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Jurgen Klopp was left fuming after Liverpool's loss to Toulouse in the Europa League – and it was not just because of the result.

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Liverpool beaten 3-2 by ToulouseKlopp's press conference drowned outCoach left angered by the noiseWHAT HAPPENED?

The Reds coach had a hard time answering reporters' questions after the match as he found himself drowned out by the jubilant home supporters, who were chanting loudly in celebration of their team's 3-2 win on Thursday.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Klopp's men were deservedly beaten by the French side, despite a late fightback from the Premier League team, who thought they had equalised right at the end of the game.

With Toulouse leading 3-2 until the dying minutes, 20-year-old defender Jarell Quansah fired into the net to tie things up. Unfortunately for Klopp's side, however, a VAR review showed that the ball had struck Alexis Mac Allister's arm in the build up and it was eventually disallowed, giving Toulouse the three points.

WHAT THEY SAID

Klopp tried to answer questions from the press in the wake of the game, but soon had his head in his hands out of frustration as his voice was drowned out.

He said: "Who had the idea to do the press conference here? That would be a really interesting question. Wow."

The German coach did not get an immediate answer to his question, as they tried to continue despite the disruption.

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Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Klopp's men will hope to get back to winning ways on Sunday when they meet Brentford in the Premier League.

Al-Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is “totally” Champions League level, even at 38 years of age, says Portugal boss Roberto Martinez.

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All-time great showing no sign of slowing downHit over 50 goals for club & country in 2023Evergreen forward intends to play on into his 40sWHAT HAPPENED?

The all-time great, who has five Ballon d’Or wins to his name, has been showing no sign of slowing down since leaving elite European football for a new adventure in Saudi Arabia. He plundered over 50 goals for club and country in 2023, with the evergreen frontman still the poster boy for longevity at the very highest level.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT MARTINEZ SAID ABOUT RONALDO

Martinez, who now works with Ronaldo in international football, has told when asked if CR7 – who remains the competition’s all-time leading goalscorer – could still cut it in the Champions League: “Totally. He’s incredible with his capacity to really reinvent himself. This is not the player we saw in the first spell at Manchester United, he’s not a wide player. Now he’s a finisher, someone that understands quality of movement in the box, and is an incredible threat. And experienced.”

Martinez added on what makes Ronaldo different from just about every other player on the planet: “Cristiano, first and foremost, is happy. What shocked me was how fresh he is with his approach in football: someone of 38 comes to training and wants to win every exercise, win every race and is the last one leaving.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Ronaldo is also a role model to the next generation, with Martinez saying of how a player with over 200 international caps to his name is helping to ensure that stars of tomorrow follow in his illustrious footsteps: “He always tries to give young players a lot of help. Nobody can help a young player better than a team-mate that’s got more than 200 games for the national team. I think the young players are in awe of Cristiano but when they start working with him it’s respect and then it’s just very competitive. The generation of Cristiano and Pepe, 40, set the standards of how the work should be should be done for a young player. It’s gold.”

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO?

Ronaldo remains tied to a contract at Al-Nassr through to 2025 – and will soon be lining up against eternal rival Lionel Messi in a glamour friendly clash with Inter Miami – while he has stated a desire to play on through to the 2026 World Cup finals and into his 40s.

Phil Parkinson's side have hit a rough patch, but is there really anything to worry about?

"You try and focus on yourselves, but there’s all these apps out there now on your phone, so it is easy to look at the table and the form of all the teams. You just have to be really disciplined and focus on yourself and each game as it comes. I know that’s boring and a cliche, but it is true."

That was Wrexham midfielder Jordan Tunnicliffe's neat summation of the pulsating League Two promotion battle, provided in the wake of his side's 1-0 defeat to Gillingham on Saturday. Since Christmas, the momentum in that particular fight has shifted from team to team regularly.

Now, provided Barrow don't piece together something quite spectacular over the next few weeks, it appears that there are five runners left in the race for automatic promotion: leaders Mansfield Town, Stockport, Crewe Alexandra, Wrexham and MK Dons, with just five points separating those teams from top to bottom.

It's good news for the neutral, with League Two set for one of the tensest run-ins for years. But in truth, Phil Parkinson's side have to regard the last few weeks as a missed opportunity to properly establish themselves in pole position in the race to League One.

