Cristiano Ronaldo has seen it suggested that his 1,000-goal bid is being made easier by rivals that would happily concede in exchange for his shirt.

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• CR7 showing no sign of slowing down at 40
• Intends to reach 1,000 goals before retiring
• Told Saudi Pro League is aiding that cause

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has stated that he intends to reach four figures on the career goal front before giving any thought to retirement. He has surged beyond 920 and is showing no sign of slowing down at 40 years of age.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ronaldo remains a prolific presence for Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Nassr and continues to be selected by Portugal. With domestic and international competition on the agenda, hitting another remarkable milestone is considered to be a distinct possibility.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Teddy Sheringham, who left Manchester United two years prior to Ronaldo’s arrival at Old Trafford in 2003, believes that the all-time great can pull off a notable achievement on the goal front. The ex-England international has, however, asked questions of how difficult defences in the Middle East are making life for CR7.

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  WHAT TEDDY SHERINGHAM SAID

  Sheringham told : “I think Ronaldo will get to 1,000 goals, especially with the league that he's playing in. I think he could probably get to 1,000 goals in the next two seasons. But again, I've talked about it before, it gets harder when you get older as a player. Once you get past that 40th birthday.

  “Then again, he's not going to be getting kicked about all over the place. He has the red carpet rolled out for him every time he steps onto the pitch and the centre-halves that he's playing against are probably saying, Cristiano, let me see what you can do, and you can score a goal so I can applaud you, and get your shirt afterwards.”

Xavi Hernandez said he was too emotionally connected to Barcelona to deliver sustained success during his time at the club.

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Midfield maestro returned to boyhood club as manager in 2021He led the Blaugrana to a title in his first full seasonXavi: "I am open to offers"Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Xavi, who made 767 appearances for the club, took over as Barcelona manager during the 2021 season. While he led Barca to a La Liga title during his first full season, he was sacked last summer after failing to collect any silverware. The former Spain international acknowledged mistakes he made in his final season, but he doesn't regret giving younger players a chance.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

His dismissal came amidst a tumultuous period behind the scenes. During his tenure, several key players, including Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez left as the club continued to grapple with its financial situation. The loss of Busquets was particularly difficult for Xavi, as he admitted he made 'mistakes' in rethinking Barca's style without their playmaker.

WHAT XAVI SAID

In an interview with France Football, Xavi said: "Expectations were extremely high in comparison to my history in coaching at the time. At times, my deep emotional connection to the club may have worked against me.

"I was more emotional than I should have been in certain moments, but this experience has been a valuable lesson in learning for me."

"I chose to play with a midfield that included three attacking players, but it wasn't always the best option.

"Beyond trophies, I feel proud that I trusted a new generation of players: Fermín López, Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsí, Alejandro Balde… These players represent the future of the club."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR XAVI?

Xavi said he planned to take a sabbatical after leaving Barca, but he is now ready to listen to offers, including from other clubs in Spain. "I have nothing concrete on the table," he said. "I am open [to offers]. Why not coach another team in La Liga? I am looking for an exciting project."

It’s been an encouraging but nonetheless up-and-down start to Premier League life for Ipswich Town this season.

Kieran McKenna’s side might still be in the relegation zone due to another defeat yesterday afternoon, but there are undoubtedly reasons to be optimistic for the Tractor Boys.

For example, they have already played four of the traditional big six, beating Tottenham Hotspur before the international break and then claiming a point at home against Manchester United in their first game back.

Moreover, several of the club’s summer signings have started to show that they can hack it in the top flight, including Omari Hutschibson, and based on reports from last month, the powers that be could be about to repeat the trick that landed them the talented 21-year-old in the first place.

Hutchinson's recent form

Now, we know that some of you may point out that Hutchinson first joined Ipswich last summer, but he didn’t put pen to paper on a permanent deal until this summer.

