يخوض فريق نيس مباراة في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الفرنسي، موسم 2024/25، وذلك يوم السبت ضد خصمه لانس.

ويستضيف ملعب “بوليرت ديليليس” مباراة الفريقين، والتي تأتي في إطار لقاءات الجولة السادسة من الدوري الفرنسي لهذا الموسم.

ويحتل نيس حاليًا المركز الثامن برصيد 7 نقاط، في حين أن لانس لديه 9 نقاط في المركز الرابع.

ويأمل المدافع المصري محمد عبد المنعم مشاركته في مباراة اليوم، بعدما غاب عن آخر لقائين لـ نيس، أمام سانت إيتيان في الدوري الفرنسي وريال سوسيداد في الدوري الأوروبي.

وانضم محمد عبد المنعم إلى نيس قادمًا من الأهلي، هذا الصيف، وشارك في مباراتين فقط. موعد مباراة نيس ولانس اليوم في الدوري الفرنسي

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة السادسة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة نيس ولانس اليوم في الدوري الفرنسي

تُذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 4.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا.

If there is one man as nervous as the two teams on Sunday morning, it will surely be Karl McDermott.You could be forgiven for not having heard of McDermott. But he is the new Lord’s groundsman having been appointed at the end of the 2018 season. And, as a result, he is the man charged with producing the surface for Sunday’s World Cup final.That surface looked, at first glance on Saturday, surprisingly green. At second glance, too. And while Eoin Morgan insisted “it looks greener than it is” and the grass will be cut again before the toss, it was a sight to have any seamer salivating.New Zealand gather for a team meeting at Lord’s on the eve of the World Cup final•Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP

Both teams have good seam attacks, of course. But the most obvious area where New Zealand could damage England is through Trent Boult and Matt Henry nipping the new balls around on a helpful surface. So a green pitch – one that ‘plays’ green, anyway – might be considered the biggest possible leveller ahead of a game in which England are the favourites.England have made no secret of their preference for good batting tracks. So while they have a seam attack more than capable of exploiting helpful conditions – they proved that in the semi-final demolition of Australia – they also feel they have an attack capable of performing well on flat tracks. They have the pace of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood; they have the control and reliability of Chris Woakes; they have the leg-spin of Adil Rashid; they have the awkward variations of Liam Plunkett. They’re not really looking for any help from the surface.Much the same could be said of New Zealand’s attack. But while their bowlers can do a decent job on any surface, if this match turns out to be a sprint between the batsmen of either side on a good batting pitch, there is only one winner. New Zealand have not reached 300 all tournament. It would surely be to their advantage if this match is played on a surface offering assistance to the bowlers. “Usually, it’s a fairly fair surface here,” Kane Williamson said. “But one that guys need to adapt quickly to; perhaps encouraging to seam bowlers on both sides.”Also read: Preview – It all comes down to this – and it had to be these two teamsNone of this is to suggest McDermott has erred in his preparations. He has an excellent reputation – he started his career at Clontarf in Dublin and has more recently been head groundsman at The Ageas Bowl, where he produced the track used in the 2016 Test against India – and, in general, this pitch offers less assistance to bowlers than its appearance may promise. His intention, no doubt, is to ensure it has decent pace and does not dry out. There is no suggestion – quite the opposite actually – that the ICC have intervened at any stage to request more bowler-friendly surfaces in this tournament. All groundsmen have insisted they have been left to their own devices to produce the best possible pitches.But it is, perhaps, a surface that leaves both captains with a tricky decision to make at the toss. The team batting first has won 28 of the 43 completed matches in this World Cup – and the last five ODIs at the venue – with the pressure of chasing in high-profile games (and on, at times, deteriorating pitches) proving stifling. And while Australia put on 123 for their first wicket here when England inserted them in the group stages a couple of weeks ago, they had to come through a torrid first hour to do so. Had England’s seamers bowled just a little fuller – and, to be fair, had Australia’s batsmen not been so resilient – they may well have made match-defining breakthroughs in those opening overs.They may also be mindful of the ODI between England and South Africa here two years ago. After 30 minutes of that game, England were 20 for 6 and the match was as good as over. England are a better, more adaptable, more intelligent side than that now, but this surface did evoke memories of that one.The early start may be relevant, too. Domestic Lord’s finals – particularly those held towards the end of the summer – earned a reputation of providing disproportionate assistance to the team bowling first. Those 10.30am starts meant the pitches retained just enough overnight dew to help bowlers in the first hour. All too often those matches were a case of ‘win the toss; win the game.’ There’s a reason ODIs in England and Wales do not usually start before 11am. The semi-final at Edgbaston provided an echo of those days.Morgan, who as a Middlesex player knows this ground better than most, seemed pretty relaxed about the pitch. “From afar it looks greener than it is,” Morgan said. “It will look different if the sun comes out in a few hours.” The sun didn’t come out, though; not much, anyway. By the time the covers were pulled on, it still looked almost identical to the pitch used for the group game between England and Australia. If the old adage is right that you should always look up, rather than down, to judge what the ball may do at Lord’s – ie, atmospheric conditions may be more relevant than pitch conditions – England may be reassured that the forecast suggests a warm and bright day ahead. Whether such sayings owe more to superstition than science is debatable.It was telling, though, that Lord’s was not among Morgan’s favoured venues for this ODI team when listed recently. For while England have amassed high totals and enjoyed partisan support elsewhere (The Oval, Trent Bridge and Edgbaston were the venues he said his side most enjoying playing), no side has made 330 here since the last World Cup and, since the turn of the century, 300 has only been reached seven times.The point of all this? England have built their reputation – to a large extent, anyway – upon amassing vast totals on flat batting tracks. There is little evidence – either historically or visually – that this is such a track. England undoubtedly have the ability win, but they may be called to adapt to the surface to do so.

