Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and fiancee Perrie Edwards have revealed they are expecting a second child. The Little Mix favourite posted a beautifully shot black-and-white clip to Instagram, where the pop star, Oxlade-Chamberlain and their four-year-old son Axel joined her in a moving family moment.

• Edwards expecting second child joy
• Singer bravely opened up on miscarriages
• Oxlade-Chamberlain faces uncertain football future

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The video showed Perrie turning to the camera in a white T-shirt emblazoned with the lyrics from her new single If He Wanted To, He Would. Beaming with joy, she revealed her growing bump before Alex wrapped his arms around her. Little Axel then added the sweetest touch, kissing his mum’s stomach before the trio embraced in a tender family hug. Her caption? A simple, cheeky line: “Guess what hunnies…” – enough to send fans into a frenzy of congratulations.

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  The announcement comes after a painful journey for Perrie and Alex, who have suffered not one but two devastating miscarriages. The singer bravely opened up earlier this year on Paul C Brunson’s We Need To Talk podcast, admitting that her first pregnancy ended almost as soon as it began.

  “So I had a miscarriage very early on with my first ever pregnancy, and it was so early,” she said. “I remember finding out I was pregnant. Obviously, I started bleeding not long after, and I went to the hospital and I had the scan and they were like, ‘There’s no baby.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, I’ve made this up. Maybe I got a false positive or something.’ And I remember being on my own at the appointments because nobody was there.”

  When she later carried Axel, born in August 2021, Perrie admitted she was constantly fearful of history repeating itself. She confessed to feeling “on edge” throughout the pregnancy, longing just to make it past the 12-week scan. That fear became reality again during Little Mix’s farewell tour in 2022, when Perrie miscarried at 20 weeks. 

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  WHAT NEXT FOR OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN?

  While Perrie celebrates, her fiancee Oxlade-Chamberlain faces uncertainty in his professional world. The former Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder recently had his contract with Besiktaş terminated on 27 August 2025, with the Turkish side paying him €1.75 million in severance. The 32-year-old remains a free agent and is now weighing up his next move. Reports suggest Leeds United are monitoring his situation, while Birmingham City are also believed to be interested in bringing him back to English football.

Sunderland are back in the Premier League and look poised to pursue another statement signing that may help their quest for survival, according to a report.

Sunderland in surprise Armand Lauriente U-turn

While the Black Cats’ ability to attract premium talent this summer cannot be faulted, supporters may be surprised at the swift turnaround involving a proposed deal to sign Sassuolo striker Armand Lauriente.

Taking to social media platform X, Fabrizio Romano confirmed Sunderland will no longer sign Lauriente after his move collapsed despite traveling to the North East for a medical.

He stated: “Armand Lauriente’s move to Sunderland has collapsed after player travelled for medical and signature on Saturday. Deal off with Sassuolo winger due to return to Italy.”

Despite a peculiar turn of events on that front, the Black Cats have already closed out six deals in an eventful window, with Habib Diarra, Enzo Le Fee, Simon Adingra, Noah Mandava, Reinildo Mandava and Chemsdine Talbi arriving at the Stadium of Light.

Granit Xhaka could be another high-profile addition at Sunderland and links to players with such pedigree are a major source of encouragement for supporters, though it remains to be seen if he will be willing to give up regularly challenging for the title in Germany.

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Sourcing an imposing centre-back to deal with Premier League strikers is also a priority for Regis Le Bris, so it will come as no surprise to hear that the Wearsiders are sizing up a move for Bologna star Jhon Lucumi.

Plenty of time exists to make sure Sunderland find deals that suit their aims. Either way, they don’t seem to be wasting a moment as another defender has cropped up on their radar.

Sunderland make approach to sign Igor Julio

According to The Mirror, Sunderland have enquired about Brighton & Hove Albion centre-back Igor Julio, therefore making an approach for the Brazilian defender who is also subject to interest from other clubs.

Intriguingly, Real Sociedad were in talks over signing the 27-year-old, but their efforts to bring him to La Liga have stalled and offered a window for the Black Cats to swoop in under their noses.

