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Somerset 293 for 4 (Abell 105*, Lammonby 87) trail Nottinghamshire 360 (Stone 83, Haynes 55, Clarke 51, Aldridge 5-94) by 67 runsA century from Tom Abell led a strong Somerset response on day two of the Vitality County Championship match at Trent Bridge, where the visitors closed on 293 for 4 in reply to the hosts’ 360 all out as they bid to keep pace with leaders Surrey and Essex at the top of the Division One table.It is a first hundred for the 30-year-old since he relinquished the Somerset captaincy after struggling for form last year, although he missed the start of the current campaign through injury and this is only his second match in the Championship.He finished on 105 not out, with Somerset trailing by 67 runs, having shared a 157-run third-wicket partnership with Tom Lammonby (87), adding a further unbroken stand of 67 with James Rew before the close.At the start of the day, Nottinghamshire had extended their first innings by nine overs from 326 for 8 overnight, picking up a third batting point before Somerset’s bowlers could winkle out the last two wickets, seamers Migael Pretorious (4 for 96) and Kasey Aldridge (5 for 95) finishing the job for figures that reflected their fine contributions on day one.Nottinghamshire fast bowler Olly Stone, the principal architect of a recovery from 190 for 7 on day one, fell just before the 350 was reached, edging Pretorius to second slip for an 83 that was warmly acknowledged by the home crowd, who saw him make 90 against Lancashire last month after beginning the season with a first-class average of 15.38.Aldridge completed his five-for when Dane Paterson, earlier dropped by wicketkeeper Rew, was caught on the extra cover boundary, with Dillon Pennington, having enjoyed some good fortune in picking up six boundaries, unbeaten on 29.As Somerset began their reply, Pennington picked up an early scalp with the ball thanks to a fine catch at third slip by Will Young as Andy Umeed departed in the sixth over.Tom Kohler Cadmore, dropped by Calvin Harrison at second slip before he was off the mark, made 38 in his first Championship action of the season before falling soon after lunch to a superb piece of work on the leg side by Tom Moores as Stone gained his 15th wicket of the Championship campaign.Thereafter, it was a frustrating afternoon for Nottinghamshire and a profitable one for Somerset, who added 105 runs in the session as Lammonby and Abell patiently built a half-century apiece, in the former’s case for the sixth time this season.Lammonby’s came from 104 balls with six fours, among them a couple of glorious off-drives. Abell completed his from 101 balls soon afterwards, clipping Harrison crisply to the leg side for his seventh boundary.There had been little encouragement for the bowlers in that time. Nottinghamshire skipper Haseeb Hameed had a number of discussions with the umpires about the condition of the ball, which had already been changed once in the innings. Eventually it was replaced again, although with no discernible change in its behaviour.The footmarks left by Pennington and Stone gave Harrison something to aim at, and the leg-spinner would have been cheered by a delivery soon after tea that turned sharply enough to beat the left-handed Lammonby’s inside edge, even if the end result was four byes.In the event, it was at the other end, where the four Nottinghamshire seamers had been patiently rotated by Hameed, that the breakthrough came as Lammonby, perhaps letting his concentration drift for a moment, played across a ball from Paterson that held its line and was leg before.It broke the partnership after 48 overs, after which the wait for the next wicket was considerably shorter – just seven deliveries – as new batter Tom Banton prodded at one from Harrison to be caught behind.The second new ball raised Nottinghamshire’s hopes of further gains. In the event, none came in the five overs before the close as Abell turned the injection of some pace to his advantage, despatching a couple of leg-side deliveries to the boundary to complete a 202-ball hundred containing 12 fours.

Looking towards the summer transfer window, Manchester United have now reportedly been offered the chance to sign a serial winner represented by the same agency as Patrick Dorgu.

Man Utd's summer plan taking shape

Whilst step one of Manchester United’s transfer plan will be to win the Europa League later this month and confirm their shock place in next season’s Champions League, they simply need to invest no matter the outcome against Tottenham Hotspur. Ahead of his first full season in charge, Ruben Amorim will have the chance to prove doubters wrong, but will finally need players who suit his system to do exactly that.

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If recent rumours are anything to go by then it will, indeed, be a busy summer for the Red Devils on both the incomings and departures front. Already, players like Antony and Marcus Rashford could be heading for the exit door as the start of a hefty clear-out at Old Trafford, which Amorim will be desperate to see end with plenty of fresh faces.

