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Groups and schedule

• Group A: Australia (1), New Zealand (4), England (6) and Bangladesh (7)

• Group B: India (2), Pakistan (8), Sri Lanka (5) and South Africa (3)

• June 1 – Eng v Ban, The Oval

• June 2 – Aus v NZ, Edgbaston

• June 3 – SL v SA, The Oval

• June 4 – Ind v Pak, Edgbaston

• June 5 – Aus v Ban, The Oval

• June 6 – Eng v NZ, Cardiff

• June 7 – Pak v SA, Edgbaston

• June 8 – Ind v SL, The Oval

• June 9 – NZ v Ban, Cardiff

• June 10 – Eng v Aus, Edgbaston

• June 11 – Ind v SA, The Oval

• June 12 – SL v Pak, Cardiff

• June 14 – Semi-final (A1 v B2), Cardiff

• June 15 – Semi-final (A2 v B1), Edgbaston

• June 18 – Final, The Oval

• June 19 – Reserve day

Two of cricket’s traditional rivalries will be on show in the 2017 Champions Trophy, with hosts England and Australia in Group A, and India and Pakistan in Group B. Group A also contains New Zealand, which means a trans-Tasman clash as well in the first round.The opening game of the tournament is between England and Bangladesh on June 1. Cardiff, The Oval and Edgbaston are the venues for the event, which comprises 15 matches in 18 days, with the final at The Oval on June 18.The ticket ballot opens on September 1 and closes on September 30. The remaining tickets will go on sale in October.The top eight sides in the ICC ODI rankings as of September 30, 2015 qualified for the event, with West Indies and Zimbabwe being the two Full Member countries that failed to make the cut. The top two sides from each group will qualify for the semi-finals in Cardiff and Edgbaston on June 14 and 15.India and Pakistan have met in the group stage of every ICC tournament – five of them – since the 2011 World Cup, where they had met in the semi-final. When asked if this was a coincidence, the ICC chief executive Dave Richardson said it wasn’t. “It’s no coincidence. The match schedule is done in consultation with the broadcasters. The bottom line is that a significant portion of the cricket world want to see that fixture. Time and time again, it is the biggest fixture in all our events. I don’t think it affects the competition’s integrity. Not as long as the groups are equal in strengths. It’s silly just to avoid it when you can fairly cater for it.”He added: “The ICC Champions Trophy 2017 is not just an ODI competition, it carries a great deal of value since it is being played just three months before the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 qualification cut-off date. As such, every point earned here could be crucial.”England are hosting the Champions Trophy for the third time; they made the finals of both the previous tournaments at home, losing to West Indies in 2004 and to India in 2013.

Crystal Palace youngster Michael Olise is wanted by Paris Saint-Germain during the summer transfer window, according to a worrying new report.

How is Olise doing at Crystal Palace?

The Eagles have managed to pull away from the relegation zone since the arrival of Roy Hodgson, but it has still proved to be a disappointing season overall, with bigger things expected under Patrick Vieira.

Someone who continues to catch the eye is Olise, however, with the 21-year-old's technical ability up there with the best at Selhurst Park currently. He has registered nine assists in the Premier League in 2022/23 to date, highlighting his creativity, and he has also scored twice, including a stunning last-gast free-kick at home to Manchester United.

The Englishman's quality means that other clubs are sure to be interested in making a move for him this summer, although his current Palace doesn't expire until 2026, which does at least put them in a strong bargaining position. It looks as though one of Europe's biggest teams are eyeing up a move, following a fresh update.

Could Olise be off to PSG this summer?

According to L'Equipe, PSG see Olise as a potential summer target, as they look to change up their approach in the transfer market and bring in young talent. Lionel Messi will leave at the end of the season and supporters also want Neymar to move on, and the Palace starlet is an option to come in.

It remains to be seen if a formal offer is tabled for the attacking midfielder, but all this does is highlight what a special prospect the Eagles have in their ranks. As mentioned, his current contract situation does at least mean that Palace can demand a huge amount of money for Olise's services, but losing him at this point in his career would be a massive blow, with so much more hopefully come from him in south London.

He has been hailed as a "special" player by Vieira in the past, with his wand of a left foot capable of changing a game with a moment of magic, as shown by his aforementioned free-kick against United, which earned Palace a 1-1 draw back in January.

