Aston Villa returned to winning ways on Thursday night, as Unai Emery’s side beat AZ Alkmaar 2-1 at Villa Park on match day four of the Europa Conference League group stages.

It was crucial that the Villans claimed three points on home soil to keep within touching distance of Legia Warsaw, who were also victorious at home on the night, defeating Zrinjski 2-0 in Poland.

The results in the fourth round of games in Group E mean that Villa need a point to qualify for the next stage of the competition, with the crucial clash with Legia up next.

How Aston Villa beat AZ Alkmaar

It looked as though it could be a simple task for the hosts in the opening stages of the game, as Clement Lenglet opened the scoring within two minutes.

The Frenchman was denied his first goal for the club as it was ruled out due to corner taker Leon Bailey’s apparent inference, a decision that Ollie Watkins revealed post-match was deemed a “mistake” by the officials when speaking to TNT Sports.

The disallowed goal marked the summit of excitement in the first half, with AZ’s on-fire forward Vangelis Pavlidis putting the visitors ahead after the interval.

Luckily for Emery’s side, Diego Carlos claimed his first goal in claret and blue to level the scoring on the hour mark, before Watkins settled the destination of the points nine minutes from time with a sumptuous header.

The 63% of possession held by Villa, and their six shots on target didn’t tell the whole story of the game, that the hosts struggled to grow into as AZ asked a host of questions of the Spaniard’s rotated side.

Aside from the two goalscorers, another gem put in an impressive shift at Villa Park to contribute to the victory, as Bailey continued his fine run of form on the flank.

Leon Bailey’s performance in numbers vs AZ Alkmaar

Lauded for his “excellent” distribution throughout the match by journalist Tom Nightingale, the Jamaican recorded his fifth goal contribution in his previous five games with an assist for Carlos’ header.

Despite being frustrating with his decision-making at times in the battle, the winger proved to be too much for AZ to handle once again, with the Dutch outfit still recovering from his goal and assist in the previous meeting.

90

1

2

5/9

1

3/6

3

20x

Aside from losing possession 20 times for his efforts in trying to move the ball forward, the 26-year-old switched on his playmaking skills for the benefit of his teammates, recording two key passes and creating one big chance, via Sofascore.

After being replaced in the final moments of the game, Bailey received a 7/10 match rating from Birmingham World’s Charlie Haffenden, who dubbed the former Bundesliga whiz as Villa’s 'main danger' on the night.

As also noted by Haffenden, the majority of the Villans’ chances spawned from Bailey’s area of the pitch, reinforcing the havoc he can cause when in top form on the flank in Emery’s free-flowing side.

With his form hitting its peak, the Jamaican’s argument to reclaim his spot in the favoured XI is strengthening game by game, leaving the manager with a decision to make going forward with his dynamic performances in mind.

Liverpool are currently enjoying an impressive resurgence in the Premier League after falling by the wayside last season, with Jurgen Klopp securing some transformative signings across the summer window.

The Anfield side have battled their way to to form after a severe struggle last season that relinquished a seven-year foothold in the Champions League, and an illustrious one at that.

Unquestionably, Liverpool could have shown more diligence in the recent past to have stemmed the flow and bolstered an ageing squad, though, after so many years at the top, it’s perhaps understandable that there was a bump in the road.

But a course for success has now been charted once more, and Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and co have rekindled the intensity to charge the engine room once again.

The Reds are certainly not at their peak and the comprehensive reconstruction of the midfield came at the expense of defensive additions – despite conceding 47 goals last season compared to 26 the year before – and it does seem like the backline will receive priority next.

However, one world-class forward has been consistently linked with a move to Liverpool of late, which could prompt Klopp to alter his plans.

Liverpool transfer news – Victor Osimhen

According to a report from Italian outlet Calciomercato last week, Liverpool are firmly in the mix for coveted Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, who has been unable to agree a new deal with the Serie A side.

The Naples side’s chairman, Aurelio de Laurentiis, hopes to install a €200m (£174m) release clause into his new contract, should an agreement be reached.

