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Manchester United suffered an agonising defeat to Arsenal in what was a match filled with late drama.

Erik ten Hag brought on winger Alejandro Garnacho with just over five minutes left, and it looked as though he scored the winner in the dying embers of the game, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.

Mikel Arteta’s men then went and scored twice during injury time to secure a vital 3-1 win and maintain their unbeaten record in the Premier League heading into the international break.

How did Manchester United perform vs Arsenal?

The 3-1 defeat means United head into the break occupying 11th spot in the table following just two wins from four games, and they are already six points behind Manchester City, who top the pile.

The Red Devils only had two shots on target throughout the encounter while enjoying just 45% of possession and with the tie finely balanced at 1-1, Ten Hag would have seen an opportunity to secure all three points.

Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes were their better performers during the tie, with the former scoring United’s only goal while the Portuguese midfielder made four key passes during the match.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to gain anything from the match and the Dutchman will need a big response from his team against Brighton and Hove Albion when the domestic calendar resumes.

One player who should be ditched from the starting XI following that clash is Brazilian winger Antony, who once again failed to shine against the Gunners and perhaps unleashing someone else on the right wing might be a good idea.

How did Antony play vs Arsenal?

The 23-year-old was largely ineffective from the right wing as he struggled to really get involved and create any meaningful opportunity against the north Londoners.

He completed a dismal tally of just 59% of his attempted passes while failing to deliver a cross or a key pass during his 84 minutes on the pitch, indicating just how poor he was.

Indeed, the winger succeeded with just two dribbles from five attempts while failing to have a shot on target and losing possession 15 times during 84 minutes on the pitch. It's safe to say that Oleksandr Zinchenko had the better of him on Arsenal's left-hand side.

Such a lack of influence on the game was best summed up by the fact that his touch count of 49 and pass count of 16 was lower than goalkeeper Andre Onana who had 57 touches and 42 successful passes.

The £200k-per-week player has been incredibly frustrating so far this season, having failed to score or register an assist across any of his four Premier League matches and considering Ten Hag splashed out £82m for him last summer, so much more must be demanded.

He was notably criticised by broadcaster Harry Symeou following the game yesterday, along with a host of other players, saying: “Antony, anonymous again & Martial a passenger.”

In 48 matches for the Old Trafford side, Antony has scored eight times and grabbed just three assists, which works out as a £7.5m per goal contribution. This is simply not good enough and as a result, he should find himself back on the bench after the international break.

Inded, a change is surely required against Brighton in a few weeks, yet will it bring about a different result? Only time will tell.

The third round of Premier League fixtures this season will see newly promoted Sheffield United welcome Manchester City to Bramall Lane on Sunday 27th August at 2pm GMT. So, we at Football FanCast have taken a look at everything that has ever gone on between the two clubs.

With two games on the board, a clear gap is already opening up between this duo as City are on 6 points and the Blades are yet to get off of the mark.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City got their title defence underway with a 3-0 victory over Burnley, a game that saw Erling Haaland pick up where he left off in front of goal, scoring a brace.

This was then followed up with a narrow win over Newcastle United, the only goal of the game coming from Julian Alvarez.

Sheffield United on the other hand have been on the receiving end of a pair of one-goal deficit defeats.

First it was against Crystal Palace on home soil and then a late Chris Wood header secured all three points for Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

It has to be said though, United’s goal in that game was a thing of beauty from debutant Gustavo Hamer, following his move over from Coventry City.

Sheffield United vs Manchester City: Who has the better head-to-head record?

As will be regularly mentioned, Manchester City are the dominant force in English football currently, but that hasn’t always been the case.

Sheffield United won the First Division title at the tail end of the 1800s, pointing towards the historic aurora that has always surrounded the club. Whilst City have won more of these fixtures than the Blades, it is closer than one would originally think.

Sheffield United wins

Draws

Manchester City wins

37

34

51

Sheffield United vs Manchester City: Who has more wins at Bramall Lane?

United just about take it when it comes to games taking place on their own patch, which has always been Bramall Lane. It is a stadium steeped in history and is the oldest major sports ground anywhere in the world.

Sheffield United wins Draws Manchester City wins 23 19 19 Sheffield United vs Manchester City: Who has more wins at Maine Road/the Etihad?

Manchester City’s story of their home ground is very different having played their games at Maine Road up until the early 2000s. City were there for 80 years and prior to that it was Hyde Road Football Stadium which they left partly due to a fire in the main stand.

More recently of course, the Etihad is the home of the European champions and it has seen so many iconic moments, most notably that Sergio Aguero goal against Queens’ Park Rangers.

Sheffield United wins Draws Manchester City wins 13 15 31 Sheffield United vs Manchester City: Who has the better cup record?

Despite these being two teams have been around for years and years, their fates in the English cup competitions have only crossed paths eight times. Sheffield United have won half of them although the last time they met, a game which will be spoken about further down the line, went the way of the Manchester club.

