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Leeds United have been boosted by the news that Liverpool could be without exciting youngster Harvey Elliott for this weekend’s Premier League clash.

The Lowdown: Elliott bursts onto the scene

The 18-year-old enjoyed a superb loan spell at Blackburn Rovers last season, scoring seven goals and registering 11 assists in the Championship.

Jurgen Klopp has kept hold of Elliott in 2020/21, however, seeing him as a key squad player and handing him two starts in the first three Premier League games – his place in the first XI against Chelsea shows exactly how crucial he is to Klopp’s plans this term.

[freshpress-quiz id=“359346″]

The Latest: Youngster could miss Leeds clash

The midfielder could be absent when Leeds host Liverpool on Sunday afternoon, however, with The Yorkshire Evening Post‘s Graham Smyth reporting that he picked up a knock on England Under-21 duty.

Elliott has now returned to Anfield for further assessment ahead of the weekend action.

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The Verdict: Boost for Whites

Elliott looks an incredible young prospect, possessing great quality and creativity on the ball – it was his chest control and smart pass to Trent Alexander-Arnold that set up Sadio Mane’s goal in the Reds’ win vs Burnley.

He was hailed as ‘quality’ by Joe Cole on BT Sport after that match while Peter Crouch praised his confidence (via balls.ie), so him missing out would be a positive for Leeds.

That being said, Liverpool have an abundance of depth in the middle of the park, so whoever the Whites come up against will be strong.

Should Elliott miss out, a midfield-three of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita is perhaps most likely, although Thiago is in contention, too.

Nonetheless, this could be one less quality player for Marcelo Bielsa to worry about in the coming days.

In other news, one pundit has questioned Leeds’ decision to sign one player this summer. Read more here.

North Zone made a steady reply on the second day at the Madhavrao Scindia Ground, finishing 376 adrift of South Zone’s massive 548 with seven wickets in hand

Cricinfo staff30-Jan-2009
ScorecardNorth Zone made a steady reply on the second day at the Madhavrao Scindia Ground, finishing 376 adrift of South Zone’s massive 548 with seven wickets in hand. Arjun Yadav earlier stretched South’s commanding overnight position with a half-century and the tail too contributed to the team’s efforts.South’s overnight pair of Arjun Yadav and M Suresh added 37 to the overnight score of 442 before Suresh was dismissed by Manpreet Gony for 17. Yadav went on to pass his half-century and helped stretch the score past 500 before being bowled for 70 by Vikramjeet Malik. R Vinay Kumar resisted with a 87-ball 29 and his last-wicket stand of 35 with L Balaji frustrated North. Gony, Malik and Amit Mishra finished with three wickets apiece.North’s openers, Shikhar Dhawan and Rahul Dewan began strongly, adding 82 in 18 overs before R Ashwin struck, sending back Dhawan for a quick 37, which featured six fours. Dewan looked set for a century but was eventually run out for 81. It sparked yet another wicket as North lost their captain Aakash Chopra, stumped off Suresh, the Andhra legspinner. Sunny Sohal and Uday Kaul steadied the innings till stumps and North will look to their middle order to carry on and bat out the third day.

Aston Villa get their Carabao Cup campaign underway on Tuesday night when they take on Barrow in the second round.

Dean Smith’s side were, of course, finalists in 2020 where they were beaten by Manchester City, while they were knocked out of the competition in the fourth round last season by Stoke City.

The Villa boss will no doubt ring the changes to his starting line-up for today’s clash, with many of those who started in the 2-0 victory over Newcastle in the Premier League at the weekend unlikely to do so again.

And, with that in mind, below is a look at the kind of line-up Smith might look to put out for Villa’s clash against Barrow.

In goal, Emi Martinez is likely to be given a rest with back-up shot-stopper Jed Steer coming for his first competitive game for Villa since that 1-0 defeat to Stoke last season.

The back-four is also set to see wholesale changes, with Frederic Guilbert making his first Villa appearance since returning from loan last term.

Matt Targett should come straight back in at left-back, while Kortney Hause is likely to be partnered by Axel Tuanzebe, who could make his second debut for the club following his initial loan spell.