But the Reds and other interested suitors will be eager to exploit his current situation, monitoring the negotiations and waiting to present a compelling offer to convince him to jump ship.

Contracted to Napoli until 2025, Osimhen’s future will need to be resolved sooner rather than later, and if fresh terms do not materialise then next year will be decisive in establishing his next step.

Victor Osimhen's style of play

Liverpool might be well-stocked across the frontline but there is no question that a striker of Osimhen’s ability would be a welcome addition, if difficult to achieve considering the exorbitance of a deal.

There’s good reason for this, though, with the 6 foot phenom the indomitable arrowhead to secure the Scudetto for Napoli, ending a three-decade wait for success in the Serie A, scoring 31 goals and supplying five assists from 39 matches across all competitions.

The £91k-per-week star has maintained his scintillating goalscoring form into the current campaign despite Napoli’s seasonal regression, having posted six goals from eight league matches as he awaits a return from a hamstring injury.

European Golden Shoe 22/23
#	Player	Club	Goals
1	Erling Haaland	Man City	36
2	Harry Kane	Tottenham	30
3	Kylian Mbappe	PSG	29
4	Alexandre Lacazette	Lyon	27
5	Victor Osimhen	Napoli	26
*Figures sourced via GOAL

As per FBref, the Nigerian sharpshooter ranks among the top 6% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored and the top 1% for shots taken and touches in the attacking box per 90, highlighting his prowess as a first-rate menace in the final third.

Described as an offensive “monster” by ESPN’s Colin Odoh, he is among the finest goalscorers of his generation, and aged just 24, the 27-cap international still has plenty of time to continue his journey to the very forefront.

Such success earned the talisman a top-ten finish in the recent Ballon d’Or official men’s rankings, finishing eighth, which affirms his standing as one of Europe’s most talented forwards.

Indeed, Osimhen’s exploits established him higher up the rankings than the prodigious Jude Bellingham, who is probably the most coveted prospect in world football at present after his odds-defying start to life at Real Madrid.

How Osimhen compares to Jude Bellingham

Bellingham – who was a leading target for Klopp and co this year – joined Real Madrid in a high-profile deal in the summer that could total £115m after add-ons, having previously dazzled with Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga.

Still only 20 years old, the 27-cap England international has made the most incredible of starts to life in the Spanish capital, plundering 13 goals and three assists across his first 13 matches – including a decisive brace at Camp Nou to defeat Barcelona last week.

Osimhen might’ve ranked higher in the 2023 Ballon d’Or, which is a glowing testament to his incredible campaign, but few would argue that the Englishman is less likely to get his mitts on the esteemed individual accolade.

Bellingham ranks among the top 1% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 5% for shot-creating actions, the top 17% for assists, the top 9% for progressive passes, the top 6% for progressive carries and the top 1% for successful take-ons per 90.

Hailed as a “generational talent” by journalist Raphael Honigstein, the one-time Birmingham City youth is the very definition of a prodigy, and his early-season exploits with the Spanish giants bespeaks of a glittering career yet to come.

Liverpool’s offensive ranks had received the most attention over recent years before the summer activity focussed on the centre of the pitch, and while Osimhen might not feel like the most… necessary signing, he is indisputably one of Europe’s most devastating frontmen.

Should an unlikely deal actually come to fruition, supporters might worry about the effect it would have on Darwin Nunez, who has displayed discernible improvements this season and already has six goals and four assists from just seven starts across all competitions.

But the Uruguayan has demonstrated his dynamism and having two starring centre-forwards working in tandem would not be the worst thing in the world – to be honest, it might even open up a wealth of attacking dimensions to accelerate Liverpool’s revival.

However, the monetary element to a potential transfer deal looks like it would be astronomical, and whether the Merseyside outfit could compete with the juggernauts inevitably eyeing a move is indeterminate.

