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Disrupted game between Band-e-Amir Dragons and Pamir Zalmi was eventually allowed to continue

Umar Farooq29-Jul-2022An explosion in the stands at Kabul International Cricket Stadium, during a Shpageeza Cricket League T20 match, has left four spectators injured. The game, the second of the day at the same venue, was between between Band-e-Amir Dragons and Pamir Zalmi.After the four spectators were taken to hospital and the police cleared play to resume, it did, with Band-e-Amir Dragons easily chasing down their DLS adjusted target of 94 in 10 overs to secure victory with nine wickets and 17 balls to spare. Pamir Zalmi had made 159 for 5 in their 20, before the chase was delayed.”Kabul police arrived on scene and took charge, cordoning off the stand,” Afghanistan Cricket Board CEO Naseeb Khan told ESPNcricinfo. “After an hour or so, they gave us clearance to resume the game.”Everyone directly involved in the game, from the players to coaching staff, were unaffected by the blast.There were several prominent Afghanistan players in action at this T20. World Cup hero Shapoor Zadran was captaining Pamir Zalmi and he had Dawlat Zadran, who was one of the team’s reserves at the 2021 T20 World Cup, and Mohammadullah Najibullah, who was with the Under-19 team at the World Cup in 2022, by his side.The winners Band-e-Amir Dragons were captained by Aftab Alam, who last played for Afghanistan at the 2019 World Cup before being suspended for a year for disciplinary breaches. Among his team-mates were Karim Janat, the bowling allrounder who was part of Afghanistan’s most recent assignment, a tour of Zimbabwe in June, Kamran Ghulam, the Lahore Qalandars batter, and Ikram Alikhil, who as an 18-year-old struck 86 off 93 balls against West Indies in the previous ODI World Cup.The Shpageeza Cricket League is Afghanistan’s premier domestic T20 tournament and is played entirely in Kabul. This match was the 22nd game of the tournament. There are six league-phase games remaining, followed by three playoffs and the final.

Everton are keen on signing a “very interesting” attacking player during the January transfer window, according to a fresh transfer update.

Everton transfer news

The Blues are looking to strengthen their squad this month, ensuring that David Moyes has enough quality to steer his side away from the relegation zone in the Premier League.

Ben Chilwell is one player who has been mentioned as a loan option for Everton before the end of the month, with the Englishman a hugely experienced player who could add quality and depth in an important position. He hasn’t made a single league appearance for Chelsea this season, finding himself completely out of favour under Enzo Maresca.

Right-back is arguably an even more important position for the Blues to strengthen this month, with Seamus Coleman and Ashley Young both at the end of their careers. For that reason, Southampton ace Kyle Walker-Peters has been linked with a move to Goodison Park, no doubt potentially wanting to stay in the top flight if Saints are relegated to the Championship in May.

An interesting move for former Chelsea and Arsenal winger Willian has also been mooted recently, with the Brazilian a free agent who might like the idea of returning to the Premier League. At 36 years of age, his best days are admittedly behind him, but he could be an effective squad option for Moyes.

Everton "have made moves" to sign international ace

According to a report from Calciomercato in Italy [via Sport Witness], Everton “have made moves” to sign Juventus attacker Timothy Weah in the January window.

Eintracht Frankfurt are battling the Blues for the 41-cap and six-goal USA international’s signature, with the Merseysiders knocking on Juve’s door and awaiting a response from the Serie A giants.

Weah could be a brilliant option for Everton this mnonth, with Juve manager Thiago Motta lauding his quality this season:“I like all he does. Especially the fact that he scores goals.

“Strikers need to finish an attack. He does many other things well, and it’s very interesting because he offers alternative solutions. He can play on the left, on the right, or as a striker. He helps, and he’s responsible. He understands what the team needs and his duties. We are happy he’s in good form, he must continue like this, whether he starts or not.”