Meanwhile, on the incomings front, names such as Ronald Araujo and Yann Bisseck have threatened to steal the headlines as of late. Two defenders who squared off in one of the best Champions League semi-finals in recent memory, as Inter Milan came out on top to win 7-6 on aggregate, both would undoubtedly improve the current Manchester United backline.

Amorim is well aware of the need for improvement too, having told reporters in the build-up to his side’s Europa League semi-final victory over Athletic Bilbao: “For me, in that moment and you look at Premier League, we are the worst team since I arrived in terms of results. That is my idea. In the end of the season, we can be the worst team in Premier League history with a European title.”

However, despite that admission, the lure of Old Trafford remains there to exploit amid reports that Manchester United have now been offered the chance to sign a serial winner.

Man Utd offered chance to sign Kingsley Coman

According to Caught Offside, Manchester United have now been offered the chance to sign Kingsley Coman from Bayern Munich this summer by the winger’s agent. The Frenchman’s representatives have been knocking on doors around European football hoping to seal a move this summer, with Old Trafford seemingly among those.

A serial winner having won league titles at Bayern, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus as well as the Champions League in Bavaria, Coman may not be at the peak of his powers but he would help change the mentality in the Manchester United dressing room.

What’s more, a deal could be made easier by the fact that Coman is represented by the same agency as Patrick Dorgu, who completed a move to Old Trafford in January. With contact already established and a relationship already built between both parties, the Red Devils have an ideal opportunity.

Dubbed a player who has “incredible talent” by former Bayern manager and current Barcelona boss Hansi Flick, Coman could yet rediscover his most clinical form at Manchester United this summer.

If Glasgow Rangers are going to topple their arch-nemsis next term, the new owners are going to have a job on their hands to appoint the right successor to Barry Ferguson at Ibrox.

Given their cross city rivals’ recent success, the Light Blues need to find somebody who can come in and install a playing style that will see Rangers win trophies and progress in Europe. That simply hasn’t happened in the last few years.

Steven Gerrard managed to do all those things and more during his three-and-a-half-year reign between 2018 and 2021. Could he be an option this summer for a second stint in Glasgow?

The latest on Steven Gerrard's future

According to the Daily Record over the weekend, Gretar Steinsson from the 49ers and sporting director Kevin Thelwell have reportedly narrowed down the list to the final couple of targets.

A new manager could be announced by the end of next week if all goes to plan and Gerrard could certainly be on this list.

2021/22

22

12

1.86

2020/21

56

44

2.52

2019/20

54

36

2.17

2018/19

60

32

1.9

The Englishman led the club to their first Premiership title since 2011 during the 2020/21 campaign, going through the league season undefeated.

Of course, it wasn’t all sunshine under Gerrard. The first two seasons saw plenty of tough defeats and post-Christmas collapses, but he would be a solid option to restore the sinking ship.

However, the 49ers must take a strategic gamble on the next manager. It looked as though Davide Ancelotti was going to get the role, but ultimately, nothing came to pass with the coach set to follow his father, Carlo, to Brazil.

The ideal alternative to Gerrard and Ancelotti

So, who could they go after instead? Well, Italian manager Francesco Farioli announced his decision to leave Ajax after just a single season in the Netherlands.

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It would certainly be a major statement of intent if the 49ers could entice him to Ibrox this summer, that’s for sure.

Farioli left after failing to win the Eredivisie for Ajax, despite leading by nine points with seven games left.

It was a dismal collapse, no doubt about that, but any hopes of the club looking to go close again next season with Farioli at the helm have been dashed as the manager announced he was leaving Amsterdam.

“Francesco also played a key role in enhancing the high-performance culture at Ajax, for which we are extremely grateful,” said director Alex Kroes. He was also dubbed “unique” by journalist Lars Jesse following the news.

The 36-year-old tends to utilise an attacking 4-3-3 system, which could be a good fit for several players at Rangers.

Across his 54 matches in charge of the Dutch side, Farioli’s side scored 115 goals – 2.1 per game – while he accumulated 2.09 points per game.

One of the most overlooked aspects was just how well the Italian improved their defence. In the 2023/24 campaign, Ajax conceded a staggering 61 goals.

This season, they conceded only 32, having the best defensive record in the top flight. It wasn’t enough to seal the title, however.

