Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold being used as an inverted full-back has been a success so far for Jurgen Klopp's side, according to journalist Pete O'Rourke.

What's the latest news involving Trent Alexander-Arnold?

Alexander-Arnold has put in some impressive displays in his new role and the switch is bearing fruit for Liverpool, as he has notched six assists in his last five Premier League matches, as per Transfermarkt.

As per Sky Sports, Reds boss Klopp has commented on the impact the £180k-a-week ace has made in his fresh role, stating: "We've always known he has the potential to do it. But, to play a role, it's not about a player. It's about having the whole system in place. You have to set it up. We have to train."

Liverpool have also remained unbeaten in the five fixtures that Alexander-Arnold has featured as an inverted full-back, demonstrating that they have adapted to this change in functional style.

The Liverpool Echo cite that Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk has also spoken about how Klopp's tactical alteration has benefited his side, saying: "It's a work in progress, but we all like it. We all have to be able to change in times and sometimes Trent has to drop, whereas sometimes he has to go higher. Other players then have to drop, so we keep working on it and I think the manager has been saying it many times with the counter-pressing, everyone comes across, makes the pitch as small as possible and we have a big chance to win it back if we lose it. Everyone has to feel the freedom in possession to feel important, so that is what we have to do."

In 2022/23, Alexander-Arnold has made 46 appearances for the Reds in all competitions, registering three goals and nine assists, as per Transfermarkt.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist O'Rourke thinks that Liverpool may have taken inspiration from the way Manchester City and Arsenal also operate in similar systems.

O'Rourke told FFC: "Obviously, other teams have had success doing it. Arsenal and Manchester City have both had full-backs moved into midfield as well. Maybe it's something that Jurgen Klopp has noticed and he's going to give Trent a go at it and so far it's paid off."

Why has Jurgen Klopp chosen to move Trent Alexander-Arnold into a new role?

Many modern-day sides operate with inverted full-backs because it affords more license for them to get forward and cause problems. At the same time, it also helps to isolate wingers one-on-one with opposition defenders.

In the case of Liverpool, this means that Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo, for instance, have more opportunities to get on the ball and advance into dangerous attacking phases rather than being forced to turn back into trouble and start moves all over again.

Of course, the fallback of having full-backs pushed up into midfield at times can be the space that is left to be exploited in behind; however, Klopp has been able to counter this by situating the likes of Fabinho or Jordan Henderson in front of the defence, as seen in Liverpool's recent 4-3 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.

It is a system not without its flaws; however, Alexander-Arnold has enjoyed a marked improvement in consistency over the last few games and this may give Klopp food for thought heading into 2023/24.

Aston Villa have been one of the stand-out teams in the Premier League this season, improving significantly since the introduction of Unai Emery.

When the Spaniard took over in November, Villa were on a run of bleak form with little sign of change under Steven Gerrard.

In just over six months, the 51-year-old has boosted the Midlands side from a team in relegation form to one charging towards a top-six finish and potential European football next campaign.

This summer, Emery will have his chance to undergo his first pre-season with the squad, as well as make changes on the business front in the lucrative summer transfer window.

The incoming of Mateu Alemany as Director of Football from Barcelona has boosted the club’s outlook ahead of the window, with a host of top talents in Europe linked with a potential move to Villa Park.

Earlier this week the contract details of a Premier League star were revealed, as he emerged as a potential target for the Villans.

What’s the latest on James Ward-Prowse's future?

Newly relegated Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse has been linked to many clubs, including West Ham, Tottenham and Villa.

That's according to the Daily Mail, the Englishman does not have a relegation clause in his contract which would allow him to leave the club upon the Saints' relegation.

The south-coast side are still “braced for bids” for their star man, however, who is “admired” by Villa with the club attempting to sign the midfielder for £25m last year, a deal that was ultimately rejected.

What could James Ward-Prowse bring to Villa?

