The German endured a torrid start to his Gunners career, but he's now beginning to prove his worth to Mikel Arteta

Few players attract such contrasting reactions as Arsenal's Kai Havertz. To his fans, he is a highly-intelligent shapeshifter, capable of interpreting the centre-forward role in a unique way and allowing his team-mates to thrive. To his doubters, the £65 million ($82m) man is a donkey, with no amount of clever movement off the ball capable of papering over his unacceptable profligacy in front of goal.

While it's true that Havertz is capable of blowing hot and cold, even his harshest critics would have struggled not to stand up and applaud his match-winning exploits against Brighton this weekend. Not only did he find the back of the net – finishing off Jorginho's cutback superbly – to give the Gunners a much-needed two-goal cushion, he also helped put the game beyond all doubt by setting up Leandro Trossard for his side's third.

That capped off what was probably Havertz's best night in an Arsenal shirt yet, with manager Mikel Arteta keen to praise the German in his post-match press conference. "He’s certainly having a huge impact on the team,” Arteta said. “I think his overall performances have been really good and now his numbers in terms of goal contributions, are really, really high. He needs to maintain that level."

Having a chance to shower the German with positive words must be a nice change of pace for the Gunners head coach. Earlier in the season, Arteta scarcely faced the media without someone asking a negatively-framed question abut his summer signing.

Gripes included his startling lack of goals, Havertz not truly having a 'best' position and allegations that he was disrupting Gabriel Martinelli's output. Now though, the vast majority of these questions have been answered, which seemed rather unlikely when the German was at the lowest point of his slump.

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  Slow start

  In truth, Havertz was always going to be facing an uphill struggle to prove himself worthy of the hefty fee Chelsea commanded for his services in the summer. His time at Stamford Bridge, though punctuated with glorious moments like his winner in the 2021 Champions League final, was largely underwhelming, and his Arsenal unveiling was greeted with plenty of head scratching.

  A video of Havertz missing all 14 shots in the MLS Skills Challenge, combined with an underwhelming pre-season, did little to quiet these doubters, meaning Arsenal's new arrival was under the microscope from the very-first minute of the Premier League season.

  It's understood that one of the reasons he left Chelsea was due to his desire to play in midfield, and Arteta initially acquiesced to this request. Early on, Havertz filled the No.8 spot vacated by Granit Xhaka, but he got off to an incredibly slow start. After 12 Premier League games, he had managed just one goal and one assist for the Gunners, with his solitary strike being an infamous 'sympathy' penalty gifted to him by his team-mates against Bournemouth. Unsurprisingly, the criticism soon started flooding in.

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  Mentally tough period

  Rent-a-gob Richard Keys was one of the first high-profile names to get his digs in, giving a cruel assessment of Havertz's performance in a 2-2 draw with Fulham back in August. "Now don’t jump down my throat when I say this, let me finish the statement: Havertz is the new Ozil… without the talent," he mused.

  Ex-Arsenal defender William Gallas was equally damning. "At the moment, Havertz isn’t performing. I was surprised to see him go to Arsenal. They could have got another player. It is difficult for him to find the right position. How Arsenal play is not the same as Chelsea – it’s hard for him at the moment. I don’t think he is going to be a success," he said at the beginning of September.

  Another former Gunners star, Emmanuel Petit, voiced concerns too. Speaking after Arsenal's 2-1 victory over Manchester United, he claimed: "I felt pity for him on Sunday… I still believe he has great qualities. We haven’t seen this since he came to England and he’s struggling. But Sunday, he was hiding everywhere. If I was Arteta, I would put Havertz on the bench. Not as a punishment – that’s very important. Not as a punishment. But I would put him on the bench just to step back a little bit. He doesn’t have the confidence to bring what Arteta wants into the team… He’s scared. He’s scared of attempting things. He doesn’t dare to do anything on the pitch at the moment."

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  Arteta keeps the faith

  Amid this atmosphere, Arteta regularly found himself questioned about Havertz's signing. The Gunners boss is not one to criticise players publicly, though even he let slip that he wanted more from his new arrival on a few occasions early on.

