RCB will be eliminated because the maximum they can get to will be 12 points. Sunrisers Hyderabad (18), Chennai Super Kings (16), Kings XI (14) and the winner of the game between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals (14) will be out of reach.
Kings XI will not only strengthen their chances of qualifying for the playoffs, but also have a shot at finishing in the top two.
Mumbai Indians will have to win their last two matches to stay in contention, and even that may not be enough.
Knight Riders and Royals will stay in contention.
If RCB win:
RCB’s playoff hopes stay alive. If they win their remaining games, and if other results go their way, RCB could even qualify without worrying about net run rate.
Kings XI will also stay in contention, because they could still finish on 16 points by winning their last two games. Even 14 points may be enough if other results go their way.
Sunrisers will be assured of a top-two finish, because Super Kings will be the only team that could match or beat their present tally of 18 points.
Mumbai could still go through if they finish on 12 points because of their strong net run rate.
South Africa will be buoyed by the availability of No. 1 Test bowler Kagiso Rabada while Australia hope to have Mitchells Starc and Marsh fit
The Preview by Brydon Coverdale21-Mar-2018Big PictureTwo pieces of news regarding Kagiso Rabada have emerged since the Port Elizabeth Test. One is that he is free to play in Cape Town, courtesy of a partially successful appeal against his Code of Conduct charge for brushing his shoulder against Steven Smith. If you’re reading this preview then it’s safe to assume there is no possible way you have missed that news.The other tit-bit, though, may have passed you by. And that is that Rabada has regained the No. 1 Test bowling ranking from James Anderson, thanks to his 11 wickets at St George’s Park. Rabada has been the stand-out bowler in the series so far, and it is possible that his successful appeal will be the deciding factor in the campaign. It is premature to say that he is free to play the remainder of the series – he remains perched on seven demerit points, so even a minor charge in Cape Town could see him suspended for the final Test – but it is notable that he has 19 wickets at 21.00 from his three previous Tests at Newlands. One more good Test there could be enough for South Africa to take an unbeatable 2-1 lead.But of course this Test is not all about Rabada. Several other factors are at play in Cape Town, and few of them favour Australia. Even if Rabada doesn’t fire at Newlands, there is still the small matter of Vernon Philander, whose record there is even more imposing. Philander has piled up 47 Test wickets at 16.34 in Cape Town, where the conditions suit his seaming and swinging style. Australia know this all too well, because when they were humiliated and bowled out for 47 at the venue, Philander took 5 for 15. They must also find a way past the defences of AB de Villiers, whose hundred in Port Elizabeth was one of his best. By contrast, Australia’s batsmen have so far failed to score a single century in this series, and unless they can turn that trend around it is difficult to see them halting South Africa’s momentum. They can at least take heart from the fact that when they last played a Test at Newlands, David Warner scored a hundred in each innings.Whatever happens in Cape Town, this has already been a compelling series, and not always for the right reasons. There has been an undeniable tension between the two sides, from send-offs to sledges to shoulder bumps to stairwell argy-bargy. Don’t expect a nine-day break between Tests to have cooled things down at all.Faf du Plessis and Kagiso Rabada at a training session•Getty Images
Form guideSouth Africa WLLWW (last five matches, most recent first) Australia LWWDWIn the spotlightAB de Villiers was unlucky not to be named Man of the Match in Port Elizabeth. Rabada’s 11-wicket haul was unquestionably outstanding, but in a Test where nobody else seemed to find batting easy, de Villiers looked as if he was playing another game entirely. His unbeaten 126 from 146 balls in the first innings changed the match. It was his first Test hundred in more than three years, and if there was any question as to how he would return after missing most of 2016 and 2017, that innings alone was an emphatic answer.After taking nine wickets in the first Test in Durban, Mitchell Starc could only manage match figures of 1 for 125 in Port Elizabeth, and the possibility of extra grass on the pitch at Newlands could make it challenging for him to find reverse swing. Starc struggled with a calf problem after the second Test but is expected to take his place in Cape Town, and Australia desperately need him back to his best if they are to prevent South Africa getting away.Team newsTemba Bavuma has recovered from injury and is likely to replace Theunis de Bruyn, while there is also a question surrounding Lungi Ngidi and a possible toe injury, which could bring Morne Morkel back into the mix.South Africa: (possible) 1 Dean Elgar, 2 Aiden Markram, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 AB de Villiers, 5 Faf du Plessis (capt), 6 Temba Bavuma, 7 Quinton de Kock (wk), 8 Vernon Philander, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Morne Morkel/Lungi Ngidi.Starc and Mitchell Marsh both had injury niggles after the second Test, but the long break between matches is believed to have allowed them sufficient recovery time, and an unchanged line-up appears likely.Australia: (possible) 1 Cameron Bancroft, 2 David Warner, 3 Usman Khawaja, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 Shaun Marsh, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Tim Paine (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Pat Cummins, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Nathan Lyon.Pitch and conditionsThere is expected to be some grass on the Cape Town pitch, which may play slow and low. The forecast for the match is mostly fine.Stats and trivia Australia’s two most recent Cape Town Tests could hardly have been any more different: in 2011, they were bowled out for 47 and beaten comfortably, but in 2014 they piled up 494 and 303, and emerged victorious. Steven Smith has now gone three Tests without a hundred, a significant drought by his lofty standards. Last time he played three consecutive Tests without making a century was against South Africa in 2016. Rabada is currently sitting on 902 ratings points on the ICC Test bowling rankings, the 20th highest rating by any bowler in Test history. The highest rating of all time was the 932 retrospectively calculated for England’s Sydney Barnes in 1914.Quotes”It’s important for me to make runs. Forget the captaincy, I always say you need to score runs – that’s the most important job for any player or any captain or leader.” “I feel really good. My hit today was the best for six months.”
