Two interruptions, one hugely unusual and the other rather more routine, brought Sunday night’s T20I between India and South Africa in Guwahati to brief standstills.The first took place at the end of the seventh over of India’s innings, when ground staff hurried onto the field to remove an unwelcome visitor: a snake making its way around the Barsapara Stadium’s outfield. According to a PTI report, the snake “came out of nowhere from a small unnoticed pit to scare Wayne Parnell at the extra cover region. It then slithered into the square leg region.”Related

• Pieces shuffle into place in India's batting jigsaw

• Sorry for the inconvenience

• Beards plunged into the dark

• SLC apologises for floodlight failure

• Cobra stops play

There were no further interruptions in India’s innings after the ground staff whisked away the reptilian intruder, and the hosts ran away to a total of 237 for 3, their fourth-highest in all T20Is.Then, in the third over of South Africa’s chase, the players went off the field after one of the stadium’s floodlight towers went off. Play was held up for just under ten minutes before the lights came back on.Floodlight failures have been a common occurrence in cricket matches around the world – among other places, they’ve happened in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Australia and South Africa.Snake-related interruptions have been rarer, but not unknown. A cobra stopped play during an England tour match in Colombo in 2013, for instance, and a red-bellied black snake held up play for 20 minutes during an Under-17 game in Blacktown, near Sydney, in 2009 – read all about that incident, as well as stoppages caused by bees, hedgehogs and… erm, burnt toast, here.

MatériaMais Notícias

A torcida fez a parte dela e lotou São Januário, porém o Vasco não conseguiu ser efetivo e empatou com o Grêmio por 0 a 0, nesta quinta-feira, pela 10ª rodada da Série B do Brasileiro.Na saída de campo, o lateral-esquerdo Edimar elogiou a festa e o apoio dos torcedores cruz-maltinos e ressaltou que a equipe se precipitou em algumas jogadas e por isso não conseguiu sair com os três pontos.

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– O torcedor tem sido fundamental para a gente ter dado essa arrancada no campeonato. Hoje nós sabíamos que seria um jogo definido no detalhe. Acredito que nos precipitamos em algumas jogadas, poderíamos ter definido melhor e até sair com a vitória. Mas a torcida está de parabéns pela festa que tem feito e nós temos nos empenhado ao máximo para que neste ano a gente possa colocar o Vasco na primeira divisão novamente – disse o jogador.

+ Confira e simule a tabela da Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro
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Com a igualdade no placar, o Gigante da Colina segue entre os quatro primeiros da competição com 18 pontos, porém perdeu a vice-liderança para o Sport e pode cair para o quarto lugar. O Bahia, que encara o Criciúma ainda nesta rodada, pode ultrapassar os cariocas. A diferença para o líder Cruzeiro também pode aumentar, visto que a Raposa também ainda joga contra o Operário (PR).

+ATUAÇÕES: Palacios entra bem e acerta o travessão; Getúlio recebe a menor nota no empate do Vasco

O próximo compromisso do Vasco será na terça-feira, às 19h, contra o Náutico, no Estádio dos Aflitos. O jogo será válido pela décima primeira rodada da Série B.

Blackburn Rovers have sought to distance themselves from Wayne Rooney, with the Championship outfit unaware of how those rumours started.

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• Questions being asked of Ismael's future
• Talk of ex-England star taking the reins
• Has flopped at Birmingham and Plymouth

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Talk of managerial change at Ewood Park is doing the rounds again as the former Premier League champions appear set to miss out on a place in the Championship play-offs. They have spent much of the 2024-25 campaign in and around the top six.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  With another campaign of second tier football beckoning, there has been speculation to suggest that head coach Valerien Ismael will soon be relieved of his duties despite only taking the reins in February.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Manchester United legend Rooney, who has flopped in his last two roles at Birmingham City and Plymouth Argyle, has seen a return to the dugout mooted as Blackburn supposedly begin their search for a new boss.

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  WHAT BLACKBURN CHIEF SAID

  Rovers’ head of football operations has, however, rubbished gossip that lacks any substance, with Rudy Gestede telling the : “We cannot control the media. That’s their job to try to give information around. I don’t know if it’s from an agent or Wayne Rooney himself, I don’t think so, but you never know. It’s never been the plan.