Liverpool like to conduct their business in a swift, incisive fashion, and while Osimhen’s signature might not be the easiest to procure, his incredible track record suggests that it might be worth the hassle.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp aimed a brutal dig at Manchester United as he predicted that Arsenal will comfortably beat them at Old Trafford in May.

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• Klopp aimed a dig at Man Utd
• Liverpool dropped two points at Old Trafford
• Predicted Arsenal win over Man Utd

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Liverpool dropped two crucial points in the Premier League title race on Sunday as they were held to a 2-2 draw against Manchester United, despite taking the lead in the first half. After the game, Klopp took a dig at the opposition as he claimed that the Red Devils will not stand a chance against Arsenal, who are set to visit Old Trafford next month, if they play the same way.

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• WHAT JURGEN KLOPP SAID

  At his post-match press conference, the Reds boss was asked if he would back United to win against Arsenal next month, to which he replied: "Probably. If we are still around then that would be great. But Arsenal is a good football team. If they (Man Utd) play like they did today they (Arsenal) will win the game. I am 100% sure of that."

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The German coach added on his team's performance to : "We should have won the game, that is clear. We should have had other goals in the first half already. No shots in the first half and 1-0 is the lowest we could expect. Really well done by Bruno. Then the stadium was coming and we needed a few minutes to settle again and they scored another screamer. We had big chances before and after they scored.

  "As far as I'm concerned, we have a point more than we did before. They put an extra shift in, that's how it is. We will face that again against Everton. We have to be calm in the whole journey. The goals we scored brought us to where we are right now. We have the Europa League on Thursday and then it's Crystal Palace. Games are coming thick and fast, which is good for us. I'm not over the moon but it's OK. The team who wins the league in the end should deserve it. We are in the race and I'm absolutely fine with it."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

  The Merseyside club will now shift their focus to European football as they are set to take on Atalanta in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final fixture.

West Indies’ next-gen T20I stars, plucked out of the Caribbean Premier League 2018, were tipped to challenge India more than their ODI and Test sides had done. Their batsmen cobbled only 109 for 8, but their bowlers, led by debutant quick Oshane Thomas, ambushed India’s top order and ran them close, before Dinesh Karthik and Krunal Pandya, also on debut, ushered the hosts home.Krunal, whose first touch with the ball was a fumble to the boundary in the game’s first over, hit the winning runs with an eye-catching chip over extra-cover. He had also played a part with the ball, claiming the wicket of his IPL team-mate Kieron Pollard, while conceding only 15.It was anybody’s game when 21-year-old Thomas and his captain Carlos Brathwaite pinned India down to 45 for 4 inside eight overs. Thomas set the speedgun on fire – like he had done at the CPL and in the ODI series – ripping out both Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan with 147kph inswingers. It was the third time in three innings on this tour that he had nailed Dhawan’s stumps. Brathwaite then dug the ball into the pitch and had Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul holing out for 1 and 16 respectively.Thomas continued to hit speeds north of 145kph, leaving Karthik and Manish Pandey ducking and weaving. At one point, Brathwaite even deployed Pollard at forward short leg. Karthik and Pandey saw him and Brathwaite off, putting on 38 for the fifth wicket off 45 balls.Left-arm spinner Khary Pierre, who like Krunal bowled constricting lines, gave India further jitters, when he beat Pandey with dip and turn, drawing a return catch. At that point, India needed 27 off 30 balls. While Karthik simply defended tightly or knocked the ball into the gaps, Krunal was more adventurous; even venturing a reverse-paddle off his third ball. They ultimately sealed the game with five wickets and 13 balls to spare in India’s first-ever T20I at home without MS Dhoni.West Indies’ T20I line-up was dripping with flair and depth – they had hitters until No. 10 – but their troubles at the top set them up for failure. In the absence of their gun openers Chris Gayle and Evin Lewis, West Indies used a make-shift opening pair in Shai Hope and Dinesh Ramdin, who had laboured to 24 off 30 balls in his most recent game as an opener, in the CPL final earlier this year. Before that, Ramdin had opened only twice in competitive cricket – both in 2007.He was uncertain against the swing of left-arm quick Khaleel Ahmed, but it was Umesh Yadav, playing only because of Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s illness, who found Ramdin’s outside edge. In the next over, Hope was involved in a farcical mix-up that might break Youtube hit counters. After he clipped the ball away to the right of short midwicket, Rahul hunted it down but lobbed the ball over wicketkeeper Karthik’s head. Both Hope and Shimron Hetmyer were dashing towards the non-striker’s end by the time Pandey swooped in from backward point and effected a run-out, despite colliding with Karthik.Hetmyer then flickered briefly before Jasprit Bumrah bounced him out with a 141kph short ball that was aimed at the armpit. Pollard, West Indies’ most experienced batsman, was all at sea against both swing and spin, as he tiptoed to 14 off 26 balls, before Krunal sent him off with a kiss.It turned into a full-blown collapse when Darren Bravo, Rovman Powell and Brathwaite all fell to Kuldeep Yadav. At 63 for 7 in 14.5 overs, West Indies were in danger of being dismissed for a sub-100 total, but Fabien Allen (27 off 20 balls) and Keemo Paul (15* off 13 balls) helped their side avoid that ignominy. Thomas’ blistering pace then made their total of 109 look bigger, but not big enough.

