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Australia have packed 10 days of cricket into the last three weeks, and their T20I captain hopes the team can cap a hard month on the road with a title win

Liam Brickhill in Harare07-Jul-2018With one match to go before a well-earned break, Australia captain Aaron Finch is hoping his team will cap a hard month on the road with a victory. “Hopefully leading into this final, we’re saving our best for last and then the boys will get a little break,” Finch said.Australia have packed 10 days of cricket into the last three weeks, and they’ll need the rest ahead of a busy 2018-19 season. After a trip to the UAE for Tests, ODIs and a T20I against Pakistan, the side will play South Africa, India and Sri Lanka over a summer that will also feature an expanded Big Bash League.Australia have also been coming to terms with a new era both on and off the field, with the addition of new faces to their squads bringing with it a general need for recalibration. While there’s still room for improvement, Finch thinks there have been “great developments” in the team.”Slowly we’re starting to find the right balance and a little bit more of an understanding of how each other play the game,” Finch said. “There’s a few new faces around, so as a captain I think it’s important to have more of an understanding of guys strengths and things where there’s room for improvement. There’ve been some great developments over the last few months on tour. We’ve trained hard.”But hard yakka in the nets hasn’t necessarily transmuted into success. Inconsistent results certainly aren’t down to any lapses in their training schedules: Australia have trained for an hour or more after their last two games in Harare, braving plummeting mid-winter temperatures, and several players have spoken about the effect new coach Justin Langer is having. All the same, their last few games have been marked by both record-breaking peaks and repeated blunders.”I don’t know if rusty is the right word,” Finch said. “We’re still just slightly off in our execution with the bat, ball and in the field. Putting down a couple too many chances in the field – well, one is too many. With the ball we’re probably just leaking that one over that’s a real big one. In the past we’ve been really good at, if we’re hit for a boundary early, shutting down the over and getting out of it. Lately there’s been too many 15, 16-plus overs. With the bat, anytime you have to get a new partnership going, it makes it more difficult.”It would have been nice for our in batters to make sure that we got the job done comfortably [against Zimbabwe]. A little too close for comfort, but in the end getting a win is important, leading into the final with momentum.”Finch’s personal returns have also been mixed in the tri-series, with 240 runs (and a new world record) in his first two innings followed by 19 runs from his next two. But such are the vagaries of T20 batting, Finch said, targetting another big knock in Sunday’s final.”I feel like I’m playing very well at the moment. I’m not too bothered by a couple of low scores to be honest. T20 cricket tends to be high risk at the start of the innings and as long as I’m moving well and hitting the ball in the middle of the bat I’m pretty confident. Having played a lot of T20 cricket now, I understand the highs and lows of a batter in this game so it’s just about making sure that you’re giving yourself the best chance, making the right decision under pressure, and I still feel as though I’m doing that. It just hasn’t gone my way in the last two games, but hopefully a big one in the final.”Sarfraz Ahmed and Aaron Finch at the toss•AFPFinch will be up against an attack Australia hadn’t seen much of in T20Is before their trip to Zimbabwe. Australia’s last T20I against Pakistan before the tri-series was at the World T20 in 2016, and while they have played each other in other formats, Australia have had to scramble to adapt their gameplans on a quick turnaround while in Harare.”They’ve got a lot of very dangerous players,” Finch said of Pakistan. “If you look at the stats from this series, Fakhar Zaman has been outstanding and a real thorn in our side for a couple of games. He’s also been really consistent in this format for quite a long time. Obviously [Mohammad] Amir came back and bowled really well in the last game. They’ve got a lot of left-arm options. And then Shadab Khan as well, bowling legspin and spinning it both ways is also a threat. We reviewed heavily after the game against Pakistan and came up with some really solid plans for their bowlers and batters.”The world no. 1 ranking will remain out of Australia’s grasp even if they win Sunday’s final – they needed an unbeaten run through the tri-series to snatch the position away from Pakistan – but Finch said that winning the tri-series, rather than gaining ranking points, was Australia’s goal throughout.”On this tour, there’s been no talk about ‘we have to win this tournament to become no. 1’. It’s about winning the tournament for Australia. We’ve put ourselves in a position to do that, so that’s a real positive. We haven’t played our best cricket in the last couple of games, but there’s room for improvement and come tomorrow I’ve got a real good feeling that we’ll bring our A game.”Though rankings aren’t the focus, a win in the final would mean that Australia’s T20 side would be their top-ranked men’s team in second position (their women’s side is no. 1 overall), and Finch put their climb up the tables from sixth position last year down to the increased number of T20Is on their calendar. Australia have played 17 T20Is since the last World T20 in early 2016, winning 12. Between the 2014 and 2016 World T20s, they had played just 10 games, losing six.”We’ve been really consistent over the years in T20 cricket with some great sides,” Finch said. “In the past there’s been a lot less T20 cricket played as a country outside of the world tournaments. When you’re playing one game generally per series, if that, it can be quite hard to get your ranking up there. I think over the last 18 or 24 months we’ve played a lot more T20; we’ve probably had a lot more settled side over that time as well. I think there’s merit in how we’ve moved up the rankings.”