Aston Villa are reportedly closing in on a deal to sign defender Kosta Nedeljkovic from Serbian side Red Star Belgrade and loan him back to the club for the remainder of the season.

He is only 18 and is clearly a signing for the future but this appears to be what Unai Emery is building at the club, a team which could be a consistent force in the Premier League while challenging for trophies.

It is working wonders so far this season, with summer signings Pau Torres and Moussa Diaby contributing alongside current players Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey to power the Midlands club to the heady heights of third in the table, along with progress in Europe and in the FA Cup.

Could Emery perhaps make more signings during the current January transfer window? Reportedly, he is keen on a reunion with a player he used to manage during his spell as Arsenal manager.

Aston Villa’s search for another signing

Emery is currently looking to sign Emile Smith Rowe from Arsenal this month and the Spaniard knows the Englishman well, having managed the club between 2018 and 2019.

Previous Villa managers have also wanted to sign the talented midfielder too, as Dean Smith reportedly made an offer of £25m in 2021 to bring him to the Midlands, yet this was turned down.

Recent reports state that the north Londoners are now willing to sell Smith Rowe to Villa and could this month finally be the time they secure his services?

Aston Villa's previous five January signings	Year
Jhon Duran	2023
Alex Moreno	2023
Lucas Digne	2022
Calum Chambers	2022
Philippe Coutinho	2022
Via Transfermarkt

talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook spoke to GIVEMESPORT regarding Villa’s interest in the 23-year-old recently, saying:

"I'm keen to see what they [Arsenal] do with Smith Rowe because I think Aston Villa’s interest is still there. We know that Arsenal like Douglas Luiz, but Villa aren’t going to let him go at this moment in time because they’re competing for the top four themselves.”

A move north could reinvigorate his career, which appears to be stagnating under Mikel Arteta, and he could even emerge as another Jack Grealish figure for the club as they aim to end their 28-year trophy drought.

How Emile Smith Rowe compares to Jack Grealish

When Villa made their offer for Smith Rowe in 2021, it was actually so they could replace the current Manchester City sensation, who left Villa that summer for a staggering transfer fee in the region of £100m.

Jack Grealish's career at Aston Villa
Season	Games	Goals	Assists
2014/15	24	3	1
2015/16	21	1	1
2016/17	33	5	5
2017/18	31	3	6
2018/19	35	6	8
2019/20	41	10	8
2020/21	27	7	12
Stats via Transfermarkt.

The duo not only sport the same look on the pitch – both preferring the short socks look – but they also regularly drift past opponents with their impressive dribbling style and this is something Emery needs in his current side.

According to WhoScored, the current Arsenal gem excels at finishing and holding onto the ball, while Grealish also counts holding onto the ball as one of his key strengths, yet his development has allowed him to further excel courtesy of through balls and key passes.

Give Smith Rowe time and the chance to perform at a consistent level, however, and he could shortly be alongside Grealish.

Both players possess a clear attacking threat in front of goal. Smith Howe has registered 35 goal contributions in 130 senior matches, while the City gem has played more matches – 364 games – and has scored 51 goals along with grabbing 67 assists in what has been an excellent career thus far.

