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He has been given a four-year deal to coach all three formats after a brief period as interim coach in Pakistan

Alex Malcolm12-Apr-2022Former Test allrounder Andrew McDonald has been officially confirmed as Australia’s new full-time men’s coach and selector for all three formats after signing a four-year contract.McDonald takes over the same roleJustin Langer resigned from messy circumstances in February following an offer from the Cricket Australia board for a six-month contract extension only.McDonald, who has been the senior assistant and bowling mentor since late 2019, took over as interim coach for the Pakistan tour. He led the team to a 1-0 Test series and won praise from Test captain Pat Cummins. Australia lost the ODI series 1-2 but won the one-off T20I in Lahore.McDonald has coached Australia on several tours during Langer’s four-year tenure while the former coach rested, including an ODI series in India in 2020, a five-match T20I tour of New Zealand in 2021, and a five-match home T20I series against Sri Lanka earlier this year.”The journey so far has been particularly pleasing, and I am honoured to be given this incredible opportunity for what is an exciting period ahead,” McDonald said.”The success of the World Cup, the Ashes Series and now Pakistan has been testament to the hard work and leadership of Justin, Pat and Aaron [Finch] along with the players and the support staff.”My plan is to build on the growth, depth and experience of the squad while working collectively with the group and across the game. There are many challenges in the short-term which I know excites the leadership group, the players and the staff. I’d also like to thank my family for their support.”Related

• Pat Cummins rested for Sri Lanka T20Is; big guns return for white-ball leg

• Jeff Vaughan leaves Australia assistant post to coach Tasmania

• Five key challenges for Andrew McDonald as Australia's new head coach

• Andrew McDonald: Coaching recruitment 'won't become a distraction' on Pakistan tour

• 'The boys absolutely love him' – Pat Cummins praises interim coach Andrew McDonald

CA did conduct a global search for a new men’s coach following the departure of Langer via a recruitment firm and sounded out a number of potential candidates including former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, former England coach Trevor Bayliss and current Australia women’s coach Matthew Mott. But McDonald’s popularity with the playing group and the team’s recent results made him an obvious choice, as CA general manager of high performance Ben Oliver confirmed.”Andrew was the standout candidate in a high-quality field of coaches,” Oliver said. “And we believe he’s the best person to help continue the growth of the team over the coming years.”McDonald has vast coaching experience having coached Victoria and Melbourne Renegades to four Australian domestic titles, including completing the Sheffield Shield, Marsh Cup and BBL treble in the same season in 2018-19. He has also been head coach of Rajasthan Royals in the IPL and was hired as head coach of Birmingham Phoenix for the inaugural Hundred but was unable to coach in person due to Australia commitments.CA did not want to split the men’s job along format lines with McDonald to be the head coach of all three formats. McDonald himself was keen to be the coach of all three formats however that was not raised in discussions with CA until he became the preferred candidate.But given Australia’s heavy touring schedule over the next 18 months including an away Test tour of Sri Lanka, a home T20 World Cup, home Test series against West Indies and South Africa, an away Test series against India, a possible World Test Championship final, an away Ashes and a 50-over World Cup in India, McDonald wanted a coaching structure that allows for him and his assistants to be rested for certain periods.Under such a scenario a senior assistant could well take charge of certain tours or sections of tours that are viewed as lower priority series during that time, and consultants may be used more frequently as was seen when former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori joined Australia’s limited-overs squad in Pakistan as a spin consultant in the absence of Sridharan Sriram.”Once it was decided that I was a preferred candidate then I got an opportunity to sit down with Cricket Australia and the people around that to shape and formulate role,” McDonald said. “But it was a huge part of it. No doubt about it.”I think the great challenge for coaches and players is to manage your workload across the four years, being my term at the moment. But I’d like to think that I’ve got coaching staff around that can step up. We can elevate certain coaches at different times to take on different tours and different challenges and whilst we’re doing that it’s growing the depth of our coaching staff.”McDonald already has Michael Di Venuto, Jeff Vaughan and Sri Sriram in place as batting, fielding and bowling coaches respectively, and praised Langer for making those appointments during his tenure. McDonald seconded Andre Borovec on the tour of Pakistan as an interim assistant with expertise in strategy. But he will need a full-time bowling coach to replace his own role within the coaching structure.McDonald will sit on the three-man selection panel alongside chairman George Bailey and third selector Tony Dodemaide for all three formats.

