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“Once we realised that the surface wasn’t what we had anticipated, then we needed to build towards that 180 score,” says SRH head coach Daniel Vettori

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Apr-20252:14

Knight: At the moment, SRH are all or nothing

Not for the first time in IPL 2025, the “where’s plan B” question has been asked of the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) batting.”At the moment, it’s all or nothing,” Nick Knight said after SRH’s latest loss, to Mumbai Indians (MI) at home. The margin was seven wickets with 26 balls in hand, but the outcome was evident by the ninth over of the match when SRH, asked to bat first, were 35 for 5. Despite the situation, plan B came later when Heinrich Klaasen and Abhinav Manohar added 99 runs for the sixth wicket.”If you see the way some batters have batted, they are just following the same pattern,” Varun Aaron said on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show. “Yes, you can hit a few shots along the ground, you don’t have to hit everything in the air; a four is a good shot, but if you’re going to hit everything in the air, you’re going to get out more often than not. Especially when the wickets are like this, when they are slowing down towards the back end.”But that’s the formula that worked for SRH the previous season, when they broke existing IPL batting records and went all the way to the final, where they lost to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).Related

• Harshal, Cummins capitalise on dry pitch to keep CSK down

• SRH bowl, Brevis debuts for CSK

• Jadeja in no-man's land as CSK's plans just won't work

• Dhoni's 400th T20 sees CSK and SRH in now-or-never territory

• Knight: 'Klaasen is batting far too low. Six overs or a tick over, get him out there'

Knight attempted to provide that perspective. “These discussions have got to be a little bit careful. It’s not like you can put [a] one-size-fits-all [answer] here. You can’t say Gujarat Titans [GT] are the best, they are doing it this way and everyone’s got to follow,” Knight said. “What Gujarat Titans are doing best is that they are using their resources the best. Their type of players play like that. It suits their style. When you look at Abhishek [Sharma] and Travis Head, I don’t want to see them hitting [along] the ground. I am more than happy to see them hitting aerially. Because that’s what they do, that’s what they do well.”What I am slightly concerned with about SRH is when that doesn’t work and you find yourself two-down quickly, that’s when you’ve got to move it back for a little while. That’s when you’ve got to reassess it a little bit, you’ve got to say, ‘okay, that’s perhaps not working, we will try plan B for a bit and then go back to plan A’. It’s got to be a bit [balanced]. At the moment, it’s all or nothing. There are times when you have to rejig your attitude, the approach a little bit, and then get back on it.”Daniel Vettori, the SRH coach, acknowledged that, and also said that plan B was exactly what SRH had attempted to turn to once the early wicket fell.”We wanted to bowl first,” he said at the press conference after the game, but, after losing two wickets inside three overs, “the assessment was that it was not the 250-260 wicket it has been the last couple of games”. “Once we realised that the surface wasn’t what we had anticipated, then we needed to build towards that 180 score. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to do when you’re 24 for 4 after the powerplay.”0:42

Knight: Klaasen batting far too low for SRH

Knight agreed. “If you’re four down for 13, it’s game over. I wonder if when you’re two down, whether you can just hold it back a little bit, have a partnership there with Klaasen or someone, then you don’t need Abhinav [Manohar] as your Impact Sub, then you can use an extra bowler, then you might be able to get an earlier partnership. Those sorts of little things can play out in important moments in your game.”As things stand, SRH are down at No. 9, only above Chennai Super Kings (CSK), with six games left to play in the league stage. They aren’t out of contention yet, but it’s not looking bright.”There’s been a lot of teams that find themselves in this situation, and there’s been a few teams that were able to resurrect their seasons [in the past],” Vettori said, holding out hope. “You look back to RCB last year after a difficult start. So if we can take inspiration from a team like them, and Mumbai’s done it on a few occasions, but ultimately, it’s just going to take one performance, and we haven’t been able to put a collective performance bar the two games we’ve won. We’ve got to improve dramatically in all three facets.”The next opportunity to do that will come on Friday night, when they play the only team that’s worse off than them, CSK, in Chennai.

Full list of available overseas players for the remainder of IPL 2025, and the replacements for the unavailable players

ESPNcricinfo staff16-May-20253:14

Which overseas players are returning, and for how long?

IPL 2025 resumes on May 17 after it was interrupted due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan. Here’s the full list of overseas players who are available for the rest of the season, as well as the temporary replacements signed for those who are not coming back.

