Labuschagne back in three-figure mode as Queensland take charge

Usman Khawaja also continued his good form on a day of toil for the bowlers

AAP27-Oct-2021Marnus Labuschagne posted his 19th first-class century and Usman Khawaja continued his push for an Ashes call-up to put Queensland in the box seat in their Sheffield Shield clash with Tasmania in Townsville.Labuschagne, Joe Burns, and Khawaja all cashed in on Wednesday to guide Queensland to a dominant 3 for 311 at stumps on day one.No. 3 Labuschagne logged scores of 32, eight and 45 in the Bulls’ first two games of their Shield title defence, while he was out for 6 in a one-dayer against South Australia.Those scores represented a rare down patch for a man who averages 60.80 in the Test arena, but Labuschagne put those recent struggles behind him against Tasmania in a knock that featured 15 fours and one six.Khawaja scored 174 against South Australia earlier this month and he’ll be aiming to post another huge score to boost his credentials for a dream Ashes call-up. He hasn’t played a Test since 2019, but a series of big scores over the coming weeks could catapult him back into the national set-up.Burns’ half-century ensures he will also remain on the radar of national selectors as the race for spots in the Test team heats up.Tasmania pace bowlerLawrence Neil-Smith snared a breakthrough with just his fourth ball of the match when he found a thick edge to dismiss Bryce Street, leaving Queensland at 1 for 20. But from that point on it was one-way traffic as Labuschagne, Burns and then Khawaja piled on the runs.Burns suffered a few nervous moments on the way to his half-century. He was lucky to survive a tight lbw shout from spinner Tom Andrews when he was struck on his back pad when on 47. A short time later he edged paceman Gabe Bell in between the wicketkeeper and first slip, who was wider than normal.He eventually fell when his attempted sweep against spinner Jarrod Freeman hit his pad and gloves before bouncing onto the stumps. Labuschagne’s knock finally ended when he was caught behind off Bell’s bowling.

USL Super League's Dallas Trinity signs USWYNT star midfielder Lexi Missimo

Lexi Missimo signs with USL Super League over NWSL and other top professional leagues

USL Super League lands USWYNT star Lexi Missimo Missimo returns home to start professional careerDallas Trinity FC set to start spring seasonGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED

Dallas Trinity FC of the USL Super League have signed standout U.S. youth national team midfielder Lexi Missimo. Missimo signed a contract with the club through the 2026-2027 season, marking a milestone for the USL Super League.

Missimo is a native of Southlake, Texas and also played collegiately at Texas.

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At UT Missimo finished as the program's career leader in points (176), goals (56), and assists (64). In 2023, she recorded a historic 20-goal and 20-assist season. The midfielder was also named to the USWNT Futures Camp earlier this month, where she was one of 24 players called up by Emma Hayes.

Between her collegiate accolades and presence in the USYNT system, she had career options. Choosing Dallas to jumpstart her professional career is intentional, and shows a different choice than the typical NWSL or abroad routes

Missimo grew up playing for Dallas' Solar Soccer Club and was the No. 1 recruit out of highschool in 2021, before she reclassified to the class of 2020. On the Under-14 and Under-23 level, she's represented the USYNT 32 times – nd 2022 was a notable year for her as she scored three goals in seven appearances at the 2022 CONCACAF Women's Under-20 Championship, leading her team to gold.

Getty ImagesWHAT MISSIMO SAID

"Joining Dallas Trinity FC and the USL Super League is an incredible opportunity to be a part of something special,” Missimo told the Super League. “As a player just starting my professional journey, I'm excited to continue to grow women's soccer in a league that's creating new paths for athletes like me while returning close to home and my family.”

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Getty ImagesWHAT'S NEXT?

According to the USL Super League, Missimo is set to make her debut for Dallas Trinity FC on Feb. 15 against Tampa Bay Sun FC.