Hopefully, Olise's head won't be turned by PSG's rumoured interest and he will continue to ply his trade at Palace for as long as possible, but a player of his calibre may not be content to stay put for too much longer unless things improve, which should act as an incentive for everyone at the club.

It would appear that Liverpool are currently preparing themselves for something of a midfield clearout this summer, with the likes of Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner all out of contract in just a few weeks' time.

Outside of that trio, the Reds do appear to be in need of something of an evolution in the centre of the park with the likes of Thiago Alcantara, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson all in and around their 30s, with manager Jurgen Klopp potentially needing to have a succession plan in place to be able to build a new team for the future.

In the case of Henderson, in particular, the former Borussia Dortmund boss could already have a dream heir to the long-serving skipper in the academy ranks, with 19-year-old, Luca Stephenson – who also joined the club from Sunderland back in 2018 – having the potential credentials to step into the Englishman's shoes.

Who is Luca Stephenson?

The teenage sensation has drawn obvious comparisons to the Liverpool skipper after making the move from the Stadium of Light just under five years ago, with Henderson having previously made the switch from the Black Cats to his current side on a £16m deal back in 2011.

The likeness between the two midfielders goes beyond those Wearside connections, however, with Stephenson also a real relentless midfield presence after averaging 1.3 tackles and winning 86% of his ground duels during his three EFL Trophy outings earlier in the campaign.

That combative nature is undoubtedly alike to that of Henderson, with the 32-year-old having been described as somebody "you want with you in the trenches", in the words of club legend, Graeme Souness.

Stephenson is not merely just a hard worker, however, having also been hailed as a 'creative player' by the club's official website, with that again furthering the comparisons to that man Henderson, whose ability to create is showcased by the fact he ranks in the top 4% among his European peers for progressive passes.

The teen gem – who was previously lauded as "superb" by journalist Andy Kelly back in October – has enjoyed a promising campaign thus far at youth level to date, with the £760-per-week maestro scoring once and providing two assists in 26 games across all fronts.

A chance to shine in the first team has yet to emerge for the precocious talent to date, although with the impending departures on Merseyside this season in the midfield ranks, there could be an opportunity for Stephenson to stake his claim sooner rather than later.

While his compatriot Henderson won't be ready to relinquish his regular role any time soon, it is pleasing to note that Liverpool do have a possible heir to the experienced asset already on their books.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has a new personal ‘favourite’ to replace Antonio Conte as news emerges on Brentford boss Thomas Frank.

The Lowdown: Spurs target new managers…

Nearly a week after Conte’s infamous post-Southampton rant, no official decision has been made on the Italian’s future in north London despite a plethora of reports.

The 53-year-old had been linked with a move away from Spurs even before the controversy, with his contract running out and set to expire in June.

Spurs were believed to be highly unlikely to trigger the 12-month extension option in his deal before Southampton and it’s safe to say that proposition is now dubious at best.

Sporting director Fabio Paratici has drawn up a shortlist of candidates to succeed Conte, ranging from former boss Mauricio Pochettino to more outside contenders like Frank (Sky).

The Dane has been doing a brilliant job at Brentford in the Premier League with his side currently still contending for a place in Europe next season.

The Latest: Frank becomes Levy ‘favourite’…

According to a report by Scottish news outlet The Daily Record, sharing news from ‘well-placed sources down south’, Levy is believed to have a new ‘early favourite’ for the Spurs job in Frank.

The Lilywhites chairman is apparently believed to view Brentford’s boss as the main contender to replace Conte but other candidates, like Celtic’s Ange Postecoglou, are still in the mix.

This report adds that the 49-year-old has been a ‘smash hit’ for the Bees and Levy’s track record of appointing proven winners is a poor one, leading him to consider more ‘project’ managers like Frank.

The Verdict: Fantastic coach…

Taking charge at Brentford almost five years ago, Frank has lead the club to their first ever stint in the Premier League and could secure an historic European qualification place if things go well.

The Dane has operated on fairly limited resources compared to other European contenders, like Man United or Newcastle for instance, and we believe he could be considered a perfect ‘project’ manager.

Frank has been endorsed by both members of the media and rival top flight bosses for his work at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, speaking to the media, had this to say on Brentford’s tactician – claiming:

“The football they play is incredible and the organisation is incredible so Thomas and Brentford is doing an incredible job. They show even with less money you can create something really special.”