GettyA concerning dip in form

That's because Wrexham are currently in the midst of a concerning dip in form. Defeat in Kent this weekend means Parkinson's charges have now won just twice in their last seven league games. There's no reason to smash the panic button just yet, this run did included a fantastic – if slightly fortunate – victory over last season's rivals Notts County after all.

But this New Year's lull has also included disappointing defeats to Newport County, Salford and Bradford City – all teams marooned in the bottom half of the League Two table. Wrexham were far from convincing against struggling Sutton too, requiring an 85th-minute winner to get past the division's basement dwellers.

They aren't the only League Two promotion hopefuls who have hit a sticky patch, though. Stockport looked dead certs for promotion before Christmas, but they are now winless in four, opening the door for Crewe and Mansfield to romp up the standings.

But that shouldn't excuse Wrexham's poor form. Dig a little deeper and there are several underlying issues that will offer Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney cause for concern as the season draws to a close.

AdvertisementGettyPaul Mullin not at his best

The startling underperformance of Paul Mullin is one such red flag. Mullin has scarcely stopped finding the back of the net since arriving from Cambridge United in a blockbuster deal back in 2021. But recently, nothing has been falling for him.

Mullin has now not scored in seven games, with Parkinson even taking the shocking decision to drop him for recent matches against Sutton, MK Dons and Gillingham. The first time it happened, the Wrexham boss was diplomatic, describing it as a chance for the "special" striker to rest up following a draining few seasons.

But, explaining Mullin's absences more recently, Parkinson said: "The squad is important and we will just keep looking at that, and freshen it up if we feel we need to." Those comments came ahead of the Gillingham defeat, and the fact that Mullin only came on in the second half in that one seems to suggest that his manager is not completely satisfied with his star man's performances this season.

Getty ImagesElliot Lee struggling too

Not all the blame can be laid at Mullin's door, though. Elliot Lee has also fallen into a bit of a funk. When Mullin was out injured at the beginning of the season, Lee stepped up to the plate, emerging as Parkinson's most-important attacking performer.

He raced to 13 League Two goals before Christmas, but since then his output has dried up considerably. Indeed, he's only managed one strike since Boxing Day, despite featuring in each of his side's 11 subsequent games. It was an important goal at least: the winner in his side's victory over Sutton earlier this month.

Like Mullin, Lee found himself relegated to the bench for his side's draw with MK Dons, and the pair's dips in form coinciding almost exactly with when they were handed new, long-term contracts is particularly unfortunate. As is the fact that their attacking team-mates have been unable to fill the void left by their lack of goals.

January signing Jack Marriott is yet to make the net bulge in six appearances, Sam Dalby seems unlikely to ever be properly prolific at this level, while Ollie Palmer – a key figure last season – seems to have fallen out of favour. Steven Fletcher has at least started 2024 strongly, but he hasn't done quite enough to arrest Wrexham's underwhelming form in front of goal.

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GettyA lack of discipline

Widening the lens across the whole season, another worrying trend comes into view. Namely, Wrexham's lack of discipline. No League Two side has picked up more straight red cards than them (four) over the course of the season, with the Red Dragons seeing six players sent off in total. Only Salford and Forest Green – both faltering at the foot of the table – have a worse dismissal record overall.

Impressively, Wrexham have still managed to win three of the games in which they were reduced to 10 men, but their luck has run out since the turn of the year. Back in January, Will Boyle's early red card for a reckless challenge against Newport County left them with a mountain to climb, and their Welsh rivals went on to win the game 1-0, depriving their opponents of the chance to go top of League Two.

And then against MK Dons, Boyle again saw red, this time 13 minutes from time. It wasn't quite as damaging, with their hosts being reduced to 10 men themselves earlier in the second half, though it did take the sting out of their attack as Wrexham pushed for a winner.

In reaction to this latest dismissal, Parkinson bemoaned what he perceives as harsh treatment from referees this season, after MK Dons boss Mike Williamson suggested the media darlings are treated more leniently than their rivals. "I've been constantly this season going through clips of decisions we could have got, penalties or red cards which were harsh against us, but over the course of the season you've got to accept it and it balances itself out."

Parkinson does have a point in some ways; several of these red cards do seem harsh on second viewing. Then again, some of them been deserved, and Wrexham need to make sure they keep their heads and have 11 players on the pitch at all times during the run-in.

