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In the practice match in Fatullah on Tuesday, England will be facing two young pace bowlers in the BCB XI who are such unknown quantities that even the BCB didn’t know one of their names correctly when announcing the 13-man squad

Mohammad Isam03-Oct-2016In the practice match in Fatullah on Tuesday, England will be facing two young pace bowlers in the BCB XI who are such unknown quantities that even the BCB didn’t know one of their names correctly when announcing the 13-man squad on Saturday.The BCB named one “Md Manik” which turned out to be Ali Ahmmed (whose nickname is Manik). The 20-year-old, 6ft 2in pacer is from Gopalganj, and is a regular at the Shere Bangla National Stadium nets. He caught the eye of Bangladesh’s new bowling coach Courtney Walsh, who suggested him to the national selectors.”This is a very big deal for me,” Ahmmed said. “I have been excited since I heard about it couple of days ago. I have spent four days under Courtney Walsh. He has worked with me about a few things, and I am focusing on those. My main strength is outswing. He told me to use my height. He worked on a mistake I have in my run-up. I have improved quickly so maybe he saw something in me.”Ahmmed made his first-class debut for Dhaka Division in October last year, and has only played two List-A matches for Cricket Coaching School in the Dhaka Premier League.The other rookie, Ebadot Hossain, made his first-class debut this season and has never played in the DPL. He is a volleyball player employed by the Bangladesh Air Force but he was picked in this year’s High Performance squad after impressing scouts in the pace bowlers hunt earlier in 2016.He impressed Aaqib Javed, who came for a week as a fast bowling consultant, during the HP camp in August. After making his first-class debut, he was also picked up by Rajshahi Kings in the BPL draft.He hopes to use this practice match as a platform for better things, though he is having a hard time getting past the excitement of sharing a gym with the Bangladesh players.”I have been trying to get better since the Robi Pacer Hunt,” he said. “I made it to the HP team and then played in the NCL. I now have a chance to bowl against England in the practice game. Hopefully I can do well and catch everyone’s attention. I got to do gym with the national players, which is thrilling for me.”

There were few positives for Tottenham Hotspur to take from last weekend's 2-1 defeat at the hands of Aston Villa but the performance of the returning Yves Bissouma was one of them.

Harry Kane's late penalty wasn't enough for Spurs to salvage anything in the Midlands in a result which puts Unai Emery's side level on points with the Lilywhites in eighth position in the Premier League.

If Spurs want to avoid the Europa Conference League next season and ensure that they're playing in the more prestigious Europa League, then they will likely need positive results against Brentford and Leeds United in their final two games of the campaign.

Ryan Mason will be keen to finish his interim spell with a flourish, so he must surely consider handing the returning Bissouma a start against the Bees at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this afternoon.

Should Bissouma start vs Brentford?

It has been a frustrating first season in Tottenham colours for the 26-year-old, having joined the club from Brighton in a deal worth £25m last summer.

The Mali international, who was described as an "absolute monster" by journalist Aaron Stokes in 2021, has struggled with injury problems throughout the campaign, which has limited him to just eight starts and 13 substitute appearances in the Premier League so far this term.

After three months on the sidelines, he made his return in the 2-1 defeat against Villa last time out and was described as the "only real positive" by the Athletic's Charlie Eccleshare, which suggests that he is pushing for a start today.

Mason also spoke in his pre-match conference about Bissouma's fitness and hinted that he could feature heavily in the final two games of the campaign.

"Obviously he's had a few injuries this season that have probably halted his progress, but there are two games now and I can feel the excitement from him that he's back out on the training pitch and he's out there playing and he feels like he can help the team and hopefully he can do that," he said.

While Spurs fans might be disappointed to have seen so little from Bissouma this season, his performances last season with the Seagulls saw him earn a strong 6.99 average rating from WhoScored, which would be enough to rank him as the fourth-best player in Spurs' squad this term.

