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O torcedor do Palmeiras pode até pensar “ufa, mais um título para conta”, mas esse alívio vai durar pouco tempo, tanto na arquibancada quanto no elenco. Isso porque o time terá um mês de março daqueles pela frente, com clássicos, jogo decisivos e talvez mata-matas, tudo pelo Campeonato Paulista de 2022. Descanso? Nem pensar! Serão cinco partidas em 15 dias, uma maratona.

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TABELA
> Veja classificação e simulador do Paulistão-2022 clicando aqui

> Conheça o aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

GALERIA
> Veja quanto o Palmeiras faturou em premiação com Abel Ferreira

Conquistar mais uma taça é um sentimento de muita alegria e de ver cumprido. No entanto, no futebol isso só acontece quando o troféu vem logo antes das férias, porque em outras ocasiões, esse privilégio não existe. Esse é o caso da Palmeiras, que disputou sua segunda decisão neste ano e já levou um título para sua estante. Mas o ano é longo e daqui a pouco já tem “pedreira”.

Embora o campeonato estadual não seja o mais importante dos torneio, é melhor evitar qualquer eliminação precoce e derrotas para rivais. É por esse tipo de desafio que o Verdão vai passar neste mês. Além de brigar pela classificação para as quartas de final, que não está fácil, o time terá nada menos do que três clássicos seguidos e ainda o Red Bull Bragantino.

Antes dessa sequência, o Alviverde ainda recebe o Guarani, neste domingo, no Allianz Parque. Apesar de ser o adversário, teoricamente, menos complicado, vencer essa partida é essencial para chegar nos clássicos sem tanta pressão. Serão cinco jogos para conquistar oito pontos. É essa a conta que o Palmeiras faz para se garantir na próxima fase do Paulistão. Com três vitórias nesses duelos, a equipe de Abel Ferreira não só terá a vaga, mas também a liderança.

É claro que conquistar esses pontos é importante, pois é isso que levará o time para as quartas de final para seguir brigando por mais um título, mas todos sabem que os clássicos são pequenas “finais” dentro de um campeonato. Uma derrota pode significar muito mais do que não ganhar os três pontos.

Os rivais estarão loucos para tirar uma casquinha do campeão da Libertadores, vice-mundial e campeão da Recopa e os alviverdes não menos empolgados para poderem se afirmar em cima desses grandes e históricos adversários.

Então o resumo é este: nem bem o Palmeiras sai de mais uma decisão, com título, e já terá uma maratona de outros jogos decisivos para encarar. E se tudo der certo, daqui mais ou menos um mês, o clube estará novamente disputando uma taça: a do Paulistão-2022. Está preparado para mais uma, palmeirense?

Datas do Palmeiras em março:

6/3 – Palmeiras x Guarani
10/3 – São Paulo x Palmeiras
​13/3 – Palmeiras x Santos
17/3 – Palmeiras x Corinthians
20/3 – Red Bull Bragantino x Palmeiras

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يحل فريق ريال مدريد الإسباني ضيفًا على خصمه فريق آرسنال الإنجليزي، مساء يوم الثلاثاء، في إطار منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

تأتي تلك المباراة في خضم لقاءات ذهاب ربع نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا، موسم 2024/25، على ملعب “الإمارات”.

ويستضيف ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو” مباراة الفريقين في موقعة الإياب يوم الأربعاء 16 أبريل الجاري.

ويلتقي المتأهل من ريال مدريد وآرسنال مع المتأهل من باريس سان جيرمان وأستون فيلا، في نصف نهائي البطولة.

وشهدت قائمة ريال مدريد عودة حارس المرمى تيبو كورتوا بعد غيابه عن الملاعب الفترة الماضية عقب تعرضه لإصابة عضلية في التوقف الدولي مع منتخب بلجيكا، خلال شهر مارس الماضي.

طالع | تشكيل ريال مدريد أمام آرسنال في دوري أبطال أوروبا.. موقف مبابي تشكيل ريال مدريد المتوقع أمام آرسنال اليوم في دوري أبطال أوروبا

حراسة المرمى: كورتوا.

خط الدفاع: فاسكيز، أسينسيو، روديجر، ألابا.

خط الوسط: فالفيردي، كامافينجا.