Emery could give the 23-year-old his confidence back and adding a player of his talent to his squad could be a no-brainer this month. There is no doubt about it.

Emile Smith Rowe’s season in numbers

During his senior career, Smith Rowe has already missed a total of 77 matches due to a succession of injuries and this season, he has been disrupted by a knee issue which has seen him miss nine games.

This has meant the player has played only 12 times during 2023/24, registering one assist, and it is clear he isn’t able to force his way into Arteta’s starting XI often enough.

Indeed, of these 12 games, only two have been starts, and he proved he is more effective being unleashed from the first whistle, as his only assist came during his only Premier League start.

He has succeeded with 100% of his dribble attempts in the top flight during his brief spell on the pitch this term, along with winning an impressive 75% of his aerial duels. But the truth is, he hasn’t been given enough time to showcase his talents this season.

The £40k-per-week starlet needs a fresh move to live up to his vast promise and a reunion with Emery could be the ideal move.

Journalist Mark Mann-Bryans hailed the youngster as a potential “game-changer” two years ago when it looked as though he could follow Bukayo Saka from the Hale End academy into being a standout for the first team.

Unfortunately, it hasn’t quite worked out that way for the Englishman as injuries have begun to take their toll, and he could slip into the wilderness unless he makes a move away from the Emirates.

Villa are relying far too much on Ollie Watkins for goals, as the striker is currently sitting on 14 goals for the current season – five clear of anyone else – but if he gets injured, then they could be in trouble.

Smith Rowe could operate in a few different positions, yet playing just behind the striker appears to be his favoured role and the one where he can make the most difference. Also capable of playing from the left, it's clear to see why we're making such a comparison to the aforementioned Grealish.

If Emery is looking to finally deliver a major trophy to the Villa supporters after a near three-decade wait, adding some depth to his squad this month could be vital.

He still has a couple of weeks to bring in some more players, and if he does manage to sign the Arsenal outcast this month, it could potentially bring out the best in the midfielder who is in need of regular minutes.

MatériaMais Notícias

O início de temporada reservou o maior duelo entre Flamengo e Palmeiras nesta era em que ambos são os principais polos do futebol e brigam pela hegemonia nacional. E, pela Supercopa do Brasil, teve de tudo em um jogo elétrico e histórico, marcado pelo título do Flamengo conquistado através dos pênaltis, após empate em 2 a 2 – com gols de Raphael Veiga (2), Gabigol e Arrascaeta – no tempo regulamentar. O placar das penalidades foi de 6 a 5, após nada mais nada menos que 18 cobranças. Um roteiro impecável para os amantes do futebol.

Assim, o Flamengo se torna o primeiro bicampeão da Supercopa do Brasil. Nas penalidades, cabe destacar que Diego Alves brilhou, com três defesas.

Veja os destaques da decisão:

APITOU… GOL DO PALMEIRAS

Esperávamos um jogo a 220 volts. E a carga atingiu o aguardado já no primeiro lance de ataque. O Palmeiras abafou a saída do Flamengo, e, após ganhar a bola alçada por Diego Alves, teve em Rafael Veiga um protagonista de um gol de placa. O meia girou diante do Arão após tocar a bola estando de costas; frente a frente ao goleiro, bateu de trivela e não perdoou: 1×0 com 1′.

TODOS OS TEMPEROS DE DECISÃO

O jogo não deu oportunidades para o torcedor pegar um água. Almoçar, então, esqueça. O ritmo acelerado foi a tônica dos dois times, que, tensos e esbravejando com a arbitragem a cada instante, conseguiram criar chances até em uma quantidade atípica para uma final.

Aliás, todos os temperos de decisão estavam no mise en place. Expulsão? Teve: Abel Ferreira foi expulso quando o jogo estava empatado por reclamação. Polêmica com VAR? Teve: Isla cometeu falta próximo da área, em lance que, a princípio, Leandro Vuaden apitou falta dentro da área, mas recuou depois de alerta. Lance memorável? Teve: Diego tirou a bola em cima da linha, e de letra (!), em tentativa deBreno Lopes, que chegou a driblar Diego Alves.

Emoção não faltou. Não mesmo!

VIRADA AINDA NO 1ºT

O Flamengo empatou e virou ainda no primeiro tempo. O gol de empate surgiu num período em que o Palmeiras travava a saída do rival com faltas em profusão. Filipe Luís fez a diferença em jogada individual, entrou rabiscando a zaga e acertou a trave; no rebote, gol do Gabigol, o 74º do agora artilheiro isolado do clube no século XXI.

