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Arsenal are considering strengthening their defence before the end of the transfer window, as Mikel Arteta assesses his options following Jurrien Timber’s significant injury blow.

Recent reports have revealed who the Gunners could target as a result, with a host of dazzling names among those that could arrive at the Emirates.

Despite already spending over £200m this summer, Arteta and Edu look poised to re-enter the market to add to the club’s defensive depth, with Timber being the only defender recruited so far.

The Dutchman left the pitch just 50 minutes into his Premier League debut, suffering a knee injury that will see him out of action for a number of months, once again leaving the north Londoners short at the back.

Who could Arsenal sign this summer?

In a report by the Express, names such as Marc Guehi and Edmond Tapsoba arose as potential figures that could be targeted by the Gunners, however, a Bundesliga star that has been also eyed by Manchester United has emerged.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

As reported by renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal, the Red Devils and Inter Milan are interested in Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard, who is said to be valued around the €40m (£34m) mark by the Bavarians.

Romano claimed that the Frenchman “could become an option” for the north Londoners, however added that “no decision” had been made as to whether sporting director Edu Gaspar will make a move for his services.

What is Benjamin Pavard’s style of play?

Deployable at both centre-back and right-back, the World Cup winner would typically suit the versatility that Arteta expects in his backline.

Having been lauded as “outstanding” by Bayern president Uli Hoeness, it’s unsurprising that the 27-year-old has generated interest from the Premier League, with his approach to play fitting the narrative wanted by most managers in the top-flight.

An expectation perfected by Pep Guardiola, both centre-backs and full-backs have greater roles to fulfil than simply defend, with an eye for progressive play being pivotal to succeeding in the modern game.

Pavard fits the mould, as echoed by his numbers last term where he averaged 7.48 progressive passes and 1.37 progressive carries per 90, as well as maintaining an average pass completion rate of 88.3%, via FBref.

Likened to Manchester City star Nathan Ake based on his statistical profile provided by FBref, the 27-year-old machine could be another shrewd example of Arteta taking note of Guardiola’s expertise to great effect.

Last campaign, the squad was bolstered by the Spaniard emulating his former colleagues' exploitation of his full-backs in the inverted role, with the arrival and deployment of Oleksandr Zinchenko a fine example.

A new opportunity is now there for the Arsenal boss to equip his side with his own version of Ake in Pavard.

Like the Frenchman, the 28-year-old can play both on the flank and in central defence, with his versatility used to City’s advantage by adding depth and handing him a position in which he can showcase his defensive and offensive ability.

Within his ranks, Guardiola has a reel of dynamic defensive talent, all of which being first-team quality, which is where the Gunners fell short to City last term.

By signing Pavard, Arteta could bridge the gap on the treble winners in terms of squad quality, as well as having his answer to their reliable Dutchman in a player who is multidimensional in his defensive approach.

Glasgow Rangers are willing to sanction a temporary exit for Leon King this summer, and a reliable journalist has revealed that he's already got a whole host of clubs queuing up to secure his services.

When did Leon King join Rangers?

Rangers have had King on their books for the whole of his career having worked his way up through the various youth ranks to get promoted to the first team last summer, but during the previous campaign, he only made nine starts in the Scottish Premiership.

The Scotland youth international’s contract isn’t set to expire for another three years, but it looks like he’ll have to complete a move elsewhere should he want to receive more regular game time moving forward, and if he departs, he won’t be short of potential suitors.

According to Football Insider back in March, Premier League sides Manchester United, Newcastle and Leeds all sent scouts to watch the 19-year-old live in action ahead of a possible move this window, and they have now been given a boost after learning that their target has been put in the shop window.

Is Leon King leaving Rangers?

Taking to X, Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph revealed that Rangers and Michael Beale are happy to listen to loan offers for King so that he can get some more minutes under his belt, but equally wouldn't mind him remaining at Ibrox beyond September 1st. He wrote:

"Rangers are exploring loan opportunities for centre-back Leon King. Clubs in England & Europe are keen. It's not a foregone conclusion that he will leave, but to gain more experience, Rangers are open to loaning him to a club that will suit his style of play & development."

What height is Leon King?