خط الوسط الهجومي: رودريجو، جود بيلينجهام، فينيسيوس جونيور.

خط الهجوم: كيليان مبابي.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

NZ haven’t beaten Australia in an ODI since 2017 but cruised to a nine-wicket win in the World Cup warm-up game earlier this month

AAP12-Mar-2022New Zealand are hoping a typically brutal Wellington gale can blow them to victory over Australia in their crunch Women’s World Cup meeting on Sunday.The meeting of the hosts and the world No. 1 side at the Basin Reserve is a contender for match of the tournament.”This is a big game. There’s no doubt about that,” Australia captain Meg Lanning said.New Zealand haven’t beaten Australia in a one-day international since 2017 but scored a confidence-boosting nine-wicket win earlier this month in a warm-up match.New Zealand captain Sophie Devine reminded Australia of her class with an unbeaten 161, partnering with Amelia Kerr, who made 92, in the eye-catching result.Australia coach Matthew Mott called Kerr the “most improved batter in the world” and that the coaching staff had prepared plenty of opposition research.”We’ve certainly done our homework and planning on those two,” Lanning said. “And also their whole team. You can’t just focus on one or two players and forget about the rest because they’ve got a really good team with good depth. The other thing that’s important is adapting to the conditions and playing what’s in front of you.”And on that front, Lanning says she’s also prepared. The forecast for Wellington tomorrow is near gale-force southerly winds, straight from Antarctica.”I’ll be packing everything I have including handwarmers. They’re ready to go. I’ve heard it can get quite chilly,” Lanning laughed.New Zealand allrounder Maddy Green, who like Devine and Kerr plays her club cricket with Wellington Blaze at the Basin, chuckled as she was informed of the likely conditions.”It’s good to see Wellington has organised a nice fresh southerly for the Australians. I’m not too sure they’re going to enjoy that too much,” she said. “We’ve played a lot of cricket here so really looking forward to getting out on the Basin.”In contrast, the Australian women’s team hasn’t played a ODI at the Basin since 1999. In their last T20 appearances here six years ago, New Zealand two wins over a team comprising six current Australians led by Lanning.Australia should have all 15 squad members to pick from, with Ashleigh Gardner re-joining the squad after a Covid-enforced isolation period, and Tahlia McGrath fit after heel soreness.Lanning said Gardner’s selection would be ratified after training, saying “if she’s fit and feeling well, she’ll come in”.Australia, with wins over England and Pakistan so far in the tournament, can put a foot in the semi-finals with a third straight victory. New Zealand need a result more. They were shock opening-night losers to West Indies before rebounding with a fine 61-run victory over India on Thursday.”These are the games you want to be a part of as a player,” Lanning said. “They’re really important in the context of the tournament and we’re really excited about the opportunity.””If we can withstand some pressure when they come hard at us, which they will do, and then get the momentum back through the game we feel like we have enough firepower to get the win.”

Everything you need to know about Erling Haaland's salary at Manchester City

Manchester City haven’t been in the best of form in 2024-25, having been knocked out in the Champions League play-off against Real Madrid, while things haven’t really worked out for them in the Premier League either. Despite the turmoil at the club, Erling Haaland hasn’t been short of goals and the big Norwegian was rewarded with a contract renewal with the Cityzens, keeping him at the Etihad until 2034. The new contract has made him the highest paid-player at the club, but exactly how much does the City striker earn? Let’s find out!

GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!

*

• Erling Haaland's wages at Manchester City in numbers

  Under his current contract with the club, Haaland earns £525,000 ($663,164) on a weekly basis, which scales up to over £27 million ($34m) for a year, making him the highest-paid player in the entire squad.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in GBP	Weekly wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD
  Erling Haaland	Norwegian	£525,000	$663,146	£27,300,00	$34,483,586

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Top earners at Manchester City

  As already mentioned, Haaland is the highest-paid City player.

  Following the striker is the experienced Kevin De Bruyne, a winner of multiple titles and the City player with the most Premier League assists.