Netherlands competed gamely for 34 overs in Chittagong, but Brendon McCullum struck an unruffled 65 from 45 to drive New Zealand’s highest successful World Twenty20 chase, which was completed with six wickets and an over to spare

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando29-Mar-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Netherlands competed gamely for 34 overs in Chittagong, but Brendon McCullum struck an unruffled 65 from 45 to drive New Zealand’s highest successful World Twenty20 chase, which was completed with six wickets and an over to spare. New Zealand needed 56 from the last six overs, before McCullum whipped a flat six over deep square leg to ease the final charge in motion. Had the man on the fence been right back on he rope, he might have caught McCullum to give Netherlands a chance, but McCullum would maul 30 from his last 12 balls, leaving Corey Anderson and Jimmy Neesham with a short skip to the finish.Peter Borren and Tom Cooper had put on Netherlands’ best stand against a Test nation, hitting 60 together towards the end of their team’s innings, but though New Zealand only took four wickets, their discipline caged the opposition. Borren, who top-scored with 49, felt his team were about 20 runs short on a decent batting pitch. New Zealand’s calculating chase confirmed as much.Smart stats

Brendon McCullum has become the first player to score 2000 runs in T20Is. He has scored 600 more than the second-highest, Mahela Jayawardene.

McCullum’s 65 is his 15th fifty-plus score (13 fifties, 2 hundreds), which is also a record. Chris Gayle is behind him with 12.

New Zealand’s score of 152 for 4 is their highest in a successful run-chase in a World Twenty20 match. They’ve scored more on three occasions, but lost all those matches.

For Netherlands, Peter Borren, their captain, scored 49, which is his highest score in a Twenty20 game. His previous-best was 45 in a Caribbean T20 match against Sussex in 2012.

The partnership of 60 between Borren and Tom Cooper is Netherlands’ highest in a Twenty20 international against a Test-playing nation.

Netherlands had had the best starts of the tournament before this match, averaging a run rate of 9.13 in the Powerplay, but managed only 37 for 1 in the first six overs, thanks largely to Trent Boult’s parsimony. Boult replaced Tim Southee for this match, and his control at the outset delivered him the wicket of Stephan Myburgh for 16, when the batsman attempted an aggressive pull following a sedate start.Borren’s best T20 knock gave shape to Netherlands’ middle overs, as he ventured calculated strikes against bowlers he fancied. Kane Williamson’s solitary over disappeared for 17, after Borren advanced to deposit him over long on, before hitting two more fours in the over. Anderson would also suffer by his blade.A reverse-swept boundary off his fourth ball suggested Tom Cooper had lost none of his form following two mediocre innings, and he would go on to wallop an unbeaten 40 off 23, reclaiming the top place in the tournament’s run-scorers’ table. Netherlands had been poised for a late blitz at 141 for 4 after 18 overs, but excellent death bowling ensured the final overs would wrest back momentum. Neesham – who had replaced Colin Munro for this match – sent down wide yorkers to concede only one run in the 19th, although three of them were very close to being called wides. Boult kept the final over to nine.New Zealand’s start had as been as restrained as the opposition’s, but that was largely a result of a less ambitious outlook. McCullum would progress at not much better than a run-a-ball for much of his innings, as top-order teammates made starts and got out around him. Timm van der Gugten was the best of Netherlands’ bowlers, taking 3 for 30 in four overs of lively, accurate seam, but Ahsan Malik’s cutters were less effective in this match, despite the dry surface.Malik’s third over – the 16th of the innings – would bring the definitive shift for New Zealand, as McCullum lofted a six over deep extra cover to complete his 13th T20 fifty and Anderson bludgeoned a four down the ground to plunder 16 from the over. He had also become the first man to 2000 T20 international runs during the innings. McCullum departed in the next over, but with 17 needed off 19, he left the match firmly in New Zealand’s hands.

Geoffrey Boycott has said James Anderson should be given a “stern punishment” if he is found guilty of having abused and pushed Ravindra Jadeja at Trent Bridge

Vishal Dikshit16-Jul-20142:52

Boycott on Anderson: “If he’s found guilty, then there’s no excuse.”