  After that aforementioned Fulham game, Arteta said, when asked if Havertz would win over his doubters: "Yes, I think [he will win the fans over]. I think he’s done already really good things today. It was tough for him in certain moments, he got in great areas again and the ball didn’t arrive.

  However, he did continue: "He’s had a lot of situations, he should have scored already a lot of goals this season, and that’s the thing that is missing there."

  He said similar ahead of the United game, drawing comparisons with Bukayo Saka and Aaron Ramsdale, who he felt had kicked on thanks to the support of the Emirates faithful. "The visual one – the one with the stats is what is missing at the moment, to put the ball in the net and to arrive in those zones and have a different impact on the game, but for the rest it’s that."

  Arteta's most strident defence of Havertz came not through his press conferences, though, but via his continued selection of the German. Even while the outside world doubted the struggling star, Arteta carried on picking him and was eventually rewarded with a few standout moments.

  Havertz came off the bench to grab a vital winner against Brentford in November, with his manager quite literally dragging him towards the travelling fans to soak in their adulation, while he also netted on starts against Luton Town and Brighton not long after. Each of those were important goals, too.

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  Opportunity presents itself

  These match-winning contributions meant criticism of Havertz cooled slightly heading into the New Year – but there were still doubts in the back of many people's minds over his ability to affect games consistently. Ironically, what has helped him ascend to key-player status under Arteta is returning to a position that he seemingly left west London to avoid.

  Due to Gabriel Jesus' injury struggles and Eddie Nketiah's indifferent form, Havertz has been deployed as a nominal centre-forward in recent weeks – and it's a role that he's largely played to perfection, despite some shaky moments.

  At first, it felt like the experiment was doomed to failure. Havertz was tried out up front in the FA Cup third-round against Liverpool and struggled, missing several big chances. In the aftermath of that result, Arteta's transfer policy was scrutinised, with the decision to drop such a large sum on Havertz, as opposed to a proven goalscorer, being questioned most regularly. But the Gunners boss was not put off. Instead, he persisted with Havertz the No.9 – and it's paid off more recently.

Bangladesh were brought back into the game by their spinners, chiefly, Taijul Islam, who took 5 for 62, to finish 11 for 170 in the match

Mohammad Isam in Sylhet05-Nov-2018
Taijul Islam about to send one down•AFPDay three brings another pitch invasion

The BCB has asked law enforcement officers to be “more alert” after a second person invaded the pitch on day three of the Sylhet Test. On the first day, a 13-year-old boy had run onto the field from the eastern galleries.
“We are looking to beef up the security,” the BCB’s chief security officer Hossain Imam told reporters. “There are 20 security personnel from the BCB, who are in charge of overall supervision.
“The security in the galleries and whether someone is breaching it and running into the ground, it is the responsibility of the law enforcement agencies. I think they have to be more alert during their duty.”
After the second pitch invasion, some of the policemen posted around the boundary boards stood facing the stands rather than the field of play.

Having been set 321 to win, Bangladesh were unscathed in the last 10.1 overs of the third day against Zimbabwe in Sylhet. Liton Das and Imrul Kayes took out 26 from that target before bad light caused play to be called off 35 minutes before the scheduled end at 5:00 pm local time.Imrul and Liton were largely safe at the crease, with only the odd play and miss. They remained unbeaten on 12 and 14 respectively. The offspinner Sikandar Raza produced a close call when he struck Liton’s front pad in what turned out to be the last ball of the day. But a review showed it would have spun too much to miss the right-hander’s leg-stump.Bangladesh were brought back into the game by their spinners, chiefly, Taijul Islam, who took 5 for 62, to finish 11 for 170 in the match, his first 10-for. Zimbabwe were bowled out for 181 in the second innings with Mehidy Hasan and Nazmul Islam also providing support with three and two wickets each.Taijul first removed Brendon Taylor, whose four boundaries added energy to Zimbabwe’s innings in the morning, after Mehidy broke Brian Chari’s off stump in the first session.In the second session, Mehidy trapped Hamilton Masakadza lbw trying a reverse sweep, and soon afterwards, Taijul got three wickets in the space of 11 balls. Sean Williams, Peter Moor and Sikandar Raza fell in quick succession, after which Wellington Masakadza and Regis Chakabva stretched out their seventh-wicket stand by 19.1 overs.Masakadza fell in the first over after tea before Nazmul Islam got the wickets of Chakabva and Brandon Mavuta in the same over. Taijul rounded off the Zimbabwe innings with his fifth, taking the wicket of Tendai Chatara.