Shreyas Iyer: Century on Test debut is the 'biggest achievement of my life'

Batter hadn’t played red-ball cricket in a while but came good when India needed him

Sidharth Monga26-Nov-20213:38

Jaffer: Iyer a No. 5 candidate for all conditions

Shreyas Iyer went to bed at around 11pm on Thursday hoping for and expecting a good night’s sleep. He had batted the best part of two sessions in less-than-ideal air so it wasn’t really an unrealistic expectation. However, he was awake at 5am, and struggled to catch any more sleep. All the while he kept obsessing about how he was going to bat and how he was going to get to a debut century.Watch live cricket on ESPN+ in the US

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This feeling of sleeping on a score and having the butterflies next morning has become alien to Iyer, who last played a multi-day match nearly three years ago. His ascent to the India limited-overs sides, and the Covid-19 pandemic has made his first-class record almost an afterthought, but as has been repeated in the last few days, it is an impressive record. Ever since ESPNcricinfo has kept strike-rate numbers, no batter other than Iyer has scored 4000 runs at an average of over 50 and a strike-rate of over 80.Much of that skill, at least against spin and in Indian conditions, was on display during Iyer’s debut century. “When I came to Kanpur, I didn’t know I was going to play,” Iyer said. “Rahul sir [Dravid, the coach] and skipper [Ajinkya Rahane] came to me and said I was going to play [after KL Rahul was ruled out]. Suddenly I had to get into the mindset of red-ball cricket.”The last match I played was almost three years back, which was Irani Trophy. I took this as an opportunity and a challenge as well. Once you play white-ball cricket for so long, getting back to red-ball cricket is a different ball game. The mindset and routine has to be on point. That’s what I focused on rather than thinking about how I am going to play and thinking about who I am going to face on the ground.Shreyas Iyer came into the Kanpur Test with very little red-ball cricket behind him•BCCI”All these thoughts I completely negated. I focused more on my processes. I knew I had the skill. Rahul sir and Ajinkya motivated me a lot. They told me you don’t have to change anything because you have played this game before. You have played Ranji Trophy so well, scored so many runs with a really good average. That was my mindset coming to the ground.”This Test debut comes at an interesting time for Iyer. He was a lock-in for India’s T20 World Cup side in 2020 when the pandemic delayed the event. Then he got injured and couldn’t play the IPL, which put paid to his chances of going to the World Cup this year. He also lost his IPL captaincy in the process. When least expected came this Test debut, but India’s middle order is a crowded place, and he might well have to vacate the spot for the returning captain Virat Kohli for the Mumbai Test. There is a chance India might drop someone else to make way for Iyer, but that is none of his concern right now.Related

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“Sunil Gavaskar sir, when he gave me the cap, told me one important point,” Iyer said. “‘You don’t have to think about your past, you don’t have to think about your future. All you have got is present, and you have got to focus on the next ball.’ That’s what I have been doing throughout. So my aim is to think about today, not think about the next game. If I think about that, I wouldn’t be able to perform on the given day. Whatever happens happens for the best, and I will take it in my stride and move forward.”I didn’t look at missing out on the World Cup as an opportunity gone. I was in a good frame of mind. To get this opportunity and to score a hundred in debut Test is a different feeling. I can’t explain it. So many messages to me saying this is your best achievement in your life. It took me back to my Mumbai cricketing days.”Back in Mumbai, Pravin Amre, Iyer’s former Ranji Trophy coach and also his personal coach, will be waiting for a dinner at his place. Amre, who scored a century on debut himself, against Donald, Schultz, Pringle and McMillan in Durban, had practically demanded one from Iyer.”Pravin sir, whenever I go for training, keeps on saying you have achieved a lot in life, you have been the captain of an IPL team, you have scored so many runs, but that is in white-ball cricket,” Iyer said. “Your main achievement will be when you receive the Test cap. I am sure he would have been really happy when I received the cap. He was like I will only come to your place for dinner if you score a century. So today I will message him and invite him for dinner.”Another man who will be proud in Mumbai is Iyer’s father, whose display picture on WhatsApp has for years been Iyer holding the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2016-17 after he had been drafted into the squad for the last Test to cover for the injured Kohli. “My dad obviously loves Test cricket the most,” Iyer said. “To give him this gift of century would be the best achievement for me. It is a great feeling for both of us. My mom and dad have been really supportive throughout my journey, and they have been the pillars of my success so far and will always be. I would like to thank them and my whole family who have been supportive throughout.”