  Meanwhile, Jack Grealish is the third-highest earner at the Etihad alongside Bernardo Silva. Capping off the list in fifth spot is new signings Omar Marmoush.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in GBP	Weekly wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD
  Erling Haland	Norwegian	£525,000	$663,146	£27,300,000	$34,483,546
  Kevin De Bruyne	Belgian	£400,000	$505,254	£20,800,000	$26,273,308
  Jack Grealish	English	£300,000	$378,941	£15,600,00	$19,704,906
  Bernardo Silva	Portuguese	£300,000	$378,941	£15,600,00	$19,704.906
  Omar Marmoush	Egyptian	£295,000	$372,625	£15,340,000	$12,376,491

• Top 5 earners in the Premier League

  Haaland and De Bruyne both sit at the top of the charts not just at City, but also in the league.

  Arguably the Premier League’s best player in 2024-25, Mohamed Salah, makes an appearance at number three.

  Meanwhile, Casemiro comes in as a rather surprising entrant at number four, followed by yet another city player in Grealish.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in GBP	Weekly wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP	Annual wage sin USD
  Erling Haaland	Norwegian	£525,000	$663,146	£27,300,000	$34,483,586
  Kevin De Bruyne	Belgian	£400,000	$505,254	£20,800,000	$26,273,206
  Mohamed Salah	Egyptian	£350,000	$442,097	£18,200,000	$22,989,057
  Casemiro	Brazilian	£350,000	$442,097	£18,200,000	$22,989,057
  Jack Grealish	English	£300,000	$378,941	£15,600,000	$19,704,906

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Highest paid players in the world

  Although Haaland and De Bruyne are the top earners in the Premier League, they fail to make the top five when it comes to the highest paid players across the world.

  At the top sits the never-aging Cristiano Ronaldo, playing for Saudi Premier League side Al Nassr.

  At number two comes Al Ittihad's Karim Benzema, while Riyad Mahrez of Al Ahli makes an appearance at number three.

  Player	Club	Weekly wages GBP	Weekly wages USD	Annual wages GBP	Annual wages USD
  Cristiano Ronaldo	Al Nassr	£3,846,154	$4,027,872	£200,000,000	$209,449,340
  Karim Benzema	Al Ittihad	£1,923,077	$2,013,936	£100,000,000	$104,724,670
  Riyad Mahrez	Al Ahli	£1,003,846	$1,051,275	£52,200,000	$54,666,278
  Sadio Mane	Al Nassr	£769,231	$805,574	£40,000,000	$41,889,868
  Kalidou Koulibaly	Al Hilal	£667,308	$698,836	£34,000,000	$36,339,460

Rangers could stand to lose after a club entered into negotiations to change the transfer fee that had already been agreed with the Ibrox outfit, it has emerged.

Rangers under pressure

It has been a dismal start to the season for Rangers, with Philippe Clement under pressure to turn things around in Glasgow. His side sit third in the Scottish Premiership, a massive 11 points behind reigning champions and major rivals Celtic, while they also sit seven points behind Aberdeen, albeit with a game in hand on Jimmy Thelin’s side.

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It has been a more successful story in Europe; after being knocked out of the Champions League by Dinamo Kyiv, they have lost just once in five games in the Europa League and sit within the automatic qualification spots for the knockout rounds after an emphatic 4-1 win over Nice in the south of France.

With games against Tottenham, Manchester United and Union Saint Gilloise still to come, they are certainly well placed to have a shot at the knockout round at the very worst.

Opponent

Competition

Kilmarnock (Home)

Scottish Premiership

Ross County (Away)

Scottish Premiership

Tottenham (Home)

Europa League

Celtic (Away)

League Cup

Dundee FC (Home)

Scottish Premiership

January reinforcements are likely, but it is unclear how much money is available at Ibrox following a heavy summer window. Now, they could have been dealt a blow before the transfer window has even opened.

Club want discount on Cifuentes

Though Jose Cifuentes’ spell at Rangers was not what anyone was hoping for, he has enjoyed an impressive campaign since departing Ibrox, so much so that there is hope he can be signed permanently, provided Clement’s side drop their asking price.

The highly-rated Ecuadorian midfielder arrived at Ibrox for £1.2m thanks to the work of former Rangers boss Michael Beale, who predicted that he would add “real quality” to his side.

“He has a great personality and I thought he showed a couple of minutes of real quality“, he explained after the signing was confirmed.

But that quality never shone through at Ibrox, and after just 12 months Cifuentes was moved on by new manager Clement, joining Aris Saloniki on loan in the most recent summer transfer window, capping a dismal 20 appearance stay in Scotland.