Hailed as being “the best free-kick taker” he had ever seen by Pep Guardiola, a figure that has worked closely with Lionel Messi, Ward-Prowse is a player that will surely be on the move this summer.

It seems as though Emery is planning a rebuild of his inherited Villa squad, with the Spaniard admitting to The Athletic his desire to have a “stronger squad”.

The potential introduction of the 28-year-old, therefore, could well do that.

Indeed, the Englishman stands as a possible upgrade on Philippe Coutinho with another central addition set to be the final straw that sees the Brazilian step aside in the summer.

Set piece situations aside, the £100k-per-week midfielder is a stable figure to have in the middle of the park. Not just boasting an exceptional passing ability, Ward-Prowse is a player that will do the dirty work too.

Statistically, the Englishman boasts better stats on average per game than Coutinho in the critical areas of the advanced midfield role, as well as scoring and assisting.

The Southampton captain averages a successful pass rate of 85% (43.8 per game) to Coutinho’s 78% (14.1 per game), as well as making on average 1.4 interceptions per game compared to the Villa man’s 0.2 – showing his ability to dictate play and read the game.

The former Barcelona sensation has often been seen as a creative marvel but even Ward-Prowse trumps him in that area of the game this season, making 2.1 key passes per match to a dismal 0.4.

The midfielder’s potential arrival at Villa Park, therefore, would be a huge upgrade to Emery’s squad with regards to both depth and quality.

Essex were denied the chance to push for a third win in the County Championship this season as the weather only allowed six overs to be bowled on the final day against Northamptonshire

ECB Reporters Network31-May-2016
ScorecardRavi Bopara picked up seven wickets in the match (file photo)•Getty Images

Essex were denied the chance to push for a third win in the County Championship this season as the weather only allowed six overs to be bowled on the final day against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.The 12 points Essex took from the draw did extend their lead at the top of Division Two, however. Northants, after a fourth-straight draw at home this season and sixth stalemate in seven matches, took 11 points.The final day began on time under leaden skies and a howling wind with Northamptonshire resuming 56 for 4 in their second innings, still trailing by 140. They lost nightwatchman Ben Sanderson in the fifth over of the morning – giving Ravi Bopara a seventh wicket in the match, one scalp short of a first-class best match haul.But only one more over was possible before heavy rain arrived and conditions did not improve throughout the afternoon.

Match facts

Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Start time 1300 local (1100 GMT)

Big Picture

If Zimbabwe had a time machine, they would rewind to Saturday, June 18, 2016. Amid the adversity of non-engaged spectators and their prior 3-0 thrashing in the ODI series, Neville Madziva gave Zimbabwe’s supporters a reason for song and dance. Even interim coach Makhaya Ntini couldn’t stop himself from busting out a celebratory jig after his side won the first T20I of the three-match series.Two days later, Zimbabwe slumped to their fourth collapse in five limited-overs matches against India this month. To “compete with the big boys” in the series decider on Wednesday, Zimbabwe will have to strive for positive consistency, at least in performance if not results. Despite India’s ten-wicket victory in the second T20I, the hosts have a compelling opportunity – they are yet to win a T20I series of two or more matches.All to play for then? India wouldn’t mind finding themselves in such a situation. “It is a good learning curve for the youngsters, providing they’re learning out of it. When some of these players play for India consistently, they will feel the pressure and that is where a game or tour like this will help,” MS Dhoni said at the post-match conference after the first T20 which India lost by two runs. On the only occasion India have been challenged on this tour, the batsmen failed to chase.After India handed five caps in the first T20I, they handed two more to Barinder Sran and Dhawal Kulkarni and both bowlers set the tone for the side’s largest win in the format. In the process, India adopted arguably their best bowling combination in this squad. India’s settled batting line-up meant Zimbabwe had to find another day and another way to get through them. Will Wednesday be different?