McKenna and Co were understandably impressed by the 21-year-old’s stellar performance on loan, which saw him rack up 11 goals and six assists in 50 appearances, and opted to splash £20m on him in June, which is starting to look like excellent business.

The Redhill-born maestro didn’t start the campaign in the same form he ended the last one in, but the previous few gameweeks have seen him return to the sort of form that convinced the Tractor Boys to sign him in the first place.

Hutchinson’s Ipswich record

Season

23/24

24/25

Appearances

50

13

Goals

11

1

Assists

6

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.34

0.15

All Stats via Transfermarkt

For example, while he didn’t score or provide an assist in the win over Spurs, it felt like everything the team did well flowed through him, leading to the East Anglian Daily Times’ Alex Jones awarding him a 9/10 match rating on the day.

Then, against United, in Ruben Amorim’s first game in charge, the former Blues gem opened his goalscoring account with a spectacular curling effort from outside the box.

On top of being able to make things happen on his own, the left-footer is more than capable of playing in multiple positions and doing so to a good standard.

Last season, McKenna opted to start him more often than not off the right, whereas this season, he’s been playing in the middle and doing so with aplomb.

In all, it would be fair to describe Hutchinson’s transfer to Ipswich as a success, and if reports are to be believed, the club could be looking to repeat it in January.

Ipswich target another young talent

So, to get straight to the point, the player Ipswich could look to repeat their Hutchinson masterclass with is Carney Chukwuemeka.

The link comes from journalist Simon Phillips’ Substack late last month, where he revealed that the Tractor Boys are one of several sides interested in the young talent, who is currently earning £100k-per-week in West London following his £20m move from Aston Villa in 2022.

So then, why would a move for the midfield gem be akin to the transfer of Hutchinson? Well, there is one primary reason, and it’s a big one.

Were McKenna able to get his hands on the 21-year-old, then he’d be another young and highly thought-of talent making his way to Portman Road from Stamford Bridge in as many years, and while he’s not had a great time in West London, he is certainly highly thought of.

For example, talent scout Jacek Kulig described the Eisenstadt-born dynamo as a “top talent” as well as a “superstar in the making” in the summer of 2022 due to his incredible performance for England at the U19 European Championships.

It’s not just scouts that see a future star in the young Englishman either, as his former manager Steven Gerrard described him as possessing “big potential” and, while his time in the dugout didn’t quite go as planned, the former Liverpool legend probably knows a thing or two about midfielders.

Lastly, while he hasn’t been prolific at the senior level just yet, in part due to multiple injury issues, the former Villa prospect was sensational for the club’s junior sides.

For example, in just 26 appearances for the U18s, he scored ten goals and provided eight assists, while in 29 games for the U23s, he scored three goals and provided five assists, which isn’t too bad considering his primary position in his career so far has been central midfield.

Ultimately, it could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, and one that may even raise some eyebrows for how he’s gotten on at Chelsea.

However, there can be no mistake, Chukwuemeka is a serious talent, and based on how well Hutchinson has developed at Ipswich following his move from Chelsea, there’s no reason he couldn’t do the same.

Related Forget Delap: Remarkable Ipswich star must be on Tuchel's England radar

The “remarkable” talent will be vital to Ipswich’s survival this season.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

Com a saída de Felipe Conceição, a Chapecoense apostou na permanência do interino Bolívar para tocar o barco e o time começa a dar sinais de queda de rendimento.

– VEJA A TABELA DA SÉRIE B

Após vencer dois jogos em sequência, o Verdão do Oeste diminuiu o ímpeto e acumula jejum de vitórias, que chega a três partidas.

Para complicar o cenário, na última terça-feira o time catarinense foi derrotado pelo Moto Club e se despediu da Copa do Brasil.

Recuperação

Agora, a equipe de Bolívar e cia terão a chance de amenizar a crise e vencer o Marcílio Dias na rodada final do Campeonato Catarinense.

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Aston Villa return to Premier League action after the international break against Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace in a home clash the Villa Park faithful will hope see their stumbling side return to winning ways.