While he enjoyed a relatively successful debut season in charge of Manchester United, there hasn't been an awful lot to cheer about for Erik ten Hag in the last year and a half.

Granted, the Dutchman has lifted two trophies in England, but considering their terrible form in the Premier League, things are looking too rosy at Old Trafford.

However, despite the disastrous results, constant injury problems and division in the fanbase, there are a few positives within the squad, notably the emergence of Kobbie Mainoo.

Despite still being so young, the tenacious midfielder has made himself an important member of the first-team, and as a result, his valuation has exploded from what it was when Ten Hag arrived, per Transfermarkt.

1 Mainoo's market value when Ten Hag took over

Ten Hag was officially announced as United's new manager in April 2022, but he didn't officially start until the end of that season.

At this point, Mainoo had just turned 17 and was a relative unknown to most fans in the country.

This was reflected in his first valuation in November 2022, which priced him at just €300k, or about £250k.

2 Mainoo's market value in June 2023

Now, the young midfielder's next two appraisals came in March and June of the following year, and while he still wasn't a household name, he had made his first team debut.

During the 22/23 campaign, he made three appearances for the first team; one in the FA Cup, one in the Premier League and one in the League Cup, all amounting to 87 minutes of action.

These early showings saw his price tag almost triple to around €800k for both valuations, which converts to about £675k.

3 Mainoo's market value in December 2023

By last December, the young midfielder was a well-known prospect by most fans in the Premier League.

However, due to an ankle injury he sustained in pre-season, he had only made two appearances by the end of November, but it was crystal clear that he had a significant role to play over the next five months.

This shift from fringe player to squad player unsurprisingly saw his valuation shoot up to €6m, which is about £5m.

4 Mainoo's market value in March 2024

At this point last season, the then-18-year-old "baller", as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, was not just a regular part of United's first team but a crucially important starter.

Additionally, the Stockport-born gem had already scored his first goal for the team in an FA Cup game away to Newport County and won his first senior England cap on March 23rd.

This rapid rise and impressive impact at the club and international level saw his valuation skyrocket and reach a new peak of €35m, which is about £30m, and it was entirely justified.

5 Mainoo's market value in July 2024

So, we come to the 19-year-old's most recent valuation, which stands at a whopping €55m, or £46m, which is an enormous 18300% increase from his very first valuation in November 2022.

However, while it might sound extreme to some, it makes perfect sense, considering the season he had last year.

Appearances

32

Goal

5

Assists

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.18

In all, he made 32 appearances for United's first team, in which he scored five goals and provided one assist.

Then, in the summer, he made 6 appearances for England at the European Championships, five of which were starts, including the final.

Moreover, he scored in the FA Cup final against Manchester City, so there really isn't much else he could have done, and the fact that he's still a teenager makes it all that bit more remarkable.

Ultimately, United have an academy gem with the world at their feet in Mainoo. If he can remain fit, then there is no limit to what he can achieve in the game and no limit to how much he might be worth in the future.

Left for £0: Man Utd could regret losing star who's now outscoring Hojlund

The vastly experienced poacher is enjoying a career renaissance.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 11, 2024

Manchester United are eyeing a move for Victor Osimhen amid the possibility of Marcus Rashford leaving Old Trafford in January.

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Rashford's exit could open door for Osimhen's arrivalEnglish forward wants exit from Old TraffordMan Utd in touch with Nigerian's representativesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Rashford has fallen out of favour under Ruben Amorim after being omitted from the United matchday squad in three consecutive games within a week. The player himself has already claimed that he is ready to take on a new challenge in his career, which has further fuelled speculation over his future at Old Trafford.