Five similar players to Igor Julio (FBRef)

Kevin Vogt

Bochum

Pierre Kalulu

Juventus

Archie Gray

Tottenham Hotspur

Anthony Jung

Freiburg

Becir Omeragic

Montpellier

Labelled an “animal” by former Seagulls boss Inigo Calderon, Julio struggled for fitness last term and made just 16 appearances across all competitions due to a hamstring problem, which forced him further down the pecking order on the South Coast.

Nevertheless, he did make 42 recoveries on Premier League duty when called upon, illustrating that there is a place for him somewhere in the top-flight.

Sunderland will hope to capitalise on his need for a new challenge, leaving a potential scenario open where £45,000 per week earner Julio could move to the North East to strengthen Le Bris’ backline.

In the wake of a 2-0 loss to South Korea, Lalas said there is too much at stake with a home World Cup to risk poor results

Lalas claims investment hasn't panned outSays U.S. Soccer thought it had a better teamLikes Pochettino but doesn't think he's a good fitFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Former USMNT star Alexi Lalas says that if he were in Matt Crocker's position as U.S. Soccer sporting director, he would dismiss manager Mauricio Pochettino, given the lack of tangible progress in the first year under the Argentine's leadership.

The FOX Sports analyst said there's too much at stake with a home World Cup to risk an underwhelming performance. 

"Yeah, I would," Lalas said on his "State of the Union" podcast when asked if he would fire the manager. "I've spent time with Mauricio Pochettino. I think he's a quality coach… What I'm basing it on is Mauricio Pochettino himself. What he's said and done… He's come to the realization that, with his experience – and he's talked about it – that this isn't a soccer-first country.

"OK, we all understand that. But you know what they would do in a soccer-first country? They wouldn't abide by this. It would be on to the next one."

Though admitting that it's unlikely that U.S. Soccer would make such a rash move at this point, Lalas suggested that alarm bells should be ringing at the federation after another disappointing performance. The USMNT lost to South Korea, 2-0, in New Jersey on Saturday night.

"Again, this is a home World Cup. It's unique in that aspect, and therefore, the stakes are much higher," Lalas said. "Whether you're Matt Crocker or anyone else at the United States Soccer Federation, this is going to happen under your watch. If you let it happen, and it doesn't go well, and it's a failure, then everyone should be out."

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Ex-USMNT player Stu Holden said that, if results at next year’s World Cup are ultimately what matter, then pundits are overreacting to Pochettino’s poor results as he experiments with lineups. 

"All that matters is how this team ultimately does in the World Cup next year," Holden said. "There's no pressure right now. The pressure comes next year. He could lose every game until the World Cup, and if he goes to the World Cup and goes to quarterfinals or semifinals, then this would be viewed as a success."

Given the level of investment in Pochettino, Lalas said the team's performances should have improved. Pochettino has won nine of 17 matches in charge of the USMNT.

“How would you quantify bombing out of a World Cup, or doing poorly at a home World Cup? What’s that worth to America?” Lalas asked. “Why the hell are we paying him $6 million if he can’t do anything with these players? The whole point of bringing him in is that he could do more with these players – and he’s done less.”

WHAT LALAS SAID

Lalas said that he remains pessimistic that the U.S. will show progress by next summer. 

"If you ask me today if I'm confident that this team is going to do great things next summer, given what has happened? Hell no!" he said. "And Mauricio Pochettino would have to say the exact same things. This is what we do. We judge through the games. We are reactive, we are emotional about it, we are passionate about it. There are a lot of people who are like 'Oh my goodness, we're in deep you know what come next summer.'

"If we don't make a change, then that's what's going to come into fruition. I don't want that on my watch. I don't want that to happen to my country. I don't want that to happen to my sport."

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AFPDID YOU KNOW?

The deepest run the U.S. have made in the World Cup was the quarterfinals in 2002, with a Bruce Arena and Landon Donovan-led squad.

Paul Pogba will always remain a what-if player for Manchester United, given his failure to sustain his success during his spell as a first-team member at Old Trafford.