However, he has recovered his form in Greece, and is helping his side mount an unlikely title charge in the Super League, though three successive losses have left them six points off top spot. Aris inserted an option to buy Cifuentes into the deal, believed to sit at £4.2m, plus agreeing to cover part of his £16,000 a week wages.

But the Greek side are now keen to pay less than that to secure their key target, and The Sun report that they have “now opened negotiations with Rangers in an attempt to get them to lower their £4.2million future transfer fee”.

It is added that “they feel the transfer fee is too high” for the Ecuadorian, and though they would like to keep the player, it does not sound like they are willing to match the asking price for him to remain in Greece.

Having shelled out just £1.2m for Cifuentes, Rangers could well be willing to compromise on his sale, given that they are likely to still profit from the deal.

Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement has seen his side win their last two games 6-0 and 3-0 respectively. It wasn’t just securing all three points that was important against Kilmarnock and Ross County, but the performances themselves were superb.

Indeed, across both matches, the Gers registered 47 shots, which resulted in nine goals being scored. The main difference was having Hamza Igamane supporting Danilo.

The starlet scored three times across both games, including a stunning long-range effort against County, but his link-up play with Danilo was equally impressive.

It is no secret that the club have struggled to find a consistent attacking threat on the left wing. Oscar Cortes and Rabbi Matondo have both endured spells out injured this term, while Nedim Bajrami has filled in to decent effect, despite the Albanian favouring an attacking midfield role.

Igamane looked at ease in an unfamiliar setting, that’s for sure. Only time will tell if this could be a long-term solution to Clement’s problem, however.

How the Belgian tactician would love to call on someone like Ryan Kent in this Rangers side, especially when he was in his prime under Steven Gerrard.

Ryan Kent’s Rangers statistics

As in the past, the Light Blues relied heavily on the loan market ahead of the 2018/19 campaign, which was to be Gerrard’s first at the club.

Several players joined the Gers, but it was the loan signing of Kent which got heads turning, especially as he was developing nicely at Liverpool under Jürgen Klopp.

“I think when the opportunity came around to join a club of this magnitude, it was a bit of a no-brainer,” said Kent regarding his move north of the border. With a former Liverpool icon in charge of the Light Blues, it was a move that could work out well for all parties.

Indeed, the winger enjoyed an excellent campaign in Scotland, scoring six goals while registering a further nine assists in all competitions, which led to calls for Gerrard to pursue a permanent deal for the starlet.

With the summer deadline ticking away, plenty of supporters were getting anxious about whether Kent would be returning to the club, but a deal worth around £7.5m – one of the biggest signings in the club’s history – was announced ahead of the transfer window closing.

He scored against Celtic in Rangers’ first win at Parkhead in nine years during the 2019/20 season, adding in another seven goals, but he couldn’t lead them to silverware.

The 2020/21 campaign proved to be his finest, registering 27 goal contributions – 13 goals and 14 assists – as the Gers won their first league title in a decade, going the whole season undefeated in the process.

2022/23

44

3

10

2021/22

46

3

19

2020/21

52

13

14

2019/20

33

8

4

2018/19

43

6

9

This proved to be Kent’s pinnacle at the club. He would produce some moments of magic over the following two campaigns, but a return of just six goals proved that his heart certainly wasn’t in it anymore.

With just months left on his contract, it appeared as though the English winger was seeking to leave Scotland, and it came as no surprise in May 2023 when they announced that he was one of the five players who would be departing in the summer.

Since leaving, Kent has played a total of 19 games for Fenerbahçe before having his contract terminated.

There is no doubt that between 2018 and 2021, Kent was one of the finest players in Scotland.

Does Clement have his own Kent-like figure in his current first-team squad? There’s another loan star lighting up Ibrox with every passing week…

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Rangers' new Ryan Kent

Like Kent, Cerny is on a season-long loan deal, yet his impressive performances of late have led to calls to make this a permanent one at the end of the season.

Across all competitions this season, the Czech sensation has scored nine goals while providing five assists for the Light Blues, cementing a spot on the right flank.

While Ross McCausland was preferred last term, it was evident that Clement required a player who could offer that cutting-edge in the final third and Cerny has worked his magic so far.