It’s three losses on the spin now for Unai Emery’s men to start a dire November, with two more fixtures left before the month concludes, and a busy December then looms on the horizon.

The ex-Arsenal boss will have to utilise his full squad during this congested winter fixture period, and the Spaniard has been effective in throwing on late substitutions to change the course of a game, with Jhon Duran a revelation off the bench.

Jhon Duran's form this season

Bagging eight goals from 17 clashes so far this season, many looking on from the outside would anticipate that Duran was a starter week in week out for his West Midlands employers.

However, the Colombian goal machine hasn’t started a single game in the top flight but boasts four strikes to prove how useful he has been as an impact figure late on in tense contests.

His finest moment to date came versus Bayern Munich on that memorable night in the Champions League, with the sharp 20-year-old only on the pitch for nine minutes before getting the better of Manuel Neuer to steer his side to an incredible victory.

Emery will hope he can get more out of his deadly number nine as the season goes on, knowing full well he could have to throw him on from the start of games if there are many tired legs in his camp.

Past this season in isolation, however, the Villa manager could also look to a forgotten man as their next Duran, considering his clinical goalscoring exploits out on loan away from the top-flight club.

Aston Villa's next Jhon Duran

It’s fair to say Villa fans might well have forgotten about Louie Barry’s existence in recent years, with his moments in the first team very infrequent.

Stockport County supporters definitely know his name though, having chanted it regularly this campaign at Edgeley Park as the electric 21-year-old continues to serve up top-drawer performances.

His sixth loan spell in total away from Villa is proving to be his most fruitful one, having fired home many a sumptuous strike this campaign in League One, which included a fierce effort last time out which was enough to overcome Wrexham 1-0.

All in all, Barry has collected 12 goals from 17 appearances, which is a remarkable level of output for a star consistently lining up down the wing for the Hatters instead of in central areas.

Games played

16

Goals scored

11

Assists

1

Scoring frequency

110 mins

Shots per game

2.9

Big chances missed

3

Big chances created

4

Looking at the table above, the young attacker has been lethal for his loan employers in the hustle and bustle of League One action, scoring every 110 minutes on average.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Emery will hope Barry – who was once labelled as an “incredible” talent by Arsenal titan Declan Rice when emerging up the ranks at Villa – can finally explode into life in the senior team after this loan spell is up, having only made one famous first-team appearance to date.

That one-off game did see Barry fire home against Liverpool, and based on his sensational showings at Stockport, he could soon be ready to become an impact player for his boyhood club in a similar vein to fellow youngster Duran.

Aston Villa had the original version of Duran, then Emery sold him for £2m

Aston Villa let this talent slip through the cracks

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 15, 2024

Theekshana’s three wickets gave Sri Lanka hope, but the target was always within the hosts’ reach

Tristan Lavalette15-Feb-2022

Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell added 50 runs for the third wicket•AFP/Getty Images