Former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott has said James Anderson should be given a “stern punishment” if he is found guilty of having abused and pushed Ravindra Jadeja on the second day of the first Investec Test at Trent Bridge.”If anybody’s found guilty, and if I had a say in it, I believe he should be punished and punished harshly, that will stop it,” Boycott told ESPNcricinfo. “I think everybody [found guilty] deserves a stern punishment. I didn’t see any pushing and I could have easily missed it. If he’s found guilty of that, then there’s no excuse.”The alleged incident took place when the players left the field for lunch on the second day. There was reportedly a verbal altercation between Anderson and Jadeja that continued as they walked towards the dressing room. Jadeja was unbeaten on 24, and MS Dhoni on 81, and Anderson had bowled the last over before lunch. Anderson was charged under Level 3 of the ICC Code of Conduct after India team manager Sunil Dev lodged the complaint.”What is going on in cricket, verbals between players, and particularly bowlers trying to rile batsmen by flagging them off, I don’t like it,” Boycott said. “I’ve never agreed with it, I don’t think there’s a place for it in cricket. The modern player, in a lot of countries, accepts it as a norm as if they are growing up with it and everybody does it and everybody should do it. They believe it is not hurting cricket. Well, I believe it is. Jimmy [Anderson] is known to be one that talks to players. Now what he actually says I don’t know, I’m not near enough to hear it and I certainly can’t lip-read. But he is known to do a lot of talking. I don’t agree with it.”I’ve been against some of the great fast bowlers in the world, the great West Indians, they didn’t have to flag you off and make crude remarks. They just tried to bowl you out, they tried to knock you out sometimes but that’s part of the game. They never got involved – [Denniss] Lillee, [Jeff] Thomson. Thomson used to swear under his breath but he never swore at the batsman, he just swore at himself and made expletives when he got a thick edge and it went between slip and gully for four. He’d be annoyed and irritated but he wouldn’t swear at the batsman. Fred Trueman used to swear and make funny remarks and make you laugh.”Anderson scored a fighting 81 in England’s only innings and took four wickets in the match, including Jadeja’s in the second innings. He faces a ban of at least two Tests if he is found guilty because the minimum sanction for a Level 3 violation is four suspension points and two points equates to missing one Test. He faces a hearing that will take place within 14 days.

Joe Burns, who will make his debut in Melbourne, has been trying to fly under the radar, trying not to stay on the right side of the established players

Brydon Coverdale25-Dec-20142:10

Bevan: Burns is a hard-wicket player

A Boxing Day Test debut is the stuff of dreams for young Australian cricketers. For some, it has led to a long and successful career – Steve Waugh and Brett Lee, for example. Others like Ed Cowan, Phil Jaques, Martin Love and Jackson Bird have had shorter careers, though in the cases of Cowan and Bird, that could still change. Matthew Nicholson’s Boxing Day debut was his only Test.The latest addition to the list will be Queensland batsman Joe Burns, who will become the 441st man to wear the baggy green when he walks out onto the MCG turf. For serious cricket followers, Burns is an exciting prospect who deserves his chance. More casual cricket fans will say they don’t know much about Burns and call him a bolter.Even among the squad this week, Burns has been trying to fly under the radar, trying not to stay on the right side of the established players. Brad Haddin joked on Tuesday that Burns had asked him where he was allowed to sit in the change-rooms. Burns admitted that his eagerness to please had indeed stretched that far.”I’ve been trying to keep a low profile,” Burns said. “I’ve been asking guys like Brad Haddin and Ryan Harris about where to sit, what to do. Just trying to keep off everyone’s toes and make sure I’m on the best behaviour… I got very nervous and stood in the middle of the room until everyone else sat down and found a seat. Then I was informed that I was in Michael Clarke’s seat so I’ve got a lot to live up to in that seat.”In the spotlight: It’s Joe Burns’ first visit to a Boxing Day Test•Getty ImagesIt’s fair to say this is a very different Christmas for Burns, who would usually spend the time with his family in Brisbane. Instead, they are joining him in Melbourne to watch his debut at No.6 for Australia. It will be a first not only for the Burns family, but for Joe Burns himself.”I’ve never been to a Boxing Day Test,” Burns said. “So from that point of view it’s even more exciting, to come along to the ground, see a sold out MCG and soak it all in. It’s exciting just to say those words. To live it out on Friday, I can’t wait.”At least Burns has pleasant memories of his previous trips to the MCG. He has played two Sheffield Shield games at the venue for scores of 59, 123 and 71. He hopes to find a similar surface when he bats there in a Test match, though the pressure in front of tens of thousands of spectators will be a little more than when he played in the Shield in front of tens of people.”I certainly do enjoy batting here,” Burns said. “It’s a wicket that can be quite flat, but also retain its pace. It’s a nice batting wicket. I haven’t seen the pitch for the Test yet, but I imagine it’ll be much the same. Obviously there is going to be more pressure, but hopefully that makes it more enjoyable.”Adding to the familiarity for Burns is the presence of coach Darren Lehmann in the Australian squad. Lehmann was in charge of Queensland when Burns first emerged as a state cricketer of note at the age of 21. Burns said he was the player and person he was today because of the influence of Lehmann.”I was a young player when he took over and teaching me everything that goes with professional cricket,” Burns said. “The values, the type of character, the way to go about the game on and off the field. I think I certainly am the player I am today and I guess the person around cricket I am today because of the influence he had on me from a younger age. I’m just excited to have him as my first Australian coach. It’s very special.”