Sheffield United wins Draws Manchester City wins 4 2 2 Sheffield United vs Manchester City: How have the last 5 meetings played out?

It isn’t all that surprising to see that Manchester City’s recent dominance stretches into their clashes with Sheffield United. 4 of these 5 games came in the Premier League and all went the way of the Citizens, as did their huge FA Cup battle.

22nd April 2023- Manchester City 3-0 Sheffield United:

The most recent meeting between these two was a major one as they crossed paths in the FA Cup semi-final, even though the Blades were a Championship side at the time. This will be delved into further in the famous fixtures section but given Manchester City’s treble-winning exploits last season, it is no surprise how this game went.

30th January 2021- Manchester City 1-0 Sheffield United:

A pattern is appearing in these last five games of Sheffield United failing to score but one has to give them their credit that three of the defeats were by a single goal. Gabriel Jesus, now of Arsenal, scored the only goal of the game at the Etihad en route to another top-flight title.

31st October 2020- Sheffield United 0-1 Manchester City:

The reverse fixture in that season ended with the same scoreline. Spoiler alert but this time around it was a former Blade Kyle Walker who fired home the decisive strike up in Sheffield.

21st January 2020- Sheffield United 0-1 Manchester City:

For large parts of the game, Sheffield United looked as if they could hold Pep Guardiola’s side to a goalless draw but an inevitable duo popped up and changed that. Kevin De Bruyne played in Sergio Aguero who made no mistake in finishing beyond the reaches of Dean Henderson after Jesus had missed a first-half penalty, breaking blades hearts.

29th December 2019- Manchester City 2-0 Sheffield United:

This is the only Premier League meeting in the last 5 games that saw more than one goal scored and it was only two, both of which going the way of the hosts at the Etihad. The aforementioned duo came to the fore again with second-half strikes from Aguero and De Bruyne securing three points for City against Chris Wilder.

Who has played for both Sheffield United and Manchester City?

Tommy Doyle (Manchester City 2019-current; Sheffield United 2022-2023)

A few players have played for both Manchester City and Sheffield United recently with a pair of them returning to the former after loan spells in the Steel City last year. The first of those two is midfielder Tommy Doyle, who was also a part of the England U21s side that tasted European glory earlier this summer.

After nearly a decade in the youth academy, Doyle graduated into the City first-team where he made one appearance for going out on his first loan. He went to Hamburger SV and Cardiff City before then landing at Bramall Lane where he of course gained promotion back to the top-flight.

James McAtee (Manchester City 2021-current; Sheffield United 2022-2023)

One year his junior at 20 years of age is James McAtee who was even more influential under the stewardship of Paul Heckingbottom. He made 37 league appearances and contributed 9 goals and three assists at a rate of one every 158 minutes which is hugely impressive.

This was McAtee’s first loan spell away from the Etihad and since returning, he made a brief cameo in the win over Burnley on the opening night of the season. He certainly has a very bright future ahead of him in the sky-blue shirt.

Kyle Walker (Sheffield United 2008-2009 and 2009-2010; Manchester City 2017-current)

Finally to a Manchester City stalwart who was formerly a Blade, Kyle Walker. He was born in Sheffield and came through their academy with immense pride. After just one year as a pro there he was sold to Tottenham Hotspur, although his first year as a Spurs player saw him loaned back to his hometown team.

Walker rose to prominence in a Tottenham shirt and since arriving in Manchester in 2017, has won all there is to win in the game for your club, the icing on top of course being last year’s Champions League success. Walker’s time with Sheffield United was one year away from crossing paths with that of the now former Manchester United captain Harry Maguire.

What is Sheffield United’s biggest victory over Manchester City?

26th October 1925: Sheffield United 8-3 Manchester City

The centenary of Sheffield United’s biggest win over Manchester City is nearly upon us and it is very unlikely that they will break this record in the next two years.

In 1925 with Halloween just around the corner in post-war England, the Blades romped to an 8-3 victory. Harry Johnson found the back of the net four times whilst his namesake Tommy was also on the score sheet for Man City. Meanwhile, Fred Tunstall chipped in with a Blades’ brace, one of which came from the penalty spot.

What is Manchester City’s biggest victory over Sheffield United?

21st August 1999: Manchester City 6-0 Sheffield United

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Manchester City’s largest win over Sheffield United came a lot more recently with the turn of the century just months away.

This clash actually took place in the Championship and a pair of legendary City names were amongst the goals. Paul Dickov and Shaun Goater are the two in question with Kevin Horlock also adding two first-half penalties in a 6-0 thumping at Maine Road, made all the more easy by United’s goalkeeper Simon Tracey’s sending off.

Sheffield United vs Manchester City: Key stats This will be the 11th league meeting between the two clubs in the Premier League era Manchester City haven’t lost to Sheffield United in their last five meetings Sheffield United haven’t scored in three straight home fixtures Sheffield United vs Manchester City: Famous fixtures

22nd April 2023 – Manchester City 3-0 Sheffield United:

As has been alluded too previously, Manchester City disposed of Sheffield United on the way to their FA Cup glory last season. Remarkably, it was the now departed Riyad Mahrez who scored all three goals under the Wembley arch, booking City’s spot in the final to face their Manchester rivals.

