All posts by h716a5.icu

Sheffield United are fresh off of a highly embarrassing and record-breaking 8-0 defeat at the hands of Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United.

They will be keen to redeem themselves when they travel to the capital to face West Ham United at the London Stadium.

Many fans have already written off the Blades’ chances of retaining their Premier League status and so to get a result against the Hammers would be a real statement of intent.

As these two historic teams in English football go toe-to-toe this weekend, we at Football FanCast have delved into the history books to look at what has taken place between these two in years gone by and what we can expect this time around as well.

West Ham United vs Sheffield United: Who has the better head-to-head record?

Sheffield United may be rock bottom of the Premier League standings at the time of writing but they have actually got the edge of this fixture over West Ham United.

The Blades have won 36 times and have won or drawn this game 65% of the time.

West Ham United wins

32

Draws

23

Sheffield United wins

36

West Ham United vs Sheffield United: Who has more wins at Upton Park/the London Stadium?

Some West Ham United fans still aren’t sold on the London Stadium, particularly when they have left behind something as iconic and raucous as Upton Park.

Upton Park, a.k.a. the Boleyn Ground, boasted one of the best atmospheres in English football and the Irons played their home games there from 1904 to 2016.

West Ham United wins

21

Draws

14

Sheffield United wins

12

West Ham United vs Sheffield United: Who has more wins at Bramall Lane?

Bramall Lane is another superb footballing ground and the Sheffield United faithful will be very glad that this remains their home when they see the controversial move that this weekend’s opponents made.

Sheffield United have won more than double the amount of games that West Ham have when playing at Bramall Lane and it is actually the oldest major ground in the world, dating back to 1862.

West Ham United wins

11

Draws

9

Sheffield United wins

24

West Ham United vs Sheffield United: Who has the better cup record?

These two teams have crossed paths in English cup competitions on nine occasions with three of these being in the League Cup and the other six coming in the FA Cup.

The 2004/05 FA Cup meeting was one of the tightest, after drawing 1-1 in London, the teams met in Sheffield and drew once again. After a total of 210 minutes, they couldn’t be separated and so a penalty shootout ensued which went the way of the Blades.

West Ham United wins

3

Draws

4

Sheffield United wins

2

West Ham United vs Sheffield United: How have the last 5 meetings played out?

West Ham United were back-and-forth between the Premier League and the Championship 10 or so years ago and now this mantle has been passed on to Sheffield United.

Whilst the Hammers won the UEFA Europa Conference League last year, Sheff U were plying their trade in the second-tier but now the pair are back in the same division.

15th February 2021- West Ham United 3-0 Sheffield United:

The last meeting between these two came in the 2020/21 season, when Sheffield United were last in the Premier League.

West Ham scored three unanswered goals at the London Stadium and it was three unlikely scorers in truth. With Mark Noble watching on from the sidelines, Declan Rice opened the scoring from the penalty spot and then defensive duo Issa Diop and Ryan Fredericks got in on the act in the second half.

22nd November 2020- Sheffield United 0-1 West Ham United:

It wasn’t as convincing for David Moyes in the reverse fixture when the pair went head-to-head at Bramall Lane, but his side still secured the three points.

It may not have worked out for him in England but Sebastien Haller scored the only goal of this game. Since this moment he has played in the Champions League for Ajax, taken on and beaten testicular cancer and then nearly won a Bundesliga title with Borussia Dortmund.

10th January 2020- Sheffield United 1-0 West Ham United:

This 1-0 scoreline played out in the previous season but the shoe was on the other foot as it was Sheffield United who prevailed with Chris Wilder at the helm.

Oli McBurnie struck gold thanks to an assist from John Fleck and the Scotsman is of course still playing his football in the red, white and black.

26th October 2019- West Ham United 1-1 Sheffield United:

McBurnie was an unused substitute for Wilder in the buildup to Halloween and it was instead Lys Mousset, another striker, who found the back of the net for the Blades.

The Frenchman, who is now playing his football in Germany with Bochum, scored a leveller after Robert Snodgrass had opened the scoring in front of his home fans.

26th August 2014- West Ham United 1-1 Sheffield United:

Once again, 1-1 is the outcome but this game was all very different at the same time.

The two were drawn against each other in the second round of the League Cup in the 2014/15 season and it went to penalties after Diafra Sakho scored at the right end and Winston Reid scored at the wrong end for West Ham.

