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Mauricio Pochettino has admitted it was a "big mistake" to snub a handshake with Pep Guardiola when Chelsea last played Manchester City.

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Pochettino avoided handshake with GuardiolaClaims same thing will not happen this weekendTwo sides set to go head-to-head on SaturdayWHAT HAPPENED?

The 4-4 draw between Chelsea and Manchester City ended in dramatic fashion earlier this season, as Pochettino angrily confronted referee Anthony Taylor as he felt Raheem Sterling had a chance to score on the counter-attack when the official blew the whistle. Such was his fury, he made a beeline for Taylor on the pitch, thus avoiding a handshake with Guardiola, and was booked for his outburst. With the two sides set to renew hostilities on Saturday, Pochettino has claimed that he will not behave in such a way again.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT POCHETTINO SAID

Pochettino said: "No, because I was so angry with the referee, remember? That was why. I then apologised in my press conference after the game. Of course, it is not going to happen again. I was so upset with the referee and I went like an arrow to the pitch to try and fight with the referee. Big mistake and I say sorry again. "I need to be more calm and relaxed and to show respect to the opponent. I feel really bad, but I apologise again."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Pochettino and Guardiola have enjoyed a relatively jovial relationship in recent years and there have been no other flashpoints, with the two happily shaking hands when the Argentine was managing both Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain. One has to think that will be the case again this weekend.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

The encounter between the two sides is vital for each. Chelsea can climb to seventh, while City can move top if they manage to vanquish their fellow Blues if other results go their way.

Marcus Rashford has been left puzzled by one of his attribute ratings on EAFC 24, with the Manchester United forward asking: “Am I that bad?!”

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England star posted personal bests last seasonOverall rating in EA video game has risenStill has room from improvementWHAT HAPPENED?

Overall, the England international forward has seen his base card rise from 83 to 85 – with a personal-best goal return of 30 efforts last season ensuring that he continues to head in the right direction. There are, however, some areas of his game that require improvement.

AdvertisementGetty THE BIGGER PICTURE

Rashford was asked while filming with the to guess his defensive ability rating from FIFA 23. He optimistically went with 68 and said after being informed that it was in fact 41: “41?! Am I that bad?!” When taking a shot at this year’s score, he got his prediction spot on when adding: “42, I am shocked with this one, I can't lie.”

WHAT THEY SAID

The 25-year-old Old Trafford academy graduate was slightly happier with some of his other marks. On being rated at 90 on the pace front, Rashford said of being ahead of his club colleagues: “I think I'm probably the fastest.” He has secured upgrades for shooting, pace, physicality, passing and dribbling, but said of being bumped up from 82 to 86 on the shooting front: “I am going to have a word with them.”

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Getty WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Rashford opened his goal account for 2023-24 last time out in United’s 3-1 defeat at Arsenal and will be hoping to get his first effort of the campaign on home soil when the Red Devils return to Premier League action against Brighton on Saturday.

Although Europe's top club competition can produce some incredibly competitive match-ups, it is not immune from one-sided encounters

The Champions League loves to present itself as the pinnacle of sporting competition in the club game. And while it often does create some of the most intense sport on the planet, it has also thrown up some pretty unbalanced affairs.

Things weren't always this way, but the widening financial chasm between the haves and have-nots in European football means blowouts have become increasingly common in the 21st century.

GOAL takes a look at the biggest Champions League victories – or losses, depending on your perspective – of all time…

Getty14Manchester City 7-0 RB Leipzig (March 14, 2023)

Drubbings in the group stages are somewhat understandable, given the gulf in class that often exists between some teams. However, one would expect that a blowout could never happen in the round of 16?

Manchester City defied this logic in 2023, putting RB Leipzig to the sword in the second leg of the pair's knockout tie.

The reverse fixture ended 1-1, and before kick off there were even whispers that the Bundesliga side could complete an unlikely upset. Two goals in 78 seconds from Erling Haaland ended those foolish notions, with the Norwegian netting three more times before being hooked in the second half.

Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne also converted to complete a famous rout.

AdvertisementGetty Images13Manchester City 7-0 Schalke (March 12, 2019)

Considering their struggles during the 2020s, it is hard to believe that Schalke were in the Champions League as recently as 2019.

Fans of Die Knappen will likely want to forget it too, as they were handed a spanking by Man City – again in the round of 16. Six different scorers compounded Schalke's misery, with Sergio Aguero grabbing a brace and Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden and Gabriel Jesus also getting on the scoresheet.

