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South Africa captain says he’s blocking out the noise from outside on his form and role

Firdose Moonda23-Oct-20224:19

O’Brien: Zimbabwe will be quietly confident facing South Africa

If South Africa learnt anything from the last Men’s T20 World Cup, it’s that speed matters. Speed of run scoring, that is.

They missed out on a semi-final spot at last year’s event, despite winning four out of five matches (the same number as losing semi-finalists England, losing finalists New Zealand and eventual champions Australia) because their net run rate (NRR) was the third-lowest in their six-team group, and only had themselves to blame.South Africa bowled Bangladesh out for 84 in their fourth match but took 13.3 overs to chase the target down. Had they scored the runs quicker, they would have given themselves a better chance of advancing. A year later, they’re aware that they have to keep an eye on more than just their number of wins, but also the margins of victory.”You want to try and perform as well as you can but make sure you keep a pulse on that [net] run rate. If there’s an opportunity to really win well, [you have to] make sure that you do so,” Temba Bavuma, South Africa’s captain, said. “We don’t want to ease ourselves into the tournament. There’s really no time to do that.”Related

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Ironically, Bavuma is the player around whom this discussion is most relevant. He is not known for being quick off the blocks and has had a particularly poor 2022. He was injured for three months after hurting his elbow against India and missed South Africa’s entire tour of the UK – where they played matches against England and Ireland in preparation for the T20 World Cup – and then was ill in the build-up to this tournament.As a result, Bavuma has only played seven T20Is this year and scored 64 runs at an average of 10.2 and a strike rate of 82, making it his worst year in the format. In those matches, he has been dismissed in the powerplay five times. Among batters in the top ten teams, Bavuma’s strike rate in the powerplay is the second-worst (96) and he is second on the list of most balls faced per boundary (8.8). Only Sri Lanka’s Avishka Fernando has worse numbers (powerplay strike rate of 92, ball-per-boundary ratio of 9).Those numbers look even worse when one considers that Bavuma is not South Africa’s only opening option. Reeza Hendricks, who batted in his place on the England tour, has had his best year in T20Is. Hendricks has scored 323 runs in seven innings, including four successive fifties, at 46.14 with a strike rate of 139.82. But there is only room for one of Bavuma or Hendricks in the XI, with the other top-three spots occupied by Quinton de Kock and Rilee Rossouw. Bavuma, by virtue of being captain, is always going to play ahead of Hendricks and, therefore, the expectation on him to perform is ever greater.Some believe that Hendricks would’ve been in the XI if Bavuma was not captain•ICC via Getty ImagesAsked if he is aware of the discussions around himself and Hendricks and the debates on team combination, Bavuma indicated he has distanced himself from opinion outside the team environment and is concentrating on his own game.”I’m aware of conversations that are happening in my head, regarding my game plan and how I am going to go about leading the team. I’m not aware of what’s happening outside,” Bavuma said. “In terms of the team, there won’t be any surprises – at least to the guys in the team. We know what we’re going to do, we know how we’re going to do it and we’re all quite comfortable around all of that. That’s where my focus is with the guys in the team. Anything else, that’s for other ears.”Still, the pressure on Bavuma is ever present and he acknowledged that in his dual role as captain and opening batter – there’s nowhere to hide. “The element of pressure is something that is not really unique to me as a player. All players have to deal with that pressure but it comes in different forms. Being the captain, it’s a lot more blown up,” he said. “All eyes are on you. There’s a lot more critique regarding your performances and just how you are as a leader. With the title of being captain comes that responsibility. It’s not something that one can really shy away from.”And in true Bavuma style, he said he is ready to meet the challenge head on and humbly. “With all the pressure that is upon me, I will face up to it as honourably and with as much gratitude as I can. The element of pressure is something all players have to face.”Bavuma can take heart from coach Mark Boucher’s expectation that Australian conditions will be more suited to his game than what he faced in India. The ball comes onto the bat quicker in Australia than India, seamers have concentrated on hard lengths in the opening round and Bavuma is confident and comfortable against the short ball, which should all work in his favour.From the matches already played in Hobart, it’s been clear that run-scoring in the powerplay can be difficult as seamers deliver what Jason Holder called “Test-match lengths”, and Bavuma believes he has the game to match the situation. “We’ve seen it has been challenging upfront. We’ve seen bowlers trying to challenge that off stump. So we want to be as circumspect as we can be, but with the right intensity, in order to put pressure on the bowlers,” Bavuma said. “We understand it’s going to be challenging. Looking at our batting blueprint, it works in our favour.”