Further forward, Smith could be in line to make some exciting changes by starting three of the club’s brightest young academy talents, with Carney Chukwuemeka, Jaden Philogene-Bidace and Jacob Ramsey ready to make their mark.

And up front, with Ollie Watkins still out, Wesley could come in for Danny Ings as he looks to prove why he should remain at the club and be given the chance to impress.

Predicted XI: Steer; Guilbert, Tuanzebe, Hause, Targett; Nakamba, Ramsey; Philogene-Bidace, Chukwuemeka, El Ghazi; Wesley.

Meanwhile, Villa are plotting a late swoop for this star…

Cricinfo previews the second one-day international between India and England in Indore on November 16, 2008

The Preview by George Binoy16-Nov-2008Match factsNov 17, 2008
Start time 9.00 am (0330 GMT)
Mahendra Singh Dhoni said India would take a call on Yuvraj Singh’s fitness on Monday morning © AFP
Big PictureUnless England arrest their alarming slide, which began in Antigua, continued in Mumbai, and plunged to new depths in Rajkot, they are in danger of being steamrolled by Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s clinical outfit. The positive for England is that, after the 158-run loss in the first one-dayer, it will be relatively easier for them to improve, while India will be challenged to reproduce a performance as devastating as the one in Rajkot.Touring sides face several tests in India. The common ones are difficulties in adjusting to the climate, the environment outside hotels, and the playing conditions – several Australian cricketers, for instance, were ill during the recent Test series. However, the biggest challenge is overcoming a formidable opponent in conditions tailored to its style of play. Indian batsmen have always flourished at home but recently their fast bowlers have become more effective on flat pitches by learning to reverse-swing the ball. Fielding used to be a weakness, but the average age of this squad is 24 and they are fleet-footed, safe, and accurate.England’s limited-overs form was excellent before the three massive defeats. They beat South Africa 4-0 at home and their coach Peter Moores said they needed to play the same quality of cricket in different conditions in India. Their bowlers in particular need to find the right length quickly, especially against an opening pair that will attack from the outset. Ground once ceded is hard to regain. England bat deep – Stuart Broad is at No 9 – but there is little their batsmen can do if they have to chase 300-plus totals on a regular basis.Form guide (last 5 ODIs, most recent last)India WNWLW
England WWWNLWatch out forIndia’s opening partnership: The Rajkot match will be remembered for Yuvraj Singh’s astonishing strokeplay but the foundation for India’s victory was laid by their openers. Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir were in excellent form during the Tests against Australia and they carried it into the first one-dayer. Both openers scored half-centuries and added 127 in 19.5 overs: a partnership full of big hits and terrific running between the wickets.England’s big two, Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen. Flintoff finished with 1 for 67 in Rajkot but he had figures of 1 for 34 off eight overs before he was battered by Yuvraj. Flintoff was the only bowler to exercise control over the run-rate during the first half of the Indian innings. Although the contest had been decided by the time Pietersen began his innings, he was in excellent touch during his 63, off 56 balls, and particularly severe on India’s spinners, scoring 43 off 29 balls against them.The batting team’s Powerplay: Dhoni and Collingwood both felt that the new playing condition, under which the batting team could choose when to take a Powerplay, made one-day cricket more interesting. The tendency has been to take it around the 34th over, when the mandatory ball change happens. England took it in the 34th and scored 56, while India took it in the 35th and managed 41.Team newsThere was uncertainty on Sunday over the fitness of two Indian players – Ishant Sharma and Yuvraj. Ishant injured his ankle during the Test series against Australia and missed the first ODI in Rajkot. Mahendra Singh Dhoni said the fast bowler would almost certainly miss Monday’s game because it would give him a period of five to seven days to recover. Yuvraj had trouble with his back during his century in Rajkot and, although a local doctor said there was no internal injury, his fitness will be assessed on the morning of the game. If Yuvraj is unavailable, Virat Kohli is likely to be his replacement.India (probable): 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Gautam Gambhir, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Rohit Sharma, 7 Yusuf Pathan, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Zaheer Khan, 10 RP Singh, 11 Munaf Patel.Collingwood said Ryan Sidebottom, the left-arm medium-pacer, was “fully fit to play” after he missed the first game with an Achilles tendon problem. If England pick Sidebottom, he will probably replace James Anderson, who took the new ball in Rajkot and conceded 52 in eight overs without a wicket.England (probable): 1 Matt Prior (wk), 2 Ian Bell, 3 Owais Shah, 4 Kevin Pietersen (capt), 5 Andrew Flintoff, 6 Paul Collingwood, 7 Ravi Bopara, 8 Samit Patel, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 Ryan Sidebottom, 11 Steve Harmison.Pitch and conditionsDhoni and Pietersen both wanted to bowl first in Rajkot and the Indian captain said losing the toss was a blessing. However, he indicated that batting first would be the way to go in Indore. “The wicket will not be like the one at Rajkot,” Dhoni said. “There will be wear and tear as the match progresses. It’s dry and it will become slow and it will be difficult to score.” Collingwood agreed, saying the pitch was flat and had some cracks and the boundaries were small. The curator, Samundar Singh Chauhan, however, was felt the toss wouldn’t be that significant. “You can see a score in excess of 300 being scored and maybe even being chased. The wicket is hard and will last 100 overs.”Stats & Trivia The India-England match in 2006 is the only one-dayer to have been played at the Maharani Usharaje Trust Cricket Ground. England set a target of 289 and India’s top four batsmen scored half-centuries to complete the run-chase with five balls to spare. Dhoni averages 54.20 as captain in ODIs, ten runs more than his average when he wasn’t leading the team. Pietersen’s corresponding stats are 51 and 48. Flintoff’s 34 wickets in 26 ODIs are the most for any England bowler against India.Yuvraj has scored 942 runs in 24 matches against England at an average of 52. His career average is 37.England scored only 63 runs during the first two Powerplays in Rajkot while India’s openers added 90 during the same period.Quotes”We just have to stop them. We need to be more aggressive. We want to hit India hard. The key is to take early wickets and put them under pressure. India is very much like any other team.”
“We are always wary of becoming complacent because we will be criticised for being overconfident if we lose. We are always focused on what needs to be done.”

