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“We have to focus on our intent and approach. In modern day cricket, these things are important”

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Mar-2025Salman Agha has promised to deliver a brand of “fearless cricket” as he becomes the fourth T20I captain for Pakistan since January 2024. Agha replaced Mohammad Rizwan as T20I captain for the upcoming white-ball tour to New Zealand, the latest in a revolving door of captains that has seen Shaheen Shah Afridi and Babar Azam come and go before him.Pakistan’s results have remained poor, highlighted by a group-stage exit at the T20 World Cup last year, in which they lost to the USA. That has prompted a wholesale change in the squad, with a number of new faces and, significantly, the absence of a few familiar ones.Chief among them are Rizwan and Babar, whose batting at the top of the order has widely been as a key cause for Pakistan’s outdated, risk-averse approach. While the door has not been permanently shut on them in the format, it is clear they have been dropped, not rested.Related

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Shahid Afridi: the T20 cricketer before T20s were a thing

“It’s an honour for me and also a challenge,” Agha said at a press conference in Lahore. “We’ve brought a few youngsters into the team who have been playing the brand of cricket in domestic cricket that we want to play in the national side going forward.”We have to focus on our intent and approach. We have to improve that. In modern day cricket, these things are important. This is a young team and we want to play fearless cricket. That is high-risk cricket, which is a requirement in modern cricket. There will be failures with that approach, but we have to support our players.”The PCB said it has made Agha captain with an eye on the Asia Cup (in the T20 format) later this year and the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next year. They have recalled Shadab Khan, a player in tune with this brand of cricket, as vice-captain ostensibly for this project.”The reason for Shadab coming back is that he has good captaincy experience, plus also his mindset is to play aggressive cricket,” explained the interim head coach Aaqib Javed. “His mindset is important because as vice-captain, with Agha also thinking that way, Shadab will be good. The combination is good.”

“The players have to think about this themselves because ultimately they are responsible for their own game. You can’t force players… don’t players have a responsibility themselves to think about their game and where it is going?”Aaqib Javed

Aaqib, who is also the selection head, remains in those positions for the series of five T20Is and three ODIs against New Zealand, though there has been speculation about a new coach. Asked specifically about the fates of Babar and Rizwan, he linked their non-selection clearly to the style of play Pakistan were hoping to adopt.”You can’t rule anyone out forever, but for the moment, we feel that we need to bring in newer, younger players and change the style of cricket we are playing,” he said. “Many teams have separated their T20 sides from the others, up to 80-90% [of the personnel] different.”Afridi and Haris Rauf missing from the ODI squad add to the sense of big-name axings, and Aaqib was clear that they would have to go back to domestic cricket to improve their games.”Top players like Babar, Shaheen, Riz, they travel so much they don’t have time to play their domestic cricket,” he said. “Now they have time to play domestic cricket. Until you play four-day cricket you will not improve in Tests or ODIs. It cannot be that you play 70% T20 cricket all year and then suddenly you play Tests or ODIs.[File photo] Shaheen Shah Afridi has been dropped from the ODI side, while Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are out of the T20I side•AFP/Getty Images”The players have to think about this themselves because ultimately they are responsible for their own game. You can’t force players… don’t players have a responsibility themselves to think about their game and where it is going? That I should sacrifice and take a break from T20 and play four-day or List A so that I can get my form back?”Both Agha and Aaqib spoke of developing a pool of 20-25 players for Pakistan to work with over the next 18 months or so. Both also stressed that backing them through failures would be just as important.Aaqib acknowledged the instability that has beset Pakistan cricket over the last couple of years, of which he is, for now, a beneficiary.”We have changed nearly 16 coaches and 26 selectors in the last two years or so,” he said. “You put that formula on any team in the world, I think they will also be in the same situation. Until you get consistency right from the top down to the bottom, from the chairman down, then your team will not progress.”

Club America's Alejandro Zendejas delivered a spectacular two-goal performance on Saturday night, punctuated with an audacious chip over Costa Rican icon Keylor Navas that put his side up 3-1 in a commanding 4-1 victory against rivals Pumas UNAM. The 27-year-old's masterful display continued his exceptional run of form in the Apertura 2025 campaign.

spectacular long-range chip to growing highlight reel

The standout moment came in the 73rd minute with America already leading 2-1. Receiving the ball approximately 25 meters from goal, Zendejas looked up to see Navas slightly off his line. Without hesitation, the 27-year-old executed a perfectly weighted chip, from just inside the box, that sailed over the outstretched arms of the veteran goalkeeper before nestling into the top corner.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportAmerica's attacking prowess

The emphatic victory extends Club America's impressive form in the Apertura 2025 campaign, with Zendejas' brace bringing his season total to five goals in eleven matches. The defending champions have now scored 23 goals through their first 11 fixtures, but are still one point behind league leaders Toluca.