How often did India and Australia produce uncertain responses from the opposition batsmen, and how often did that uncertainty result in a wicket?

Sidharth Monga29-Jan-2021This was a freak series
Two events of the sort that ought to occur not more than once in six series of four Tests apiece took place in this Australia-India series: India were bowled out for 36 in Adelaide, and then batted out 131 overs for the loss of just five wickets in the fourth innings in Sydney to draw the Test. On the surface these are rare events but look deeper and they are even rarer.ESPNcricinfo’s control factor metric judges uncertainty in batsmen’s response to bowling. Over time, in aggregate, it is an elegant measure of the potency of a bowling attack and of the luck the teams enjoyed. In the Adelaide 36 all out, their bowlers were potent, but the luck Australia enjoyed to go with it was lethal. In a series where a wicket fell for about every nine balls in which a batsman was not in control, India lost a wicket once every 3.56 such balls in that Adelaide innings. We have control data for 1214 Test innings over the last ten years in which eight or more wickets have fallen. Only four times has uncertainty produced more frequent wickets.The conditions and the Australian bowling made it far worse for India by evoking false responses every four balls. There have been 135 completed innings that have been more difficult than this, but most have featured better luck for the batting side.Related

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The pitch in the Wanderers Test of 2017-18 was treacherous, producing a false response every 3.2 and 3.3 balls in India’s first and second innings. However, in those innings, they lost a wicket every 14.3 and 14.5 such balls, thus posting a combined winning total.During the Sydney escape, on the other hand, there was just enough in the pitch, and the Australia bowlers created enough chances, but India enjoyed more luck. Not in terms of catches (because those owe to the opposition’s mistakes, and often tend to even out) but because indecisive responses did not result in enough dismissals. Australia produced indecisive responses off 135 balls for just five wickets; on the final day, 93 false responses brought just three wickets. In 193 innings played on the final day of a Test in the last ten years, only four have needed more false responses to create a wicket.Unlucky India, lucky India
India were desperately unlucky with injuries both between matches and during them. They were also part of an unlucky once-in-a-generation collapse, but overall, once the ball was in play, India were the luckier side in the series – just like they were the less lucky one in England in 2018.In Adelaide, India lost a wicket every 6.3 false responses to Australia’s 7.8, but in the remaining Tests the indecision created by India proved to be consistently more dangerous. Overall Australia created uncertainty every 6.27 balls and India every seven balls, which is a huge credit to an inexperienced attack.ESPNcricinfo LtdDuring the 4-1 loss to England in 2018, India created indecision once every 4.3 balls – more often than England, who did so once every 4.8 balls, but lost wickets to indecision more often than the hosts: every 10.7 balls of not being in control to every 14 balls for England. That should put numbers to the feeling that pundits and the Indian team had, that the games were much closer than the eventual series scoreline indicated.Australia’s (lack of) depth
On the 2018 tour of England and the one to New Zealand in 2020, India showed they had the resources to get into competitive positions, but were thwarted by the depth of the home sides – which is usually accentuated in such circumstances because the secondary skills of allrounders blossom in familiar conditions. First Sam Curran and then Kyle Jamieson thwarted India with the bat, much like R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja tend to do at home for India at times when the opposition feels they are just one push away from ascendance.On those tours of England and New Zealand, the home team’s bowling allrounders added immensely to their batting depth, but during this series, Australia’s batting allrounder, Cameron Green, couldn’t do much with the bat – except for score quick runs when setting up a declaration – let alone add depth to their bowling.Curran scored 272 runs at 38.85 and took 11 wickets at 23.54 in that England series, Jamieson averaged 46.50 with the bat and 16.33 with the ball, and Green averaged 33.71 with the bat thanks to two no-pressure declaration knocks, while taking zero wickets. That it comes down to contributions from the allrounder shows how well India have competed on recent away tours.Pat Cummins is no slouch against left-hand batsmen, but in this series Jadeja and Pant didn’t lose their wickets to him once over about 30 overs•Getty ImagesIs left right against Cummins?
India had two left-hand batsmen – both in the lower middle order but not restricted to those positions – and Cummins didn’t manage to get either of them out in the nine innings they batted between them. Close to 30 overs of bowling for 91 runs and zero wickets to Cummins is a win for the strategy, but it doesn’t mean Cummins is an easy bowler to face for left-hand batsmen. Coming into the series he averaged 19.6 against right-hand batsmen and 25.1 against left.Even in terms of creating indecision, Cummins was the second best among the Australia bowlers in the series, but while the 30 false responses induced by him brought him three wickets, none of those was of a left-hand batsman. It was a sound tactic for India to introduce left-hand batsmen into the line-up, and then manage a right-left combination, but it took some luck for Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja.Historically right-arm quicks have had to work harder for the wickets of left-hand batsmen, though not to this extent: a right-hand batsman’s wicket falls every ten balls of indecision versus 12 balls for a left-hand batsman.What do the control numbers say about England in India?
It’s not always that the luckier side wins; rather, luck becomes more crucial when two evenly matched sides face off. The last time England toured India, for example, they were luckier, losing a wicket every 12.5 balls of indecision as against India’s 11.9. However, India’s bowlers were superior: they created a false response every 5.6 balls as against England’s 7.6. That’s 25 more false responses, or two wickets, in a day’s bowling. When India toured Australia, this difference was down to nine balls in favour of the hosts. India created 13 more opportunities in a day’s bowling than England in 2018. These are close enough margins for luck to play a part. Can England come as close to the hosts as India have been doing on their recent difficult tours?

