starts for Tottenham Hotspur in last five seasons (averaging 18.8 starts per season)
Considered by many to be the finest English defender of his generation, the curious condition suffered by Ledley King has served to hamper what could have been a glorious club and international career. Bereft of knee cartilage, King’s rare problem prevents the player from being able to play more than once a week. This problem has meant that only once in the last five seasons has King been able to feature in more than 25 Premier League games in a season.
Click here to see which midfielders feature in this most unique of XIs…
MF – Michael Essien – Chelsea
The damning statistics:
25 Premier League starts for Chelsea in last two seasons (averaging 12.5 starts per season)
An integral component of Chelsea’s midfield, Essien’s dynamic, all-action displays appear to have taken their toll upon his body. A regular during his first three seasons at Stamford Bridge, the man known as ‘The Bison’ has suffered a string of serious injuries over the last two seasons which have restricted his first-team involvement. Having sustained anterior ligament damage on international duty, Essien missed 6 months of the 2008/09 season. His 2009/10 season was also affected by injury; a hamstring injury sustained in December against Apoel Nicosia was followed by another knee injury sustained whilst competing in the African Cup of Nations, with this injury unfortunately set to rule him out of the forthcoming World Cup.
MF – Jimmy Bullard – Hull City
The damning statistics:
50 Premier League starts for Hull City and Fulham over last four seasons (averaging 12.5 starts per season)
Fulham’s decision to refuse Bullard a long-term contract is looking more and more like a wise decision now, given the inability of the former Wigan Athletic midfielder to remain fit. One of the most popular players in the modern game, the decorator-turned-professional-footballer has been very unfortunate with the nature of injuries that he has managed to sustain over the last few years. A knee injury sustained in 2006 kept Bullard out of first-team action for nearly 18 months, whilst a recurrence of this injury on his Hull City debut sidelined the tousle-haired midfielder for nearly 10 months. A month and a half after returning to Hull colours, Bullard suffered a knee injury against Aston Villa that kept him out of the game for nearly three months.
MF – Kieron Dyer – West Ham United
The damning statistics:
22 appearances for West Ham United in last three seasons (averaging 7.3 appearances per season)
52 Premier League starts in last five seasons (averaging 10.4 starts per season)
No list of crocked players would be complete without Kieron Dyer. If one were to label him as ‘injury-prone’ prior to his move to Upton Park, one would have to create an entirely new word to describe his level of fitness whilst at West Ham. Dyer’s injury problems at West Ham have been so bad that club-owner David Sullivan suggested that the former Ipswich man should do the decent thing and retire. In fairness to Dyer, he suffered a double fracture of his leg just ten days after making his West Ham debut. Since returning from that injury, Dyer has suffered from a string of hamstring-related niggles.
Click here to see which forwards complete this ‘sicknote’ side…
ST – Robin van Persie – Arsenal
The damning statistics:
81 Premier League appearances for Arsenal over last four seasons (averaging 20.25 appearances per season)
In 6 seasons at Arsenal, never managed more than 28 Premier League appearances in a season
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The stop-start nature of van Persie’s Arsenal career inspired me to create this XI in the first place. Blessed with exceptional talent, the Dutchman’s inability to remain injury-free has been cited as one the main reasons behind Arsenal’s failure to win the league in recent seasons. The former Feyenoord man is a rare breed of forward, one equally as adept at creating chances as he is finishing them. Alas, several of van Persie’s seasons at Arsenal have been ended prematurely, having suffered from ankle ligament, hamstring and metatarsal problems.
ST – Louis Saha – Everton
The damning statistics:
120 appearances for Manchester United in four and a half seasons (averaging 26.6 starts per season)
Missed 19 Premier League games for Everton over last two seasons
Undoubtedly a fantastic finisher, Saha’s opportunity to establish himself as a truly world-class player at Manchester United was regrettably destroyed by a string of niggling injuries. Groin, hamstring and knee problems meant that Saha had a disruptive tenure at Old Trafford, with his goalscoring record of 1 in 3 hinting at what could’ve been had he managed to stay fit. Currently contracted to Everton on a pay-as-you-play deal, Saha appears to have put the worst of his injury woes behind, having managed to make 57 Premier League appearances for the Toffees over the last seasons.
ST – Fernando Torres – Liverpool
The damning statistics:
40 Premier League starts for Liverpool in last two seasons (averaging 20 starts per season)
Liverpool’s attacking impotency in the absence of Fernando Torres is testament to the ability of the Spaniard; indeed, in his 40 Premier League starts over the last two seasons, Torres managed to score a phenomenal 32 times. Regarded as one of the world’s finest centre-forwards, Torres has suffered from hamstring problems several times during his stay at Anfield, with staff and fans alike irritated by the injuries sustained by Liverpool’s number nine whilst on international duty. The latter half of last season saw Torres troubled by knee problems, problems which threatened to prevent his involvement in this summer’s upcoming World Cup.
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