Navas struggles after bright start

For 38-year-old Keylor Navas, the match was rare off night following a bright start to his Pumas career since joining from Newell's Old Boys in July. The three-time Champions League winner had only conceded four goals in seven matches since he took over the starting job for Pumas. This loss now puts the club in 10th place, having won just three of their 11 league games so far, with four draws and as many losses.

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Getty Images SportAmérica prepare for critical showdown

Following their dominant performance against Pumas, Club América’s squad now turns their attention to a crucial home match against 13th-placed Santos Laguna on Oct. 4.

Pep Guardiola has explained how he keeps Erling Haaland motivated after the Manchester City striker took his season tally of goals to 18 in only 11 games for club and country. Haaland scored the only goal of Sunday’s 1-0 win away to Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium, showing an impressive amount of strength to fire home the winner.

Haaland downs Brentford with superb goal

With only ten minutes on the clock, Haaland took a pass from Josko Gvardiol in stride and managed to completely outmuscle Bees defender Sepp van den Berg, powering his way into the penalty area and firing beyond goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher for what proved to be the only goal of a close game in west London.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportGuardiola tells GOAL about talks with Haaland

In a post-match press conference, GOAL asked Guardiola what his instructions even are for Haaland anymore given his near-guarantee of goals. 

"Always to try play better and better, to try and play more balls to him to score goals," he replied. "Phil [Foden] is the same. In the first half, there was two or three decisions that was not in the final third perfect, but his commitment was really good. Even defensively. We talked after Monaco, that was really good.

"Last season, I don’t know if we were in the position we are in right now, we’re a little bit away from everything. But listen, it’s just seven games in the Premier League. From my experience, it never ends. I would say three weeks ago, Liverpool had already won the Premier League, and now apparently not. So this is so long. The important thing is we see the team [getting] better and better. Liverpool is an incredible team, like Arsenal and Chelsea and Tottenham. Bournemouth is there, Brighton is. They’re very good teams. The question is [how to] improve, improve, improve. Winning helps to improve better, but the way we play, the way we defend, the way we do things to help us in the end, to make it close to try to fight like always, except last season."

Haaland working to become complete forward

Guardiola also expressed his desire to continue developing Haaland as an all-round striker and not only someone that can score ‘50 million goals’. He added: "I said one month ago he is the best and that year we won the Treble, I don’t know how many goals he scored – maybe 50 million goals.

"But now he signed a contract for many years – we have to find him more, but he is more involved in the game, not just in the finishing, he is more on the ball and he work a lot his ethic, pressing and I am really pleased and I hope this week with Norway he can score more and come back fit for the Everton game."

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Getty Images SportHaaland eyeing Golden Boot and European Golden Shoe

Haaland already has nine goals this Premier League campaign alone, three more than the closest challenger – Antoine Semenyo of Bournemouth – in the race for the Golden Boot. The only match he has not scored in during 2025-26 was City’s 2-0 defeat at home to Tottenham on the second weekend of the season.

Only four players have won the Premier League Golden Boot three times or more. Thierry Henry and Mohamed Salah have picked it up four times apiece, while Alan Shearer and Harry Kane have taken it home three times each. Haaland, victorious in 2022-23 and 2023-24, is looking to join an exclusive club and regain the top-scorer gong from Salah, who was triumphant for 2024-25. The Norwegian has also spoken of his wish to win the European Golden Shoe, awarded to the top scorer across the entire continent, with Kane, now of Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe seen as his closest challengers on that front.

Manchester United legend Gary Neville has claimed one player is “not good enough” and part of a “massive problem” after the 3-0 defeat at the Etihad Stadium.

Man Utd fall to 14th after Manchester derby defeat

It was always going to be a difficult task for Man United to get something from Sunday’s game, but the manner of the defeat is likely to be particularly concerning, with Ruben Amorim’s side suffering a 3-0 defeat at the hands of bitter rivals Manchester City.

Speaking after the game, Paul Scholes suggested a simple lack of quality on United’s behalf was the difference between the two sides, with the club legend particularly critical of the midfield.

Scholes said: “I don’t think the quality is there. “Whatever two out of the four or five they have got in [midfield] – Casemiro, Bruno [Fernandes], [Kobbie] Mainoo – whatever combination he seems to try doesn’t seem to work.

“That’s a big issue. I thought all summer the absolute priority was a centre midfield player with legs, who can play and can control a game.”