Standing at 6 foot exactly, King isn’t the tallest of centre-backs, but he still possesses a great physical presence at the heart of the backline when handed the rare opportunity to play, as shown by the level of his performances last season for Rangers.

The CAA Base Ltd client, who earns £4k-per-week, averaged 1.9 clearances and 1.3 aerial wins and tackles per league game during the previous term, via WhoScored, so is a no-nonsense defender and is strong at clearing the danger both on and off the ground.

Read The Latest Rangers Transfer News HERE…

The Barrhead native also has the ability to operate at left-back and right-back alongside his usual position, so he would provide any manager with wonderful versatility, another reason as to why he would be an attractive option for plenty of clubs considering a swoop.

King has bags of potential to offer and will no doubt go on to become a “big player” for the long-term future of the Teddy Bears, according to journalist Josh Bunting, but for now, it could make sense to send him out on loan so that he can gain the necessary experience and exposure that he needs before returning to fight for his place north of the border ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, making this one to watch in the final days of the window.

Ashton Agar followed his three wickets with an unbeaten 26 in a 71-run stand with Hilton Cartwright to seal Perth Scorchers’ chase of 113 on a two-paced pitch in Alice Springs

The Report by Daniel Brettig13-Jan-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAshton Agar and Hilton Cartwright lifted Perth Scorchers back to the top of the Big Bash League table by negotiating a tricky chase against Adelaide Strikers on a challenging surface at Traeger Park in Alice Springs.The first BBL match to be played in the Northern Territory was a low scoring affair between two of the competition’s strongest bowling and fielding line-ups, with Agar’s three wickets contributing to a Strikers collapse before he aided Cartwright in ensuring the Scorchers did not go the same way.Alex Carey had given the Strikers a decent start before the Scorchers, led by Ashton Turner in the absence of the captain Adam Voges – suspended for a second slow over rate offence during the tournament, regathered themselves. The Scorchers then appeared to be struggling in the pursuit thanks to the now familiar brilliance of Rashid Khan, but some sensible batting by Cartwright and Agar took them to a victory that also won them the Jason Gillespie Trophy.Adjusting to the slow lane
Coming from Adelaide Oval and the WACA ground, these two sides are used to swift and bouncy pitches with sleek outfields. Neither were evident in Alice Springs, leaving the Strikers and Scorchers unsure of what a strong score would be. Given this was the first BBL match to be played at the ground, there was also a lack of statistical information available, making this a case of the awkward unknown for players, coaches and analysts alike.The fluent Carey was able to get into stride with regular boundaries and had some initial support from Jake Weatherald, a Northern Territory product, but after his dismissal trying to sweep Will Bosisto the Strikers seemed eager to accelerate in a manner that suggested they felt they needed a score in the region of 160 or more.Falling apart through the middle
As each wicket fell, the Strikers grew more impatient, and it showed in their shot selection, which was chaotic at best. This was epitomised by Jake Lehmann, who to his fifth ball and with the scorecard reading an uncertain 4 for 81, offered up an attempt to reverse paddle Agar that lobbed in the general vicinity of Mitchell Johnson. His resulting one-handed catch was outstanding, but was only made possible by the sort of shot that betrayed an addled mind.In all, the Strikers would lose all 10 wickets for 63, having been nicely placed at 0 for 49. Among all collapses in the history of the BBL, only one by Melbourne Renegades in the fourth edition of the tournament was more catastrophic. Agar, Tim Bresnan and Matthew Kelly all contributed with wickets and parsimony, in weather that forced Kelly to seek treatment for heat exhaustion after the innings had concluded.Spinning around
In order to win, the Strikers needed a couple early wickets in the Powerplay and then to have Rashid Khan weave his spell on a surface that would offer some assistance. While unlucky when the umpire Donovan Koch appeared to miss a thin edge down the leg side by Bosisto off Michael Neser first ball of the innings, the first part of the equation went their way when Bosisto clumped the same bowler to mid-on. Ben Laughlin then held an outstanding catch, diving across from mid-off to see off Michael Klinger, giving Rashid his opening.Used in one over spells by the stand-in captain Colin Ingram, Rashid fizzed a legbreak past Cartwright, and in his second he rushed a googly into Turner’s leg stump soon after Cameron Bancroft had tugged Peter Siddle to short midwicket. Agar’s left-handedness was something of an advantage, but even he was exceedingly fortunate in edging a legbreak past the stumps as Rashid continued to tease.Cool heads and no-balls
As Cartwright and Agar pushed towards their goal, Siddle probed for a wicket. He had reacted with incredulity when the umpire John Ward ignored a first-ball lbw appeal against Turner, saying the batsman had managed to get some bat on a delivery clocked at 141kph. Ward was very alert, however, when Siddle thought he had Cartwright taken on the midwicket boundary with 24 runs still required. Siddle had already begun to celebrate when he noticed Ward’s arm outstretched for a no-ball, and replays showed it to be a correct call on the Victorian seamer’s front foot.When the resulting free-hit was clumped down the ground for a six by Cartwright, the equation had lost most of its tension, leaving Agar and Cartwright to cruise home. They were aided by another no-ball along the way, this time against Laughlin for a high full toss. The Scorchers were thus rewarded for keeping calm in the chase where the Strikers had lost their composure in trying to set a target.