Australia’s enviable bowling depth was underlined in their comfortable six-wicket victory over beleaguered Sri Lanka in match three, as they clinched the T20I series in Canberra.In a polished performance reminiscent of their T20 World Cup triumph, Australia’s new-look attack without mainstays Pat Cummins and Adam Zampa restricted Sri Lanka to a lowly 121 for 6 with quick Kane Richardson picking up three wickets.Australia’s batting wasn’t nearly as ruthless, but they were never in danger and overhauled the paltry target in the 17th over.Sri Lanka’s bid to stay alive in the series received a massive blow when star allrounder Wanindu Hasaranga was ruled out after earlier in the day testing positive to Covid-19.Australia showcase vaunted bowling depthWith Cummins and Zampa resting, Australia’s fringe bowlers grabbed their opportunities. After being smashed for 44 runs off four overs in match two, Richardson bounced back with two wickets in the third over.Richardson starred in the recent BBL season but was somewhat overshadowed having to prop up wooden spooners Melbourne Renegades. After struggling on Sunday, Richardson showed off his tricks and returned in the 17th over with a clever full-length slower ball to knock over Dinesh Chandimal.He wasn’t alone in making a statement. Much like he does for BBL champion Perth Scorchers, Ashton Agar’s left-arm spin was miserly in the middle overs and he finished with 1 for 14 off four overs. In trademark fashion, the lanky Agar found grip and bounce in his first match for Australia since his sole game at last year’s T20 World Cup against England.While allrounder Daniel Sams didn’t take a wicket, the left-armer bowled accurately and he stole the show with a spectacular diving outfield catch along the ropes.It puts the pressure on quick Mitchell Starc, whose struggles in the T20 format continued with a wicketless effort punctuated by a wild delivery that landed near second slip and flew to the boundary.Sri Lanka’s batting woes continueApart from a stunning late onslaught in match two, Sri Lanka’s batting has barely fired a shot in this series. In a must-win match, Sri Lanka sought an aggressive approach as they blasted 17 runs off the opening two overs in an eye-catching start.But it was fool’s gold with Danushka Gunathilaka’s dismissal attempting a scoop shot triggering a slew of tame dismissals. Having served a seven-day isolation following a positive Covid-19 result, Kusal Mendis’ sluggishness was understandable as he spooned a return catch to Agar.In a major hole at 40 for 4, Sri Lanka were forced to rebuild through Chandimal and Dasun Shanaka. They started slowly before a flurry of late boundaries lifted Sri Lanka, but it wasn’t nearly enough.Once again, they rued a mishmash of a batting effort, which was either manic or stagnant. Tied down mid-innings, Sri Lanka were anchored to the crease and they finished with 56 dot balls which proved costly.Finch and Maxwell steer Australia to victoryWith Steven Smith out with concussion, Australia had a chance to revamp their batting and they pulled a surprise with Agar elevated to open as a pinch-hitter. It didn’t do the trick with Agar, who normally bats at No.7 or 8, falling for 13 to Maheesh Theekshana, who had revived Sri Lanka’s sagging hopes by removing Ben McDermott on the first ball of the innings.Australia’s hopes of an easy chase eroded on a tricky Manuka Oval pitch against a pumped-up Sri Lanka attack, which was further depleted when left-arm quick Numan Thushara limped off with an apparent side strain injury in the fourth over.With skipper Aaron Finch playing cautiously, having posted just one half-century in his prior 14 T20Is, Glenn Maxwell released the pressure with typical flair marked by an outrageous switch-hit six off spinner Jeffrey Vandersay. Maxwell holed out to Theekshana in the 11th over but Sri Lanka’s sloppy fielding made sure there would be no late twist.Finch didn’t quite rediscover his belligerent best but played determinedly in a bid to emerge from his drought. To his chagrin, he couldn’t seal the deal as he fell for 35 but Australia soon wrapped up the series in straight sets.

Ravi Bishnoi overcame a nervy start on debut and then let rip his wrong’uns to give India a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series. He bowled four overs full of wrong’uns, according to ESPNcricinfo’s logs, to help India restrict West Indies to 157 for 7, despite Nicholas Pooran’s half-century.What could’ve been a challenging chase was initially made to look like small fry by Rohit Sharma who hit 40 of the 63 runs India had scored in the powerplay. However, the target looked a whole lot bigger once Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant all fell in quick succession. India were 114 for 4 in the 15th over at that point; they were also sweating over the fitness of Deepak Chahar, who had suffered a blow on his bowling hand while fielding. He didn’t return to bowl his final over.As it turned out, India didn’t need his batting either in the slog overs, with Suryakumar Yadav and Venkatesh Iyer absorbing the pressure and sealing victory.Spotlight on Bishnoi
Bhuvneshwar Kumar found swing in the early exchanges and had Brandon King spooning a catch to backward point for 4. Kyle Mayers, the other opener, however, regularly jumped out of his crease or across his stumps to give West Indies some early impetus. He backed away and laced Bhuvneshwar through the covers before swatting Harshal Patel over backward square leg.Yuzvendra Chahal cut short Mayers’ innings at 31 when he trapped him lbw in the seventh over. Chahal could have struck first ball had Bishnoi not misjudged a skier at the long-off boundary. Bishnoi stepped back on the skirting and ended up conceding a six.Bishnoi was introduced into the attack in the very next over and missed his lines, darting three wides. He hit his rhythm soon after, dismissing both Roston Chase and Rovman Powell in the next over.Chase missed a fizzing wrong’un and was pinned lbw while Powell holed out to long-on. Bishnoi, too, troubled Pooran, keeping him to eight off nine balls against his legbreaks googlies.Ravi Bishnoi earned the Player-of-the-match award on international debut•BCCI