It was Sam Allardyce vs Nigel Clough in the latter stages of life at Upton Park and the latter came out on top with Sheffield United winning 5-4 on penalties. The Blades made it all the way to the semi-finals but were then beaten by Tottenham Hotspur who themselves then lost to Chelsea in the final.

Who has played for both West Ham United and Sheffield United?

Don Hutchison (Sheffield United 1996-1998; West Ham United 1994-1996 and 2001-2005)

It seems that not many players have crossed this divide interestingly enough but one that has is better known to younger football fans as a commentator as opposed to a player.

Don Hutchison is one of the best voices in the game at the moment and in the late 1990s and early 2000s, he represented both of these clubs including two different spells in claret and blue. Hutchison, who was born in Gateshead but earned 26 caps for Scotland, famously took a major risk by joining Everton in 1998 having played for Liverpool earlier on in the 1990s.

Ravel Morrison (West Ham United 2012-2015; Sheffield United 2019-2020)

Manchester United youngster Ravel Morrison was tipped to go to the very top and what came next in his career is very sad to see.

There was talk of all of this potential and he showed flashes of brilliance, particularly for West Ham, only for it to not amount to anything else. Morrison made just one appearance for Sheffield United before being released after that one and only season.

More recently, Morrison played under Wayne Rooney both at Derby County and D.C. United as well as enjoying his football and showing what he is capable of with the Jamaican national team.

What is West Ham United’s biggest victory over Sheffield United?

17th November 1971: West Ham United 5-0 Sheffield United

Travelling back a half-century in time and then a couple more years to 1971, we arrive at West Ham United’s biggest ever victory over Sheffield United.

They beat the Blades 5-0 in a Championship clash in the 1989/90 season and also in the quarter-finals of the League Cup in late ’71. The Irons may have made light work of Sheff U but then in a highly dramatic and drawn-out semi-final tie with Stoke City, they came out second best and so were unable to reach the final.

What is Sheffield United’s biggest victory over West Ham United?

7th September 1931: Sheffield United 6-0 West Ham United

From 5-0 to 6-0 and from 1971 to 1931 as we arrive at Sheffield United’s most convincing win in this fixture.

The Blades have beaten West Ham 6-1 and 6-2 previously as well as this 6-0 thrashing in ’31, a game which saw Bobby Barclay score a hat-trick, Sid Gibson bag a brace and Jack Pickering also getting amongst the goals.

West Ham United vs Sheffield United: Key stats This will be the 9th league meeting between the two clubs in the Premier League era West Ham United haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last 16 matches West Ham United have won their last two meetings with Sheffield United West Ham United vs Sheffield United: Famous fixtures

11th September 2004- Sheffield United 1-2 West Ham United:

One of two famous fixtures being highlighted here took place just under 20 years ago in what was a pivotal season for West Ham United in particular.

This meeting in September 2004 was the penultimate Championship clash to date with the latest one being in the reverse fixture later in the season. Marlon Harewood and Teddy Sheringham scored goals for the Hammers as they won 2-1 away from home.

West Ham went on to finish in sixth and just six points ahead of Sheffield United. This win played a part in the former securing a spot in the playoffs, which they went on to win, Bobby Zamora scoring three goals against Ipswich Town in the semi-finals before scoring the only goal at Cardiff’s Millenium Stadium against Preston North End, securing promotion to the Premier League as a result.

18th April 1953- Sheffield United 3-1 West Ham United:

Flipping the script to a success of Sheffield United’s in the form of their 1952/53 Championship title win.

That season, the Blades took four points off of West Ham with a 3-1 win at Bramall Lane being at the fore of that. Come the end of the campaign, they would finish two points ahead of second-placed Huddersfield Town and a whopping 21 ahead of West Ham who ended up in 14th of 22 teams.

Sourav Ganguly was present at the unveiling of the stamp, which features Goswami’s mugshot in India colours next to an image of Kolkata’s iconic Victoria Memorial

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Apr-2018Jhulan Goswami’s illustrious career – which includes the distinction of being the leading wicket-taker in women’s ODIs – has now found acknowledgment in the form of a commemorative stamp.Featuring Goswami’s mugshot in India colours next to an image of Kolkata’s iconic Victoria Memorial, it has been issued in honour of her claiming a record 200 wickets in women’s ODIs.The unveiling of the stamp took place on Friday at the Calcutta Sports Journalists’ Club, in the presence of former India men’s captain Sourav Ganguly.Former Australia cricketer Lisa Sthalekar was among the first who took to Twitter to commend Goswami’s most recent feat.