Manchester City have been dealt a blow ahead of their Champions League tie with Real Madrid as they will be without two key defenders for the game.

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City travel to Madrid for Champions League clashGuardiola without two key defenders for first-legFirst quarter-final game played on TuesdayWHAT HAPPENED?

The reigning Champions League title holders travel to the Spanish capital to take on Carlo Ancelotti's side for the first leg of their quarter-final tie on Tuesday. However, two important defenders – Kyle Walker and Nathan Ake – have not been named in the 21-man squad.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

City captain and right-back Walker has not featured in any of the team's last three matches since he sustained an injury during England's international friendly against Brazil at the end of March. Ake, meanwhile, picked up an injury less than 30 minutes into the 0-0 draw against Arsenal on March 31.

DID YOU KNOW?

The defenders have played an integral role in City's battle to defend their treble of trophies this season. Walker has featured 38 times in all competitions for Guardiola's team, one more than Dutch defender Ake.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MAN CITY?

City and Madrid drew 1-1 when they met at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals last season before Guardiola's team ran out 4-0 winners in the return fixture in Manchester. The reigning European champions will hope to pick up a positive result this week despite the absence of Walker and Ake.

Everton's cutting edge in the final third needs sharpening if they are to continue treading above water in the Premier League.

The Toffees are statistically the worst team in the division at taking their chances, underperforming their expected goals (xG) by 8.01, as per Understat, with an actual goal tally of 11.

Whilst their xG of 19.01 places them comfortably in the top half, above the likes of Manchester United and West Ham United, there are no prizes for creating opportunities, and only rewards for dispatching them, which has been an ongoing problem at Goodison Park for years.

Sean Dyche splashed the cash on a few attacking additions in the summer, with the likes of Beto, Youssef Chermiti, Arnaut Danjuma and Jack Harrison strengthening the options at his disposal.

It appears the club are still thinking about the long-term of their frontline, though, with Everton looking to swoop for a sharpshooting wonderkid.

Everton transfer news – Winsley Boteli

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Everton and Juventus are keeping a "close eye" on talented Swiss striker Winsley Boteli with both clubs deploying scouts to see how the youngster is progressing in Germany.

It appears the Switzerland under-18 international, who has scored an impressive 12 goals in ten games for Borussia Monchengladbach's under-19 team this term, is developing into one of the hottest young prospects on the planet.

At only 17-years-old, the fact the teenager is playing at a higher age bracket – and excelling – suggests his potential is high.

Boteli is currently under contract at Borussia Monchengladbach till the summer of 2025 having originally lured him from Servette in his native country back in July 2022, initially putting him in their under-17s with the youngster now establishing himself as a prominent player in the under-19 setup.

How does Botelli compare to Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Beto

Whilst it isn't clear if Everton would throw the youngster straight into the first-team ranks with the potential to develop him in the youth setup instead, the future of the Toffees forward line would be in safe hands if Boteli did make the switch to Merseyside.

Dubbed by journalist Antonio Mango as a "future star" and a "terrific prospect", the 17-year-old has already taken Europe by storm since moving to Germany and is showing the early signs of becoming a world-beating talent.

Boteli has been in sensational form for his club this term, utilising his electric pace and canon of a strike to devastating effect having scored more goals (12) than Everton's total of 11 in the top flight.

By contrast, Dyche's forward line has severely been lacking a spark as their focal point and it is one that Boteli could provide instead of Dominic Calvert Lewin and Beto, with that duo only mustering five goals between them this season – far fewer than Boteli's haul of 12.

It feels as though that pair need a talented youngster, such as Boteli, to apply some much-needed pressure, with his exceptional goal-scoring exploits providing them with the inspiration to not let a teenager take their place.