Reliable Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold has lifted the lid on something "largely unseen" and exciting going on at Spurs right now, concerning their set-up.

What's the latest Spurs news?

New manager Ange Postecoglou has, thus far, proved his doubters wrong since his switch from SPFL giants Celtic to north London over the summer.

Tottenham are showcasing an electric, entertaining new brand of football under Postecoglou; following ex-manager Antonio Conte's regrettable last season in charge of the club.

The Lilywhites have scored 11 goals in their opening four Premier League games; impressively equalling last season's treble-winners Man City in that regard.

Spurs remain unbeaten and have sealed three wins in that time, having drew 2-2 away to Brentford on the opening day, with subsequent 2-0 wins over Man United and Bournemouth following on from that result.

Their most impressive victory to date under Postecoglou was their rip-roaring 5-2 win away to Burnley at Turf Moor. Indeed, Son Heung-min's hat-trick, James Maddison's sumptuous curling effort and a screamer from Cristian Romero sealed a statement three points in Lancashire just before the international break.

Speaking to Sky last month, Postecoglou explained exactly why he won't be divulging from his exciting style of play any time soon; speaking of a need to entertain the fans.

"That's the beauty of our game," Postecoglou said.

"The beauty of football is that there are so many ways you can have success, so many ways you can set up your team, so many ways you can counteract the opposition.

"I'm probably at one extreme and there are others at the other extreme and we can both have success in this game.

"I think especially with a football club like this, that has consistently looked for that in their teams, they've loved the entertainers, there's a connection there with that kind of football."

The Spurs first team have come on leaps and bounds over the last few weeks, but away from Postecoglou's men, reporter Gold says there is something "largely unseen" and exciting going at Hotspur Way right now.

Tottenham Hotspur academy

Indeed, beneath the Tottenham boss, Gold writes on X and for football.london that there appears to be a "revolution taking place" concerning the N17 academy set up.

New youth signing Luka Vuskovic, who will apparently come to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2025 when he hits 18, looks set to become another one Spurs' exciting young crop currently turning heads.

Gold writes that Aflie Dorrington, Jamie Donley, Brooklyn Lyons-Foster, Josh Keeley, Luca Gunter, Ashley Phillips, Mikey Moore, Callum Olusesi, Oliver Irow, Tyrese Hall, Matthew Craig and George Abbott are all youngsters to watch out for.

New academy head Simon Davies has been tasked with syncing up the academy to the first team, and there is also a renewed belief at Tottenham surrounding the talent coming through. That's not even taking into account the promise of teenagers currently out on loan spells like Alfie Devine and Dane Scarlett.

Gold, as a result, goes on to say that the future appears very bright for Spurs beneath the surface as well as on it.