With the Red Devils falling to 14th after the heavy defeat, Neville was also left unimpressed, and the former right-back singled out a midfielder for criticism on his podcast after the match (via GiveMeSport).

The Sky Sports pundit said: “The midfield is a massive problem, and we’ve known that. United fans know that. Ugarte And Fernandes today, I think you mentioned it early, about an hour before the game, that Ugarte and Fernandes played in this fixture last year from start to finish, and United won the game, but Ugarte is not good enough.”

It's not Sesko: £25m Man Utd flop is quickly becoming Amorim's new Hojlund

Manchester United were thrashed by their city rivals to increase the pressure on Ruben Amorim.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 15, 2025 Ugarte fails to impress once again

Unfortunately for Amorim, Ugarte seems to be yet another player who has failed to adapt to life at Man United, despite exhibiting very promising signs before making the move to Old Trafford.

In fairness, the Uruguayan wasn’t one of the worst performers for Amorim’s side on Sunday, receiving a SofaScore match rating of 6.8, but he struggled to have any real impact on the match, being dribbled past on one occasion and losing possession eight times.

Neville is not the only person to have called out the £120k-a-week midfielder this season either, with football writer Muhammad Butt very critical of the 24-year-old’s performance in the embarrassing EFL Cup defeat at the hands of Grimsby Town.

As such, it is little wonder Man United are looking to strengthen their midfield in January, with Al-Hilal’s Ruben Neves and Brighton’s Carlos Baleba among the targets.

The win – their biggest in ODIs in terms of runs – gave Bangladesh an NRR boost and put them top of the points table

Firdose Moonda10-Apr-2025Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana scored her first ODI hundred, off just 78 balls, and led her team to their highest total in the format and a thumping win over Thailand in their women’s World Cup Qualifier in Lahore on Thursday. Sultana was ably supported by Sharmin Akhter, who shared in two century stands and was unbeaten on 94, as Bangladesh posted the highest total of the tournament so far. The Bangladesh spin twins Fahima Khatun and Jannatul Ferdus did the rest.Fahima, the legspinner, and Ferdus, the offspinner, shared all ten Thailand wickets between them, both recording five-fors. Ferdus was playing in just her third ODI and bowling in this format for the first time and ended with figures of 5 for 7, which included a double-wicket maiden in her opening over. The more experienced Fahima, in her 45th match, took her first five-for to finish with 5 for 21.Thailand were bowled out for 93 inside 29 overs, their lowest ODI total, while Bangladesh secured their largest victory by runs in this format – 178.As the result suggests, Thailand had little joy from the fixture, though it started with an early wicket. In the fourth over, Ishma Tanjim reached for a wide delivery from Phannita Maya and got a thick edge through to the wicket-keeper Nannapat Koncharoenkai. From there, it was all Bangladesh. Fargana Hoque and Akhter put on 104 runs off 141 balls for the second wicket in a partnership that set Bangladesh up. Hoque brought up her fifty shortly after the halfway stage, off 75 balls, and then showed an intent to accelerate. But she top-edged an attempted slog sweep off Onnicha Kamchomphu and was caught at midwicket.That brought Sultana to the crease and her energy immediately upped the tempo. She found boundaries with the cut and the sweep and then began her charge against the spinners, with confident strikes through the leg side. Her fifty came off 45 balls, and she needed just 33 more to get to her century. Impressively, Bangladesh scored 77 runs in the last ten overs and topped their previous highest ODI score of 252 by 19 runs. The 152-run stand between Sharmin and Sultana was Bangladesh’s highest third-wicket partnership in ODIs.[File photo] Fahima Khatun picked up her first ODI five-for•CWIThe only thing they were unable to do was give Sharmin enough of the strike to get to a century. She was on 92 and facing in the final over but could only get a couple of singles. Four of Thailand’s seven-bowler attack conceded at six runs an over or more, including three of their spinners. Bangladesh’s attack was much tighter and more difficult to get away.They opened with spin at one end in the form of Nahida Akter and Thailand negotiated the early exchanges well. Their opening pair put on 38 in eight overs before Fahima was brought into the attack. She struck with her first ball, which she tossed up as Chanida Sutthiruang played down the wrong line and was bowled. Fahima continued to puzzle Thailand as Koncharoenkai played for turn against a delivery that straightened and Nattaya Boochatham missed a sweep and was trapped lbw. Thailand were 47 for 3 inside 15 overs, and things were about to get much worse.Ferdus bowled Natthakan Chantham with her second ball when she took out middle stump with a perfect offspinner. She ended that over with an almost identical ball to dismiss Maya. Before she conceded a run, Ferdus took a third when Naruemol Chaiwai offered a catch to Rabeya Khan at slip. Aphisara Suwanchonrathi scored the first run off Ferdus and then became her fourth wicket, at the start of the next over. She snuck through Suwanchronrathi’s bat-pad gap to find leg stump. Ferdus completed her five-for in her fifth over when she accepted a caught-and-bowled chance from Sunida Chaturongrattana.Fahima already had her fourth by then and was kept on in search of a five-for. She got there with the penultimate ball of her eighth over, when Onnicha Kamchomphu was hit on the pad in front of leg stump.All six teams have now played a match each and Bangladesh, by virtue of their superior net run-rate, top the table. The top two teams will qualify for the ODI World Cup to be held in India later this year.