Beto arrived instead: Everton wanted to sign "monster" who’s now worth £72m

Everton have made some important transfers over the past few summers, as their objective within the Premier League has changed. Once, the Toffees were fighting to qualify for Europe, at times managing to fulfil that ambition.

Nowadays, however, the Merseysiders are scrambling around in the bottom half of the Premier League, fighting relegation. One of six sides who are Premier League ever-presents, the past few transfer windows have been crucial in order to stay in the top flight rather than compete for Europe. The 2023 window was one of those instances.

Everton manager Sean Dyche

Everton’s 2023 summer window

The Toffees made five signings under Sean Dyche in his first summer transfer window as manager. Of those transfers, two were permanent deals, two players joined on loan and another on a free transfer.

The two temporary deals were that of Arnaut Danjuma from Spanish outfit Villarreal, and Jack Harrison from Leeds United. The former had previously played in England for both Bournemouth and Tottenham Hotspur, although struggled at Goodison Park, scoring just twice. Harrison performed well enough to get a second loan deal at the club.

Experienced Premier League player Ashley Young made the move to Merseyside for free after leaving Aston Villa. Now predominantly a full-back, he strengthened the Toffees back line and added experience alongside the likes of James Tarkowski and Seamus Coleman.

The two players who signed permanently were strikers Youssef Chermiti and Beto. Portugal under-21 international Chermiti, who signed from Sporting, has yet to score for the club amid a sticky past year or so, although is just 20 years of age.

Beto, however, is someone they perhaps could have expected more from. He cost upwards of £30m but has not lived up to that price tag yet.

The Guinea-Bissau forward has just seven goals and two assists to his name in 44 games so far.

Season

Competition

Games

Goals

Assists

2023/24

Premier League

30

3

0

2023/24

Carabao Cup

4

2

1

2023/24

FA Cup

3

0

1

2024/25

Premier League

5

1

0

2024/25

Carabao Cup

2

1

0

Frustratingly for Dyche, Everton were linked with another striker instead of their number 14 last summer, who ended up becoming one of the deadliest finishers in Europe.

The player Everton nearly signed instead of Beto

The player in question here is Bayer Leverkusen and Nigeria international striker Victor Boniface. He joined the 2023/24 German champions just over 12 months ago, for a reported fee of £16.6m, almost half of what the Toffees paid for Beto just a month or so later.

According to a report from journalist Sacha Tavolieri, the Merseysiders were keen on bringing the Niergian to the club. He suggested in July 2023 that they got “initial information” about a potential move for the striker, from then-club Union Saint-Gilloise.

Looking back on it, they must regret not doing the deal given the career trajectory of Boniface since then. Last term, he scored 21 goals and grabbed ten assists in 34 games in all competitions. He flew out of the traps in his debut season, scoring eight goals and grabbing five assists in the first 13 Bundesliga matches.

Already, the “monster” centre-forward, as football scout Antonio Mango described him, has had a superb start to the new season. He has eight goals and an assist in 12 games so far.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

Incredibly, that is more goals than Beto has managed in his Everton career so far, showing just what Dyche’s side missed out on.

It may be no surprise that Boniface is now very highly valued. According to CIES Football Observatory, the Leverkusen striker is worth a whopping £72.2m, even more than fellow Nigeria striker, and equally deadly finisher Victor Osimhen.