Ajinkya Rahane has taken a break following the South Africa tour, but Mumbai will be bolstered by the inclusion of Shreyas Iyer

Deivarayan Muthu19-Feb-2018Gautam Gambhir, who has recovered from an ankle injury, will return to Delhi’s team for the knockout phase of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Shreyas Iyer, who was recently part of India’s first ODI series win in South Africa, has also been included in Mumbai’s squad. However, Ajinkya Rahane, back home after national duty, has taken a break after Mumbai chief selector Ajit Agarkar agreed to his request.Vijay Hazare quarter-finals schedule

1st quarter-final, February 21, Hyderabad v Karnataka, Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi

2nd quarter-final, February 21, Mumbai v Maharashtra, Palam A Ground, Delhi

3rd quarter-final, February 22, Baroda v Saurashtra, Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi

4th quarter-final, February 22, Andhra v Delhi, Palam A Ground, Delhi

Gambhir, who had been sidelined from the group stages of the tournament, will bolster an already in-form Delhi top order: despite suffering a freak blow on the jaw, Unmukt Chand has piled up 319 runs in six innings at 53.16, while Hiten Dalal has hit 283 runs at 47.16. Manjot Kalra, who had smashed an unbeaten 101 in India’s Under-19 World Cup title win, was put on stand-by.Karnataka, meanwhile, were dealt a major blow with their captain R Vinay Kumar being ruled out of their quarter-final against Hyderabad in Delhi, with an elbow injury. He had also missed Karnataka’s last group game against Railways in Alur on February 16. Karun Nair, who stood-in as captain, will be in charge of the team in the quarter-final too.Yusuf Pathan’s troubles continued, the latest being the axing from the Vijay Hazare Trophy. After missing a large chunk of the Ranji Trophy because of a back-dated ban for a doping violation, the allrounder was not considered for the 20-over Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He then received a last-minute call-up for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, but has now been dropped following poor returns in six league matches. He managed only 79 runs at an average of 13.16 and one wicket in eight overs. Twenty-two year-old Akshay Brahmbhatt, who is uncapped in List A cricket, was named as Yusuf’s replacement.

There has been an update on Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy's hunt for a new sporting director after chief scout Leonardo Gabbanini departed N17.

Latest Tottenham news

Life under new Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou is looking very, very good. First viewed by some as a risky managerial hire, especially given his lack of experience in Europe's top five leagues, Postecoglou is proving all of his doubters wrong thus far.

The Lilywhites are unbeaten over their first five Premier League matches this season; clinching impressive victories over Bournemouth, Man United, Burnley and Sheffield United in that order. Spurs haven't dropped points since their opening weekend 2-2 draw away to Brentford, and Postecoglou's brand of attacking football has been on full display.

The north Londoners have bagged 13 goals and stand out as one of the top flight's most potent scoring sides, just behind high-flying Brighton and European champions Man City.

Next up, Tottenham are preparing for a crunch clash against north London rivals Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday – which comes as the most interesting derby against them in a long time. Both sides come into the contest on a similar run of form and it will be very interesting to see who reigns victorious.

Postecoglou, speaking after his side's dramatic, last gasp win over Sheffield United last weekend, says supporters should honestly just revel in their team's electric form.

"No, no, no, let them go, let them go and enjoy it," said Postecoglou after their victory over the Blades. "My role is not to burst people's bubbles. Let them get excited, let them get ahead of themselves. That's the beauty of being a supporter.

"They go through enough pain mate, you want to let them enjoy it. If they think we're going to be world beaters then great, that's up to us to match that expectation. Our supporters deserve to have some happiness and enjoy it any way they want to."

Will Tottenham hire a new sporting director?

Spurs made some astute signings over the summer to contribute towards their exceptional early-season form. The likes of James Maddison and Micky van de Ven have thrived as part of Postecoglou's new-look Tottenham team, and a lot of credit for that goes towards former chief scout Gabbanini.

However, the Italian's tenure has ended, with news coming to light in midweek that the Spurs chief has now departed N17. This is the result of a behind-the-scenes restructuring courtesy of Levy and the Tottenham board. Chief Football Officer Scott Munn has also finally began work this week, but Spurs are still said to be keen on appointing a new sporting director.

Former director Fabio Paratici was forced to resign from his post earlier this year, after losing his FIFA appeal against a 30-month worldwide ban from the beautiful game. Paratici was handed the sentenced after alleged false accounting at previous club Juventus, but according to journalist Sami Mokbel of The Daily Mail, Levy and Munn have their sights set on his replacement.

Indeed, the unnamed candidate to succeed Paratici will apparently be in place "imminently", as Spurs want a sporting director to work under Munn and contribute towards their transfer plans. Mokbel adds that Tottenham changes are "afoot internally".