ESPNcricinfo presents the plays of the day from the opening day in Port-of-Spain
Daniel Brettig in Port-of-Spain15-Apr-2012Recall of the dayThe sixth ball of the match, delivered by Fidel Edwards, created a veritable trove of ambiguities and intrigues. Edwards moved the ball back into David Warner, the ball flicking pad, maybe bat and perhaps even stump on its way through to Carlton Baugh. West Indies appealed for caught behind and Marais Erasmus raised his finger, but before long Darren Sammy withdrew the hosts’ appeal because Baugh had not taken the catch. Had Sammy waited until the umpires resorted to television replays he may have seen Warner depart anyway, for the vision revealing the absence of any bat also showed that batsman could have been given out lbw.Introduction of the dayShane Shillingford’s first over of the Test caused plenty of eyes to narrow in on the Port-of-Spain pitch, to see how much spin and bounce would be on offer to the slow bowlers. Australia’s best judges reckoned it worthy of twin spin, and Shillingford would back up their summation of the surface by turning the ball appreciably. Warner has not been entirely comfortable against the turning ball so far in his Test career, and when Shillingford tossed his fifth ball higher, Australia’s opening batsman walked into a drive and snicked straight to slip.Afternoon greeting of the dayThe surface continued to assist Shillingford throughout a long and exacting spell. But his most notable delivery gave Ricky Ponting a fright on his return after lunch. Second ball of the afternoon session, Shillingford pitched an off break on a good length outside off stump. It failed almost entirely to bounce, forcing Ponting to jam down desperately in defence of his stumps and his pads, the edge trickling away and leaving all batsmen on both sides with an indicator of what they may expect later on in the match.Assist of the dayKemar Roach blasted out Ed Cowan and Ponting in a swift spell opposite the parsimonious Shillingford either side of lunch. But to dismiss Ponting, Roach required the help of two team-mates in the field. A delivery angled into Ponting and moving subtly way touched the former captain’s outside edge and flew through to Baugh, on the ground where he made his debut against Australia in 2003. However Baugh was unable to take it cleanly, the ball popping out of his gloves and rebounding to Sammy to claim it before it fell to the turf. Having been run-out in the first innings in Bridgetown then bowled by a shooter in the second, Ponting’s been a little short of luck in the Caribbean and here his run continued.