A partida seguia aberta, franca. O reativo Verdão não deixou de incomodar Diego Alves. Mas o Flamengo, que não conseguia desenvolver o seu jogo impositivo, arrumou um espaço com o talento de Arrascaeta. O uruguaio cortou para dentro, da meia-lua, e finalizou com visão e classe: sem chance para Weverton. A virada ocorreu aos 48 minutos do intenso primeiro tempo.

PALMEIRAS ENSAIOU, ENSAIOU… E EMPATOU

O Palmeiras não titubeou. Veio para a etapa final com duas alterações, ambas na cabeça de área (Menino e Danilo entraram nas vagas de Felipe Melo e Zé Rafael). O time credenciado via Copa do Brasil passou a encurralar o Fla e a encontrar boas soluções para chegar à área e incomodar Diego Alves.

De tanto martelar, chegando por diversas caminhos e encontrando um Fla com o meio num mau dia, Rony sofreu pênalti cometido por Rodrigo Caio (puxão) e permitiu que Veiga empatasse o então justo marcador: 2×2.

PENAIS PELA TAÇA (QUE JOGO!)

O jogo permaneceu elétrico e destinou dois lances inacreditáveis envolvendo Weverton e linha de sua meta, ambas na reta final: uma em chute de Vitinho, a bola beijou a trave, e o goleiro beijou a bola (sim, literalmente); depois, praticamente na jogada derradeira, Gabigol chutou e a bola desfilou sobre a linha, mas o arqueiro foi buscar (VAR chegou a analisar). Nada… Os penais tiveram que decidir o memorável confronto.

DEPOIS DE 18 COBRANÇAS, DEU FLA!

Nas cobranças, que não ocorreram sem antes de uma confusão entre as delegações fora de campo, o Flamengo levou o título pela segunda vez consecutiva tendo Rodrigo Caio na cobrança final. Diego Alves ainda defendeu três pênaltis, brilhou e terminou como protagonista.

INVENCIBILIDADE MANTIDA

Antes de a bola rolar, o Palmeiras não vencia o Flamengo desdenovembro de 2017 – eram seis confrontos, com três vitórias rubro-negras e três empates. E seguiu sem vencer. O Flamengo ampliou a respeitável sequência invicta, desta vez com um duelo emocionante e de imensa magnitude.

FICHA TÉCNICA
FLAMENGO 2(6)X(5)2 PALMEIRAS – SUPERCOPA DO BRASIL
Estádio: Mané Garrincha, em Brasília (DF)
Data e hora: 11 de abril de 2021, às 11h
Árbitro: Leandro Pedro Vuaden (RS)
Assistentes: Rafael da Silva Alves (Fifa/RS) e Jorge Eduardo Bernardi (RS)
Árbitro de vídeo: Wagner Reway (PB)
Gramado: bom
Cartões amarelos: Isla, Rodrigo Caio, Willian Arão, Rogério Ceni (FLA) / Felipe Melo, Wesley, Abel Ferreira, Luan, Mayke (PAL)
Cartões vermelhos:Abel Ferreira (PAL)

GOLS:Raphael Veiga, 1’/1ºT (0-1); Gabigol, 23’/1ºT (1-1); Arrascaeta,48’/1ºT (2-1); Raphael Veiga,28’/2ºT (2-2)

PÊNALTIS

Palmeiras
Raphael Veiga (gol), Gustavo Gómez (gol),Gustavo Scarpa (gol),Luan (perdeu), Danilo (perdeu),Matías Viña (gol), Pepê (gol),Gabriel Veron (gol), Mayke (perdeu).

Flamengo
Arrascaeta (gol),Filipe Luís (perdeu), Matheuzinho (perdeu), Vitinho (gol), Gabigol (gol), João Gomes (gol), Pepê (perdeu), Michael (gol), Rodrigo Caio (gol)

FLAMENGO (Técnico: Rogério Ceni)
Diego Alves; Isla (Matheuzinho, 17’/2ºT), Willian Arão, Rodrigo Caio e Filipe Luís; Diego (João Gomes, 17’/2ºT), Gerson (Pepê, 42’/2ºT), Everton Ribeiro (Vitinho, 33’/2ºT) e Arrascaeta; Bruno Henrique (Michael, 42’/2ºT)e Gabigol.

