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Another sorry defeat sent Netherlands tumbling out of the tournament, as Hong Kong’s remarkable inconsistency came up trumps again

The Report by Peter Della Penna in Dubai18-Jan-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsNizakat Khan slashes another boundary over backward point to bring up a half-century•Peter Della PennaAt around 9.10pm in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday evening, Netherlands had one foot in the door of the semi-finals of the inaugural Desert T20 Challenge. They were 49 for 0 in five overs, leaving 100 to get off the final 15. Moments later, Ben Cooper was caught at deep square leg in the final over of the Powerplay, the first domino to fall in a remarkable Scotland win.At around 9.10pm in Dubai 24 hours later, Ben Cooper fell once again in the final over of the Powerplay, bowled by Ehsan Khan of Hong Kong. But, at this stage of the Dutch chase, they already had one foot out the door of the tournament. Going after a target of 184, their leading scorer – Michael Rippon – fell missing a reverse sweep on his first ball in the opening over. Captain Peter Borren was run out after an awful mix-up with Cooper in the second.Cooper went next and, two overs later, Wesley Barresi skied a chance in the circle towards Anshuman Rath at cover. Roelof van der Merwe made it to the striker’s end and was yelling for Barresi to cross so that, if the catch was taken, at least van der Merwe would be on strike rather than a new batsman. But Barresi had already tucked his bat under his arm and begun walking to the pavilion, underscoring the Dutch despondency. Thirty-five minutes later, Nizakat Khan took the final catch to officially KO Holland.Wrath of Khan? No. Rath and Khans? YesComing off their 87-all-out first-innings implosion against Oman and with only a slim mathematical calculation keeping them afloat for a chance at the semi-finals, expectations were low for 17th-ranked Hong Kong, especially coming up against the 11th-ranked Netherlands. Nizakat ambushed van der Merwe in the first over, smacking the first three balls for four through point and over mid-on. Borren and van der Merwe had to pause to realign the field.After two dots, van der Merwe produced the desired result as Nizakat laced a drive to Ahsan Malik at cover point, but he spilled a regulation chance at head height and Nizakat continued to plunder the Dutch attack until he was run out for 59. If they thought the wicket would provide respite, the Dutch were in for a rude awakening.Rath came to the crease at the fall of Nizakat and when captain Babar Hayat fell in the 13th it brought Waqas Khan to the middle. The pair continued to keep Netherlands’ bowling attack off balance with a mix of orthodox and inventive shots to add 77 in seven overs. Rath’s innings stood out most, though, because he played against type. Usually a reserved accumulator, the left-hander charged down the pitch, shuffled back and forth, anything to throw the fast bowlers off their lines. It was an effective ploy allowing him to hit over the infield and pierce unprotected gaps on the boundary.Rath then capped off his Man-of-the-Match performance with the ball by striking on his first two deliveries in the 10th over to reduce Netherlands to 52 for 7, then took another in the 12th. His only blemish on the night came with the score on 69 for 9 when he came in off the deep midwicket rope only to see a chance go over his head and land just over the rope for six. Netherlands added 23 more runs in all as a result, which could be crucial in the context of the net-run-rate tiebreaker if Scotland hands Oman a defeat on Thursday.”Devastated yesterday, embarrassed today”That was Borren’s description in the post-match press conference as he reflected on how the meltdown against Scotland in Abu Dhabi compared to the lie-down against Hong Kong in Dubai, making them the first team from their half of the draw to be eliminated.”The two are not unrelated,” Borren said. “We obviously had a few hours to review yesterday and then to look forward to tonight. The way that yesterday’s game panned out, it probably wasn’t quite long enough given what we’ve done here tonight because we simply were not good enough tonight.”A Hong Kong box of chocolatesHong Kong opened the 2015 World T20 Qualifier in Ireland with a nine-wicket throttling at the hands of Jersey. Two matches later, they defended 129 to beat Ireland at Malahide. A day later, USA doled out a convincing seven-wicket thumping to leave them on the brink of missing the knockout round. Seventy-two hours later, they had beaten Afghanistan for the first time in seven T20 attempts in a last-ball thriller to punch their ticket to the World T20 in India.At this tournament, they followed up a stinker against Oman with a blooming rose of a showing against Netherlands. To paraphrase Forrest Gump, Hong Kong is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get. Coach Simon Cook says the side’s inconsistency can be put down to giving young players as many opportunities to play so they can learn and grow on the field.”It’s a challenge,” Cook said. “Our consistency has been slow starting to tournaments. It’s about getting the back-against-the-wall attitude in terms of winning every game from the first game, rather than waiting until we are literally backs against the wall to pull out performances like this.”