There was one obvious reason for the disappointing climax to an otherwise heartening Digicel Series for the West Indies on Friday. It was that Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul contributed 36 runs between them
Tony Cozier05-Apr-2009There was one obvious reason for the disappointing climax to an otherwise heartening Digicel Series for the West Indies at the Beausejour Stadium on Friday. It was that Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul contributed just 36 runs between them, and were out with as many as 104 needed from 15 overs to overtake England’s 172 for 5 off their 29.The stark reality is that for all the spirit and commitment that has characterised the gradual rise from the depths over the past two years the West Indies remain far too heavily reliant on runs from those three.The batting though, has been boosted by developments down the order. However, there are still gaping holes at No. 2, the one partnering Gayle, and No. 4, slotted in between Sarwan and Chanderpaul. The team won’t be complete until they are adequately filled.There has been just a solitary hundred in either position in the last 19 Tests since Brian Lara’s retirement following the World Cup in 2007. That was at No. 4 from the now suspended Marlon Samuels in South Africa almost a year and a half ago.In that time, Gayle’s partners have been Daren Ganga, Devon Smith, Sewnarine Chattergoon and Xavier Marshall. Others who, for one reason or another, have filled the position, are Denesh Ramdin, Brenton Parchment, Dwayne Bravo and Lendl Simmons.Ironically, 83 by Bravo, sent in against Sri Lanka last year when Gayle dropped himself down the order, and 86 by Marshall, chosen as No.4 but replacing the injured Chattergoon in the Barbados Test against Australia a few weeks later, are the best efforts.Just when Samuels appeared, at last, to have begun to fulfill his clear potential in South Africa, his naive association with an alleged bookmaker drew him his two-year ban. Marshall and Ryan Hinds have filled the breach since without one score over 30 between them.So where do the selectors look in their hunt for suitable candidates?They won’t find anyone right away in the regional tournament where familiar names with chequered pasts led the season’s scorers before the current round-Narsingh Deonarine (950 runs), Floyd Reifer (902), Runako Morton (851), Hinds (634), the Smiths, Dwayne (723) and Devon (359).Dale Richards, aged 32, was picked as the newest opener for the first Test of this series but, through injury, is yet to have his chance. That may come next month in England but his is hardly a long-term investment.Chattergoon and Marshall have slipped completely off the radar, as have Leon Johnson and Shaun Findlay, the young left-handers who were also on the trips to Toronto, Abu Dhabi and New Zealand last year.The main hope for the future rests with a few young up and comers, none quite ready for promotion to the highest level. They first need proper preparation, roles for the long promised Academy and for the resumption of ‘A’ team tours.The two likeliest are the Trinidadians, Adrian Barath, the little opener who is 19 in ten days time and is now in his third season, and Darren Bravo, just 20, the stylish left-hander who is Dwayne’s brother.The Nevisian left-hander Kieran Powell, 19, and Kraigg Brathwaite, 16, the schoolboy opener from Barbados with 32 hundreds already to his name at various levels and 78 on his first-class debut on Friday, are among the others.In the meantime, Gayle, Sarwan and Chanderpaul must continue to carry the upper order load, bolstered by the evidence that there is some stiffening down the list.The return of Dwayne Bravo’s all-round quality and ebullience was an immediate boost in the limited-overs series, as it no doubt will when he is back for the Tests.Brendan Nash, the dogged little left-hander from Jamaica by way of Australia, has brought much needed resilience to No. 6 with important half-centuries (in each innings) against New Zealand in Napier in December and in the first Test against England in Kingston in February followed by his maiden hundred in the final Test in Port of Spain.Wicketkeeper Ramdin’s hundred, his first, at No.7 in the Bridgetown Test was belated proof of his previous underachievement with the bat. So was Jerome Taylor’s in Dunedin against New Zealand.Coach John Dyson described each as a “significant breakthrough”. Pertinently, all benefitted from the presence of one of the big three at the other end.Nash had Chanderpaul twice and Gayle once in century partnerships that restored faltering innings, while Ramdin’s 166 at Kensington was fashioned in a record seventh wicket stand as Sarwan accumulated his 291.Throughout his 106 in Dunedin, Taylor’s partner was Chanderpaul.As did their rare combined failures on Friday at Beausejour, such statistics accentuate just how crucial the top three are to the success of the team and how vital it is to find support around them in the upper order.Either individually or together, they have figured in all three West Indies victories in the past 18 months-over South Africa, Sri Lanka and England. They have also been to the forefront of hard-fought draws.Taylor’s five for 11 second innings burst routed England at Sabina that led to the stunning and, as it proved, decisive win in February, but hundreds by Gayle and Sarwan initially earned a useful lead of 74.The doggedness of the last pair, Fidel Edwards and Daren Powell, sealed the great escape at the Antigua Recreation Ground just over a week later but Sarwan’s 106 and his stand of 148 with Chanderpaul that occupied three and three-quarter hours on the last day set it up.Last year, the same pair saw off the Australians’ press for victory at the ill-fated Sir Vivian Richards Stadium with second innings resistance for four and a half hours that yielded a partnership of 143, Sarwan with 128, Chanderpaul 70 to follow his 107 in the first innings, both with unbeaten stars against them.The problem, as was clear in St Lucia on Friday, is that they can’t do it everytime. They need help.