The German side have not returned to European competition in any capacity since that disastrous night in Manchester.

Getty Images12Liverpool 7-0 Spartak Moscow (December 6, 2017)

This was the season when Liverpool finally arrived under Jurgen Klopp, and their dominant victory over Spartak Moscow in the Champions League group stages offered a hint of the things to come.

Philippe Coutinho was the standout performer, helping himself to a hat-trick, while Sadio Mane registered a brace. Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah netted, too.

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Getty Images11Maribor 0-7 Liverpool (October 17, 2017)

Just weeks before they tore Spartak Moscow apart, the Reds also humiliated Maribor in the Champions League.

This 7-0 victory was even more impressive in some ways, as Liverpool were away from home – it remains the biggest win ever recorded by an English team on the road in Europe.

Again, the goalscoring was shared around. Firmino and Salah each grabbed two, while Coutinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Trent Alexander-Arnold added gloss to the scoreline.

After the game, Klopp was understandably delighted, telling reporters: "I was told about the record after the game and I didn't know. The wonderful history of this club can feel like a backpack at times, so it is nice to write our own good piece of the history. It will be difficult to beat that record."

MatériaMais Notícias

Ramires realizou no domingo a sua décima partida com a camisa do Palmeiras. Pela primeira vez, encarou um clássico. E, enfim, mostrou o que se esperava de um volante exaltado por sua capacidade de ajudar no meio-campo e carregar o time o ataque, frequentemente como opção. O volante comandou os melhores momentos da equipe no 0 a 0 diante do São Paulo, em Araraquara.

Alguns números apontam o destaque do camisa 18 no Choque-Rei. Segundo o Footstats, ele foi o líder do time em desarmes: três, assim como Zé Rafael, com todas as tentativas certas de ambos – na partida, Juanfran apareceu como o maior no quesito, com cinco desarmes. E Ramires ainda divide com Dudu o posto de mais dribles certos na partida, tanto envolvendo jogadores do Verdão quando do São Paulo: dois, sendo que Dudu ainda errou um drible, enquanto o meio-campista teve 100% de correção em suas duas tentativas.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasEm 1º clássico, Palmeiras leva mais perigo e acha Ramires como soluçãoPalmeiras26/01/2020Futebol NacionalPalmeiras atinge maior sequência invicta da história contra São PauloFutebol Nacional26/01/2020

A atuação mais convincente de Ramires pelo Palmeiras desde sua contratação, em junho, veio depois de uma sequência de críticas. O volante demorou a ter plenas condições físicas de jogo, tanto que, nos últimos meses, fez trabalho separado e o então técnico Mano Menezes chegou a aceitar a possibilidade de utilizá-lo só em 2020, mas ele participou de três dos últimos cinco jogos no ano.

Ramires começou a temporada prometendo melhora, mas iniciou na reserva. Vanderlei Luxemburgo começou a Florida Cup com Bruno Henrique e Patrick de Paula entre os titulares no 0 a 0 diante do colombiano Atlético Nacional. No jogo seguinte, ainda nos Estados Unidos, viu Gabriel Menino ganhar chance no 2 a 1 sobre o norte-americano New York City, mas acabou entrando com três minutos de jogo, já que Bruno Henrique sofre lesão muscular.

Tanto contra o time dos Estados Unidos quanto no 4 a 0 sobre o Ituano, na estreia do time no Paulista, na quarta-feira, Ramires ouviu contestações e até pedidos para que o originalmente meia Zé Rafael entrasse no seu lugar. Mas o Choque-Rei em Araraquara serviu como comprovação da qualidade do jogador destaque do Chelsea campeão europeu em 2012 e que, aos 32 anos, tem contrato com o Palmeiras até 30 de junho de 2023.

– Estou trabalhando sempre para melhorar. Não atingi ainda a minha melhor forma, mas o trabalho está sendo feito e, a cada jogo que passa, eu me sinto melhor. Espero continuar assim para poder ajudar muito mais a equipe dentro de campo – comentou Ramires, já ouvindo Luxemburgo elogiá-lo e, também, pedindo calma porque ele pouco atuou em 2018 e 2019, na China.