Manchester United’s recent 3-0 loss to Newcastle United in the EFL Cup means that their start to the 2023/24 campaign – which has included eight losses in 15 matches – is their worst since the 1962/63 season.

The result on Wednesday ensures they will not be defending the League Cup they won back in February and with just one win in three Champions League ties along with just five wins in the Premier League, there may not be any silverware adorning the United trophy cabinet this season.

Erik ten Hag is a man coming under severe pressure and unless results perk up immediately, starting with a tie against Fulham on Saturday, then his reign at the club could be short-lived.

The Dutchman has not been helped with a plethora of injuries disrupting his squad as the likes of Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have been missing for large spells of the current season and a failure to field a first-choice defence has hindered the club.

The players he has been able to call upon however have not delivered consistent performances which match his ambitions and this has led the Old Trafford side down a slippery slope.

It is evident that his business in the summer transfer market was far from ideal, with Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat struggling to settle in and stamp their authority on the team.

If the Dutchman is still in the United hotseat come January, then he could use the winter window to add some much-needed quality to his squad as his attacking option have left a lot to be desired so far this season.

Indeed, Rasmus Hojlund, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Antony and Bruno Fernandes have scored just seven goals between them throughout the whole campaign.

Could this tempt Ten Hag to delve into the transfer market in a few months for another centre-forward? A previously linked striker, Benjamin Sesko, is reportedly going to be available in January for a potential move.

Man Utd transfer news – Benjamin Sesko

The Red Devils had a chance to sign the young striker from Domzale back in 2019 according to The Athletic, yet it was during the summer of 2022 when United really stepped up their interest in the youngster as Ten Hag wanted to bolster his options.

However, the Dutch boss missed out on signing him as Sesko ended up joining RB Leipzig from Red Bull Salzburg for a fee in the region of £55m.

Fast-forward nearly 18 months, however, and it appears as though the 20-year-old ace may be ready to move on from the German side already having failed to really settle at the Bundesliga outfit.

That’s according to 90min, who claim that United and Newcastle will be on high alert having been notified of Sesko’s soon-to-be availability.

Having signed another one of Europe’s most promising strikers in Hojlund during the summer, it looks as though Ten Hag is building a team which could challenge for honours in the future. Will he be here to see the fruits of his labour, however?

As mentioned, the United boss has been let down by the lack of goals from his attacking players this term, with Martial in particular once again failing to show the Dutchman any signs of quality.

Anthony Martial’s season in numbers

The Frenchman has just a few months remaining on his current contract at United, and It is safe to say that he has hardly done anything of note to deserve a new and improved deal.

Across the whole squad in the Premier League, the former AS Monaco striker ranks tenth for shots on target per match (0.3) along with ranking 19th for successful dribbles per game (0.1) while scoring no goals in the competition at all.

6

0

2

0

0.6

0.3

2

0

8

0

The 27-year-old dud has netted just once all season, in an EFL Cup match against Crystal Palace, and he does not appear to have enjoyed playing under Ten Hag, scoring a total of ten goals during the Dutchman’s spell at United so far.