A quick look at the players who could emerge as the potential big buys at the IPL 2026 mini auction

Nagraj Gollapudi13-Dec-202514:06

IPL 2026 auction: Who will be among the most expensive players?

Cameron GreenWhen Mumbai Indians (MI) bought Cameron Green for INR 17.5 crore ahead of the 2023 season, Akash Ambani, the franchise owner, said Green would bring “lifetime value” to the five-time IPL champions. While, in the successful pursuit of getting back Hardik Pandya, Green was traded to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) just a year later, the Australian allrounder unpacked his batting skills during his first IPL stint. Batting in different positions, including as opener, Green scored 452 runs at a strike rate of 160.28 and a handsome average of 50.22, which included a century and two fifties.At RCB, Green played 13 matches, scoring 255 runs at an average of 31.87 and a strike rate of 143.25. He also picked up ten wickets at an economy of 8.61 at RCB, which was better than the 9.07 during his MI stint, where he took six wickets.Related

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Green could be biggest buy, but can't cross INR 18 crore

Green did not enter the 2025 mega auction as he was injured, but a year later, the 26-year-old is set to be the focal point of the mini auction with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the top two in terms of purse available, desperate to fill the vacancy for an overseas allrounder.While Green has listed himself as a batter, it is understood there is no directive from Cricket Australia restricting his bowling. KKR have to find an able replacement for Andre Russell who retired from the IPL, and CSK need an overseas allrounder to bolster their middle order.Liam LivingstoneThe bat makes a distinct noise when Liam Livingstone thwacks the ball into the crowd. Just like his power-hitting colleagues Russell, Tim David and Mitchell Marsh, Livingstone’s ability to blitz the opposition makes him among the most in-demand T20 batters.In the 2025 Hundred, Livingstone blasted Rashid Khan for 4, 6, 6, 6, 4 to lead Birmingham Phoenix to a comfortable win and end Oval Invincibles’ unbeaten run in the season. Such skills were the reason defending IPL champions RCB bought the England batting allrounder for INR 8.75 crore, but released him not just to bolster the purse but also due to the presence of David and West Indies allrounder Romario Shepherd.Livingstone, though, has had a strong 2025 overall in T20s: in 35 innings, he has scored 840 runs at an average of 30 and a strike rate of 148.93. He has a balls-per-boundary count of 5.47 (as of December 12). Not just KKR and CSK, but even Lucknow Super Giants, who released David Miller, are likely to look at Livingstone as a finisher.Matheesha PathiranaMatheesha Pathirana is a special bowler. A slinger who can hurl 150kph yorkers with accuracy as well as clunk the helmet of greats like Virat Kohli – as he did with a 153kph rocket last IPL – when he has the rhythm. Such skillsets were what made former CSK captain MS Dhoni, a few years ago, call Pathirana, who turns 23 next week, an asset to treasure as well as protect for his longevity.Dhoni’s words have proved to be prescient as Pathirana has struggled with injury issues in the past year, which have hampered his on-field fitness and performance. And that was also the primary factor for CSK releasing Pathirana, having bought him as a replacement player in 2022 and then retaining him for INR 13 crore ahead of the mega auction last year.Pathirana, whose workload is being closely managed by Sri Lanka Cricket, is set to play in the ILT20 this weekend, where he is part of Sharjah Warriorz. Pathirana has listed himself at the maximum base price knowing several franchises need an overseas fast bowler, including both CSK and KKR as well as Punjab Kings (PBKS), last year’s runners-up.Why does he remain an attractive buy then? Pathirana has the fifth-best strike rate in the IPL for any quick bowler with more than 20 wickets. Since his IPL debut, Pathirana has 43 wickets in overs 11-20, the second-most for a fast bowler in this phase. Also, among pacers with more than 20 wickets in overs 11-20, Pathirana’s economy is second only to Jasprit Bumrah’s since 2022.Among the very few capped Indian spinners in the auction pool, Ravi Bishnoi is likely to garner attention•BCCIRavi BishnoiWhen Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) released Ravi Bishnoi, who they had brought in as an uncapped player in 2022 and then retained for INR 11 crore before the mega auction last year, it surprised a fair few. But Bishnoi’s numbers during his four seasons were nothing special, and his impact was further overshadowed by the emergence of uncapped Indian fingerspinner Digvesh Rathi in IPL 2025.Still, among the very few capped Indian spinners in the pool, Bishnoi is likely to garner attention, especially since Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are looking for a wristspinner. CSK, too, could look at him as an option even if, barring Imran Tahir, wristspinners have not made a big impact at their home base Chepauk.Jamie SmithJamie Smith has grabbed attention for unwanted reasons in the ongoing Ashes. He would rather be known for the high regard in which he is held on IPL street, where some franchise think-tanks like his aggressive mindset with the bat.While Smith has not been able to display his skills in T20Is due to the presence of Jos Buttler and Phil Salt, his Hundred numbers are strong. Smith, who predominantly plays as an opener, has stellar numbers in the powerplay (first 25 balls in an innings): in 13 innings, he has scored 178 runs at an average of 59.33 and a strike rate of 176.23 with a balls-per-boundary count of 3.6.His numbers against spin, too – a big factor in the IPL – are strong. In the Hundred, against spin bowlers, Smith has scored 145 runs in 13 innings at an average of 29, a strike rate of 154.25 and a balls-per-boundary figure of 5.22. In all T20s, the corresponding numbers are: in 59 innings, 581 runs, 29.05 average, 130.56 strike rate with a balls-per-boundary figure of 7.17.At 25, Smith is potentially an attractive option, with several teams including KKR, Delhi Capitals (DC) and PBKS on the lookout for a wicketkeeper-batter.