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report that the Red Devils have shown interest in signing Napoli loanee and Galatasaray star Victor Osimhen, and Rashford's potential exit in the January transfer window could open the door for the arrival of the Nigerian forward. Osimhen, who moved to Turkiye on loan in the summer, is in red-hot form as he has scored 12 goals in 15 appearances, including nine in the Super Lig.

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The report further claims that United are already in touch with Osimhen's representatives and their next step would be to agree personal terms with the striker. The difficult task, however, will be to negotiate with Napoli, who are likely to demand a fee of €75 million (£62m/$77m).

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

Amorim's side, who have lost three out of their last four Premier League games, will hope to get back to winning ways on Boxing Day as they take on Wolves away from home.

A "brilliant" £25,000-a-week youngster is now ready to agree personal terms with Newcastle United, according to a fresh update from reliable journalist Craig Hope.

Newcastle transfer news

The Magpies were disappointing in their 1-1 draw away to Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon, and were arguably fortunate not to lose, given the nature of the hosts' disallowed goal in stoppage time. It was a performance that highlighted the need for business to be done in the remaining days of the transfer window, with top-level quality and depth lacking on the right wing in particular.

Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin continues to be linked with a summer move to Newcastle, with the £40m-rated Englishman potentially keen to move on, especially following such a poor start to the Premier League season for the Blues. Eddie Howe is thought to be a big fan, as he looks for more attacking firepower amid doubts over Callum Wilson's fitness and long-term future.

Adrien Rabiot has also been mentioned as a high-profile option for Newcastle this summer, with the France international a free agent after leaving Juventus at the end of last season. Manchester United are also reportedly in the mix to sign him, however, as they look to boost their own depth in the middle of the park.

Raheem Sterling's career has reached a huge crossroads after Chelsea made it clear he has no future at the club, and the winger has been touted as a target for Newcastle. He may turn 30 this year, and isn't the force he was during his Manchester City days, but he could still be an exciting option for Howe, bringing pace, goals and assists from his wide role.

"Brilliant" goalkeeper ready for Newcastle move

Now, according to Hope on X, James Trafford is now ready to agree personal terms and join Newcastle this summer, but sporting director Paul Mitchell still needs to strike a deal with Burnley.

While the Magpies feel well-stocked in the goalkeeping department at the moment, a move for the £25,000-a-week Trafford should be encouraged, considering how high his ceiling is.

Ian Wright a huge admirer of the 21-year-old, saying of him on Match of the Day last season: "He was brilliant, I was delighted for him. Coming into the Burnley side after a £19m move, Vincent Kompany has shown a lot of faith in him and he made some very, very good saves. A lot of the Burnley fans weren’t quite sure simply because of [Arijanet] Muric and how well he had done to come up, but he made some fantastic saves."

Howe a big fan: Newcastle eyeing bid for £40m ace with same agent as Barnes

Eddie Howe is a big fan.

ByHenry Jackson Aug 26, 2024

Nick Pope isn't going to be around forever, and there are question marks about the Englishman's ability to play out from the back, so Trafford could be his natural successor, gradually usurping him over time.

Glamorgan have a terrific chance to progress to the quarter-finals of the Friends Life t20, but is on-field success or the days of the week the key factor for pulling in the crowds?