The Frenchman left the club on a free transfer, before joining in a then world-record £89m transfer just a couple of years after originally being allowed to depart the Red Devils.

The midfielder was known for his moments of magic, but questions were always asked about his commitment and effort, which held him back from being one of the elite players in world football.

He racked up over 200 appearances during his second spell in Manchester, but ultimately struggled to match the huge fee he returned to the club with.

However, his individual brilliance will always outshine the tough times he spent at the club, with current boss Ruben Amorim able to land his own version of the 32-year-old this window.

The latest on United’s hunt for new signings this summer

Benjamin Sesko undoubtedly remains as United’s main target this summer, as the club look to provide the boss with the talisman he craves during his spell in charge.

Talks have already been held between the players’ representatives and the Red Devils hierarchy, but any deal will be an expensive one, given the current £78m asking price.

However, the Slovenian international isn’t the only player currently on their radar, with work also being conducted to secure a deal for Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra.

Marca’s latest update claims that Amorim’s side have already reached out to the LaLiga giants over a move for the 22-year-old, who’s currently valued at £25m.

The report also states that AC Milan are also currently exploring a move for the Spaniard, which could see the Red Devils spring into action for his signature in the near future.

Why United’s latest target could be Amorim’s own Pogba

Along with his effortless ability to change a game, Pogba was known for his ball-carrying talent, which often saw him run the game when he was performing in full flow.

During the 2017/18 campaign he spent at Old Trafford, the former Juventus star registered 4.1 progressive carries per 90, a figure that ranked him within the top 5% of all players within England’s top-flight.

His dominance on the ball is further backed up by current professional Declan Rice, who placed the Frenchman within his top three players he’s ever come up against.

United’s current midfield is currently lacking the dynamism that Pogba possessed, which should come as no surprise given 33-year-old Casemiro is still one of the options at Amorim’s disposal.

However, the manager could be about to land his own version of the former fan-favourite this summer, with Guerra possessing a lot of the qualities that made the World Cup winner a hit with the supporters.

Guerra, who’s been labelled “special” by analyst Ben Mattinson, managed to register 4.8 progressive passes and 1.8 progressive carries per 90 – able to glide past opponents when in control of the ball.

Such a skillset may come as a surprise given his 6”2 frame, sitting just one inch smaller than Pogba, with the pair freakishly talented with the ball at his feet given their height.

Games played

36

Goals & assists

6

Progressive passes

4.8

Passes into final third

4.2

Take-ons attempted

2.7

Carries into final third

1.5

Tackles won

1.7

However, the youngster’s talents are also further reflected in his tallies of 1.7 tackles won and 1.7 clearances made per 90, able to do the dirty work at the heart of the side before making the desired impact higher up the field.

At just 22, he’s already made a name for himself for his ability to find the net from distance, with his effort against Espanyol arguably the best of his career.

Pogba also managed to possess such a quality, as seen by his own catalogue of strikes, which always managed to excite the fanbase – something which Guerra could do himself should he join the club.

Given his £25m asking price, a deal should be a no-brainer, potentially landing themselves a bargain this summer with a player who could emulate the levels produced by the former world record signing.

He's just like Zirkzee: Man Utd preparing move for £40m Sesko alternative

Manchester United have turned their attention to another striker alongside Benjamin Sesko.

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تقدم فريق مانشستر سيتي بهدف أول، في مباراته أمام هدرسفيلد، المقامة مساء اليوم الأربعاء، ضمن مباريات بطولة كأس رابطة الأندية الإنجليزية.

ويستقبل هدرسفيلد خصمه مانشستر سيتي، ضمن مباريات دور الـ32 من كأس كاراباو لموسم 2025-2026.

وأحرز فيل فودين هدف مانشستر سيتي الأول في شباك هدرسفيلد، بالدقيقة الثامنة عشر من عمر المباراة.