An update has emerged on Stoke midfielder James McClean, regarding Bolton’s interest in his services. 

What’s the talk?

According to The Sun’s Alan Nixon, Bolton are considering a swoop for Stoke City utility man James McClean this month.

Nixon claims that Stoke are willing to send the Irishman out on loan, with Bolton and Wigan both eyeing him up as a potential signing.

Potters boss Michael O’Neill has confirmed that the winger is available for clubs to sign. He said:

“James is part of the U23s. He’s available to other clubs but as yet no club has taken up that option as far as I understand.”

Evatt would love him

Bolton must decide to take up Stoke’s offer and bring McClean in on a season-long loan, assuming the financial element of the deal is within the club’s budget. He is an experienced operator who could come in and add quality and know-how to the squad, which is why he could be an excellent signing.

In terms of his ability, he was able to showcase what he is capable of at times in the Championship last season. He averaged a solid WhoScored rating of 6.72 in 23 appearances, scoring two and assisting three. In the 2019/20 campaign, he averaged an exceptional WhoScored rating of 7.14 and was directly involved in 14 goals – seven goals and seven assists.

This suggests that he still has the talent to make an impact in the second tier, which is why he could be superb in League One as it is one step lower than where he has been playing. Therefore, he could arrive at Bolton and offer real quality on the ball to help push them further up the table.

Evatt could love having a player with his class in possession, but his attitude and work rate is also top drawer. Last year, O’Neill called McClean a ‘whole-hearted’ player, although he admitted that he still needs to learn the tactical side of the game. He said:

“James is such a willing, whole-hearted player, he just at times needs a little bit of guidance.

“But for me, he’s been excellent when you look at the number of goals he assisted and the number he’s scored as well.

“So there’s a lot of positive things in his play, but he maybe needs a bit of help tactically and that’s something we continue to work on.”