Ismail starred with 3 for 10 in South Africa’s victory over Sri Lanka, while Kapp picked up 1 for 13

Liam Brickhill13-Nov-2018

Shabnim Ismail is pumped up after taking a wicket•Getty Images

Shabnim Ismail believes she and Marizanne Kapp form the best opening bowling partnership in the world.”I always say that me and Marizanne Kapp go hand-in-hand in the bowling,” Ismail said after the match. “I always told everyone that we are the best opening pair and accommodate each other very well, and the way we performed today displayed our talent out there.”Ismail picked up 3 for 10 in South Africa’s victory over Sri Lanka in the Women’s World T20 on Monday, while Kapp picked up 1 for 13. Together they held Sri Lanka to 16 for 2 in the Powerplay before Ismail returned to clean up the tail at the death.Ismail is one of the fastest bowlers in the women’s game, having reached speeds in the late 120kphs in international cricket. She joked that 130kph might be achievable, if she hits the gym to bulk up her slender frame. “Mignon’s [du Preez] husband always tells me that he wants me to reach the 130 mark,” Ismail said. “So I think I need to go to the gym and pump some iron so I can get up there.”While the bowling performance set up South Africa’s win, Ismail conceded that as a unit they could do better after giving up 24 extras, including 19 wides. “We always speak about the extras in T20s. It’s only 120 balls and we gave about 25 extras. We’re definitely going to work on that. If the rain holds up, maybe we can go to the nets and just work on the extras.”The rain in St Lucia has hampered South Africa’s preparations, while their batting has faltered in their warm-up matches ahead of the tournament. But Ismail said the win has given her team-mates a “positive mindset”.”Although the weather wasn’t on our side and we never had any practices – this was our first proper time out there in the middle – the way we displayed our talent and got the win out there was fantastic,” Ismail said. “There is a positive mindset within the camp now.”South Africa’s batting also came good when it really mattered in their World T20 opener, Kapp and captain Dane van Niekerk sharing a 67-run stand that sealed the match.”The four [warm-up] games we played, we lost. The batters always let us down, but the way we capitalised today showed a lot of character. Hopefully, we can keep backing the batters.”Although we lost two earlier wickets up front [today], there wasn’t any panic in the changing room, we just knew we were going to win this. The way Marizanne and Dane capitalised in the middle showed a lot of character that just made it easy for us to get the win.”

Leeds United will be hoping that the most recent international break hasn't spoiled their momentum ahead of tonight's Yorkshire derby clash against Rotherham United.

The Whites make the short trip to South Yorkshire in impressive form, winning six of their last seven matches while the hosts are winless in five and were thrashed 4-0 by Watford last time out.