  “We are happy with Valerien, we want to give him time. We chose him because of the project, and it doesn’t make sense to make a decision now.

  “Valerien has just started, and we have been losing games, and the media said we were losing games because he had his hands in his pocket and he wasn’t showing emotions, and that’s why the players weren’t performing at their best. Now we are winning games, he still has his hands in his pockets, so what can they say about this now?”

Liverpool are believed to have “serious interest” in signing a Premier League player this summer, but it could be an odd move for the Reds going by their usual scouting criteria.

Liverpool plan for summer after another quiet transfer window

The January transfer window has ended with the Reds making no new signings, which may cause an element of frustration among the fanbase, especially following a relatively quiet time of things in the summer, too.

Arne Slot can look at both the Premier League and Champions League tables and argue why he doesn’t need reinforcements, but that hasn’t stopped Liverpool being linked with fresh faces for future moves, with Lyon youngster Rayan Cherki one such player who has been mentioned as an option for the Merseysiders.

Meanwhile, Red Star Belgrade teenager Andrija Maksimovic has also been mentioned as an option for the Reds of late, being looked at as a long-term signing, considering he is still only 17 years of age. In fact, Liverpool are even thought to have made a bid last month.

There is of course also the threat of all three of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold walking out the Anfield exit door this summer, which would require a massive overhaul, and the Reds’ top centre-back target if Van Dijk goes has been revealed.

Liverpool have "serious interest" in 6-foot centre-back

According to a new report from Caught Offside, Liverpool have “serious interest” in signing Nottingham Forest centre-back Murillo this summer and the player is open to joining if a fee can be agreed.

On that note, the 22-year-old’s current club are demanding £80m for his services, which would be a full circle moment given the report touts him as a replacement for £75m man Van Dijk, should the legendary Dutchman not sign a new deal and depart on a free transfer at the end of the campaign.

Murillo has undoubtedly played a key role in Forest enjoying such an impressive season, impressing at the heart of the defence and being lauded by Kenny Cunningham, who has said of him in the past: “We’ve spoken about him after three of four of these Forest performances and it’s amazing, I think he’s only six foot, maybe six one, he’s wide, he’s so confident and you really feel like he’s got a strong personality.”

Murillo doesn’t feel like the right fit for Liverpool, however, which would arguably make signing him a bizarre decision by the Premier League leaders. Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate were signed because of both their aerial dominance and ability on the ball, and the statistics show that the Reds pair are far superior to the Forest man, as the below table highlights.

Premier League stats 2024/25	Murillo	Van Dijk	Konate
Appearances	23	23	17
Aerial duel wins per game	1.0	3.0	2.8
Pass completion rate	79.3%	91.9%	89.9%

Murillo is also in the bottom five percentile for aerial duels won when compared across the big five leagues, according to FBref, as well as the bottom two percentile for passing accuracy, so this could feel like fitting a square peg into a round hole given how Michael Edwards has scouted defenders in the past.

Dream transfer today: Liverpool could sign their own Palmer for £20m

Liverpool would romp home to the Premier League title in even more style with this late purchase.

1

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Feb 3, 2025

Forest’s style of play is very different to Liverpool’s, and while it is easy to look at his performances and be excited about him joining the Reds, he doesn’t feel like the right fit.

Frank Lampard will draw on his Chelsea experience as he aims to steer Coventry into the play-offs against Michael Carrick's Middlesbrough on Saturday.

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• Lampard's Coventry set for play-off showdown
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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Lampard's side sit sixth in the league table heading into the final day, knowing that a win over Boro will seal their top-six spot. The Coventry boss has extensive experience as a player and manager, which he says he will be using to his advantage in a huge clash.

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  WHAT LAMPARD SAID

  Lampard said: "I had similar at Chelsea where we needed to win on the final day to make the Champions League and we got that done. There will be a lot of emotion, but as a manager of the club you're the one that has to try and stay as cool as you can."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Michael Carrick's Middlesbrough would overtake Coventry with a win at the CBS Arena, though that would not guarantee them a play-off spot, with Millwall and Blackburn also in the mix. Lampard played with Carrick for West Ham and England, while they were on either side of a Manchester United and Chelsea rivalry in the 2000s.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LAMPARD AND CARRICK?