The Boston Red Sox are flying high heading into the All-Star break. Winners of seven straight and nine of their last 10, they currently sit at 50-45 and hold the American League's third Wild Card spot.

They're also getting healthy at the right time. Not only is third baseman Alex Bregman expected to return to the lineup this weekend, but outfielder Masataka Yoshida was activated from the injured list on July 9—and went 3-for-4 with a double in his return. While ultimately a good thing, this also means that there's a logjam in the Boston outfield, and has led some to speculate that the team could trade 2024 All-Star Jarren Duran to make room.

After the Sox's 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, however, fans made it clear that they want the team to keep the 2024 All-Star Game MVP. In a video shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Underdog's Jared Carrabis, the Fenway faithful could be heard chanting "Keep Duran!" at chief baseball officer Craig Breslow. Check it out:

All Breslow could do is smile and wave.

Over Boston's seven-game win streak, Duran his hitting .360 with two home runs and 11 RBI. The Red Sox are back at it on Friday at Fenway for a 7:10 p.m. first pitch.

Lamine Yamal has grown accustomed to seeing his every move dissected in minute detail, on and off the pitch, with the Barcelona wonderkid claiming to enjoy the level of celebrity that he now boasts. The teen sensation has no desire to shy away from the limelight, despite attracting some unwanted attention, and is revelling in his role as a global sporting superstar.

• Superstar status: Yamal happy to be centre of attention

  Yamal only turned 18 during the summer of 2025, but he is already a seasoned performer at the very highest level. Having burst onto the scene at 15, La Liga and European Championship crowns have been collected with Barca and Spain – alongside Kopa Trophy and Golden Boy honours.

  Comparisons with Argentine GOAT Lionel Messi are never far away, despite efforts to quieten that debate, and Yamal is being tipped to become an all-time great in his own right. Remarkable standards will need to be maintained under the brightest of spotlights in order for that to happen, but the youngster has told when asked if he minds being a superstar and the centre of attention for millions of spectators around the world: “No, honestly I don’t. In fact, I like it.”

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  Taste for success: Where Yamal learned how to entertain

  Yamal has always wanted to be the star of the show, with it becoming clear at an early age that he knew how to get supporters on their feet. He added on that process and getting a taste for acclaim: “Where I used to play, in my neighbourhood, there were walls where people would sit and there was no better feeling than getting the people who were sitting there to stand up and laugh at the opponents. I think it’s the best feeling in the world and something that reminds me of that a lot is when I’m playing on the field and the fans get up and are surprised by a play I’ve made.”

  He went on to say of retaining that freedom and a sense of playing for fun: “I can’t feel pressure when playing football. I just try to enjoy it. I think that my friends and family have been through harder things than me just playing football.