With Italian giants Juve also showing their interest, Everton may not get to see this narrative unfold but if he can translate his "sizzling form" – as described by Mango – into something productive at senior level, he is certainly one to watch in the coming years.

Chelsea travel to Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night in what promises to be a blockbuster London derby.

The Blues are unfancied against their in-form opponents having slipped to a 2-0 defeat against Brentford in the Premier League last time out.

While that disappointing loss has kept them embroiled in a mid-table battle, a much-improved performance will be needed against Spurs.

The arrival of Ange Postecoglu has seen them relentlessly dispatch their opponents with ease this term, largely through the unstoppable pair of Heung-min Son and James Maddison.

If Chelsea are to stand any chance of recording three points, Mauricio Pochettino will need to devise a plan to shut that devastating duo down.

Chelsea team news vs Tottenham

Pochettino’s start to life at Stamford Bridge has been littered with inconsistency as several injuries to key players have curtailed their progression up the table.

The Argentine remains without seven players, including Christopher Nkunku, Romeo Lavia, Ben Chilwell, Trevoh Chalobah, Armando Broja, Wesley Fofana and Carney Chukwuemeka.

Whilst the majority of those casualties have impacted their chances of challenging nearer the top – namely the long-term absence of Nkunku – Chelsea have been boosted by some positive news on the injury front in recent weeks.

Mykhailo Mudryk reported back to full training this week after dealing with a muscle injury but is now expected to return for the London derby.

Chelsea have also been bolstered in a defensive capacity having watched centre-back Benoit Badiashile score on his first game back against Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday night.

Likewise, Reece James made his first since August in that 2-0 victory and Pochettino could throw him straight into battle against Tottenham as a tool to deal with the guaranteed onslaught of Spurs attacks.

Why Reece James should start against Tottenham

A fully fit and firing James is one of the best right backs on the planet, as lauded on several occasions by many, including former full-back himself, Glenn Johnson.

Speaking to Genting last year, he said: “I think James is definitely up there as one of the world’s best right-backs.

“In terms of if he’s the world’s best? I can’t think of anyone better at the moment."

When he’s not being plagued by injury problems, James has proven that he has all the ingredients in his locker to be the best in the world in his position, both defensively and going forward.

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 9% against his positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues in the past year for progressive carries, the top 4% for successful take-ons and top 3% for progressive passes.

A forward-thinking wing-back who has displayed his qualities as a ball-carrying phenom and a force of creativity down the right flank has also demonstrated his ability to defend, and that is a crucial element to his game that Chelsea need against Spurs.

The £250k-per-week defender places within the top 19% for aerials won and has often impressed with his ability to defend in one-on-one situations, with some of the world's best attackers struggling to get change out of the Englishman.

The “monster” – as lauded by journalist Antonio Mango – showcased his beastly physical attributes in the Champions League last term and was commended for how he kept on fire AC Milan forward Rafael Leao in his pocket as the Blues won 3-0 and James got his name on the scoresheet.

With former Chelsea defender Jason Cundy describing him as an “absolute animal” for that display, Pochettino needs the 23-year-old to rediscover that level of performance against Spurs to shut the likes of Maddison and Son, who have contributed to 17 goals between them this term.

أثار المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي أتلتيكو مدريد، دييجو سيميوني، التكهنات حول مستقبله الجناح، جواو فيليكس، بعد عودته من برشلونة.

وكان فيليكس لاعبًا في برشلونة الموسم الماضي على سبيل الإعارة قبل نهايتها والعودة إلى أتلتيكو مدريد، وهو ما زاد التكهنات حول مستقبله.

وشارك فيليكس لمدة 45 دقيقة في مباراة أتلتيكو مدريد ضد كيتشي في هونج كونج ضمن جولة الفريق الإسباني في آسيا.

اقرأ أيضًا.. تقارير: هانز فليك يحسم مصير صفقة كانتي في برشلونة

وتحدث سيميوني عن مستقبل البرتغالي بمؤتمره الصحفي اليوم، وقال: “لقد ظهر بشكل جيد في الدقائق التي شارك خلالها بمباراة الأمس”.