Alex Winter25-Jul-2013Cricket in Cardiff is most often a placid affair. The gentle flow of the River Taff matching a sedate nature inside the Swalec Stadium that, on the whole, reflects county cricket around the country. But over the last few weeks of Twenty20 there has been something a little different if you turn up on a Friday night.The club are hopeful of a record attendance when they take on Northamptonshire. The previous mark for a domestic game in Cardiff is 9,200; a T20 against Gloucestershire in 2010 when Australian fast bowler Shaun Tait made his debut on a balmy Friday night. The ground was a little over half full.Now all the stars have finally aligned and the club can welcome in the numbers one would hope for. They have a huge catchment area to draw from (and they’re letting anyone over 16 named George in for free in honour of the Prince of Cambridge).The Northamptonshire fixture is a top of the table meeting, the forecast is excellent (the ECB have struck lucky with the timing of the recent dry spell, although they were due a break on that front) and most crucially it’s on a Friday night. For Friday night really is cricket night, Glamorgan have found. Perhaps, then, it’s a good job the Friends Life t20 is changing to a season-long competition next year.”When it comes to the debate over T20 whether to play it on certain nights of the week or in a block, from our perspective people have voted with their feet,” Alan Hamer, Glamorgan chief executive, told ESPNcricinfo. “We had a big crowd for the Somerset game two weeks ago and we’re expecting a similar attendance tomorrow.”We’ve only have two Friday matches this year but for them both to be very well attended tells you something. On Tuesday we had good weather and got 3,200. Similarly against Warwickshire, midweek match, 2,500 turned up.”People who come on a Friday treat it more as social event, they wouldn’t come midweek. A few years ago we played Northants, both sides were out of the competition and we still ended up with the highest crowd of the season.”Glamorgan, no longer the Dragons, just plain old Glamorgan, are on the verge of a quarter-final. Should they beat Northamptonshire or Gloucestershire they will be very unlucky not to qualify from the group stage for only the third time. Both remaining matches are at home and the cricket they have produced suggests they should be confident.But how much does all of that actually matter?. It seems spectators want an occasion, a fete, a party, rather than a sporting event and something that fits in with the working week. And they can all come on a Friday night. No bucking broncos, walk-on girls or darts players – cringeworthy gimmicks tried by various counties – are going to drag them out at any other time.Glamorgan’s players might be a little miffed at the suggestion that their efforts alone are not enough to woo the crowds because they’ve bucked their ideas up this season. It is five years since their last appearance in the knockout stage. And that was by default. Yorkshire were thrown out of the 2008 competition for fielding an ineligible player. Glamorgan took their place but lost to Durham.Nine years ago, therefore, was their only bona fide journey beyond the group stage, when Warwickshire were turned over in Cardiff in front of 6,000 packing out the old Sophia Gardens ground.Could Glamorgan add another 11,000 to that figure for a home quarter-final this year? They would certainly like the opportunity and have a strong case to do so, having won four from four to begin the competition in style. They only lost to Northamptonshire at Wantage Road off the last ball but it proved more than an aberration as thumpings by Somerset and Gloucestershire followed.The campaign was back on course after a well-paced chase against Worcestershire – a fourth successful chase in their five wins. Guiding them home on Tuesday were two experience heads, Jim Allenby and Murray Goodwin, both of whom the club are keen to secure for next season but both of whom are considering their futures. Allenby was vexed when he was dropped as T20 captain and 40-year-old Goodwin wants a season longer than the one-year deal Glamorgan have offered him.But success on the field may simply be a happy sideshow for the Friday night soiree that appeals to the locals. Glamorgan are gradually building the largest garden party west of the Severn Bridge.

West Indies were 21 for 1 in their chase before rain struck in Antigua, halting the match for more than an hour before it was abandoned

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Sep-2021No result The first T20I between South Africa and West Indies was called off due to rain in Antigua, at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Tuesday.South Africa, who opted to bat, made 135 for 3 from their 20 overs, thanks to handy knocks from Lizelle Lee, Marizanne Kapp and Laura Wolvaardt. The visitors began well, with the openers Lee and Dane van Niekerk stitching a 31-run partnership before van Niekerk was caught by the West Indies captain Anisa Mohammed while attempting a sweep shot, off the bowling of Hayley Matthews.Lee and Kapp, however, ensured the momentum was not lost, as they kept the scoreboard ticking with a 45-run stand before Lee was eventually run out for 30. Kapp followed her soon after, being dismissed for 36, with South Africa placed at 87 for 3 in the 15th over.Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits then shared an unbroken partnership of 48 runs to lift the visitors to 135. Wolvaardt remained unbeaten on 35 off 21 balls, stroking two fours and sixes each.The West Indies were dealt an early blow in their chase, as the opener Deandra Dottin had to retire hurt after facing just three balls. The hosts’ other opener, Matthews, did not last too long either, as she was caught behind by the wicketkeeper Trisha Chetty off Kapp’s bowling, leaving the team at 21 for 1 after 2.5 overs.However, rain struck and the match was halted for more than an hour before it was abandoned.The second T20I will be played on Thursday, at the same ground.