Domestically, the wide player has created three big chances, averaging 2.6 key passes and 1.5 successful dribbles per game, causing plenty of chaos to opposition defenders in the Premiership.

it is in the Europa League where Clement has seen the winger at his best, however. Not only has he notched up five goal contributions in as many games, but the 27-year-old has created two big chances, succeeded with 1.8 dribbles – a 60% success rate – along with averaging 1.8 key passes per game.

Furthermore, when compared to his peers in the Europa League, Cerny ranks in the top 5% for total shots (4.32), the top 16% for successful take-on percentage (60%) and in the top 19% for carries into the opposition penalty area per 90 (2.29), demonstrating just how effective he is in getting past defenders and into the penalty box.

Just before he signed, Rangers Journal founder Kai Watson heaped praise on the Wolfsburg attacker, saying: “The last time Vaclav Cernu played in a league similar to ours (Eredivisie) he had 27 goal contributions in 36 appearances. A left-footed right winger with bags of pace and ability on the ball, he would be a real statement signing.”

It may have taken a month or two to truly settle in, but the fans are now seeing the very best of Cerny. A winger who is not only able to get the better of their opposite number but who can cut in on his stronger foot and score plenty of goals.

He is certainly emerging as the club’s new Kent and a permanent deal will be looked at as the season progresses.

Whether Rangers can afford him is a different story. The board and manager will cross that bridge when they get to it. Firstly, there are trophies to be won.

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Looking to take a vital step back towards the Premier League’s top four, Newcastle United are now reportedly willing to take a gamble on one free agent who could help them reach that level again.

Newcastle transfer news

Whether it’s Bryan Mbeumo or Victor Osimhen, the transfer rumours are certainly coming thick and fast when it comes to recruits on Tyneside.

Those at St James’ Park have the opportunity to earn redemption after a summer of failure last time out left Eddie Howe short on reinforcements. As the Magpies continue to turn their form around on the pitch, sporting director Paul Mitchell must do the same away from the action.

Osimhen would be a particularly impressive signing given his strong links to Chelsea in recent seasons and the mouth-watering partnership that he could form with Alexander Isak.

If Newcastle are looking to make their return to the Champions League after enjoying some moments to savour among Europe’s elite last season, signing players of such calibre should be the way forward. And that has seemingly left them prepared to take quite the risk.

According to reports in Spain, Newcastle are now willing to take a gamble by signing Paul Pogba on a free deal in 2025, with the Frenchman thought to be a main target.

The midfielder was initially banned for four years in February after tests found that he had an elevated level of testosterone in his system. However, that ban has since been reduced to 18 months, which will see Pogba make his return in March next year.

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Now a free agent after leaving Juventus, the former Manchester United man could yet make a sensational return to the Premier League courtesy of Newcastle. Those at Old Trafford often failed to get the best out of him, but the Magpies could yet get the World Cup winner at the heart of their side.

"Fantastic" Pogba is worth the gamble

For a side like Newcastle, who are desperately looking to break into the top four and then maintain their place, taking risks is a must. Welcoming Pogba without having to splash out on a transfer fee and therefore reducing the risk of profit and sustainability questions should be a no-brainer for those at St James’ Park.

Of course, the age-old question is how a team can get the best out of the Frenchman, but Howe may yet have the answer. Next to a midfield duo of a battling Brazilian in Joelinton and the more technical and assured Bruno Guimaraes, Pogba could have the licence to play his best football and seek the ultimate redemption after recent troubles.

Whilst his time at Old Trafford ended in a case of what might have been, Pogba was at the centre of praise from former teammate Juan Mata when his form saw the Frenchman lose his starting place:

He said: “I’m sure he will keep showing how good a player he is and how nice a guy he is.

“We know Paul is looking forward to playing good, to do the best for the team and try to perform at his level because we all know when he does that he is a fantastic midfielder.”

After enjoying a fine start to the new season, Aston Villa are now enduring their worst run of form in recent memory. Unai Emery’s side have lost all of their last four games in all competitions, slipping to defeats against Crystal Palace, Tottenham, Club Brugge, and most recently high-flying Liverpool.

In the Premier League, they haven’t won a game since mid-October, form that has seen them slip to ninth in the top flight, just three points ahead of supposedly struggling Manchester United.