The Chennai police commissioner advised CSK to “reschedule” the matches in the wake of the protests in the city over the Cauvery river water issue

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Apr-20182:45

Dasgupta: Raina is the batting fulcrum of CSK

Chennai Super Kings will lose their home advantage for the rest of the 2018 season.* The IPL has decided to move their six remaining home games out of Chennai in the wake of protests during the first match, and threats to disrupt more fixtures. CSK’s home games will be played in Pune instead.Kasi Viswananthan, the Super Kings CEO, met the Chennai police commissioner on Wednesday and was advised to shift the matches because of the ongoing protests in the city over the Cauvery river water issue, a long-standing dispute between Tamil Nadu and its neighbouring state Karnataka.The Maharashtra Cricket Association president Abhay Apte told ESPNcricinfo he had requested the IPL to consider Pune as CSK’s alternative home venue. Rajkot, Visakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram were the other cities in consideration by the IPL.The Pune ground is familiar to CSK captain MS Dhoni and coach Stephen Fleming, who were part of the Rising Pune Supergiant franchise in 2016 and 2017. The Super Kings already have experience playing home games away from home; four of their home matches were moved to Ranchi in 2014 due to the dispute between Tamil Nadu Cricket Association and the local municipal corporation.Chennai had hosted Kolkata Knight Riders on April 10, marking the return of the IPL to the city after the franchise had completed a two-year ban for corruption. However the lead-up to the game was not peaceful, with political parties organising rallies in the vicinity of the MA Chidambaram Stadium, protesting the Cauvery river water issue. Several local political parties and fringe groups wanted a boycott of the IPL matches in Chennai till the dispute was resolved.There was trouble during the match as well. A group of spectators flung shoes in the vicinity of Super Kings players on the boundary, prompting the intervention of police. The incident happened in the eighth over of the game, after which the concerned spectators were evicted from the ground and, as per reports, taken into custody. While there was no confirmation that the shoe-throwing incident was directly related to the Cauvery river water issue, it was the likely cause.*

TNT Sports pundit Joe Cole has now urged Rangers to appoint a “great” up-and-coming coach as their permanent manager to replace Philippe Clement at Ibrox.

Philippe Clement relieved of his Rangers duties

Clement was finally sacked as Gers boss after the dismal 2-0 defeat against St Mirren at Ibrox on Saturday afternoon, but in truth, the writing had been on the wall for quite some time, with the Belgian suffering some very poor results this season.

The defeat at the weekend may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back, but there have been some even more disappointing losses in recent weeks, with the Light Blues also crashing out of the Scottish Cup against Queen’s Park.

After relieving Clement of his duties, the board moved quickly to bring in former captain Barry Ferguson as interim manager until the end of the season, but they continue to run the rule over permanent replacements for the summer.

Speaking on The Dressing Room Podcast (via Metro), Cole has now urged Rangers to appoint a different manager, however, talking up former teammate Ashley Cole.

“Where do they go, Rangers? I’m going to throw a name in there. He’s our guy, Ashley Cole. I’m going to throw him in. I know he’s got a great job working with the England U21s.

“I worked with him doing a bit of media in a foreign country. We had the afternoon off, and we were sitting on the sunbeds, ordered a couple of drinks, and I’m thinking, “This is a good job, Coley, I’m enjoying myself!”

“I’m watching the world go by, 90 degrees, and he just gets his laptop out and he’s showing me throw-ins!

“The dedication… his dedication to football. We love him. But that would be perfect for him.”

“Rangers had such a great spell with Stevie G, another ex-England legend, and I can see Coley going into that job.”

TalkSPORT pundit makes on-air claim about new Rangers owners' manager plans

Who will become the Gers’ next permanent boss?

ByHenry Jackson Feb 25, 2025 Cole building up his coaching CV

Although the former Chelsea man is yet to be given a chance as a head coach, he has been building up his coaching CV through spells with Birmingham City, Derby County and Everton, and he has been described as a “great coach” by Frank Lampard.

More recently, the 44-year-old was appointed as a full-time coach for the England national team, having assisted Lee Carsley as the U21 assistant manager, and the former Ireland international believes he has a “very bright future”.

Carsley is also said to have relied on the former left-back to draw up attacking plans, despite him featuring as a defender in his playing career, indicating he is an attack-minded coach.