  Sheffield United and Sunderland are waiting in the Championship play-offs, while Bristol City are the likeliest club to also make the cut. The Championship play-off final takes place on May 24 at Wembley.

تحدث المدير الفني لفريق مانشستر يونايتد، روبن أموريم، عن مستقبل اللاعب برونو فرنانديز بعد ارتباطه في اليومين الماضيين بخطوة الرحيل والانتقال إلى الدوري السعودي.

وسبق ارتباط برونو فرنانديز بإمكانية مغادرة صفوف مانشستر يونايتد والانتقال إلى الدوري السعودي للمحترفين.

وظهرت تقارير صحفية أمس تفيد أن الهلال يتطلع إلى ضم البرتغالي مقابل صفقة ضخمة، مع العلم أن هناك محادثات بالفعل مع وكيل أعماله (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

وخاض مانشستر يونايتد، بمشاركة برونو فرنانديز، مباراة ودية أمس أمام هونج كونج.

وسُئل روبن أموريم عما إذا كانت تلك هي المباراة الأخيرة لـ برونو مع مانشستر يونايتد، حيث رد في تصريحات نشرها الموقع الرسمي للنادي: “لا أعتقد ذلك، لست متأكدًا، لا أحد يعلم، ولكنني لا أعتقد ذلك”.

وأضاف: “لقد رأى أننا نتخذ بعض الإجراءات لتغيير كل شيء، أعتقد أن هذا كل ما يطلبه، أعتقد أنه يريد البقاء، إنه يرفض الكثير من الأمور لكنه يريد الفوز، إنه لاعب جيد حقًا ويحتاج إلى اللعب في أفضل دوري في العالم”.

وعن مدى قدرة النادي على رفض عرض مغرِ لضم برونو فرنانديز، قال: “نعم، يمكننا إيجاد طريقة أخرى لكسب المال”.

وواصل: “أنا المدرب، أحيانًا يكون القرار للاعب، بكل تأكيد أتحدث معه، أشرح له الأمور، لدي ذلك الشعور، عندما تتحدث مع شخص ما، تشعر بأنه يريد البقاء”.

واختتم: “كان يشعر بالإحباط الشديد بعد العديد من المباريات هذا الموسم لكنه يعرف ما نفعله، الشعور الذي ينتابني في كل مرة أتحدث معه هو أنه يرغب في الاستمرار مع مانشستر يونايتد، بالتأكيد، ولكن من يدري!”.

Arsenal are expecting to strike another summer deal after their rumoured attempts to reach a pre-agreement over signing Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, with the Gunners seemingly trying to back Mikel Arteta ahead of time.

Arsenal hope to have Zubimendi deal pre-agreed before summer

During the January window, a report by The Daily Mail broke news that Arsenal were advancing in talks over a pre-summer deal for Zubimendi, as they plan to trigger the £50 million release clause in his Sociedad contract.

Arsenal now "most likely" team to sign £33m forward, Arteta loves his pace

The Spaniard is a big admirer of his attributes.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Feb 8, 2025

This was later reinforced by other reliable media sources, like renowned transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, who shared news of “positive talks” between Zubimendi’s entourage and Arsenal ahead of the summer window.

Since then, The Athletic have reiterated that Arsenal hope to have a deal for Zubimendi agreed before the summer window opens, so this transfer is very much alive as Arteta’s side hunt for a world-class heir to the likes of Jorginho and Thomas Partey – who are both nearing the end of their contracts.

Leicester City (away)

February 15th

West Ham (home)

February 22nd

Nottingham Forest (away)

February 26th

Man United (away)

March 9th

Chelsea (home)

March 16th

While other clubs could still come into the mix and present tempting of proposals of their own for the Spain international, it appears Arsenal have laid the most groundwork and are looking to win the race very early doors.

Zubimendi, a boyhood Sociedad supporter, has been pivotal for the La Liga side – and his affection for the club means that negotiations on his side may not be as straightforward as triggering his exit clause.

Nevertheless, Arsenal are looking to Spain for reinforcements, with Espanyol keeper Joan Garcia still firmly on their radar.

The shot-stopper played a starring role in their push for promotion from the Segunda División last season, and has continued to impress in La Liga, with members of the Spanish press believing he looks “world-class” already.