Glasgow Rangers continued their preparations for the 2025/26 campaign with a behind-closed-doors friendly clash at St. George’s Park on Saturday.
The Light Blues were held to a 1-1 draw, as Danilo scored the only goal for the Ibrox side.
There is still plenty of work left to be done before Rangers face their Champions League qualifiers later this month, not least on the transfer front.
Sheffield Wednesday winger Djeidi Gassama looks set to be the next player through the door. When asked about the forward’s arrival, Russell Martin said: “We’re waiting on their end to be sorted but we fully expect Gass to be our player hopefully fairly, very, very soon. We need to try and strengthen as many areas as possible.”
The 21-year-old attacker, who predominantly plays on the left flank, appears to be on the verge of joining the likes of Thelo Aasgaard, Nasser Djiga, Joe Rothwell, Emmanuel Fernandez, Max Aarons, and Lyall Cameron at Ibrox.
What Djeidi Gassama could bring to Rangers
Gassama is far from the finished article and supporters should not expect him to immediately be an incredible talent who is going to produce 20 goals and assists in his first season.
At the age of 21, he has plenty left to learn and plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve, which means that the winger will be a long-term signing for the Gers on a permanent deal from the Owls.
Djeidi Gassama
However, that does not mean that Gassama will not be a useful player for Martin to call upon at Ibrox next season, because he produced a decent amount of quality in the final third in the Championship last season.
In the 2024/25 campaign, the French dynamo scored seven goals and provided one assist in 43 appearances for Sheffield Wednesday, who were not competing for promotion from the division.
xG
5.92
Top 16%
Goals
7
Top 14%
Shots on target
23
Top 14%
Chances created
38
Top 23%
xA
2.54
Top 32%
Assists
1
Bottom 27%
Touches in the opposition box
153
Top 6%
As you can see in the table above, he ranked well among his positional peers as a goalscorer and was unfortunate to only have one assist, as his teammates let him down with wasteful finishing.
These statistics suggest that he could be an exciting player for supporters to watch as a winger who constantly gets himself into high-quality goalscoring positions by taking plenty of touches in the opposition’s box.
Gassama will not be the only winger to arrive at Ibrox this summer, though, and the Light Blues are reportedly eyeing a forward who is even better than the Owls sensation.
Rangers battling to sign Premier League forward
According to The Scottish Sun, Rangers are one of the teams eyeing up a deal to sign Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi before the end of the summer transfer window.
The report claims that Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers have joined the race to land the left-footed forward, who spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Sheffield United.
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It states that Wolves are looking to reinvest some of the cash that they brought in from the sale of Matheus Cunha to Manchester United, and they have identified the Eagles youngster as a target.
The Scottish Sun reveals that Rangers, who are now battling the Old Gold for the winger, would like to bring the 22-year-old star to Ibrox on a season-long loan, as they are not prepared to pay the £10m asking price for a permanent move.
However, it remains to be seen whether or not Wolves will stump up the £10m required to sign Rak-Sakyi, which means that the Gers are still in the race at this moment in time.
Why Rak-Sakyi is even better than Gassama
The English forward would be an even better signing for Rangers next season than Gassama with the immediate future in mind, as he could hit the ground running as a star for the Light Blues in the coming months.
Rak-Sakyi, who was hailed as “wonderful” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, only started 22 games in the Championship for Sheffield United last term, but racked up seven goals, 3.48 xA, and two assists for the promotion-chasing Blades.
Despite his limited game time, the right-sided winger showed that he can make a big impact in front of goal, which suggests that he could thrive at Ibrox as a regular starter under Martin if he arrives in Glasgow this summer.
The £10m-rated star, who delivered 15 goals and nine assists for Charlton in the 2022/23 campaign, could offer more in the final third than Gassama at the start of next season, as he heavily outperformed the Sheffield Wednesday man in the Championship when on the pitch.
xG
0.18
0.32
Goals
0.21
0.36
xA
0.08
0.18
Assists
0.03
0.10
Chances created
1.14
1.51
Dribbles completed
1.99
2.44
Touches in the opposition box
4.60
7.69
As you can see in the table above, Rak-Sakyi outperformed the French whiz as a scorer, a creator, and as a dribbler in the second tier of English football, in terms of what he offered per 90.
These statistics suggest that the left-footed star is more likely to offer consistent quality in front of goal as a scorer and a creator of goals for Rangers if given regular game time than Gassama is next season, given their respective performances at the same level last term.