A breathtaking display of big-hitting and a mesmerising spell of spin bowling in a disappointingly one-sided game

Aashish Calla24-Apr-2012Choice of game
Can any reason be bigger than the prospect of witnessing a Gayle blitz? The anticipation of a few hits coming my way was reason enough for me to watch this game live. Moreover, I’d like to believe, I’ve been lucky for Gayle in Jaipur – the previous two times I saw him bat at the SMS Stadium, he scored 70 (unbeaten, in last year’s IPL) and 130-something (again, unbeaten, against South Africa in the 2006 Champions Trophy).Team supported
Rajasthan Royals. Royal Challengers Bangalore had the likes of Gayle, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Virat Kohli and Daniel Vettori in their line-up, but my loyalty and die-hard support will always remain with Rahul Dravid. And he didn’t disappoint with the bat today.Key performer
AB de Villiers. Watching him bat in the manner he does, smashing bowlers all around the park, I always think it’s time he inserts a “C” into his name to make it ABC de Villiers. That way, he can tell people, “I’m the ABCDE of batting!” Some of his strokes at the Royals game were so breathtakingly brilliant that most of the local fans gave up all hope of another home win even before their team had come out to bat.One thing I’d have changed
Royals’ decision at the toss. I’d have made them bat first, undoubtedly. Why give the opposition a chance to set a target when you had set them an unbeatable target just a few days ago? Royals scored in the vicinity of 190 then, and won with ease. Here, Royal Challengers scored in the vicinity of 190 and won with ease.Face-off I most relished
Rahul Dravid v Vinay Kumar. Karnataka boys and India internationals, both. Daniel Vettori also gave Vinay an extended spell today, three overs out of the first six. In his first two overs, Vinay kept things tight – the only blemish was five overthrows gifted away to Dravid – but in the third over, the batting legend came into his own. The first two balls of the over were duly dispatched, one over midwicket and another a crisp-sounding cover drive. Two varied, glorious shots that reminded me of the Rahul Dravid of 1999.Wow moment

KP Appanna. Most of the Jaipur crowd did not know who he was. He was introduced as a left-arm spinner, and as he came on to bowl, people thought he would be easy pickings for Dravid, Ajinkya Rahane and Co. But the young Karnataka player started with a dot ball and had Rahane caught at long-on off just his second delivery. The crowd couldn’t believe what they had just seen. The orange-cap wearer was walking back and the unknown spinner was celebrating. It was just the beginning of what would turn out to be a dream spell of left-arm spin bowling.Player watch
Today’s game clearly told me who is the man to watch from now on when at an India game. It’s Virat Kohli. Although he isn’t really setting the IPL alight with the bat, Kohli’s the red-hot favourite as far as the crowds go. Today, the chants for him, and the cheers he received every time he approached the boundary line, be it deep midwicket, long-off or long-on, were unbelievable. It was hard to imagine a non-Rajasthan Royals player getting such massive crowd support. A future (or should I say, present) superstar for sure.Shot of the match
What better than the Dilscoop? Watching such a shot live in a stadium is something a fan will take back as a fond memory. This evening, I told my brother, “Wait for the Dilscoop now, as the fine leg fielder is within the circle.” Dilshan obliged just two balls later, with a fabulous scoop over the head of the wicketkeeper. Two bounces and it was a four.Post-match buzz
De Villiers, when presented the Man of the Match award, asked Appanna to come forward and share it with him. It was such a lovely gesture. I think it is these little things that lift the morale of young cricketers and boost the reputation of the stars even more. I can certainly say that tonight, de Villiers added at least one more name to his already long list of fans.Crowd meter
The stadium was packed, but this time the spectators weren’t as well behaved as usual. A man threw a piece of trash on a spectator in the front row who was standing on his seat and obstructing the view of the people behind him. This, sadly, became a game. For a brief but intolerable spell, the attention of fans in my vicinity moved from the match to throwing things like paper cups and plates, banners and caps on to the spectators in the front row. When the situation looked like getting out of hand, the security intervened.Entertainment
The DJ at the stadium did his best to entertain the crowd with the latest numbers and, of course, the signature IPL trumpet tune. However, the local rules state music can’t be played after 10pm, so by the time the Royals’ innings started, the DJ’s job was done.Refreshments
For the first time at the SMS Stadium, I could choose to eat a Dominos pizza. I’ve been to about eight games here, but Dominos pizzas at the match were a genuine first for me, and something I could never have imagined.Overall
It was a one-sided game from the time Royal Challengers prised out Rahane. Any margin of victory of over 25 runs in a Twenty20 game would suggest that. Here it was 46. Multiply that by 2.5, to get the corresponding number for a one-dayer, and that’s a victory margin of 115 – an ample demonstration of the one-sidedness of the game. There were some great moments, though, as always. Rahul Dravid’s half-century, de Villiers’ five sixes, Appanna’s four wickets, the cheers for Kohli… but all in all, it would have been better if it were a closely contested game.Marks out of 10
Seven. Three marks deducted because the match, as some would say, didn’t go “down to the wire”. Also, it loses some points as the team I was supporting was not in the game for too long.