Gujarat Titans

Players availableJos Buttler (available until the league stage ends, to be replaced by Kusal Mendis for the playoffs), Kagiso Rabada (available until the league stage ends), Sherfane Rutherford, Rashid Khan, Karim Janat, Dasun Shanaka, Gerald CoetzeeFull squad here

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Players availableJacob Bethell (available only for two league-stage games), Lungi Ngidi (available until the league stage ends), Romario Shepherd, Phil Salt, Tim David, Liam Livingstone, Nuwan ThusharaUncertain playersJosh HazlewoodFull squad here

Punjab Kings

Players availableMitchell Owen, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen (available until the league stage ends), Xavier Bartlett, Kyle Jamieson (temporary replacement for injured Lockie Ferguson)Uncertain playersJosh Inglis, Marcus Stoinis, Aaron HardieFull squad here

Mumbai Indians

Players availableWill Jacks (available until the league stage ends, set to be replaced by Jonny Bairstow for the playoffs), Ryan Rickelton (available until the league stage ends, set to be replaced by Richard Gleeson for the playoffs), Bevon Jacobs, Corbin Bosch (available until the league stage ends), Mitchell Santner, Trent Boult, Reece Topley, Mujeeb Ur RahmanFull squad here

Delhi Capitals

Players availableTristan Stubbs (available until the league stage ends), Faf du Plessis, Dushmantha Chameera, Sediqullah AtalPlayers not availableMitchell Starc, Jake Fraser-McGurk (replaced by Mustafizur Rahman, who will be available between May 18-24), Donovan FerreiraFull squad here

Kolkata Knight Riders

Players availableSunil Narine, Andre Russell, Quinton de Kock, Spencer Johnson, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Anrich NortjePlayers not availableRovman Powell (has been replaced by Shivam Shukla), Moeen Ali.Full squad here

Lucknow Super Giants

Players availableAiden Markram (available until the league stage ends), Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, David Miller, Matthew Breetzke, Will O’Rourke (replacement for injured Mayank Yadav)Players not availableShamar JosephFull squad here

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Players availablePat Cummins, Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen, Kamindu Mendis, Eshan MalingaPlayers not availableWiaan MulderFull squad here

Rajasthan Royals

Players availableShimron Hetmyer, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kwena Maphaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh TheekshanaPlayers not availableJofra Archer, Nandre BurgerFull squad here

Chennai Super Kings

Players availableNoor Ahmad, Matheesha Pathirana, Dewald Brevis, Devon ConwayPlayers not availableJamie Overton, Sam Curran, Rachin Ravindra, Nathan EllisFull squad here

The Brazilian is a key part of a star-studded dressing room – but what are the likes of Neymar and Mbappe like when the cameras are off?

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  Marquinhos: Team-mate Emoji Challenge

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  Alphonse Areola

  "He’s a monster, I mean, have you seen his height? He brings physical impact, on and off the pitch. He’s a great person, very calm, very simple. He doesn’t talk much, doesn’t like to be in the spotlight but he knows how to establish himself in due course. I’ve got a very good relationship with him because we’re both very calm."

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  Kevin Trapp

  "He’s a good friend of mine. He’s the most Brazilian German in the world. He comes over to my house very often, we have fun together and, above all, he’s handsome! In the changing room, he’s very active, likes talking, reach out to others. He’s a good entertainer as well."

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  Dani Alves

  "I’ve got a very special relationship with him. He’s a great guy. He’s got a boundless energy: in the morning, afternoon and night. He’s got a lot of energy in the changing room and on the pitch. We often play together on the right side, it brings me a lot, he shares his experience with me both in PSG and in the national team."

While the prize for the best footballer of 2020 will not be handed out due to Covid-19, who would've been the favourite if it hadn't been cancelled?

The awarding of the Ballon d'Or has become one of the biggest nights in the footballing calendar, with winning the prize seen by players as the pinnacle of excellence in the sport.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated the award in the 21st century, winning it 11 times between them in the last 12 years.

Messi is the current holder after claiming his sixth Ballon d'Or back in December, and the Argentine will now continue his defence through to 2021 after announced the prize would not be awarded in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

If that decision had not been made, who would have been in contention? Goal takes a look at those who were in with a shout…

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  20Timo Werner (RB Leipzig/Chelsea)

  In 2020: 11 goals, three assists.

  While Werner's second half of the season did not quite hit the heights of the first half, he has still enjoyed a stellar 2020 and certainly would have been in the mind of some judges come December in normal circumstances.