Weah has scored five times in just eight starts in Serie A this season, but the fact that he hasn’t been a regular for the Turin giants shows why a move away could appeal to him.

The 24-year-old is adept at playing on either flank and also in a central attacking role, so it is understandable to see why Moyes or Dan Friedkin could see him as an ideal acquisition.

Better than Ndiaye: 8/10 Everton star has made himself undroppable to Moyes

Everton’s 8/10 star was everywhere against Spurs in emphatic first win for Moyes

ByConnor Holden Jan 19, 2025

Additional attacking firepower is badly needed for Everton in January, especially if Beto’s likely departure goes through, and the American could add exactly that.

Everton secured back-to-back wins in the Premier League for the first time this season and the second David Moyes era is certainly underway.

In what was always likely going to be a tight match, the Toffees came out on top thanks to a penalty in the first half which was scored by Iliman Ndiaye and ended up securing all three points.

The Merseyside outfit finished the game with ten men as Orel Mangala had to leave the pitch due to injury, with Everton making all of their subs. The club had to battle hard to take the three points.

This win gives them breathing space from the relegation zone and Moyes has Ndiaye to thank for that.

Iliman Ndiaye’s game in numbers vs Brighton

Operating on the left wing against the Seagulls, Ndiaye enjoyed a positive display for the Toffees. Of course, he scored the winner, but the Senegal international also attempted two dribbles, took 41 touches while winning 100% of his aerial duels during the game.

Defensively, he did struggle slightly, losing possession 13 times while winning only three of his eight contested ground duels, but the Everton faithful will forgive this due to his penalty.

Stat

Highest-Ranked

Accurate passes

Lewis Dunk (119)

Key passes

Joel Veltman, Jan Paul Van Hecke and Yasin Ayari (2)

Tackles

Idrissa Gueye (8)

Shots on target

Iliman Ndiaye and Joao Pedro (1)

Ground duels won

Idrissa Gueye (10)

Several of the starting XI played well in the victory, but there were a couple who failed to step up when it mattered most.

Abdoulaye Doucoure was arguably the worst performer on the pitch for the Goodison Park outfit, as Ndiaye’s penalty certainly saved him.

Abdoulaye Doucoure struggles vs Brighton

Doucoure was deployed directly behind striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin against Brighton, but he didn’t influence the game at all, despite being in a creative position.

Indeed, the midfielder took just 28 touches while completing 19 passes during his time on the pitch. Attacking-wise, Doucoure failed to make a key pass or create a big chance, while registering zero shots during the clash and failing with his solitary dribble attempt.

Defensively, he wasn’t much better, unfortunately. Not only did the player lose 11 of his 13 contested duels throughout the game, but he even managed to lose possession 11 times, committed three fouls and made just two tackles.

If Everton had dropped points, the finger of blame would lie directly with Doucoure, for that is a certainty. He will be thankful that Ndiaye bailed him out with the winner.

Moyes simply has to drop him to the bench for the next game against Leicester City next weekend.

If the club can secure another three points during that match, then thoughts of relegation will ease. The pressure is still on, however, but game by game, the Scot is breathing new life into the club.

Chalkboard

Premier League football at Everton’s new stadium at Bramley Moore Docks could be a reality if performances like this are repeated.

Moyes could sign his own Bruno Fernandes at Everton with bid for £10m star

Everton are looking to make a raft of signings with David Moyes at the helm.

ByAngus Sinclair Jan 24, 2025

Since his return in January 2024, Javier "Chicharito" Hernández has played in 34 matches across all competitions, scoring only three goals

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Chicharito linked with MLS return

He's paid hefty image bonuses and salary

Only scored one goal during Clausura 2025Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFPWHAT HAPPENED?

Guadalajara’s Clausura 2025 campaign came to a disappointing end as the club failed to qualify for the Liga MX final phase. One targets for criticism has been the play of Javier "Chicharito" Hernández.