Form guide

Zimbabwe: LWLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
India: WLLWW

In the spotlight

With the bat, Sikandar Raza has propelled Zimbabwe’s innings on numerous occasions with an intent that forces bowlers to fiddle with their lengths. In his last 12 T20Is, however, he has scored 92 runs at an average of 7.66, with a highest of 20. A significant contribution could go a long way towards setting Zimbabwe up for a grandstand finish.India’s seamers Barinder Sran, Dhawal Kulkarni and Jasprit Bumrah claimed combined figures of 8 for 53 in 12 overs on Monday. A discernible pattern – swinging the newer ball followed by a variety of slower offcutters and wide yorkers towards the end – left Zimbabwe defenceless.

Team news

Richmond Mutumbami’s hip injury meant Peter Moor came into Zimbabwe’s XI as designated wicketkeeper for the second match. He top-scored with 31. The management could contemplate dropping allrounder Tinotenda Mutombodzi, who has scores of 3 and 0 in this series.Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Hamilton Masakadza, 2 Chamu Chibhabha, 3 Peter Moor, 4 Sikandar Raza, 5 Malcolm Waller (wk), 6 Elton Chigumbura, 7 Tinotenda Mutombodzi/Timycen Maruma, 8 Graeme Cremer (capt), 9 Neville Madziva, 10 Taurai Muzarabani, 11 Donald TiripanoWith the series on the line, India are unlikely to tinker with their winning combination.India (probable): 1 KL Rahul, 2 Mandeep Singh, 3 Ambati Rayudu, 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Kedar Jadhav, 6 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 7 Axar Patel, 8 Dhawal Kulkarni, 9 Yuzvendra Chahal, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Barinder Sran

Pitch and conditions

For both T20s so far, the boundaries were brought in significantly at the Harare Sports Club. If Zimbabwe’s top order fires, the series decider could be a high-scoring encounter.

Stats and trivia

• Jasprit Bumrah needs three more wickets to equal Dirk Nannes’ record for most T20I wickets in a year. Nannes took 27 in 2010. Bumrah has 24 from 18 matches this year.
• The decider will be Masakadza’s 50th T20I. He will become the first Zimbabwean to play 50 or more T20Is.
• India had never won a T20I by ten wickets before the second match.

It could be a short Chelsea stint for Marc Cucurella, with The Sun reporting that incoming boss Mauricio Pochettino could already sell the defender on during this transfer window.

Who is leaving Chelsea in the summer transfer window?

The Blues have struggled to get going this season and have found themselves in the bottom half of the Premier League table so far this campaign. New owner Todd Boehly would have hoped for a push towards Europe but instead his side have dropped to eleventh place. With only three games left this campaign too, the highest the club can finish is tenth.

It's the sort of form that saw previous boss Graham Potter lose his job. Having done a fantastic job with the Seagulls, he was poached by the Blues to do even better at Stamford Bridge. However, he was unable to get the side firing and was relieved of his duties. Now, it looks like it will be former Tottenham boss Pochettino who is tasked with taking the club forward – and he seemingly already has plans for some of the Chelsea squad.

According to a report from The Sun, there are several players who could be shown the exit door by the incoming manager and one of them is Cucurella. With the defender having managed only 21 starts in the Premier League this season, he has been in and out of the squad and it looks like there may no longer be a place at the Blues for the Spaniard.

Is Marc Cucurella leaving Chelsea?

Having stormed onto the scene in the Premier League with the Seagulls, it just hasn't worked out for the player at Stamford Bridge. With his old club, he had a 6.94 WhoScored rating, emerging as one of the brightest in his position. That rating has tailed off slightly at Stamford Bridge, with it now at 6.65 in the top flight, but it could be argued that in a team that has generally struggled, it is obviously harder to perform.

The former Brighton man has though proven that he can be a real talent at the top level in the past though, with Frank Lebouef calling Cucurella "fantastic" for one of his previous Chelsea displays. The defender then does have the capability to produce, it perhaps just hasn't been on as consistent a basis as the side would like. It means that he may now be shown the door with the Blues.