How good is this!!! To commemorate the fact that Jhulan Goswami became the 1st player to reach 200 ODI wickets. #womenscricket @BCCIWomen pic.twitter.com/Pjo5y4VPP8

— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) April 21, 2018

Adjudged the ICC Women’s Player of Year award in 2007, Goswami, 35, recently became the first female player to pick up 200 ODI wickets when she had Laura Wolvaardt caught behind in the third ODI during India’s tour of South Africa in February.In May 2017, Goswami found her 181st ODI wicket in South Africa’s Raisibe Ntozakhe, during the Quadrangular series, and surpassed Australia’s Cathryn Fitzpatrick as the leading wicket-taker in the format. During the same tour, Goswami pipped Charlotte Edwards and Lydia Greenway to the honour of the most catches by a non-wicketkeeper in women’s ODIs.

Glasgow Rangers return to domestic action this afternoon following their 1-0 win over Real Betis in the Europa League on Thursday evening.

Michael Beale will be looking to secure the Gers their third straight win for the first time this season and a home tie against Motherwell in the Premiership represents the perfect chance for another three points.

The second half of the Betis tie was arguably the best display by the Ibrox side, totally dominating the La Liga outfit and Beale will hope that the team can carry this momentum into today’s match.

Due to the quick turnaround between games, there will likely be a few changes to the starting XI and this could potentially see Ryan Jack come back in as Tom Lawrence was substituted with an injury against the Spanish side.

How did Ryan Jack perform vs Real Betis?

The Scottish midfielder didn’t start the match as Beale went with a 4-2-3-1 formation, deploying Jose Cifuentes and John Lundstram at the base of the midfield as Jack had to settle for a spot on the sidelines.

He did emerge from the bench with just ten minutes remaining to take the place of the Ecuadorian and enjoyed a decent cameo display.

During his short spell on the pitch, Jack won five out of five ground duels while making four tackles as he demonstrated his defensive abilities which preserved the Gers' slender 1-0 advantage and with Lawrence looking like he may miss the match today, Jack should be deployed in a midfield three alongside Cifuentes and Lundstram.

How has Ryan Jack performed for Rangers this season?

The £12k-per-week gem has been at the club since 2017 and former manager Steven Gerrard heaped praise on him back in 2020, saying: “He does everything right at the gym, he eats well and he trains and prepares every single day for the game at the weekend or midweek. So it’s no surprise that Ryan finds that level of consistency because he does everything right.”

There is no doubt he could do 'everything right' against the Steelmen again today. The 31-year-old has played three league matches so far this term and has won 60% of his ground duels while recovering 3.3 balls per game, which is even more impressive considering he has averaged just 35 minutes per game.

He will add some much-needed solidity into the midfield and his presence could give Cifuentes a licence to perhaps push further forward and try to create plenty of chances.

Squad rotation will be key due to the demands of European football and being able to call on a player such as Jack is an added bonus for Beale.

The Scot has already shown he is comfortable on the ball, averaging 27 touches during his spell on the pitch and with the Gers likely to control possession today, he will be crucial in dictating play.

Another three points will come as a welcome relief for Beale and will set them up nicely for the League Cup quarter-final tie against Livingston in midweek, a competition which they have an excellent chance of winning for the first time since 2011.

It has been suggested that an in-form Tottenham Hotspur starter actually isn't good enough to take Ange Postecoglou's side forward.

Latest Spurs news

The north Londoners continued their fine form with a controversial 2-1 win over Liverpool on Saturday, with strikes from Son Heung-min and an own goal from Joel Matip doing enough to cancel out Cody Gakpo's brilliantly-taken equaliser. The crucial win also maintains Tottenham's unbeaten start to the Premier League season, where they have tasted victory in five out of their opening seven league games.

Speaking after their latest win over Jurgen Klopp's side, Postecoglou hailed his team's spirit and resilience; going on to say the result will continue to build Spurs' character.

"It wasn’t an easy game for us, we knew it wouldn’t be, and even in the circumstances, we had some unique challenges," explained the Australian.

