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It wasn’t necessarily pretty, but Arsenal did what they needed to against Brentford.

Following a brutal run of fixtures that ended in a trip to Chelsea on Sunday, Mikel Arteta’s side had the tough task of hosting Keith Andrews’ Bees in a midweek Premier League fixture on Wednesday night.

Fortunately, despite looking a little underpar in the second half and losing another defender to injury in Cristhian Mosquera, the hosts came away with all three points, restoring their five-point lead over Manchester City.

While it wasn’t a classic performance, a few Arsenal players put in a good showing, though a couple probably played themselves out of the team as well.

Arsenal's best players vs Brentford

When it comes to those Arsenal players who really stood out for the right reasons on Wednesday night, it’s impossible to look past Ben White.

After all, the right-back was named the Player of the Match by Sky Sports, and it was entirely deserved.

On top of maintaining Jurrien Timber’s defensive solidity at the back, the Englishman reminded fans just how useful he can be in attack, and, in the words of one content creator, put in an “absolute vintage” performance.

The former Brighton & Hove Albion star ended the game having taken 86 touches, playing two key passes and creating one big chance, which led to Mikel Merino’s opener.

Speaking of the Spaniard, he was another starter who put in a brilliant account of himself.

The former Real Sociedad star might not be the most pleasing of players to watch, and can certainly misplace a pass, but he has become irrefutably efficient in 2025.

On top of scoring his goal, he also played the ball into Bukayo Saka, which led to the all-important second goal.

Next up, Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori deserve to be singled out for their performances.

Like White, the latter perfectly married up his defensive and attacking duties, ending the game with four recoveries, three clearances, and one interception, as well as taking two shots on target and completing two dribbles. When it comes to the Englishman, what more is there to say about him?

It was another match in which he was here, there and everywhere, doing all the dirty work, while still finding time to get forward, take three shots and play three key passes – fans will be hoping it was only fatigue that forced him off at the end.

Finally, Noni Madueke and David Raya deserve some plaudits; the former for his direct play that led to the opener, and the latter for his incredible save in the first half.

With all that said, there were two Arsenal players who were underwhelming against Brentford and should be dropped from the side.

The Arsenal stars who didn't play well

It feels harsh to single out players after a win, but the standard at Arsenal is so high now that anyone who doesn’t reach it stands out like a sore thumb.

Chalkboard

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

To some extent, that was the case with Martin Odegaard against Brentford.

Now, it was the captain’s first start since returning from injury, so it’s not exactly surprising, but he was frustrating throughout the match and warrants being dropped for Saturday.

For example, in his 96 minutes of action, the Norwegian failed to create a single big chance, failed in 100% of his dribbles, lost six of seven duels, misplaced 100% of his crosses and failed to register a shot on target.

It was not the performance Arteta would have wanted from what was his most creative midfielder in the starting lineup, and more than justifies the 5/10 match rating he received from the Express’ Tom Parsons.

Odegaard wasn’t the only starter who played himself out of the side, though, as the same thing could be said about Gabriel Martinelli.

The Brazilian was handed his second start on the bounce in Leandro Trossard’s absence, but as was the case on Sunday, he only showed why he might be better suited as an impact player.

For much of his time on the pitch, the former Ituano gem was anonymous, and then, when he did get a chance to make a difference, like the chance towards the end of the first half, he fluffed his lines.

He didn’t impress Parsons either, who also gave him a 5/10 match rating, writing that he ‘lacked an end product and will be concerned about keeping his place in the coming weeks.’

That might sound harsh, but it’s backed up by the statistics, as in his 61 minutes of relative inaction, he registered a combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.10, failed to register a shot on target, took 34 touches – 18 fewer than Raya -, failed in 50% of his dribbles and 100% of his crosses.

Ultimately, Wednesday night was largely positive for Arsenal, but, like Odegaard, Martinelli should be dropped for the game against Aston Villa at the weekend.

Mikel Arteta says "very powerful" Arsenal star has took him completely by surprise

He wasn’t expecting it.

By
Emilio Galantini

Dec 3, 2025

Father's Day usually brings out the generous side of children who want to show their appreciation to their dads for being good parents. That proved true for Torey Lovullo's son, who found the perfect way to pay tribute to the Arizona Diamondbacks manager on Sunday.