Brought back to Chivas as a potential solution and symbol of experience, the veteran striker has struggled to make a significant impact in his second stint with the club. Since his return in January 2024, Chicharito has played in 34 matches across all competitions, scoring only three goals and providing a single assist.

In the recently concluded Clausura, he featured in 11 league games, totaling 607 minutes and scoring just once – in a 3-1 loss to Atlético San Luis on Matchday 9. He also appeared in all four of Chivas’ Concachampions matches, where he found the net once against Cibao FC.

Speculation about his potential departure has grown, with San Diego FC of Major League Soccer reportedly linked as a possible destination. However, Chivas sporting director Javier Mier downplayed the reports.

"Javier is currently a player for Club Deportivo Guadalajara," Mier said. "If any situation were to arise in the future, the first people who need to address it are the player and us – as is the case with every member of the squad."

He also noted that the club is undergoing a broader evaluation process after elimination from the tournament.

"We didn’t expect to be doing this analysis so soon," he said, "but just like with the rest of the team, we are reviewing everything. If something specific comes up regarding Javier, it will be handled directly between the club and the player."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The big question hanging over the club is whether Hernández will remain with the team for the Apertura 2025 season. Chicharito still has six months remaining on his contract with the Red and Whites. However, his disappointing performances, combined with the team’s pressing need for attacking reinforcements this summer, have fueled speculation about his potential departure.

The MLS is the only league currently rumored as a possible destination for the 36-year-old striker, mainly due to his high salary. Fans have grown frustrated with Hernández, and he has not appeared fully at ease.

AFPWHAT JAVIER MIER SAID

The sporting director acknowledged the increased scrutiny surrounding high-profile players such a Hernández.

"Given his stature and what he represents – not just for Chivas but for Mexican football as a whole – it’s natural for there to be a lot of attention. We know there’s a million things said around Chivas. Some are true, others aren’t. We won’t get into that," he said.

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Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

In the Mexican league, Chicharito played 11 of the 17 matches for Chivas, starting 44 percent of them. Between bonuses and salary, Hernández earns nearly $4M per year. He remains the club's top jersey seller, but his contribution has fallen short of supporting Roberto Alvarado, who ended as the team's top scorer with just four goals.

Surrey director of cricket could be tempted to make switch after eight years in the role

Vithushan Ehantharajah15-Sep-2022Alec Stewart has emerged as the frontrunner to become the new England national selector.Stewart, who has been director of cricket at Surrey for the past eight years, is believed to be highly rated by Rob Key, the England team’s managing director, given his detailed knowledge of the county circuit and the talent therein, and his own success in nurturing young talent at Surrey.The role of national selector was discontinued in April 2021, when Key’s predecessor, Ashley Giles, dispensed with the services of the previous incumbent Ed Smith, and handed selection duties to the then-head coach across all formats, Chris Silverwood.However, England’s subsequent collapse in form, culminating in a run of one win in 17 Tests until the start of Brendon McCullum’s tenure as head coach in May 2022 has prompted a rethink, with Key adamant from the outset of his appointment that he would be looking to reinstate the role.Related

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Key’s decision to split the red- and white-ball coaching roles – with McCullum and Ben Stokes now in charge of the Test team, with Matthew Mott and Jos Buttler the coach-captain combination for the limited-overs formats – arguably increases the need for an independent selector to co-ordinate the priorities of the two formats.Stewart, 59, had been one of the names in the frame for the MD role that eventually went to Key, but withdrew his interest due to family reasons. However, the selector’s role, which is expected to involve less time away from home, is likely to be more appealing as he weighs up his next career move.Other names that have been mentioned in connection with the role include the former England players-turned-commentators Nick Knight, Steven Finn and Steve Harmison, with potential scope for the appointment of an assistant selector, similar to the role that James Taylor played alongside Smith.Whoever is appointed will work closely with Mo Bobat, the ECB’s performance director, and David Court, the ECB’s talent identification lead, as well as a team of talent scouts in and around the 18 first-class counties.