The same website also suggests that he excels at ball interceptions, passing, tackling and concentration, all of which make him stand out as a great defensive-minded option, which could help to improve Spurs' woeful defensive record in the final two games.

Bissouma will surely be an exciting option for next season when Spurs will hopefully have the right manager that can take the club in a positive direction.

In the meantime, though, Spurs must focus on playing to their highest level against Brentford today and after his impressive cameo against Villa, it is surely time that Bissouma was handed a rare Premier League start in a bid to dominate the Bees.

Everton re-signing former player James Rodriguez in the summer transfer window would be "ridiculous", according to journalist Paul Brown.

How did Rodriguez fare at Everton?

The 31-year-old made the surprise move to Goodison Park back in 2020, coming in as arguably one of the most high-profile signings in the Blues' history. After a bright start to life on Merseyside, his influence gradually diminished, however, with a combination of injuries and inconsistent form proving to be a problem for him.

In the end, Rodriguez only made 26 appearances for Everton, scoring six goals and registering nine assists, prior to joining Qatari side Al-Rayyan in 2021. The Colombian has been linked with a shock return to Goodison in recent days, with the Toffees touching based with intermediaries.

He is currently without a club, having seen his contract at Olympiakos terminated earlier this year, so he would be available on a free transfer.

Could Rodriguez make Blues return?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Brown admitted that Rodriguez returning to Everton would not be a good idea, mainly because of his physical limitations:

"Now the player is even older, hasn't exactly been ripping it up in the leagues he's played in since, and doesn't suggest that his body has performed any kind of remarkable transformation, I think it would be a ridiculous idea for Everton to try and bring him back."

Brown is spot on in his assessment here, with Rodriguez someone who Everton shouldn't even consider going near once this season reaches its conclusion. There is no denying his talent as a footballer – he was once hailed as "world-class" by Alvaro Arbeloa – but his best days are long behind, hence the situation he finds himself in.

The Blues would be far better off looking to sign younger players who are more likely to possess a strong work ethic and buy into Sean Dyche's style of play, rather than a potential luxury addition who is often out injured. Not only that, but the 90-cap Colombia international would also likely demand high wages, at a time when Everton aren't exactly in the strongest financial position they have ever been in.

It is a move that simply has too many negatives to it, and while some Blues supporters may still like the idea of Rodriguez returning to the club, given his natural ability, it is a transfer that would likely end in tears for all concerned.

Manchester United fans could be enlightened with a potential takeover update in the coming days following the latest deadline on Friday night.

What's the latest with Man United's possible takeover?

It is now half a year on from when the Glazer family announced that they would be open to listening to offers for the Premier League giants.

And in that time, a number of interested parties have arisen with the likes of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Qatari party emerging as serious bidders.

However, in that time, there has been a number of deadlines set for the proposed bidders to table their best offer.

And it seems the latest of those deadlines has been set for 10pm on Friday (28 April) with final bids to be submitted to the Raine Group.

Meanwhile, the Red Devils look set to secure a significant source of revenue on the pitch with Champions League football firmly in their hands with seven games to go.

Speaking on the FIVE YouTube channel, David Ornstein has claimed there is the notion an update should follow in the days after Friday's deadline:

(30:00) "The consensus is that after that deadline [28 April], we should have some clarity in the days ahead as to where this is heading. But from my perspective, it remains unpredictable. Clearly there is confidence within those two main parties of [Sheikh] Jassim and [Sir Jim] Ratcliffe. But there is also an issue within the family over whether they stay or go."

Will the Glazer's sell Man United?

Well, it does seem it is not a foregone conclusion that putting the club on the market does, in fact, mean that the Glazer family will sell the club.

Indeed, a report from ESPN has suggested the current owners could potentially look to remain at the helm if they do not feel they are maximising their profit through a possible sale.

The report even claims that the American family could possibly look to remain at Old Trafford for another decade with the notion of increasing their return on investment even further.