Just a month ago, Lovullo made headlines for hilariously turning the tables on an MLB officiating crew and signaling that he was ejecting every ump on the field following a controversial call. Lovullo's son, Nick, is the manager of the South Bend Cubs, a High-A minor league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, and he apparently took a page out of his dad's UNO reverse playbook during Sunday's game against the Fort Wayne TinCaps.

Torey shared that his son called him to wish him a Happy Father's Day and revealed the comical surprise Nick had in store for him on this special day:

"[Nick] got thrown outta the game. He's like, 'Hey dad, wanted to say Happy Father's Day. I did this one for you. I copied you and threw every umpire out of the game today,'" Lovullo said.

What a priceless moment.

You can watch Nick do his very best impression of his dad in the video below:

Happy Father's Day to all who celebrate.

Virgil van Dijk believes his Liverpool team-mates are "letting the manager and ourselves down" following their humbling 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest. The Reds went down to their sixth loss in their last seven games as Arne Slot's team slumped to 11th in the Premier League. Now, an "angry" Van Dijk has called on his side to get themselves out of this "mess".

• Liverpool woes continue

  Liverpool's weaknesses were ruthlessly exposed by Forest at Anfield on Saturday, leading some to question whether manager Arne Slot is the right man to take this club forward. But Van Dijk asserted that the Reds have a weak underbelly after conceding their 20th goal in 11 league games this season. 

  The Netherlands international told Premier League Productions: "We concede too many easy goals. They scored obviously from a set piece again. You can ask if he was in front of Alisson, but it counted, so we're 1-0 down. We were not good in terms of battles, challenges, the fight, too rushed. It's a very difficult situation at the moment. There was nervousness after we conceded, but not before. We tried to rush things and that's human when you're in a difficult moment. We cleared the ones before and in the end, we're in a very difficult moment. We don't get out of it by just speaking about it. It will take a lot of hard work."

  The captain, however, is positive that they can get back to winning ways but it will not be easy.

  "It's a problem. Everyone in the team has to take responsibility as well. Football is a team and everyone has to take responsibility. We have to digest this and take it on the chin. We need to work harder. We have to keep going," he added. "Everyone is disappointed, like they should be, because losing at home to Nottingham Forest is, in my eyes, very bad. That's the least I can say about it. Those goals we conceded are far too easy and we all have to look in the mirror. I've been at this club so long now and we've been through adversity. We will bounce back but it doesn't happen overnight. I'm not a quitter and we will keep going." 

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  Van Dijk wants accountability

  The 34-year-old said it is unacceptable for the Premier League defending champions to be in this situation. He also pointed the finger of blame at the players rather than Slot.

  "You should be angry and the main thing for me is that everyone has to take responsibility," he said. "It’s not easy during difficult times but we have to do it if we want to get out of this. We’re definitely letting the manager down, but we’ve let ourselves down as well. At the moment it is a mess – that’s just a fact. As the champions we can’t be in the situation we are in right now. What are we going to do about it? We’re going to try to turn it around and that’s the mentality everyone should have."

• 'I'm not a quitter'

  The former Southampton man believed that after a good start from Liverpool against Forest, they went into "panic" mode after Murillo's opener. Van Dijk also insisted he is ready for this fight they are in but a lot needs to change.

  "The first half an hour was good. We created opportunities. We had moments where two or three times there were crosses in front of (Matz) Sels for a tap-in. Macca (Alexis Mac Allister) had a shot which was well blocked. We were a threat. But then we conceded from a set-piece and panic kicks in," said the centre-back. "As a team, you have to try to stay calm and do the right things. But we didn’t do that and that’s hard to accept. We were nervous in the way we played. We were trying to force things. The way we started the second half was just unacceptable. You have to find the calmness to create chances and be clinical in front of goal. But we didn’t do that and Forest were also physically winning so many battles against us. We’re having a season with so much inconsistency. We are conceding far too many goals. We had a good couple of days in terms of the sessions preparing for this game. We had good meetings too. But at the end of the day it’s about what you show on the pitch. I’m not a quitter. I will never quit. I will keep going but it doesn’t mean it isn’t tough to take."