For someone aged just 36, the boss has managed 167 games across his four club sides. It would be a risk, but the way he approaches the game with an impressive attacking philosophy, plus a resolute defence, could transform the fortunes of Rangers.

While the last player to come from Dutch football in Gio van Bronckhorst ultimately ended up being given the boot, his immediate success, winning the Europa League, proves that the adaptation period from the Netherlands might not be too challenging.

Goldson 2.0: Rangers "interested" in signing £2m star from England

Rangers have earmarked a Premier League defender as a potential new signing.

ByRoss Kilvington May 18, 2025

PBKS crumbled under pressure, undone by swing and seam early in their innings but their eyes are firmly set on redemption in Qualifier 2

Shashank Kishore30-May-20253:05

Moody: The occasion muddled PBKS’ thinking

Punjab Kings had built up their playoffs aspirations all season. They had dreamt of this moment. On podcasts, at press conferences and over Instagram stories with inspiring music. Their batting line-up had been among the most dominant, and their openers had got stuck into bowling attacks, unperturbed by reputation.To be in this position with the arc lights on them on home territory was a dream scenario. But a lost toss against a gun bowling attack on a surface with swing, devilish seam and spongy bounce wasn’t the cocktail they’d hoped for.In the dugout, James Hopes, their bowling coach, had seen enough from the surface six balls into the game that he quietly chuckled to himself wondering why Royal Challengers Bengaluru hadn’t brought on Josh Hazlewood in the second over right away. This was going to be a challenge unlike any other, perhaps closest to the one they faced against Kolkata Knight Riders at the same venue in the league stage.Related

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That night, they had a fiery Marco Jansen and the crafty Yuzvendra Chahal in their ranks to help pull off the lowest-successful defence in IPL history. Neither was available here; Jansen was away preparing for the World Test Championship final and Chahal was nursing an injury he hadn’t sufficiently recovered from. But before they could worry about their bowling resources, there was a simple matter of putting up runs.Priyansh Arya is instinctive mostly. Fast hands and picking lengths early are his bread and butter. But three balls into the second over, he was neither able to get to the pitch nor hit it over and the sticky surface had its first victim. At slip, Virat Kohli urged every bowler to keep hitting the deck hard. Behind the stumps, Jitesh Sharma struggled to find his footing, leaving skid marks at both ends as he wrestled with the extra bounce.For PBKS, there was nothing ‘homely’ about the surface, yet they kept going for their shots. Twice Prabhsimran Singh swung as he charged and tried to negate Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s swing. But the third time, he was completely off balance trying to slog and nicked behind to Jitesh as Bhuvneshwar shortened his length.Those two wickets had been lost even before Hazlewood came on. As Shreyas Iyer took strike, it’s unlikely his match-ups against Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar would’ve been on his mind. Rajat Patidar sent short fine to the boundary, but with midwicket and mid-on in, Iyer looked to hit over the infield, only to be dismissed by an ill-judged slog. By then, there was already a sense of inevitability.2:29

Aaron: PBKS need to assess conditions and game situations

PBKS didn’t buckle down still. Josh Inglis was out to the pull again, off Hazlewood, trying to force the pace in front of square. But at 38 for 4 their hopes were fast fading. “We were a bit befuddled, to be honest, in terms of reading the wicket,” Iyer said after the match, the wounds from the loss still raw. “A lot of wickets we lost [were kind of] random. So, yeah, there’s a lot to go back and study on.”The only semblance of pressure PBKS seemed to shift back on the bowlers was when Marcus Stoinis muscled a few away. But with him trying to literally slog every ball out of the ground, he was skating on thin ice. He was quietly taken out by a Suyash Sharma googly that proved to be deadly accurate. He’d picked up a third wicket, to go with the earlier strikes of Shashank Singh and Impact Player Musheer Khan, both out to the wrong’un – one slogging, and the other sweeping.Hopes echoed Iyer’s call for soul-searching, while also warning against the pitfalls of backing down at a new venue on a new pitch come Qualifier 2. “The worst thing our batsmen can do now is blink and start jumping at shadows and second-guessing themselves,” Hopes said. “We know historically it’s a very good pitch [in Ahmedabad].