Meanwhile, presenter TV and Radio presenter Adam Smith has called him ‘one of the most underrated’ managers in England.

Tottenham Hotspur’s latest victory over London rivals Chelsea proved a particularly impressive day for the club’s academy setup, with Harry Kane and Oliver Skipp – both of whom are products of the Lilywhites’ youth system – getting themselves on the scoresheet in that 2-0 triumph.

While the sight of the England skipper putting the ball in the net was no surprise to anyone, with the 29-year-old now boasting 268 goals for the north Londoners to date, it was far more of a shock to his young compatriot break the deadlock, with Skipp’s stunning long-range effort having been his first senior goal for the club.

The 22-year-old midfielder – who made his senior debut for the north Londoners back in 2018 in a Carabao Cup win over West Ham United – showed no signs of a player who had yet to break his duck for the club, having lashed in from range to give Antonio Conte’s side the lead just after half-time.

That long-awaited goal was just reward for the youngster’s patience in recent times, with the England U21 international having bided his time for a regular role in the Spurs team, only to more than take his chance following Rodrigo Bentancur’s injury blow.

As assistant coach Cristian Stellini stated post-match on Sunday, the impact of the former Norwich City loanee – as well as Kane – will be something of an “example” to those in the youth ranks who are hoping to make their mark in the years to come, with the 5 foot 9 gem a clear illustration that there is a pathway to the first-team in N17.

The aim now will be to identify just who could be the next Skipp to emerge in the near future, with Conte and co needing to keep the door open for Spurs’ emerging stars to be able to flourish at first-team level.

Who could be Spurs’ next Skipp?

If the serial-winning coach is keen to identify the next potential midfield star from the Tottenham academy, he should well look no further than promising playmaker Matthew Craig, with the 19-year-old sensation – whose identical twin Michael is also at the club – having been on the cusp of the first-team in recent times.

The versatile starlet – who can also feature at centre-back or full-back – has been seen training with Conte’s squad earlier this season, having previously featured on the bench in both the Premier League and the Europa Conference League last term.

Although a senior bow is yet to emerge, the Scotland youth international has showcased his talent with his displays across the age groups of late, notably providing three assists in 17 games at Premier League 2 level this season.

The deep-lying gem – who has captained the U21 side on numerous occasions so far this term – has previously outlined his admiration for both Skipp and another of Spurs’ midfield assets in Harry Winks, with the aim no doubt to try and emulate that pairing.

Like Skipp – who has averaged one tackle per game in the Premier League this season – Craig is also able to provide a ball-winning presence at the heart of the midfield, having averaged 1.5 tackles per game from his two EFL Trophy outings earlier in the campaign.

While it is yet to be seen if the teenage sensation will be able to make the step up to the first-team any time soon, Spurs’ weekend win over Chelsea has provided a glaring example of the benefits of promoting from within, hence the need for Conte to hand the Scotsman his chance to impress.

YouTuber Conor McGilligan has urged Leeds United to avoid a “U-turn in strategy” and go and hire Ralph Hasenhuttl as the club’s new manager.

What’s the word?

Interim boss Michael Skubala will remain in charge for this weekend’s home clash against Manchester United, having overseen the mid-week draw against the Red Devils.

Despite that, with Jesse Marsch now sacked, the Whites are on the lookout to hire a new manager as soon as possible. However, certain targets have already ruled them out of contention.

For instance, Feyenoord manager Arne Slot has committed himself to his current job amid talk that Leeds could be trying to bring him in.

With that in mind, while talking on the One Leeds Fan Channel, McGilligan urged the club to keep looking for a new type of manager instead of hiring someone similar to Marsch, such as Hasenhuttl – who has been mentioned in the media as a possibility.

He said: “I’m just really hoping they don’t go down the Ralph Hasenhuttl route, because that, for me, would be a complete U-turn in strategy, philosophy, idea.

“They’ve been looking at [Marcelo] Gallardo, they’ve been looking at Arne Slot, they’ve be looking at – publicly, as well – [Andoni] Iraola, who were very, very different to the Red Bull system.

“So, Leeds are to trying to move away from that. If they went to Ralph Hasenhuttl now, they clearly just don’t know what they’re doing. There’s no strategy, there’s no tactical plan. It seems like it’s all PR. So that’s the problem.”