Rangers have had success appointing former England internationals in the past, with Steven Gerrard leading them to Scottish Premiership glory, but it would of course still be a risk to appoint Cole, given that he has no experience as a head coach.

Two points separate the five teams vying for the final two playoff spots. KKR and Royals are part of this mid-table muddle. Neither will want to let the other get ahead

The Preview by Deivarayan Muthu14-May-20185:15

Hogg: KKR need the sheer pace of Mavi

Form Guide

Kolkata Knight Riders: beat Kings XI Punjab by 31 runs, lost to Mumbai Indians by 102 runs, lost to Mumbai by 13 runs
Rajasthan Royals: beat Mumbai Indians by seven wickets, beat Chennai Super Kings by four wickets, beat Kings XI Punjab by 15 runs

Big PictureWith Chennai Super Kings joining Sunrisers Hyderabad in the playoffs and Delhi Daredevils being eliminated, five other teams are in a dogfight for the remaining two spots. Both Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals are part of this mid-table muddle, having won six of their 12 matches. In all, two points separate teams No. 3 to 7. So, a loss could mean falling behind quickly, making Tuesday’s clash at Eden Gardens that much more enticing.After the run-fest in Indore, KKR return to home comforts with a more balanced team. Javon Searles conceded 52 for only one wicket in four overs on IPL debut on a flat pitch at a small ground, but he showed promise with his skiddy pace and first-ball six over long-on. Moreover, given his reputation as a big-hitter in the West Indies cricket circles, he could be used as a floater. Neither Tom Curran, who lacks experience at the top level, nor Mitchell Johnson, who is perhaps past his prime, gave KKR this luxury.However, the spotlight will be on the spinners at Eden Gardens. The slow bowlers have taken 36 wickets in 10 innings an economy rate of 8 here, while the seamers have picked up four wickets fewer at a higher economy rate of 9.2. Royals’ spinners don’t quite have the pedigree of KKR’s, and they will be further depleted if Ish Sodhi isn’t fit.In the newsSodhi was sidelined from Royals’ match against Mumbai on Sunday because of an illness. It remains to be seen if he has recovered sufficiently for Tuesday’s clash.Previous meetingThe last time the two sides met in Jaipur, the season was just 15-games old and Jos Buttler was still batting in a rickety middle order. After moving to 71 for 2 in their first ten overs, Royals scrounged only 89 off their last ten while losing six wickets. KKR chased down 161 with punchy contributions from their top and middle order.Likely XIsKolkata Knight Riders: 1 Chris Lynn, 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Robin Uthappa, 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Dinesh Karthik (capt & wk), 6 Andre Russell, 7 Shubman Gill, 8 Javon Searles, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Piyush Chawla, 11 Prasidh KrishnaRajasthan Royals: 1 Jos Buttler (wk), 2 Ajinkya Rahane (capt), 3 Sanju Samson, 4 Ben Stokes, 5 Stuart Binny, 6 Mahipal Lomror, 7 K Gowtham, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Ish Sodhi/D’Arcy Short, 10 Shreyas Gopal, 11 Jaydev UnadkatStats that matter Sunil Narine needs three wickets to get to 50 IPL wickets at Eden Gardens. He will become the second player, after former Mumbai Indians quick Lasith Malinga (at the Wankhede), to take 50 or more wickets at a particular venue in the league Since Archer’s debut in the IPL on April 22 , only Hardik Pandya has picked up more wickets than him. Hardik has 15 in eight matches; Archer has 13 in seven matches. Kings XI Punjab’s Andrew Tye, meanwhile, has 13 in six games If Buttler makes another fifty on Tuesday, he will become the first to six such scores in a row in T20 cricketStrategy puntHow do you stop Buttler? Throw the new ball to Narine. He has dismissed the England batsman twice in eight T20 matches, while conceding only 28 runs off 29 balls. Narine also has a good record against Rahane, having dismissed him three times in seven T20 games, while giving away 59 runs off 44 balls. Additionally, Rahane has only 69 runs in seven innings at Eden Gardens at an average of 9.9 and strike rate of 88.5.Fantasy pickOf course, going for allrounders is the safest bet. If they don’t get you points with the ball, they’ll get you some with the bat. So pick Narine and K Gowtham. Narine is the top wicket-taker for KKR this season with 14 wickets, of which 10 have come at Eden Gardens, and he is the fourth-highest scorer for his team with 277 runs. Gowtham, meanwhile, is the most successful bowler for Royals in the Powerplay with five wickets at an economy rate of 7.3, and his whirlwind cameos with the bat need no further endorsement.Quote”Destiny’s in our hands. We just need to play two good games of cricket.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester City were both founded in the 18th Century, so naturally, they've played each other a fair few times.

