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Clare Connor says ECB “won’t shy away from difficult conversations” around team’s leadership

Valkerie Baynes02-Feb-2025A failure to cope with pressure and physical preparation will form key lines of inquiry during a review of England’s 16-0 Ashes drubbing aimed at turning performances around in time for the 50-over World Cup in October.Clare Connor, managing director of England women’s cricket, confirmed the review would consider team leadership – including, but not restricted to, head coach Jon Lewis and captain Heather Knight, as well as all aspects of team fitness.”It’s been very evident that the Australia women’s cricket team are setting new standards of athleticism in our sport and that’s obviously one area where we have been out-shone,” Connor said.”One thing I think will be true is that our players will have to look at that level of athleticism and speed and power and the athleticism that is evident in their fielding and see that as a new benchmark.”Credit to Australia for taking the standards of international women’s cricket to another level over the last month. Their ruthlessness in doing that is admirable and I think will give us a huge amount to think about as we go home and reflect.”Clare Connor will lead England’s post-Ashes inquest•Getty ImagesEngland lost every match of the multi-format Ashes series which ended with an innings defeat inside three days in the MCG Test after failing to register any points from the three ODIs or three T20Is, losing two of the latter by more than 50 runs.They were dominated physically and mentally by the Australians, who suffered several injuries to key players yet were able to adapt and crush their opponents.”One of the main things that is evident is the ability to play under pressure,” Connor said. “We have shown glimpses of being able to do that, certain individuals have, but as a collective we have to be honest and say that we haven’t handled the pressure of this series in the way that we want to and we’ll need to compete in future Ashes and a World Cup every year. That’ll be a key area of focus, and how we fast-track that capability.”Related

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Performing under pressure isn’t a new focus for the team. During England’s home summer in 2024 when they hosted Pakistan and New Zealand, coaching staff put the team in various unexpected scenarios such as last-minute team changes, and Knight sitting a game out.But those attempts to accelerate learning against sides which otherwise posed little challenge fell flat against the mighty Australians, and at the T20 World Cup before that, where England exited in the group stages after a shocking fielding performance against West Indies.”One of the reflections, immediate reflections, and I’m sure it’ll evolve over the coming weeks, is the sort of scarcity of time when our players are under pressure,” Connor said.”The run-in to the T20 World Cup last October, we’d dominated all of the cricket we’d played in for almost 18 months. Within that were two white-ball series wins against Australia in the home Ashes in 2023 where we got onto a run of confidence and performance and skill that exposed Australia under pressure and showed some of their vulnerability when you can get into them.”

“Heather [Knight] and Jon [Lewis] are more disappointed and frustrated than anybody.”Connor recognised that England’s leadership is under pressure

While Connor spoke of trying to find more ways to put players under pressure, including through the domestic system and A-team tours, another theme emerged.England seem to struggle with tempering the confidence gained from successfully navigating those situations with the reality of facing a superior side. They need to move beyond the satisfaction of pushing Australia in 2023 and focus on ways to dominate them.Hosting India this summer before big crowds could prove a helpful test ahead of October’s 50-over World Cup in India, and Connor believes there is no alternative but to turn England’s form around by then.”We have to do that,” she said. “We have to use time wisely. We’ve now got the opportunity to really hold the mirror up to where we are and what has gone well and what hasn’t gone well and what needs to happen and when, by whom, to take the team forward.”England dropped catches with alarming regularity across the tour•AFP/Getty ImagesEngland’s World Cup and Ashes shortcomings have put Lewis and Knight under pressure. Immediately after the Melbourne Test, Lewis said he believed he was the right person to take the team forward, while Knight said she wouldn’t make any knee-jerk declarations on her future as captain.”I think there’s a lot of collective learning for us around leadership,” Connor told a media briefing by phone from Melbourne. “Heather and Jon are more disappointed and frustrated than anybody.”Everybody on this call knows what Heather Knight pumps into being England women’s captain. So that will form part of discussions over the coming weeks, all of the areas of accountability in our set-up, with the ultimate goal of, in the short term, being ready for this summer and then being ready to get on a plane to the World Cup in India.”With any team sport defeat or success, responsibility for that and accountability lies with lots of us. It’s not just the captain and the head coach, it’s people who are all in leadership positions making decisions. We won’t shy away from difficult and honest conversations about how to take the team forward because that’s our jobs, for several of us.”England were thrashed 16-0 in Australia•Getty ImagesThe absence of a clear-cut successor to Knight amid a four-pronged leadership group that also includes Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amy Jones and Sophie Ecclestone, or beyond, should also be considered when assessing the captaincy position.Connor said Ecclestone’s refusal to give a pitch-side TV interview to former team-mate, now broadcaster, Alex Hartley during the Ashes “was an unfortunate incident that won’t happen again”.That followed Hartley’s comments after England bowed out of the T20 World Cup, in which she said that a handful of players were “letting the team down” with their fitness levels.”Our players in general… embrace their media obligations,” Connor said. “It matters to them to be good role models for women’s cricket and the England women’s cricket team. As professional women’s cricket has developed at the rate that it has over recent years, that scrutiny is something that we will all have to embrace and accept.”