Liverpool are now likely to pursue a summer move for an “unbelievable” player, at which point his £75m asking price is set to drop, according to a report.

Reds eyeing a centre-back

The Reds had a quiet January transfer window, with Arne Slot perhaps not wanting to rock the boat, given that his side are faring well in their pursuit of the Premier League title.

Having been unable to bring in a new central midfielder last summer, it has been quiet on the transfer front for quite some time at Anfield, but they may be forced into action at the end of the season.

With Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk still yet to sign new deals, Slot may be forced to rebuild his squad this summer, while he is also looking for a partner for his captain.

Liverpool are gearing up for a marquee signing in the summer, and they have reportedly identified Nottingham Forest’s Murillo as a concrete target, although the centre-back will not come cheap, with the Tricky Trees looking to hold out for £80m.

Liverpool now closely monitoring summer transfer for £41.5m "joy to watch"

A summer move to Anfield could be on the cards.

ByHenry Jackson Feb 4, 2025

The Brazilian is not the only Premier League defender the Reds are keen on, however, with Football Insider reporting Liverpool are likely to join the race for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi in the summer.

The Eagles were holding out for a fee of £75m in the January transfer window, which was enough to dissuade potential suitors, but Guehi’s price tag is expected to drop at the end of the season, at which point he will have just one year left on his contract.

Liverpool’s upcoming Premier League fixtures

Date

Everton (a)

February 12th

Wolverhampton Wanderers (h)

February 16th

Manchester City (a)

February 23rd

Newcastle United (h)

February 26th

Southampton (h)

March 8th

Most of the Premier League’s ‘big six’ are set to fight it out for the Crystal Palace star in the summer, with Tottenham Hotspur seeing a £70m bid rejected in the latter stages of the winter window.

Guehi has been "unbelievable" for Crystal Palace

It is no wonder the England international is attracting so much attention from the country’s top clubs, given that he has been extremely impressive in a Palace shirt for quite some time.

The Athletic’s Matt Woosnam provides an overview of the 24-year-old’s key strengths, while also relaying a quote from former manager Patrick Vieira.

The only concern over signing the former Chelsea man is the fact he struggles somewhat aerially, given that he is just 6 foot, as pointed out by the BBC’s Alex Howell, but he makes up for that slight weakness with his positional awareness.

Liverpool’s priority should be to keep hold of Van Dijk, but if Slot decides a new centre-back is necessary, Guehi could be an excellent addition.

Despite having to replace one of the most iconic characters in the club's history, the Dutchman has immediately achieved legendary status himself

Sunday's win over Tottenham confirmed what we've long known: Liverpool are the best team in England. They've been champions-elect for months now, turning what was expected to be a titanic three-way title race into a Premier League procession.

Consequently, some have attempted to rain on Liverpool's parade before it's even got under way, much to the annoyance of Virgil van Dijk, who even took Michael Owen to task for implying that his team's 2024-25 campaign hasn't been as "special" as it could have been because of their Champions League last-16 exit and Carabao Cup final loss to Newcastle. Rather remarkably, it's taken a couple of legends from Liverpool's traditional rivals to put the scale of Arne Slot's achievement into perspective.

"We have to praise the manager because he's done an amazing job," former Manchester United captain Roy Keane said on . "It was a decent group when he took over, but if someone had said at the start of the season that Liverpool would be where they are now, you wouldn't have believed them, you'd have thought they needed locking up!"

Gary Neville certainly didn't think Liverpool would be anywhere near the top of the table. In fact, he tipped them to finish fifth – below Manchester United and Tottenham

"I'm stunned by Liverpool" the ex-Red Devils right-back admitted on . "For Slot to take over from Jurgen Klopp, a massive personality and character who was loved beyond words by Liverpool fans, you just thought there was going to be a drop-off, everyone thought there would be a drop-off, I certainly did. But Slot's been perfect in terms of what Liverpool needed this season."