ومرر ديفاين موكاسا كرة وصلت إلى فودين، الذي سدد تسديدة صاروخية سكنت شباك هدرسفيلد، ليضع مانشستر سيتي في المقدمة. وأجرى بيب جوارديولا مدرب مانشستر سيتي، تغييرات عديدة على تشكيلة الفريق الأساسية للمباراة ولمطالعة التشكيل من هنا.هدف فودين في مباراة مانشستر سيتي وهدرسفيلد

Two young batters produced outstanding innings at North Sydney Oval, while a well-known name also starred

AAP01-Nov-2024

Georgia Voll hammered 92 off 55 balls•Getty Images

Sydney Thunder recruit Georgia Voll has enjoyed the red-letter day of her career, leading her side to their biggest win with a 64-run smashing of Adelaide.In a record-breaking blitz at North Sydney Oval, Voll’s 92 from 55 balls helped Thunder smash their highest total – 212 for 5.Related

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Spinner Sam Bates then claimed career-best figures of 4 for 21 from her four overs as Strikers collapsed to be all out for 148.The result marked the Thunder’s most emphatic victory in the competition’s 10-year history, and their second win in three games to start the year. Two-time defending-champions Adelaide are now 1-2 to start the summer, in the shortened 19-game season.And Voll was the star on Friday for Thunder, in just the 21-year-old’s third WBBL match since moving from Brisbane Heat. Brought to the Thunder on a three-year deal with the chance to open, the Queenslander smashed three sixes and 12 boundaries in her knock. It marked only her second half-century in 61 WBBL games, but offered a glimpse of what is possible at the top of the order.”Definitely [that’s the best I’ve hit them],” Voll said. “I’ve been up and down the order, so it’s nice to be settled at the top of the order, play my role really well and have the backing to play my shots.It was nice to be able to bat for a long time because I got out quite cheaply in the first couple of games.”She slog-swept Megan Schutt for a six early, pulled Darcie Brown for another six and put spinner Anesu Mushangwe deep onto the North Sydney hill. The right-hander looked set for a maiden century, before she picked out Amanda-Jade Wellington at short fine-leg while trying to scoop Orla Prendergast.Voll’s runs came in 54-run opening stand with Chamari Athapaththu, before she and Phoebe Litchfield combined for a 96-run second-wicket stand off 52 balls. Litchfield also peppered the leg boundary in her 49, while bringing her creative strokeplay with a typical mix of scoops and reverse sweeps. The pair at one stage added six boundaries in seven balls, taking the game away from Strikers.Heather Knight hit 28 from 15 late on as Thunder romped past their previous high total of 204 and to the third best score of any side in WBBL history.In reply, Strikers were barely in the contest. Only Katie Mack’s 51 held the innings together early, as Shabnim Ismail took 3 for 18 before Bates ran through the middle and lower order.Rhys McKenna flayed a 22-ball 52•Getty Images

Meg Lanning produced a vintage knock and Rhys McKenna announced her arrival as a legitimate WBBL force to help the Melbourne Stars beat the Sydney Sixers.On a record-breaking day at North Sydney Oval, Lanning and McKenna produced the fastest-scoring century-stand in WBBL history before rain ended the game early. Sitting at 68 for 2 at the halfway mark, Lanning and McKenna put on 104 runs from 43 balls.Sixers were then 56 for 4 in reply when rain stopped play, falling to a 32-run loss on DLS.McKenna, a 20-year-old, blitzed her 52 from just 22 balls, playing one of the shots of the tournament when she square-drove Ellyse Perry for six. She hit three sixes in total and seven fours, as she and Lanning took the game completely out of Sixers’ control.Lanning was also in imposing form, after helping steady the ship early in her innings. She led the way as the Stars took 28 off one Lauren Cheatle over, cutting a full-toss no-ball from the left-armer for six over point. The former Australian captain also hit one of her classic cover drives for six off spinner Sophie Ecclestone, as Stars hit 127 runs from their final 10 overs.Sixers then lost wickets cheaply in reply, with only Perry scoring an unbeaten 31 after Alyssa Healy was caught behind for 4 on return from a foot injury.