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On Wednesday evening, Southampton will host Crystal Palace at St Mary’s Stadium.

The Saints will be confident heading into this encounter, having gone unbeaten for the last three Premier League games – a run that includes securing a hard-fought draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Crystal Palace, meanwhile, were unfortunate to fall to a 4-3 defeat against Liverpool at Anfield last time out in the league, and Roy Hodgson will be keen to see his side bounce back from the loss.

The battlers

The south coast club’s key man in terms of offering a goal threat is Liverpool-loanee Danny Ings. The 26-year-old has registered eight goals in 17 appearances for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side so far this season, as per Transfermarkt’s statistics.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

Palace centre-back, and Ings’ former Liverpool teammate, Mamadou Sakho will likely be the man tasked with stopping the once-capped England international.

Who will prevail?

Like Ings, Sakho has enjoyed an impressive campaign so far. According to WhoScored’s stats, the 29-cap France international has averaged 1.1 tackles, 1.6 interceptions and 4.7 clearances per Premier League match so far this season.

What’s more, the 28-year-old has only been dribbled past 0.3 times per game.

As per WhoScored’s records, Ings has maintained an average of completing 0.8 dribbles per Premier League game this season, and has generally been dispossessed only 0.9 times per match.

Although Sakho ought to know Ings’ game well from their shared time at Anfield, the stats suggest that the striker is coming into this clash with a slight edge over his opponent. Southampton fans will be hoping that advantage pays dividends on Wednesday night.

ESPNcricinfo tracks player movements before the start of India’s 2013-14 domestic season