Garcia agreed personal terms with Arsenal last summer, but they couldn’t find a club-to-club agreement via Espanyol, forcing them to settle on a season-long loan deal for another David Raya back-up option in Neto.

Arsenal expecting to sign Joan Garcia after Martin Zubimendi

Now, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, writing for Football Insider, the north Londoners are very confident they’ll seal their second summer deal after Zubimendi with a swoop for Garcia.

Arsenal expect to finally land Garcia in the summer, once they’ve put pen to paper on Zubimendi’s signing, and the 23-year-old’s contract is also thought to include a release clause set at around £21 million.

There is apparently real optimism at the Emirates they’ll shake hands with Espanyol on an agreement for Garcia, and it is clear why they’re so keen on the young keeper.

He’s played every La Liga minute for the newly-promoted Spaniards this season, keeping three clean sheets, with Garcia standing out as an option for both now and for the very long-term.

Saurashtra are looking for their second 50-over title, while Maharashtra are in the final for the first time

Shashank Kishore01-Dec-2022Big PictureSaurashtra’s previous Vijay Hazare Trophy success came in the pre-IPL era, around the time Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravindra Jadeja were beginning to make a mark in domestic cricket following their success at the India Under-19 level.Current captain Jaydev Unadkat, who hails from Porbandar, a town remembered by history as the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, was inspired by their heroics as he took to cricket. Both Pujara and Unadkat would make their Test debut two years after that Hazare triumph to put Saurashtra firmly on Indian cricket’s map.Related