  “Football is everything to me. It’s the first love of my life and it will remain so. It’s one of the sports where everyone is on an equal footing. I don’t think I’ve ever felt pressure playing football. My parents faced real pressure as young parents. Managing family, work, being happy, and buying gifts… that’s real pressure for me.”

• Constant attention: Yamal cannot be a 'normal' 18-year-old

  While having no fear on the field, Yamal admits that he finds constant scrutiny off the pitch difficult to deal with at times – with headlines having been made in 2025 on the back of his 18th birthday party and striking up a relationship with Argentine rapper Nicki Nicole.

  He said: “It’s hard to act like a normal 18-year-old. Even if I wanted to, I would never be able to. Any kid goes from school to home. For me, I go to training with photographers in front of my house and kids wearing my shirt on the street.

  “I would like to go eat at a restaurant like a normal person, but I can’t because people will always stop me. It’s normal because I’m famous. So I try to do simpler things, like visiting my mom, brother, or playing video games.”

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  Source of inspiration: Yamal doing his best to stay humble

  Yamal takes great pride, though, from becoming a source of inspiration. He added: “People have told me that they’ve started watching football again because of me. My mother watches all the matches now.

  “People had stopped wearing football jerseys to school, now that trend is back. Even tourists, here in Barcelona, get the Barca jersey with the 10 at the back. It has made me realise things.”

  Yamal remains adamant that he will not allow himself to become caught up in his own hype, with it important that he remembers where he has come from and where he wants to get to. If he is able to remain humble and focused, then there is every reason to believe that his stock will continue to soar.

MatériaMais Notícias

Anderson Barros, diretor de futebol do Palmeiras, telefonou nesta segunda-feira (22) para Bruno Spindel, diretor de futebol do Flamengo, pedindo desculpas pela cusparada sofrida por Tite durante o empate entre as equipes no Allianz Parque, pela terceira rodada do Brasileirão. A informação é da ESPN.

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➡️A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta!

Durante entrevista coletiva, Tite cobrou mais respeito no futebol após ser alvo de uma cusparada por um torcedor do Palmeiras. O treinador do Flamengo alegou que precisou limpar a cabeça em razão durante a partida.

– Deixa eu fazer uma observação. A minha atividade como técnico, eu sei que ela é bastante exposta, e eu tenho que aguentar todas as ofensas que vão de fora possíveis. E não é da torcida do Palmeiras. Elas são de algumas pessoas que talvez não tenham a condição de saber que tem um monte de criançada que dá para educar. As ofensas são do jogo, mas cusparada é muito feio, cara. Eu ter que limpar minha cabeça e minha roupa é feio, cara – afirmou Tite.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! Flamengo no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Rubro-Negro

O Palmeiras está analisando imagens das câmeras de segurança do Allianz Parque para identificar o torcedor que realizou a cusparada. Caso ele seja associado ao Avanti, será banido do programa de sócio-torcedor.

A diretoria alviverde afirmou ao Flamengo que só tomou conhecimento da cusparada após a partida, e caso fosse notificado antes, trabalharia para levar o torcedor ao Jecrim (Juizado Especial Criminal) do Allianz Parque.

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➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários dos jogos do Brasileirão

O Palmeiras entende que o episódio envolvendo Tite e o Flamengo é “inaceitável” e “incompatível com os valores da atual gestão”.

Tudo sobre

FlamengoPalmeirasTite

Tottenham have been given a clear path to sign Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo following an update from reliable journalist David Ornstein.

The 25-year-old, who has marked himself out as one of the Premier League’s most devastating forwards these last 12 months, is attracting serious interest from across England and beyond, with Spurs believed to be firmly in the mix for his signature.

Semenyo’s been involved in nine of Bournemouth’s 11 total goals scored in the league so far, contributing to 81 per cent of their total attacking output, which is the highest percentage of any Premier League player this season (The Analyst).

The African also boasts 10 goals from his last 18 top flight appearances going back to April, with a total of six goals and three assists this season alone thus far. Man City boss Pep Guardiola is among the experts to laud Semenyo’s “extraordinary” form, and Tottenham recruitment chiefs are said to be massive fans of his too.