Therefore, Rak-Sakyi could be a terrific signing for Rangers to immediately add goals and assists to the team on the right flank ahead of the Champions League qualifiers later this month.
Bad news for Souttar at Ibrox: Rangers plotting move to sign "great leader"
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ByBen Gray Jul 13, 2025
It is now down to the Gers, though, to convince Palace to send the winger to Ibrox on loan for the season, despite interest from Wolves in a permanent deal for the young attacker.
Before December, Eddie Howe's worst-ever period at Newcastle United came right at the beginning of his tenure, as his side picked up merely five points from a possible 21 in his first seven matches in the St. James' dugout.
However, after spending around £400m throughout his spell in charge, the Magpies have now lost seven of their last eight matches in all competitions and Monday's defeat at Anfield against Premier League leaders Liverpool piled further pressure on the manager.
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ByAdam Scully Jan 2, 2024
Nevertheless, with the January window now open, Howe could add to his squad in an attempt to stop the rot and has reportedly set his sights on one player from a league rival.
Newcastle United transfer news – Andrey Santos
According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Newcastle United have enquired to Chelsea about midfielder Andrey Santos, who is currently out on loan at relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest. It was previously reported that Chelsea were unhappy with the Brazilian's lack of minutes at the City Ground and were set to recall him from his loan this month, with the Magpies keen to bring him to the club.
Andrey Santos Chelsea
After completing his move to Stamford Bridge last year for £18m from Vasco da Gama, Santos was sent out on loan to the Tricky Trees during the summer to acclimatise to English football. However, the youngster has played merely 97 minutes this season for Forest, including just seven minutes in the Premier League. Santos' last appearance for his loan club came away at Anfield back in October.
Now, the 19-year-old could be recalled from his disappointing stint in Nottinghamshire and may be an astute signing for Newcastle, particularly on loan as Howe recently admitted that FFP will be a constraint for the side this winter, meaning dipping into the loan market could be the way forward.
Andrey Santos' stats comparison vs Sean Longstaff
Newcastle's midfield has been a problem area for the club this season. This department has been left quite bare in recent months due to injuries and suspensions to the likes of Joelinton and Sandro Tonali, leaving Howe hamstrung with his decision to constantly deploy Sean Longstaff in the middle of the park. The boyhood Geordie has made 24 appearances in all competitions already this term.
kalvin-phillips-sean-longstaff-newcastle-opinion
The problem is, since Tonali was handed a season-ending suspension early into the campaign, Howe has been forced to keep Bruno Guimaraes in a deeper position as Newcastle's holding midfielder which has caused the creative and goalscoring burden to fall onto Longstaff. Unfortunately, the 26-year-old has managed merely five goal contributions this season, including three goals and two assists.
While Santos has yet to register an assist in his professional career, the 5 foot 11 teenager has still outscored Longstaff and was outperforming the latter's output from this term in several key metrics from his time with Vasco da Gama, particularly from a defensive standpoint.
Goals
0.21
0.15
Expected Goals
0.26
0.14
Assists
0
0.15
Expected Assists
0.02
0.14
Progressive Carries
0.85
0.61
Progressive Passes
2.98
5.34
Passes To Final 1/3
2.13
2.98
Tackles
3.19
1.68
Tackles Won
1.49
0.92
Attacking Third Tackles
0.43
0.31
Interceptions
2.34
0.46
Clearances
1.49
0.92
Aerial Duels Won %
43.8%
28.6%
Stats via FBref
While Longstaff has proven himself to be more productive in the attacking phase, Santos' defensive nous would be more beneficial for Howe's team, who conceded a Premier League record 7.27 xG against Liverpool on Monday, to be more resilient out of possession, hence why football scout Jacek Kulig once described Santos as a "pressing machine".
Having Guimaraes as the deep-lying playmaker, supported by Santos and Joelinton could be more advantageous for Newcastle right now.
Compared to all other number '8s' in Europe's top-five leagues this season, Joelinton ranks in the top 20% for tackles won per 90, the top 15% for interceptions per 90 and the top 17% for blocks per 90, having been converted into a box-to-box midfielder by Howe back in 2021.
Howe could potentially repeat this masterclass by signing another Brazilian gem – Santos – on loan for the remainder of the campaign.
The jury is still out for Chelsea's summer transfer window, with Mauricio Pochettino's business proving to be a mixed bag so far, though there are plenty of positives.
Certain variables, like the long-term injury inflicted upon Christopher Nkunku in pre-season, make it difficult to form a convincing opinion – but the Frenchman's past exploits in the Bundesliga certainly tantalise a successful career to come.