"For some of these guys, this will be the first time they’ve faced that type of scenario, and for the most part, we handled it okay. Again, getting that late winner helps build the belief and spirit in the group. The thing about Liverpool, even with 10 men, they are equally as dangerous because the game plan is the same, they play on mistakes, they have world-class players up front who can hurt you. I thought the second half was better because we stayed a bit calmer, maintained our pressure in the wide areas and got our reward.”

Next up, Spurs will take on struggling Luton Town on Saturday, and a win there will undoubtedly put them in even better mood heading into another international break before the winter.

Tottenham player ratings

There are many Spurs players to pluck out as star men so far this term, namely Son, Dejan Kulusevski, Yves Bissouma, James Maddison, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven. The likes of Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro have also impressed on either flank as Postecoglou's inverted full-back options; providing both pace and and attacking intensity out wide.

Perhaps the most surprising success story, though, has been young midfielder Pape Matar Sarr – who's started six out of Tottenham's seven league matches so far. The 21-year-old could barely get a look-in under Antonio Conte last term, despite reportedly holding him high esteem, but Sarr has since come into his own for Postecoglou.

According to WhoScored, the Senegalese ranks among Spurs' best-performers per 90; already notching both a goal and assist in the top flight as he forms a brilliant midfield partnership with Bissouma. However, according to pundit Keith Tracey, speaking to Off The Ball this week, Sarr still isn't good enough to help bridge the gap between them and the league's elite sides.

He said: “Pape Sarr, he’s somebody who I don’t think is going to bridge that gap between Spurs and Man City or Spurs and Arsenal, so there are question marks there, but they have gotten an awful lot stronger this year."

Nazmul Hassan has accused the players of taking advantage of a ‘free environment in the dressing room’ in the absence of a head coach

Mohammad Isam06-Jun-2018Nazmul Hassan, the BCB president, has once again criticised Bangladesh’s players in the middle of a series. In the wake of their T20I series defeat to Afghanistan, with one match still to play, Hassan has accused them of taking advantage of a “free environment in the dressing room” in the absence of a head coach.”This is very frustrating,” Hassan said. “I think the team is in the same state as it was during the home series against Sri Lanka (in which Bangladesh lost all their matches). It might be that they are missing the decision-maker in the dressing room. They are missing the strictness and the condition they were in the past few years. They are now under a free environment and that might be making the difference.”I was with them in Sri Lanka in the Nidahas Trophy and they played well there. No one accused them after losing matches there. But in Dehradun the team is looking very different. I spoke to them and I think they are blaming the bowling department and I told them you cannot win scoring low.”This is not the first time Hassan has gone after the players or the dressing-room environment in recent months. In February, after Bangladesh’s home-series defeat to Sri Lanka, he said the team was “lacking in planning, strategy, mental strength and teamwork”. Then, during the Nidahas Trophy, he criticised interim head coach Courtney Walsh for his inability to draw up batting plans while giving himself credit for the team’s turnaround after their opening-game loss.Now, Hassan has also questioned Shakib Al Hasan’s captaincy and the batting approach of senior players Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah and Tamim Iqbal.”There will always be questions over the captaincy,” Hassan said. “Even I questioned him [Shakib] after the first game. I did not speak to anyone after losing the second game. Yes there might have been a change in the dressing room without a coach but then what have they learnt in the past years?”I cannot understand how they can give away wickets despite being set like Mushfiqur, [Mahmudullah] Riyad or even Tamim. There is nothing to make them understand or realise. It is tough for me to understand what they were thinking or had in plan.”

Newcastle United's squad is built on tremendous new signings under the PIF ownership and the management of Eddie Howe, but that's not to say that there weren't a few diamonds in amongst the rubble in the days preceding the new era.

The Premier League side have certainly been bolstered by the lucrative takeover and would not have risen from their lowly position with half as much vigour had the newly-appointed Howe been unable to make impactful acquisitions in January 2022.

But the diligence and astuteness of the business has been nothing short of remarkable, with some free-spending outfits left scratching their heads and wondering just how this dream formula has passed them by.

Joelinton is probably the prime example, having been converted from a profligate striker to a brutish midfield engine, paramount to the club's success.

But he's by no means the only one, and one player who has been out of the headlines this season in Joe Willock has arguably had just as profound an impact on United's endeavours over the past few years.

Why did Newcastle sign Joe Willock?