If Daniel Farke's side needed any further incentive to pile more misery onto their county rivals, an opportunity to go five points behind the automatic promotion places with victory is the prize awaiting them.

In his recent press conference, the German tactician provided a disappointing update as striker Georginio Rutter is flagged as a "major doubt" while it's unlikely that Farke will risk left-back Sam Byram, who has just recovered from his injury.

The Englishman has played a starring role down the left flank this term and will be a huge miss if he is left out.

Sam Byram's season in numbers

When an academy graduate returns to the club where they began their career, there's no guarantee it works out, however, Byram has been a revelation since returning to West Yorkshire and has made that left-back spot his own.

Hailed for his importance to the side and possessing "quality" in abundance by Farke, the 30-year-old has started in 13 of their 16 Championship matches and has impressed with his energetic, tenacious and tough-tackling ability.

Byram's aggressive attacking displays and incredible defensive work have stood out this term, striking up a strong partnership with the Dutch dynamo Crysencio Summerville, while providing exceptional support down the left flank.

Statistic

Figure / Percentile rank

Touches (Att pen)

3.24 / top 3%

Shots total

1.20 / top 9%

Aerials won

2.48 / top 11%

Interceptions

1.71 / top 15%

Blocks

1.62 / top 16%

Non-penalty xG

0.07 / top 18%

Progressive passes

5.29 / top 20%

All stats via FBref

In a supremely attacking Leeds side, orchestrated by the German's tactical expertise, Byram is thriving in a similar role that Stuart Dallas played in their 2019/20 promotion campaign.

A driving force at both ends of the field, as delineated by the table above, the former Norwich City man is a threat in the final third and is difficult to beat down the left flank.

If he is forced into sitting out for this clash, it's likely that Junior Firpo will come in for his first start of the season.

Junior Firpo's Leeds career in numbers

Firpo arrived from Barcelona as a highly-rated full-back, who was known for his electricity and explosiveness, but the Spaniard is yet to provide the spark that he promised to deliver down the left flank.

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He struggled in the early stages of his career to translate his sensational form from Barca to Elland Road as highlighted by some of his performances last term, one of which was against Manchester City's Riyad Mahrez.

Described by journalist Dean Jones as having "some difficulties" adapting to the Premier League following that battle with Mahrez, Firpo was unable to match the physicality required in the top division, although he did impress towards the end of that relegation campaign.

The £60k per-week star was dubbed as "immense" for his form by Connor McGilligan on the One Leeds Fan Channel after ranking in the top 8% against his positional peers in the top flight for interceptions and top 9% for tackles, as per FBref.

After spending the majority of this campaign recovering from a long-term injury to his knee, Firpo could finally get his chance to show Byram the level of talent he's competing against for a spot in the team tonight.

MatériaMais Notícias

O contrato do meia Alejandro Guerra com o Palmeiras terminou na última quinta-feira (31) e, com isso, o jogador deus adeus ao Verdão, clube no qual atua desde 2017.

O venezuelano foi contratado após se destacar e ser campeão da Libertadores no Atlético Nacional-COL em 2016, além de ganhar o prêmio de melhor jogador da competição.

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No Verdão, participou da campanha do decacampeonato em 2018, porém não conseguiu ter constância nas atuações e não se firmou como titular, muito devido a problemas pessoais e recorrentes lesões. Com isso, em 2019, foi emprestado ao Bahia e, ao regressar ao Palmeiras, foi notificado de que não fazia parte dos planos.

>>Contratos encerrados! Saiba quem ficou sem vínculo no futebol brasileiro com a virada do ano
>> Confira a tabela atualizada do Brasileirão 2020 e faça sua simulação

Em 2020, o meia nem sequer chegou a entrar em campo. Agora, com sua saída, o Alviverde Imponente terá de arcar com os R$10 milhões gastos pela Crefisa para a contratação do atleta, dívida que pode ser paga até o fim de 2022.

For the second time in as many seasons, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s Wrexham have been promoted after beating Forest Green Rovers 6-0 at home.