Nicolas Jackson's performances have certainly left much to be admired, with the Senegalese striker largely struggling in front of goal and despite scoring seven this term, three of those did come when Tottenham Hotspur were reduced to nine men.
Club-record signing Moises Caicedo, meanwhile, has shown glimpses of why he was regarded as one of the best-holding midfielders in the league and set the Blues back a staggering £115m, but the 22-year-old still needs to add more consistency to his performances in order to repay that price tag.
By contrast, Cole Palmer has been sensational and is comfortably one of the most admired young players in the Premier League having taken to life at Stamford Bridge like a duck to water.
Although it is hard to disagree that Palmer hasn't been a resounding success, Chelsea have struggled as a whole and following a disappointing 4-1 defeat against Newcastle United on Saturday, the west London outfit are already 12 points behind fourth-place Aston Villa.
Pochettino's young squad have a mountain to climb and if they are to stand any chance of launching a challenge on their European aspirations, they will need to continue to add first-class quality to the squad, with Victor Boniface the latest player to enter the narrative.
Chelsea transfer news – Victor Boniface
Whilst a move for long-term target Victor Osimhen would be possible in January, Napoli value their prize possession at a staggering £120m.
Considering Chelsea paid £115m for Caicedo in the summer, UEFA's financial fair play regulations would be breathing down their necks if they were to shell out a three-figure sum on one player for the third transfer window running.
Victor Osimhen
With Osimhen seemingly unattainable in the winter, Calciomercato – as relayed by the Hard Tackle – state that the Blues have identified Osimhen's countryman, Victor Boniface, as a potential target.
The Bayer Leverkusen striker, who has scored 11 goals and supplied six assists in all competitions this term, could provide the Blues with a long-term solution to their prolificacy having struggled with strikers of late.
Victor Boniface
Since Didier Drogba left in 2015, and arguably Diego Costa departed in 2017, Blues fans have been waiting for a prolific forward and Boniface – as demonstrated by the above scoring exploits – could be the answer to that glaring problem.
With a value of €50m (£43m), according to the CIES Football Observatory, the 22-year-old would be an attainable target, unlike Osimhen, and boasts similar attributes that were readily associated with Drogba in his heyday, namely his strength to shrug off defenders, his explosive pace and world-class finishing.
Victor Boniface's style of play
Ever since cutting his teeth in the game at Real Sapphire in his homeland, Boniface has been touted for greatness and has been lauded as "amazing" by former Nigerian superstar, Jay-Jay Okocha.
He made his breakthrough in the European game at Norwegian giants Bodo/Glimt, where he posted a respectful 23 goals and eight assists in 66 games between 2019 and 2022.
After earning a move to Belgian side Union Saint-Galloise in the summer of 2022, the goals continued to flow, hauling an impressive 17 strikes and 12 assists in 55 competitive appearances for Union, including a hat-trick on his debut in a UEFA Champions League qualifying game against Klaksvik.
Since switching to Leverkusen in the summer, he's continued showing that red-hot form in the Bundesliga and such performances have seen him earn a description of a "defenders nightmare" by scout Antonio Mango due to his ability as an all-round centre forward.
Compared to one of the greatest strikers of this generation, Robert Lewandowski, by the Bundesliga official website, Boniface is adept at using both feet, physically powerful, strong in the air and surprisingly silky with the ball at his feet, whilst sharing his clever movement and ability to lose his marker with the Polish superstar.
Victor Boniface's statistics this season
As alluded to previously, Boniface has been in scintillating form this term with seven goals and five assists in the Bundesliga as Xabi Alonso's swashbuckling side sit at the top of the table.
Through his immense scoring power and incredible all-round attributes, Boniface has posted similar attacking metrics to the likes of world-class talents, Kylian Mbappe, Lewandowski and Romelu Lukaku in the past year, as per FBref.
Statistics
Value / Percentile rank
Non-penalty xG
0.78 / top 1%
Shots total
4.98 / top 1%
Assists
0.45 / top 1%
Successful take-ons
2.89 / top 1%
Progressive carries
3.11 / top 4%
Touches (Att pen)
7.02 / top 5%
Shot creating actions
3.34 / top 10%
All stats via FBref
The above table depicts where Boniface ranks among his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues and considering he places within the top 1% for non-penalty xG, total shots, assists and successful take-ons, the Nigerian superstar is transforming into an unstoppable machine who is matching, if not, bettering the best strikers on the planet.