Liverpool’s record signing Alexander Isak finally pulled on the Reds shirt for the first time, featuring in Wednesday night’s thrilling 3-2 Champions League win over Atletico Madrid. The £125 million striker lasted just under an hour at Anfield, but his display left Arne Slot both encouraged and slightly taken aback by the Swede’s sharpness so soon after joining from Newcastle.

Isak's Anfield debut on an ecstatic night

Isak started up front in Liverpool’s Champions League opener and played 58 minutes before being replaced by Hugo Ekitike. The 25-year-old striker linked up well with fellow new boy Florian Wirtz, showing flashes of his quality despite his lack of preseason minutes. Liverpool eventually sealed the win late on through captain Virgil van Dijk, who scored a dramatic stoppage-time header.

AdvertisementAFPSlot surprised by Isak's fitness despite lack of pre-season

“I was positively surprised by how fit Alexander was during the 60 minutes,” Slot told TNT Sports. "That maybe tells you that it might be different to sign a 20-year-old from a different league than a 25-year-old used to playing in this league. Although he only trained for two weeks, he has so many games under his belt in this league. I wasn’t surprised about his quality as we all know that. It’s always nice to see if a player starts the way he started. Ekitike started the same way.

“It was a good start, only 60 minutes and now we have to build him up from here. He’s not going to play 90 against Everton. One of the things you need if you want to compete for the Premier League and the cups is mentality and fitness and quality and today we saw that."

Liverpool build their squad with Isak as headliner

Liverpool smashed the British transfer record to bring Isak in on deadline day, making him the focal point of their attack alongside Ekitike. Slot believes his Premier League experience will ease the transition, but he remains cautious about overloading him so soon. The Dutch coach stressed that rotation will be vital, with Liverpool juggling title ambitions and the demands of European football.

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AFPIsak could start against Everton but 90 minutes unlikely

Liverpool face Everton in the Merseyside derby at Anfield this weekend, where Slot has confirmed Isak will not play the full 90 minutes. The Swede will continue to build fitness as the Reds look to integrate him gradually into their frontline. With two elite strikers now at his disposal, Slot is keen to strike the right balance as Liverpool chase silverware on multiple fronts.

Newcastle United’s summer transfer window started with a sequence of failed efforts to sign strikers. They had an extensive shortlist, but found they were repeatedly beaten in their chase for all of them but two.

Indeed, optimists on Tyneside might remark that Newcastle got there in the end, strengthening across the park to give Eddie Howe a refreshed squad to tackle the campaign with.

Losing Alexander Isak to Liverpool cannot be sugar-coated, though; it’s a huge blow. Widely regarded as being among the cream of strikers across the globe, Isak has only made the dominant Premier League champions stronger.

Only a matter of months ago, the thought of Isak’s sale to a team like Liverpool was unthinkable, but it has become a reality for the Magpies, and Howe has been forced to rework his free-flowing frontline.