“We were a bit befuddled, to be honest, in terms of reading the wicket.”Shreyas Iyer after PBKS’ loss

“We know we’re going to have to go quite hard and score quite quickly. It’s not back to the drawing board by any means. We worked two-and-a-half months to get into a position where we get a second opportunity, and we’re going to have to use our second opportunity now.”For a brief passage in the second innings, with Kyle Jamieson hooping the ball around, you couldn’t quite tell which team was under the pump. Kohli had just been taken out in true Test match style, of the kind that troubled him repeatedly in Australia. Mayank Agarwal kept playing for the lifter and was repeatedly squared up. At the other end, Phil Salt hadn’t yet come to grips with the skid off the pitch, even off someone like Azmatullah Omarzai, who is strictly in the medium-pace bracket.The crowd had found its voice, and it felt like the final session of a Test with two new ball bowlers on fire. At that very moment, you couldn’t help but wonder what could’ve been had PBKS showed a bit more restraint while they batted, perhaps “drawn the line a little bit earlier than we did” in Hopes’ words. But that passage was all too fleeting, as Salt climbed into the bowling, to wallop his fastest IPL half-century to land the knockout punch.But as Iyer put it, PBKS “had lost the battle but not the war” as a second chance beckons come Sunday.

There’s little glamour in the No.3’s methods, but the pay-off for his team is proving spectacular

Firdose Moonda01-Nov-2023It didn’t always look easy with Rassie van der Dussen. If he was not lunging forward, his 1.88 metre frame making it look ungainly to defend, he was pushing awkwardly, trying to come to terms with the line. It didn’t always look elegant – and it seldom does with van der Dussen – but it was definitely effective.Van der Dussen scored South Africa’s eighth century of the tournament, and 16th in ODIs this year, through a combination of patience and placement which perfectly demonstrated how he has moulded himself to his anchor role. He came in with nine balls remaining in the powerplay, after a brief but energetic knock from Temba Bavuma, and scored 21 off his first 33 balls. At the time, the talk was that South Africa were taking too long. That quietened when Quinton de Kock reached his fourth hundred of this World Cup. Van der Dussen then accumulated 112 off his next 85 balls to take South Africa within reach of 350, and went entirely silent after their 190-run win, but we’ll get to that.First, to van der Dussen, the number of runs he scored, the way he scored them and who he scored them off. After a watchful start, he ran 56 singles, four twos and the only three of the innings. He scored at a run a ball against Mitchell Santner (27 from 27), and took 33 runs off 22 balls from Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra. None of that was an accident. Every time South Africa have been put in to bat – five times in total – they’ve followed a similar template: caution upfront, rotation through the middle and a strong finish.In part, that’s a nod to the quality of the opposition attacks, and especially the quick bowling at this tournament, but it’s also a way of ensuring a line-up that only includes six specialist batters can save their power-hitters for when they can actually make an impact. Afterwards, that’s what van der Dussen confirmed.”We felt they bowled pretty well upfront,” van der Dussen said at the post-match press conference. “Tim Southee and Trent Boult are very experienced and they didn’t give us much and then with their finger spinners, Santner is a guy who has some of the best control in the world. The other two (Phillips and Ravindra), we knew we could put under pressure but also that they have been bowling well in the tournament so far. We had to fight through that period. But we know we don’t always have to be in fifth gear. We can play in third gear and then at the end up it a little bit.””That period” lasted as long as 35 overs, as South Africa’s run-rate hovered between 4.5 runs to 5.5 runs an over. Instead of chasing sixes and sevens an over, they saw it as a way of “finding the balance between being attacking and scoring runs and also setting the base up,” van der Dussen said. Hindsight tells us that it was more than enough but South Africa, and van der Dussen, would not have known that at the time. Instead it was de Kock who acted as the pace-setter. “He really guided me through my innings today. I was under pressure and asking him about a few options,” van der Dussen said.At one stage, he asked de Kock whether he should start to score quicker. De Kock’s advice was to wait for as long as possible. “I said, if you want me to make a play, tell me,” van der Dussen said, “but he said, ‘no, no, just extend it and just look at your options for the spin, keep playing straight, keep being really relentless if it’s in your area but if it’s not, respect it, because we know how these guys bowl and they’re very disciplined with the ball’.”Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen raised the pace as they batted longer•AFP/Getty ImagesIntermittently, van der Dussen was allowed to play his shots, especially the flick and the sweep, that he practices so often in the nets, and has brought out several times at this tournament. His best run-scoring options were, as de Kock suggested, down the ground and that is where he scored four of his five sixes, and 37 runs off 17 balls. In the end, his century came at a strike rate of 112.71, which is a decent pace for scoring big runs and a retort to an oft-mounted critique against his methods.There is a school of thought that van der Dussen scores too slowly and there is some statistical evidence to support that. Of the South African batters who have scored at least 500 ODI runs this year (and there are six of them), van der Dussen has the lowest strike-rate. But that also proves something far more important about the role he plays: he is the fulcrum around which the rest operate and he owns that.On the eve of the match van der Dussen was asked about doing the “dirty work” for South Africa and he explained how it’s meant he doesn’t have the flashy reputation of some of his team-mates, let alone their pay cheques.Related