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee

29/11/2025

James Maddison

ACL

01/06/2026

Radu Dragusin

Knee

22/11/2025

Ben Davies

Thigh

23/11/2025

Kota Takai

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Mohammed Kudus

Knock

23/11/2025

Randal Kolo Muani

Jaw

23/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Lucas Bergvall

Concussion

23/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle

23/11/2025

Archie Gray

Calf/Shin/Heel

23/11/2025

via Premier Injuries

The former Bristol City star signed a brand-new contract earlier this year, which quashed hopes of Tottenham or any other Premier League giant tempting him away from the Vitality last summer.

Semenyo extended his deal until 2030, giving the Cherries plenty of negotiating power to demand a club-record fee for their star player.

However, while reports have suggested that Bournemouth value him at around £75 million, Spurs could now sign him for significantly less in January.

Tottenham given clear Antoine Semenyo path as David Ornstein update leaves Bournemouth exposed

That is because Semenyo’s new deal, according to Ornstein on X, contains a £62.5 million release clause which becomes active for a limited time when the transfer window reopens.

In Ornstein’s words, the clause leaves Bournemouth ‘powerless’, and could allow Tottenham or any other interested suitor to bypass negotiations with Andoni Iraola’s side and head straight to Semenyo’s representatives — giving the north Londoners an obvious route to his signature as early as the winter.

The links to Spurs are nothing new, and Frank has already made his feelings about Semenyo pretty clear when speaking to reporters about the player last season.

Semenyo’s potential arrival holds even greater appeal due to the fact he won’t be competing at the African Cup of Nations this season, with Ghana failing to qualify for the tournament in what is a serious boost for Frank, considering the Dane also gets to keep hold of Mohammed Kudus.

The prospect of Semenyo playing on the left and Kudus playing on the right is a very exciting one, but it is worth noting that they’ll have to contend with a host of rivals for his services as well, perhaps even more so after the news of a tantalising release clause.

MatériaMais Notícias

A decisão do Corinthians em não renovar os contratos de Gil, Cantillo, Giuliano e Renato Augusto, somado a aposentadoria de Fábio Santos, vai representar um alívio financeiro na folha salarial do clube para 2024.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Com a saída do quinteto sacramentada, o Timão terá uma economia de R$ 3 milhões. O valor representa uma redução de 16% na folha salarial do clube, que gasta cerca de R$ 18 milhões para pagar os salários de todos os jogadores do atual elenco.

Dos atletas citados, Renato Augusto é o único com destino definido. Após ser comunicado que não teria seu contrato renovado com o Timão, o staff do meia de 35 anos encaminhou acordo para o camisa 8 defender o Fluminense em 2024.

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QUEM FICA?

Paulinho e Ruan Oliveira são os únicos jogadores em fim de contrato cuja renovação já está acertada. Ambos se recuperam de lesões ligamentares no joelho, e o Corinthians é obrigado por lei a dar todo o amparo médico aos jogadores. Segundo apurado pelo Lance!, o Timão irá oferecer um contrato de seis meses para Paulinho.

+ Veja como ficou a tabela do Brasileirão após a última rodada

A nova diretoria do Corinthians vai se reunir nos próximos dias com os empresários de Bruno Méndez para tentar renovar com o zagueiro uruguaio, e está em negociações com o Shakhtar Donetsk para prorrogar o empréstimo do meia Maycon.

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Tottenham Hotspur supporters have been blessed to be able to watch some terrific midfield talents play for the club over the years, from Luka Modric, to Gareth Bale, to Rafa van der Vaart, to Moussa Dembele.

Modric, now 40, is still playing and shining for AC Milan in the Serie A, whilst the other three have since hung up their boots and moved on from football.

In the present day, Joao Palhinha has scored three goals in 11 matches in all competitions to start his career with the club on loan from Bayern Munich, but he is not a creative talent like Modric, van der Vaart, or Bale were.

Ranking Tottenham's best modern-day creators

The 2018 Ballon d’OR winner has to be up there as one of the best creators in Tottenham’s modern history. He laid on 24 assists in 160 matches for the club in all competitions before his move to Real Madrid, per Transfermarkt.

Christian Eriksen, however, has a strong claim to be above Modric in the ranking because he created 88 goals in 305 appearances for Spurs during his time in North London.