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  What comes next for Liverpool?

  While things look bleak for Liverpool, manager Slot is confident they can reignite their season, while a former Reds player believes that his job at Anfield is not under threat. And they have a chance to move on from this latest setback quickly when they entertain PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League in midweek.

MatériaMais Notícias

Restando apenas uma rodada para o término do campeonato, o Palmeiras está com duas mãos na taça do Brasileirão muito pela grande vantagem que possui em relação aos seus dois concorrentes no critério de desempate: o saldo de gols.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Verdão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Palmeiras

Melhor ataque do Brasileirão, com 63 gols marcados, o Verdão tem oito gols a mais do que o Atlético-MG e 16 gols a mais do que o Flamengo, o que dá uma tranquilidade na torcida, que já celebra o 12º título brasileiro.

Para a taça escapar, o Verdão teria que perder por um placar elástico para o Cruzeiro e o Galo golear o desesperado Bahia, em Salvador, dois cenários bem improváveis de acontecer.

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O Lance! listou todos os gols do Verdão no campeonato e mostra quais foram os times que mais sofreram gols do Verdão neste Brasileirão.

➡️Confira a classificação do Campeonato Brasileiro

Se for contar o saldo, o rival São Paulo é o clube que mais contribuiu para a vantagem atual do Palmeiras na tabela, uma vez que o Verdão aplicou uma diferença de sete gols contando os dois jogos diante do time de Dorival Júnior no campeonato.

Confere aí:

América-MG: 8 gols

São Paulo: 7 gols

Goiás: 6 gols

Coritiba e Fortaleza: 5 gols

Cuiabá, Grêmio e Botafogo: 4 gols

Vasco, Athletico-PR e Internacional: 3 gols

Corinthians e Bragantino: 2 gols

Santos, Atlético-MG, Bahia, Flamengo e Cruzeiro: 1 gol

Matt Renshaw continued his return to runs by producing a swashbuckling century for Australia A but couldn’t prevent them falling to a 51-run defeat.Renshaw hit 106 from 75 balls for the hosts in Darwin on Sunday as Australia A lost 8 for 65 to be all out for 243 in reply to the visitors’ 294 for 7. His century included nine boundaries and two sixes, coming after he also hit 80 in an emphatic win on Friday.Renshaw drove powerfully against the spinners, hitting Dushan Hemantha inside-out over cover for a six and plundering several boundaries through the region.Related

• Renshaw and Sangha to captain Australia A against Sri Lanka A

• McSweeney, Renshaw and Peake star in big Australia A win

He brought up his century off 70 balls when he worked Mohamed Shiraz to the the fine-leg boundary, before holing out in the deep off Hematha shortly after.After initially being considered one of the country’s most conservative batters, Renshaw has risen to power in the white-ball game in recent years.South Australia’s Liam Scott also contributed, making 53 before the Australia A tail fell apart and pace bowler Pramod Madushan finished with 4 for 37.Madushan, who has played 17 white-ball internationals, started the collapse by having Scott caught off a top-edged pull then had Nathan McSweeney dragging on.Earlier, Australia A’s bowlers struggled to make inroads with Jack Nisbet finishing with 2 for 58 from his 10 overs and Sam Elliott 2 for 30 off three overs. Renshaw’s offspin also came in handy as he took 1 for 31 from eight overs.Sri Lanka’s innings was built around Nuwanidu Fernando’s stylish 82 from 90 balls, laced with two sixes and five fours. And opener Lasith Croospulle also struck a half-century, hitting two sixes in his 63 from 70 deliveries.

Even in a field as competitive as Formula 1, drivers still have time to support their favourite football teams. Some drivers are more passionate than others when it comes to supporting their clubs, with others only recently being introduced to the beautiful game.

Here, we’ve listed every favourite football team, from Arsenal to Bristol City, for each driver on the 2025 roster with such affiliations, though it’s clear that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, so only a selection feature.