Victor Boniface celebrates for Bayer Leverkusen.

Everton must surely rue missing out on such a talent. They could have had the next great Premier League-era striker at the club, following in the footsteps of the likes of Wayne Rooney and Romelu Lukaku.

Instead, they missed out on Boniface and ended up with Beto, who has just not lived up to expectations yet. It goes down as a big miss from Everton’s point of view.

Everton wasted £33m on "the worst signing of the Moshiri era"

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ByAngus Sinclair Oct 30, 2024

'Mikel Merino, my f*cking striker!' – Arsenal fans label Mikel Arteta a 'genius' as auxiliary No.9 emerges as unlikely hero with late two-goal salvo to down Leicester amid Gunners' injury crisis

Mikel Arteta has been hailed as a "genius" after his decision to play Mikel Merino in attack worked wonders against Leicester City.

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Arsenal beat Leicester 2-0Substitute scores twice late onFans call Merino their new no.9Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Midfielder Merino replaced Raheem Sterling for the last 20 minutes of the clash at King Power Stadium, with manager Arteta tasking him to lead Arsenal's attack. The Spaniard ended up scoring two goals in the 81st and 87th minute to give the Gunners a crucial Premier League victory at Leicester on Saturday. Fans quickly took to social media to laud Merino and Arteta for their actions.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesWHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

@now_arsenaI posted on X: "MERINO MY F*CKING STRIKER," while @seanafc_ tweeted: "Merino is actually a striker WTF."

@Supreme_Garaad commented: "Arteta is a genius. Brought on Merino as a no9 and he bags 2 goals in less than ten mins. My [GOAT] manager."

Glen_Kightley wrote: "Guys!!!!!! We have had a Striker right there all this time!!!!! Merino Masterclass."

@LauraKirk12 stated: "GENERATIONAL STRIKER MIKEL MERINO," and @DailyAFC added: "They said we needed a striker, when we’ve got Mikel Merino at home."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

This result is a huge boost for Arsenal as they are without forwards Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz for the season due to injury, and Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka are also sidelined. So for the Gunners to beat Leicester and potentially find a striker solution in Merino is just what the north London team need as they closed to within four points of Premier League leaders Liverpool.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Next up for Arteta's side is a home league clash with London neighbours West Ham next Saturday. It remains to be seen if Merino will start up front in that clash.

Erik ten Hag reveals the 'one thing' he misses about Man Utd as former boss offers update on future plans

Erik ten Hag has revealed the "one thing" he misses about former club Manchester United, while laying out his plans for the future.

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Ten Hag sacked at Man Utd last yearLays out plans for his futureReveals what he misses at Red DevilsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

After just over two seasons in charge at United, Ten Hag was sacked as manager in late October 2024 and he has been out of work ever since. Now, the Dutchman has admitted that he misses Old Trafford and that he won't return to management before July 1 – ahead of the 2025/26 season.

AdvertisementWHAT ERIK TEN HAG SAID

He said on the SEG Stories podcast: "I had already decided for myself, 'Okay, I'm not doing anything until July 1 (2025)'. If there's one thing I miss it's Old Trafford. You're always working towards a dot on the horizon, but you never get to the horizon. We’ve had many highs, there is always room for improvement and good is not enough. You can do better."

@segstories

NEWS: Erik ten Hag kicks off season 2 of SEG Stories. Live tomorrow 25/02… #eriktenhag #tenhag #football #ajax #manchesterunited #fyp #segstories #seg

♬ origineel geluid – SEGStories

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Ten Hag was one of United's more successful managers in recent years as he led them to two trophies and a top four Premier League finish. The former Ajax boss was dismissed with the Red Devils 14th in the table and now they are 15th under his successor Ruben Amorim. With time, some fans may look more fondly on the Dutchman's Old Trafford tenure.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

All eyes will be on what job Ten Hag will take up next and if he will speak out more on his eventful time at United.