  His numbers compare favourably to those above him, but his decision to reject the chance to play in the latter stages of the Champions League for Leipzig would have cost him vital exposure in the biggest competition still on the calendar for the year.

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  19Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

  Though Henderson's raw numbers pale in comparison to the other contenders on the list, his leadership of Liverpool as they won their first title in 30 years cannot be underestimated.

  At one time the favourite for the PFA Player of the Year in England, the midfielder from Sunderland continues to answer his critics at Anfield.

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  18Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)

  After a slow start to 2020, Sterling has rediscovered his best form since football returned post-lockdown.

  A defeat to Arsenal in the semi-finals of the FA Cup saw City's hopes of a treble extinguished, but being in a favourable position to advance in the Champions League means the likes of Sterling still had opporutunties to impress voters on the biggest stage.

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  17Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich)

  One of the breakout stars of the European season, Davies has gone from being an exciting option as back-up winger for Bayern to their first-choice left-back.

  The Canada international's electric pace, tough tackling and excellent crossing ability make him the full package in the modern game, and he is one of a number of Bayern players who many are predicting will end the year with treble success.

Goal runs through the best attackers, midfielders, defenders and goalkeepers in EA Sports' new game with a breakdown of the key stats

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  1Lionel Messi

  Lionel Messi | RW | Rating: 94

  87 PAC	96 DRI
  92 SHO	39 DEF
  92 PAS	66 PHY

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  2Cristiano Ronaldo

  Cristiano Ronaldo | ST | Rating: 93

  90 PAC	89 DRI
  93 SHO	35 DEF
  82 PAS	78 PHY

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  3Neymar

  Neymar | LW | Rating: 92

  91 PAC	95 DRI
  85 SHO	32 DEF
  87 PAS	58 PHY

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  4Eden Hazard

  Eden Hazard | LW | Rating: 91

  91 PAC	94 DRI
  83 SHO	35 DEF
  86 PAS	66 PHY

World Cup kit launch season is never quiet…

Nike has released its federation kits for the upcoming World Cup, including the home and away shirts for the USMNT. As you may have seen, the reaction hasn’t been entirely positive. ESPN called the team’s home shirt “boring” and the away kit “awful,” while players including Tim Weah, Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah have all voiced their criticisms of the kits.

All the furore around the home and away shirts got us thinking about some of the other controversial kits from footballing history.

Any we've missed? Let us know

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  Manchester United 1995-96 away

  Manchester United’s grey away kit had an outsized impact considering its brief existence. The kit was only worn five times, and in its final appearance United – 3-0 down at Southampton – decided to change their kit at half time. United lost four of the five games in which the kit was worn before it was dropped forever.

  Speaking years later, Gary Neville explained the Southampton kit switch in April 1996, saying that Sir Alex Ferguson had employed an “eye coach” who pointed out that the grey kit blended into the crowd, making it impossible to see your teammates. As Neville said, “you don’t take another kit to a game unless you’re thinking there’s a problem with it.”

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  Cameroon 2002 vests

  There are certain rules about how a football shirt can look, and one of the most elemental ones is that it has sleeves. Cameroon decided to try their luck without sleeves, and in 2002 won the African Cup of Nations in their green vests. That was to be the end of the line for the kits, and when Cameroon appeared at the World Cup later that year, they’d had to add black sleeves.

  Cameroon tried their luck again in 2004, this time wearing an even-more innovative one piece kit. The onesie design was worn throughout that year’s African Cup of Nations, leading to a $154,000 USD fine from FIFA and six docked points at the 2006 World Cup. FIFA eventually cancelled their punishment under the threat of legal action from PUMA. 

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  Fiorentina 1992-93 away

  One of Fiorentina’s early ‘90s away shirts has a legitimate claim to being the most controversial ever released. In an attempt to incorporate the club’s iconic viola colour into the white away kits, Lotto created a geometric pattern to cover the top of the shirt. Somehow, no one realised that the pattern looked a lot like Swastikas.

  Fiorentina managed to get through a few games before the problem was spotted. Quickly the away kit was replaced – many of them were destroyed – and Fiorentina finished the season in a plain white away kit. The club even had to clarify that the design was “purely a matter of chance” and not a reference to their founder’s fascist roots.

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• Athletic Bilbao
  

  Athletic Bilbao 2004-05 European shirt

  In 2004, Athletic Bilbao recruited Basque artist Dario Urzay to create a special-edition kit to be worn during its UEFA Cup campaign. For unspecified reasons, Urzay took inspiration from blood splatters when he replaced the red and white stripes for the shirt.