Glasgow Rangers will head into the summer transfer window with plenty of work to do in order to build a team good enough to claim trophies next season.

Michael Beale will be given the time and funds to do this, however, business will need to be spot on, otherwise Celtic could motor on to new levels and leave the Ibrox outfit trailing behind.

Alfredo Morelos has already been confirmed as leaving, while Ryan Kent’s future also appears to lie away from Glasgow and this means Beale must strengthen his attacking options during the summer.

With recent reports suggesting that the Gers have scouted winger Luis Palma, Beale may be thinking that he could form a formidable attacking duo with him and Todd Cantwell.

Journalist Giannis Chorianopoulos has since claimed that the Light Blues are keen on signing him, yet no official bid has been made yet, with Aris Thessaloniki demanding €5m (£4.3m) for his services.

Who is Luis Palma?

Palma is similar to Kent in that he is a winger who can both score and generate assists regularly, having netted 13 times and registered eight assists across 36 games this term, proving himself to be a reliable threat for the Greek side.

Although Kent hasn’t quite been at the races this term with regard to goal contributions, registering just 13 goals and assists this term, the lowest of out of his four full seasons with the Light Blues, he still offered a threat from a wide position and since 2018, the Englishman has scored 33 goals and grabbed 57 assists.

That output will be missed but could well be replaced by the "outstanding" Palma – as dubbed by Honduran journalist Gustavo Roca.

One of his greatest strengths is his positional versatility, as the 23-year-old can operate on the opposite flank or as a centre forward, while even being known to drop deeper into an attacking midfield slot, with his career goals having been spread among these four positions.

The potential link up between Palma and attacking midfielder Cantwell, therefore, is a mouthwatering one and could cause havoc to opposition defences next season.

Indeed, the former Norwich City starlet has performed brilliantly since joining the club in January and will be a key cog in any success Rangers have moving forward.

Beale has deployed the Englishman on the right wing, and he is already the fourth-best rated player in the squad due to his Premiership performances – as per Sofascore – netting four goals and grabbing four assists in just 13 games, suggesting that after a full pre-season, he could be even better.

With Palma on the left, using his pace and eye for goal to devastating effect along with Cantwell utilising his creative talents on the right flank, Beale could set up two wingers who not only score but also generate plenty of chances for their teammates and whoever leads the line for the Light Blues next term should have an ideal opportunity to score plenty.

With six caps for Honduras and counting, Palma has international experience which will stand him in good stead should he make the move to Scotland and there is no reason to suggest he couldn’t shine in the Premiership.

The winger has scored twice against Greek giants Olympiacos this term, suggesting that playing the likes of St Mirren and Ross County shouldn’t pose a significant problem and his appetite for goal could give Beale another useful addition to his Rangers squad.

The dazzling talent may well require time to settle, but judging by his statistics over the course of this season, the £4.3m fee would be well worth it.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsColin Munro’s third 50-plus score of CPL 2016 ensured Trinbago Knight Riders chased down 173 with ease on Saturday as they defeated Barbados Tridents with 14 balls to spare at the Kensington Oval. Munro’s 68 off just 39 balls moved him to second place on the run charts in the tournament with 258 runs in six innings, just 24 behind team-mate Hashim Amla.The pair produced a 107-run stand across 10.1 overs for the second wicket and by the time Amla fell in the 15th over, Knight Riders needed just 37 runs off 34 balls with eight wickets in hand. Amla only hit one four in his 31 off 34 balls as Munro did most of the damage. Munro brought up his fifty in 27 balls in the 12th over and few bowlers were spared from his fury with Navin Stewart taking the brunt of it, including two sixes as part of a 16-run 14th over.Munro eventually fell to Ravi Rampaul, caught near the long-on boundary by AB de Villiers, but Dwayne Bravo struck the next two balls for a four and a six before doing the same in the 17th over to Parnell, dashing any hopes Tridents had of a late turnaround. Knight Riders needed two runs off the last three overs and Bravo hit the winning run to finish on 23 off 11 balls.Bravo had earlier played a key role in the field, taking 2 for 34 including the wicket of Tridents’ top-scorer Shoaib Malik for 47, as their late surge was stifled despite wickets in hand. Tridents had scored 26 off the previous two overs when Bravo came back to bowl his last over in the 19th and crucially snared the dangerous Nicholas Pooran for a golden duck as part of a seven-run over. Kieron Pollard finished unbeaten on 41 off 20, with three fours and as many sixes, and de Villiers scored a 32-ball 45, sharing crucial stands with Malik and Pollard but in the end they were not enough for Tridents, who now sit in fourth place with five points from five games.