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Wrexham promoted to League OneMK Dons and Barrow loseLee stands out in Red Dragons win Getty ImagesTELL ME MORE

Wrexham went into Saturday’s game knowing that if MK Dons and Barrow dropped points, they would be promoted with a victory against Forest Green Rovers.

MK Dons took the lead after just 13 minutes through Max Dean to ramp up the pressure on Wrexham. But, just four minutes later Elliot Lee quelled any possible nerves by putting the Red Dragons a goal up themselves against the side rock bottom of League Two. With the ball pinballing around the six-yard area, it squirmed its way out to Lee who outstretched his right leg to nip in and prod the ball into the bottom left corner.

Six minutes later, Wrexham had another. Lee again led the charge, driving to the box before laying the ball wide for James McClean. The Irishman floated in a cross to the back-stick and found the unmarked Paul Mullin who made no mistake in directing his header downwards and in.

Things then went from bad to worse for Forest Green as relegation rivals Colchester United and Sutton United took the lead in their respective games before Ryan Inniss turned into his own net after multiple deflections to give Wrexham a deserved, albeit fortunate, third.

Forest Green would have been begging for the half-time whistle to bring an end to their suffering, but to no avail as Mullin rifled in a fourth via a deflection from a half-cleared corner. Wrexham went into the break four goals to the good and keeping an eye on MK Dons and Barrow.

Celebrations went up around the Racecourse Ground shortly after half-time once again but not for a Wrexham goal – Davis Keillor-Dunn had put Mansfield 2-1 up against MK Dons and a Rory Feely own-goal had sent Barrow two goals behind.

Wrexham fans began to really party when Ryan Barnett scored a scorching volley to add goal number five just past the hour mark. Barrow conceded a third goal to put that result beyond doubt and leave the Wrexham fans sweating on a Mansfield result against MK Dons.

Jack Marriott added the cherry on the icing of the cake in the 84th minute as he and Wrexham hit Forest Green for six. The side at the bottom of the table could only watch on as their survival hopes all but disappeared following Colchester’s win at Crawley Town.

It was delight and despair for the two sides, reflective of their contrasting seasons, as Mansfield scored a third and then a fourth to confirm Wrexham’s promotion.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE MVP

Lee was superb for the Red Dragons throughout the game and scored the opener to set them on their way to victory. The midfielder combined well with McClean to allow the full-back space to whip a cross onto the head of Mullin and double the advantage. Lee, one of the Red Dragons most important players, has started all but three games this season and was at his very best again on Saturday.

THE BIG LOSER

Poor Vincente Reyes in the Forest Green goal could do nothing to prevent Wrexham steamrolling five goals past him. The goalkeeper made just one save in reply to the four goals in the first half and had an equally poor showing in the second. Reyes produced no heroics to prevent Forest Green from needing a miracle in their final two games to avoid relegation.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Wrexham last tasted League One in the 2004-05 season in which they were agonisingly relegated with 43 points. The Red Dragons had been deducted 10 points that season for entering administration. Had they avoided their financial troubles and punishment, they would have survived the drop by two points.

Leeds United are known for unearthing the next generation of stars from their academy.

Throughout their history, the Whites have crafted a long-lasting legacy of facilitating the development of talent through their youth systems.

The likes of Gary Speed, James Milner and Jonathan Woodgate began their careers in West Yorkshire before becoming heroes in the Premier League.

In recent times, the level of talent coming off the conveyor belt at Thorp Arch has shown no signs of slowing down, as emphasized by the emergence of Kalvin Phillips, while 17-year-old Archie Gray, who has starred across 15 appearances at right-back this term, has used the club's relegation as an opportunity to impress Daniel Farke.

The teenager's performances have caught the eye of several European powerhouses, including Liverpool and Dortmund, with Leeds slapping a £40m price tag onto his head.

16-year-old Harvey Vincent is another youngster vying for a spot in the first-team after impressing for the under-18s.