Neville's not wrong either, not now at least. Klopp may have left Liverpool in rude health, but transitions are not meant to be this smooth, especially not for a manager succeeding a living legend. So how did Slot do it? How did he make a seemingly impossible task look quite so easy?

Getty Images'Impact of Klopp leaving will take its toll'

It has to be said, Klopp couldn't have done much more to pave the way for Slot. For starters, the German had played a pivotal role in the long-overdue midfield overhaul of 2023. Klopp also had Anfield singing his successor's name before Slot had even arrived on Merseyside, while he also joked that he'd made the incoming coach's life a little easier by failing to win either the league or the Champions League in his final season in charge. Nobody, though, expected Slot to sustain a title challenge in his first season in English football.

"My view would be that the impact of Klopp leaving will take its toll," Neville argued. "That's going off evidence based on the history of losing a manager like that. I think there’ll be some pain this season for Liverpool, and it could cost them… Liverpool are well below the level of Arsenal and City, and I don't think that's shocking to anybody."

The statisticians certainly agreed with Neville's appraisal, with giving the Reds only a 5.1 percent chance of winning the title. Slot, though, was never in any doubt that Klopp had left him with a squad capable of challenging for major honours – and he immediately made that clear to his new players.

"I remember his first team meeting in America," left-back Andy Robertson recalled, "and he basically said, 'We finished third last season and the season before, but we now want to finish above the other two.' So, in his mind, it was clear that he had come to Liverpool to win trophies. It wasn't like he'd be happy with the top four. The players could get on board with that attitude."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportPlaying style that attracted Liverpool

It also helped that Slot's footballing philosophy wasn't radically different to his predecessor, which was one of the main reasons why he had been prised away from Feyenoord in the first place.

After Xabi Alonso elected to stay at Bayer Leverkusen, Ruben Amorim and Roberto De Zerbi emerged as serious contenders to take over from Klopp, but it was Slot who was considered the ideal candidate because he ticked all the boxes. Liverpool's recruitment team knew that there wasn't another Klopp out there on the market – but they were convinced that they had found the next best thing.

Slot wasn't just the right kind of coach; he was the right kind of character too. The Dutchman was direct but diplomatic, renowned for his man-management skills and an impressive ability to improve the players already at his disposal. Despite not having anything like the same budget as his counterparts at Ajax and PSV, Slot had still been able to win an Eredivisie title with Feyenoord – and with an exciting and dynamic style of play that sporting director Richard Hughes admitted "attracted us to Arne".

"In all the metrics," Hughes told reporters last July, "Arne's Feyenoord team came out really well: the way they played with real front-foot, attacking football, played with intelligence, played with passion, and I think those are all attributes that we welcome here at Liverpool. I think they lend really well with the current squad that we have, our supporters and the football club as a whole." Hughes wasn't wrong.

Getty Images SportSubtle shift in approach

One is always reluctant to read too much into pre-season programmes, but Liverpool undeniably looked the part on their summer tour of the United States, where they defeated Real Betis, Arsenal and Manchester United.

This was still Klopp's squad, of course, meaning there were still elements of his famed full-throttle football in their play. Intensive pressing and rapid transitions were clearly going to remain key elements of Slot's Liverpool. However, there was also a noticeable shift towards a more patient and prudent approach. Slot wanted less chaos and more control, with the idea being that Liverpool could contain and control opponents with sustained possession.

"We are now trying to control the ball all the time," Mohamed Salah told the club's official website in August. "Before, it wasn't really the number one thing, because with Jurgen most of the time we tried to counter-attack or counter-press and try to win the ball as high as possible. We're still doing that, but also when you have the ball, you have more time to keep it and just try to move it around."

The change in strategy worked wonderfully well, as Liverpool made a sensational start to the season, winning 11 of their first 13 league games – which made for a relatively straightforward settling-in period.