Ben Duckett and Daniel Bell-Drummond smashed their way into the record books with the second-highest List A partnership in the world as England Lions cruised to a 140 run win over Sri Lanka A at Canterbury

ECB Reporters Network25-Jul-2016
ScorecardBen Duckett and Daniel Bell-Drummond smashed their way into the record books with the second-highest List A partnership in the world as England Lions cruised to a 140-run win over Sri Lanka A at Canterbury.Duckett had made 163 not out in the first match of the tri-series last week and his unbeaten 220 here set a new record for an England Lions player – topping captain Dawid Malan’s 185 against the same opposition on Thursday. Duckett shared in an unbeaten 367-run partnership with Bell-Drummond, from only 232 balls, as the Kent opener recorded his maiden List A ton.The partnership was the highest ever at Canterbury – a record held by England’s Eoin Morgan and Nick Compton since 2009 – and just to make sure of their place in history, the Lions also recorded the highest List A score at the Spitfire Ground.”It’s been the best day of my career so far – the last 10 days have been a great experience for me,” Duckett said. “There were a couple of times early on when I hit it, it dropped short of fielders and I got a bit of luck.”When I got to 100 I said I’m going to push on. It was my day I guess – every time I hit the ball it went into the gap. There as a lot of spin bowling which I do prefer facing. I’ll try and continue this run of form and score some runs when I go back to Northampton.”England won the toss and chose to bat, with Malan’s the only England wicket falling. He was stumped for 23 off 31 balls by Niroshan Dickwella, providing Ramith Rambukwella with Sri Lanka A’s solitary bowling success of the day.Before the match Malan had spoken to the team of adaptability, both with the bat and ball – something which had already won the tri-series for the Lions following Sunday’s victory over Pakistan A. Toby Roland-Jones and George Garton were the only changes from the that match, replacing Mark Wood, who had returned to Durham, and Sam Curran.But it took England’s bowling attack 14 overs before they took their first wicket, when Dickwella was caught by Sam Billings from a George Garton delivery with the score on 105. That was quickly followed by the dismissal of Sri Lanka A’s other opener, Mahela Udawatte for 40, in the same over.Angelo Perera led Sri Lanka A’s fightback with a score of 69 before being caught by Duckett from a Saqib Mahmood delivery. Rambukwella was also dismissed by Mahmood, caught by Tom Curran.Garton added to his wicket haul for the day by bowling Thisara Perera and Sachith Pathirana for 45 and 18 respectively. The four wickets from Garton, with two from Liam Dawson and one each for Malan and Brett D’Oliveira ensured Sri Lanka were all out for 285, giving England a huge win.Andy Flower, the Lions coach, said: “We’ve played four matches and we’ve won four. We’ve had some great performances and we have taken opportunities to put young players out there.”That’s a healthy thing for England cricket if they are pushing for places. There have been some great performances, some exciting performances – we have seen four centurions and some very big individual scores this series.”