Harvey Vincent's Leeds statistics

The 2007-born teenager, who can operate on the left or right wing, caught the eye as a 15-year-old operating in the under-18 side last term.

Despite playing in an age group higher, Vincent didn't look out of place, scoring three times and supplying one assist in 15 appearances.

The youngster also impressed with his positional flexibility, showing he's equally effective as a right winger cutting onto his left peg and operating the side of his strong foot.

Vincent’s assist against Man City highlighted his strengths as a right winger. He received the ball on the right-hand side and beat the City left-back before cutting the ball back to Cian Coleman, who applied the finish.

Having shown glimpses of his talent last season, he's carried the best of his form across to this campaign and as things stand, is the second top scorer in the under-18 squad with three goals in seven matches, behind only winger Marley Wilson and striker Leyton Brown – four each.

With two assists to add to his repertoire, the talented youngster has showcased his strength as a creator, supplying his teammates in the 4-1 victory over Liverpool and the 4-3 defeat against Sunderland.

When marrying those exploits against attackers in the Leeds first-team side, the 16-year-old has outperformed forward Joel Piroe in the creative department.

Joel Piroe's 23/24 statistics

Piroe has been one of the most lethal strikers in the Championship across the past few campaigns having posted 41 goals in 91 appearances for Swansea City in the second tier prior to his move to Leeds in the summer.

A clinical finisher by trade, the devastating Dutchman would have expected to lead the line for Leeds, however, in the absence of a recognised attacking midfielder, he's been utilised as a number 10 under Farke.

Despite being given more creative responsibility for the Whites, dropping deeper in the attacking phase, the 24-year-old has only supplied one assist this term, which is one less than the total accrued by Vincent.

That said, Piroe has still been able to showcase his incredible finishing from a deeper position, as highlighted by the fact he's the club's joint-top scorer with six goals in 13 appearances.

With a congested fixture schedule to come over the Christmas period, plucking a youngster from the youth setup isn't out of the question for Farke, who could drop Vincent into the deep end, as he did with Gray.

The players have been living off match fees and expenses for the last six months as the PCB goes through a change in leadership

Melinda Farrell and Umar Farooq17-Nov-2018Pakistan women’s centrally-contracted players have not been paid their monthly retainers for more than six months, living off match fees and expenses as the PCB goes through a change in leadership.Twenty players were centrally contracted with the PCB through the first half of the year (women’s contracts are on a six-month basis) and 20 again are expected to receive them for the second half of the year. But because of changes in the board administration in recent months, an agreement was reached with the players that the new contracts would be ready to sign when they return from the Caribbean after the ongoing Women’s World T20. The new contracts are more stringently performance and fitness-based.Each member of the squad also receives monthly salaries from their domestic sides – department teams such as ZTBL and State Bank – but during their recent tours of Bangladesh and Malaysia, and now the WWT20, they were receiving only match fees their and US$75 daily expense allowances. During the month-long camp heading into the tournament, they received US$50 as a daily allowance.The main reason for the delay appears to be administrative, the implementation of a new, revised contract system the collateral damage as Najam Sethi’s PCB gave way to Ehsan Mani’s. It is understood that the contract payments for the period July-December 2018 are the ones delayed because they could not be signed off on before the team left for Bangladesh.Former captain Bismah Maroof met with the PCB selection committee to discuss the delay and it was agreed that players would be paid the outstanding six-and-a-half month’s salaries as well as their new contracts upon their return from the Caribbean. Their match fees will also be paid out, as is the custom, at the end of the tour.The delay brings into focus a recent FICA report on the health of the women’s game. The report found that the sport’s growth has been held back by “the pervading culture of insecurity” that exists within the women’s game, and calls for minimum standards to be enforced in terms of playing opportunities, employment contracts, travel and accommodation.FICA’s research found that the global number of fully professional female players is currently “no more than 120”, and that only Australia and increasingly England are in a position to offer professional cricket as a genuine career choice for women.With just one win against Ireland from their three group games, Pakistan will not progress to the semi-finals in Antigua.