– Com certeza, o Ramires crescerá. Isso mostra que não é um jogador em fim de carreira. Está sem treino e vem de uma cirurgia. Quando se recuperar, não tenho dúvida de que dará muitas alegrias. Tem dinâmica e marcação excelentes. Rouba muita bola, tem pegada muito boa e dá aquelas arrancadas para o ataque, se aproximando. Mas preciso ter calma. Na China, não há tanta qualidade de jogo quanto aqui – argumentou o treinador.

A expectativa fica para o desempenho de Ramires na primeira partida do Palmeiras na capital paulista na temporada. Ainda com o Allianz Parque vetado para implantar grama sintética, o Verdão recebe o Oeste, às 19h15 de quarta-feira, no Pacaembu, pela terceira rodada do Campeonato Paulista.

MatériaMais Notícias

Ribamar saiu do banco de reservas para garantir o empate do Vasco no clássico com o Flamengo, na noite desta quarta-feira, no Maracanã, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro. O gol do jogador, marcado já nos acréscimos do segundo tempo, foi muito importante na partida. Ao sair de campo, ele comemorou garantindo uma incrível satisfação por ter ajudado na construção do resultado.

– Uma satisfação incrível. Trabalhamos bastante. Jogamos bem, merecíamos até a vitória. Mas o empate foi bom. Temos que valorizar. Fizemos o nosso jogo. Clássico, Vasco e Flamengo, clima esquenta, mas é isso aí. Depois do fim do jogo voltamos ao normal – afirmou o jogador na saída de campo.

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RelacionadasBrasileirãoCom duas viradas, Flamengo e Vasco empatam em jogão de oito golsBrasileirão14/11/2019FlamengoATUAÇÕES: Bruno Henrique salva o Flamengo em noite ruim do sistema defensivoFlamengo14/11/2019VascoATUAÇÕES: valente, Vasco mostra força coletiva contra o FlamengoVasco14/11/2019

Com o resultado, o Vasco chegou a 43 pontos, em décimo lugar, e deu mais um passo para se livrar do risco de rebaixamento. A equipe de Vanderlei Luxemburgo volta a campo na segunda-feira, às 19h30, quando recebe o Goiás, em São Januário.

James Anderson and Stuart Broad have been left out of England’s first ODI squad since the disastrous World Cup campaign. Moeen Ali has also been left out to concentrate on red-ball cricket ahead of the Ashes that begins on July 8.

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jun-2015James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Ian Bell have been left out of England’s ODI squad to face New Zealand in the most obvious sign of England moving on since the disastrous World Cup campaign. Moeen Ali has also been left out to concentrate on red-ball cricket ahead of the Ashes that begins on July 8.Moeen will go back to play Championship cricket for Worcestershire having struggled to find his form since returning to the England Test side for the second Test against West Indies in Grenada. Moeen may be retained as England’s specialist spinner for the Ashes but took only five wickets at 50.00 in the two Tests against New Zealand. From the World Cup squad, Gary Ballance, Ravi Bopara and James Tredwell have also been dropped while Chris Woakes remains injured.A potential replacement for Moeen, the Yorkshire legspinning allrounder Adil Rashid, is included in the 14-man ODI squad along with a number of names that featured in the squad for washed out ODI against Ireland. Kent’s Sam Billings, Jason Roy of Surrey, David Willey, the Northamptonshire allrounder and paceman Mark Wood – the latter three who made their ODI debuts in the match – will hope to get a chance to impress ahead of the arrival of England’s new head coach, Trevor Bayliss, in the lead-up to the Ashes; Bayliss said he may arrive for some of the one-day series against New Zealand too.”This series presents an excellent opportunity to look at players we believe can play a key role for England over the next four years as we build towards the next World Cup,” the national selector, James Whitaker, said. “We have opted to rest Moeen Ali from this series and he will play cricket for Worcestershire in preparation for the Ashes next month.England ODI squad

Eoin Morgan (capt), Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Taylor, David Willey, Mark Wood