Zak Crawley blames county pitches for England's batting woes during Ashes

England opener says substandard surfaces in Championship are a “country-wide problem”

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jan-2022Zak Crawley says that England’s batting woes in the Ashes will not be improved until the standard of pitches in county cricket is raised, adding that he will stay committed to Kent rather than seeking a fresh start at a more prominent club because the issue is a “country-wide problem”.Crawley, 23, produced an eye-catching innings of 77 from 100 balls in the second innings at Sydney this week – only England’s second non-defeat in 14 Tests Down Under since 2011 – as the tourists salvaged a modicum of Ashes pride by drawing the fourth Test to end Australia’s hopes of a whitewash.The innings was another glimpse of the talents of a player who shot to prominence with his career-best 267 against Pakistan in 2020, but who mustered just 173 runs at 10.81 in 16 innings in the whole of 2021, even though that tally included a similarly free-flowing 53 at Ahmedabad in March.After replacing the under-performing Rory Burns for the third Test at Melbourne, Crawley is now part of an England batting line-up that has yet to pass 300 in eight innings of the series, but as the inquest begins into another failed Ashes bid, he is adamant that the players are being let down by the county game.”I’ve batted on poor pitches, really, my whole Championship career,” Crawley told reporters in Hobart, ahead of Friday’s fifth Test. “I feel like it’s been very hard to open the batting.”At my best, I’ve obviously shown something the England selectors have enjoyed. So I got picked with an average of 30, but there aren’t too many openers averaging a lot more than that at the moment.”The pitches have been very favourable to bowlers my whole career so far so until that changes… I feel like the average is a little bit lower than I’d like. I think 34-35 is a very good average for an opener these days, and that’s something that’s very different from 10 years ago.”Writing in the Daily Mail this week, England’s former captain Nasser Hussain suggested that Crawley would benefit from a move away from Kent to further his career. Despite currently hosting Division One cricket in the County Championship, Canterbury’s average runs per wicket since 2017 is 27.11, the fifth-lowest of the 18 first-class grounds.

The Kia Oval, by contrast, tops the list at 34.67 – with Ollie Pope currently averaging 99.94 in home fixtures for Surrey, even though that prowess has not translated to success in the current campaign. He made 48 runs at 12.00 in the first two Tests before making way for Jonny Bairstow in the middle-order.”As long as I’m playing for England. I don’t see the need [to move],” Crawley said. “As long as I’m wearing the Three Lions, I haven’t really given it much thought, to be honest, because that’s my sole focus at the moment.”Obviously I’d like the pitch at Canterbury to be a little bit better,” he added. “I don’t think it’s unfair of me to say. But I don’t think it’s just a Kent thing: I think pretty much all the grounds I’ve played on have been pretty poor.”It’d be tough for me to find somewhere maybe a bit flatter. It’s more a country-wide problem, and I think it will help our Test team a lot if pitches did start getting better.”In spite of his struggles to build on that double-century 18 months ago, Crawley is adamant that his tough year at the top of the order – both on a series of spinning decks in the subcontinent, and now here in Australia – will stand him in good stead for the rest of his career.Related

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“Playing in India against that spin and then the other night at the MCG in that final session of the [second] day, they’re the two hardest spells of cricket I’ve ever had, by a long way,” he said.”I wouldn’t have thought that it would get much harder than those two experiences. So, you’ve just got to take them on the chin and move on and learn from them. That’s what I’ll try and do.”Cricket’s a game where you fail a lot more than you succeed. So, it’s been a good year for me to try and pick myself back up and go again, and see how many times you can keep coming back and improving. I feel like I have improved and am a better player than I was a year ago. And that’s what I am going to look to do this year, be a better player than I am right now.”

Leeds thought they had the next Luis Suarez, now he’s in Spain’s 4th tier

Leeds United centre-forward Mateo Joseph is a good example of how difficult it is to translate regular goalscoring from academy level to the first team.