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Aug-2013Ramesh Powar will play for Rajasthan for the next two domestic seasons•ESPNcricinfo LtdKB Pawan moves to Tripura
Karnataka’s KB Pawan has moved to Tripura for the season. Pawan was a regular opener for Karnataka but lost his place to KL Rahul last season. The right-handed wicketkeeper-batsman has played 44 first-class matches for Karnataka, scoring 2642 runs at an average of 37.21.Punjab’s Bipul Sharma moves to Himachal Pradesh
Allrounder Bipul Sharma, who was with Punjab until last season, will turn up for Himachal Pradesh in 2013-14. He made his debut for Punjab in 2005, and has played 14 first-class and 52 List A matches. He has five fifties, and a highest score of 93 in first-class cricket to go with 19 wickets at 41.63. The 30-year-old has also played one game for India A against Scotland in 2010.Karnataka’s Abhishek Bhat moves to Saurashtra
Abhishek Bhat, 24, will be among Saurashtra’s ranks this season. He has played club cricket in Karnataka, appearing in the Safi Darasha Tournament, but is yet to make his debut in first-class or List A formats.Gujarat’s Avi Barot moves to Haryana
Wicketkeeper-batsman Avi Barot has transferred from Gujarat to Haryana for this season. The 21-year-old cricketer, who has also represented India Under-19, made his debut for Gujarat in 2011 and has played four first-class matches so far, scoring 118 runs at an average of 19.66. In 12 List A games, Barot has scored 296 runs at an average of 24.66 with three fifties.Rajasthan’s Rashmi Parida moves to Vidarbha
Batsman Rashmi Parida has transferred from Rajasthan to Vidarbha for the 2013-14 season. Parida, 36, played 29 Ranji games for Rajasthan, scoring 1536 runs with two centuries. He was part of the team’s title victories in 2011 and 2012. Parida started his career with his native Orissa in 1994-95 before shifting to Assam for the 2008-09 season. He spent the next four seasons with Rajasthan.Himachal’s Bhavin Thakkar, Gujarat’s Bhavik Thaker move to Jharkhand
Middle-order batsman Bhavin Thakkar will play for Jharkhand in the 2013-14 season. Thakkar, 31, last played a first-class game in 2010, for Himachal Pradesh. He has played 37 first-class games in all, scoring 1924 runs at 35.62, with five tons and 10 fifties. Before Himachal, Thakkar had played for Mumbai. He changed teams, Thakkar told the , because getting a chance to play was most important to him: “You know Mumbai cricket. There is always someone good to replace you. It’s part of the job. You’ve got to accept it. Sometimes, the selectors feel someone else is doing a better job than you. I have no regrets. I played with pride for Mumbai, but playing this game is more important to me than anything else.”Gujarat’s Bhavik Thaker also moved to Jharkhand. The batsman, who made his first-class debut in 2003, was a part of the Gujarat squad for the Ranji trophy in the 2012-13 season, but didn’t get a game. His last first-class game for Gujarat was in December 2011, while his last List A game for his home state was in February 2012. In 55 first-class games, Thaker has 3000 runs at an average of 40 with six hundreds and 19 fifties.Sanjeev Sharma replaces Dahiya as Delhi coach
Sanjeev Sharma, the former India seamer, has replaced former keeper Vijay Dahiya as Delhi’s coach. A Delhi District Cricket Association official told Dahiya was sacked because of his IPL commitments. “He wasn’t available for the whole season,” the official said. “He is associated with Kolkata Knight Riders and during the second phase when we prapare for Vijay Hazare Trophy, he will be busy with Knight Riders camps. Now we don’t want somebody who can’t devote full attention towards Delhi cricket.” Sanjeev Sharma, who played two Tests and 23 ODIs, and 89 first-class games and 61 List A games in a career spanning two decades – 1983 to 2003 – was Delhi’s assistant coach previous to this.Ashok Malhotra Bengal’s new coach
Ashok Malhotra will take over as coach of the Bengal senior team for the 2013-14 season, replacing former India batsman WV Raman, who had cut his term short in July citing family reasons. Malhotra, a middle-order batsman, had played seven Tests and 20 ODIs between 1982 and 1986. He was prolific on the domestic scene for Bengal though, at one time the record holder for the most runs in the Ranji Trophy: 7274 at 52.49 with 18 hundreds. After retiring, Malhotra had a run as a Test selector. He will have a job on his hands turning around Bengal’s fortunes, as they had a poor 2012-13 season, winning only one Ranji game in eight and losing four to finish seventh out of nine teams in Group A.Ganguly on Bengal’s coaching committee
Sourav Ganguly has been named chairman of Bengal’s cricket coaching committee. The committee’s primary job will be to organise coaching camps in Bengal to develop the cricketers in the state. Ganguly was previously head of Bengal’s cricket development committee.Powar joins Rajasthan
Ramesh Powar, one of Mumbai’s leading spinners, has moved from the domestic powerhouse to two-time champions Rajasthan for the next two seasons. Powar, who played two Tests for India, failed to find a spot in Mumbai’s playing XI on consistent basis last season. He finished the season with five first-class games and took six wickets at an average of 82.16. Hrishikesh Kanitkar, the former India allrounder who has been leading Rajasthan for three years, approached Powar and the offspinner agreed to take up the challenge of playing as a professional for Rajasthan.Sunderam appointed as Rajasthan coach
After succumbing to the pressure of entering the Ranji Trophy as defending champions for two successive seasons and finishing second from bottom in the group stage in 2012-13, the Rajasthan Cricket Association unveiled new plans to revive its team’s fortunes. One of the key decisions is Pradeep Sunderam’s appointment as head coach. Sunderam, a former Rajasthan pace bowler, has been instrumental in shaping young talent from Mumbai for well over a decade as the under-22 coach and bowling coach of the MCA academy. In the absence of a head coach, captain Hrishikesh Kanitkar and bowling coach Meyrick Pringle worked as the strategists’ team. Sunderam’s name was recommended by former India wicketkeeper Chandrakant Pandit, who had to resign from the post of RCA’s director of cricket last September following his appointment as the chairman of the national junior selection panel.WV Raman to coach Tamil NaduFormer India opener WV Raman will coach Tamil Nadu for the next two seasons, following a contract with the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association. Raman, who was coach of the TN side between 2006 and 2010, recently stepped down from a three-year stint as coach of the Bengal team. “Quite obviously, when your home state wants you to come and help them out, you tend to lean towards it,” Raman told . “You are a part of the Association, you have played for the state for a long time and you now have the opportunity of ensuring that the team is put back on track. Most of the boys who should figure in the scheme of things going forward were under me in my first stint here. Things have since gone southwards. That is probably the biggest attraction for me – to try and get them up and going again, like in my previous stint.”<!– COMMENTED OUTHarmeet to play for Vidarbha
Harmeet Singh, the young left-arm spinner from Mumbai who was in the news after being questioned in the IPL spot-fixing probe, will play for Vidarbha in the forthcoming domestic season. After drawing praise from the likes of Ian Chappell during India’s triumphant Under-19 World Cup campaign last year, Harmeet played for Rest of India during the Irani Cup match in September 2012, and also played in the Challenger Trophy. However, he was not a part of Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy squad during the season due to a finger injury and poor form. The Vidarbha Cricket Association approached Harmeet in July and the spinner grabbed the opportunity, aiming to play his first full season of domestic cricket.END OF COMMENT –>