F1 driver

Favourite team

Fernando Alonso

Real Madrid

Kimi Antonelli

Bologna

Franco Colapinto

Boca Juniors

Pierre Gasly

PSG

Isack Hadjar

PSG

Lewis Hamilton

Arsenal

Nico Hulkenberg

Bayern Munich

Charles Leclerc

AS Monaco

Lando Norris

Bristol City

Esteban Ocon

PSG

Oscar Piastri

Arsenal

George Russell

Wolves

Carlos Sainz

Real Madrid

Max Verstappen

PSV Eindhoven

Fernando Alonso Real Madrid

Despite being born in Oviedo, situated in north-western Spain, Fernando Alonso is a strong supporter of Real Madrid, where he is an honorary member.

While he remains a fan of local club Real Oviedo, who play in the second tier in Spain, Alonso has stated in the past that he does not know why he is a Madridista.

He does have a membership at his local club, though it is clear his main loyalties are with the 15-time European champions.

Kimi Antonelli Bologna

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli follows his hometown club Bologna.

He even found time to celebrate in the streets with supporters after Bologna beat AC Milan to win the Italian Cup in 2025 – their first since 1974.

Franco Colapinto Boca Juniors

Brazilian driver Franco Colapinto is a loyal supporter of local club Boca Juniors and is sometimes spotted wearing the club’s attire in the paddock.

He isn’t afraid to hide his passion for the blue and gold and follows them around the world.

Pierre Gasly Paris Saint-Germain

Considered one of the more passionate football fans on the F1 circuit, Pierre Gasly is another who has opted for his nation’s capital club over his local team.

In fairness to Gasly, his birthplace of Rouen is just a couple hours’ drive from Paris, where plenty more riches are on offer, of course.

Without just one Grand Prix win coming on 2020, maybe we can understand Gasly’s thirst for success as a Paris Saint-Germain supporter.

Isack Hadjar Paris Saint-Germain

Isack Hadjar is another big PSG fan and was left gutted that he couldn’t attend the Champions League semi-final against Arsenal in 2205.

He was delighted with the outcome, though, and isn’t afraid to hide his love for the French giants.

Lewis Hamilton Arsenal

A Gunners fan from a young age, Lewis Hamilton has been to plenty of Arsenal matches over the years. While he has stated that he is a long-time Gooner, Hamilton made headlines when being in the running to buy Chelsea, with some of his family being fans of the Blues.

Nico Hulkenberg Bayern Munich

Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg is thought to be a strong supporter of Bayern Munich.

It appears that little else is known about the German’s love of football, but given that he hails from western Germany, we can’t help but feel past successes have once again been the inspiration to follow the (former) Bundesliga juggernauts.

Charles Leclerc AS Monaco

Ferrari star Charles Leclerc is one of Monaco’s very own, and supports the principality’s principal club when it comes to football.

A frequent visitor at the Stade Louis II, Leclerc has an existing relationship with the Ligue 1 side, who are keen to congratulate the local lad after successes on the track.

He has also taken to the field in charity football matches in the past, showing his overall love for the game.

Lando Norris Bristol City

Lando Norris has previously declared his love of local club Bristol City, though it appears that he doesn’t follow the sport anymore.

The McLaren driver was also a fan of Manchester United while Cristiano Ronaldo played for the club, and now no longer calls himself a football fan. It seems that mid-table mediocrity in the Championship just isn’t for him.

Esteban Ocon PSG

The third follower on the grid of 2025 Champions League winners PSG is Esteban Ocon.

The Frenchman, who was born just two hours away from Paris, has even attended the Ballon d’Or ceremony in the past.

With planning already underway for 2026 signings, one player’s agent has now revealed where his client sees himself playing amid interest from Chelsea and Liverpool.

Klopp becomes latest to defend Florian Wirtz

After Julian Nagelsmann jumped to the defence of Wirtz last week, iconic former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has done the same. The midfield star has so far struggled to adapt to life at Anfield – failing to score or assist in seven Premier League games – but maintains the full faith of those watching on.

It’s true that the former Bayer Leverkusen star has endured a tough start in Liverpool colours, but it’s also true that Arne Slot’s side haven’t been firing on all cylinders as a whole.

When Wirtz emerged from the bench against Chelsea, it quickly became clear that he’s not the problem in a Liverpool side that entered the international break off the back of three straight losses.