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“Me, Quinny and Temba often joke about it, saying the reason (Heinrich) Klaasen and the other guys get millions at IPL is because they can come in and hit sixes at the back. But it’s a role that needs to be done, and from my side and other guys as well, we’re really happy to be doing it. In our team, there’s a sense of … what’s the word I’m looking for?”The word was probably “selflessness”, given what he said next. “It’s amazing to see what you can achieve when it doesn’t matter who gets the credit, or when you don’t care who gets the credit, for getting the win or getting over the line or putting in a good performance. There’s a real sense of that in our team. And if that’s going to help us win matches and win the World Cup, then I’ll be happy not to be thanked for that.”But he won’t mind a little recognition for an ODI batting average that sits close to 54, a record that makes him the third highest run-scorer in ODI cricket for South Africa in the current squad, the second-fastest South African to 2,000 ODI runs after Hashim Amla, and sixth overall. He also won’t mind the acknowledgement that he has scored a quarter of South Africa’s tournament hundreds so far, even though there is a player who has done double that.Next to de Kock’s fourth tournament hundred and amid the narrative of his impending ODI retirement, van der Dussen may not get the plaudits he deserves, but he should. Like de Kock, van der Dussen could also be playing in his last World Cup (he is 34 years old), although he hasn’t said as much. And much like de Kock, who told the broadcaster in the innings break that “as my career is coming to a finish, I just bat as much as I can,” van der Dussen seems to want to do the same.

The most-read articles on ESPNcricinfo and the Cricket Monthly in 2021

31-Dec-2021Cricket MonthlyNews1. IPL retention rules: old teams can keep four players ahead of 2022 auction, three early picks for new teams2. R Ashwin: ‘I didn’t know the ball hit Rishabh, but I’d run even if I did’3. Virat Kohli: India were not ‘brave enough with bat or ball’ against New Zealand4. ‘I am not a racist’ – Quinton de Kock apologises, will take the knee5. Boult: ‘Hopefully I can mirror what Shaheen did to India the other night’6. Kohli backs Shami after social media abuse: ‘Attacking someone over religion is the most pathetic thing’7. IPL 2021 postponed as Covid-19 count increases8. Crowd trouble mars Pakistan-Afghanistan clash as ‘thousands’ of ticketless fans attempt to force entry9. IPL 2021 auction: The list of sold and unsold players10. FAQ: All you wanted to know about the T20 World Cup 2021Shaheen Shah Afridi produced some of the best spells of the year – and inspired some of the best writing•Getty ImagesFeatures1. Avesh Khan wants to be a bowler who can produce what his captain wants
By Nagraj Gollapudi2. The only T20 World Cup preview you need to read
By Andrew Fidel Fernando3. Which team has won the most matches in men’s T20 World Cups?
By Gaurav Sundararaman and Sreshth Shah4. ‘I was wasted, but in a good way’ – Why Moeen Ali felt it was time to retire from Test cricket
By George Dobell5. Are you a T20 opener facing Shaheen Afridi? Be afraid, be very afraid
By Osman Samiuddin6. Lessons from the IPL – how will the UAE pitches play out at the T20 World Cup?
By Gaurav Sundararaman7. ECB’s hypocrisy and double-standards could fast lose them friends
By George Dobell8. Chris Jordan: ‘I try to judge myself on execution, whether I go for a boundary or take a wicket’
By Matt Roller9. Who is Venkatesh Iyer, KKR’s latest debutant?
By Shashank Kishore10. Calling it like Kohli: When India needed their captain to stand up, he stood tall
By Sidharth MongaR Ashwin took no prisoners in his interview with the Cricket Monthly•AFP via Getty ImagesThe Cricket Monthly1. R Ashwin: ‘I’ve always been good at assessing batsmen, but now I think I’ve taken it to another level’
By Sidharth Monga2. India’s 2011 World Cup win: ‘I wanted to hug him and hit him at the same time till he confirmed we’d won the World Cup’
By Hemant Brar3. How did India build their world-beating bench strength? They have a system
By Sidharth Monga4. Ten ways T20 has changed since the last World Cup
By Sidharth Monga, Shiva Jayaraman and Girish TS5. Pat Cummins: ‘Once we knew Virat was going to miss the last three Tests, Pujara was the big wicket for me’
By Daniel Brettig6. Hardik Pandya: ‘When I am on the ground, I believe nothing’s impossible. I don’t feel fear’
By Nagraj Gollapudi7. India. Australia. Chennai. 2001
By Siddhartha Vaidyanathan8. Remember the game: the last six balls of the 2016 T20 World Cup relived
By Siddhartha Vaidyanathan9. This is us: New Zealand’s climb to the top
By Andrew Fidel Fernando10. Rashid Khan: ‘You can get form back, but once you lose respect, it’s hard to get that back’
By Nagraj GollapudiMore in our look back at 2021