Jamie Carragher claims Erling Haaland has become the “greatest goal-scorer to ever play in English football”, with the Manchester City striker being ranked above the likes of Alan Shearer, Harry Kane and Ian Rush. The Norway international has been in blistering form this season, taking his goal tally for club and country to 18 when netting another match-winning effort against Brentford.

Haaland's record: Goal numbers for Man City & Norway

Haaland has found the net on nine occasions through seven Premier League appearances in 2025-26, moving him clear of the chasing pack in the race for a third Golden Boot. The 25-year-old’s overall output for City stands at 136 strikes in 155 games, while his record-setting tally for Norway has moved on to 48 from 45 caps. His numbers are similar to those once posted by all-time greats Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Haaland appears to be on course to rewrite the history books, with a 10-year contract being committed to at the Etihad Stadium that is set to take him through to the summer of 2034. If that deal is to be seen out, then a place in English football folklore will be safely secured. Carragher believes the powerful frontman will go down as the best to grace the English game.

AdvertisementGettyCarragher claims Haaland is English football GOAT

Former Liverpool and England defender Carragher told when assessing Haaland, who displayed more brute strength and unerring finishing ability when seeing City to a 1-0 victory over Brentford: “I think we're watching the greatest goal-scorer to ever play in English football. I honestly can't remember Jimmy Greaves, Dixie Dean and all those players from years ago. But I think of Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Harry Kane and Ian Rush for my club Liverpool. There's a difference for me between a great centre-forward or striker and a goal-scorer. I think what we're witnessing now is something we've never seen before in our game and don't forget, this is a club where the goal-scorer beforehand was Sergio Aguero, one of the greatest we'll ever see. This is on a completely different level to Aguero. He's the best.”

Family life helps to make Haaland even better

Haaland is showing no sign of slowing down, despite all that he has already achieved, with the birth of his son in December 2024 giving the formidable Norwegian even more to play for. He told when asked if he is in the best form of his career: “You can say so, I’ve never felt better than I do now. I think it’s about preparation first of all, getting ready for the games and I spoke so many times about it before, you can be physically ready but you need to be mentally ready as well.

“To be honest with a kid I think it makes me even better because I actually disconnect more than ever, I don’t think about football at all. Sometimes when you’re younger you think of this and that and maybe worry a little bit about things. But now when I go home I relax even more so I think I need to give a shout out to my son.”

City boss Pep Guardiola, who has distanced Haaland from any transfer talk, said when giving the Blues’ fearsome No.9 his own big billing: “I said one month ago he is the best and that year we won the treble, I don’t know how many goals he scored – maybe 50 million goals. But now he signed a contract for many years – we have to find him more, but he is more involved in the game, not just in the finishing, he is more on the ball and he work a lot his ethic, pressing and I am really pleased and I hope this week with Norway he can score more and come back fit for the Everton game.”

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Getty ImagesWorld Cup target: On course for first international tournament

Haaland will form part of the Norway squad that is set to face Israel in a World Cup qualifier next weekend. They sit top of their qualification group at present, with Haaland looking to grace the first major international tournament of his career when FIFA’s flagship event heads to the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026.

Even though Avesh Khan has joined the LSG squad, their bowling still lacks the bite

Ekanth26-Mar-20253:24

How can LSG bowlers stop SRH batters?