It only further fuels Chelsea's interest, with Pochettino and co undoubtedly taking note of his quick integration to life on German shores; given how successful one fellow African turned out to be in west London, it might be an auspicious road to go down.
Chelsea's next Drogba
In the Jose Mourinho era, Drogba established himself as one of the most prolific strikers on the planet and fired Chelsea to consecutive Premier League titles in 2005 and 2006.
After signing from Marseille for £8m in 2004, the Ivory Coast machine scored an eye-watering 164 goals and served 88 assists on a platter for his Blues teammates as he wreaked havoc, with Mourinho lauding him as "unstoppable".
Didier Drogba
At the peak of his powers, Drogba certainly proved the special one correct by plundering 29 goals and supplying 13 assists in the 2009/10 Premier League campaign before capping a first spell at Stamford Bridge in the best way possible by scoring in the winning penalty to lift the Champions League against Bayern Munich in 2012.
Whilst remaining at Leverkusen is an attractive proposition currently given they are battling with Bayern for the Bundesliga title, if Boniface has aspirations of cementing his legacy as one of the best strikers in the world, he should take the plunge and move to Chelsea.
As Drogba found out, there's no better way to achieve the above than unleashing his scoring powers in the Premier League.
Arsenal have made a stellar start to the 2023/24 campaign, although Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar will be wishing time away to get to the January transfer window.
The Gunners sit just one point from the summit after 12 games played in the Premier League, however, injury has plagued the squad in the early moments of the campaign to resurface the issues relating to depth that cancelled the north Londoner’s plans of winning the league last term.
With key members of the XI absent, the upcoming January transfer window could shed some light on where Arsenal see their need for recruitment being, with the midfield said to be one of the primary areas to be assessed at the start of 2024.
Aside from the midfield, a recurring theme of the Gunners’ shortcomings in the side is the lack of potency in leading the line, with Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus the only two recognisable centre-forwards in the first team.
The January window could come at a perfect time for Arteta to strengthen his options going forward, with a few names already linked with a move to the Emirates.
Arsenal's January transfer targets
According to Football Transfers, Juventus talisman Dusan Vlahovic is the manager’s ‘preferred’ number nine target, with the 23-year-old renowned for his impact in the final third in Italy.
The report touches upon Arsenal’s past interest in the Serbian, who was linked with the Premier League outfit prior to his move to Juve in January 2022.
Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic.
With a market value of €80m (£70m), the Serie A dynamo could be an expensive forward to acquire, particularly following his dip in form since his move to Turin, in which he has only netted 21 league goals for the Bianconeri in almost two years.
Closer to home, a more trusted figure could be an option for the Gunners to select to lead their line in the future, with links to Brentford’s Ivan Toney resurfacing.
After speaking highly of the north London club during the Diary of a CEO podcast, the Englishman has emerged as a potential talent for Arteta to eye, with several news outlets reporting Arsenal’s apparent interest.
A report from journalist John Cross, via The Mirror, back in September claimed that both Arsenal and Chelsea are eyeing the 27-year-old’s services in January, when his ban from football for betting infringements will expire.
Adding to the initial report, The Mirror relayed earlier this month that the Bees were to slap a £100m price tag on their star man to ward off interest from Arteta and Edu, however, things could take another twist.
This week, 90min reported that Toney is ‘demanding’ a release clause in his current contract that could allow interested parties to swipe him from Brentford’s grasp if the agreed fee is met.
The report also mentioned that both Arsenal and Chelsea have ‘held talks’ with the striker’s representatives, making his movements in the future an interesting narrative to follow.
Ivan Toney’s career in numbers
Once lauded as “remarkable” by manager Thomas Frank, it’s no surprise that Brentford want to keep hold of their forward, who has contributed heavily to the west London club since his arrival in 2020.
From League Two, to League One, to the Championship, to the Premier League, Toney has passed the tests of the top-four tiers of English football, scoring 165 career goals while representing a handful of clubs.
Appearances
Goals
Assists
53
11
5
165
65
21
45
31
10
68
32
9
Often, players are unable to replicate their form shown in the leagues below the top-flight, however, the Northampton-born star defies such woes having emerged as one of the most deadly forwards in the Premier League since the Bees’ promotion.
In his debut season at Brentford, the forward fired his new club to the top-flight, contributing to 41 goals in 45 appearances, scoring 31 and assisting ten to introduce himself to west London in stylish fashion.