Having only claimed two points from their first three league matches of the season, blanking in two of those matches besides, Newcastle need their new recruits to settle in quickly, having indeed reached a decision that Isak needed to be sold to Liverpool.

Why Newcastle allowed Isak to leave

Isak has been one of the most clinical goal scorers in the Premier League since his debut in 2022, behind only Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah in the goal-to-game ratio.

Erling Haaland

100

88 (0.88)

Mohamed Salah

111

67 (0.60)

Alexander Isak

86

54 (0.63)

Ollie Watkins

115

50 (0.43)

Bryan Mbeumo

104

39 (0.37)

After qualifying for the Champions League and beating Liverpool to lift the Carabao Cup last season, the Toon felt they had done enough to prevent Isak from being picked at by the top brass, but the player has been tenacious in his desire to leave for pastures new, even at the expense of his relationship with Newcastle.

PIF entered the transfer window with the insistence that they would not lose their talisman, who was contracted to St. James’ Park for just under three more years.

But his incendiary comments and refusal to play made it hard to warrant his staying in Howe’s squad. Thus, his bond with United has been broken.

Newcastle have at least replaced the 25-year-old with a proven Premier League goalscorer in Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, but it’s club-record man Nick Woltemade who feels to have taken the baton from Isak as he leaves Tyneside and makes his way over to Liverpool.

Why Newcastle signed Nick Woltemade

Newcastle signed Woltemade from Stuttgart for £69m toward the end of August, seeing him replace Isak not just in position but as the most expensive player in United’s history.

Woltemade’s arrival suggested a concession in the battle with Liverpool to keep Isak at St. James’ Park, and while he’s unlikely to bring the same cultured and complete attacking style to Howe’s door from the off, the sky really is the limit when looking at the wider picture.

Data-driven platform FBref has crunched the numbers over the past 365 days and noted that the 6 foot 6 Woltemade bears a likeness to Isak, albeit less lateral with his movements and more of a proficient outlet when in tight situations.

The site record him to rank among the top 1% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for touches in the attacking box, the top 5% for shot-creating actions and successful take-ons, and the top 15% for progressive passes per 90.

Woltemade might need a touch of work in front of goal, but he has a wider scope than Wissa, who would be expected to provide a consistent stream of goals, having scored 19 for the Bees last year.

There’s no question about Woltemade’s potential. Talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed his “unstoppable” performances with Germany U21s after a terrific year with Stuttgart in the Bundesliga, where he scored 12 times from only 17 starting appearances.

However, all this boils down to the brief prowess the 23-year-old has shown and the belief that Howe can grow him into a player of Isak’s ability. He has not yet reached that stage.

Therefore, some might question whether Newcastle have slightly overpaid for the German international. Arrivals were always going to come at a premium for the north east outfit, with all aware of their struggles in identifying and convincing a high-level forward to join their project.

According to Transfermarkt, Woltemade is only worth €30m (equating to roughly £26m), having scored just 14 goals across 70 appearances in the Bundesliga, hitherto sharpening his skills lower down the ladder.

He was integral in winning the DFB-Pokal last season and has shown he has prolific potential within him, but to expect this record signing to arrive and pack as heavy a punch as Isak landed on England’s elite simply isn’t realistic, at least within the early days of his time on Tyneside.

And this would be highlighted through Isak’s £125m price tag, which in fact stretches roughly £100m higher than the value that Woltemade has been projected to hold.

Had Wissa not been signed, Howe might have found himself with a steeper task in lifting Woltemade up to the height of his ceiling, but when considering the circumstances, this should be viewed as promising stuff from the club.

Still, a combined figure of £124m (including add-ons) puts the pressure on for such players to effectively replace a world-class marksman with two talents in the aggregate.

Woltemade, then, might need to start playing like an elite Premier League striker from the moment he walks onto the pitch, and perhaps that could be to the detriment of the German star’s bedding-in effectively at Newcastle.

He is likely to come good, but it may be a difficult start while he gets up to speed. Just look at the criticism Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres has attracted during his early days at the Emirates Stadium. Isak’s fellow Swede is one of the landmark additions of the window but cost £64m, less than Woltemade. That paints the picture of how silly season panned out in the Premier League.