Big pictureLucknow Super Giants didn’t know what hit them. Tensions and speculation rose, owner-captain relationships in franchise cricket were part of public discourse, and Sunrisers Hyderabad, who chased down 167 with ten wickets and 62 balls to spare, were innocent bystanders amid all of it.Sure, it didn’t lead to the creation of a rivalry between the two teams, but LSG do have a point to prove when they face SRH on Thursday in Hyderabad, the venue where it all unfolded last year. There’s been a mega auction, LSG have a new captain in Rishabh Pant, whom they bought for a record INR 27 crores, and a fresh squad.That was doing the trick in their season opener. They had Delhi Capitals on the ropes at 113 for 6 in a 210-run chase – ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster gave them a 98.44% chance of winning – but LSG’s weakest link, their bowling, couldn’t convert it.Related

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SRH fall one run short of their own record IPL total

Ravi Bishnoi and Shardul Thakur were their only international bowlers with significant experience, but Shardul, despite taking two early wickets, was given only two overs, and Bishnoi went for 53. While Avesh Khan has joined the squad, their bowling still looks weak.Irrespective, SRH are not going to change their approach, especially at home. Against Rajasthan Royals, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma gave them a flying start, which was followed by Ishan Kishan’s unbeaten 106 off 47. Each of their top six had a strike rate of 200 or more as they finished one short of their own record of the highest IPL total.It was a high-scoring game and SRH bowlers, too, went for plenty. Harshal Patel apart, all their fast bowlers conceded more than ten runs an over. Even their captain, Pat Cummins, leaked 60 in his four overs without taking a wicket. While SRH will aim to improve with the ball, it’s far from a concern at the moment.2:21

Cricinformed: The Travishek phenomenon

New loyaltiesAiden Markram, who captains Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20, was part of Sunrisers Hyderabad from 2022 to 2024. He played 36 innings and scored 849 runs at a strike rate of 131.01 for them. Now, he will open LSG’s batting against his former team.Team news and likely XIIsPrince Yadav is likely to make way for Avesh. The rest of LSG’s line-up is likely to remain the same.Lucknow Super Giants (probable): 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Mitchell Marsh, 3 Nicholas Pooran, 4 Rishabh Pant (capt & wk), 5 Ayush Badoni, 6 David Miller, 7 Shahbaz Ahmed, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Ravi Bishnoi, 10 Avesh Khan, 11 Digvesh Rathi, 12 Manimaran SiddharthSRH are unlikely to tinker with their line-up.Sunrisers Hyderabad (probable): 1 Travis Head, 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Ishan Kishan (wk), 4 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 Aniket Verma, 7 Abhinav Manohar, 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Simarjeet Singh, 10 Harshal Patel, 11 Mohammed Shami, 12 Adam ZampaBig questionSRH’s top order will come out all guns blazing, we know that, but what are the ways in which they can be stopped? Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, and Ishan Kishan are all left-hand batters, so is it worth bringing in Ravi Bishnoi – who mostly bowls sliders and googlies – early on?In the spotlight: Pat Cummins and Rishabh PantPat Cummins is coming off an injury layoff. SRH’s season opener was Cummins’ first T20 since last year’s MLC, which finished in July 2024. While all eyes will be on SRH’s batters, Cummins’ ability to bowl dry in the middle overs and dismiss the opposition’s best batters can be match-defining. If he’s able to shake off his rust, the team will be better for it.The gap between expectations and reality continues to exist with regard to Rishabh Pant’s T20 career. There’s a case to be made about him promoting himself to the top of the order, or at least choosing an entry point where he doesn’t have to face spin right away. His six-ball duck in LSG’s opener disrupted Nicholas Pooran’s flow at the other end. Will Pant be able to put that behind him with conditions likely to be in his favour?3:46

Should LSG bring in Shamar Joseph for Aiden Markram?

Key stats Head and Abhishek have the best partnership strike rate – 225.08 – for a pair who has opened in at least 15 T20s. The last time these two teams met, Travishek became the only duo to score 100-plus runs twice in the powerplay in T20s. It was also the earliest, in 9.4 overs, a target above 150 was chased down in the IPL, beating Deccan Chargers’ chase of 155 in 12 overs against Mumbai Indians in 2008. David Miller has a T20 strike rate of less than 100 against the SRH duo from Australia, 82.6 vs Cummins (two dismissals in eight innings) and 93.75 vs Adam Zampa (two dismissals in five innings).Pitch and conditionsIt’s always flat in Hyderabad, at least it seems that way every time SRH are batting. Expect the same once more. The evening will follow a hot day with no chances of rain.Next three fixturesSRH will travel to Vishakhapatnam to face Delhi Capitals on March 30. They will then travel to Kolkata to take on Kolkata Knight Riders on April 3 and return to Hyderabad to face Gujarat Titans on April 6.LSG’s next two games are at home. They will face Punjab Kings on April 1 and Mumbai Indians on April 4. They will then travel to Kolkata to face KKR on April 6.Quotes”I haven’t had the greatest of luck with injuries in the April-May months of the year in the past. I’ve come here off a bit of a break, had a few months to get my back right. I’ve come here really fresh mentally and physically. Hopefully, that holds me in good stead for the tournament.”