Enrique Hernández returned to the Dodgers lineup for the first time in nearly two months on Tuesday after five rehab appearances in Triple A. The Dodgers beat the Reds 6-3 in Hernández's first game back for their third straight win. Hernández went 2-for-3 at the plate, driving in a run and scoring another.

Hernández was also tested in the field as he handled a bouncing ball hit by Spencer Steer in the top of the eighth and had to hurry a throw to Freddie Freeman at first. Hernández's throw hit the grass in front of first and took a hard bounce towards Freeman who made a great play to snag it just before Steer hit the bag.

Hernández's face was a combination of amazement and agony. And probably some other complex emotions. It's actually hard to tell because it's just such a funny face to see a person make.

Premier League title winner Jamie Vardy has made history in Italy by becoming the first English player to win the Serie A Player of the Month award. The evergreen striker, who is now 38 years of age, is currently on the books of Cremonese. He linked up with them over the summer and has enjoyed a productive start to life outside of his comfort zone.

Italian job: Vardy to star in documentary alongside wife Rebekah

Vardy became a free agent when seeing his contract at Leicester expire. He helped them to a stunning title triumph in 2016 and took in 500 total appearances for the Foxes, scoring 200 goals and earning 26 England caps.

With no plans to hang up his boots any time soon, Vardy has embraced a new challenge alongside wife Rebekah and their children. They are set to star in their own documentary series, which will lift the lid on a surprising Italian job.

Vardy will have plenty to smile about on camera as he has landed a top prize in Serie A. He starred across the month of November, with a memorable goal being recorded against Turin-based giants Juventus. He was nominated for a monthly gong alongside AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, Inter captain Lautaro Martinez, Napoli winger David Neres, Genoa's Leo Ostigard and Nicolo Zaniolo of Udinese.

AdvertisementHistory made: Vardy lands top Serie A prize

Vardy topped the poll, with Serie A chief executive Luigi de Siervo saying: "Vardy is truly a player from another era. One of those talents who, with their history, their achievements and the indomitable spirit with which they live every match, best express the romance of football.

"His arrival at Cremonese was greeted with great enthusiasm by all Serie A fans, and Vardy is repaying them with top-level performances, innate leadership and important goals, the result of the competitive spirit and shooting skills that have always distinguished him."

Vardy has become the first Englishman to win a prize that was first handed out in 2019. Since then, countrymen such as Fikayo Tomori, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ashley Young and Tammy Abraham have graced the Italian top-flight.

Just like Ronaldo: Vardy tipped to play into his 40s

He has four goals in total for Serie A new boys Cremonese through 10 appearances. Vardy is just the second player, after Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola, to net more than three goals for a promoted team at the age of 38 or over – with Zola achieving that feat for Cagliari prior to ending the 2004-05 campaign with nine efforts to his name.

Vardy may go on to better that total, allowing another entry in the record books to be secured. He has been showing no sign of slowing down, with his game all about high energy and clever movement.

It is being suggested that Vardy could have several seasons left in him yet, with there every reason to believe that he can emulate the efforts of Portuguese GOAT Cristiano Ronaldo – who is still playing at the age of 40 with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.