As Slot pointed out himself, the Reds didn't overhaul their squad during the summer transfer window. There was only one new arrival, Federico Chiesa, and even he arrived at the end of August, by which time Liverpool had already kicked off their campaign with a couple of encouraging 2-0 wins over Ipswich and Brentford. Slot, then, was working with several players who had never known anyone but Klopp calling the shots at Anfield. "And they didn't just have nine years with the former manager," Slot said, "they had nine successful years!

"Then, you always wonder, 'Are things going to change?' We didn’t bring in many new players, so then it is quite normal if you look at the teams we are competing with who did bring in players, and you think, 'What is going to happen this season?' Especially because nearly all of our players were still on holiday two weeks before the season started [because of Euro 2024 and the Copa America]. So, that is why it was really helpful we got results from the start and they saw from the start the playing style wasn't going to change that much."

Slot did make some small but significant positional switches, though.

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Getty Images SportSolving the No.6 problem

Hughes' failure to complete the signing of Martin Zubimendi did not go over well with Liverpool fans. The Basque may have been to blame for going back on his word to move to Merseyside, but the fact of the matter was that the Reds once again went into a season without a world-class defensive midfielder.

Wataru Endo had done an excellent job in front of the back four during the second half of the 2023-24 campaign, but it was obvious during pre-season that Slot didn't feel that the Japan international had the attributes he wanted in a No.6. Ryan Gravenberch did, though.

Klopp had never had any doubts over the 22-year-old's potential, which is why he was so excited by his 2023 arrival from Bayern Munich. However, the manager could never quite figure out how to get the best out of Gravenberch. Slot knew straight away, though, that his compatriot could thrive as No.6 – or, at least, his kind of No.6.

"It's a bit of a choice," the 46-year-old explained. "You can bring a No.6 in that's only really good without the ball – hard tackles and sliding tackles, which every fan loves, and a lot of pundits love as well. Or you look more at what Ryan can offer us when we have the ball, and I think he can help us a lot in that regard."

Slot was spot on, as Gravenberch became a key cog in a winning machine, with his ability to glide past opponents helping Liverpool to repeatedly break the opposition press, while at the same time doing an excellent job of protecting the defence thanks to his keen sense of anticipation.

Indeed, at the time of writing, only two Premier League players have made more interceptions than Gravenberch this season (54), while only four have regained possession on more occasions (171).

Fast bowler to be monitored ahead of Afghanistan opener following incident at Gabba

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Oct-2022Reece Topley has emerged as an injury doubt for England’s opening match of the T20 World Cup, against Afghanistan in Perth on Saturday – and potentially beyond – after rolling his ankle on the boundary markings ahead of the team’s warm-up match against Pakistan in Brisbane on Monday.Topley, 28, has claimed 17 wickets at 28.00 in 16 T20Is in 2022 – more than any other England bowler – to cement his status as one of the key seamers in Jos Buttler’s new-look set-up, with his dual roles in the Powerplay and at the death.He has done so after overcoming a gruelling series of injury setbacks, including four stress fractures of the back in the space of five years since his fleeting appearance in England’s 2016 T20 World Cup campaign.This, however, was more of a freak setback, during a fielding drill in the build-up to England’s otherwise comprehensive six-wicket win over Pakistan at the Gabba, as Topley stepped on a triangular boundary marker while attempting a catch.He did not bowl in the subsequent contest as England rotated eight options in the course of their 19-over fielding stint, and according to an ECB spokesperson, will be assessed throughout the week ahead of the Afghanistan clash on Saturday.Should his injury prove more serious than hoped, England have options in their reserves – not least his fellow left-arm seamer, Tymal Mills, who was himself replaced by Topley after suffering a groin strain during last year’s T20 World Cup in the UAE.Lancashire’s Richard Gleeson is also among the team’s travelling reserves, while David Willey and Sam Curran are other left-arm seamers within the original 15-man party.In better news for England, Liam Livingstone showed no ill-effects after returning from his own ankle injury, sustained during the Hundred in August, as he produced a freeflowing innings of 28 from 16 at the Gabba.