Pooran revives West Indies
Like Bishnoi, Pooran, too, had a scrappy start and was on 17 off 19 balls at one stage. He finally broke free when he clattered a pull over the square-leg boundary off Chahal. Pooran was particularly severe on the legspinner, taking him for 26 off a mere 12 balls, including three sixes. He reached his fifty off 38 balls when he carved Chahal through backward point for four.Kieron Pollard, who had recovered sufficiently from the knee niggle that had forced him out of the last two ODIs, also did his bit, scoring an unbeaten 24 off 19 balls. He had slid down the order to deny India’s wristspinners a favourable match-up. Instead, Akeal Hosein was bumped up to No.6, but he could manage just 10 off 12 balls. Nevertheless, Pooran and Pollard hauled West Indies closer to 160.The storm and the calm
Rohit went on a boundary-hitting spree in the powerplay, using the hardness of the new ball and quickness of the outfield to his advantage. After whipping Romario Shepherd for six and pulling Sheldon Cottrell for four, he cranked up the tempo against Odean Smith, going 4,6,4,6.It was Chase’s offspin that delivered West Indies the breakthrough and slowed down India. He first had Rohit caught at the midwicket boundary before getting Kishan too. Kishan had been the tortoise to Rohit’s hare, labouring to 35 off 42 balls.Kishan’s wicket triggered a mini-collapse as India lost 3 for 21. Chase bowled into the pitch and despite the onset of dew later in the evening, he extracted some turn and bounce to unsettle India. However, the left-arm spinners Hosein and Fabian Allen released all the pressure at the other end.Suryakumar and Venkatesh cashed in, putting on an unbroken 48 off 26 balls and leaving West Indies still searching for their first win on this tour.

Leeds United are back in action once again in the Championship as they prepare to travel to face Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park in the early kick-off.

They are second in the division after Sheffield United’s win over Sunderland on Friday night and a win in Lancashire would see them move back to the top.

Daniel Farke’s side come into this match off the back of a terrific 3-0 win over recently-relegated Luton Town on Wednesday night, thanks to goals from Sam Byram, Joel Piroe, and Dan James.

Despite that superb victory, there is one Leeds star who could be ruthlessly ditched from the starting XI after an underwhelming individual performance – Brenden Aaronson.

Why Brenden Aaronson should be dropped

The USA international started in the number ten position for the Whites but was not directly involved in any of the three goals, as he ended the match with zero goals and zero assists.

Aaronson did not create any ‘big chances’ for his teammates and failed with two of his three attempted dribbles, whilst he also could not find the back of the net with either of his shots.

The former Union Berlin loanee has now gone four matches without a goal contribution to show for his efforts in the Championship, and six matches without one for club and country.

With the likes of Manor Solomon, Gnonto, James, and Largie Ramazani all fit and available for selection, Aaronson may not be able to afford to have multiple matches without any direct contributions, which is why he could be brutally binned from the XI this afternoon.

Chalkboard

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

Farke must now drop the American attacking midfielder from the line-up to unleash James from the start on the right wing, with Gnonto moved into a central position.