With players such as Martial underperforming, alongside Rashford and Fernandes, it shows how little United have going forward, which is why they could make a splash in January.

Making a move for Sesko may not solve every problem they currently have, but his vast potential and clinical nature would surely ensure he is an upgrade on Martial.

Benjamin Sesko would be better than Anthony Martial

The £58k-per-week striker has scored more than Martial since the start of last season (24 vs ten) and he has been making his mark on the continent over the previous 12 months.

The Slovenian forward is already outshining the current United player for domestic performances this term, indicating exactly why he would be a wonderful signing for Ten Hag.

According to FBref, Sesko has registered more shots on target per 90 (2.1 vs 0.8) than Martial, along with registering more shot-creating actions per 90 (2.51 vs 2) and higher successful take-on percentage (62.5% vs 50%) clearly demonstrating his vast potential as a threat at the top end of the pitch this term.

With 57 goals across just 136 professional matches, Sesko has displayed a ruthlessness nature which could get better the more he develops and learns his trade.

He was lauded as a “machine man” by talent scout Jacek Kulig back in 2021 as he was bursting onto the scene with FC Liefering, and he continued that scoring streak with Salzburg before sealing his move to Germany.

Ten Hag will be buoyed by the fact he could be available in the January transfer window and making a move for the young starlet should be a priority, especially considering there are other clubs interested in securing his signature.

Martial has failed to live up to the enormous hype that was generated following his move from Monaco in 2015 and while he has shown flashes of his talent during his eight-year stint at Old Trafford, it simply has not been good enough – as his aforementioned statistics under the current boss prove.

Alongside Hojlund, Sesko could be a future star and the Red Devils will know that if they lure him to Manchester, he could develop into a fantastic option for them at the top end of the pitch, which is not what their current French marksman is.

Manchester United will have been grateful for the international break as a chance for Erik ten Hag to regroup and gather his thoughts ahead of a crucial few weeks ahead.

Having won the EFL Cup and secured qualification for the Champions League during his maiden season in charge, it looks as though second-season syndrome is setting in as United have lost six of their 11 matches so far.

It's clear that he needs more depth in his playing squad and while the summer transfer window saw the Red Devils sign the likes of Mason Mount, Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund, they haven’t had the desired impact thus far.

Hojlund has scored three times in the Champions League, yet is goalless in the Premier League and the Dutchman will need more from the youngster.

The Old Trafford side missed out on a variety of targets during the transfer window, most notably Victor Osimhen, Harry Kane and even Moises Caicedo as he looked to bolster his squad.

All three would’ve been wonderful signings, yet it is perhaps where United are in the current market that they didn’t make the move to Manchester.

It was another name which the Red Devils were linked with however that Ten Hag should make a more concrete effort to sign in the January transfer window – Joshua Kimmich.

Were Man Utd close to signing Joshua Kimmich?

Towards the end of the transfer window, reports in Spain suggested that Kimmich was emerging as a key target for the Dutchman ahead of the 2023/24 season.

With just two years left on his current contract, it appeared as though the summer represented the perfect opportunity for Bayern Munich to rake in a massive profit on the midfielder.

The move never materialised however and United ended up signing Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat on deadline day as a way to strengthen in the middle of the park.

He joined on a season-long loan move with an option to buy for £21.4m but have the club managed to secure a solid deal, or are they better going back in for the German during the January transfer window?

What has Kimmich won in his career?

Since joining the Bavarian side back in 2015, the German has gone on to become one of the finest midfielders on the continent and has amassed 358 appearances for Bayern, while scoring 40 goals and grabbing 99 assists in the process.

His list of honours is just as impressive, with the 28-year-old winning the Champions League in 2020 alongside eight Bundesliga titles and a handful of other domestic trophies and there is no doubt United would have a player with a wonderful winning mentality should they lure him to England.

Bayern Munich

358

40

20

RB Leipzig

55

3

0

All stats via Transfermarkt.