The 21-year-old ace, who joined from Espanyol at the start of 2022, scored an eye-catching 19 goals in 33 games for the Whites at U21 level.

However, the Spain U21 international has only found the back of the net five times in 47 appearances for the club since his rise to the first-team, with two goals in 15 Championship games this season.

He has made the step to the senior team, though, and has time on his hands to fulfil his potential, which was not the case for one former Leeds youngster who initially arrived with plenty of hype around him.

Leeds' mini Luis Suarez

Leeds swooped to sign a teenage centre-forward from Barcelona in the summer of 2017 after he had scored 30 goals in 30 league games for the Spanish giants at academy level in the 2016/17 campaign.

If you haven’t guessed already, that player was none other than Kun Temenuzhkov.

The Guardian named him as one of the 60 best young talents in world football in 2017 and wrote that the striker had ‘the same predator’s instinct’ as former Barcelona and Liverpool sensation Luis Suarez, who was idolised by the youngster and scored 195 goals in 283 games for the LaLiga outfit.

Luis Suarez Liverpool graphic

It is not hard to understand why that comparison was made after such an incredible year of goalscoring for the Spanish side in the previous season.

After playing for the Leeds’ U18 side for 18 months, Temenuzhkov made his first-team debut for Leeds against Queens Park Rangers in the FA Cup in January 2019, with an 11-minute cameo off the bench under Marcelo Bielsa.

Given his extraordinary goal record for Barcelona’s youth teams, his comparison to Suarez, and his senior bow under Bielsa, you could forgive the Whites for thinking that they had their own version of the Uruguayan hero on their hands.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

Unfortunately, though, after loan spells with CF La Nucía and Real Union during the 2020/21 and 2021/22 campaigns, the Bulgarian centre-forward was released by the Whites in the summer of 2022, having failed to live up to the hype.

How Kun Temenuzhkov is performing in 2024

The young marksman made the move to join Navalcarnero in the fourth tier of Spanish football and scored eight goals in 29 league games during the 2023/24 campaign.

He then spent six months with Zamora CF, scoring just one goal in ten games, before moving to Lincoln FC in Gibraltar at the start of 2023.

Temenuzhkov produced six goals and three assists in 15 appearances for Lincoln during the second half of last season, before a free transfer to Moscardó in the summer transfer window earlier this year.

Kun Temenuzhkov

It was the fourth free transfer since the start of 2022 for the 24-year-old attacker, who has been unable to enjoy more than one season with a club since his exit from Leeds.

Moscardó currently play in the fourth tier of Spanish football and the ex-Whites and Barcelona man has had a difficult start to the campaign, with zero goals and one assist in eight league matches.

Temenuzhkov is yet to replicate his sensational goalscoring output at academy level in his first-team career and Leeds will now be hoping that Joseph, who has already played 46 more times for Leeds than the Bulgarian forward did, fares better in his development over the coming years.

Leeds can replace Firpo by signing "best full-back in the Championship"

Leeds United are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Championship star.

ByDan Emery Nov 11, 2024

Ruben Amorim explains decision to bench Alejandro Garnacho for Man Utd's FA Cup tie against Fulham after Ipswich strop

Ruben Amorim has explained why Alejandro Garnacho is only on the bench for Manchester United's FA Cup tie against Fulham.

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Garnacho dropped from Man Utd starting lineupShowed frustration after being subbed off against IpswichEriksen back in starting XIFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Garnacho expressed his frustration at being substituted in the 43rd minute in the club's 3-2 win over Ipswich Town in the midweek. Amorim decided to replace the Argentine winger with full-back Noussair Mazraoui following Patrick Dorgu's red card. After the substitution, the 20-year-old headed straight down the tunnel and after the break he did not come out of the dressing room and sit alongside his team-mates in the dugout.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Following his poor attitude on the field, Amorim has already revealed Garnacho will pay for dinner for the Manchester United. The winger has also been left out of the starting lineup for their fifth round FA Cup clash against Fulham on Sunday, but his manager confirmed his decision was due to the fact the youngster is carrying a physical issue/

WHAT RUBEN AMORIM SAID

Speaking to MUTV ahead of kick-off, the Portuguese coach said: "Chris [Eriksen] is working really well and Garna has a knock. We cannot risk players at this moment, but because this is a cup game and it is decided today, we have Garnacho on the bench if we need him."