“A number of players involved in the recent World Cup including James Anderson, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell and Stuart Broad have been left of the squad for this series. It is important to point out that none of these players have been ruled out of playing a role for England in limited overs formats in the future. This squad allows us to look at a group of players who have performed well both at county and England Lions level in recent years.”Despite assurances from Whitaker, it could yet be the end of Anderson, Broad and Bell’s ODI careers. The pair took five wickets at 49.00 and four at 63.50 respectively at the World Cup and with England’s heavy schedule of Test cricket, with 12 more Tests to come before the end of next January, both could be stood down from ODI duty. Anderson will be 36 and Broad 32 by the time of the 2019 World Cup. Bell, though, was England’s leading run-scorer at the World Cup with 262 runs at 52.40 but England have finally realised the need for a more dynamic top order.But one career that is safe for now is that of Eoin Morgan, who returns to captain the side having missed the Ireland ODI while away at the IPL. Many considered him fortunate to be retained as captain following the appointment of Andrew Strauss as England director of cricket but he will attempt to regain form – he has averaged 19.23 in ODIs in the past 12 months – and begin England’s revival against a New Zealand side who blazed a trail to the World Cup final and have gone a long way to transforming 50-over cricket.Steven Finn will also line up against the man who smeared his reputation with a ferocious assault at the World Cup. Brendon McCullum slammed Finn for 44 in just 10 balls in Wellington and the spell played a part in Finn being left out of England’s touring party to the West Indies. Finn, like Morgan, will be eager to atone for the World Cup as England attempt to begin a new era with the long-term goal of being competitive at the 2019 World Cup to be staged in England.England v New Zealand ODI series
June 9, 1st ODI, Edgbaston D/N
June 12, 2nd ODI, Kia Oval D/N
June 14, 3rd ODI, Ageas Bowl
June 17, 4th ODI, Trent Bridge D/N
June 20, 5th ODI, Chester-le-Street

أكد حازم إمام الظهير الأيمن الأسبق لنادي الزمالك، أن قرار مجلس الإدارة برئاسة حسين لبيب بعرض 3 لاعبين للبيع بعد مغادرتهم المعسكر ليلة مباراة زد يعتبر موفق جدًا.

وكان مجلس إدارة نادي الزمالك قد قرر تحويل الثلاثي أحمد فتوح ومصطفى الزناري ومحمد صبحي للتحقيق وعرضهم للبيع بسبب أزمتهم الأخيرة، كما أعلن توجيه الشكر لـ الكولومبي خوان كارلوس أوسوريو من تدريب الفارس الأبيض.

رسميًا | الزمالك يُعلن إقالة أوسوريو وعرض أحمد فتوح ومحمد صبحي للبيع

وقال حازم إمام في تصريحات تلفزيونية بفضائية “أون تايم سبورتس2” عبر برنامج “جمهور التالتة”: “الزمالك فوق الجميع، النادي أهم من أي أحد، أنا حزنت جدًا من تصرف اللاعبين وكان لابد من قرار رادع”.

وأضاف: “هناك تسيب داخل الفريق بسبب بعض اللاعبين الذين لا يتحملون المسؤولية، معظمهم لا يشعرون بقيمة القميص وهذا سبب تلك النتائج السيئة”.

وواصل: “القرارات صارمة وكنت أتمنى أن تصدر هذه القرارت من بداية الموسم، لأن اللاعبين تجرأوا على النادي وهذه مصيبة”.

وأردف: “عندما كان يحدث تجاوز من بعض اللاعبين عندما كنت لاعبًا، كنا لا نريد هؤلاء اللاعبين معنا في الفريق، لكن ما يحدث الآن (بجاحة)”.

محمد صلاح يعلق على قرارات مجلس إدارة الزمالك بشأن ثلاثي الفريق وإقالة أوسوريو

وتابع: “قرار إقالة أوسوريو موفق جدًا، وكنت أتمنى أن يتم اتخاذه منذ فترة، المدرب لابد أن يلعب بطريقة توافق إمكانيات اللاعبين الموجودين معه، لكنه كان مُصممًا أن يلعب بطريقة صعبة جدًا”.

وأتم: “دائمًا الجمهور هو السند والظهر ولا يخذلون النادي، ومهما كانت الظروف الصعبة هم سبب إعادة النادي للمسار الصحيح”.

حرص السويسري مارسيل كولر المدير الفني لفريق الأهلي، على عقد اجتماع مع الجهاز المعاون، على هامش المران الذي أقيم ‏صباح اليوم على ملعب التتش بالجزيرة، استعدادًا لمواجهة صن داونز الجنوب إفريقي.

ويخوض الأهلي ذهاب نصف نهائي دوري السوبر الإفريقي مع صن داونز الجنوب إفريقي في بريتوريا يوم 29 أكتوبر الجاري، على أن ‏تقام مباراة العودة يوم 1 نوفمبر بالقاهرة.‏

‏وناقش كولر مع الطاقم المعاون كافة الترتيبات الإدارية والفنية الخاصة بالاستعداد للمباراة، وبرنامج الاستعداد بالشكل المناسب ‏للمواجهة المرتقبة بين الفريقين.