He's outscoring Woltemade: Newcastle must regret selling the original Wissa

Newcastle could do with this striker’s quality after selling Isak to Liverpool.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Sep 2, 2025

Michael Olise is one of Karl-Heinz Rummenigge's favourite players ever, with the Bayern Munich sensation paired with club legends Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and Luca Toni. Olise has become among the best players in the world since his sensational switch from Crystal Palace to Bavaria in 2024. A phenomenal debut season at the Allianz Arena was rewarded with a Ballon d'Or nomination this year.

Olise on course to become a Bayern Munich legend

Since his £52 million (€60m/$70m) move from Crystal Palace to Bayern in the summer of 2024, Olise has quickly established himself as one of the Bundesliga's standout performers. In tough moments, he's become a key player for Bayern, alongside Harry Kane, proving to be a reliable go-to figure in crucial situations. The Frenchman hit double figures for both goals and assists in the Bundesliga as Bayern snatched the domestic throne back from Bayer Leverkusen.

AdvertisementRummenigge pairs Olise with Robben and Ribery

Speaking to , Rummenigge was asked which players he has liked the most. The iconic former striker said: "The attackers are the salt in the soup, as we say. Especially the wingers, like Ribery, Robben, and now Olise. And the centre-forwards. Even Luca Toni. He wasn't really convinced about coming to Bayern."

A look at Olise's numbers for Bayern

The 23-year-old has played 62 games for Die Roten and has already brought up a half-century of direct goal contributions. With 24 goals and 26 assists since his arrival at the Allianz Arena, no other player bar Kane has had as many direct goal involvements from Germany's top-flight across all competitions.

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Getty Images SportA move to Liverpool on the cards?

Olise's exploits for Bayern have earned him a status as one of the best attackers in the world at the moment. His dominant displays and terrific returns saw him earn a nomination for the 2025 Ballon d'Or. However, despite just arriving over a year ago, question marks over the former Palace winger's future at Sabener Street have started to linger. There have been reports suggesting that Bayern inserted an exit clause in his five-year contract, with the clause becoming active next summer. Liverpool have been heavily linked with Olise, with the Premier League champions reportedly looking at the French star as a potential successor to Mohamed Salah. 

SA ended a 13-year wait for silverware on Saturday and are also leading the Sheffield Shield

AAP02-Mar-2025South Australia’s triumphant cricketers are setting their sights on an historic double. After soaking up their success in winning the one-day title, Nathan McSweeney’s team now want a long-elusive Sheffield Shield.McSweeney led SA to its first one-day title in 13 years with a comprehensive 64-run defeat of Victoria at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night. The double of a winning a one-day crown and the Shield in the same season has been achieved 11 times – but never by SA.Related

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763 balls, 66 all out, 7 for 11: McAndrew recounts wild WACA

McSweeney, Scott and Thornton end South Australia's 13-year trophy wait

Western Australia (five times), NSW (four times) and Victoria (twice) have completed the double. But McSweeney knows his adopted state, for so long the proverbial whipping boys of the domestic scene, may never have a better chance than now.”It’s a little bit of a monkey off the back,” McSweeney said after collecting the inaugural Dean Jones Trophy. “We’ll enjoy it but there’s a bigger picture – there’s a Shield final to play. Everyone loves winning. And for us to get a taste of it, hopefully it kick-starts us – I don’t think we’ll get sick of it.”SA haven’t won a Shield since 1995-96 but currently lead the four-day competition and are in prime position to host the final. With two games remaining, offering six points for each win, McSweeney’s team hold an 11-point break from next-best NSW. And McSweeney believes SA’s 50-over success will feed into the four-day format.States to complete domestic double

Western Australia: 5 (1976-77, 1977-78, 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24)

New South Wales: 4 (1984-85, 1992-93, 1993-94, 2002-03)

Victoria: 2 (1979-80, 2018-19)