PALMEIRAS (Técnico: Abel Ferreira)
Weverton; Marcos Rocha (Mayke, 14’/2ºT), Luan, Gustavo Gómez e Matías Viña; Felipe Melo (Gabriel Menino, intervalo), Zé Rafael (Danilo, intervalo), Raphael Veiga, Breno Lopes e Wesley (Gabriel Veron, 14’/2ºT); Rony (Gustavo Scarpa, 45’/2ºT).

A wonderful century from the former captain lifted Australia from the tatters of 122 for 8 on a dramatic opening day to the Ashes

The Report by Andrew McGlashan01-Aug-2019Steven Smith finished the last Ashes series having scored 687 runs in seven innings so, really, there was little surprise that he began the next contest in similar vein. Except, of course, for everything that has happened since. He marked his return to Test cricket after 16 months with one of his finest hands, lifting Australia from an almost down-and-out 122 for 8 – with considerable help from the tail – to a position from which they could consider themselves ahead of the game, psychologically if nothing else.Having gone to 98 with a six off Moeen Ali then tucking a single, a drive through the covers against Ben Stokes from his 183rd delivery brought up his 24th Test hundred – and it was no ordinary milestone. The emotions came flooding out as he celebrated then tried to compose himself with a few deep breaths and a look to the sky, taking in the applause along with a few remaining and largely foolish-sounding boos.He had been beaten early on by the excellent Stuart Broad – most batsmen would have been – but once he settled there was barely a moment when he did not look in control despite the many problems of his team-mates, although was thankful for the DRS on 34 when he was given lbw playing no shot at Broad. By the end he was flaying England’s bowlers to all corners of (Fortress) Edgbaston including a monstrous, dismissive swing over the leg side off Broad three balls before he finally missed to end one of the great Test innings.Away from the personal landmarks and epic backstory he had turned around Australia’s day in partnership with Peter Siddle, who earned the final place in the XI ahead of Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon. The last two wickets added 162 with Siddle contributing a superbly constructed 44, in a stand that firstly frustrated England and then began to deflate them, before Smith dominated the last-wicket alliance of 74 in 13 overs with Lyon which left them looking forlorn.While Broad and Chris Woakes had done so much to put England in command, the absence of James Anderson to a recurrence of the calf injury he sustained in the lead-up to the series hurt in the final session. Anderson only managed four overs before leaving the field for the first time and by lunch was already off for a scan. With Stokes below his best, Joe Root suddenly didn’t appear to have many options to turn to. It was probably not Plan A, B, or C to use Joe Denly’s legspin with Australia eight down.Root had not been unhappy to lose the toss and the challenge to Australia’s top order was clear inside the first couple of overs. While Smith’s Test comeback would go on to take the headlines, David Warner’s stay was a bizarre affair. He edged his first ball from Broad down the leg side but it wasn’t spotted by umpire Aleem Dar (the first of a host of errors for the on-field officials) and England didn’t review. Then they did review for an lbw that was going over before Broad won a decision off Dar that was missing leg stump. And that was all before the end of fourth over.Cameron Bancroft, who was handed a nine-month ban compared to the year for Warner and Smith, was worked over by Broad before edging low to first slip and when England successfully reviewed for a thin edge by Usman Khawaja shortly after drinks it was 35 for 3.Travis Head enjoyed a promising first season in the Test side as the post-Newlands rebuilding began and looked in good order as he made the bowlers come to him before working off the pads. However, five overs after lunch, Woakes swung one back to win a leg before and did the same to end Matthew Wade’s first Test innings in two years – although the latter, again, needed recourse to the third umpire.England, and especially Broad, could not believe their luck when Tim Paine pulled a short delivery straight to deep square leg – it wasn’t quite 60 all out or Stokes’ Trent Bridge catch, but the #Broadface made an appearance – and two balls later James Pattinson was given lbw to one which replays showed was sliding down leg. By then it was hard to keep up with what should and shouldn’t have been out.When Pat Cummins offered no shot to a booming Stokes inswinger Australia had lost 5 for 23 in 11 overs and were heading for something very similar to the 136 they were bundled out for in the 2015 Test at this ground. That was the point in the series, level at 1-1, where it swung England’s way with considerable haste. Being skittled out early this time could have opened up some old wounds.Smith hadn’t even reached fifty by this point and when he quietly acknowledged that milestone off 119 balls it seemed like being not much more than a face-saver in the bigger picture. But Siddle, who has averaged over 30 for Essex this season, showed that he has learnt about batting against the moving Dukes ball (Paine will hope the bowling follows tomorrow) having been saved by the DRS before scoring when he was given lbw to Woakes despite a thick inside edge.At times early on he scored more freely than Smith, who was intent on seeing through the innings, and showed some deft placement until he lunged forward at Moeen and inside-edged to short leg. For a few balls it appeared Smith would try to slog his way to a century, but Lyon has a solid technique and did not let his former captain down.The timing of Smith’s dismissal meant two overs for England’s openers to face. With no nightwatchman this time, Rory Burns and Jason Roy got through but Australia were the buoyant side with plenty more plaudits for Smith as he left the field again. There is one indisputably great Test batsman on show in this series. It’s very early days, but he could be the difference.