طالع | الأهلي يُعلن آخر تطورات إصابة عمرو السولية وكريم فؤاد قبل مباراة صن داونز

كما عقد مارسيل كولر محاضرة للاعبين، قبل بدء المران بتدريبات بدنية تحت إشراف أندرياس أندويا مخطط ‏الأحمال، ثم استكمل الجميع فقرات المران التي اشتملت على فقرات خططية وتقسيمة كرة قوية.‏

وتأهل الأهلي إلى نصف نهائي دوري السوبر الإفريقي بعد إقصاء فريق سيمبا في ربع النهائي، ‏بالتعادل في تنزانيا 2-2 والتعادل في القاهرة ‏بهدف لكل فريق.‏

Though there is little riding on the one-off T20 game, Pakistan and Australia, who will both be led by new captains, will be looking to start the tour on a positive note

The Preview by Brydon Coverdale04-Oct-2014Match factsOctober 5, Dubai
Start time 2000 local (1600 GMT)Left-arm spinner Raza Hasan is poised to make his first international appearance in two years and will have a Saeed Ajmal-sized hole to fill in the team•Getty ImagesBig PictureA one-off Twenty20 match might have some relevance in the lead-up to the World T20, but with the next world tournament not scheduled until 2016, this is a game with little riding on it. Still, with a one-day series to follow and then Tests between the two countries, it is a chance for either Pakistan or Australia to begin their tour on a positive note. And both teams will be led by new captains, providing a chance for a regeneration of sorts after neither side made it past the group stage of the World T20 in Bangladesh earlier this year.The resignation of Mohammad Hafeez has allowed Shahid Afridi to regain charge of Pakistan, having last led their T20 side in 2011, while Aaron Finch is taking over from George Bailey as captain of Australia. There have also been plenty of changes for both teams from the World T20 squads, and most notably Pakistan will sorely miss offspinner Saeed Ajmal, who is the leading wicket taker in T20 international history but has been banned from bowling due to an illegal action. In 11 T20s against Australia, Ajmal has taken 19 wickets at 14.26.Australia’s squad has been compromised by the priority given to the Champions League T20 final, with Pat Cummins still in India instead of having the chance to play his first international for two years. There could be as many as five debutants in Australia’s outfit as they search not only for a team that can take them through to the next World T20, but more immediately and practically, for 11 fit players.Form guidePakistan LWWLL
Australia WLLLWIn the spotlightRaza Hasan took 2 for 15 off four overs on his T20 international debut against Australia at this venue two years ago. However, he has not played for his country since October 2012 and now faces the prospect of playing as the frontline spinner instead of support act to Ajmal. It is a wonderful opportunity for Hasan, but equally, the expectations on him will be great.Australia’s long list of post-Warne spinners in Test cricket has been well documented, but the catalogue of T20 tweakers used is also growing rapidly. In the past two years alone, Xavier Doherty, Fawad Ahmed, Brad Hogg and James Muirhead have been used as frontline spinners, with Glenn Maxwell the slow-bowling allrounder. Now, Cameron Boyce will be added to the list. The legspinner will make his debut after his Hobart Hurricanes failed to reach the CLT20 final, and it is a big opportunity for Boyce. The previous captain George Bailey said on his departure that finding a world class T20 spinner was the one thing that over the next couple of years could lift Australia to the elite level in the short format.Team newsA shake-up to Pakistan’s T20 squad could mean barely half the men who played in their most recent game will feature in this match. Awais Zia and Raza Hasan look set to make their first T20 appearances in more than two years, while Wahab Riaz is back in the squad having not played a T20 international since April 2011. The loss of Mohammad Hafeez to a hand injury sustained at training is a blow.Pakistan (possible) 1 Ahmed Shahzad, 2 Awais Zia, 3 Umar Amin, 4 Umar Akmal (wk), 5 Shahid Afridi, 6 Sohaib Maqsood, 7 Bilawal Bhatti, 8 Raza Hasan, 9 Sohail Tanvir, 10 Wahab Riaz, 11 Mohammad Irfan.Australia named a 13-man squad for this match, but have only 10 men from that group available. Shane Watson was withdrawn due to his calf injury, Mitchell Marsh is sidelined with a hamstring problem and Pat Cummins is still in India with Kolkata Knight Riders for the Champions League final. It has forced the selectors to add Phillip Hughes, Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe to the squad from the ODI and Test groups. Allrounder Sean Abbott, legspinner Cameron Boyce and fast bowler Kane Richardson are all likely to make their debuts.Australia (possible) 1 Aaron Finch (capt), 2 David Warner, 3 Phillip Hughes, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Steven Smith, 6 Brad Haddin (wk), 7 James Faulkner, 8 Sean Abbott, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Kane Richardson, 11 Cameron Boyce.Pitch and conditionsAustralian Tony Hemming, the curator of the Dubai ground, has already foreshadowed some reasonable pace and bounce for the Test at the venue, so there may not be as much spin in this T20 as might have been expected. The forecast for Sunday is 37C, although the temperature should drop to the lower 30s by the time the game starts.Stats and trivia Australia have beaten Pakistan only four times from 12 meetings in this format Aaron Finch will become Australia’s seventh captain in the format, after Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Cameron White and George Bailey The two leading wicket takers of all time in T20 internationals are Saeed Ajmal and Umar Gul, but neither will be playing in this gameQuotes”With Ajmal gone out, things are different now and we have to really think hard as a bunch and not as one individual like Ajmal winning us games”
“You live and die by the sword. You make some outrageous moves and sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t.”