Newcastle completed the loan signing of Willock from Arsenal in January 2021, having scored eight goals from just 14 appearances and netting in seven successive matches.

It's fair to say he impressed during that stint, and consequently earned a £25m move to St. James' Park with Arsenal unable to give him assurances regarding the regularity of his minutes on the pitch, and he has since worked his way into one of Europe's most exciting projects.

He has never quite recovered the incredible rate of scoring, but this matters not for a player who has been moulded into one of the most robust and dynamic midfielders in the Premier League.

How good is Joe Willock?

Having joined Newcastle on a permanent deal in the summer of 2021, Willock has yet to rekindle the level of prolific brilliance that captured the awe of the Tyneside masses upon his initial arrival.

That is not, however, to say that he enjoyed an early purple patch and has since languished, far from it; now 24-years-old, the former Gunner has been utilised in a thriving midfield pivot primarily consisting of Brazilian's Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton, with Sean Longstaff and Willock both bringing energy and positivity to the centre.

It was partly why the Magpies flew so high last season, with Howe even going as far as to label him "pivotal" to the system, completing 85% of his passes in the league last term, creating 12 big chances and tacking 1.5 shots and making 1.7 tackles per outing.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

22/23

43

3

6

21/22

31

2

0

20/21 (NUFC)

14

8

0

20/21 (AFC)

11

3

3

19/20

42

3

1

18/19

6

3

0

Sourced via Transfermarkt

This season, Willock is still awaiting his maiden appearance, having sustained a hamstring injury in the closing weeks of the Premier League campaign against Brighton & Hove Albion, since aggravating the issue and leading the Daily Mail's Craig Hope to begrudgingly confirm his continuing absence last month.

The £80k-per-week phenom offers energy and intensity in the same way as Longstaff, but offers a far more dynamic and creative threat, which makes him a very singular kind of midfield threat, boasting an array of methods to wreak devastation on the opposition and just as tenacious in his defensive application.

Indeed, as per FBref, the 5 foot 10 gem ranks among the top 19% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 12% for assists, the top 3% for progressive carries, the top 8% for successful take-ons, the top 1% for touches in the attacking box and the top 7% for blocks per 90.

Such metrics instantly spring one Jude Bellingham, aged just 20, to mind, with the prodigious England international boasting a remarkable semblance in playing style to Newcastle's dynamo.

The "generational" starlet, as he has been dubbed by journalist Raphael Honigstein, moved from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid for an initial £88.5m in the summer, and has obliterated expectations with ten goals and three assists from his opening ten games – a better start to life with Los Blancos than Cristiano Ronaldo.

Bellingham, believed to be on £347k-per-week, ranks among the top 1% of positional peers for goals, the top 17% for assists, the top 4% for shot-creating actions, the top 6% for progressive carries, the top 1% for successful take-ons and touches in the attacking box and the top 5% for blocks per 90.

Now, of course, Willock is not on Bellingham's level at present – quite candidly, is anyone? But Newcastle's exciting ace is considered the most comparable player, via FBref, to his precocious countryman and offers similar skills, and given his "limitless" potential, as claimed by writer Simon Collings, he too could start to strut his stuff with stunning style once back on the grass.

#1 Joe Willock (Newcastle)

#2 Conor Gallagher (Chelsea)

#3 Fede Valverde (Real Madrid)

#4 Harvey Elliott (Liverpool)

#5 Lovro Majer (Wolfsburg)

The one-time Birmingham City youth has captured the awe with his unbelievably clinical start to life in Spain, described as "so special" by Real manager Carlo Ancelotti, who urged people to remember that goals are not everything and his game stretches far, far wider.

Willock too has underscored his goalscoring credentials with a destructive start to life on Tyneside, and upon his comeback, perhaps with Sandro Tonali deployed deeper next to Guimaraes, this could be realised once again.

Journalist Daniel Wales corroborates such a notion, claiming that Willock is both similar to Bellingham last season and is deserving of a place in Gareth Southgate's England squad alongside him.

He said: "I saw a stat yesterday, it showed players that are similar to Jude Bellingham and I think it was Gavi and Pedri were the top two.

"And then Joe Willock was third after those, if I remember rightly, showing that he is certainly capable of, perhaps not exactly emulating the ability of Jude Bellingham – we know how good he is for his age as well – but certainly producing performances good enough to get him in the England squad with that sort of ability that Joe Willock is showing week-in, week-out."