  Fans weren’t happy, and the level of public protest led to Bilbao scrapping the shirt almost immediately. What was meant to be a celebratory shirt for their European adventures was actually only worn for one friendly. Nowadays, the design is known as the “Ketchup” shirt.

The Wales star stepped up when his side needed him most to lift LAFC in the dying moments.

It was an instant classic, perhaps the best game in MLS history. A heavyweight title fight between incredible teams, LAFC and the Philadelphia Union, who each were on the verge of winning on several occasions only to throw it away.

Gareth Bale became the hero in the 128th minute. The savior. With his team down a man, down a goal and moving closer and closer to another season ending in defeat, Bale rose up high, posterizing would-be Union match winner Jack Elliott in the process. Bale headed home to make the score 3-3 and force a penalty shootout won easily by LAFC.

If you've followed Bale's career, his authoring of such a dramatic moment comes as little surprise. It's what he was born to do, and what LAFC were so desperate to add when they signed him following his exit from Real Madrid.

LAFC are champions, and they have their superstar to thank.

Hollywood couldn't have written it better.

• WINNER: Gareth Bale

  In some ways, it was both totally impossible and entirely predictable.

  Bale came to the team lacking form and fitness. He'd battled injuries, easing his way into LAFC's lineup. The winger had scored just twice for LAFC, never going 90 minutes and not appearing in LAFC's first two playoff games.

  But given his long-term track record, when he came in to the game in extra time there was still a sense that he could come through despite the deck stacked against him.

  He's scored big goals everywhere he's been, and the cynic among us would say he's scored bigger than this. Bale has won Champions League finals, after all.

  But he many not cherish one more. He'd been written out, discarded. He'd struggled to break through even here in MLS.

  So it's somewhat poetic that his goal came from a towering header, one that saw him leap like the Bale of yesteryear. The smile was huge, the ovation was deafening and Bale was the hero again.

  Who would have thought?

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• LOSER: Maxime Crepeau

  It doesn't get much worse. Horrible, absolutely horrible.

  With just minutes remaining and a shootout looming, Crepeau came rushing out of his goal to stop Corey Burke on a breakaway. The two collided, leaving both down injured in a scary sequence.

  Burke eventually got up. Crepeau didn't.

  The injury comes less than two weeks before Crepeau was set to join Canada's team at the World Cup. He isn't the starter (that job falls to Milan Borjan) but he is a key veteran for the national team that is returning to the biggest stage for the first time in a lifetime.

  Making matters worse? Crepeau was given a red card for the sequence that cost him his World Cup, leaving his side down a man.

  It was a sad, sad moment from an otherwise good final.

• WINNER: John McCarthy

  If Bale was the storybook hero, the conqueror always destined for the big moment in MLS, McCarthy is on the other side of it all.

  A career backup, there were few scenarios where McCarthy would end up on the field on Saturday. But, after Crepeau's injury, there he was, against his former team nonetheless.

  The goalkeeper played for the Union from 2015-18 and had been their hero in several U.S. Open Cup matches. Now, Union fans will remember him for being a hero on the other side of the biggest game in their history.

  McCarthy wasn't the sole reason the Union lost the penalty shootout. Daniel Gazdag's slip and subsequent miss didn't help the Union's cause.

  Still, it was McCarthy that stared down his former team while lifting his current one after playing just 90 minutes all season.

  From backup to championship-winning hero, all in the space of about 15 minutes. Only in MLS!

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• LOSER: The Union

  Not a loser in the sense the headline might imply. But, my goodness, will this hurt.

  After a season like this, to come up short in the way the Union did felt like a gut punch. Three straight misses in a penalty shootout after holding the outcome in their hands just moments before.

  After Bale's goal, it felt like there was no way back and, as it turned out, there wasn't.

  The Union will be back next season, of course, because they've built something special. But there's no guarantee they'll get so close again any time soon, even if their talent level remains this high.

  So spare a thought for Andre Blake, the Union star who was powerless to prevent his team's loss. Spare a thought for Alejandro Bedoya, the Union captain who couldn't suit up due to injury. Spare a thought for Kai Wagner, Paxten Aaronson and Jack McGlynn, young stars who seem bound for European successes and may not be long for MLS. Spare a thought for Jim Curtin and Ernst Tanner, two legitimate soccer geniuses who have built a program from the ground up.

  There may be more opportunities to come in the future. But this one will sting for quite some time simply because they were oh so close.