It is believed the Glazers are looking for a bid in the region of £6 billion to take the reins at Old Trafford as they currently hold the majority stake (69%).

However, according to the report from ESPN, there is the belief that remaining at the club could potentially see their stake in the club rise to around £10 billion over the years.

Erik ten Hag's first campaign will be labelled as a success if they secure a spot inside the top four this season, however, there are clear areas for improvement.

And the longer this potential sale goes on for, the more time it will eat into ahead of the summer transfer window where the Dutchman will be looking for the funds to improve his side.

Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney has won even more fans after he took BT Sport to task with a funny online post ahead of the club’s recent match.

What’s the latest Wrexham news?

The Red Dragons managed to secure promotion back into the Football League tonight when they managed to Boreham Wood 3-1.

Opposition player Lee Ndlovu scored inside the first minute but Elliot Lee managed to equalise for Wrexham before Paul Mullin scored twice to secure the 3-1 win.

Ahead of the game, however, BT Sport shared a tweet which showed McElhenney and fellow co-owner and Hollywood A-lister Ryan Reynolds in prominent positions.

Evidently not wanting to take any of the credit away from his players, McElhenney playfully scolded BT for not putting all the focus on the likes of Luke Young, Ollie Palmer, Ben Foster and Mullin.

Indeed, he replied with an edited image to include the four Wrexham stars as he wrote: “Fixed it for you.”

​​​​It seems the club has never been far from the drama in recent times and this was well summed up in their draw away at Barnet last week.

Indeed, defender Callum McFadzean and manager Phil Parkinson were both sent off – which drew plenty of reaction from fans online.

That 0-0 draw left them one point closer to promotion and they completed their task with three points against Boreham Wood tonight.

Regardless of what happened, though, it seems as if their owners are doing things the right way and this was brilliantly summed up by McElhenney’s recent post.

Supporters on Twitter certainly seemed to agree. Here are some of the best reactions…

The praise didn’t stop there…

When Glasgow Rangers signed emerging Turkish left back Ridvan Yilmaz last summer, he was naturally looked upon as the ideal heir to Borna Barisic, who isn’t getting any younger.

Fast-forward eight months and the youngster has played just nine times for the Ibrox side after joining for £5m.

Big things were expected of the player but after missing 29 matches due to a hamstring injury, things haven't gone to plan. However, he is back to full fitness now and will be looking to make an impact.

There is no shortage of youngsters waiting in line to take over the left-back slot once Barisic moves on from the club, with the likes of Johnly Yfeko, Alex Kpakpe and Kevin Ciubotaru all playing for the B team and trying to stake a claim alongside Yilmaz.

It might well be none of these players however that best him, with Robbie Fraser, another B team starlet who also captains the team, shining in the Lowland League.

Indeed, he may well have the Turkish full-back looking over his shoulder.

Who is Robbie Fraser?

The 19-year-old will be aiming to secure a new deal at the club with his contract set to expire but judging by his recent form, that shouldn’t be a problem.

Upon signing his last contract in February 2022, Fraser said: “I feel like I’m getting closer to making that next step into the first team, hopefully. I felt that it was the right opportunity to push on.”

He has played 36 matches this season for the B team, scoring twice and registering six assists with his ability to provide an attacking threat comparable to Barisic.

The Croat so often rampages down the left-hand side in order to deliver crosses or passes into the box, while also being a dab hand at set pieces too having registered 55 goal involvements in Scotland.

Indeed, Fraser enjoys the odd free kick too, having scored a “superb” effort – according to Jordan Campbell – during a match last year and this could be an added bonus for Michael Beale.

Fraser has made the Rangers matchday squad on three occasions this term, once each in the Premiership, Champions League and League Cup without emerging from the bench, however, this experience will stand him in good stead for the future.

Showing clear leadership skills having led the B side to second in the Lowland League table with a chance of winning the division, could he have a future in the first-team squad?

Only time will tell, but with a new era underway at Ibrox, he may well have a great chance.