Chelsea’s transfer strategy has seen them sign and sell an enormous number of players over recent years, and while it has worked, they’ve also lost out on some brilliant talent.

For example, FA Cup winner Marc Guehi was sold to Crystal Palace for just £18m in 2021, and has since become one of the very best defenders in the Premier League.

He has also become a key player for England, starting both games during the international break and scoring his first international goal against Serbia.

However, there is another Cobham graduate who was sold too soon, someone arguably more exciting than Guehi and who looks destined to become an England star.

Ex-Chelsea players to play for England

Due to the sheer number of players Chelsea have sold or released over the last decade or more, it’s hardly surprising that there are quite a few who have gone on to play for England.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

For example, Declan Rice was famously a part of the group of Cobham gems that included Mason Mount, but was released at 14 years old and ended up joining West Ham United.

The 26-year-old would go on to make 245 appearances for the Hammers and captain them to Conference League glory before joining Arsenal for £105m two years ago.

He made his debut for the national team in March 2019 under Gareth Southgate and has since become one of the most important players for the side, accumulating 68 caps during which he has scored six goals, provided six assists, and played in two European Championship finals.

Other former Chelsea players who have pulled on the Three Lions after leaving Stamford Bridge, but aren’t as crucial to the teamlike Dominic Solanke, who made his debut while playing for Liverpool.

While none of those players have gone on to be stars for the national team, another Cobham graduate, who might be more exciting than Guehi, appears to be on track to be one.

The Cobham gem primed to be an England star

While Guehi received plenty of attention for his impressive performance on Tuesday night, and rightly so, there was another former Cobham gem playing alongside him: Tino Livramento.

The Croydon-born full-back joined Chelsea as a child and made quite a name for himself coming up through the academy, even winning the player of the year award in the 20/21 season.

However, after failing to agree on terms on a deal, the Blues sold him to Southampton for around £5m, where injuries would limit him to just 34 appearances in two years.

Yet, those 34 appearances were still impressive enough to convince Newcastle United that he was a player worth signing, so in August 2023, they spent around £32m rising to £40m to bring him to St James’ Park.

Since then, the 22-year-old has gone from strength to strength, making 83 appearances for the Toon, in which he’s produced four goal involvements, averaged 1.77 points per game, played on both sides of the defence and most importantly, helped the club with their first silverware since the 50s.

All of this was enough for him to win his first senior cap for England under Lee Carsley last November, and then this international break, Thomas Tuchel played him in the first game and started him against Serbia.

Moreover, it looks like he could become a star for the side, as according to some reports, the German has told his staff he views the Toon ace as someone who can become his ‘first-choice left-back.’ Theo Walcott has even stated in the past that he believes Tuchel may have a “future England captain” at his disposal, such is his presence.

Finally, on top of passing the eye test and still having plenty of time to develop, another reason why the former Cobham gem might be even more exciting than Guehi is the fact that his underlying numbers are already stellar.

According to FBref, he ranked in the top 4% of full-backs in the league last season for ball recoveries, the top 6% for long pass completion, the top 11% for passes blocked, the top 13% for progressive passes and more, all per 90.

Ball Recoveries

5.86

Top 4%

Pass Completion % (Long)

63.5%

Top 6%

Passes Blocked

0.81

Top 11%

Pass Completion %

86.1%

Top 12%

Progressive Passes

5.26

Top 13%

Total Carrying Distance

207.66

Top 13%

Progressive Carrying Distance

111.68

Top 14%

Progressive Carries

2.73

Top 17%

Passes Attempted (Short)

29.13

Top 18%

Pass Completion % (Medium)

87.2%

Top 18%

Carries into Penalty Area

0.50

Top 18%

Passes Completed (Short)

26.53

Top 19%

Ultimately, while it’s challenging to predict how a youngster will develop, it feels like Chelsea made a significant mistake in allowing Livramento to leave in 2021.

The Chelsea academy star turning Maresca's head after Nicolas Jackson praise

Chelsea’s manager is keeping a close eye on him.

ByEmilio Galantini Sep 11, 2025

Tactically, Mauricio Pochettino seems to have figured out the player pool – now it's about deciding who fits best in the system

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – In the hours after the U.S. men's national team's 1-1 draw with Ecuador, Mauricio Pochettino took to social media. He's not a frequent Instagram poster, but he does hop on every now and then.

"Culture eats strategy for breakfast," Pochettino posted.

A clear message, and one he's been preaching all along. Now, though, with the USMNT culture seemingly back in the right place, Pochettino is free to tweak strategy. That continues on Tuesday night against Australia.