Manchester United’s 2023/24 campaign was something of a mixed bag of results for the Red Devils. Despite winning a trophy, they struggled in the league and the Champions League and it almost cost Erik ten Hag his job.

However, after much deliberation, the United board decided to keep him at the club, as reported by David Ornstein.

In the Premier League, the Red Devils came 8th in the table, on 60 points, although they were some way outside of the top four, eight points behind Aston Villa to be exact.

However, according to Understat’s expected points table, they massively overperformed. The Understat metric had them in 14th on just 44xPTS.

In the Champions League, it was a poor return for United, crashing out at the group stage and conceding the most goals by a Premier League side in one group stage of the tournament, as per Opta Joe. Their defence of the Carabao Cup also ended in the fourth round, thanks to a defeat at Old Trafford against Newcastle United, the side they beat in the final the previous season.

However, they did win the FA Cup, beating Manchester City 2-1 in the final, thanks to goals from academy graduate duo Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo. It was the second trophy in as many seasons for Ten Hag.

Now, as the new season draws near, rumours have begun to intensify linking United to several players who could enhance the quality of their squad, including one player United are thought to have had a long-term interest in.

Man Utd target Premier League left-back

The player in question here is Fulham and United States international Antonee Robinson. The 26-year-old has been superb for Fulham over the past season, and it has led to fresh links with some of Europe's biggest clubs.

According to a report from Will Lancaster and Dean Jones of GiveMeSport, the American 'has taken interest' from the Red Devils, as they look to strengthen at left-back. That follows injury-riddled seasons for both of United’s left-backs; Tyrell Malacia, who has not played a minute, and Luke Shaw.

However, United are not the only side who are interested in signing Robinson this summer. Rivals Liverpool are in the market for a new left-back, with the American one option, and London club Chelsea are also thought to be of interest, as they start life under Enzo Maresca.

The report explains that Fulham are using Ian Maatsen’s move from Chelsea to Aston Villa as a guideline when it comes to a fee for their left-back. The Dutchman is switching to Villa Park for a fee of around £37.5m. The Cottagers are expected to ask for around £40m in order to sell Robinson this summer.

Why Robinson would be a good signing

The 26-year-old American international was a mainstay for Fulham this season in the Premier League. He featured 37 times in the Premier League, playing 90 minutes in 32 of those games, and missing only one match with a slight muscle injury.

He also registered six assists for Fulham, the most of his career in a single league campaign. That tally for Fulham was bettered only by Andreas Pereira, who created seven goals, as per SofaScore. As football analyst Ben Mattinson put it, Robinson “is one of the best LBs” yet to be signed by a top club.