Liverpool have been dealt a blow after it was confirmed that Jordan Henderson is ‘ruled out’ of the Champions League game vs Real Madrid on Wednesday, according to journalist James Pearce.

The Lowdown: UCL preparations

The Reds suffered a heavy 5-2 Anfield defeat to Carlo Ancelotti’s outfit back in February and are now set to complete the Bernabeu second leg tonight.

Speaking during his pre-match press conference, Jurgen Klopp offered his thoughts on the task ahead. He said:

“What I said 3 weeks ago after the game was Madrid were through, now we know there’s a game to play. If there’s only 1% chance, we give it a try. We play a strong opponent and try to win it. That is possible. For that we’re here. We’ll see where it leads to.”

“We are here to win the game and that is difficult enough here, one of the best teams in the world. We will give it a proper try. It’s not about sitting here saying ‘scoring three goals is no problem’. Of course it is.”

The boss held his last training session at Kirkby on Tuesday morning before him and the rest of the team flew out to Spain later in the afternoon, but it appears that they were without their captain.

The Latest: Henderson update

Taking to Twitter, Pearce revealed that Henderson was unable to join his fellow teammates on the plane as a result of being under the weather. He wrote:

“Captain Jordan Henderson ruled out of #LFC’s 2nd leg showdown v Real Madrid. Hasn’t travelled to Spain due to illness.”

The Verdict: Blow for Klopp

Henderson is a real leader both on and off the pitch for Liverpool so it’ll be a huge blow for Klopp to be without his skipper’s services for the fixture vs Real Madrid.

The England international has had an impressive Champions League campaign in 2023, averaging 1.8 tackles and 1.5 key passes per game with one assist to his name in four appearances (WhoScored).

The Merseyside star also ranks in the 97th percentile for passes attempted and the 96th for progressive passes, highlighting his desire to contribute to his side’s efforts in the final third (FBRef).

Finally, Henderson has been dubbed a ‘hero’ by journalist Josh Bunting and the Reds will be hoping that they are successfully able to secure a positive result without him in the middle of the park.

Phil Hay has admitted he would be tempted to hand Rodrigo the chance to extend his Leeds United stay.

The Lowdown: Finally found his feet and form

Rodrigo had struggled for form and to justify his £26 million price tag prior to this season managing just 13 league goals for Leeds, but this season under Jesse Marsch was totally different for the Spaniard.

The forward is the club’s top scorer with 12 goals to his name in all competitions but has been plagued by injury as of late having not stepped onto the pitch since January 28, so is yet to work with new boss Javi Gracia.

However, given the lack of goals and good performances from the likes of Patrick Bamford and Georginio Rutter during his short stint at Elland Road so far, Leeds are very dependent on Rodrigo’s goals.

The Latest: Rodrigo could sign a new contract

Hay has claimed on The Phil Hay Show that Leeds could well look to offer Rodrigo a new deal if he does manage to refind his form post-injury under Gracia as he’s been dependable this term.

He said: (47:15) “I think he would even say himself that he’s been better this season than he has been in the previous two and at this stage, he’s starting to get into the latter stages of his contract.

“I actually think I’d be quite tempted to extend it if he carries on playing like this.”

The Verdict: New contract must be on sensible terms

Given that Rodrigo is set to turn 32 later this month and pushing on into the twilight years of his career, a new deal could be tricky to negotiate as Leeds wouldn’t want to be trapped into a long-term contract, whereas the striker would likely want reassurances which would be understandable as he’d want a final big payday and also because he’s been ‘excellent’ this term.

Rodrigo has indeed been Leeds’ best player this season with 12 goals across all competitions and the Whites have certainly become dependent on him as they’ve won just one game when he hasn’t been starting.

The Spaniard may be keen to extend his stay if Gracia is afforded the job on a long-term basis and also if Leeds maintain their top-flight status because if they drop into the Championship there will be next to no chance that he’s eager on playing in the second-tier of English football.