Questions have, therefore, been asked all throughout the break and those questions must receive an answer against Manchester United in a game Liverpool simply must win.

The Reds’ recent form has also sparked a number of transfer enquiries. Despite spending big in the summer, breaking their transfer record twice to sign Wirtz and then Alexander Isak, those at Anfield could yet welcome further reinforcements in 2026.

Among them could even be one player who already has his transfer preference in mind ahead of the 2026 window.

Fofana's agent outlines transfer preference

Among Liverpool’s targets is Malick Fofana, according to Caught Offside. The £50m-rated winger looks destined for great things with the Reds, Chelsea and others keeping a watchful eye on his development at Lyon.

Amid such interest, the ball seems to be in the Belgian’s court and his agent has set his sights on big things as a result. Speaking to reporters about his client, Frederico Pena said: “This is the season Fofana wants to show himself to the world, especially at the World Cup. If he succeeds, he can go from Lyon to a top ten club. We strongly believe in him at Roc Nation. Liverpool, Bayern, Man City – those are the clubs he belongs at.”

Liverpool eyeing move to sign £50m+ Real Madrid target similar to Van Dijk

He could be a fantastic option for the Reds.

ByHenry Jackson Oct 12, 2025

Name-dropping Liverpool rather than Chelsea alongside the likes of Bayern Munich and Manchester City, Fofana’s agent has just handed those at Anfield quite the boost.

Given that Mohamed Salah’s contract is set to expire in 2027, the Lyon star wouldn’t exactly be a bad option. The 20-year-old has the ability to play on both flanks and was described as “explosive” by analyst Ben Mattinson last season after scoring 11 goals and setting up another six in all competitions.

Liverpool are flying in the Premier League, and Arne Slot will be satisfied with the 12 points claimed from as many available during this early stage of the season.

But each time the Reds have come close to sharing the spoils, with the midweek Champions League victory, Virgil van Dijk thumping home in the dying embers, ensuring Liverpool have left it late to win their fifth match in a row.

Bournemouth

Federico Chiesa

88′

Newcastle

Rio Ngumoha

90’+10

Arsenal

Dominik Szoboszlai

83′

Burnley

Mohamed Salah

90’+5

Atletico Madrid

Virgil van Dijk

90’+2

Unsustainable? Sure. Although, more importantly, this is the sign of a winning unit, one still acclimatising to a new wave of quality.

Alexander Isak made his debut for the club on Wednesday evening, having joined from Newcastle United for a British record £125m fee on deadline day. Will he reprise his starting berth against David Moyes’ Everton, or should fellow new recruit Hugo Ekitike get the nod?

Who Liverpool should start up front against Everton

It’s the Merseyside derby, and the chances are that Liverpool will face another stern test as they continue to click into gear and push for a second successive Premier League title.

Slot was quizzed on whether Isak or Ekitike would play up top against the Toffees, and his answer was unsurprisingly elusive.

However, it’s rather comforting to know that, throw Cody Gakpo into the mix too, and Liverpool have an abundance of quality ready to shift and change as the manager demands.

This is a team capable of competing for all the major honours this term, to be sure.

However, the tale of Liverpool’s tape has indeed been one of late-stage drama, and Slot might actually be forced to turn to another forward on Saturday afternoon, one who might be required to channel his inner Divock Origi, who loved a derby for the Reds.

Liverpool's new Divock Origi

Origi is perhaps the definitive cult hero of modern times for Liverpool, a player who never managed to nail down a starting berth with any regularity but popped up with big goals on numerous occasions.

Across his Liverpool career, the Belgian striker scored 41 goals and supplied 17 more across 175 matches, notably scoring the wrap-it-up goal in the Champions League final as the Anfield side downed Tottenham Hotspur.

And how he loved to play Everton, notching six goals against the Blues. In fact, his haul of six goals against Liverpool’s rivals is double a host of teams who sit second in his personal scoring chart.

And Federico Chiesa could now step up as Slot’s own version of the 30-year-old, with the Italian having enjoyed something of an early Liverpool rebirth himself so far this season (Origi was loaned out to Wolfsburg after a slow start to his career in England).