The teams will have an additional INR 1.5 crore for the auction, which is expected in early December

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Nov-2024Sneh Rana, Poonam Yadav, Heather Knight and Lea Tahuhu are among the prominent players released by their respective Women’s Premier League (WPL) franchises ahead of the next auction in the lead-up to the 2025 season. The auction is likely to be in early December and the purse has been increased from INR 13.5 crore last season to INR 15 crore this year. Here is how the teams stack up currently.Delhi CapitalsThe biggest name released by Delhi Capitals (DC), the losing finalists in both seasons of the WPL so far, was legspinner Poonam. Once a mainstay of the Indian team across formats, Poonam hasn’t played international cricket since March 2022. She didn’t get a game in the last WPL either.Apart from Poonam, DC let go of Laura Harris, the Australian power-hitter, and Aparna Mondal and Ashwani Kumari, the two uncapped Indians who warmed the bench last season.Retained: Meg Lanning, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Shikha Pandey, Taniya Bhatia, Minnu Mani, Sneha Deepthi, Titas Sadhu, Marizanne Kapp, Jess Jonassen, Alice Capsey, Annabel Sutherland
Released: Laura Harris, Poonam Yadav, Aparna Mondal, Ashwini Kumari
Purse remaining: INR 2.5 crore
Slots remaining: 4ESPNcricinfo LtdGujarat GiantsGujarat Giants, who finished bottom of the five-team table in both seasons so far, let go of Rana, the allrounder who led them in the first season after captain Beth Mooney left the tournament with an injury, as well as New Zealand’s Tahuhu and Scotland captain Kathryn Bryce.Rana’ last white-ball game for India was in December 2023, her last T20I in February 2023. She has had a rough time at the WPL, too. In 12 matches across two seasons, she took only six wickets at an economy of 9.02 and scored 47 runs at an average of 6.71.Tahuhu, a veteran of the game, wasn’t one of Giants’ preferred overseas players in 2024, playing just two games in the season for one wicket at an economy of 7.60. Bryce played all eight games, averaged 20.75 with the bat and had an economy rate of 8.66 with the ball.Sneh Rana is one of the big-name players to be released ahead of the auction•BCCIGG also released Lauren Cheatle, Mannat Kashyap, Veda Krishnamurthy and Tarannum Pathan, and will have the biggest purse (INR 4.40 crore) going into the auction.Retained: Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, Bharti Fulmali, Dayalan Hemalatha, Harleen Deol, Kashvee Gautam, Laura Wolvaardt, Mannat Kashyap, Meghna Singh, Phoebe Litchfield, Priya Mishra, Sayali Satghare, Shabnam Shakil,Tanuja Kanwar
Released: Kathryn Bryce, Lauren Cheatle, Lea Tahuhu, Sneh Rana, Tarannum Pathan, Trisha Poojitha, Veda Krishnamurthy
Purse remaining: INR 4.4 crore
Slots remaining: 4Mumbai IndiansMumbai Indians retained their strong core of international stars including captain Harmanpreet Kaur, Amelia Kerr, Hayley Matthews, Chloe Tryon and Shabnim Ismail. The only overseas player they released was England fast bowler Issy Wong. Apart from her, they let go of Fatima Jaffer, Humaira Kazi and Priyanka Bala.Retained: Amandeep Kaur, Amanjot Kaur, Amelia Kerr, Chloe Tryon, Harmanpreet Kaur, Hayley Mathews, Jintimani Kalita, Keerthana Balakrishnan, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Pooja Vastrakar, S Sajana, Saika Ishaq, Shabnim Ismail, Yastika Bhatia
Released: Issy Wong, Fatima Jaffer, Humaira Kazi, Priyanka Bala
Purse remaining: INR 2.65 crore
Slots remaining: 4Heather Knight had pulled out of WPL 2024 due to international duty•BCCIRoyal Challengers BengaluruEngland captain Knight, who had pulled out of the 2024 season due to international duty, was released by defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru. They released six other players, including South Africa allrounder Nadine de Klerk who came in as Knight’s replacement last season. Among Indians, Shubha Satheesh, Disha Kasat, Indrani Roy, Simran Bahadur and Shraddha Pokarkar were let go of.Retained: Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh, Sabbineni Meghana, Shreyanka Patil, Georgia Wareham, Asha Sobhana, Renuka Singh, Sophie Devine, Sophie Molineux, Ekta Bisht, Kanika Ahuja, Kate Cross, Danielle Wyatt-Hodge (traded from UPW)
Released: Heather Knight, Nadine de Klerk, Shubha Satheesh, Disha Kasat, Indrani Roy, Simran Bahadur, Shraddha Pokharkar
Purse remaining: INR 3.25 crore
Slots remaining: 4UP WarriorzUP Warriorz (UPW), who made the playoffs after finishing third on the table in the first season but only finished No. 4 in 2024, released legspinner Parshavi Chopra and wicketkeeper Laxmi Yadav, who was added to the squad as an injury replacement for Uma Chetry, seamer S Yashasri and England fast bowler Lauren Bell. Chetry remains part of the squad. UPW had earlier traded Danni Wyatt-Hodge to RCB.Retained: Alyssa Healy, Kiran Navgire, Shweta Sehrawat, Deepti Sharma, Chamari Athapaththu, Grace Harris, Sophie Ecclestone, Tahlia McGrath, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Saima Thakor, Anjali Sarvani, Gouher Sultana, Poonam Khemnar, Uma Chetry, Vrinda Dinesh
Released: Parshavi Chopra, Laxmi Yadav, S Yashasri, Lauren Bell
Purse remaining: INR 3.90 crore
Slots remaining: 3