Why Dan James should be unleashed

Firstly, the Wales international came off the bench on Wednesday night to score a terrific goal, lifting the ball over the goalkeeper from Jayden Bogle’s ball over the top.

His pace offers Leeds a huge threat in transition, as was evidenced by his contributions against Swansea in the previous match, and that could be a useful weapon against Blackburn today.

In the 4-3 win over the Swans last Sunday, James assisted Solomon and Gnonto for goals, whilst he also provided the cross that Ben Cabango scored an own goal from, essentially creating three of the four goals.

Appearances

11

Starts

7

Goals

3

Big chances created

5

Assists

2

As you can see in the table above, the £50k-per-week wizard has contributed with eight goals and ‘big chances’ created in 11 league games this term, despite only starting seven times.

James, who pundit Sanny Rudravajhala described as “electric” last season, has assisted two, three if you include the own goal, and scored one goal in his last two Championship matches, which shows that he is in-form and thriving at the moment.

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1 ByDan Emery Nov 27, 2024

Whereas, Aaronson has not provided a goal or an assist in his last four starts in the division for Leeds and must be binned from the XI to make room for the former Manchester United forward to start.

They were upbeat yet clinical in the field and with the ball, led by Dean, who got her ODI career-best 4 for 23 in just her second World Cup game

Valkerie Baynes16-Mar-2022Charlie Dean epitomised how England wanted, and needed, to play to secure their first points from four World Cup matches with a four-wicket victory over India.Interviewed between innings after her four wickets had been pivotal in bowling India out for just 134 in 36.2 overs – their lowest total at a World Cup since the 2005 final – Dean told the host broadcaster that she was just excited to be out on the pitch with her team and performing.On the eve of this crucial match for the defending champions, experienced wicketkeeper-batter Amy Jones had emphasised England’s need to overcome two poor fielding displays against West Indies and South Africa but to maintain their enjoyment of the game to avoid wilting under pressure.Against India, they were upbeat yet clinical in the field and with the ball, led by Dean, their rookie offspinner whose ODI career-best 4 for 23 in just her second World Cup game, is the second-best haul of the tournament so far behind Marizanne Kapp’s devastating 5 for 45 against England on Monday.Then an unbeaten half-century by captain Heather Knight saw them home inside 32 overs despite wobbles at either end of the England innings to secure a win which allows them to retain some control over their own destiny as they bid to make the semi-finals with matches against New Zealand, Pakistan and Bangladesh remaining.England stumbled early in the chase, falling to 4 for 2 when Danni Wyatt, who had replaced Lauren Winfield-Hill at the top of the order in the previous game, fell cheaply once more, this time to a sharp catch at slip by Sneh Rana off Meghna Singh in the second over. Tammy Beaumont followed, originally adjudged not out lbw with the bat close to the pad before India’s review revealed that Jhulan Goswami had in fact hit her on the pad first to claim her 250th ODI wicket.Nat Sciver, who fell to a freak slips catch off the back of her bat against South Africa, enjoyed a stroke of luck when she drove at Goswami, deflected onto her pad and the ball rolled into the base of the middle stump with some force but stopped dead without dislodging the bails.Meghna bowled well, sending down 20 dot balls in her four-over opening spell and claiming three wickets in all, but Sciver and Knight put on 65 runs for the third wicket to break the back of the chase before Sciver fell to a simple catch by Goswami off Pooja Vastrakar for 45. By that stage, England were 69 for 3 with 33 overs remaining.After Jones fell to a spectacular catch from Harmanpreet Kaur, backtracking from mid-on and jumping with perfect timing to pull the ball down, Knight set about hauling in the target, helped by a 17-run cameo off 21 balls by Sophia Dunkley, who was caught behind off Meghna with just seven runs needed. Meghna and Richa Ghosh combined again to remove Katherine Brunt as England lost two wickets in the space of three balls but Knight, who had struck eight fours en route to her 53 not out, stood firm and Sophie Ecclestone brought up the winning runs with a four off Meghna.Heather Knight saw her team through with an unbeaten fifty•ICC via Getty ImagesHarmanpreet sent a scare through the India camp when she jarred her knee fielding late in the match but she managed to walk off the ground for further assessment.Earlier, Anya Shrubsole, the heroine of England’s 2017 World Cup final triumph over India, set England on track with two early wickets. Punished for bowling too short in their three-wicket defeat to South Africa, England’s bowlers came in with a clear plan to bowl fuller to the Indian side and their execution ensured that India never really got going amid a steady stream of wickets as they lost a damaging 7 for 73 in the end.Shrubsole claimed her 100th ODI wicket when she removed Yastika Bhatia in the fourth over, tempting a drive with an excellent fuller ball which had a hint of inswing and caught a faint inside edge before clattering into the top of middle stump. Perhaps even more satisfying for England, given their previous poor performances in the field, was Shrubsole’s next wicket as Dunkley took their first chance in the air, diving forwards at cover point to take a strong low catch off Mithali Raj.Sharp run outs by Kate Cross and Sciver to remove Deepti Sharma and Ghosh respectively, rammed home the point that England were a different fielding side in this encounter.Dean entered the attack in the 17th over and made an immediate impact, claiming two wickets in four balls as India slumped to 61 for 5.Dean, who only made her international debut during the home series against New Zealand in September and was playing just her second World Cup game, drew an edge as Harmanpreet defended and was caught behind by Jones. Dean then dismissed Rana for a second-ball duck with a flighted delivery outside off, her invitation to drive accepted and Jones once again collecting behind the stumps.Smriti Mandhana’s 35 was India’s top score but she fell to Ecclestone and, while Vastrakar overturned her lbw dismissal off Dean when ball-tracking revealed the impact was outside off, Dean responded two balls later by tightening her line on a flatter delivery as Vastrakar failed to connect on her sweep and was struck in front of off stump. She decided to review again with barely a second to spare only to have umpire Paul Wilson’s decision confirmed.Goswami and Ghosh tried to rescue their team, Goswami launching a six down the ground off Cross, but their union ended on 37 with Ghosh’s run out, with replays showing her bat was still in the air as Sciver’s throw hit. Goswami fell a short time later, and Dean finished off the innings by bowling Meghna.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has revealed why Dan Ashworth last just five months at Manchester United and admitted a new deal for Erik ten Hag was a mistake.