His performances during the 2019/20 campaign led to lavish praise from Jose Mourinho, who said: "I see him as a top right-back, left-back, centre-back, No.6, No.8, No.10… he has the qualities to be anything!

"I think he looks to me, very intelligent related to football, very intelligent, understands the moments of the games and understands the difference between positions and understands what he has to do here and what he has to do there. I think he’s phenomenal, an absolutely phenomenal player."

High praise indeed and with United currently struggling so far this season, conceding 19 goals across just 11 games, they are clearly failing to win the midfield battles, resulting in some poor results and a drop in confidence.

Amrabat has been deployed as an emergency left-back due to injuries to Luke Shaw and Tyrrell Malacia, yet Kimmich would certainly be the better option in the heart of the pitch than the Moroccan.

Is Joshua Kimmich better than Sofyan Amrabat?

When compared to positional peers, Kimmich has showcased his talents across a range of metrics and he currently ranks in the top 8% for assists per 90 (0.24), top 5% for shot-creating actions per 90 (4.32), top 1% for passes attempted per 90 (87.63) and the top 3% for progressive passes per 90 (9.44), clearly indicating that he offers a solid threat going forward with come incisive passing.

In comparison, Amrabat when compared to positional peers, fails to rank in the top 50% for either assists (0.05) or shot-creating actions (1.77) per 90, while also doesn’t rank as highly as Kimmich for passes attempted per 90 (69.29) and progressive passes per 90 (7.12) and these metrics see him ranked in the top 11% and 14% respectively.

This suggests Kimmich has been the better performer throughout the course of the last 12 months and considering he is playing for one of the biggest teams in Europe makes these displays even better.

This season, the German has been in outstanding form, averaging 3.1 key passes per game, creating two big chances and grabbing three assists.

Amrabat on the other hand, has averaged one key pass per game, created zero big chances and also failed to register an assist. He has been playing out of position, however.

The Bayern gem has also outshone Amrabat defensively, making more tackles (2.3 to two), interceptions (one to 0.7) and has won a higher percentage of total duels per game (57% to 43%) proving he can contribute both going forward while also helping his side out defensively during matches.

Missing out on him back in the summer looks like a huge mistake by Ten Hag, and he must surely reignite another move for the 5 foot 9 ace when the winter transfer window opens up in a couple of months. It may, however, cost a pretty penny with Football Transfers valuing him at £48m.

His performances have been outstanding in recent months, and it looks as though he is going from strength to strength and United need some rejuvenation throughout the midfield area.

Casemiro is 31, so is Christian Eriksen and with Scott McTominay playing a bit part role, the next few transfer windows will be vital in establishing some depth in this area.

Kimmich is still in his peak years and given that he has won everything there has to be won in Germany, might a new challenge await itself in Manchester?

Into the last four of the Carabao Cup after a 5-1 thumping of West Ham United at Anfield and second in the Premier League with the chance to go top with victory over Arsenal up next, it's fair to say that Liverpool have so far bounced back from last season's disaster in style. The Reds look far closer to their ruthless best under Jurgen Klopp and are vying for silverware once more at Anfield.

What has helped contribute towards their return to the Premier League title race is their recruitment. Those in Merseyside did well in the summer to rebuild Klopp's midfield and have reaped the rewards ever since. Now, Liverpool could repeat that transfer trick to add the cherry on top of what has been an excellent rebuild.

Liverpool transfer news

Swapping the likes of Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita and Fabinho for Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo was a stroke of genius by Liverpool's recruitment team, who wasted no time before making some drastic changes in the summer.

This followed the first time that Liverpool failed to qualify for the Champions League in a full season under Klopp, highlighting just how desperately needed some changes were. And more could be on their way, with one particular Serie A star reportedly eyed.

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are eyeing a move to sign Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella, who is in the middle of contract negotiations with the Italian giants.

So far, the contract talks are yielding minimal progress, and with the door still ajar, the Reds and Newcastle United are circling. Barella's current contract comes to an end in 2026, and while that hasn't stopped Inter from beginning early attempts to secure his future at the San Siro, they may be forced to cash in at some point if he does not pen an extension.