This shows that the £20k-per-week beast puts the work in and is willing to grind the hard yards for the team. Evatt would be buzzing to have a player who could make a difference in and out of possession, with his skill and his work rate.

With over 150 Premier League appearances and over 170 appearances in the Championship to his name, McClean could impart his wisdom onto the younger players at the club. He has the experience of playing at a higher level and his know-how could prove crucial in the long run.

Matthew Mott, the New South Wales coach, has made the initial cut for John Bracewell’s New Zealand job and will be interviewed over the next couple of weeks. Mott was asked to apply for the post, which becomes available in April, and has made a list that is believed to include Graham Ford, formerly of South Africa but now at Kent.”I was flattered to get asked and the thought of an international job is very exciting,” Mott said. “There’s a fair bit to think about before the job becomes available. I’ve got to fulfil a contract here at New South Wales – it ends at the end of the season – and that’s my first priority.”The whittling down of a group Justin Vaughan, the New Zealand Cricket chief executive, said included up to 20 serious candidates has only just began, but if they were to go with Mott it would result in a significantly different outlook to the 50-year-old Bracewell. Currently 34, Mott would be the same age as some of the players.The issue has not created concerns at New South Wales and he steered the side to the Pura Cup in his first season in the head job. “I’ve found it a good thing,” he said. “At New South Wales I hadn’t played with the guys so it was a new playing group. Being around their age I could relate to them and understand how things worked with the contract system and the structures.” Despite his empathy, he maintains he is capable of making unpopular decisions.Mott was appointed to the Blues in 2007 when Trevor Bayliss left to take up the Sri Lanka position and he was due to be an assistant with the Australia team on their tours to Pakistan earlier this year. When the trip was cancelled he joined John Buchanan, a former mentor at Queensland, at the Kolkata Knight Riders, where he linked up with the New Zealand wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum.”It’s an exciting time for New Zealand,” Mott said. “They’ve got a good bunch of senior players as well as younger guys coming through.”A steady top-order batsman, Mott started his career in Queensland before switching to Victoria, playing a total of 66 first-class games and scoring 3723 runs. He retired early and one of his first coaching jobs was as an assistant with the Australia Under-19 World Cup squad. He also spent a season as player-coach of the New South Wales 2nd XI under the eye of Bayliss.Another of Mott’s former bosses is Ford and the pair worked together when Mott travelled to Kent for an off-season. Now the men are expected to be pushing for the same role. “Graham was an outstanding operator,” Mott said, “and a fantastic coach.” Bracewell will return to Gloucestershire, the team he left in 2003 to take up the New Zealand role, when his contract expires.

Mohammad Asif, the Pakistan fast bowler, is trying to hire the services of Dr Graham Durgan, a sports medicine expert from England, to plead his case against the dope charges after he tested positive for a banned substance during the Indian Premier League.”Nothing is final as yet,” Shahid Karim, Asif’s lawyer, told . “But we are holding talks to secure the services of Dr Durgan.” Asif had also tried to hire Mark Gay, who is an anti-doping expert, but didn’t receive a response from the British lawyer.Asif had asked for the B sample test, which was scheduled for July 28 at a World Anti-Doping Agency accredited laboratory in Switzerland, to be postponed in order to give him time to prepare his case and make travel arrangements. Karim said that they had sent two requests for postponement to the IPL, who hadn’t accepted or rejected the request.The IPL doping case is not the only cloud currently hovering over Asif. His 19-day detention in Dubai for allegedly carrying a banned substance is also the subject of a separate inquiry within the Pakistan board. Reports from Dubai authorities on the matter have finally been received by the PCB and Asif has been asked to attend a hearing in Lahore on Thursday.”We have received reports from Dubai regarding Asif’s detention there and will now be hearing the player’s side of the story,” PCB chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi, one of the committee members, told . He said that the committee could take a decision on Asif after the hearing.Asif was in detention in Dubai from June 1 to 20 for suspected possession of an illegal substance. The case against him was dropped by the Dubai public prosecutor on the grounds of insignificance, though it was speculated that behind-the-scenes help had been provided by the Pakistan government and the board, who share close ties with the monarchy in the UAE.