Following the draw with Ecuador on Friday night, Pochettino told media how happy he was to be talking about tactics, formations and roles instead of passion, desire and commitment. It was a long summer of debating the latter, but Pochettino can now do what he was, ultimately, brought in to do: build for the World Cup.

Tactically, he's seemingly figured out how to get the most of his player pool. All that's left, then, is to figure out who fits best into this new system, and what tweaks he can make to maximize it by the time the USMNT kick off in Los Angeles next summer.

This Australia match is one of the final few left on the USMNT schedule before next summer's festivities. Wildly enough, there are only five left before Pochettino will really have to narrow down his World Cup roster. The clock is ticking. And the USMNT seem to bein a better place than they were even a month ago.

Can they build more momentum heading towards November? We'll find out on Tuesday as the USMNT takes its next test.

GOAL looks at five keys for the USMNT against Australia.

Getty Images SportThe fake wingback

Before the game against Ecuador, Tim Weah described his role as a "fake wingback." Pochettino laughed when asked about it postgame. It's true – Weah was a wingback in name only. By and large, he was a winger.

"When I said 'fake wingback' it really just meant that I would be doing less defending because Miles [Robinson] was covering the whole time," Weah said postgame. "That was pretty much it. When we attacked, I didn't really have to track back as much."

It's an interesting tactical wrinkle one that, ultimately, could keep Weah on the field in this 3-4-2-1 system. Weah is an accomplished wingback on the club level, yes, but there's no denying where his skill lies: bombing forward. In this setup, he can do that as much as he wants, knowing that he has that third back sliding to cover that area for whenever possession switches.

Will this be how things look when Sergino Dest is back? Will Weah or Dest be the starter when that time comes? That is a question for another day.

Tuesday's game is another chance to see what Pochettino does with his wingbacks. If it's Weah on that right side, you can expect more of the same. If it's Alex Freeman, he may stay a little deeper. But given his success with Orlando City, he may have freedom to bomb forward, too. 

The system is still somewhat new, but it's one that seemingly already has a few wrinkles that can be expanded on going forward.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportOptions for centerback

As Weah said, Miles Robinson did a lot of important work in that third centerback role. With Weah going forward, it was up to Robinson to keep control on that right-hand side of the field when Ecuador did get forward. However, Robinson isn't the only centerback in this squad fighting for a chance.

Mark McKenzie remains a candidate to start for the USMNT if this three-centerback system sticks. He plays there plenty with Toulouse, making him a natural candidate to start alongside Chris Richards and Tim Ream. The former Philadelphia Union defender will be eager to get back onto the field, though, as he looks to put a tough summer behind him.

Then there's Cameron Carter-Vickers, who is back in the team for the first time since March. A standout at Celtic for so long, Carter-Vickers still faces a fight to get into another World Cup roster after featuring in 2022. With Celtic out of European competition, that fight is even harder, and one that could really use a strong performance in defense.

So, whether it's Robinson, McKenzie or Carter-Vickers, that third centerback spot remains one to watch as the fight for World Cup roles continues.

"What we're looking for is the capacity to sustain what we want," Pochettino said. "We play with three central defenders sometimes. What we want is for them to adapt in different situations…The most important is communication and then can we build out being dynamic or how we play in the opposite half, depending on the opponent having one striker or two strikers? Right now, it's all about building the gameplan for every single game because the opponent is different, and then trying to find the best system for them to adapt."

Getty Images SportPulisic's status

Pochettino indicated on Friday that Christian Pulisic could be ready for Tuesday. 

"Christian didn't train yesterday. He's [been] suffering, from the preseason, a small issue in his ankle," Pochettino said at the time. "After training on Wednesday, his ankle was a little bit swollen. It's an important game, yes, but at the same time, it's important to not take risks. Of course, he's going to be on the bench, and we'll see. We will decide if maybe he can play. If not, the goal is to be ready next Tuesday."

Pulisic, of course, did play in the draw. He came in for a few minutes off the bench, showing that the injury is nothing to be particularly worried about. Throughout his tenure as USMNT boss, Pochettino has avoided risking players. But if Friday is any indication, there doesn't seem to be any overwhelming risk to giving Pulisic some run in the attack.

"Christian participated in the training session," Pochettino said on Monday. "I think the reaction after the 20 minutes of playing was good. He's arrived very well and, yes, we hope that tomorrow he can be available. We need to wait today and see the reaction,t oo, but I think it's much, much better than when we arrived."

How much does he play on Tuesday? Only Pochettino knows. Obviously, the USMNT will be better if he is healthy and available.

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Getty Images SportA free McKennie

Both Pochettino and McKennie used the word on Friday: "Freedom." It's something that a player such as McKennie needs. He can impact a game in so many ways on both sides of the ball, so giving him the freedom to do that is vital.