وأضاف في النهاية: “طالما جواو فيليكس في أتلتيكو مدريد، سنستفيد بوجوده، سنقيمه بناءً على أدائه، كما نفعل مع كل اللاعبين بالفريق”.

وينتظر فيليكس قرار برشلونة بشأن عودته من جديد بعدما فشلت عودته أيضًا إلى بنفيكا بسبب مغالاة أتلتيكو مدريد في المطالب المادية.

MCC, the guardian of the Laws of Cricket, has back-pedalled on its new, more punitive approach to head-high full tosses, after accepting that stricter penalties were unfair to those who delivered them by accident, in particular inexperienced junior players.Law 41.7, which concerns the bowling of dangerous and unfair non-pitching deliveries (beamers), was amended in October 2017 as part of an attempt to clamp down on the increasing levels of misconduct that had been creeping into the sport in recent years, particularly at club level.The amended law, issued as part of the first code revision since 2000, stated that any bowler who delivered more than one beamer, passing above waist-height of the batsman and irrespective of speed, had to be taken out of the attack.Previously slow deliveries could be up to shoulder height, with two warnings to be given to the bowler prior to a removal from the attack for a third infringement.The interpretation caused particular disquiet among junior coaches, who feared that young bowlers would be discouraged from attempting to bowl if they were penalised on grounds that had been introduced to improve discipline and safety at higher levels of the game.In a statement, MCC acknowledged that the rule change had been too strict.”Since its introduction, feedback has been received which suggests strongly that the new sanctions were overly severe (especially to younger bowlers),” the club said. “In many cases, Governing Bodies introduced their own playing conditions that rendered the new Law irrelevant.”In response to this feedback, the Laws sub-committee has reviewed Law 41.7 and – with the support of the Cricket committee, World Cricket committee and MCC Committee – agreed that it should be adjusted, with effect from 1st April 2019, to allow umpires to make a more subjective decision over which deliveries are dangerous.”The revision will be incorporated into the second Edition of the 2017 Code of Laws, and confirmed by early January 2019 ahead of universal adoption from April 1, 2019, in time for the new English season.

Glasgow Rangers have shown vast improvement under Philippe Clement since he took over last month as the Ibrox side have won six of his first seven matches in charge.

An impressive record, yet it will all be for nothing if the club do not maintain their current form and secure a trophy or two by the end of the season.

The Belgian might also be targeting the upcoming January transfer window as a chance to not only bolster his squad, but to also add some much-needed depth.

Rangers transfer news

According to TEAMtalk, the Light Blues are reportedly keen on signing teenager Noah Mbamba in January as they appear to be ahead of Manchester City in the race for the youngster.

The 18-year-old gem is currently playing for Bayer Leverkusen in German and the outlet adds that any potential move would likely be a loan deal.

Bayern Munich have previously sent scouts to watch his performances before he sealed a move to Leverkusen, and it looks as though a temporary move will give him some senior experience.

Fabrizio Romano dubbed the young midfielder a “top talent” upon his arrival at Leverkusen back in January and Clement looks like he wants to give the player a platform to shine on, albeit temporarily.

The Gers signed Abdallah Sima on a season-long loan deal in the summer, and the club could repeat that masterclass by landing another superb loanee.

Noah Mbamba could be Abdallah Sima 2.0

The on-loan Brighton and Hove Albion gem has certainly impressed during his stint at the club so far, scoring nine goals across 22 matches and proving to be a dangerous threat on the left wing.

The winger also ranks second across the squad for goals and assists in the league (six) while also ranking second for successful dribbles per game (1.7) and third for scoring frequency (a goal every 151 minutes), indicating how impressive he has been domestically.

The young Belgian could also have a similar impact at the Gers should he make a move to Glasgow in January, given his impressive cameos in the top-flight of German football this term.

While he has played just twice in the Bundesliga this season and averaged just seven minutes of playing time, he has already created a big chance and averaged 0.5 key passes per game – assisting one goal.

Despite being a defensive midfielder by trade, Mbamba has been able to showcase his attacking quality and could, as Sima has, make an impact at the top end of the pitch for the Gers during the second half of the campaign.