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Ashworth left Man Utd after matter of monthsRatcliffe says there was a lack of "chemistry"Admits to mistakes on Ashworth and Ten HagFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Ashworth left Old Trafford last December after just five months in his sporting director role. Now, United minority owner Ratcliffe has lifted the lid on his departure and that he made a "mistake" extending former manager Erik ten Hag's contract last summer.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT SIR JIM RATCLIFFE SAID

He told The Telegraph: “They were just mistakes. The Erik thing is slightly mitigating. There was quite a lot of debate about that time. He had just won a Cup final. The fans were clearly of the view that we’d like to stick with him and all that sort of stuff. They were both mistakes. I don’t think we can say much more than that. It’s a journey and there’s a lot of decisions that we have to make over the course of the journey and we’re not going to get them all right. I don’t think in the future we’ll get them all right either because we’re not perfect.”

On Ashworth, he added: “We’re talking about our old industry [with Ineos]. I think we just have to say, ‘chemistry’. Really, I don’t want to go down that [road]. It is what it is, and it was our fault.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

United are in a state of turmoil at present, with the club sitting 14th in the Premier League, widespread redundancies have occurred and fans are stepping up protests against the Red Devils' ownership. The fact that United chased Ashworth from Newcastle United for months, only to get rid of him soon and at great expense after is not a good look.

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Ruben Amorim's United will hope for some good news when they host Real Sociedad in the last-16 of the Europa League on Thursday. The tie is level at 1-1 after the first leg in Spain.