Time for a change

As alluded to by McGilligan, Hasenhuttl is similar to Marsch in the fact that both men have built their reputations as coaches with Red Bull-affiliated football clubs.

Indeed, before joining Leeds, the American worked for clubs such as New York Red Bulls, RB Leipzig, and RB Salzburg – while Hasenhuttl spent two seasons at Leipzig.

As a result, both men seem to enjoy playing the narrow 4-2-2-2 formation with the Whites often using that setup during Marsch’s time in charge. And so, if the club do hire Hasenhuttl, you can expect thing to tactically remain fairly similar.

Seeing as the club have tried to hire other managers first, however, it sounds as though this isn’t Plan A. And so it will be interesting to see if the Leeds hierarchy change their approach and go in for the former Southampton boss in the face of rejection from preferred targets such as Slot.

Tottenham Hotspur could still make a summer move for long-term target Alessandro Bastoni…

What’s the word?

That’s according to ever-reliable football.london journalist Alasdair Gold, who has provided a recent update on the Lilywhites’ ongoing interest in the Inter Milan centre-back.

When asked about a potential deal ahead of next season, the reporter said:

“Much depends on these new contract talks and whether Bastoni signs on at Inter again. Spurs have retained their interest in the Italy international and he is still among their top summer targets. Of course, with just a year left on his contract at that point, his price tag also drops a fair bit.”

During last summer’s window, Spurs were quoted around £54m for the Italy international and with his contract up in 2024, it is yet to be seen how much the Serie A giants would now command.

It would keep Conte happy

Much remains uncertain with first-team boss Antonio Conte and his future in north London heading into the end of the current campaign, where his time at the club is set to end.

That’s because his contract is expiring and there has been no fresh reports over an extension, only some doubts from Italy over whether he’d want to stay at the club.

It’s perhaps been his toughest test yet as a manager, having brought pretty instant success to the likes of Inter Milan and Chelsea over his coaching career yet here at Spurs, the ceiling seems to be the top four.

However, bringing in a signing of Bastoni’s calibre could be exactly what chairman Daniel Levy needs to convince the Italian into sticking at it – not only is he hugely familiar with the 23-year-old, having won a Serie A title together at the San Siro, but also because he’d be a major and perfect piece for his back-three.

Once described as a “phenomenon” by Italian football expert Conor Clancy, Bastoni is currently Inter’s second highest-rated centre-back in 2022/23 and ranks second for tackles and third for aerials won per game, via WhoScored.

The 6 foot 3 titan is a very effective ball-playing option as when compared to fellow centre-backs across Europe’s elite divisions, he ranks inside the top 1% for assists and shot-creating actions, as well as the top 5% for progressive passes and progressive carries, meaning he’s always looking to get himself or the ball forward to attack.

FBref also liken his statistical profile to two current Spurs stars in Ben Davies and Clement Lenglet, whilst he also has similarities to another transfer target in Piero Hincapie, so you can see why both Conte and the club would be so keen to sign him in the summer as he seems like an ideal fit.

Bastoni has also been compared to one of the Serie A’s best-ever defenders. “He controls the opponent, space and with a refinement that has rarely been seen, reminds me of a young Bonucci,” journalist Mario Sconcerti once claimed.

Also hailed as a “special talent” by writer Muhammed Butt, the Italian is a left-footer, so he’d fill the void in Conte’s back three next to Eric Dier and Cristian Romero and given the above evidence, you’d imagine there are few better options for the role too.

As such, if Levy were to pull the trigger to sign Bastoni ahead of the summer, then you’d imagine his chances of keeping Conte at the club quickly increase.

It may not being going well now but if the 53-year-old is backed just a little bit more, he could bring Tottenham the silverware they are ever so desperate for.

AND in other news, Mourinho was right: Levy surely red-faced as Spurs could’ve had £45m “monster” for £6m…

Liverpool will head to the south coast this weekend to take on Brighton and Hove Albion in their FA Cup fourth-round clash and Jurgen Klopp has been dealt another injury blow ahead of their visit.

What’s the latest?

The Liverpool boss took to his pre-match press conference to confirm that Fabio Carvalho is the latest to join the long injury list accumulating at Anfield.

Klopp told the media:

“Fabio has a little thing, but he will not be ready,” he said. “Maybe he can train today but will not be 100 per cent for the weekend.”