A 94% pass success rate also means he can dictate the play well, and he also has Champions League experience, playing three times in the competition during the 2021/22 season aged just 16.

The teenage sensation may be a rough diamond, but Clement could certainly give him a platform to shine on, especially if the Gers go on a deep run in Europe, where squad rotation could be important.

Sima has enjoyed a wonderful spell so far, chipping in with vital goals, and with any swoop for Mbamba looking like it will be a loan deal, he could have the potential to replicate Sima’s success.

Whilst there is no guarantee that the Leverkusen youngster will be able to hit the ground running, like the Senegal international has, the scope is there for him to be an exciting signing.

With City keen on the youngster, Clement will need to act fast in order to snap him up once the winter window finally opens.

Pakistan will hope to extend their T20I winning run to nine in a row having already sealed an 11th consecutive series victory

The Preview by Danyal Rasool03-Nov-2018

Big PicturePakistan have been pushed this T20I series, in a manner they weren’t against Australia, but no matter the challenge thrown at them, they seem to find a way in this format. The detractors are finding it harder to explain away Pakistan’s spell of dominance as a purple patch, a streak of good fortune, or a consequence of playing against weaker teams. They have now put Australia and New Zealand to the sword with the same ruthlessness that overpowered West Indies, Sri Lanka and Scotland, showing a versatility in the paths to victory this side can take. They have won tough, they have won easy. They have won by enormous margins and heart-stoppingly narrow ones. They have won batting first, they have won chasing. And now, with one to spare, they have won another T20I series, their 11th in a row.This one comes against the side that has tested them more in this run than arguably any other, both this week and in New Zealand earlier this year. Yet, they go into the final game in Dubai having won their last four against Kane Williamson’s men, and their last eight overall. Should they stick to their plans, they are well-fancied to come out of yet another series unblemished, their strength lying not just in the playing XI, but their overall depth. They might make the odd change to the fast-bowling unit, but in what is overall a very settled side there should be no overhaul for a dead rubber. With Pakistan having such a proud recent record to defend, there really are no dead rubbers for Sarfraz Ahmed’s team.Despite having lost one series within three days of the tour beginning, it is unlikely Williamson will be too disappointed with what his men have showed. There is plenty to suggest New Zealand have a lot to offer for the remainder of this tour, with the visitors always likely to mount sterner challenges in the longer formats. A win in the final T20I could well be a springboard to success in the games that follow, and with New Zealand having lost one game by two runs and the other by two balls, it isn’t a stretch for them to hope they can put one on Pakistan even if they cannot prevent them lifting the trophy.New Zealand have missed Martin Guptill’s big hitting at the top, with the young Glenn Phillips unable to complement Colin Munro quite as effectively. They have to work out how to make better use of the first six overs to relieve some of the pressure on Munro. It may see the captain promoting himself to open, with Williamson famous for his ability to pierce narrow gaps in the infield. There is a large discrepancy between Phillips’ T20I strike rate – 98.27 after nine innings – compared to the 134.20 he boasts in T20s overall, and if he is backed for a third game, he will need to bring his best to give his side the greatest chance to victory.Form guidePakistan WWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)New Zealand LLLLLIn the spotlightThere are few more exciting players in Pakistan cricket than Fakhar Zaman, and yet, since his heroics in Zimbabwe, he has been going through a slightly barren limited-overs run. Either side of a successful Test debut, Fakhar has scored 105 runs in his last eight white-ball innings at an average of 13.13, numbers that sit uncomfortably with his deservedly elite status in the current Pakistan side. There is no particular reason you could put this down to except just one of those runs every cricketer will go through; after all, in his maiden Test appearance against Australia, he amassed 160 runs. But having returned for the second T20I from a slight niggle, Fakhar may be itching to make the sort of singular impact only he can. With the series won and the pressure off, it is an ideal opportunity, and if Fakhar is primed to grasp it, he could smash New Zealand out of the game very early on.While New Zealand have almost matched Pakistan in both games, the one area where the difference in quality is vast is the spinners the respective captains can turn to. While Sarfraz has a plethora of options the envy of any international side – think Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hafeez, perhaps even Shoaib Malik – Williamson is limited to Ish Sodhi and Ajaz Patel. There is a reason Sodhi is ranked among the top ten T20I bowlers, but his economy rate is higher than any of Pakistan’s quartet of spinners, and it was his 17-run over that put Pakistan on course on Friday. Add to that the inexperience of Patel, who after an impressive debut was indifferent in the second game, leaving Williamson to draw on three overs of Munro’s medium pace. If New Zealand are to seriously challenge Pakistan, Sodhi and Patel have to perform out of their skins in these conditions where spin matters so much, because so far, the gulf is evident.Team newsIt is unlikely Pakistan will make too many changes to a side so brimful of confidence. With the series sealed, Waqas Maqsood is set to make his debut.Pakistan: (Possible) 1 Babar Azam, 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Asif Ali, 4 Shoaib Malik, 5, Mohammad Hafeez 6 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt & wk), 7 Faheem Ashraf, 8 Imad Wasim, 9 Shadab Khan, 10 Hasan Ali/Shaheen Afridi, 11 Waqas MaqsoodIt has been a bit of a surprise not to see Mark Chapman feature yet. He may be drafted in for the third T20I, should New Zealand decide to drop Phillips. Lockie Ferguson’s pace, too, may see him get a start ahead of Adam Milne, who despite looking promising, hasn’t quite hit the heights he may have this series.New Zealand: (Possible) 1 Colin Munro, 2 Glenn Phillips/Mark Chapman, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Colin de Grandhomme, 5 Ross Taylor, 6 Corey Anderson, 7 Tim Seifert (wk), 8 Tim Southee, 9 Adam Milne/Lockie Ferguson, 10 Ish Sodhi, 11 Ajaz PatelPitch and conditionsWinning the toss and batting first seems to be the favoured formula at the moment, and there has been nothing to suggest the teams rethink that. As has been the case all series, competitive totals appear to nestle in the narrow strip between 145 and 155.Stats and trivia Colin Munro’s strike rate of 162.00 is better than any player ever to have faced more than 250 balls in T20I cricket. The best performer in the Pakistan squad is Fakhar Zaman, with a strike rate of 142.12. Babar Azam needs 48 runs to reach 1000 in T20Is. Should he get there on Sunday, in his 26th innings, he will beat Virat Kohli (27 innings) as the fastest to the mark.