Nikita Miller, the Jamaica captain, has said he was more focused on securing victory for his side rather than gaining a record 10-wicket innings haul against Trinidad & Tobago in the recently concluded fourth round of the WICB Regional Four-Day Tournament

Colin Benjamin14-Dec-2016Nikita Miller, the Jamaica captain, has said he was more focused on securing victory for his side rather than gaining a record 10-wicket innings haul against Trinidad & Tobago in the recently concluded fourth round of the WICB Regional Four-Day Tournament.Miller’s figures of 9 for 41 in T&T’s second innings were the best in West Indies’ domestic history. He became only the sixth bowler to claim nine in an innings in recorded West Indies first-class statistics since 1966.The five that also took nine

Derek Parry 9-76 v Jamaica in 1980

Bernard Julien 9-97 v Jamaica in 1982

Rajendra Dhanraj 9-97 v Leeward Islands in 1996

Ryan Hinds 9-68 v Leeward Islands in 2001

Devendra Bishoo 9-78 v T&T in 2014

“My reaction was quite normal and wasn’t overly excited to be honest,” Miller told ESPNcricinfo. “I didn’t know at the time it was the best, since I knew Bishoo had taken nine wickets a couple of seasons ago, so I was just glad it was accomplished in a winning team effort.”Miller took the first nine wickets of T&T’s innings, before the legspinner Damion Jacobs had Roshon Primus lbw to deny him the honour of being the first West Indian to take all ten in an innings. Miller says the feat wasn’t on his mind, in the heat of the moment.”Leaving the field some fans asked me why I didn’t push to get all 10, but really as captain I was mainly focused on getting Trinidad all out,” he said. “There was many points at other end when the batsmen were scoring freely, so even while bowling and I didn’t even celebrate the ninth wicket, I was thinking about bowling options, field placements for next bowler and over.”During West Indies’ decline over the last 20 years or so, there has been a long-standing debate over the standard of domestic cricket in the Caribbean. The pitches have tended not to help the fast bowlers, which has meant spinners such as Miller have always among the leading wicket-takers. Some believe the success of spinners reflects how poorly Caribbean batsmen have tended to play slow bowling.In the case of Miller, who has an outstanding first-class record – 428 wickets in 84 matches at an astounding average of 16.64 – and was a major player in Jamaica winning six first-class titles between 2007 and 2014, those aforementioned reasons have probably played a part in the last three West Indies chairmen of selectors – Clyde Butts, Clive Lloyd and Courtney Browne – ignoring him for Test cricket.”If called up to do a job [by West Indies], will do to best of ability – but my mind is not really on it,” Miller said. “The one thing I’d say about criticism of whether I could replicate my domestic performances at Test level, and can only speak for myself – I have played in A team cricket in 2013 versus India and Sri Lanka, playing against guys like [Virender] Sehwag, [Gautam] Gambhir, [Cheteshwar] Pujara, Yuvraj [Singh] and got five-wicket hauls and was the leading West Indies A wicket-taker.”Yes, the standard (of West Indies domestic cricket) could improve to another level, but if it was I believe I’d still do well, because if you’re good, you perform despite the standard.”

Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc may be back playing cricket in October after injuring his left leg in a freak accident

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Sep-2016

Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc may be back playing cricket in October after injuring his left leg in a freak accident. He was with the rest of the squad in Sydney earlier this month, taking part in a catching drill when he collided with training equipment. The laceration was so bad that he “could see a couple of bones” and needed approximately 30 stitches.”The knee is fine, which is the biggest positive,” Starc told the Cricket Australia website. “I didn’t really think I did anything bad. It wasn’t until the doc started talking about what could have happened and what might be an issue [that I started to worry] and I had to have an x-ray.”When they were cleaning up the wound the nurse actually said ‘There’s your patella tendon, there’s no nicks in it’. The fact that he could see my patella tendon was a bit of an issue.”Irrespective of the injury, Starc had been rested from the ODI tour of South Africa. He was phenomenal in the searing heat and on helpless pitches for fast bowlers in Sri Lanka – 24 wickets at 15.16 apiece and a strike-rate of 25.8 – and the team management had wanted to keep him fresh before the home season began in November with Test matches against South Africa and Pakistan.But two weeks ago, during a routine practice session at Hurstville Oval, things took a bad turn.”We were doing a fielding test as part of our Australian camp before the boys left for the South African tour,” Starc said. “We were doing high catching out of a ball machine. It was quite a windy day so I’ve gone after this ball to try and catch it and it was getting away from me and [I] slid to catch it.”The next part of the drill – which was meant to happen later down the track – was throwing down stumps, [which were] set up behind us. I unfortunately slid into the metal plate at the base of the stumps.Irrespective of the injury, Mitchell Starc had been rested from the ODI tour of South Africa•Associated Press

“I caught the catch so I’m happy about that, but in the process took some large chunks out of my leg. I looked down and there was a big hole in the pants, [I] saw a flap of skin and threw my hand on it to try and stop anything that was going on. I couldn’t see much. Then the pain started to get a lot stronger and kept hitting me and I thought something might be a bit worse. The doctors came over and I couldn’t watch from there.”I didn’t quite know the extent until I was in the back of the ambulance when the doctor was explaining how bad it was. You [could] see a couple of bones. I didn’t want to look at it at all. They numbed it pretty quickly so I couldn’t feel too much.”Starc was treated at St George’s Hospital for four days but has since returned home and was scheduled to begin working at the gym on Wednesday. While he was happy to “finally get back into some work,” there was the odd inconvenience. “It’s a weird feeling being in a knee brace not being able to bend my leg knowing that my knee is okay,” he said. “It’s just to keep the flaps of skin on there to heal properly.Come October 25, however, Starc hoped to shift his inconveniences onto the opposition batsmen for that is when his state side New South Wales play their first match of the Sheffield Shield season – under lights – against Queensland.”I want to play that one, and being a pink ball game at the Gabba it’s going to be new for the NSW team and for me as well. That’s still my goal, to be right for that Shield game and obviously we’ve got to factor in some workloads when I’m back bowling first and foremost.”If that’s out of the picture the next one is being right for the preparation for the first Test [against South Africa on November 3] and making sure I don’t miss any games for Australia.”

تحدث وائل جمعة لاعب الأهلي السابق، عن مواجهة اليوم أمام فريق شباب بلوزداد الجزائري، التي ستجمعهما في بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

وتقام مباراة الأهلي وشباب بلوزداد الجزائري، على أرضية ملعب 5 يوليو بالعاصمة الجزائرية، ضمن منافسات الجولة الرابعة من دور المجموعات في دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

وقال وائل جمعة في تصريحات عبر قناة “بي إن سبورتس”: “مباراة شباب بلوزداد والأهلي ليست حاسمة في التأهل، ولكنها مهمة للأحمر خاصة أنه سيخوض المباراة المقبلة خارج أرضه أيضًا أمام ميدياما الغاني، والجولة الأخيرة في القاهرة”.

وأضاف: “الأهلي هو من وضع نفسه في هذا الأمر السيئ، بتعادله في مباراتين بدوري المجموعات”.