"Creative" Barella can complete Liverpool

As much as Liverpool did well in the summer to rebuild their midfield, adding Barella would finally complete the job once and for all. The Italian has the ability to play as a central, attacking and defensive midfielder, and could act as the perfect foil for Mac Allister in the middle of the park. Indeed, Barella's stats show that he's more than capable of outperforming both Curtis Jones and Ryan Gravenberch.

Player

Progressive Carries

Progressive Passes

Tackles Won

Blocks

Nicolo Barella

31

136

12

9

Curtis Jones

5

25

5

7

Ryan Gravenberch

21

38

4

7

When linked with a move to Liverpool, praise from Steven Gerrard doesn't get much better. The Reds legend had nothing but good things to say about Barella, saying back in May: "He's creative, he can nick important goals. I watched him against England in Naples and he was involved in all parts of the game. He did really well against the England midfield – Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice. He's at a good age as well, coming into his prime."

That said, given the rumours, it will be interesting to see whether Liverpool decide to act when the January transfer swings open or Barella decides to stay put in Serie A.

Tottenham Hotspur have been told they have a truly "perfect" youngster as talkSPORT pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor makes a James Maddison comparison.

Spurs form under Ange Postecoglou

Spurs supporters are quite simply in dreamland right now, as popular head coach Ange Postecoglou enjoys the best start made by any new manager in Premier League history. Wins over Bournemouth, Man United, Burnley, Sheffield United, Liverpool, Luton Town and Fulham have sent table-topping Tottenham on an imperious run of form as they gear up to take on struggling Crystal Palace later today.

It's been a remarkable early-season run and Spurs' best start to a campaign since 1960/1961, where they went on to clinch a domestic double. Postecoglou is seemingly transforming the mood around N17, with Australian already setting a very high standard for his squad.

"I don't go into a job not believing I can't make an impact," said Postecoglou ahead of Crystal Palace (via football.london).

"That's my role. Like I said a few times, my measure of that is not really having some predetermined timeframe of when that happens or it happens. It's just trying to focus on putting the things in place that are important for what we're trying to build. Along the way the progress comes at various times and at different sort of trajectories.

"We're in a good space at the moment but again we've still got plenty of work to do to make sure what we do now is sustainable. That's the main thing. It's not about making a short-term impact, it's about building something which hopefully brings sustained opportunities of success for the club."

Star players like Maddison and Son Heung-min are a huge part of Tottenham's upward trajectory and look set to play a key role once again versus Palace this evening. The former has quite simply dazzled since joining Spurs from Leicester City for around £40 million, as Maddison is showered with praise for his incredible impact.

Udogie transforms Spurs "just as much"

Another player to seriously impress at Tottenham this season has been Destiny Udogie, who forms part of Postecoglou's starting eleven week-in, week-out. The Italy international could miss Palace due to fitness issues, which would surely be a blow considering his excellence. TalkSPORT'S Gabriel Agbonlahor, speaking to Football Insider this week, even claimed Udogie has transformed Spurs "just as much as Maddison".

“I really like Udogie. I’ve watched him a lot this season. He struggled initially with Saka in the derby, but in the second half – he was outstanding. Almost any left-back left one-on-one with Saka would struggle but he owned him. He’s strong, he’s quick, he’s good on the ball, he can get into dangerous areas and get assists – he’s the left-back and player Tottenham were crying out for.

Dribbling

Ball interception

Tackling

“He’s the perfect left-back because he’s taller than the average, and he’s strong and aggressive. For me, he’s been a revelation alongside Van de Ven and they’ve really transformed that defence, just as much as Maddison has transformed them at the other end”.