The pair will once again meet on Saturday afternoon, and ahead of their clash, Football FanCast has taken a look at the fixture's history and any key stats that stand out.

Wolves vs Man City: Who has the better head-to-head record?

Manchester City only just edge the overall head-to-head battle, which is rather surprising given their dominance over the last decade.

Though, Wolves themselves were one of the best sides in the country once upon a time, too. The West Midlanders won three league titles in the 1950s and have four FA Cup triumphs to their name.

It's easy to forget that prior to City's 2008 takeover, they weren't the superior force that they are today.

Wolves wins

48

Draws

26

Manchester City wins

53

Wolves vs Man City: Who has more wins at Molineux?

Wolves' home record against the Citizens is pretty strong, having won 33 of the 63 meetings at Molineux. Though, this century, they've only won three times against City on their own patch.

City, on the other hand, have claimed seven victories in the West Midlands since the turn of the century, and with their ever-growing dominance, one would expect that tally to continue to increase.

Wolves' last home win against Saturday's opposition came almost four years ago, on December 27, 2019, when the hosts fought back from two goals down to beat the 10-man Citizens 3-2, thanks to an 89th-minute Matt Doherty winner.

Wolves wins

33

Draws

13

Manchester City wins

17

Wolves vs Man City: Who has more wins at the Etihad/Maine Road?

Unsurprisingly, it's Manchester City who win this head-to-head battle, securing victory in 36 of the 63 meetings at the Etihad/Maine Road.

City haven't lost against the West Midlanders on their home turf since October 6, 2019, when Adama Traore netted a brace to seal a memorable 2-0 win.

Not many sides nowadays will have any confidence on their travels to the Etihad, and whilst Pep Guardiola is still at the helm, their home record against much of the division will only continue to improve, such is the genius of the Spaniard.

Wolves wins

14

Draws

13

Manchester City wins

36

Wolves vs Man City: Who has the better cup record?

It's Wolves who have the better cup record, but only just. These two sides appear to play out a very even contest when they meet across the two domestic cup competitions, as only one win separates the pair.

And that was evinced in their last cup meeting almost six years ago, when Wolves, who plied their trade in the Championship at the time, held Guardiola's side to a 0-0 stalemate, thus forcing a penalty shootout.

Claudio Bravo's shoot-out heroics sent City through to the quarter-finals of the competition, which they went on to win after defeating Arsenal 3-0 in the final.

Wolves wins

4

Draws

2

Manchester City wins

3

Wolves vs Man City: Who has scored the most goals?

Across the 127 meetings between the pair, there has been a total of 482 goals, which averages out to 3.7 goals per game. So if statistics are anything to go by, it should be a pretty goal-flooded encounter on Saturday.

City have scored more goals than their opposition, and it'll probably turn out like that on the weekend, as they look to extend their 100% record.

Meanwhile, the hosts, who occupy 16th, will be in search of their second league win of the campaign.

Wolves goals

233

Manchester City goals

249

Wolves vs Man City: How have the last 5 meetings played out?

22nd January 2023 – Manchester City 3-0 Wolves: Erling Haaland netted his fourth City hat-trick as the hosts cruised to a comfortable 3-0 victory over The Wanderers.

The Norwegian's three goals came within 12 minutes, either side of half-time, and took his tally to 31 for the season across all competitions.

The defeat for Wolves left them in 17th place, only above the drop zone on goal difference.

17th September 2022 – Wolves 0-3 Manchester City: The reverse fixture saw Jack Grealish, Haaland and Phil Foden all on the scoresheet as Pep Guardiola's side moved to the summit of the Premier League table with a 3-0 victory over 10-man Wolves.