He was very close to a move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs, AC Milan. The Italian giants were keen on signing Robinson back in 2020, during the January transfer window. The fee was agreed with his then-club Wigan Athletic, which was £6m, although it could have risen to £10m. However, the deal collapsed after Robinson was found to have an irregularity in his heart rhythm, which was found during his medical.

One of the most outstanding aspects of the 26-year-old’s game is his defensive ability. Not only does he rank highly amongst players in the Premier League, but he is also an outstanding defender when comparing him to the rest of the players in Europe’s big five leagues. He reads the game superbly and does not back away from challenges, such is reflected in his stats.

Should United sign Robinson, they would be bringing in a direct alternative to Shaw. Sadly, the 28-year-old missed 34 games with two separate injuries last season, hence their thought process behind signing a new left-back. Whilst the Fulham man is not quite as good technically as Shaw, he is more than able to hold his own.

According to FBRef, Robinson averaged 3.55 progressive passes per 90 minutes, compared to Shaw’s 4.93 per 90 in the 2022/23 season. The American actually averages more passes into the penalty box than Shaw did two seasons ago, with 1.27 compared to the Englishman’s 0.99 per 90. Their key passing stats are also close, with the Fulham man averaging 0.91 compared to Shaw’s 1.20 in 2022/23.

Where Robinson does excel over United’s number 23 is when it comes to progressive carrying. He averages 2.73 progressive carries and 1.93 carries into the final third per 90. Comparatively, Shaw averaged 1.87 progressive carries and 1.55 carries into the final third during the 2022/23 season. Robinson is a wonderful ball carrier and uses his physicality to help ride tackles and a sharp burst of pace to get away from defenders.

In signing the American, United would be adding a different profile to Shaw to their squad. That is to say, he is a proficient ball carrier and statistically one of the best defenders in Europe, whereas Shaw is technically brilliant and a wonderful passer.

With that in mind, it is easy to see why Robinson would be a great addition to United’s squad. For a fee of just £40m, he could be a superb option for United, adding excellent depth and being able to rotate often with Shaw to ensure the England international does not get too burnt out, thus increasing the risk of an injury.

This is why ten Hag must now swoop to sign the USMNT star, who is set to compete in the Copa America, before the end of the summer window.

London Spirit overcame a late clatter of wickets to scramble to a three-wicket win with four balls to spare at Edgbaston, as a crowd of 6,317 – a record for a domestic women’s game outside of London in the professional era – were treated to another tense encounter in which Birmingham Phoenix did their utmost to defend a sub-par total of 128.In the end, they fell short, but not before giving their visitors an almighty scare – primarily through the efforts of Emily Arlott, whose two wickets in three balls were followed by a third in four moments later, as the well-set Deepti Sharma slapped an Erin Burns full-toss to deep midwicket, to reduce Spirit to a rocky 108 for 6, with exactly 20 from 20 required.That equation had been chipped down to six from seven by Amara Carr and Charlotte Dean, when Katie Mack swept round from deep midwicket with a bullet return to run out Dean as she raced back for the second. However, Danielle Gibson settled the nerves with a first-ball reverse-sweep to level the scores, and the game too one ball later, as Georgia Elwiss was picked off through backward square for Gibson’s matchwinning boundary.Dattani seizes her stage
Spirit had been streaking away with the game in the early exchanges of their chase, thanks largely to Naomi Dattani, an unheralded allrounder who seized an unlikely chance to set the tempo at the top of the order.Had Tammy Beaumont not been a surprise absentee – she is quarantining for Spirit’s first two games after being given permission to attend a family wedding last week – Dattani may not have played at all. Instead she romped to 34 from 19, outgunning her more vaunted opening partner Deandra Dottin in the process. Dottin made a run-a-ball 9 before falling to the up-and-coming speedster, Issy Wong, who pinned her on the crease for a plumb lbw.Devious Davies does for Verma
After winning the toss and bowling, London Spirit’s early objective was a simple one – get rid of Shafali Verma as soon as feasibly possible. A brace of fours in Dattani’s opening spell served early warning of her power and poise, even as Dottin prised an early opening by luring Mack in a cramped hack at a surprise full toss.But Freya Davies, whose lanky, languid action so had so nearly speared a first-ball yorker into Mack’s off stump, returned for a second set with a stupendous piece of trickery. An outstanding slower ball floated down through Verma’s advances to slap her leg stump and send her on her way for a run-a-ball 13, and when the captain, Heather Knight, popped up with a golden-arm first delivery that Arlott could only flash to short cover, Phoenix’s top order were in ashes.The Jones and Jones show
And yet, from 37 for 3 after 36 balls, Phoenix produced an admirable attempt to live up to their own name, as the Joneses – Eve and Amy – came together in a stand of 64 from the next 31.Complementing one another with their left-and-right combination, just as surely as they confounded Spirit’s lines of attack, the pair took it in turns to propel the score forward – 14 fours and a six between them, the latter a fumble over the rope at square leg as Davies failed to cling on to a crashing pull from Amy Jones.The return of Dean brought an end to their stand, as Amy gave herself room for a wipe over the off-side and had her stumps rearranged, while Eve missed out on a well-deserved fifty when she over-reached on a wide one from Dottin and toe-ended a looping chance to short cover.