Again, Willock is not Bellingham, and to claim he is the second coming is simply untrue but given his proven goalscoring ability and all-encompassing, energetic midfield game, the Toon talent could prove to make a resounding return to Howe's squad soon.

Perhaps even orchestrating a run of form so great that the Magpies soar into heights unseen at St. James' Park for many, many years.

Darwin Nunez scored not one, but two stunning goals for Liverpool in their Europa League round of 16 first leg tie against Sparta Prague on Thursday.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Nunez takes aim from rangeBeats the goalkeeper with swerve and dipScores stunning half-volley moments laterWHAT HAPPENED?

Nunez took aim from distance in the first leg of Liverpool's round of 16 Europa League tie and smashed an effort beyond the goalkeeper, with the ball dipping and swerving on its way into the roof of the net. The goal was the Reds' 1,000th under the management of Jurgen Klopp.

He then proceeded to double his tally just moments later, firing an effort from the opposite side of the pitch past a hapless goalkeeper.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPSGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Nunez has been in fine form for Liverpool this season and has now scored 15 goals in all competitions, while also laying on 11 assists. The first goal may not go down as his best – the goalkeeper probably could have done better – but it will be one of his more memorable strikes, especially after picking up two in such a fevered European atmosphere will definitely .

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty WHAT NEXT?

Nunez will hope to take his form into the weekend's top-of-the-table clash with Manchester City. A repeat of these strikes would go a long way to boosting their Premier League ambitions.

Fakhar Zaman and KL Rahul became the new No. 2 and No. 3 respectively, while Babar Azam, Colin Munro and Glenn Maxwell slipped to occupy the spots right below the top three

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Jul-2018Australia T20 captain Aaron Finch has jumped three places to vault to the top of ICC T20I rankings for batsmen, while Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman and India’s KL Rahul rose to the No. 2 and No. 3 spots respectively. Finch also became the first player ever to break the 900-point barrier in the T20I rankings but ended the series with a final tally of 891 points.The new top three in the ICC rankings for T20 batsmen•ESPNcricinfo LtdBabar Azam, Colin Munro and Glenn Maxwell all slipped, occupying the three spots below Finch, Zaman and Rahul.Finch had a prolific run in the tri-series against Pakistan and hosts Zimbabwe, piling on 306 runs in five games at a strike rate of over 200, which included a world record 172 off 76 balls.Zaman moved up 44 places on the table and reached 842 points following his own incredible form in Zimbabwe, which featured a career-best 91 off 46 balls in the final that helped Pakistan seal a record chase against Australia in Harare.Rahul touched a career-high 854 points following the first match of the T20I series in England – which the visitors won 2-1 – where he scored a match-winning 101, but a dip in the next two games saw him finish with 812 points.D’Arcy Short, Finch’s opening partner, entered the top 10 rankings for the first time. He made 165 runs at an average of 41.25 in the tri-series, including a 53-ball 76 in the final. The others who garnered career-best rankings following the two series were Jason Roy (No. 15 with 641 points), Jos Buttler (No. 17 with 614 points) and Zimbabwe’s Solomon Mire, who rose a staggering 202 spots to 25th place on the table.Among the bowlers, legspinners Rashid Khan and Shadab Khan retained the top two positions but there were movements down the table. Andrew Tye rose 41 places to seventh spot and Adil Rashid moved up four places to ninth.

It is the first time in their history that Northants have lost after enforcing the follow-on and the first time since 1924