Defeat sunk the home side to 16th, two points above the relegation zone.

11th May 2022 – Wolves 1-5 Manchester City: Kevin de Bruyne scored four and Raheem Sterling added a fifth to thump Wolves on their own patch. Guardiola's men restored their three-point lead over rivals Liverpool at the table of the table heading into the final two games of the season.

Despite a disappointing evening for Wolves, they remained in eighth, though their slim European aspirations took a huge blow as they were cut five points adrift of seventh-placed West Ham United.

11th December 2021 – Manchester City 1-0 Wolves: Raúl Jiménez received a red card on the stroke of half-time, having picked up his second booking of the game.

Raheem Sterling broke the deadlock against the 10 men of Wolves in the 66th minute through a controversial penalty to reach 100 Premier League goals.

City recorded 24 shots to Wolves' three and were the far superior side throughout the contest.

2nd March 2021 – Manchester City 4-1 Wolves: Another Wolves thrashing ensued in this encounter, though the hosts only led 1-0 up until the 80th minute. Gabriel Jesus netted a brace late on whilst Riyad Mahrez also got himself on the scoresheet as Wolves unravelled.

City extended their remarkable winning streak to 21 across all competitions and moved 15 points clear at the top of the table. Meanwhile, the West Midlanders remained in 12th on 34 points.

Who has played for both Wolves and Man City?

Joleon Lescott (Wolves 2000-2006; City 2009-2014): Birmingham-born defender Joleon Lescott graduated through the Wolves academy and made a whopping 227 appearances for the club before Everton snapped up the 23-year-old for £5m.

A successful three-year spell at the Toffees prompted City – who had been taken over by Sheikh Mansour the year prior – to outlay a hefty £22m to sign the England international.

Lescott made 160 appearances for City, winning two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and one League Cup before completing a free transfer to West Bromwich Albion in 2015.

Steve Daley (Wolves 1971-1979; City 1979-1982): Steve Daley made 212 appearances for Wolves, scoring 38 goals before Manchester City signed the midfielder for a British record transfer fee worth £1.4m.

He went on to make 53 appearances for the Citizens before departing for Seattle Sounders in 1982 for £300,000.

Keith Curle (City 1991-1996; Wolves 1996-2000): Three-cap England international Keith Curle made 181 appearances for City before Wolves signed the defender in 1996 for £650,000.

He racked up 157 appearances and became a solid captain for the West Midlands club, helping his side reach the FA Cup semi-final.

What is Wolves' biggest victory over Man City?

23rd Decemeber 1933 – Wolves 8-0 Manchester City: Wolves' biggest win over City came back in 1933, as they thumped their away opposition 8-0.

Given it was such a long time ago, there isn't much data on the game, but we do know that the hosts finished in 15th that year, whilst the Citizens placed in fifth, so it was quite the upset, all things considered.

What is Man City's biggest victory over Wolves?

18th December 1909 – Manchester City 6-0 Wolves: City's biggest win over Saturday's opposition came over a century ago in 1909.

City went up as the second tier Champions that season whilst Wolves finished in eighth.

Wolves vs Man City: When is it?

Wolves play host to Manchester City on Saturday, September 30th, at 3pm UK time. The away side will certainly be heavy favourites heading into this encounter, as they look to claim a seventh consecutive league win and ninth in all competitions.

Gary O'Neil's side are without a victory in their last three fixtures, having conceded defeat to Crystal Palace and Liverpool before picking up an away point at Luton last weekend.

Pedro Neto broke the deadlock in the 50th minute before Carlton Morris netted a penalty 15 minutes later to share the spoils as the hosts got off the mark for the season.

City could make substantial changes to their 11 this weekend, as they face Newcastle United in the third round of the League Cup on Wednesday and RB Leipzig in the Champions League the following week, so Saturday's fixture will be sandwiched between two important games.

Wolves, on the other hand, will travel to the high-flying Championship outfit Ipswich Town on Tuesday, who will be keen to upset Premier League opposition. So depending on where their priorities lie, it could be a changed 11 for both sides.

Key threats: Hwang Hee-chan is Wolves' leading goalscorer this term, despite only starting three of their opening six league games. Erling Haaland, meanwhile, is the division's top scorer and will be eager to add to his tally of eight.