طالع.. مباشر بالفيديو | مباراة الأهلي وشباب بلوزداد في دوري أبطال إفريقيا

وأكد: “مواجهة اليوم صعبة لأنها أمام فريق لديه رتم المباريات، حيث إن الدوري الجزائري كان مستمرًا أثناء كأس أمم إفريقيا، عكس الأهلي توقف فترة طويلة عن المباريات، بجانب الإصابات المتواجدة في الفريق أولها ديانج وبيرسي تاو ومحمد الشناوي، أكثر من عنصر غائب عن الفريق، ووسام أبو علي الذي كان من المفترض أن الأهلي تعاقد معه لكي يحل أزمة الهجوم، وعدم قيد عمر كمال عبد الواحد، مباراة بها صعوبات كثيرة وأتمنى أن تمر على خير”.

لماذا يتوقف الدوري المصري رغم انتهاء كأس أمم إفريقيا؟: “هذا السؤال يوجه لعباقرة اتحاد الكرة المسؤولين عن تنظيم المسابقات، المفترض أن يفكروا في مصلحة الأندية أيضًا، وتكون لديهم رؤية للوضع العام، لا أحد يفكر للصورة العامة، هذا ممكن أن يتسبب في خسارة الأهلي والزمالك وبيراميدز وكل الأندية المشاركة في بطولات إفريقيا، حظنا أننا نقع في أيدي ناس لا ترحم”.

وأردف: “يوجد 12 لاعبًا غائبًا عن الأهلي وهذا رقم كبير، لكن هذا قدر الأحمر، وكل لاعب يرتدي قميصه يعد عنصرًا أساسيًا، فعندما ترى التشكيل تشعر أنه لا يوجد أحد غائب”.

طالع أيضًا | ترتيب مجموعة الأهلي في دوري أبطال إفريقيا.. (مباشر)

واستطرد: “موديست من الأسماء التي تعتبر إضافة لتشكيل الأهلي، منذ أن تم التعاقد معه لم يظهر بأي علامة جيدة، ولكنه وصل لمستوى جيد مع الفريق وتألق في المباريات الودية، وخسر وزنه واعتاد على الأجواء، فرصته أن يثبت نفسه بعد مشاركته الأساسية اليوم”.

وأتم: “غياب بيرسي تاو ومحمد الشناوي مؤثر على الفريق، لا يوجد بديل لهما على نفس مستواهما في الأهلي، مصطفى شوبير عندما شارك مع الأهلي ظهر بشكل جيد، مع الوقت والخبرة قادر أن يتجاوز الشناوي مع صغر سنه”.

Liverpool have held a vested interest in RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Gvardiol for many months now, with recent reports indicating that avenue is still very much alive…

What's the latest on Josko Gvardiol to Liverpool?

According to Ryan Taylor of the Express, the Croatian defender could find himself at the centre of a lucrative transfer saga this summer, with manager Jurgen Klopp mindful that more than just the midfield requires tinkering.

Gvardiol holds a release clause of €110m (£95m) and is contracted with his German Bundesliga outfit until 2027, which no doubt makes negotiations more strenuous, but Liverpool have spent big on a centre-back before, signing Virgil van Dijk for £75m, and that has paid off handsomely.

With further interest from the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United and Real Madrid, a move is deemed 'unlikely', but Klopp must swoop soon and secure one of football's most promising talents.

Should Liverpool sign Josko Gvardiol?

Gvardiol's signature at Anfield would certainly not come cheap, but after a wayward campaign that has left Liverpool with just an infinitesimal chance of securing top four as the league season approaches its culminating match-week, reinforcements are necessary.

Liverpool have improved. A seven-match winning run was ended by free-flowing Aston Villa on Saturday, who left Anfield with a point and perhaps even begrudgingly after a stellar showing, but even this luminous purple patch has failed to bridge the gap between the top four and Klopp's Reds.