Gaikwad smashes List A record with seven sixes in 43-run over

Maharashtra to take on Saurashtra in Vijay Hazare Trophy final

Pujara and Jadeja have gone on to have stellar India careers and Unadkat has established himself as a bona-fide domestic legend, spearheading a revolution in Saurashtra. In 2020, they won their maiden Ranji title with Unadkat picking up 67 wickets in the season, one short of the all-time record. It was the result of several years of trying and being blown away at the final hurdle, most notably twice against Mumbai.When red-ball success was achieved, Saurashtra decided to rewrite their white-ball template. A team that didn’t have a full-time fitness trainer until the start of this season vowed to become better tuned to the one-day game. Players who would take the safe option were told to be bold, while receiving unequivocal backing.Where teams struggle to have one seam bowling allrounder, Saurashtra have unearthed and nurtured two – Prerak Mankad and Chirag Jani. Unadkat too has reinvented himself as a handy lower-order hitter. In between, they’ve helped wicketkeeper Harvik Desai, who played a crucial part in India’s Under-19 World Cup win in 2018, by backing him ahead of some tried and tested options. On top of all that, Sheldon Jackson is back.Saurashtra were unlucky at the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s, where they dominated the group phase before enduring a final-over heartbreak against Mumbai in the quarter-finals. Here, in the 50-over tournament, they have set the record straight, comprehensively beating two white-ball giants Tamil Nadu and Karnataka in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively.Standing in their way is Maharashtra, fuelled by Ruturaj Gaikwad’s glut of runs and their itch to win a maiden List A title. They may be in uncharted territory, but Maharashtra are riding a wave of confidence like never before, overcoming stiff competition from Mumbai and Bengal to come through the group stage unscathed.File photo – Ruturaj Gaikwad comes into the final in red hot form•Maharashtra Cricket AssociationWhere Saurashtra have had different players step up and deliver, Maharashtra have relied almost solely on Gaikwad and Ankit Bawne’s power-packed show at the top of the order. Bawne has hit 571 runs in eight innings. Gaikwad is a shade behind with 552 in just four games, including a record-breaking 220* where he hit seven sixes in a single over. They are third and fourth on the top run-getters list this season.Like Saurashtra, Maharashtra too are punting big on a young allrounder – Rajvardhan Hangargekar. A success story from India’s Under-19 World Cup campaign, the 20-year-old brings with him the heady cocktail of lively pace and big muscles lower down the order. These have translated into two impact performances in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, apart from winning a game out of nowhere in the group stage when he hit the six Maharashtra needed off the last ball against Bengal.On Friday, one of them will walk away champions. If Saurashtra do, it will be another step towards becoming a formidable force across formats. If Maharashtra win, it’ll be the first step towards a larger goal of reclaiming their glory days of the past.Form guideSaurashtra WWLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Maharashtra WWWWWIn the spotlightSheldon Jackson has had a disappointing tournament by his standards. In nine innings, he’s managed all of 164 runs with a solitary half-century. He’s also been released from his IPL contract by Kolkata Knight Riders. With franchises keeping a close eye on the action, it’s a chance for him to once again prove that even at 36 he has what it takes. Oh, and the India selectors, whom he’s been sounding out time and again, will be watching too.Left-arm swing bowler Mukesh Choudhary has had a breakthrough year. Having made waves in the IPL under MS Dhoni at Chennai Super Kings, he would’ve been expected to spearhead the Maharashtra attack with some degree of success. That hasn’t been the case so for – he has only six wickets in six matches – but the final is another chance for him to deliver a knockout blow.File photo – Sheldon Jackson has had a disappointing campaign so far•PTI Team newsPujara, who was available for the group stage, won’t be playing the final. He’s with the India A team in Bangladesh preparing for a Test series. Saurashtra also won’t have the services of left-arm seamer Chetan Sakariya, who is nursing a finger injury he picked up in the quarter-finals against Tamil Nadu.Saurashtra (probable): 1 Harvik Desai (wk), 2 Sheldon Jackson, 3 Jay Gohil, 4 Samarth Vyas, 5 Prerak Mankad, 6 Arpit Vasavada, 7 Chirag Jani, 8 Jaydev Unadkat (capt), 9 Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, 10 Parth Bhuth, 11 Kushang PatelMaharashtra, meanwhile, won’t have the services of Rahul Tripathi, who is also away on national duty. He is one of two uncapped players part of India’s ODI squad for the three-match series in Bangladesh beginning December 4.Maharashtra (probable): 1 Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), 2 Pavan Shah, 3 Satyajeet Bachchav, 4 Ankit Bawne, 5 Azim Kazi, 6 Rajvardhan Hangargekar, 7 Kaushal Tambe, 8 Shamshuzama Kazi, 9 Saurabh Nawale (wk), 10 Mukesh Choudhary, 11 Manoj IngalePitch and conditionsWith the match beginning at 9 am, the team winning the toss could claim the advantage of bowling on a moisture-laden surface. A red-soil strip will also aid good bounce and carry. It’s all set up for a fascinating contest between a fantastic Saurashtra seam-attack and a marauding Maharashtra batting line-up.Stats and trivia When Gaikwad and Bawne hit their 11th Vijay Hazare Trophy century in the semi-final against Assam, they equalled Robin Uthappa’s tally for most centuries in the tournament’s history. Saurashtra have conceded an opening stand in excess of 35 just once in nine innings this tournament – the 214 against Hyderabad in the group phase.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Arsenal anunciou a contratação de Marquinhos, cria da base do São Paulo, na manhã desta segunda-feira (13). O Tricolor paulista conseguiu um acordo deR$ 18 milhões pela venda do jogador de 19 anos.

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>ATUAÇÕES: Mesmo com pressão, Jandrei salva e Patrick garante vitória do São Paulo

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> Veja tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro e simule os próximos jogos

Mesmo com contrato até 2024, a cria de Cotia tinha um problema. O vínculo de cinco anos foi assinado quando Marquinhos tinha apenas 16 anos. Porém, a Fifa restringe os contratos com menores de idade a somente três anos. Por este motivo, sua transferência foi aceita por um valor menor que o esperado. Havia o risco da rescisão ser feita sem gerar lucro algum para o Tricolor.

A equipe inglesa publicou em suas redes sociais a anunciação oficial do jogador. Nas categorias de base do São Paulo desde o sub-16 e na equipe profissional desde o último ano, Marquinhos deve viajar para Londres nas próximas semanas para começar sua pré-temporada junto aos novos companheiros de equipe.

O diretor técnico do Arsenal, Edu Gaspar, falou sobre a chegada do jogador.

– Estamos muito satisfeitos por ter concluído a transferência com o São Paulo, já que Marquinhos era um jogador que vínhamos assistindo há algum tempo. Aos 19 anos, ele ainda é muito jovem, então é um jogador para o futuro. Estamos ansiosos para que Marquinhos se junte a nós para a pré-temporada, fazendo sua nova casa e continuando a crescer e se desenvolver conosco – disse.

Veja a postagem oficial:

Welcome, Marquinhos 🙌

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) June 13, 2022