Dele Alli may rank between the two with his return of 59 assists in 269 matches for the club in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, which would place Modric third, Dele second, and Eriksen first.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, there is a new player at Spurs who may top all three of them and has the potential to be the Premier League’s new Dennis Bergkamp for Thomas Frank.

Tottenham may have unearthed their new Dennis Bergkamp

As much as Tottenham fans may not want to admit it, Bergkamp is a Premier League legend who used to light up English pitches with his creativity and invention for Arsenal.

The Dutch playmaker assisted 116 goals in 422 games for the Gunners, one every 3.63 matches on average, per Transfermarkt, which illustrates the creative ability that he brought to North London.

Xavi Simons may be the next version of Bergkamp in the Premier League after his move to Spurs from RB Leipzig during the summer transfer window.

The Netherlands international may only have one assist to his name for Tottenham to date, but his form in Germany and some of the promising signs that he has shown in the Premier League so far suggest that there is far more to come from him.

Simons created 21 goals in two seasons with Leipzig in all competitions after his move from PSV in the summer of 2023, which shows that he can provide assists on a regular basis.

Xavi Simons’ creativity for RB Leipzig (all comps)
Stat	24/25	23/24
Appearances	43	33
Big chances created	19	18
Games per big chance created	2.26	1.83
Key passes	67	102
Assists	8	13
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Dutchman’s games per ‘big chance’ created rate was particularly impressive in both of those seasons in Germany, which suggests that he creates ‘big chances’ more frequently than Bergkamp registered assists for Arsenal.

His performance against Leeds United last weekend was a great example of inventiveness and creativity. On several occasions, Simons produced a moment of magic to open up the opposition’s defence when it looked secure, lifting the ball over defenders or playing through balls through the eye of a needle.

The assists will come for Simons, his history with Leipzig suggests as much. It just seems like a matter of time if he keeps doing what he was doing against Leeds; providing creativity, creating chances for teammates, being the spark in midfield.

His central midfield berth against the newly-promoted side could help him to be the creative hub of the team moving forward, and the Premier League’s next Bergkamp.

Like his compatriot, Simons is an incredibly creative and inventive player who can make things out of nothing, but it is now down to him to add the goals and assists to his game to match for the Arsenal man’s legacy and go down as one of Tottenham’s most creative players in their history.

غادر نجم فريق باريس سان جيرمان، أشرف حكيمي، ملعب المباراة الجارية حاليًا ضد فريق بايرن ميونخ، في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويستضيف ملعب “حديقة الأمراء” مباراة فريقي باريس سان جيرمان وبايرن ميونخ، في خضم منافسات الجولة الرابعة من دوري أبطال أوروبا، موسم 2025/26.

وشهدت اللحظات الأخيرة من عمر الشوط الأول، الوقت المحتسب بدلًا من الضائع، تعرض المغربي أشرف حكيمي لإصابة خطيرة بعد تدخل عنيف من لاعب بايرن ميونخ، لويس دياز.

وشوهد لويس دياز وهو يتدخل بقوة على ساق أشرف حكيمي، مما جعل الأخير يغادر الملعب وهو يبكي من قوة الإصابة، فيما تحصل الكولومبي على بطاقة حمراء، بعد تدخل تقنية الفيديو.

وكتب يويفا عبر موقعه الرسمي: “استخدم لاعب بايرن ميونخ رقم 14 القوة المفرطة، ما أدى إلى تدخل عنيف على ساق المنافس، مما عرض سلامة المنافس للخطر بشكل واضح”.

وساعد الطاقم الطبي، أشرف حكيمي، على النهوض وخروجه من الملعب، حيث بدا عاجزًا عن وضع ثقله على قدمه.

وتُعد تلك الضربة هي الثانية لـ باريس سان جيرمان حيث اضطر عثمان ديمبلي إلى مغادرة الملعب، في الدقيقة 25، بسبب الإصابة.

وتشير النتيجة في الوقت الحالي إلى تقدم بايرن ميونخ بهدفين دون رد، حيث سجلهما لويس دياز في الشوط الأول.