The 37-year-old made his Saudi Pro League bow at the weekend, and quickly learned that he won't be in for an easy ride

Cristiano Ronaldo's first outing in the Middle East came in the Riyadh All-Star XI's glamorous exhibition match against Paris Saint-Germain last week, which he marked with a brace to outshine his eternal rival Lionel Messi.

Both men came off after 60 minutes as PSG went on to earn a 5-4 victory, but while Messi then returned to Europe to resume Ligue 1 and Champions League pursuits, Ronaldo remained in Saudi Arabia to begin his career with Al-Nassr.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner insisted the time was right for a "new challenge in Asia" after signing his eye-watering £177-million-per-year contract with the Saudi Pro League outfit, having seen his previous deal at Manchester United terminated by mutual consent in November.

Ronaldo's second spell at Old Trafford ended in controversial circumstances, and he cut a frustrated figure during his final months at the club, but already looks to be embracing a fresh start at Al-Nassr.

Rudi Garcia's side beat Ettifaq 1-0 in the Portugal striker's first competitive appearance, and although he failed to get his name on the scoresheet, there were plenty of positives to take from his performance as Al-Nassr moved back to the top of the league.

GOAL breaks down his long-awaited debut…

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  A hero's reception

  Al-Nassr's Mrsool Park stadium was sold out for the occasion, with a capacity crowd of 25,000 turning out to see Ronaldo line up in their yellow and blue colours for the first time – some three weeks on from his glitzy unveiling to a similarly excited audience.

  The atmosphere inside the venue is a far cry from what Ronaldo was used to at Old Trafford, or previously at Juventus' Allianz Stadium and Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu, but the Al-Nassr fans did their utmost to welcome their new hero in style.

  In addition to a number of Ronaldo banners being held up, flares were also seen in the home stands prior to kick-off, and the cheers were deafening when he emerged from the tunnel wearing the captain's armband – while also sporting a black eye from the punch he took from PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas a few days earlier.

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  Renewed vigour

  Ronaldo was often accused of failing to put in enough effort for United in the first half of their 2022-23 campaign, and wasn't the right fit for Erik ten Hag's high-pressing style.

  Al-Nassr boss Garcia won't be holding the veteran striker to the same strict standards, but he looked far more energetic and determined on his debut than in any of his 16 appearances for the Red Devils under Ten Hag.

  Ronaldo also took a more positive approach with his new team-mates, reassuring them whenever a pass was misplaced or a shot was dragged off target – a far cry from the man often seen lambasting his colleagues at Old Trafford for similar errors.

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  A constant threat

  Ronaldo was dispossessed on both of his first two touches, but the Al-Nassr faithful continued to cheer every time the ex-United star got on the ball, and it seemed to spur him on.

  It wasn't long before the tricks and step-overs came out as Ronaldo looked to open up the Ettifaq defence at every opportunity, despite receiving plenty of rough treatment.

  He expertly made room for a shot after just six minutes, with his deflected effort sailing over the bar, and also came close with a 25-yard free-kick late in the half.

  In the second half, he almost bagged an assist after busting a gut to deliver a first-time cross from the left wing, and even attempted an acrobatic overhead kick that brought back memories of his Champions League stunner for Madrid against Juventus in 2018, but ultimately failed to connect.

  On this evidence, it won't be long before Ronaldo starts banging in the goals again, but he could yet be outshined by a certain Brazilian colleague…

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  Instant rapport with Talisca

  Former Benfica and Besiktas forward Anderson Talisca will be leading the line alongside Ronaldo at Al-Nassr, and he showed that he is still the main man for the time being on Sunday.

  The 28-year-old, who also won four caps for Brazil's Under-23s in the earlier stages of his career, rose to head home a cross from Abdulmajeed Al Sulaiheem, which just bypassed Ronaldo, in the 31st minute of the contest for his 12th goal of the season.

  Talisca was a menace throughout the contest, and also forced a strong save from the Ettifaq goalkeeper after he let fly with a long-range thunderbolt, with Ronaldo unable to match his overall impact.

  Still, the two men seemed to strike up a good understanding and worked well in tandem to help Al-Nassr record their 10th win from 14 games, and it will be a huge task for defences across the SPL to keep them at bay in the coming weeks.

Erik ten Hag's team didn't just drop two points at Selhurst Park – they also lost Casemiro for Sunday's top-of-the-table clash at the Emirates.

The last time Erik ten Hag visited Selhurst Park, he had just been confirmed as Manchester United's new, permanent manager.