Dubbed a "Rolls-Royce" by journalist Zach Lowy, the 22-year-old ranks among the top 10% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of goals, the top 17% for shot-creating actions, the top 1% for passes attempted, the top 16% for progressive passes, the top 18% for progressive carries and the top 4% for successful take-ons, with statistics courtesy of FBref.

The World Cup star, hailed a "warrior" by one journalist, should his prospective acquisition be deemed financially viable, would bring an innate ball-playing aptitude and tenacity in the tackle, regarded as the 'perfect modern defender' for his dynamism and robustness; Gvardiol really does have the template to slot into any team in world football.

He would be the dream heir to Joel Matip's throne, with Liverpool perhaps replicating the success in delving into the Bundesliga, signing the Cameroonian colossus from Schalke on a free transfer in 2016.

Matip, while seemingly at the end of his most potent phase on Merseyside, has played instrumental roles in gleaning the whole gamut of silverware under Klopp's wing, playing 186 times.

As per FBref, Matip ranks among the top 3% of positional peers for rate of goals, the top 6% for shot-creating actions, the top 9% for progressive passes and the top 1% for progressive carries per 90, indeed bearing a striking resemblance to his Croatian counterpart.

In the "fearless" Gvardiol, however, as he was dubbed by Rio Ferdinand, Klopp would have a worthy defensive successor and a key component to slot into the fold and blossom into one of the great modern centre-backs, leaving glinted success in his wake.

Newcastle United could now land Brazilian sensation Angelo Gabriel this summer, with reports in Brazil (via Sport Witness) revealing that his club, Santos, are in desperate need of cash.

What is the latest on Angelo Gabriel to Newcastle?

The Premier League outfit have had an incredible campaign this year, surprising plenty with how competitive they've been and with their staying power at the top end of the division. The club are currently sat in third place with just five games to go and are eyeing a first season in Europe since 2012/13, when they featured in the Europa League.

It comes down to a combination of new owners PIF and manager Eddie Howe. Newcastle's new owners have already splashed the cash with the Toon and are even considering rivalling Man City by branching out into the ownership of other clubs, with KV Oostende in Belgium the latest side rumored to be on their radar.

Howe too has shone, managing his best ever win-rate as a boss with 54%. Being given a platform to work with, the former Bournemouth boss is flourishing and will be looking to add more strength to his side's ranks this window in order to keep his team improving.

One name that could make the move to England this summer is Angelo Gabriel, with Brazilian media via Sport Witness reporting that Santos are prepared to sell the winger. The report states that the South American club need money, as they are struggling financially, and are willing to part ways with Gabriel to boost their funds. Newcastle are prepared to capitalise on that situation and could launch a fresh bid to sign him then at the end of the campaign.

Who is Angelo Gabriel?

Gabriel is the latest Brazilian youngster to be impressing in his native country, with clubs now lining up to sign him according to previous reports from Italy.

The winger has impressed despite his youth, breaking records before he has even hit his twenties. He is already the youngest player to ever score in the Copa Libertadores and his former coach Ariel Holan admitted that the player has a "huge future" in the game.

His efforts in Brazil so far would certainly back that up – he's played in 116 games for Santos already and has 13 goal contributions to his name, with the 18-year-old proving he has a penchant for teeing up his teammates via his ten assists.

Whilst a move to Newcastle – or any club for that matter – at this age would be a tough prospect for most players, Gabriel has already achieved plenty despite his tender age and his potential is clear to see. The Toon would do well to have him in their squad.

Manchester United continue their bid for further silverware by taking on six-time winners Sevilla in the Europa League this evening, with the tie firmly in the balance ahead of that quarter-final, second-leg meeting at Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium.

In truth, the Red Devils could seemingly have had progression secured in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford after racing into an early, two-goal lead, having also missed a handful of promising openings to take extend that advantage.

As it proved, that lack of a killer instinct proved costly, in more ways than one, as Erik ten Hag's men ultimately conceded twice late on amid a freakish implosion at the death, while also losing first-choice centre-back pairing Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane to injury.