In the ultimate analysis of Australia’s total domination of Pakistan at home, Monday’s opening ODI will be a mere footnote, an extension of a seemingly unchangeable trend. Australia have now won 27 of the last 28 completed games across formats against Pakistan at home, the latest a victory at the MCG with 99 balls to spare.That would, however, do a major disservice to a Pakistan fightback that was as sudden as it was unexpected. With Australia on top throughout the game, and having raced to 139 for 3 in the 20th over in pursuit of a below-par 204, this looked about as routine an ODI win as it could get. But Shaheen Shah Afridi had Josh Inglis hole out in the deep to bring a new man in, and Haris Rauf bowled the next over – the fifth of his spell.Rauf still had the pace to draw extra bounce on a surface that stayed true throughout, with Marnus Labuschagne’s leading edge carrying all the way to third man. The following delivery drew Glenn Maxwell into a tentative prod first up, the ball kissing the edge on its speedy journey through to Mohammad Rizwan. Australia had lost three wickets for no runs, in five balls, and Pakistan were back and looking favourites in a country where they’ve had minimum success.Related

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“We were all trying our best, whether in the field or with the ball,” Rauf said after the game. “We had a plan to bowl short from my end. We had success; we took a few wickets this way.”In the end, Australia’s stranglehold over Pakistan proved hard to shake off. The visitors did take another couple of wickets and expose the tail, but Pat Cummins – as he has done so often in the past – held his nerve and ensured he was there to hit the winning runs and seal a two-wicket win.Rauf rued some of Pakistan’s sloppiness. They gave away 21 extras; Australia had conceded just four. Rauf himself sent a wide so far down leg and at such high pace it raced away four an extra four, while Naseem Shah bowled another five. Mohammad Hasnain, meanwhile, sent two wides well over the batter’s head in the same over he took Australia’s seventh wicket, and the pressure immediately shifted back onto the visitors.Pat Cummins celebrates after hitting the winning run•Getty Images

“We did give away extras but when you attack, you have to accept that these things happen,” Rauf said. “We did make mistakes, and we were a bit untidy. We know these little things make an impact. If you’re a good bowling unit, then you can cover the batters falling 20-30 runs short if you tighten up in the field as well. We could have defended this and we all tried really hard. The game didn’t go our way, but we gave no quarter in terms of our energy and our effort.”Falling agonisingly short at the MCG has been a Pakistan theme of late. It was Rauf’s penultimate over to Virat Kohli in the T20 World Cup 2022 that turned the tide of a contest Pakistan had dominated up to then, with India sneaking a last-ball win. Three weeks later, an injury to Shaheen saw Pakistan’s momentum slip away in a nail-biting T20 World Cup final.”We have memories on this ground which we remember. We lost a couple of very close matches here against India and the World Cup final,” Rauf said. “We’ve made mistakes in the past, but we try to stay in the present moment. The future isn’t in our control either, and we are enjoying the present. Sometimes the result doesn’t go your way, and you have to accept that. And you then try and learn from those failures.”