James Vince struck a half-century as Hampshire secured a five-wicket win to move closer to the knockout stages

ECB Reporters Network30-May-2018
ScorecardReece Topley bowled Hampshire to the brink of the Royal London Cup’s knockout stages as they beat Middlesex by five wickets at Merchant Taylors’ School.Topley, who committed himself to white-ball only cricket over the winter as he makes another injury comeback, made Middlesex regret their decision to bat first in bowler-friendly conditions following a delayed start.His 4 for 40 ensured the hosts were restricted to just 199 for 8 in their 45 overs, a target the South Group leaders made comfortably, despite a mid-innings wobble, led by 56 from England discard James Vince.Eyebrows were raised when Middlesex skipper Steven Finn opted to bat after winning a toss delayed for an hour by early morning rain.Deprived of club captain Dawid Malan on Test duty and England one-day skipper Eoin Morgan, ruled out with a cracked finger, much depended on openers Paul Stirling and Nick Gubbins. However, Gubbins perished early, caught in the gulley for 9 giving Topley his first wicket.Under murky skies and with an outfield too wet to afford batsman value for their shot-making, even Stirling with two centuries already in the competition struggled to break the shackles.He did hoist Topley for one huge six into the car park but trying to repeat the shot he fell to the next delivery, holing out at mid-off.This left Max Holden, making his List-A debut for Middlesex and the barely more experienced Stevie Eskinazi needing to entrench.The pair kept the scoreboard ticking but save for a huge straight six from Holden boundaries were scarce in a third-wicket stand of 62 ended by Vince who trapped Eskinazi lbw for 42.Topley then returned to the attack to have Holden caught behind for 38 just as the hosts were attempting to accelerate.Overseas player Hilton Cartwright and wicketkeeper John Simpson attempted another rebuild before the former had his furniture rearranged by former Middlesex man Gareth Berg.And when Simpson lofted Mason Crane into Topley’s clutches at mid-off just three overs later Middlesex were 158 for 6.A few lusty blows from Tom Helm got Middlesex to the brink of 200, but Topley bowled him to complete his four-wicket haul.In reply, Rilee Roussow was caught behind to a reckless swipe off Finn, who also had Alsop caught by Eskinazi at short cover.But with Joe Weatherley providing solid support for the free-flowing Vince the visitors were seemingly cantering inexorably towards victory with even the competition’s leading wicket taker Ravi Patel – back on his old schoolground – unable to unsettle them.Vince’s 50 came in 64 balls, but with his team in cruise control the England man needlessly took on mid-on fielder James Franklin who promptly ran him out.When Weatherley holed out to Finn at mid-off from the bowling of Sowter six balls later, Middlesex briefly had hope.Sowter had Bradley Taylor caught behind for 11 to crank up the tension, but Jimmy Adams and Lewis McManus’ 60-run stand eased Hampshire home with 26 balls to spare.

Adam Lallana was seen with England's Under-21 squad at St George's Park as players made their way onto the training pitch.

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Lallana present at England U-21 trainingBrighton midfielder starting to coachFirst linked up with England in SeptemberWHAT HAPPENED?

When England posted a video of day one of this month's training camp, some fans couldn't get their head around 35-year-old Lallana being with the group of Young Lions as it initially gave the impression that the Brighton veteran was just another member of the squad.

AdvertisementTHE EXPLANATION

Even though he's still playing fairly regularly with Brighton – 19 Premier League appearances so far this season – Lallana already has an eye on the future and his role with England's Under-21 squad is in a coaching capacity. The midfielder first took on the role during the September international break, mentoring the next generation of England players and honing his own coaching skills.

WHAT LALLANA SAID

Speaking about his experience with England after his first camp with the squad in September, Lallana said: "It was an amazing insight for me into what may lie in the future, I was delighted with the opportunity and thankful to Brighton and Roberto [De Zerbi] for not just being happy for me to go, but excited that I got the opportunity.

"I was involved in training and took a few little bits, just being that bridge between the coaches and the players. I am still playing in the Premier League so I will still experience the same things as those boys – frustrations, losing and winning as a player.

"When you're young you want everything now, you can be inpatient, so I can help in those areas, while also getting an opportunity to see the blueprint of being a successful coach."

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DID YOU KNOW?

Lallana was named England's senior men's player of the year in 2016 ahead of Jamie Vardy and Wayne Rooney in second and third respectively. But with injuries later taking a toll on his club career, he played his last England game in 2018 at the age of just 29.

Southampton return to action after the international break in the Championship this afternoon as they travel away from St. Mary's to take on Hull City.