وذكرت صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية أنه بينما ينتظر باريس سان جيرمان التقرير الطبي الرسمي، فإن كل الدلائل تشير إلى أن الظهير المغربي تعرض لإصابة بالغة الخطورة، مع اقتراب كأس أمم إفريقيا في ديسمبر المقبل في موطنه. إصابة إشرف حكيمي وطرد لويس دياز في مباراة باريس سان جيرمان وبايرن ميونخ

Liverpool’s unbelievable winning run of form came to a worrying halt at the hands of Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon.

Amazingly, this isn’t the only time this season the Eagles have unnerved Arne Slot’s title-defending Reds, with last campaign’s Premier League winners also coming unstuck against Glasner and Co in a dramatic Community Shield final back in August.

Not even more late heroics could guide the Merseyside outfit to a result on the road, as Federico Chiesa’s 87th-minute equaliser was made redundant by Eddie Nketiah’s heartbreaking winner right at the death.

This will be a bitter pill Liverpool aren’t used to swallowing, but Slot will hope his table-topping side can bounce from this setback at Selhurst Park with confident displays moving forward.

However, plenty more is required from Florian Wirtz and Mohamed Salah moving forward to remain in the Dutchman’s good books.

Wirtz & Salah's worrying performances in numbers

At least Salah has some significant credit in the bank, considering his insane tally of 29 goals and 18 assists last season in the Premier League alone saw Slot’s men romp home to the title.

On the other hand, Wirtz has very little wiggle room when it comes to the rampant criticism heading his direction, with the whopping £116m purchase still yet to pick up a goal or assist for the Reds from seven competitive outings, away from his Community Shield final assist.

Journalist Mark Odgen has openly commented on Wirtz “struggling to make an impact” since swapping the BayArena for Anfield, with one big chance missed at Selhurst Park not helping his dented reputation one bit.

Salah missed two big chances of his own in East London, too, with the out-of-sorts Egyptian now without a goal from open play in the Premier League this season since the opening day 4-2 triumph over AFC Bournemouth.

Yet, in the case of the skilful number 11, you wouldn’t bank against him getting back to his best very soon, even after such a slow start to this campaign. On top of that, Wirtz might just need time to settle before proving to everyone why he cost such an astronomical fee.

Perhaps more worryingly, away from the unsatisfactory duo, there is also another underperformer who has fallen way below his usual standards, so much so that he will now be fearful of being axed from Slot’s first team picture.

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Liverpool had been dancing on a tightrope heading into the Palace loss, having needed a staggering amount of last-minute goals to then inspire late wins.

Off the back of a defeat now finally occurring, Slot could be tempted to shake up his starting lineup for some challenging contests to follow in the Premier League and beyond, with Alexis Mac Allister one face who could drop out of his plans consequently.

On top form, Mac Allister is a shoo-in for the starting XI week in week out, with his five goals and five assists last season in league action very much helping Liverpool clinch a first Premier League triumph under Slot.

His consistent excellence for the Reds has even seen ex-Chelsea star turned pundit Joe Cole label the South American as a “superstar”.

Still, as has been clear with Salah, even Liverpool’s brightest sparks are susceptible to rusty displays, with Mac Allister way off his vibrant and energetic peak at Selhurst Park.

Mac Allister vs Palace

Stat

Mac Allister

Minutes played

64

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

48

Shots

1

Accurate passes

37/42 (88%)

Successful dribbles

0

Interceptions

0

Tackles

0

Total duels won

3/5

Stats by Sofascore

Indeed, when looking at the table above, it’s clear that Mac Allister struggled to match the intensity of Palace livewire Adam Wharton, with the Palace number 20 a standout performer from the middle of the park for Glasner’s men.

On the contrary, his Argentine counterpart failed to complete a single successful dribble, didn’t register a single interception, and failed to hit a single on-target effort at the Palace goal.

This stark drop-off in form – which has seen Mac Allister win just nine of his 21 ground duels in the league so far – has even seen one Reds-based content creator state that the ex-Brighton and Hove Albion man looks a “shadow of himself”, with Liverpool World’s Will Rooney also not holding back when dishing out a low 3/10 post-match rating to the sub-par number ten.

For context, that same post-game rating was handed to central defender Ibrahima Konate who was rather run ragged in London on Saturday afternoon.

Slot will have to seriously consider how many first-team minutes Mac Allister gets moving forward – with Champions League action also about to congest the Reds’ fixture list – with some time out of the starting XI perhaps doing him the world of good in the long run.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Sep 28, 2025