A further setback from that frustrating, first-leg meeting was the yellow card picked up by playmaking maestro, Bruno Fernandes, with the 28-year-old having been harshly penalised for handball early in the first half.

That bizarre booking has ensured that the former Sporting CP ace – who has one goal and four assists in the competition this season – will be suspended for tonight's pivotal encounter, with United forced to make do without a player who has started 48 games in all competitions this term.

Who could replace Fernandes against Sevilla?

The most obvious replacement for the 55-cap gem in that advanced midfield role would seemingly be that of Marcel Sabitzer, with the Austrian international having produced a 'fine performance' in that berth in the first leg, as per Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst, after netting twice inside the opening exchanges.

Despite having already made his mark against the La Liga side, the January arrival was subsequently ruled out of the weekend win over Nottingham Forest, after sustaining an injury in the warm-up.

While Ten Hag has received a real boost heading into tonight's meeting with Sabitzer among four stricken stars who have made the trip to Seville, it may be too soon to unleash the 29-year-old straight back into the action.

As such, it could be time for polarising midfielder, Fred, to take on that playmaking berth later today, with the Brazil international having previously made his mark against Spanish opposition earlier in the competition.

The £120k-per-week machine notably laid on an assist for Marcus Rashford in the 2-2 draw away to Barcelona at Camp Nou, before getting on the scoresheet himself in the second-leg encounter at the Theatre of Dreams, producing an excellent touch and finish from just outside the area.

The former Shakhtar Donetsk man has made a habit of getting himself in and around the opposition penalty area this season as he boasts a respectable haul of 11 goal involvements in all competitions, showcasing that he can provide a creative spark when needed for the Carabao Cup winners.

That quality in a more advanced position has illustrated that Fred can do "a lot more than just defend", as per interim boss Ralf Rangnick, with the German coach also stating that the 30-year-old has "surprising elements" to his game, which can help to unlock an opposition defence.

The diminutive "mosquito" – as previously hailed by Ten Hag for his pest-like display against La Blaugrana back in February – will also offer the benefit of his relentless work ethic, having been described as a figure who "would give his last drop of blood for the team", in the words of Rangnick.

On a night in which United may have to fight it out to edge past a side with real heritage in the competition, a workmanlike asset such as Fred could be just what is needed to help fill the gaping Fernandes void.

Chelsea are reportedly interested in making Sporting Lisbon's Ruben Amorim their new manager at Stamford Bridge and the young Portuguese boss could prove to be the next Jose Mourinho.

Could Chelsea appoint Amorim?

According to The Guardian, Chelsea have already spoken with the 38-year-old manager as they consider a long-term replacement for Graham Potter.

It is claimed that Amorim isn't their first choice and is yet to be convinced that Chelsea is the right move for him, but the prospect of taking over the plethora of world-class talent at Stamford Bridge may prove difficult for him to turn down should the Blues make an official approach.

The arrival of Frank Lampard as interim manager until the end of the season has given Todd Boehly and co plenty of time to find their next main man at Stamford Bridge, with Amorim one of four who they have already been spoken to.

The young manager has earned a lot of plaudits for his work with Sporting Lisbon, having led them to the Portuguese Liga title in 2021 and impressing in the Champions League and Europa League since then, memorably knocking Arsenal out of the competition earlier this season.

Could Amorim be Mourinho 2.0 for Chelsea?

Julian Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique are both name-checked as other potential options for the Blues but Amorim could see Chelsea return to the Portuguese league in search of an up-and-coming manager, having done so when appointing Jose Mourinho from Porto in 2004.

The special one had a big reputation, having already won the Champions League with Porto at the age of 41, but like Amorim, he had never managed outside of Portugal before arriving at Stamford Bridge.

Amorim earned a sensational 2.38 points per game in his 13 matches in charge of Braga, before impressing with Sporting Lisbon, averaging a superb 2.19 points per game there.

For context, Potter would manage just 1.42 points per game in his time with Chelsea, which suggests that the 38-year-old could be a big upgrade on the Englishman should he take over in the summer.