Manchester City’s academy has produced some important first-team players for Pep Guardiola’s side over the past few seasons. Perhaps their best academy graduate has been Phil Foden, who has played exactly 300 games for the club, scoring 97 goals and grabbing 57 assists in that time.

More recent academy graduates include Rico Lewis and Oscar Bobb. The pair broke into the City first team at a similar time, and have 81 appearances and 27 appearances for the club respectively. Sadly for Bobb, injuries have affected his career so far, or that could have been far more.

However, City do not manage to keep all their talented academy graduates and have made the mistake of selling a few over the last few years. Two of the most notable sales made by director of football Txiki Begiristain have been Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers.

Txiki Begiristain's biggest transfer blunders at Man City

What a huge error City made in selling their former academy attackers before they had a chance to establish themselves in the first team. Palmer joined Chelsea for a fee of £42.5m on deadline day of the 2023 summer transfer window, which proved to be a big mistake from the Citizens.

He has since gone on to become an utterly destructive attacking player. In 72 appearances so far for the Blues, the England international has found the back of the net 39 times and registered 21 assists. As the stats show, Palmer has been one of the deadliest players in the Premier League.

As for Rogers, he left the Etihad Stadium before he could even make his debut for the club. He joined Middlesbrough for £1.5m in 2023, before switching to Aston Villa for £15m just months later, which has been a bargain.

The 22-year-old has so far made 49 appearances for Unai Emery’s side, scoring 14 goals and grabbing seven assists. That includes a Champions League hat-trick in matchday eight against Celtic at Villa Park, an incredible achievement.

City surely must wish they had given Palmer and Rogers a platform to flourish because they could have had two incredibly dangerous attacking stars in their squad if so.

However, possibly the biggest mistake over the last year or so was to sell a striker whose value has shot up since leaving.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

The amazing striker Man City should have kept

Perhaps the worst error that Begiristain has made in the market in recent years when it comes to outgoings is to sell Liam Delap. The Man City academy graduate joined Ipswich Town over the summer for £20m.

In short, he has been sensational for the Tractor Boys this season. Although Keiran McKenna’s side are threatened with relegation, sitting 19th in the table with 16 points to their name, that does not mean Delap has struggled for form in front of goal.

The 22-year-old striker has scored nine goals and has two assists in 23 Premier League games this season. That includes a goal and an assist in winning causes against Tottenham Hotspur in North London and Chelsea at Portman Road.

The England U21 international has been impressing plenty of people with his performances this term. Former midfielder turned pundit Danny Murphy thinks he is “the obvious long-term successor” to Harry Kane once the Bayern Munich legend steps away from international duty.

Indeed, the “lethal” striker, as football analyst H described him, has fantastic statistics this season, via FBref, given how poor Ipswich have been. For example, he averages 0.18 goals per shot and a shot on target percentage of 48.7%.

Goals

0.46

Shots on target %

48.7%

Goals per shot

0.18

Expected goals

0.37 xG

Shot-creating actions

2.4

Goal-creating actions

0.31

It might be unsurprising to hear that the 22-year-old is incredibly highly valued by Ipswich. As per reports over the winter, the striker is now valued at £50m, a huge increase of 150% on what he was sold for by City just months ago.

Given his performances and inflated value, the Citizens surely regret selling the striker when they did. Had they given him a chance in the first team, he might have become a prominent player and even pushed for a spot alongside or instead of Erling Haaland.

Selling Delap was another mistake from Begiristain, which is certainly a common occurrence if the form of their former academy stars are anything to go by. City will be desperate not to repeat the error in the future.

Man City ace sold by Pep could have saved them a fortune on Khusanov

Man City might wish they kept this player as he has gone on to star in Europe.