Aston Villa have confirmed that assistant manager John Terry has left the club after four years in the Midlands.

Initially signing as a player in 2017, the former Chelsea legend took the captaincy at Villa Park, registering two goal contributions in 36 fixtures for the Villans with one goal and one assist [Transfermarkt].

He then moved on to a role within the coaching setup under Dean Smith, helping the team to promotion back to the Premier League two years ago and keeping them there ever since, but he has now decided to leave the club in search of a new challenge [avfc.co.uk].

Interestingly, he has stated his intention to have a break from football to spend time with his family, although he is now the bookmakers’ favourite for the managerial role at Swansea City [Wales Online].

In light of his exit, loads of Aston Villa fans took to Twitter to express their feelings about the 40-year-old’s decision to move on. It naturally came as a disappointment to many, with Smith’s side having the joint-seventh best defensive record in last season’s Premier League as Terry helped to instil the nous from his playing days into Villa’s squad.

Aston Villa fans react

Replying to Aston Villa’s official Twitter channel, here is what some supporters had to say upon hearing the news, with one describing Terry as a “top professional” for his work at the club:

“will be a big loss actually”

Credit: @catrinedwards18″We will never forget how passionately you celebrated that goal against Arsenal”Credit: @AlexAstonVilla”A player and person I never wanted anywhere near Aston Villa! How wrong I was. You have been a leader on the pitch and showed players how to be the best they can. A true professional and I thank you for your service. Best of luck in your new adventure”Credit: @PhillPhillbull”Really gutted about this, he worked wonders with the defence last season. Wish you all the best JT, no doubt a successful managerial career awaits you”Credit: @ArborCorpKorea”NOOOOOOOO”Credit: @TyBracey”Disappointing news but a top professional. Huge part of where Villa are now. Will become an excellent manager”Credit: @moore_tomasIn other news, many Aston Villa fans react to this transfer update.

The Tasmanian Selectors have today announced the Cascade Tasmanian Tigers ACB Cup team to play the Southern Redbacks 2nd X1 in Adelaide on the Adelaide No: 2 ground, on Monday, 21st – Thursday, 24th October 2002.

Tasmanian Cricket Association14-Oct-2002The Tasmanian Selectors have today announced the Cascade Tasmanian Tigers ACB Cup team to play the Southern Redbacks 2nd X1 in Adelaide on the Adelaide No: 2 ground, on Monday, 21st – Thursday, 24th October 2002.CASCADE TASMANIAN TIGERS

Dene HILLS (Captain)
Chris BASSANO
Luke BUTTERWORTH
Andrew DOWNTON
Scott KREMERSKOTHEN
Scott MASON
Shane McDERMOTT
Matthew PASCOE
Adam POLKINGHORNE
Brad THOMAS
Shannon TUBB
Luke WILLIAMS

Coach: Darrin Ramshaw

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Everton defender Michael Ball believes Jonjoe Kenny has not been given a fair chance at Goodison Park.

The 24-year-old right-back spent the second half of last season out on loan at Celtic. This comes after his season-long loan with Bundesliga outfit Schalke during the 2019/20 campaign.

Ultimately, Kenny has been far from the first team at Everton and the Englishman is now being linked with a move away from the club, with the MailOnline claiming last month that he is a surprise target for Arsenal.

For Ball, Kenny simply has not been given a real opportunity. On the defender, the ex-Everton star told FFC:

“I feel sort of sorry for Jonjoe, really. He’s come in, young kid, done pretty well and then we put bodies in front of him, bringing in players on loan.

“It didn’t work and he got sort of pushed back and then when asked, he came in and done an ok job.

“When you’re in and out of a side, no matter how old you are, it’s very difficult to get consistency. So I don’t feel he’s had a fair crack of the whip at the club.”

Coming through the club’s academy, some supporters would probably like to see Kenny stick around, challenge Seamus Coleman for that right-back position and give Rafael Benitez something to think about.

However, with Everton currently chasing Denzel Dumfries, he could once again be pushed out of Goodison Park.