Although it might be seen as a risky appointment by some, Amorim has delivered unprecedented success with Sporting Lisbon, steering them to their first title in 19 years in 2021 and helping them to the Europa League quarter-final stage this season, with wins against Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur in this campaign.

The Athletic's Jack Pitt-Brooke rates him as "the most exciting young manager in European football" and for that reason, he could potentially follow in the footsteps of his Portuguese compatriot Mourinho, should Boehly bring him to Stamford Bridge this summer.

Leeds United fans will have been understandably disappointed when Kalvin Phillips, favourably dubbed the 'Yorkshire Pirlo', departed Elland Road for Manchester City last summer.

How much did Man City sign Kalvin Phillips for?

The England international had come through the ranks with the Whites and went on to make 234 appearances for the club, contributing 14 goals and 13 assists in that time, with a Championship title-winning season on his CV.

Having established himself as one of the top midfielders outside the big six, and a regular under Gareth Southgate with the Three Lions, it was no surprise to see him attract interest from Manchester City, and he joined Pep Guardiola's side in an eye-watering deal worth £42m.

However, his performances since then have suggested that Victor Orta actually did phenomenally well to sell him for so much, as the £150k-per-week earner has endured a torrid time at the Etihad so far this campaign, with injury, fitness and performance issues meaning that he has mustered just 56 minutes of Premier League action for his new club.

Phillips was one of the standout performers for England at the European Championships in 2021, notably being described as an "absolute beast" by Nigel de Jong, but he was fortunate to even find himself in the squad for the World Cup in Qatar, with Jude Bellingham now way ahead of him in the pecking order for the Three Lions.

To make matters worse, Guardiola publicly outed the 27-year-old when he returned from that break, suggesting that he was "overweight" and he continues to be a bit-part player for the Spanish manager at City, with Rodri unlikely to be unhinged from his starting role any time soon.

It might be best for Phillips to seek an exit from the Citizens this summer as his time there has clearly not worked out, but the Manchester club look certain to make a significant loss on the injury-prone Englishman, as his market value according to Transfermarkt has significantly dropped over the past year.

Last summer saw the midfielder valued at a mammoth €50m (£44m) but that has dropped to just €35m (£31m) in the space of nine months, and it only looks likely to decrease unless he can force his way into Guardiola's plans.

It is something of a shame that the player who was so highly rated at Leeds, with Marcus Rashford describing him as "immense" in 2022, has declined so quickly but from a financial perspective, it is the Yorkshire outfit who will be laughing all the way to the bank.

Glasgow Rangers have been dealt an injury blow before they play Hibernian as Michael Beale has confirmed that Alex Lowry is out for four more weeks.

The Lowdown: Injury problems

Lowry has been suffering with injury problems throughout the season so far, and has been limited to just four senior games and 81 minutes of football.

He made a brief Scottish Premiership in early February, but has not featured in the last two league squads.

The Latest: Four weeks out

Speaking to the media after their 3-1 win against Kilmarnock at Ibrox over the weekend (via Heart & Hand), Michael Beale has confirmed that Lowry is facing ‘another four weeks’ out with injury:

“MB also updated on Alex Lowry – out for another four weeks.”

The Verdict: Gutting

It is certainly a blow for Beale to lose Lowry for the next set of fixtures, especially considering all of the other injuries that he has in the squad.

Rangers have as many as six other first-team players out through injury, making it harder for Beale to put a full squad out.

Lowry has deserved his opportunities given his impressive performances for the Gers’ B team, where he has scored ten goals and made one assist in 11 matches in total so far this term (Transfermarkt).

His former academy manager Graeme Murty claims that the 19-year-old is ‘unlike anyone else’ at the club, lauding his ‘technical ability’, ‘range of passing’ and ‘remarkable self-confidence’.

Nonetheless, the Light Blues will be hoping that Lowry recovers in time for the crunch match against bitter rivals Celtic in early April.