*Domestic one-day tournament started in 1969-70

“It has obviously been a long time between titles,” he said. “The players we’ve got in our stable now have shown over the last couple years that we can do it.”It’s just, unfortunately, we had a bad hour in a Shield game or we had a bad hour in a one-day game and it has taken us out of the competition. We’re getting a little bit more consistent, as seen in the Shield table as well. So hopefully it’s the start of some strong years and it’s not just a one-off.”McSweeney said Ryan Harris, who replaced Jason Gillespie as SA’s head coach for this season, deserved much credit.”Something Ryan Harris has brought in to us is the belief,” he said. “We have defended 160 twice this year in the one-day comp. We got bowled out for 90 in the last Shield game and won. From positions that we shouldn’t be winning, we are. It’s a massive hats off to Ryano and the coaching staff.”

Ahead of Thursday’s game against SRH, KKR’s mentor has reminded his batters that “cricketing shots are allowed in T20s as well”

Sreshth Shah02-Apr-2025Six 200-plus totals were made in the first five matches of IPL 2025. Four of them exceeded 230, with a highest of 286. But scoring rates have come down since, with no 200-plus scores in the next eight matches. Dwayne Bravo, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor and the IPL’s highest wicket-taker among seamers, said this was a result of batters putting less value on their wickets and bowlers getting smarter.”The batsmen are not having that value on the wicket anymore,” Bravo said on the eve of KKR’s home game against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). “They’re a bit reckless because they play on those flat pitches. Teams are batting longer with the Impact Player, so the value for batsmanship is no longer there. The Impact Player is there, a lot of teams have batted longer, so the value for batsmanship is no longer there.Related

KKR coach bats for home teams getting favourable conditions

“So that’s why you see the scores are now starting to drop a bit. Bowlers are getting smarter and they’re trying to use their strengths more.”Bravo’s side KKR, the defending champions, are among the teams who promised to raise run rates this season, but they’ve only made totals of 174 and 116 on the two occasions when they’ve batted first, with their middle order not yet finding form. Their opponents SRH have also promised breakneck run-rates but have lost steam since posting 286, one run short of their own IPL record total, on the first weekend of the season. Bravo said batting was about more than just hitting.”Yes, we are an aggressive batting line-up but that’s not cricket,” he said. “My message to the batsmen especially is that the basics of the game are still required. The smarts of the game are still required. These guys just need to apply themselves a bit more and I think they’re getting to understand that.”The games we lose, we have those learnings, so that when we speak cricket, they get to understand that the evidence is there on why we are failing as a batting group. As coaches, it is about telling them that cricketing shots are allowed in T20s as well.”[L to R] Chandrakant Pandit, Venkatesh Iyer, Dwayne Bravo and Ajinkya Rahane have a chat•NurPhoto via Getty ImagesKKR’s upper and lower middle order (Nos. 4 to 8) has averaged 17.22 so far this season while at 113.63, with Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh and Ramandeep Singh failing to reproduce their performances from the last few seasons. But Bravo maintained that the tournament was still in its early days.”Batting is not our main concern,” Bravo said. “We are not the only team after three matches in this position. But we are working on being smarter. Once we get that right, we’ll be fine. We bat fairly deep and it’s an area we are letting ourselves down [in], but these guys are all quality players.”In a tournament where there are 14 games, you don’t judge a player who has had success over the years after just two games. You’re judging them based on two games, because one game none of them batted.”In the IPL you don’t expect any player to be consistent with 14 games. It’s important to keep encouraging them, remind them of how great they are. They already have success in IPL with KKR.”And Rinku will win two games by himself, Russell will win two by himself. Ramandeep will contribute, Venky will come into his own, and will also win two games by himself. There are so many match-winners there.”While KKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit has called for teams to be allowed a greater say in the preparation of pitches on their home grounds, Bravo didn’t comment on the surfaces at Eden Gardens. Instead, he felt home advantage also came from players feeding off the energy of the crowds.”For me, you turn up, you play,” he said. “The team that plays the best will win – whether it’s slow, it’s turning, or not turning. For me, my language to the players will always be to make the necessary adjustments for the conditions.”And what helps us with home advantage is the fans. I think that is more important than how the pitch plays. I will not really comment much about pitches. Once the fans are there into the game and cheering us on, that makes a difference.”

Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma appears to be out of Thomas Frank’s long-term plans, or so we thought.

The 29-year-old really hasn’t made a great impression since Frank’s arrival at the club this summer, with Spurs’ new boss publicly damning Bissouma for his lateness to training and repeated disciplinary issues.

The former Brighton star is yet to make a single competitive appearance for Frank since he took charge, thanks partly to injury, but it spoke volumes about Bissouma’s situation when he was left out of Tottenham’s 22-man Champions League squad.

Now, if Bissouma remains in N17, he won’t be able to make a single European appearance until after the league phase, if Spurs even make it that far.

According to journalist Pete O’Rourke, Frank has been unimpressed with Bissouma behind-the-scenes, and the consensus is that Tottenham are prepared to sell the £100,000-per-week ace before his contract expires in 2026.

Other reports suggest that Tottenham could even let Bissouma leave on loan, potentially to get his wages off the books for a brief period before he eventually departs for free next year — if Spurs cannot find an outright buyer.

In any case, with the Turkish, Portuguese, Mexican and Saudi transfer windows still open, the Lilywhites still have an opportunity to offload Bissouma outside the UK window deadline.

Fenerbahçe were credited with a serious summer interest in the African, but a move failed to materialise. Galatasaray also held talks to sign Bissouma on loan with an obligation to buy, according to The Mail, and Spurs are believed to value him at around £20 million.

He played a key role in Tottenham’s route to victory in the Europa League final against Man United in May, even starting the full 90 minutes against Ruben Amorim’s side, but Frank’s stance on Bissouma is crystal clear in comparison to Ange Postecoglou.

Fabrizio Romano shares Yves Bissouma twist out of Tottenham

Now, Fabrizio Romano has shared an intriguing twist on his future, after the consistent reports of him being set for a move away.

According to the reliable journalist, speaking to GiveMeSport’s newsletter, Spurs actually aren’t looking to get rid of Bissouma right now after all, with the situation described as “quiet”.

The introduction of Frank has seriously altered Bissouma’s role in the squad, coming after the ex-Seagulls star shined at times under Postecoglou.

The now-Nottingham Forest boss and Bissouma enjoyed a close relationship, and the player even described him as a father figure. Elsewhere, Pape Sarr praised Bissouma for his influential role behind-the-scenes in 2024.

Rasmus Hojlund thanked his team-mate Kevin De Bruyne after the 34-year-old Belgian provided assists for both of his goals as Napoli beat Sporting CP on Wednesday. The Danish striker scored a match-winning brace in the 2-1 victory in the Champions League, their first in the competition this season having lost 2-0 to Manchester City two weeks ago.

Hojlund brace sinks Sporting CP

Hojlund put an end to a run of three goalless games on Wednesday evening, as his goals in the 36th and 79th minute of the game helped Napoli beat Sporting CP 2-1 on the second matchday of the league phase of the Champions League. It was an important brace for the 22-year-old forward, who hadn't found the back of the net since scoring on his Napoli debut three weeks ago.

AdvertisementHojlund's double De Bruyne delight

"It was a fantastic evening and I thank my teammates for that," Hojlund told while reflecting on the win. "We've earned our first points in the Champions League, but the road is long and we need to keep going. Later, we'll also face my brother Oscar's Eintracht Frankfurt and I can't wait." 

Regarding the double assist provided by De Bruyne, he said:"I thanked him. Kevin is a legend of this sport and when he has the ball I know that with his quality he will always put it to me in the best possible way."

He later wrote on Instagram: "'Hojlund scores twice in the Champions League after two assists from Kevin De Bruyne' was not on my 2025 bingo card."

De Bruyne joins elite company

De Bruyne became only the sixth player in Champions League history to bag two assists on five or more occasions. In the process, he joined the elite company of Angel Di Maria, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Lionel Mess, and Zinedine Zidane to achieve the feat.