ECB Reporters Network22-Aug-2018
Tim Murtagh took his second five-wicket haul of the season to bowl Middlesex to an extraordinary win at Wantage Road to keep alive their hopes of promotion from Division Two of the Specsavers County Championship.Defending 216 after Middlesex had followed-on, Murtagh and 19-year-old debutant Ethan Bamber shared eight wickets as Northamptonshire were bowled out for 187 to lose by 31 runs.It is the first time in their history that Northants have lost after enforcing the follow-on and the first time since 1924 – and fifth instance overall – that Middlesex have won having been asked to follow-on.”It’s incredible the way we fought back, especially following-on. We were pretty ordinary the first couple of days and to come back and win is just an unbelievable effort,” Sam Robson, the Middlesex vice-captain, said. “Ethan was awesome. You’re always nervous in your first game and there was a lot of pressure today so for him to bowl the way he did was an incredible effort.”Obviously Murts we know what he can do but Max and Harry yesterday were so good too.”Northants took just three balls of the morning to bowl Middlesex out for 374 – a remarkable fightback having been 166 for 6 on the third afternoon – and set about their target comfortably, reaching 94 for the loss of Saif Zaib just before lunch. But Luke Procter, who had gone calmly to 35 in a stand of 75 for the second wicket with Ricardo Vasconcelos, drove lazily at Bamber to edge behind and it began an incredible slide.After lunch, Vasconcelos, having passed fifty for the second time in the match in 73 balls with six fours, tried to force Murtagh off the back foot and edged to second slip. Alex Wakely was then lbw for 6 offering no stroke. Steven Crook never looked comfortable and it was no surprise when he too was lbw for 5, also to Murtagh, before Rory Kleinveldt played all around a Bamber delivery and was also given out leg before.It was a collapse of 6 for 36 in 14.3 overs and saw Middlesex suddenly favourites to pull off an amazing comeback. Richard Levi made 18 to offer Northants some hope before he was strangled down the leg side trying to flick James Fuller.Nathan Buck and Brett Hutton at least steered Northants through to tea and as they resumed needing 43 to win with two wickets remaining, the home side were still alive. But Buck drove at Murtagh and popped a catch up to extra-cover and Hutton was trapped lbw by one that slid back in from Murtagh to end the game and complete figures of 5 for 38.Middlesex danced around knowing they had got themselves out of a massive hole having been outplayed for two-and-a-half days. They remain in the promotion race in Division Two and now play Sussex, who they trail by 39 points, at Lord’s next week. With Kent also to play in their remaining five games, the 2016 County Champions could yet bounce back to Division One at the first attempt.For Northamptonshire it was a sickening defeat – their sixth of the season – having had the game in the palm of their hands. They now travel to Durham trying to salvage something from a terrible year.

Rangers have a number of key players on show at Ibrox at the moment, but they could potentially lose one of them, according to a new transfer update.

Rangers transfer latest

Life under new manager Philippe Clement has got off to a perfect start, with the Gers cruising to a 4-0 win at home to Hibernian on Saturday afternoon. It means they now sit second in the Scottish Premiership table, with hope that they can push on with their newly-appointed boss at the helm.

For that to happen, though, it could be that Rangers delve into the transfer market once the January window arrives, allowing Clement to bring in the right players that can suit his style of play, enhancing his side's title hopes in the process. Granted, next summer looks like a better opportunity for him to do that, but winter additions certainly shouldn't be ruled out.

That being said, it is also important that the Gers fend off interest in some of their current stars, ensuring their squad remains as strong as possible, ensuring that they are able to battle across several different competitions. There are so many individuals who are hugely important at Ibrox currently, including Jack Butland, James Tavernier, Connor Goldson and John Lundstram, and a key update has emerged over the future of one such figure.

Jack Butland to leave Rangers?

According to a fresh claim from Football Insider reporter Pete O'Rourke, Jack Butland leaving Rangers could be a possibility, with the Scottish giants revealing their valuation of him.

"Rangers already privately value goalkeeper Jack Butland at more than £5million amid interest from Birmingham City, sources have told Football Insider. Football Insider revealed on Friday (20 October) that the Ibrox club will not entertain any January offers for the 30-year-old shot-stopper.

"Butland joined Rangers on a free transfer in the recent summer window and has already become a star man. The Gers value him at more than £5million and it is believed that price tag will only rise if his good form continues."

Butland only arrived at Rangers during the summer transfer window, coming in from Premier League side Crystal Palace for nothing, and he has immediately made his presence felt and shown why he is a former England international.

The 30-year-old has been hailed as "superb" by talkSPORT's David Tanner, who rates the signing of him greatly, and Butland's statistics speak for themselves, in terms of starting every single league game so far this season. There is always the risk that the Englishman's head could be turned by a move back to his homeland, not to mention the appeal of potentially playing under Wayne Rooney at former club Birmingham City, but the hope is that he stays loyal to Rangers for at least one full season.

To suddenly lose Butland midway through the campaign would act as a significant blow to Clement, who will surely see him as one of the first names on his team sheet currently. The only plus side is that the Gers are demanding good money for his services, so would bring in a big profit, but selling him would still be far less preferable than keeping hold of him.