Across his two campaigns in the Premier League at the Gtech Community Stadium, Toney has netted 32 goals, claiming 12 in his first term and 20 last season, ending the 2022/23 calendar as the league’s third-highest scorer behind Erling Haaland and Harry Kane.
With pace, power, strong finishing ability and most importantly, a proven spark in the top flight, the £100m price tag on the England international could prove to be priceless for Arsenal.
Why Ivan Toney would be a strong signing for Arsenal
It’s obvious that Toney would be a firm upgrade on the Gunners’ current strike options based on his scoring record alone, with his 32 Premier League goals in two seasons far beyond the capacity of Jesus and Nketiah.
The former Manchester City gem has netted 28 goals in his previous three full seasons in the league, while the 24-year-old is yet to hit 20 goals in his 101 appearances, reinforcing the added firepower that the Brentford man would provide.
Arsenal haven’t had an established striker since Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, who is the first Gunners centre-forward to hit over 20 league goals since Robin van Persie in 2011/12, with winger Alexis Sanchez the only other player to overcome the 20 goal hurdle, via Transfermarkt.
While the north Londoners were in transition with managers, players and outside of the top four during the Gabon international’s time at the Emirates, his goalscoring streak provided the squad with a reliable outlet to show for the creativity within the side.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Ivan Toney
22
20
124 min
148 min
1.1
1.3
23
16
23%
21%
In signing Toney, Arteta could replicate the clinical streak of the former Borussia Dortmund talisman to his current squad, who are already making waves in the Premier League without the assistance of a prolific number nine.
Aubameyang arrived when the squad was in re-build and scored goals, whereas the 27-year-old could arrive at a time where he would be the missing piece to the manager’s puzzle, in a move that could transform Arsenal’s hopes of re-establishing themselves within Europe's elite.
A hefty price tag and a club that aren’t willing to give up hopes of keeping hold of their forward easily are what stands in the way of the Gunners securing Toney’s signature, leaving the Gunners with a lot to consider when weighing up the strength of their pursuit for the Englishman.
Sri Lanka came to life during their 219-run DLS thrashing of England in the fifth ODI and Thisara Perera suggested his T20 side would be on the attack again
Andrew Fidel Fernando26-Oct-2018Fresh from piling on 366 against England in the final one-dayer, Sri Lanka are hopeful the tables they turned on Tuesday will remain upended, that the boots will stay switched, and that their batsmen will continue their plunder in the T20 on Saturday. Sure, victory in the fifth ODI came in a dead rubber against a substantially weakened England side, but its emphatic nature – the 219-run DLS win was Sri Lanka’s biggest this decade – has injected fresh energy into what had been an ailing limited-overs side.In particular, Sri Lanka may seek to target England’s key bowlers. In the fifth ODI they succeeded in taking more runs off legspinner Adil Rashid than they previously had in the series. Sri Lanka’s new T20 captain Thisara Perera said an aggressive approach against Rashid could pay dividends again.”If you take the last game, whatever we wanted to do against Rashid worked, I thought,” he said. “We wanted to be positive against him. When we have that mindset we can put a bowler under pressure. So we urged the batters to go out and play positively. But we also kept an eye on the variations to expect from each bowler.”The batsmen who began Tuesday’s onslaught were Niroshan Dickwella, who has had a good limited-overs leg of this tour, and Sadeera Samarawickrama, who made his maiden international fifty. The pair put on Sri Lanka’s first century opening stand since July 2017, and may have the opportunity to provide more early-overs fireworks. Because Kusal Perera remains sidelined with a quad strain, Samarawickrama has been brought into the squad, and will likely open the innings again.”We gave them the last couple of games hoping to get a good start, because we have to give players opportunities often,” Thisara said. “I thought they grabbed it by both hands. We have just a few games before the World Cup and we hope to settle on a side, rather than allowing new players to come in and find places.”On a personal note, Thisara believes the T20 captaincy came back to him on account of his much improved batting and bowling form in 2018. He had been T20 limited-overs captain for a stint in late 2017, before being replaced by Angelo Mathews in the role, but now takes the job back from Mathews. Having had three poor years between 2015 and 2017, Thisara has made an emphatic recovery this year, and averaging 37.66 and striking at 176 with the bat, even if his bowling in the shortest format hasn’t been as good as it has been in ODis.”Captaincy was not something that I expected,” he said. “I was keen on representing the country, and captaincy came to me as I became senior. I was taken out as captain this year, but when I started performing again I was entrusted with leadership again. If I can perform as a player and continue to lead the side I will be happy with that.”
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.