Amorim added: "Garnacho had an issue last game so we are using Eriksen because he is fit. We have Garnacho on the bench if we need him because it is a game that decides if we go into the next stage.

"We are going to try to use the characteristics of Chris, which is quite different from Garnacho. The substitution (last game) was clear, he paid for the dinner and he's ready to go. He's working really well so I hope he continues to have an impact if we need it in the game."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

After the FA Cup tie on Sunday, the Red Devils will be back in action on March 6 as they host Real Sociedad in the first leg of the Europa League round of 16 fixture away from home.

Sutherland, top order give Australia unbeaten Ashes campaign

Australia overhauled their target in the 37th over to send an ominous warning ahead of the upcoming World Cup

Tristan Lavalette08-Feb-2022All-conquering Australia crushed England by eight wickets to complete an unbeaten Ashes triumph in the third and final ODI at the Junction Oval.Having restricted hapless England to an underwhelming 163, a confident Australia overhauled the target in the 37th over to send an ominous warning ahead of the upcoming World Cup. Captain Meg Lanning, coming off a duck, struck a commanding 57 not out off 70 balls to again underline her chasing prowess.Australia shakily chased down a paltry 130 in the second ODI but showed intent from the get go here with opener Alyssa Healy smoking a boundary off the first ball. After a scratchy display on Sunday, Healy was in a belligerent mood and smashed a trio of boundaries off left-arm quick Tash Farrant in the sixth over.She received a life on 24 when dropped by wicketkeeper Amy Jones off seamer Freya Davies’ first delivery and Healy made her pay with a thundering pull to the boundary two balls later. But Davies got her revenge when she dismissed Healy for 42 to end the 74-run opening stand, and then Rachael Haynes fell in the next over to provide England with a glimmer of hope.But Lanning and No. 4 Ellyse Perry, who made a fluent 40 two days ago, shut the door on England’s unlikely attempts at a consolation victory. Perry started aggressively and then was overtaken by Lanning, who sealed Australia’s dominant Ashes campaign in style with a six.Having claimed the Ashes outright after a five-wicket victory in the second ODI at the same venue, Australia won the multi-format series 12-4 to ensure England – like their male counterparts – endured a barren Ashes campaign.Australia, who have lost just one of their last 30 ODIs, swept the three-match ODI series and gained another psychological edge ahead of the World Cup, where the teams meet on March 5.In a familiar tale of woe, England struggled after electing to bat in sunny conditions and were bowled out for a meagre 163 in the final over. They crawled for much of the innings and were unable to break the shackles with only an 88-run partnership between opener Tammy Beaumont and Nat Sciver offering any resistance.The pair had given England hope of mustering a competitive total but suffered a shocking collapse of 8 for 56 after Beaumont fell for 50. In a major headache for England, their batting frailties resurfaced with only three batters reaching double figures.A ruthless Australia took full advantage and their relentless bowlers shared the wickets with young quick Annabel Sutherland finishing with her first ODI four-wicket haul. Australia’s seamers tortured England with menacing full-length deliveries while Perry continued her rejuvenation after a starring role on Sunday with 1 for 18 off eight overs.England were dealt a blow when quick Kate Cross was ruled out of the series finale with a wrist injury sustained in the field on Sunday. It was a precautionary measure ahead of the World Cup, where England will go into their title defence short on confidence after a miserable Ashes campaign.

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