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GettyVardy contract: When deal at Cremonese expires

European football expert Andy Brassell has told : "There's still plenty in there, I feel. To have that sort of pressure off, I suppose in a way it must make him feel like going back and achieving stuff with Leicester.

"Leicester, who were never fancied to stay up. Then they were never fancied to be in the European mix. Then they were never fancied to win the league, win the FA Cup. And I guess, obviously, Cremonese is very different.

"Culturally, he's at a different point in his career. But I do think there's a little bit of him that feels, yeah, this is the perfect fit for me. With Serie A as well, it's got an incredible history of strikers in their mid to late 30s scoring a lot of goals.

"I mean, straight away, if you're Vardy, and you know anything about Italian football history, you're thinking I'm modern-day Antonio Di Natale or Fabio Quagliarella or any of those guys. Why can't I keep going until I'm 40, 41?"

Vardy only signed a one-year contract when heading to Italy, which is due to expire in the summer of 2026, but Cremonese have a performance-related extension option that can be triggered at any stage.

Southampton were hit with a hammer blow on Saturday when they conceded in the 97th minute to lose to Millwall at The Den in their last Championship game of the month.

After fighting to make it 2-2 through Fin Azaz, the Saints defence fell asleep at a crucial moment to allow Tristan Crama to sneak in unmarked at the back post to score the winner.

It was a brutal way to lose a game of football, but it was also the first loss of Tonda Eckert’s time in interim charge, after four wins in his first four games in the dugout.

The latest on Tonda Eckert's future at Southampton

Football Insider recently reported that the German tactician is in the driving seat to land the role on a permanent basis, thanks to winning his first four matches in the Championship.

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The outlet claimed that the former U21s boss is the leading candidate to take the job from Sport Republic, ahead of more experienced managers who have been on the shortlist, including, but not limited to, Russell Martin.

However, Football Insider added that Eckert will still be given more time before a final decision is made, and that a permanent appointment is not imminent at this moment in time.

With this in mind, there is still time for Southampton to look elsewhere for their next manager, which is why they should push to hire Brendan Rodgers, who was linked with the role shortly after Will Still’s departure.

Why Southampton should hire Brendan Rodgers

Sport Republic, as they will, need to consider the short and long-term consequences with their next managerial appointment, because there are two elements at play.

In the short term, they need a manager, whether that is Eckert or someone else, who can guide the team up the table and into promotion contention to get back to the Premier League.

However, in the long term, the Saints need a boss who can then guide them to safety in the top-flight, because Martin was unable to do that after winning promotion with the club, which illustrates the importance of hiring a manager who can achieve both tasks.

Rodgers, once described as “world-class” by Gabby Agbonlahor, is a highly experienced Premier League manager who knows what it takes to be successful at that level, having managed Leicester, Liverpool, and Swansea in the top-flight.

22/23 (Leicester)

28

19

21/22 (Leicester)

38

8th

20/21 (Leicester)

38

5th

19/20 (Leicester)

38

5th

18/19 (Leicester)

10

9th

15/16 (Liverpool)

8

10th

14/15 (Liverpool)

38

6th

13/14 (Liverpool)

38

2nd

12/13 (Liverpool)

38

7th

11/12 (Swansea)

38

11th

As you can see in the table above, the only season that Rodgers did not have his team competing for a top-half finish was when he was sacked with ten matches to go in the 2022/23 campaign.

His overall history in the division suggests that he has the managerial chops to keep the Saints in the Premier League if they earn promotion, whilst Eckert has no previous experience at that level and would go in as a novice in that respect, just as Martin did.

Meanwhile, Rodgers is also coming off a second stint with Celtic in Scotland, where, as shown in the graphic above, he won four trophies in two full seasons in Glasgow.

The Northern Irish boss won four Premiership titles in four full seasons with the Hoops over two spells with the club, per Transfermarkt, which shows that the experienced manager also knows how to coach a team to win matches on a consistent basis.

That is further backed up by the fact that he won the Championship play-offs to win promotion to the Premier League with Swansea in the 2010/11 campaign, before finishing 11th in the top-flight with the Welsh outfit.

Rodgers is, therefore, a manager who has a proven track record of being able to achieve what Southampton need in the short and long-term, whilst Eckert has made a strong start to life in the Championship but does not have a proven record, with no top-flight experience.

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This is why Sport Republic should push to appoint Rodgers as their new permanent manager, if the former Hoops boss is willing to make the move, because he could be a big upgrade on Eckert with his reputation and proven coaching ability.