Manchester United and Liverpool have reportedly joined the race to sign Lille starlet Leny Yoro – although Real Madrid is his most likely destination.

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Yoro, 18, starring for LilleLinked with Madrid and PSGMan Utd and Liverpool join raceWHAT HAPPENED?

The Athletic reports the 18-year-old is one of the most 'coveted' players in Europe, with Liverpool, United, Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain keen on recruiting the centre-back. The 6ft 3in teenager, who played a key role in Lille having the joint third-best defensive record in Ligue 1 (34 goals conceded), is out of contract in 2025 and he is not expected to sign a new deal.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

One major stumbling block, however, is that Lille reportedly have an asking price of €100 million (£84m/$107.m) – despite the France Under-21 international having just over 12 months left on his deal. The Athletic adds a move to Los Blancos is the most likely option, with the Spanish side seeing him as a 'generational talent'.

DID YOU KNOW?

Lille president Oliver Letang confirmed on Wednesday that Yoro, as well as Canada striker Jonathan David, will be allowed to leave the club.

Fabrizio Romano relayed his comments, which read: “Leny Yoro and Jonathan David can leave the club this summer. Both have the ‘exit voucher’ due to their contract situation."

But it is unlikely Madrid will stump up £84m to recruit the youngster.

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WHAT NEXT?

Lilly academy product Yoro, whose representatives are understood to have met with Madrid, is likely to be the subject of a bidding war this summer. Where he goes remains to be seen.

The ECB is set to confirm a window for The Hundred which will allow England’s best-known players to participate in the first few games of the tournament next summer.A 13-day window in England’s international schedule will enable some England stars to participate early in the tournament, giving it a better chance to attract public interest. Several games in the tournament will be shown free-to-air on the BBC.The first match in the competition will be played on Friday July 17 (the day after England play Australia in an ODI) with two games on each of the following days. The final will be held on August 15, with a reserve day in case of rain. England players are also expected to be made available for the final.The new format could have implications on the legislation that allows foreign players to participate in it, with the ECB having second thoughts over a request to the Home Office to change the eligibility for work permit criteria specifically for the competition. The ECB have now asked the Home Office to grant work permits for all competitions if players have “played 20 ICC Full Member country domestic T20 matches between October 2017 – September 2019 (appearances are aggregated across all ICC Full Member T20 competitions)”, in addition to the existing criteria which relate to international appearances. The Home Office have yet to confirm that criterion but are highly likely to do so.The ECB has also relented on a previous decision to bar cricketers unqualified for England from next season’s 50-over competition. While they had said previously the tournament should be viewed as a “development competition” – with no overseas players eligible to participate – they have subsequently had a change of heart on the grounds that the standard of the competition, which is taking place at the same time as The Hundred, could be diluted beyond an acceptable level. As a consequence, one unqualified player will be allowed per team, per game.In recognition of the crowded schedule and the time required to register players, counties will be permitted to increase the number of overseas players registered at any particular time from the start of next year. It will not affect the number permitted to play in each game – which will remain two in T20 and one in the Championship – but next season counties will be allowed to have three overseas players registered at any one time in recognition of the crowded schedule and the time required to register players.In a new look to the English season, the first Test of the summer of 2020 will start on June 4, with the final one starting on August 20. The schedule will also see a return to more T20 Blast games taking place on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays – the counties’ favoured days for the tournament – with 105 of the 126 fixtures played on those days. The first round of Championship cricket will start on April 13; the final round is scheduled to finish on September 30.The ECB are expected to announce in the coming weeks that there will be limited-overs games between the National Counties – the new name for the Minor Counties – and the first-class counties ahead of the 50-over competition that starts in mid-July, though games between counties and university centres are to have their status downgraded.

As Arsenal romped to a 6-0 win over Declan Rice's former employers, West Ham, on Sunday, it marked a special win not only for the club but for a certain Bukayo Saka.