R Ashwin’s returns of 7 for 83 in the second innings of the Antigua Test against West Indies lifted him back to No. 1 in the ICC Test bowlers’ rankings, displacing Yasir Shah

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jul-20162:47

Batting at No.6 was a complete surprise – Ashwin

R Ashwin’s returns of 7 for 83 in the second innings of the Antigua Test against West Indies lifted him back to No. 1 in the ICC Test bowlers’ rankings, displacing Pakistan legspinner Yasir Shah. Yasir, who had assumed top spot after his ten-wicket match haul in Pakistan’s victorious first Test against England at Lord’s, dropped four places to No. 5 after disappointing match figures of 1 for 266 in the second Test at Old Trafford.Top five Test bowlers

R Ashwin (India)

James Anderson (England)

Stuart Broad (England)

Dale Steyn (South Africa)

Yasir Shah (Pakistan)

Other notable movers included Chris Woakes, who surged up ten places to No. 23 after his match figures of 7 for 108 at Old Trafford contributed to England’s 330-run win. Umesh Yadav, who took five wickets in India’s innings victory in Antigua, jumped up six places to No. 24.In the Test batsmen’s rankings, England’s batting heroes at Old Trafford, Joe Root and Alastair Cook, both moved up. Root scored 254 in the first innings and 71 not out in the second to move up two places to No. 2, behind Steven Smith. Cook’s first-innings century and second-innings 76 not out were enough to propel him four places up, to No. 9.Virat Kohli, who scored his maiden first-class double-century in the Antigua Test, also moved up the rankings, by two spots to No. 12. Ashwin’s century in the same match helped him move three places up to No. 45 and, in conjunction with his bowling feats, also consolidated his position as the top-ranked Test allrounder.

Aston Villa have reportedly turned their interest to the summer transfer window, as the current Premier League season edges towards a close.

The Villans have been on a ride this season, stooping as relegation candidates back in November, to an inspired siege of form taking them to European hopefuls with just three games to go.

Unai Emery is the driving force behind the revival of Villa, who have posed a threat to most they have faced since the Spaniard’s arrival in the Midlands last winter.

Having inherited Steven Gerrard’s squad following his dismissal in November, Emery will get the chance to put his stamp on the club in his first summer transfer window, something that he has spoken openly about.

With Ollie Watkins firing and leading the line for the Midlands side, it’s been speculated that a strike partner is on the Spaniard’s radar this summer.

What’s the latest on Moussa Dembele to Villa?

As reported by Turkish outlet Fotomac, Aston Villa have emerged as a club interested in Galatasaray target Moussa Dembele.

The report states that the Turkish giants face competition from the Premier League for the Olympique Lyon striker who is out of contract at the end of the season.

Villa are reported to be one of the clubs interested, as well as Leeds United and West Ham as the representatives from the Premier League.

What could Moussa Dembele bring to Villa?

The 26-year-old who grew through Fulham’s academy, found his feet at senior level with Celtic becoming a prolific goalscorer in the Scottish Premiership.

Closing his time in Scotland with 69 goal contributions (51 goals and 18 assists) in 94 appearances in all competitions, the Frenchman was snatched by Lyon where his goal-scoring form continued.

It has been Emery’s plan since his arrival to sign somebody to accompany Watkins going forward, telling The Athletic in April of his wishes to 'add another striker to play with him'

As reported by Football Insider in February, the Villa manager is reportedly a 'big fan' of the £70k-per-week striker with it no surprise that interest remains as his contract in France winds down.

The Pontoise-born forward could be a strong introduction to the clubs’ attack, and a suitable partner for Watkins, matching his goal-scoring prowess in some ways.

As per FBref, Dembele averages 0.44 non-penalty goals per 90 minutes, with the Englishman averaging slightly less with 0.39.

That said, the latter has been in rampant form under his Spanish boss, scoring 13 in 23 outings since his arrival. The idea, therefore, of being partnered with another "scoring machine" – as lauded by L'Equipe's Bertrand Latour – is a tantalising one.

Indeed. having two prolific goalscorers can bring little harm to any side, and there is no denying that the Frenchman – who boasts 152 career goals – could bring a presence for Watkins to feed off in Emery’s system.