Glasgow Rangers are back in action in the Champions League again this evening as they prepare to take on Viktoria Plzen in the first leg of their third-round qualifier at Ibrox.

The Light Blues will once again be without summer signing Thelo Aasgaard, who has yet to make his debut for the club, after Russell Martin confirmed that he is out injured, alongside Moroccan forward Hamza Igamane.

Signed from Luton Town last month, the Norway international has been injured for all three of the club’s competitive games so far this season, with tonight being the fourth match that he will miss.

There is a new signing who could make his debut for the Scottish Premiership giants this evening, though, as Oliver Antman has arrived on a permanent deal from Go Ahead Eagles.

Rangers have reportedly agreed a deal worth up to £4m to bring the Finland international to Ibrox, but what can supporters expect from the right-sided attacker?

What Oliver Antman could bring to Rangers

The 23-year-old forward is a creative and forward-thinking player who constantly looks to open up the opposition’s defence to create high-quality chances for his teammates.

Sporting director Kevin Thelwell described him as an “exciting talent who has demonstrated great technical ability and maturity at a young age”, which is backed up by his form for Go Ahead Eagles in the Eredivisie last season.

The Finnish wing wizard ended the season with a return of seven goals and 17 assists in all competitions for the Dutch side. It does not take a genius to work out what his main strength is as a player from that haul of goal contributions; he’s a creator.

24/25 Eredivisie

Oliver Antman

Starts

28

Goals

6

Key passes per game

1.6

Big chances created

16

xA

6.54

Assists

15

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Antman created 16 ‘big chances’ in just 28 starts in the Eredivisie for Go Ahead Eagles last term, which suggests that he could be an incredibly creative force for Martin on the right wing with his deliveries into the box.

However, the winger also only managed six goals from 6.99 xG in those 28 starts. This suggests that Gers supporters should expect a few big misses in front of goal from the forward, who has not proven himself to be clinical with the chances that come his way.

It is also worth noting that Antman is coming over from the Dutch top-flight and has not experienced Scottish football before, which means that there is no guarantee that he can translate his performances over to the Premiership.

If he can adapt to the country and the league, though, then Rangers will have an exciting winger who could create plenty of chances for the team this season.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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The Light Blues, however, could land an even bigger signing for the team than Antman by signing a proven Premiership performer who could come in and hit the ground running at Ibrox.

Rangers have been linked with an interest in Girona centre-forward Bojan Miovski, who left Aberdeen to move to Spain for a reported fee of £7m last year, and the Macedonia international would come in as a terrific addition to the squad if they could get a deal over the line.

Why Rangers should sign Bojan Miovski

Martin and Thelwell should push to bring the left-footed number nine back to Scotland and the Premiership before the end of the summer transfer window at the start of September.

This is because Miovski is a proven star who has been there and done it over multiple seasons in the Scottish top-flight, which means that he would not be a risky signing like Antman, who may or may not adapt to the league.

The 26-year-old star only managed four goals in 22 matches for Girona in all competitions during the 2024/25 campaign, but his form in the previous two seasons with Aberdeen is what the Gers should be focused on.

Miovski scored 44 goals in 98 matches in all competitions for the Dons during his two-year spell at the club, which is an impressive return that works out at just under a goal every other game.

The £7m-rated centre-forward also proved himself in the biggest games in Scotland. He scored four goals in nine matches against Rangers and three goals in seven outings against Celtic in those two seasons, which shows that the forward stepped up to produce quality against the top two teams in the division.

Miovski has been there and done it against the two Old Firm clubs and has shown that he can deliver in the biggest games, hence why he would be such a huge signing for Rangers.

Cyriel Dessers has only scored two goals in ten games against Celtic for Rangers, compared to the former Aberdeen star’s return of three in seven against the Hoops, which suggests that Martin could increase his side’s chances of winning the Old Firm clashes by signing the Girona forward.