Sri Lanka’s tour of Bangladesh has taken a potentially decisive step forward following a meeting between officials of the two boards in Dubai on Thursday

Mohammad Isam and Andrew Fidel Fernando09-Jan-2014Sri Lanka’s tour of Bangladesh has taken a potentially decisive step forward following a meeting between officials of the two boards in Dubai on Thursday. The BCB said it had been told by Sri Lanka that the tour was on and the SLC, while not explicitly confirming it would send a team, said its final decision would depend on the visit, from January 13, of a security delegation to Bangladesh.The tour had been in doubt because of security issues caused by political instability in Bangladesh and Thursday’s meeting, on the sidelines of an ICC conference in Dubai, was scheduled to smooth out differences.After the meeting, the two sides issued differing statements, though the substance of both suggested that it was a step towards the tour going ahead.”Sri Lanka Cricket president Jayantha Dharmadasa has confirmed to the BCB that the Sri Lanka tour is on,” BCB’s media committee chairman, Jalal Yunus, said. “But the SLC’s two-member security committee will arrive as per schedule on January 13.”The SLC was more guarded in its response. “We have said we are touring and we have taken the FTP [into consideration], so the assurance is there,” SLC president Jayantha Dharmadasa said. “At the present time we can’t say we’re not going, and that’s what I told them [BCB]. We have two people going to assess the situation, because it’s changing day by day.”The security committee will comprise former CEO Ajit Jayasekara – an air commodore with the Sri Lanka Air Force – and vice-president Mohan de Silva. Incumbent CEO Ashley de Silva had said the board would make its final decision on the tour by January 15, with the team set to depart to Bangladesh on January 24.It is expected that the security team will discuss details of the tour, including venues. As reported by ESPNcricinfo, one option for the BCB is to cut down on the venues, including possibly – as a last resort – offering to stage all the matches in Dhaka.The tour is scheduled to begin on January 27 with two Tests, in Mirpur and Chittagong, followed by two Twenty20s and three ODIs.