It was also interesting, though, how Pochettino described McKennie postgame, when he hinted that he sees him as more of an attacking midfielder than one competing for one of those holding spots.

"I think we have the capacity now to throw him in a higher position to interpret and read the demands of the game," Pochettino said. "What I wanted was to provide him with a little bit of freedom in the starting position. He was playing behind the striker like another 10 with Malik [Tillman] on the left and Tim on the right. He's a player that needs that freedom because he has the capacity to help in build up, dropping in, but also arriving and scoring goals."

That, of course, will have ramifications long-term. If he's seen as a No. 10, that means he's competing with the likes of Tillman, Diego Luna and Alex Zendejas, not Tyler Adams, Tanner Tessmann, Aidan Morris and Johnny Cardoso. He, of course, could play in either spot but, when it comes time to choose a squad, it'll be interesting to see how Pochettino weighs up McKennie's position.

Speaking of weight, McKennie addressed his own fitness in candid fashion after Friday's match, telling TNT, "I had a long preseason with my coach back in Juventus, Igor Tudor, that really put pressure on me and said, ‘Hey, you’re getting older and your body is not going to be able to bounce back from games like you used to be able to. You need to cut down some weight. That’s the only way you’re going to be involved in this team.’

"I put my head down, worked like I usually do, got on a diet. I don’t snack as much any more and if I do, it’s healthy snacks. And I work out more often. And a lot of running. This summer is the first summer I didn't mind taking my shirt off at the pool."

As for the Australia game, McKennie remains one to watch as he looks to put in another good performance after missing out on the summer with Juventus in the Club World Cup. Making it all the more interesting is his position and how much freedom it comes with this time around.

West Ham United have been linked with a move for Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna, among others, as pressure continues to mount on Graham Potter.

Potter has recorded the worst win percentage of any West Ham manager in Premier League history apart from Avram Grant, who led the Hammers to relegation in 2011, so the tactician needs to turn things around quickly.

9. Sam Allardyce

30.7%

10. Julen Lopetegui

30%

11. Gianfranco Zola

27.8%

12, Graham Potter

27.3%

13. Avram Grant

18.9%

via StatMuse

West Ham have also conceded more goals than any other side in the top flight so far, becoming the first team to hit double digits in that regard this season, with their lacklustre 3-0 defeat at home to Tottenham bringing Potter right back down to Earth.

The east Londoners recorded their first victory of 2025/2026 with an impressive 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest prior to the international break, which turned out to be West Ham-linked manager Nuno Espírito Santo’s final game in charge at the City Ground.

However, West Ham’s weaknesses were laid bare for all to see during the London derby last Saturday, with goals from Pape Sarr, Lucas Bergvall and Micky van de Ven rounding off what was a convincing display for the visitors.

With Crystal Palace, Everton and Arsenal still to come before the next international break in October, these next few weeks could prove vital to determine Potter’s future, amid links to an array of potential replacements.

José Mourinho was tipped with a potential West Ham move, but the Portuguese appears more likely to join Benfica. Meanwhile, ex-West Ham star and England legend Frank Lampard has also been mentioned as a candidate to succeed Potter.

Nuno, now a free agent after leaving Forest, could be West Ham’s best bet, as David Sullivan is rumoured to be an admirer (Alan Nixon). Reports also suggest that Nuno’s priority is to stay in England and wants an immediate return to management.

While some media sources have rebuffed claims that McKenna could join (Claret & Hugh), others state he was a guest of the West Ham boardroom during their 3-0 loss to Spurs (Football Insider).

Ex-West Ham player warns McKenna not to join amid "disarray behind-the-scenes"

Now, speaking to C&H, an unnamed former West Ham player has sent a stern warning to McKenna over taking the job — urging him against it as the club is in “disarray” behind-the-scenes.

Given how things have been since David Moyes’ departure, he could have a point.

Should Kieran McKenna stay at Ipswich?

The 39-year-old, despite suffering relegation with the Tractor Boys last season, is still one of England’s most exciting young coaches.

Back in 2024, McKenna was credibly linked with both Tottenham and Chelsea after two fine seasons at Portman Road — where he guided Ipswich to back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League.

His stock has fallen since then, especially amid Ipswich’s slow start to 25/26, but the gap between England’s first and second tier is considerable. All the newly-promoted teams have gone straight back down at the first time of asking since 23/24, so relegation is hardly a reflection on McKenna’s managerial prowess.

McKenna won’t want another league drop on his CV, but West Ham’s squad boasts an array of talent and the tactician could arguably work wonders with them.