Sean Dyche was unable to build upon his excellent start to life in the dugout at Everton as he watched his side lose 2-0 to their bitter rivals Liverpool in the Premier League on Monday night.

The former Burnley boss enjoyed a dream debut with the Toffees in the previous outing as they beat league leaders Arsenal 1-0 at Goodison Park. However, the Blues came crashing back down to earth with a sobering defeat to Jurgen Klopp’s team, which has left them sitting one point adrift of safety after 22 matches.

Dyche’s men stayed in the game for most of the first half and came within inches of taking the lead when James Tarkowski rose highest to head a cross against the post, only for a blistering counterattack from Liverpool to end in Mohamed Salah making it 1-0 in the 36th minute.

Cody Gakpo then secured all three points for the home side shortly after half-time as the Dutchman tapped the ball into an empty net at the back post after an excellent pass across the penalty box.

Ellis Simms was trusted to lead the line in the absence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin but struggled with the defensive quality on display from the hosts, completing just 54% of his attempted passes and losing 100% of his ground duels, while also drawing criticism from some Everton fans for his performance.

However, the ex-Sunderland man did win five of his nine aerial battles, which shows that the 22-year-old offered a useful outlet in the air and was let down by the lack of support from midfield to pick up the pieces around him.

How did Conor Coady perform against Liverpool?

Whilst it was a difficult night for Simms, the real derby villain on the night for the Toffees was defender Conor Coady, as the experienced enforcer endured a performance to forget.

As per Sofascore, the former Wolves captain did not win a single individual duel in the entire match as he lost all four of the battles that he contested on the pitch. The 29-year-old made two clearances and completed a combined two tackles and interceptions but was also dribbled past three times.

These statistics show that the Liverpool forwards found it far too easy to get the better of the 59-touch defender throughout the game, both in terms of dribbling past him to create opportunities and outmuscling him in physical duels.

Coady was also partially at fault for Gakpo’s goal as he allowed a cross to go past him in the six-yard box, which enabled the Reds forward to tap into an empty net.

After the match, the England international revealed that he was hoping either no-one would be there or Seamus Coleman would be in a position to clear it, but the real mistake was in dropping too deep and playing the Dutch attacker onside at the back post.

Therefore, the 29-year-old was the big villain for Dyche on Monday night, as the experienced defender let his manager down with his lack of physicality and sub-par defending, whilst Simms at least put up a fight in his aerial duels and caused some issues for the Reds.

Chelsea have sent officials to watch Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa ahead of a potential summer move to the Premier League, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Options being assessed

The Stamford Bridge outfit’s current shot-stopping options, Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga, both have contracts that aren’t set to expire until 2025, but Graham Potter and Todd Boehly are reportedly already considering their long-term goalkeeping situation.

The Portuguese international was given the nod to represent his country at the World Cup late last year and now appears to have caught the eye of the Blues thanks to the standard of his performances in Qatar.

The Latest: Chelsea scouting Costa

According to 90min, Chelsea have been ‘scouting’ Costa, with representatives from the capital having been ‘in the stands’ to watch him in action in ‘recent weeks’.

Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United have also been following the 23-year-old, and the Blues’ recruitment team have simultaneously been identifying options already in the top flight should a move fail to materialise.

Everton’s Jordan Pickford, Brentford’s David Raya and Brighton’s Robert Sanchez are the three names to be mentioned, with the latter holding an existing connection to Potter from his time on the south coast.

The Verdict: No-brainer

Costa has been described as ‘superman’ by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and Chelsea pursuing a deal for him this summer is a no-brainer of a decision to make.

The 6 foot 1 star has kept a mightily impressive ten clean sheets in 19 Liga Portugal appearances so far this season and knows what it takes to be successful having won five senior titles during his time at the Estadio do Dragao.

Costa also shares the same agent as Joao Felix which could potentially give the SW6 outfit the advantage in the race for his signature come the end of the 2022/23 campaign.