Sat up in the stands, he likely recoiled as his soon-to-be squad laboured to a 1-0 defeat that would have seen then drop into Europa Conference League had West Ham managed to beat Brighton.

has changed at Old Trafford since then – Edinson Cavani, Alex Telles and Hannibal Mejbri all started against the Eagles back in May – and Ten Hag deserves endless credit for orchestrating the club's turnaround in such a short space of time.

However, there are limits to the Red Devils' progress, and talk of United mounting a title challenge was dealt a double-blow on Wednesday as they returned to the scene last season's crime against football.

Not only did Michael Olise's stunning free-kick ensure their nine-match winning run came to an end, a second-half yellow card for Casemiro means he will miss this weekend's mammoth showdown with Arsenal.

In truth, the result was what United deserved. If not for some trademark heroics from David de Gea in goal, they could have lost the game. Bruno Fernandes – who scored his side's goal, finishing off Christian Eriksen's cutback – even admitted as much at full time.

But Ten Hag & Co. cannot afford to lick their wounds. If their fledgling title hopes are to become reality, a result this Sunday is essential.

For now, here are GOAL's winners, losers and ratings from Selhurst Park…

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  The Winners

  Arsenal:

  As one might expect, the Palace fans in the Holmesdale Road end went ballistic when Olise's free-kick nestled in the back of the net. And, somewhere in north London, a certain Spaniard likely enjoyed it very much too. Coming into this one, United supporters had been getting the calculators out to prove that their chances of catching Premier League leaders Arsenal were far from remote. However, that late goal means Mikel Arteta's side remain eight points clear at the summit of the standings, with Ten Hag's team having only managed to move ahead of Man City on goal difference. And United will now have to try to prevent Arsenal from taking another significant step towards the title on Sunday without Casemiro, their midfield talisman. All in all, not a bad evening for the Gunners.

  David de Gea:

  He is not perfect, that has been well established. But my word, has De Gea still got some magic in the locker. Just before the break, Odsonne Edouard let fly with a shot that everyone in Selhurst Park thought would loop under the bar. De Gea had other ideas, using every millimetre of his right arm to push the ball out onto the woodwork. A few minutes later, Fernandes netted what appeared to be the winner. De Gea was called into action again late in the second half, though, reacting swiftly to parry away Marc Guehi's header. Unfortunately, he was left with no chance for Olise's free-kick, but without him, United would be coming away from London with no points at all.

  Patrick Vieira:

  The Crystal Palace manager was in a foul mood after his side's narrow defeat to Chelsea last weekend. When asked if he felt his players deserved something from the game to kick off the post-match formalities, he simply said: "Yes." It was one of a string of monosyllabic answers offered by the frustrated Palace boss, who later took aim at the Blues' market-distorting purchase of Mykhailo Mudryk. He would've been desperate to put things right against United, but the footballing gods can be cruel, and he was subjected to almost a carbon copy of Sunday's game for 91 minutes. Again, Vieira set up his midfield excellently to frustrate the far-wealthier opposition. Again, Palace had chances. And again, for a long time, it looked like his side would get nothing. But then, up stepped Olise. No doubt, there will be no one-word answers in his post-match press conference this time around.

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  The Losers

  Casemiro:

  "No, no, no, no, NOOOOO!" We imagine that was roughly Ten Hag's internal reaction to witnessing Casemiro slowly shadowing Wilfried Zaha in the closing stages of this one before scything him down. The resulting yellow card means the Brazilian will miss United's gargantuan trip to the Emirates, in a development that will have Arteta licking his lips. Fred or Scott McTominay are the most obvious possible replacements, although Lisandro Martinez can also play in a defensive midfield role. It goes without saying, but all three of those options are a universe away from what Casemiro could have offered.

  Antony:

  You just can't take your eyes off of this guy. However, his eminent watchability is not always a good thing – and one short passage of play in the first half summed up the Brazilian's Jekyll and Hyde existence perfectly. After silencing the braying home crowd with a delicious back-heel through the legs of Tyrick Mitchell, Antony played a wayward pass in the general direction of Bruno Fernandes, who was not happy. An on-field spat ensued, and went on for some time – largely thanks to the stubbornness, or petulance, of the £85 million forward. Antony is always going to be unpredictable, it's part of what makes him great. But when it doesn't come off for him, like tonight, he can end up looking a little silly.

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  Man Utd Ratings: Defence

  David de Gea (8/10):

  Made a sublime save from Edouard early on and pulled off another impressive stop when Marc Guehi diverted a corner onto goal 15 minutes from time.