After their disappointing performance in the Wildcard match, Evander went to social media to apologize to fans, while also calling out those in power

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Timbers thrashed by Whitecaps 5-0After match, Evander calls out 'people in power' of clubDeclares fans deserve betterGet the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowWHAT HAPPENED?

The Portland Timbers' 2024 campaign ended Wednesday night with a 5-0 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Western Conference Wildcard play-in game for the postseason. The Timbers, in front of their home fans, conceded their worst playoff defeat of the MLS era.

After the match, Evander, the team's star midfielder and 2024 MLS MVP candidate, posted a series of messages on X highlighting his disappointment with the result. Notably, though, he seemingly called out individuals who "have power" over the club, declaring they did not "keep their word."

The Portland Timbers did not respond to GOAL's request for comment.

AdvertisementWHAT EVANDER SAID

In length, his post read: "First, I want to apologize to all the fans who, on a Wednesday night, dropped everything to support us. It’s really hard to lose the way we did. The truth is, losing is not in our plans, but we have to deal with it. I want to say that we, the players and the entire staff, did everything we could to take Portland as far as possible. However, sometimes we have no control over what happens, and what happens off the field reflects on the field. Portland fans do not deserve the people who have power over this club. People who say they are men but do not keep their word. People who are only there when the team wins. Unfortunately, these are things we have no control over. I have always fought and will continue to fight to put this team on top. To the fans, you deserve much more. Thank you for your unconditional support, and we’ll see you next season."

The Brazilian, who joined the club in 2023, had an incredible sophomore season with the Timbers, scoring 15 goals and registering 19 assists in 28 matches. As a result of his heroics on the pitch, he's a one of the leading candidates for 2024 MLS MVP.

GIVEMESPORT has additionally shared that Evander and the Timbers are in the middle of an ongoing contract dispute, with the 26-year-old and his camp asking for a release clause in his new contract, while Portland declined. The report additionally states that after the loss to Vancouver Wednesday evening, the Brazilian stated in front of head coach Phil Neville, his teammates and club GM Ned Grabavoy, that Grabavoy himself was to blame for the result.

DID YOU KNOW?

In September, Portland rejected a reported transfer offer of $9 million for the Brazilian midfielder from an unnamed Qatari team, according to GIVEMESPORT. In 2023, when he joined the MLS side, he was signed for a reported fee of $10m, meaning if he were to depart the Western Conference side, they would want to gain a profit on the sale.

USA Today ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR EVANDER, TIMBERS?

With their campaign coming to an end, the Timbers will now be looking ahead to 2025. Evander, meanwhile, will likely be the continued subject of transfer interest after his stellar season.