Alongside Mikel Arteta the 22-year-old has carried this club to new heights in recent campaigns with the cherry on top potentially being a Premier League title in May.

For now, however, he will be content to have registered his 100th goal contribution in Arsenal colours.

That was brought up with a spot-kick in the first half of that thrashing over the weekend before in typical Saka fashion, he scored a second by cutting inside and fizzing an effort past Alphonse Areola.

When asked if he knew he'd reached a century for the Gunners post-match, he raised that innocent smile of his that simply makes you weak at the knees. Not just boasting elite finesse on the pitch, the England star has the type of bubbly personality that makes him one of the most well-liked players in the game.

But where did that quest for 100-goal involvements start? In the Europa League against Frankfurt in September 2019. You can probably guess the goal. Yep, that's right, he cut inside and deliciously curled the ball into the far corner: trademark Saka.

However, he isn't the only young Gunner to make their mark in that competition in years gone.

Arsenal's Bukayo Saka copycat

The 8th September 2022 will be a day that forever goes down in history for a particularly sad reason. It was the day Her Majesty the Queen passed away, leaving behind a remarkable legacy having sat on the British throne for 70 years. Coincidentally, it came during Arsenal's meeting with FC Zurich in the Europa League.

Football the following weekend was postponed but on Swiss shores on that Thursday evening, play continued. For one young Arsenal star, it will be a day they never forget though. Thankfully, for all the right reasons.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.

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The player in question is Marquinhos, a dazzling Brazilian footballer with the world at his feet. So we thought anyway.

As Arteta's men sealed a 2-1 win over Zurich, the winger scored his first and sadly, only goal for the north Londoners. Eddie Nketiah raced down the right-hand side and then slid the ball across the box perfectly for Marquinhos to find the net on his debut.

It was an exciting start to life in English football for the winger who was just 19 at the time. Speaking after the game, Martin Keown compared him to a former Arsenal player, as well as Saka:

"It was like Saka in that position, it’s almost a copycat performance. That’s what you’re really looking for. He looked a bit like a [Serge] Gnabry type player. He’s short, stocky, explosive pace. He looked very classy. He picked and chose his moments cleverly, whipped a couple of crosses in."

However, since that moment he's never rarely been seen in the famous red and white.

Why Marquinhos is leaving Arsenal

As it happens the 20-year-old is now on the verge of leaving Arsenal, only a year and a bit after that fantastic introduction.

It's been reported that he is set to seal a loan-to-buy move to Fluminense in his homeland. The youngster will return back to Brazil after what feels like a very fleeting stay in the capital, making just six appearances for the Gunners' first team.

So, why has it never really happened for him in London? Well, the emergence and form of Saka won't have helped his cause, nor have some rather unconvincing loan spells.

His first was with Norwich City in the Championship where he actually made a lightning-quick start before things petered out badly. Describing his time at Carrow Road, Football FanCast writer and Norwich supporter Dan Emery said: "He had an unreal start with a goal and assist on debut and then flattered to deceive after that." Fair words.

Indeed, after such a promising debut for Norwich – as he had for Arsenal too – the wide man failed to score or assist across a further ten league appearances at the back end of 2022/23.

A temporary stint with Nantes in the first half of this campaign didn't go well either, assisting one goal across seven matches. Marquinhos didn't even start a game.

Unfortunately, he has never lived up to the dizzying heights expected of him by Keown. A talented individual there is no doubt about that, but Arsenal's trajectory is on the up and they need players ready to make an impact. The Brazilian, sadly, is not.

Arsenal are thought to be “totally convinced” over potential moves for two Premier League stars this summer.

Arsenal transfer rumours

The Gunners have been in fine form on the pitch under Mikel Arteta in recent weeks as they battle Liverpool and Manchester City at the top of the table.

This comes after Arsenal refused to bolster their squad at the start of the year in the January transfer window. There were plenty of rumours about possible moves, but after a big summer spending spree, it looks as if the club are happy to once again save themselves for the end of the season before adding to Arteta’s side.

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Two players who have been heavily linked with a move to north London are Brentford’s Ivan Toney and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Pedro Neto.

Fabrizio Romano claimed last month that Toney would be open to a move to Arsenal, although Brentford were wanting “crazy money”.

“Toney is a player they appreciate, this is true and from what I'm hearing, Toney would be keen on a move to Arsenal.