Amid their poor form, Emery is reportedly looking to bring reinforcements to Villa Park. Among those players understood to be on the Spaniard’s radar are LOSC Lille striker Jonathan David, Southampton starlet Tyler Dibling, and Chelsea midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who the Blues are thought to be keen on off-loading after the New Year following a difficult first six-months at Stamford Bridge.

Villa also want La Liga star

Another player Villa are reportedly keen on is Espanyol defender Omar El Hilali. The Moroccan has caught the eye with his solid performances at right-back for the Parakeets over the past year, ranking in the 96th percentile for tackles-per-90 and the 99th percentile for clearances when compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues.

According to a recent report from TBR Football, both Villa and Brighton are monitoring the 21-year-old, while Premier League champions Manchester City are the chief suitors at the moment, showing a “keen interest”.

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City are understood to be considering El Hilali as a replacement for long-serving Kyle Walker, who turns 35 in May. TBR Football claims, however, that the Citizens also have their eyes on Jeremie Frimpong of Bayer Leverkusen, who they sold to Celtic back in 2019, and Monaco’s Brazilian full-back Vanderson.

A move for either of those players could pave the way for Villa to make their move for El Hilali, who is valued at just £2.5 million.

Who is Omar El Hilali?

Born in Spain to a Moroccan family, El Hilali has been with Espanyol since he was a boy, and made his first-team debut when he was just 17 in April 2021. Since, he’s made 63 appearances for the Catalan club, helping them lift the Segunda Division title in 2020/21.

As a youngster, he was twice touted by Espanyol’s rivals FC Barcelona, but opted to rebuke their approaches.

“I had an offer from Barca before coming to the Espanyol youth team and then in the cadets before moving on to the youth team,” he revealed in a recent interview on Que T’hi Jugues. “But both times, the truth is that I didn’t even think about it.

“I’ve been a Perico since I was a kid, I’ve always been attracted to this club. If Espanyol offer me a contract for life, I will stay here forever.”

Big picture

Shere Bangla National Stadium, both literally and figuratively, lit up on Thursday evening as crowds returned in full capacity to Bangladesh’s home of cricket. As icing on the cake, the home team trounced Afghanistan by 61 runs in the first T20I, which sets up the second game, the last of the tour, quite nicely.Bangladesh would be glad that they finally broke their eight-match T20I losing streak. It had been a painful experience for the side, having lost all five of their Super 12 games at last year’s World Cup, followed by a 3-0 drubbing in the hands of Pakistan at home. Nothing seemed to be working, but wins in other formats perhaps helped them bring that energy into the T20Is.Bangladesh’s win over New Zealand in January had given them a different perspective as a cricket team. One-day cricket has always been the perfect tonic for this team, but even so there was a feeling of dread among the fans about these games against Afghanistan, largely stemming from the last bilateral series between the two teams in 2018.The demons of that 3-0 defeat have all been exorcised though. Central roles from Litton Das and Nasum Ahmed, and minor support roles from Afif Hossain, Shoriful Islam and Shakib Al Hasan got Bangladesh to a big win against a dangerous side in T20Is. Litton has turned full circle since the T20 World Cup, while Nasum is just continuing his good form from August last year. Newcomer Munim Shahriar looks the part in the format, although there’s some concern about Mohammad Naim in the top-order.Afghanistan, meanwhile, continued to give away positions of strength, just like they did during the ODI leg of the tour. They took three early wickets, but gave away loose runs during the Litton-Afif partnership and let the opposition off the hook. Perhaps they bank a little too much on their three leading spinners, and when they don’t come off, the team looks short of answers. In that context, even with the series lost, the emergence of Fazalhaq Farooqi cannot be understated. He has been a revelation, giving them an extra option at both ends of the innings.Mujeeb Ur Rahman could be the key with his variations•AFP/Getty Images

Afghanistan’s all-or-nothing batting approach also has to be tempered, at least within the top three. They could have picked and chosen their shots better, but instead they left left Najibullah Zadran and Mohammad Nabi with too much to do. Taking stock of this will probably serve them well as they look to square the series.