Russell Martin's side are coming into this clash off the back of a 1-1 draw with Rotherham at home in their last league outing, thanks to a stunning equaliser from Jordan Hugill.

The Scottish head coach may look to make changes to his starting XI in order to bounce back and claim all three points today but one player he must stick with is Che Adams.

Southampton had 22 shots and racked up 3.23 xG against Rotherham but failed to secure the win as they only found the back of the net once from those efforts, which puts the attacking players in the spotlight as they were unable to make the most of the chances that fell their way.

What's the latest on Ross Stewart's fitness?

The Scotland international has been in first-team training with the Saints in recent weeks as he continues to step up his recovery from the Achilles injury that was suffered at the start of the year during his time with Sunderland.

However, it appears that his involvement against Hull will be limited to a place on the bench, at best, as the club try to ease him into the fold after his move from the Black Cats during the summer window.

This means that Southampton's alternative striker option is Sekou Mara, who has scored one goal in 28 league appearances since the start of last season.

The French attacker has failed to contribute with a single goal, assist, or 'big chance' created, in six Championship clashes so far this term, after one goal in 22 Premier League games during the 2022/23 campaign.

Will Che Adams start against Hull?

With Stewart unlikely to start, Martin must start Adams against the Tigers this afternoon as the talented marksman has the potential to be the match-winner.

The 27-year-old whiz missed one 'big chance' against Rotherham but he has also scored three goals and created three 'big chances' in five Championship starts this term.

Only Adam Armstrong (seven) has scored more goals for the club this term and these statistics suggest that the Scottish gem does have the quality to make a big impact at this level.

Adams also loves playing against Hull as he boasts a terrific career record against today's opponents from his time with Birmingham in the second tier.

The £52k-per-week finisher has scored four goals in three matches against the Tigers so far and has not scored more than four against any other team at any level. They are also the only side that the impressive forward has scored four against in fewer than five matches.

Therefore, Adams, who Ralph Hasenhuttl once hailed for his "fantastic" attitude, should retain his place within the starting line-up this afternoon, instead of dropping him in favour of Mara or Stewart, who is lacking match fitness.

The Scotland international has proven himself to be an excellent option at Championship level, in spite of his off-day against Rotherham, and has the potential to add to his superb record against Hull today.

The spinners did the job for Afghanistan once again, leading them to an 81-run victory

The Report by Ankur Dhawan22-Aug-2018Getty ImagesA second consecutive fifty from Hazratullah Zazai helped the visitors mirror their total of 160 from the first match, before Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid Khan broke the back of Ireland’s chase to script a seventh straight T20I win for Afghanistan over them.The win by 81 runs equalled Afghanistan’s second-largest victory margin in the format, and rendered the final T20I of the series a dead rubber. It also meant Ireland were shot out for their fourth-lowest T20I total: 79.For a while it looked like a change in team and strategy would bring about a change in Ireland’s fortunes, when they stifled the run-flow and snaffled early wickets in the Powerplay. That is, until Zazai awoke from a stupor and muscled his way to a 54-ball 82. There was quite a similarity in the way the two teams started off with the bat – finding themselves 8 for 2 – but what separated them was Zazai’s sustained power-hitting and Afghanistan’s bowling depth.The inclusion of the experienced Boyd Rankin, who had recovered from a back niggle, and the introduction of spin in the Powerplay propped up Ireland early on. Rankin’s penchant for generating disconcerting bounce kept the dangerous Zazai in check in the first over, after Afghanistan had chosen to bat. Offspinner Simi Singh followed this up with the wicket of Mohammad Shahzad, who attempted an awkward pull to one that hurried on to him only to be caught at short third-man. Samiullah Shenwari followed soon after, caught on the square-leg boundary off a Peter Chase short ball that held up in the pitch.Overall the Irish pacers used the short ball effectively during the Powerplay and reaped rewards, as the run rate hovered around seven. However, having stabilised the innings considerably, Zazai and captain Asghar Afghan found an opening and they battered their way in, taking 19 off the 10th over bowler by the 18-year-old left-arm pacer Joshua Little. Then Zazai tore into Paul Stirling’s part-time spin, depositing him into the stands three times in four balls. The first of those three sixes brought up Zazai’s fifty off 34 balls.George Dockrell halted his charge in an excellent 16th over rife with full, wide deliveries which, Zazai’s wicket apart, produced three consecutive dots and just two singles. Much like the previous T20I, Afghanistan did not take full toll of the final five overs, but a few lusty blows from Mohammad Nabi (12) and an unbeaten 20 from Najibullah Zadran helped them to 160 for 8.Any hopes Ireland had of chasing the target were quelled quickly. Like falling through a series of trapdoors, they lost wickets in clumps.Aftab Alam set the collapse in motion, with the wicket of Stirling for a scratchy five-ball 2 before the spinners took over, taking eight wickets between them. Mujeeb accounted for Stuart Thompson, Andy Balbirnie and later Dockrell. Rashid made the most decisive inroad, getting William Porterfield – the only batsman to show a semblance of resistance – for a 23-ball 33. However, the wicket was rendered possible primarily by Alam’s brilliance in the field, with him intercepting Porterfield’s airborne reverse sweep at short third-man.It was the kind of moment that could deflate even better-placed opposition. Ireland, trying as they were to recover from 9 for 3, found themselves 46 for 4 in the ninth with that wicket, and they subsided quickly thereafter, bowled out in 15 overs.

Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has recently entered talks regarding a new long-term contract, and a reliable journalist has now revealed the time frame in which it’s likely to be signed.

How old is Alexander-Arnold and how many matches has he played?

Alexander-Arnold is now 24 years of age and has been at the club ever since his childhood days having graduated from the academy in 2016 to become a regular feature of the first-team, where he’s so far made a total of 277 senior appearances to date.

The England international has recently been rewarded for his service by being named vice-captain by Jurgen Klopp, and his leadership qualities alongside his high standard of performances have seen him attracting interest from high-profile clubs overseas.

According to 90min, Barcelona and Real Madrid are admirers of the right-back, and it’s this outside attention that has forced FSG into taking the necessary steps to secure his long-term future on Merseyside which is exactly what they have done.

Football Insider have claimed that the two parties have reached an agreement in principle for their homegrown talent to extend his stay in the Premier League, and a club correspondent has now delivered an update as to when supporters could see the deal getting finalised.

Is Trent Alexander-Arnold signing a new contract at Liverpool?

Writing in his column for CaughtOffside’s Daily Briefing, Liverpool reporter Neil Jones confirmed that Liverpool are aiming to announce Alexander-Arnold's new contract by the end of December. He said:

“I would expect Liverpool to get Trent Alexander-Arnold’s contract situation sorted by the end of the year. He is into the final two years of his current deal, and there is absolutely no doubting his importance to Liverpool’s long-term plans.

"He is already the creative fulcrum of the side, and his promotion to vice-captain in the summer tells you everything you need to know about his standing off the pitch. He’s one of the club’s key players, and one who has huge significance given he’s come through the academy.

“I don’t expect any hiccups in negotiations. Alexander-Arnold wants to stay and Liverpool want to keep him. There will be a lot of clubs hoping something goes wrong, but I don’t see it. Trent’s future lies at Anfield.”

How many assists does Alexander-Arnold have?

During his 277 senior appearances for Liverpool, Alexander-Arnold has posted 89 goal contributions (73 assists and 16 goals), showing how much he loves using his pace to burst down the flank, dribble past his marker and create chances for himself and his teammates in the final third.

The PLG client, who already earns £180k-per-week, has carried that impressive form into this season as he’s so far whipped a total of 16 crosses into the opposition’s box, which is the third-highest total throughout the squad, behind Andrew Robertson who is top on 38 and Dominik Szoboszlai in second on 17, via FBRef.

Klopp’s “genius”, as hailed by Jones himself, has also played a huge part in the club’s success over the years having helped to secure seven trophies, including the Premier League and Champions League, so Alexander-Arnold signing an improved deal would be nothing less than he deserves.