1 ByJoe Nuttall Feb 7, 2025

The final between La Máquina and Whitecaps will be played on June 1 at Estadio Olímpico Universitario in Mexico City.

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Sepúlveda scored the only goal of the match with a penalty in the 82nd minuteIt was Sepúlveda’s seventh goal of the tournamentVicente Sánchez’s unbeaten streak extended to 16 matchesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFPWHAT HAPPENED?

Cruz Azul secured their place in the final of the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup after edging Tigres UANL with a 2–1 aggregate win in the semifinals. The victory sets up a highly anticipated final against the Vancouver Whitecaps, scheduled for June 1 at Estadio Olímpico Universitario in Mexico City.

will aim to claim their seventh CONCACAF title — a feat that would tie them with Club América as the tournament’s most decorated team. On the other side, the Whitecaps are chasing history of their own, hoping to become the first Canadian team — and just the fourth MLS club — to lift the trophy.

After the semifinal win, Cruz Azul head coach Vicente Sánchez expressed pride in his team’s performance, stressing that results like these reflect the high expectations surrounding the club.

“I’m happy — this is the standard at Cruz Azul,” Sánchez said in his post-match press conference. “We fought hard in every tournament and showed the hunger to win. Tonight, we celebrate, but tomorrow our focus shifts back to the league. We're excited about the double.”

Sánchez also praised Tigres and head coach Guido Pizarro for the fierce semifinal matchup. “Full respect to the opposing coach. It was a great tie — we knew it would be — and I’m glad we could deliver this joy to our fans. They always make themselves heard.”

The win, however, came at a cost. Striker Gabriel Fernández was forced off before halftime with what appeared to be a serious injury. Visibly emotional on the bench, Fernández’s status remains uncertain.

“We’ll know more tomorrow after speaking with the medical staff,” Sánchez said. “We’re hoping it’s nothing too serious. But our focus remains on working hard every day to achieve our goals.”

AdvertisementMEXICO MEDIA REACTION

While the win was celebrated by Cruz Azul fans, the team’s performance drew mixed reviews from Mexican media. On ESPN’s , analyst and former player Rafael Puente voiced doubts about Cruz Azul’s chances in the final.

“If Cruz Azul doesn’t improve, I don’t see them as favorites over Vancouver,” said Puente, echoed by fellow analyst Paco Gabriel de Anda: “Vancouver is the best team in MLS right now — I wouldn’t call Cruz Azul the favorite either.”

Coach and analyst Mario Carrillo took a more balanced stance. “Cruz Azul showed heart, they earned it — they’re a team that knows how to win,” he said.

Javier Alarcón added a critical note: “They’re not at the same level as in previous rounds. They’re rushed in the final third and lacking precision.”

On Fox Sports, the focus shifted to Vicente Sánchez’s coaching impact. With the win, Cruz Azul extended their unbeaten streak to 16 matches under his leadership. However, according to journalist Gustavo Mendoza, not everyone within the club had faith in the Uruguayan manager early on.“There were people inside Cruz Azul who didn’t want Vicente to succeed,” Mendoza reported. “But here he is — in a final.”

Getty Images SportWHAT JESÚS OROZCO SAID

One of Cruz Azul’s defenders took a moment to recognize the leadership of head coach Vicente Sánchez and the team’s growth throughout the tournament. “Of course, he deserves credit. He took over during a tough period and managed the situation well — this success is also his reward,” Jesús Orozco said.

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Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

Cruz Azul is aiming to capture its seventh CONCACAF Champions Cup title, further cementing its status as one of the tournament’s most successful clubs. With six championships to date, sits just one behind Club América, the competition’s all-time leader with seven.

Cruz Azul’s continental titles came in 1969, 1970, 1971, 1996, 1997, and most recently in 2014. Now, the team not only looks to equal América’s record but also hopes to end a four-year championship drought — their last major title was the Liga MX crown in the 2021 tournament.