  Aaron Wan-Bissaka (7/10):

  Enjoyed a fascinating, running battle with former team-mate Zaha down the left. Did not offer much offensively, but gave as good as he got against Palace's talisman and made a stunning, goal-saving challenge at the death.

  Lisandro Martinez (7/10):

  Shaky start. Had to be bailed out by Varane when he miscued a header. Was bandaged up after being elbowed and bravely soldiered on. Some of his passes were superb. Booked.

  Raphael Varane (7/10):

  Pretty classy. Covered for his team-mates on more than one occasion and used the ball fairly well.

  Luke Shaw (5/10):

  Looked to find Antony with raking, long balls – but rarely did. Had a testing night defensively against the dual threat of Olise and Clyne.

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  Midfield

  Casemiro (6/10):

  Fared well against a strong Palace midfield for the most part. Made a string of recovering challenges when the pressure was on – but that yellow card is a massive blow for his side and perhaps wasn't necessary.

  Christian Eriksen (6/10):

  Created Fernandes' opener with a sublime run and cut-back. Not a lot else came off, though, with Palace cutting his usual passing lanes off superbly.

  Bruno Fernandes (7/10):

  Had all the time in the world to pick his spot and made no mistake, putting his side 1-0 up. Created a few more openers after that.

The ex-Borussia Dortmund star has disappointed at Old Trafford, and there are several players on the market who may be a better fit for the Red Devils

Manchester United have boasted some of the greatest wingers of all time in their ranks down the years, from George Best to Ryan Giggs, and David Beckham to Cristiano Ronaldo.

In their prime, they were players capable of mind-boggling moments of individual brilliance that could decide matches – risk-takers and mavericks with a winning mentality that just cannot be taught, and supporters idolised them for it.

United paid £73 million ($101m) to sign Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund because they believed he was cut from the same cloth. He certainly looked special in Germany, after taking the brave decision to turn down a first professional contract at Manchester City to join BVB at the tender of age of 17 back in 2017.

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Sancho racked up an impressive haul of 50 goals and 64 assists in a Dortmund shirt, but his fearlessness and intelligence on the ball made him stand out the most. Personality can often be the difference between good and great players, and he had it in spades.

For whatever reason, though, that version of Sancho has yet to appear at Old Trafford.

As we edge towards the end of his second season at United, he has just 10 goals to his name from 68 appearances, and Erik ten Hag is reportedly growing impatient with his lack of progress.

Sancho fought his way back into the squad after being exiled entirely by the Dutchman due to "physical and mental" issues, but he hasn't made the most of his clean slate it now feels as though he will never fulfil his potential in Manchester.

A summer transfer might be in the best interests of all parties concerned, especially given the possible replacements thought to be on United's radar.

Sancho probably isn't going to enter the club's Hall of Fame, but there are others that could, starting with a certain Portugal international making a huge impact at Milan…

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  Rafael Leao

  With 42 minutes on the clock in the second leg of Milan's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Napoli, Leao picked up possession deep in his own half as Stefano Pioli's side were granted a reprieve following wave after wave of attacks.

  The 23-year-old proceeded to race down the left flank, showing superb dribbling skills to elude three defenders along the way, and eventually found himself in the opposition box.

  Leao capped it all off by showing superb awareness to cut the ball back for Olivier Giroud, who made no mistake with a simple finish from just outside the six-yard box. Milan went on to win the tie 2-1 on aggregate, progressing to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2007.

  The Rossoneri needed a moment of magic to get over the line, and Leao provided it. However, it wouldn't have come as much of a surprise to the visiting fans at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, given the fact he's been producing that kind of brilliance on a regular basis for the last four years.

  Leao was the driving force behind Milan's 2021-22 Scudetto success and he's now pushing them towards an eighth European Cup, which is why just about every top club on the continent is interested in his services.

  United, Arsenal and Chelsea are reportedly among those weighing up a summer move for Leao, whose contract at San Siro is due to expire in 2024. Talks over a possible extension have yet to progress, as he admitted after the quarter-final.

  "I want to stay here at Milan, yes — but there are some things to resolve," he told .

  At the moment, Leao looks like the kind of superstar United had hoped Sancho would become, and they could snap him up for a cut-price fee if they act quickly when the market reopens.

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  Christian Pulisic

  Next up is a man who played alongside Sancho at Dortmund in the early stages of his own career – the talisman of the United States men's national team and one of the most talented players in the current Chelsea squad: Christian Pulisic.