Form guide

Bangladesh WLLLL (Last five completed matches; most recent first)
Afghanistan LLLWL

In the spotlight

Nasum Ahmed broke Afghanistan’s top-order in the first game, picking up the important wickets of openers Hazratullah Zazai and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Both are known as dangerous big-hitters, but Nasum beat them beautifully in flight. The left-arm spinner has made a steady rise in T20Is since his debut last year and is now being asked to take the new ball in almost every game.After bowling very well in the BBL and BPL earlier this year, Mujeeb Ur Rahman‘s form has suddenly dipped on this trip. He has taken only one wicket in 31 overs across four white-ball matches. Litton has said that he is confident against Mujeeb, who has usually been cast as a mystery bowler since coming onto the scene.

Team news

Bangladesh may yet find reason to tinker with a winning combination given Mushfiqur Rahim has been passed fit.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Litton Das (wk), 2 Munim Shahriar, 3 Shakib Al Hasan, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim, 5 Mahmudullah (capt), 6 Yasir Ali, 7 Afif Hossain, 8 Mahedi Hasan, 9 Shoriful Islam, 10 Nasum Ahmed, 11 Mustafizur RahmanAfghanistan are expected to play the same XI as the last game.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Hazratullah Zazai, 2 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 3 Darwish Rasooli, 4 Najibullah Zadran, 5 Mohammad Nabi (capt), 6 Azmatullah Omarzai, 7 Karim Janat, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 10 Fazalhaq Farooqi, 11 Qais Ahmed

Pitch and conditions

Gamini Silva, the curator, put out a grassy wicket at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, much to the frustration of the Afghanistan spinners. The weather will remain dry for the course of the game.

Stats and trivia

• Bangladesh have now bowled out Afghanistan below 100 runs twice. Before the 94 in the first T20I, Bangladesh bowled them out for 72 runs in the 2014 T20 World Cup.
• Afghanistan lost their first three wickets before reaching double-figures for the third time, when they slipped to 8 for 3 in the first T20I.

Following an inconsistent start to the season, Newcastle United and PIF are now reportedly willing to show the door to a player in January that Eddie Howe previously blocked from completing a departure.

Newcastle transfer news

It’s been one step forward, two steps back for the Magpies so far this season. Whilst Howe’s side secured impressive victories over Arsenal and Nottingham Forest before the international break, they’ve since suffered defeat at the hands of struggling West Ham United and were forced to settle for a point against relegation contenders Crystal Palace. With Premier League leaders Liverpool up next too, those at St James’ Park could be in for another difficult evening.

With the January transfer window just around the corner, Newcastle could be one of the most interesting clubs to watch, given how they failed to complete their recruitment during the summer.

Deals for players such as Marc Guehi never quite got over the line and amid their recent defensive struggles, it would come as little shock if the Magpies went again in pursuit of the defender, whose own goal to give Newcastle the lead this weekend was full of irony.

There could also be movement on the exit front, meanwhile. According to Wayne Veysey of Football Insider, PIF and Newcastle are now willing to accept offers to sell Kieran Trippier in the January transfer window just months since Howe reportedly blocked the right-back from leaving St James’ Park.

Related Howe must now ditch 6/10 Newcastle star who lost the ball 20x vs Palace

Newcastle failed to secure three points against Crystal Palace today

Posts 2 ByRoss Kilvington Nov 30, 2024

Now 34 years old and behind in the pecking order to the impressive Tino Livramento, a January exit could suit all parties. But Newcastle should act with caution, given just how fragile the depth of their squad has been throughout the current campaign. The last thing Howe needs is to be scrambling for internal solutions that have already headed for the exit door.

Newcastle must still replace "strong" Trippier

Although it’s far from in doubt that Trippier, on £120,000-a-week, is now past his best and is now a backup and backup only to Livramento at St James’ Park, Newcastle must still ensure that they replace the right-back if he completes a move away in the January transfer window. A player with experience on Europe’s biggest stage and someone who now offers key depth, the Magpies can’t afford to stretch their defensive options thinner than they have done already this season.

Trippier’s potential exit comes just one season after he found himself at the centre of Howe’s praise, with the Newcastle boss telling reporters as relayed by the Daily Mail last December: “Tripps [Trippier] is an incredibly strong character. As I’ve said many times he’s a transformative signing. Someone that’s taken the group onto a totally different level.”

All good things must come to an end, however, and after starting just three Premier League games all season, Trippier looks destined for the Newcastle exit door. Livramento, meanwhile, looks likely to only push on after making the right-back role his own in the last few months.