“But at the moment the financial package is way too expensive for Arsenal. Brentford want crazy money as their manager confirmed a couple of days ago, so I think this is going to be a complicated one.”

It has been added that the Gunners are in pole position to sign the striker, who is valued at £80m, whereas £60m Neto is also of interest to Arteta and co.

In fact, Arsenal scouts were even in attendance at Molineux earlier this month for Wolves’ clash with Brentford to watch the pair in action, with Toney scoring in a victory for the Bees.

Jones on Arsenal links to Neto and Toney

Talking about the Arsenal scouting trip to look at Neto and Toney, journalist Dean Jones said to GiveMeSport that it was “ideal” for the Gunners and that those at the Emirates are “totally convinced” over the pair possibly working out in north London.

"It was an ideal fixture for them to take in those two players. Both of them have been on the radar over the past year, and it was an opportunity to check exactly where each player is at this stage of the season.

"To be honest, I think it's beyond the stage of gauging how good either player is. Arsenal are totally convinced that either of them or both of them could work well at the Emirates. There are not really any doubts around that."

Should both players end up moving to north London this summer, it could end up costing the Gunners in the region of £140m due to Neto and Toney’s asking prices.

After signing Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and David Raya last summer, though, it shows that the club are willing to back Arteta, so it may not come as a shock if the attackers followed suit in 2024.

Whatever Mikel Arteta had Arsenal doing in Dubai, it worked.

The Gunners have looked like a team reborn since returning from their midwinter break, and with four impressive wins on the bounce, they have well and truly reentered the Premier League title race.

The north Londoners' frontline are firing once more, although as deadly as they are starting to look, there is a former Gooner who left the club as a youngster who's looked even better this season.

Gabriel Jesus

Gabriel Martinelli

Leandro Trossard

23

28

28

8

7

9

5

3

2

In fact, this player has outscored Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard this campaign while equaling Gabriel Jesus' tally across all competitions, having been sold for a cut-price fee.

Donyell Malen's time at Arsenal

The man in question is none other than Borussia Dortmund's red-hot Dutchman, Donyell Malen.

Now, there might be quite a few fans out there who had no idea that the Wieringen-born dynamo was ever even an Arsenal player to begin with, and considering he never made a competitive first-team appearance, that'd be understandable.

Malen joined the Gunners' youth setup from Ajax's academy in July 2015 and made 57 appearances across the U23, U18, and UEFA Youth League sides, scoring 18 goals and providing nine assists along the way.

He made a couple of appearances in friendlies when Arsenal toured Australia in the summer of 2017, but with no clear way into the first team, he was sold to Dutch side PSV, with The Athletic later revealing that he was sold for just £200k.

Donyell Malen's European adventure

Malen spent most of the 2017/18 season plying his trade with PSV's youth sides, but he did make four short cameos that year, with his first coming in an Eredivisie game against PEC Zwolle on February 3rd.

However, he'd finally get his chance in the first team the following season as he scored 11 goals and provided five assists in 42 games, which he then followed up with 44 goals and 19 assists in 70 appearances across the following two campaigns.

Unsurprisingly, with form as impressive as this, the "sizzling" forward, as described by U23 scout Antonio Mango, was starting to turn heads in Europe's top five leagues, and so in the summer of 2021, German giants Borussia Dortmund signed him for a fee of around £26m.

Unfortunately for the talented forward, his first two years in Germany, while not terrible by any stretch of the imagination, were slightly underwhelming, and he returned just 19 goals and 14 assists in 73 appearances. However, this was also partly due to the 18 games he missed for club and country through injury during those seasons.

Club

PSV

Dortmund

Appearances

116

101

Goals

55

29

Assists

24

17

However, this season has seen the "unstoppable" 25-year-old, as talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, return to the sort of form that earned him his move to Signal Iduna Park to begin with, as he has already racked up ten goals and three assists in just 28 appearances, with nine of those goals coming in just 20 Bundesliga games.

In comparison, Trossard has just 11 goal involvements in 28 appearances, Martinelli has ten, and Jesus equals Malen's 13, although he has scored fewer goals.

What likely frustrates the Arsenal board more than anything, though, is that since selling the Dutchman for just £200k, his valuation has skyrocketed 25400%, as according to the CIES Football Observatory, the former Gooner is now worth around €60m, which, is roughly £51m, or £50.8m more than the north Londoners sold him for almost seven years ago.

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Ultimately, while he might not have been the leading man in Arteta's current side, his apparent talent would've surely been valuable in what looks like a nail-biting title race.