Liverpool meet Manchester City in the Premier League this weekend, two teams clinging to the old way of things.

The age of corners and long throws is upon us, and here are two sides championing the slick and stylish passing play that was shaped and defined by Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp across so many exciting years at the top of the English game.

This is just a bit of humour, but the truth remains that the Premier League’s tactical culture has shifted in recent months, with table-topping Arsenal masterfully secure in defence and with an incredible knack at scoring from set-pieces.

Arne Slot has tried to adapt by changing things this season, but there the Dutchman’s progress has unravelled after a summer of sweeping change.

Recent wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid have sparked a red revival, but this could be the toughest test of the lot, with the Etihad anything but a happy hunting ground for Liverpool in recent years.

Having reverted to type, Slot may fancy dropping Florian Wirtz for this one, even after the German’s show-stopping performance in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.

Why Slot could bench Florian Wirtz

There’s no denying that it’s been a tough ride for Wirtz since he completed a record-breaking £116m transfer from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool this summer.

The 22-year-old is regarded as one of the most exciting creative talents in the world, and having achieved staggering things in his German homeland, had been expected to hit the ground running.

Instead, Wirtz has struggled to settle into Slot’s Liverpool squad, and after ten matches and 610 minutes of action in the Premier League, he still searches for his first goal contribution.

However, there have been undeniable improvements in recent weeks, and against Real Madrid, he came alive.

The attacking midfielder’s time will come, but Slot may opt against recalling him to the starting line-up in the top flight here, instead entrusting a proven formula to get the job done against Guardiola’s title-challenging outfit.

Of course, Wirtz could always make his presence known from the bench, boasting an array of technical qualities simply out of reach for the lion’s share of positional peers across Europe.

Should Wirtz be dropped, there is another Redman who could take his place.

Slot must unleash the new Mo Salah

While it might seem like Cody Gakpo would be the perfect candidate to return to the left wing, Slot has intimated on several occasions that Hugo Ekitike has the athleticism and awareness to play off the wing.

Ultimately, that decision lies with Slot. But, without question, Liverpool must unleash Alexander Isak at number nine if the 26-year-old is given the green light.

The precondition to this indeed being an assessment of the Sweden international’s fitness, of course. Isak has missed Liverpool’s past four matches in all competitions as he recovers from a groin injury picked up against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League last month.

There’s nothing quite like Liverpool vs Manchester City in the Premier League. Some of the greatest games in the division’s history have been contested between these two heavyweights over the past decade.

Isak has struggled since completing his British-record £125m move to Anfield from Newcastle on transfer deadline day, only playing eight times and scoring just once.

GK

Giorgi Mamardashvili

RB

Conor Bradley

CB

Ibrahima Konate

CB

Virgil van Dijk

LB

Andy Robertson

DM

Ryan Gravenberch

CM

Dominik Szoboszlai

CM

Alexis Mac Allister

RW

Mohamed Salah

LW

Hugo Ekitike

CF

Alexander Isak

However, injuries and Liverpool’s wider imbalances have inhibited him, and this could be the perfect opponent for him to announce himself as the club’s new talisman, taking the baton from the great Mohamed Salah as he begins to wind down.

Isak hasn’t hit his stride on Merseyside yet, but we all know what he is capable of. Last season, he scored 27 goals for the Magpies, including a strike against Liverpool at Wembley to clinch the Carabao Cup. Jamie Carragher was in awe, hailing him as “the best striker in the Premier League” back in January.

Isak typically operates higher than his counterpart, Ekitike. He is fast and intelligent, and his skill at playing off a defender and peeling away down the lane and into the danger area is almost matchless across Europe.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 8% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes, the top 7% for progressive carries and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90.

Such data signifies not only his ball-carrying ability but his ability to drop deep and funnel play forward before blistering ahead himself and join the attack that he sparked off in the first place.

Wirtz and Isak have a partnership in the making, but fielding both here might not be the best course of action. City will look to dominate on the ball and overwhelm a Liverpool backline that has shown itself to be shaky across multiple matches this season.

It had been nine years since Liverpool last beat Man City away from home in the Premier League. That was before Slot came along.

Things are different for both clubs since that springtime showdown last year, but with Isak up front for the Reds, they will have their answer to the wrecking ball that is Erling Haaland, and maybe it will be enough to steer the champions over the line.

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