Miovski (Premiership)

22/23

23/24

xG

15.60

17.08

xG on target

18.36

17.60

Goals

16

16

Shots on target

36

44

Chances created

27

23

Assists

2

2

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, Miovski scored 32 goals in two Premiership seasons with the Dons, and he could have scored even more if opposition goalkeepers had not been in top form.

His xG on target (the xG value of the quality of shot taken) was higher than his xG in both campaigns, which essentially means that the quality of his attempts on goal outweighed the quality of chances that were created for him.

This suggests that Miovski, who was once dubbed a “complete number 9” by journalist Josh Bunting, is a ruthless and clinical striker who can more than make the most of the chances that come his way.

All of this put together is why the Macedonia international would be an even bigger signing for Rangers than Antman, because he is a Premiership and Celtic proven goalscorer who can hit the ground running as an instant star.

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Antman may need time to adapt to the league and the culture in Scotland, and there is no guarantee that he will be able to do that, which is why he is a far riskier signing who may not be able to bring the level of quality that Miovski would guarantee.

Stephen Parry let go after two seasons as head coach of Originals women

Matt Roller15-Oct-2024

Manchester Originals coach Simon Katich during a training session•Getty Images

Manchester Originals have handed Simon Katich a one-year contract extension after a season in which his men’s team won only once, but Stephen Parry has been let go after two years in charge of their women’s side.The decisions over the two coaches’ futures were made by the Originals board, which has been restructured to reflect their closer ties with Lancashire from 2025. The county will become majority shareholders in Originals next season, when they are handed a 51% stake by the ECB, with the other 49% set to be sold to a private investor.Mark Chilton, Lancashire’s director of cricket, has been given responsibility to lead the recruitment process for Parry’s successor as women’s head coach as a result. James Sheridan, who is on the Lancashire board, has also taken over from the broadcaster Mark Chapman as Originals’ chair, though Chapman will remain on the board.Related

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Katich, the former Australia batter, has coached Originals men since the Hundred’s inaugural season in 2021, and said he had “unfinished business” after agreeing to return in 2025. “I have absolutely loved my time leading the Manchester Originals over the last three years and I’m already looking forward to next year,” Katich said.Originals were runners-up in the 2022 and 2023 seasons of the men’s Hundred, losing tight finals against Trent Rockets and Oval Invincibles. But they failed to overcome the absence of the injured Jos Buttler this year, finishing seventh after winning only one of their eight matches with Phil Salt deputising as captain.”We were all disappointed with how this season went, particularly after coming as close as we did in 2022 and 2023,” Katich said. “I feel we have unfinished business given the events of the last three editions of the Hundred and all of us at the Originals will ensure that we get back on track next year… We are determined to win it for Manchester.”Parry, meanwhile, has been replaced after his side finished sixth in the women’s Hundred this season. Originals are the only women’s team who have not reached the knockout stages in any of the tournament’s first four editions, and are hoping to appoint “a world-leading women’s short-format head coach” for 2025 and beyond.”Stephen leaves us with our thanks and best wishes,” Sheridan said. “He joined us with our women’s team under-strength and still finding its feet at this level of cricket… We are in a much better place following two years with Stephen at the helm.”The recruitment process for Parry’s successor, which Chilton will oversee, will start immediately. “Our aim now is to recruit a world-leading women’s short-format head coach, and we are very excited where this group of players can take Manchester Originals next year and beyond,” Chilton said.The announcements come shortly before Friday’s deadline for first-round bids in the ECB’s sale process of the Hundred, with Lancashire actively seeking a “sporting partner” to become co-owners of Originals. Daniel Gidney, the county’s chief executive, told ESPNcricinfo in August: “We’d love to work with an IPL team.”The ongoing introduction of private investment is expected to make 2025 a season of transition in the Hundred, with the timeframe likely too tight for new owners to make sweeping changes to playing or coaching staff. The ECB has told prospective owners to expect significant wage hikes, though these could be delayed until 2026.