Nuwan Pradeep approached the last five balls of the match with confidence, as he walked out to deny Stuart Broad and England, his captain Angelo Mathews revealed after the match.Pradeep swayed away from a bouncer first ball – avoiding a reprise of his hit wicket from the first innings – then played and missed at a back-of-a-length delivery, and fended the third one away towards point.Next ball – the penultimate delivery of the match – raised a raucous appeal from the hosts, and the batsman was given out by Paul Reiffel, only for the decision to be immediately reviewed. Replays showed Pradeep got a big inside edge, and lived on. The final delivery was edged to slip, but it only reached the fielder on the bounce.”All Pradeep said to me was, ‘Don’t worry, I’m going to hold on. If they bowl short at me I’m just going to leave it’.” Mathews said of his exchange with Sri Lanka’s No. 11 before he went out to bat. “That was very encouraging from the tail-ender. I actually thought he did that exact thing. When they went for the lbw, we were not confident, because we couldn’t see from behind. But he was pretty confident that he hit it, and thank God that he did.”Pradeep’s lbw decision was the second piece of drama in the over after Rangana Herath gloved a short ball to the wicketkeeper – but his hand had already come off the bat handle. Herath did not wait for the umpire’s decision to begin walking back to the pavilion.Nuwan Pradeep held on for the final five balls•Getty Images

“I guess Rangana wasn’t aware of the rules,” Mathews said. “It’s a lesson learned. We all now know that if it hits your hand and it’s off the bat you’re not out.”Pradeep showed presence of mind to call for the review, even as England celebrated around him. “It wasn’t the easiest time for Pradeep to go and bat, and to review the decision was also a brave effort. In that tense situation, your mind goes blank sometimes. It’s always good to review it and luckily we used it. We hung in there.”Mathews was less enamoured by Sri Lanka’s collapse either side of tea. The visitors had eight wickets in hand with 36 overs to play in the day, but lost three quickly to James Anderson’s reverse swing, and were under immense pressure in the final session.Mathews and Prasanna Jayawardene batted out 20 overs together, despite Jayawardene’s severely bruised finger, before Rangana Herath faced 13 balls, until being dismissed.”I thought we batted poorly after tea especially. The bowlers came and gave one last effort, and we fell for that. I thought Anderson bowled really well. Their seamers bowled hard and asked questions from our batters but we couldn’t really handle it after tea. It shouldn’t have got close.”It was a great effort from our lower middle-order. Rangana Herath did well, and so did Prasanna, with a broken finger. He had had painkiller injections to keep going. It was a good effort in the end, but after tea we were too relaxed.”Alastair Cook faced some criticism for delaying his declaration, and Angelo Mathews said Sri Lanka were always unlikely to attempt chasing 390 on the final day.”They could have declared earlier, maybe. Close to 400 runs to get on the last day is going to be a tough ask. The wicket was spinning a little bit, and it was playing up and down a little bit as well. We had to bat sensibly.”We were going in a 50-50 mode. We wanted to bat till lunch, then tea, then see how we were. We were in a pretty bad situation after tea, and we couldn’t do anything but go for the draw.”