It’s bad news for Klopp

There is no doubt that the blow to Carvalho will be frustrating for Klopp as the manager likes to rotate in the FA Cup as much as he possibly can to ensure his team remain fresh in the busy schedule of fixtures over the second half of the season.

The Reds are currently ninth in the Premier League, knocked out of the Carabao Cup and have a huge two-leg Champions League tie heading their way in a few weeks time when they face their European rivals Real Madrid, so the German coach will be doing his best to ensure his team are in good condition to take on the challenges ahead.

Liverpool are currently without Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Virgil van Dijk, Arthur Melo and Roberto Firmino alongside Carvalho, so the manager’s options will be considerably weakened when they head to Brighton.

Over 11 Premier League appearances so far this season, the 20-year-old attacker has scored two goals and successfully completed 50% of his dribbles, as well as averaging one shot on goal and 1.8 duels won per game, despite only averaging 31 minutes per performance and falling even further out of favour since Cody Gakpo’s arrival.

Brighton have put three goals past Liverpool twice this season already with a 3-3 draw in October and a 3-0 victory over the Merseysiders at home earlier this month, so Klopp will certainly feeling the pressure when returning to the Amex Stadium on Sunday and will be hoping to break the trend to progress to the next round comfortably.

With that being said, Klopp will need to deploy his strongest team possible in order to stump an on-form Brighton side tomorrow as crashing out of the FA Cup would be another knock to the confidence of the squad and will be frustrating for the Anfield faithful.

Luton Town defender James Bree would happily join Southampton in the January transfer window, Pete O’Rourke has claimed.

What’s the word?

The 25-year-old has been a key player for Luton this season, playing every single minute of their Championship campaign so far, but has been linked with a move to Southampton.

The move would reunite him with Nathan Jones, who recently joined as the successor to Ralph Hasenhuttl.

Speaking to Football FanCast, O’Rourke claimed that the right-back would be delighted to make the move, as Southampton look to strengthen their defence.

He said: “I’m sure the player would jump at the chance to be reunited with Nathan Jones and the chance to go back to the Premier League as well, having had a short time there with Aston Villa previously.

“He’s a top player and I’m sure he’s somebody who could come in there and provide good cover and competition in the right-back spot.”

A useful signing

With Tino Livramento still injured, Bree would provide reliable cover at right-back, and would also be a familiar face for Jones in the dressing room as he tries to steer Southampton out of trouble.

After an initial poor start, Jones has helped Southampton begin to recover their form as they recorded an important victory away at Everton, and bringing in reinforcements should further help their survival efforts.

Bree would gain a chance to prove himself in the Premier League, and if he does so, he could forge a top-flight career as he approaches his peak years, so we would agree with O’Rourke that he would be keen on a move to the south coast before the month is out.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed that transfer target Cody Drameh would be a ‘perfect fit’ and could be ‘huge’ at Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Newcastle interest

Speaking on the Here We Go podcast, journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has shared that Newcastle are interested in signing Drameh during the early stages of 2023.

The Leeds United right-back has been identified as a target to improve the squad’s depth of young talent, as Eddie Howe looks to provide Kieran Trippier with some genuine competition.

The Latest: ‘Perfect fit’

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke has claimed that Drameh would be a ‘perfect fit’ at St. James’ Park, as he has the potential to be a ‘huge’ player for the Magpies:

“If you’re looking at a young right-back to come in and provide cover for Kieran Trippier, I think Cody Drameh would be a perfect fit.

“He is very highly-rated at Leeds United and did well out on loan in the Championship as well.

“If Newcastle were able to land him, I think they would get a player with huge potential to become a future star at St James’ Park.”

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The Verdict: Get it done

Trippier has played in every game for the North East club so far this season, and is in need of rotation to keep him fresh and less susceptible to injuries.

Emil Krafth is out injured at the moment, while Javier Manquillo has been largely out of favour under Howe.

Drameh showed his qualities while on loan at Cardiff City last season, as after signing last January, he played in every match in the division up until the end of the campaign, prompting his manager Steve Morison to claim that he was ‘like a Duracell Bunny‘.

At 21 years of age, he has also made seven senior appearances for Leeds United, including two so far this term (Transfermarkt), and would offer fresh legs at right-back in Trippier’s occasional absence.

Nonetheless, this would be a smart signing by the Magpies.