Fans slammed Manchester United after reports emerged that they are set to offer Marc Skinner a new deal despite dismal show in WSL.

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Man Utd set to offer Skinner a new dealFans slam club for offering a new contractRed Devils have struggled under Skinner this seasonWHAT HAPPENED?

According to , United are planning to offer a new contract to their women's team manager Marc Skinner. The club are yet to present a formal offer to the coach but have reportedly entered negotiations and are discussing terms. The 41-year-old's existing contract expires at the end of the 2023/24 season and the decision to offer him a new deal was taken by the club's current leadership with input from INEOS.

AdvertisementWHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

Fans were furious upon learning about the club holding contract talks with the manager despite the team's woeful performance in the current campaign where they find themselves fourth in the league, 15 points behind leaders Manchester City.

A disappointed fan @reecethered123 predicted that the Red Devils will be relegated to the second division if Skinner continued at the helm with a post on X that read: "There's only 1 place we are going to then – the Championship."

Another fan @maki_abraham has given up hope on winning trophies under the current manager's tutelage, predicting: "Sad day for @ManUtdWomen fans i’m done with this club terminated my contract with immediate effect."

Manchester United were also accused of lacking ambition by @SammIK92: "Ugh, serious lack of ambition."

And @DNeyko wants Skinner to leave the club, posting on X: "INEOS aint serious about ManUtdWomen by giving Marc Skinner a contract extension. The guys is just fraud #SkinnerOut #MUWomen."

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The Red Devils have failed to win a single trophy since the English manager took charge of the club in 2021 after joining them from Orlando Pride. The club finished runners-up behind Chelsea in last season's FA Women's Cup. They even challenged the Blues for the WSL title in the 2022/23 season as the title race went down the wire.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

The club will be back in action on April 14 as they are all set to face in-form Chelsea in the semi-final of the Women's FA Cup on Sunday.