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Getty Images SportGenoa challenge awaits Napoli

Having started their Serie A title defence with four consecutive wins, the Partenopei's run was halted last weekend thanks to a 2-1 defeat against AC Milan. They will aim to bounce back from the loss when they welcome 19th-placed Genoa on Sunday.

Liverpool are anxiously awaiting scan results to determine the severity of Alisson Becker’s hamstring injury after the Brazilian goalkeeper limped off during the Champions League defeat to Galatasaray. Head coach Arne Slot has confirmed that Alisson will miss Saturday’s Premier League clash with Chelsea, sparking fears of a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Alisson suffers hamstring injury against Galatasaray

Alisson was forced off in the 56th minute of Liverpool’s 1-0 defeat against Galatasaray after pulling up while sprinting back to make a save from Victor Osimhen. The 32-year-old immediately signalled to the bench before being replaced by summer signing Giorgi Mamardashvili. The Brazilian is now set to undergo a scan on Thursday to assess the extent of the problem, as per The Athletic.

AdvertisementAFPSlot confirms Alisson will miss Chelsea clash

Speaking after the game, Liverpool boss Slot confirmed that Alisson would miss the upcoming trip to Chelsea and expressed concern over the injury. “If one of our players is on the floor nine times out of 10, I fear the worst and with the worst, I mean he cannot continue, and that is what happened with Alisson,” Slot said. “He will not be able to play Saturday, that is 99.9 per cent (certain), although I think it is 100 per cent.”

Getty Images SportAlisson could miss crucial run of fixtures for Liverpool

Alisson’s setback is a major blow for Liverpool, who face a crucial run of fixtures in both the Premier League and Europe. The Brazilian has already missed time in recent seasons due to similar hamstring problems, raising concerns about a potential recurrence. His absence places added pressure on Mamardashvili, who could now be handed a run of starts during a decisive period.

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AFPMamardashvili to deputise for Alisson against Chelsea

Liverpool will travel to Stamford Bridge on Saturday before hosting Manchester United on October 19 in what could be a key early test of their title credentials. The Reds are expected to receive Alisson’s scan results within the next 24 hours to determine the severity of the injury. Should the problem prove significant, Slot may have to rely on Mamardashvili for those games and potentially also games against Crystal Palace and Real Madrid.

Kyle Jamieson has also been removed from the squad, while Zak Foulkes and Will O’Rourke have been retained

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Mar-2025Matt Henry, who had been included in New Zealand’s squads for the fourth and fifth T20Is against Pakistan despite an injured shoulder, has been officially ruled out, and will continue “his injury rehabilitation programme,” New Zealand Cricket said on Saturday.Zakary Foulkes, who had been selected only for the first three games of the series, has been retained for the last two games as Henry’s replacement. Foulkes was persisted with after returns of 1 for 11 (three overs) in the first game and none for 32 (three overs) in the second game, both of which New Zealand won.In another tweak to the squad, Kyle Jamieson, who was Player of the Match in the first T20I for his returns of 3 for 8 but was expensive (none for 54) in the third game, which Pakistan won, has been left out for the last two games. Will O’Rourke, who had originally been picked only for the first three games, has been added to the squad in Jamieson’s place.Henry had injured his right shoulder while diving in the outfield during the Champions Trophy semi-final win over South Africa earlier this month, which put him out of the final against India, and has also been managing an ongoing left-knee issue.Of the New Zealand quicks, Jacob Duffy has played all three matches of the series, and leads the wicket-takers’ list with seven strikes, while James Neesham and Ben Sears have played two games each. Ish Sodhi and captain Michael Bracewell, the two spinners, have also played all three games.New Zealand lead the series 2-1, with the fourth and fifth games to be played on Sunday (in Mount Maunganui) and on Wednesday (in Wellington).New Zealand squad for last two T20Is vs PakistanMichael Bracewell (capt), Finn Allen, Mitchell Hay (wk), Tim Robinson, Tim Seifert (wk), Mark Chapman, Zakary Foulkes, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Jacob Duffy, Will O’Rourke, Ben Sears, Ish Sodhi