  Unfortunately, he has only shown off said talent sporadically over the last three years at Stamford Bridge.

  Pulisic in full flow is difficult for any defender to stop, and his highlight reel for the Blues makes for an excellent watch. He's scored 26 goals for the club to date, and more than a few fall into the category of spectacular.

  Arguably his best effort came in a 2-1 victory over Manchester City in June 2020, as he ran from inside his own half and ghosted past Ilkay Gundogan and Benjamin Mendy before placing a beautiful finish past Ederson.

  The USMNT star has that in his locker, and has been pretty consistent for his country at international level, but he's always been in and out of the starting line up at Chelsea.

  Niggling injuries have played their part, while Frank Lampard, Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter all struggled to find his best position, and it has been reported that the Blues could cut their losses on the 24-year-old later this year.

  Old Trafford has been mooted as a potential next destination for Pulisic, who still has the prime years of his career ahead of him.

  Ten Hag has brought the best out of previously inconsistent figures such as Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw this season, and the American might enjoy a similar resurgence if he were to join United's ranks – though it remains to be seen whether Chelsea would sell him to a direct rival.

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  Ansu Fati

  Lionel Messi's surprise departure from Camp Nou in 2021 sent shockwaves through the entire footballing world, and Barcelona are still trying to recover to this day.

  The Liga giants lost their captain – who is the greatest player to ever kick a ball in the eyes of many – amid an unprecedented financial crisis, and supporters lost a hero they had worshipped for nigh on two decades as the trophies rolled in.

  Ansu Fati was the man given the honour of inheriting Messi's sacred No.10 shirt, which felt like a logical move at the time given his bright start to life in Barca's senior squad.

  In his first season after graduating from the academy, the Spaniard became Barca's youngest-ever league goalscorer, the youngest-ever Champions League goalscorer and the youngest player in La Liga history to score twice in a match.

  There was a risk attached to the club's decision, though, given Fati's progress had stalled due to a serious knee injury that kept him out of action for nine months.

  A hamstring issue then held him back throughout the 2021-22 season, and he has been unable to force his way into Xavi's starting XI since, much to the frustration of his father.

  Bori Fati, who also serves as his son's agent, hit out at the club over their treatment of Ansu in an extraordinary rant last month, and also suggested that he should seek a transfer.

  Fati appears to have finally put his fitness troubles behind him, but only 13 of his 42 appearances for the Blaugrana this season have come as a starter, and he hasn't taken to a new central striker role under Xavi.

  It has been reported that Fati is one of several first-team players Barca will look to offload this summer in order to further reduce their wage bill (and potentially re-sign Messi), and United are said to be considering a swoop.

  A move to Old Trafford might give the 20-year-old the opportunity to return to his favoured position on the left wing – which is where he still has the capacity to become one of the top players of his generation.

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  Kaoru Mitoma

  Circling back to the Premier League, we come to Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma, who has emerged as a top prospect in his debut campaign at the Amex Stadium.

  Mitoma spent a year on loan at Royale Union Saint-Gilloise after his initial move to Brighton, which turned out to be the right call for his development.

  Graham Potter used the Japan international primarily off the bench at the start of the season, but after the manager's departure to Chelsea, Mitoma was given the chance to truly shine.

  Potter's replacement, Roberto De Zerbi, saw something in Mitoma right from the off and threw him straight into his line up on the left flank, with fantastic results.

  The 25-year-old has been one of the standout players in a Brighton side making an unlikely push for Champions League football, alongside the likes of Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo, earning plenty of admirers in the process.

  Mitoma thrives in one-on-one situations, as evidenced by his position in the top 10 for successful dribbles per 90 minutes in the Premier League this season.

  Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold has been among those to be caught in a spin trying to contain Mitoma, who has the end product to match his electrifying ability on the ball.

  Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Newcastle have all been linked with Mitoma in recent months, along with United, who might just have the edge in any transfer race.

  After signing for Brighton in 2021, Mitoma revealed his desire to follow in the footsteps of one of Japan's most successful footballing exports, Shinji Kagawa, who played for United between 2012 and 2014.

  "Kagawa being a part of Manchester United was a big thing in Japan," he told Brighton's official website. "I hope to have as much success as my fellow Japanese predecessors in the Premier League."

  Kagawa became a Premier League winner at United, but Mitoma could win multiple pieces of silverware if he joins Ten Hag's ever-improving squad, and would be a shrewd addition given the lasting impression he has made on English football in such a short period.