Chiesa was Liverpool’s sole summer signing one year ago, and injuries limited him to a bit-part role. However, he has already raised the bar this year, netting the winner as Liverpool beat Bournemouth in their opening Premier League match of the season.

Hailed as a “wizard” for his remarkable performances in his homeland by broadcaster Roger Bennett, Chiesa has rekindled the fire in his belly and looks set to contribute toward the club’s efforts this season.

All eyes will be on Isak for the Merseyside derby, should the record-breaking striker indeed start from the opening. If not him, it’s bound to be Ekitike at number nine.

But Liverpool’s proclivity, their need, for late goals and the nature of this fixture against Everton suggest that it may once again go down to the wire, and if that is the case, Chiesa’s skills might be needed.

He’s already come up trumps once for Slot’s side this season, and now the dynamic attacker may be called upon again, channelling his inner Origi to perhaps strike late and ensure Liverpool’s flawless start continues.

Would such an outcome really be that surprising at this point?

Their own Bellingham: Liverpool have "one of the best youngsters in Europe"

Liverpool may have found their own Jude Bellingham in 17-year-old star

1 ByWill Miller Sep 19, 2025

يستأنف فريق ليفربول مشواره في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، اليوم الأحد، بمواجهة مانشستر يونايتد، بعد انتهاء فترة التوقف الدولي لشهر أكتوبر الجاري.

ويستقبل ليفربول خصمه مانشستر يونايتد على ملعب “آنفيلد” في إطار مباريات الجولة الثامنة للدوري الإنجليزي “البريميرليج” موسم 2025-2026.

وكان ليفربول قد تعرض للهزيمة من تشيلسي بهدفين لهدف في الجولة الماضية بالدوري الإنجليزي، أما مانشستر يونايتد كان قد تغلب على سندرلاند بهدفين دون مقابل.

ويحتل ليفربول المركز الثالث في ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي برصيد 15 نقطة، ومانشستر يونايتد يملك 10 نقاط في المركز 11.

ويتواجد آرسنال في الصدارة بـ 19 نقطة بعدما تغلب على فولهام بهدف دون مقابل، مساء السبت بالجولة الثامنة، ويأتي مانشستر سيتي في المركز الثاني بـ 16 نقطة حيث تغلب على إيفرتون بهدفين دون مقابل. موعد مباراة ليفربول ومانشستر يونايتد اليوم 

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة السادسة والنصف مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة ليفربول ومانشستر يونايتد

تذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN sports HD 1. معلق مباراة ليفربول ومانشستر يونايتد

يعلق على المباراة، عامر الخوذيري. 

ويمكنكم متابعة مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة على مركز المباريات من هنا.

It’s now a three-way battle for semi-finals qualification from Group B, with two games to go

S Rajesh26-Feb-2025If Australia and South Africa winAustralia and South Africa will qualify with five points each. The top spot in the group will be decided by the win margins, with South Africa favourites to finish first, given their comprehensive win over Afghanistan. Assuming a one-run win for South Africa after scoring 300, Australia need to win by 87 runs (with the same first-innings total) to go past South Africa’s NRR.If Australia and England winAustralia will top the group with five points, while South Africa will still finish second on three.If Afghanistan and South Africa winSouth Africa will top with five points, while Afghanistan, with four points, will finish second ahead of Australia.If Afghanistan and England winAfghanistan will finish on top with four points. The second place will then go to either Australia or South Africa, who will both finish on three points. South Africa are well ahead on NRR currently, which means they will have to suffer a big loss to England for Australia to move ahead on NRR. So, if Australia lose by just one run after Afghanistan score 300, South Africa will have lose by 87 chasing the same target for their NRR to slip below Australia’s.If Afghanistan vs Australia is washed outThere’s a possibility of showers in Lahore on Friday. If points are shared in that game, Australia will go up to four points and will be assured of qualification.If South Africa beat England, they will top the group with five points, but if England win, then South Africa and Afghanistan will finish on three points each, which will bring NRR into the equation. Afghanistan (NRR -0.99) will almost certainly be eliminated then, as they need South Africa to lose by at least 207 runs (chasing 301) to move up to second place and qualify.