19th March 1994 – Manchester City 0-0 Sheffield United:

The other famous fixture deserves notability for very different reasons. With both teams on the verge of being relegated from the newly formed Premier League table, City and United met at Maine Road in a true six-pointer. It ended goalless which favoured blue more than red and this shone through at the end of the season as Man City stayed up whilst Sheffield United went down.

Newcastle United could try something slightly different to previous reports in an attempt to land Kieran Tierney, according to a new update.

What's happening with Kieran Tierney?

The Magpies couldn't have asked for a more impressive start to their 2023/24 season last weekend, as they ripped Aston Villa apart at St James' Park, winning 5-1.

It was fantastic occasion for so many reasons, with Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes enjoying debuts to cherish, and it was a performance that suggested Newcastle are well-equipped for another top-four finish, as well as a decent run in the Champions League.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

While their squad looks as formidable as it has even been, that's not to say that a little more transfer business between now and the end of the current window wouldn't go amiss.

One player who has been linked to a summer move to Newcastle a number of times is Tierney, who finds himself out of favour at Arsenal and unlikely to feature much in 2023/24 unless the Gunners pick up injury problems.

The Scot is seen as someone who could further bolster the Magpies' squad, providing stiff competition for Dan Burn at left-back, as he continues to shine there. However, reports this week revealed Arsenal's £30m price tag was causing issues.

How much will Tierney cost?

According to Football Insider, the Magpies are still pushing to sign Tierney this summer, but are now moving for a loan deal, effectively taking that initial cost from £30m down to zero.

However, the Gunners are currently sticking to their permanent price tag:

"Kieran Tierney is nearing the Arsenal exit as Real Sociedad and Newcastle have made contact over a potential deal, sources have told Football Insider. It is believed Tierney wants first team football and is keen to go where he will play.

"Arsenal want to sell the defender permanently, but both Sociedad and Newcastle have enquired over a potential loan deal."

Tierney has looked like an excellent option for Newcastle all summer long, with the 26-year-old possessing so many attributes to fit in with what Eddie Howe is looking for in a signing.

A tenacious player with a great team ethic, the Arsenal man combines dogged defensive work with good technical ability going forward, having assisted 37 times in 170 appearances for Celtic earlier in his career.

Tierney would come in as a very different option to Burn – better on the ball and providing more natural overlapping width – and Howe could rotate the pair throughout the season, keeping them both fresh and giving opposition sides different headaches, depending on who is playing.

The left-back has been called "fantastic" by Mikel Arteta in the past, suggesting the Gunners manager rates him but just can't find a place for him in his starting lineup, and a loan move could be the best outcome for all parties if Arsenal decide they do see a long-term future for him in north London.

The allrounder and Western Australia captain, slammed an unbeaten 80 to drive his side to a six-wicket win in the final against South Australia in Hobart

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Oct-2017
ScorecardThe victorious Western Australia team with the trophy•Getty ImagesWestern Australia captain Mitchell Marsh led his state to a comfortable victory over South Australia to lift the domestic limited overs trophy at Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Saturday.South Australia made a swift start after winning the toss, but the loss of regular wickets limited their chances of posting the sort of totals that had allowed them to beat Western Australia in the qualifying rounds and Victoria in the elimination final.Western Australia, who had been unbeaten before the SA loss, were then able to reel them in with 38 balls to spare, largely due to the efforts of Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Bancroft, the sometime-Test opening contender, but now a free-scoring gloveman.While Mitchell Marsh was named Man of the Match, at a time when his recovery from shoulder surgery rules him out of bowling and by extension an Ashes berth, it was his brother Shaun Marsh who was named Man of the Tournament for a string of outstanding displays at the top of the batting order.South Asutralia had started fluently through a first-over boundary from Alex Carey, but the early dismissals of the wicketkeeper and dual tournament centurion Jake Weatherald set a pattern. South Australia scored freely but lost regular wickets, which meant the later acceleration typical of their bigger totals was instead a steady stand between Tom Cooper and Cameron Valente followed by a late rush of wickets.Their new-ball bowling had been another feature of their progress, but after Michael Klinger fell early and Shaun Marsh had not fired from the start, Mitchell Marsh and Bancroft missed scarcely a beat in bringing the target under control. Long touted as a future leader by his coach Justin Langer, Mitchell Marsh has aced his very first exam as state captain.

The Supreme Court has issued notices to and summoned three BCCI office bearers – CK Khanna (BCCI’s acting president), Amitabh Choudhary (acting secretary) and Anirudh Chaudhry (treasurer) – for the next hearing on September 19, asking them to explain why they have failed to implement the Lodha Committee recommendations.The court was responding to the latest status report filed by the Committee of Administrators (CoA), in which the committee said that there was a “need to direct” all three office bearers to “forthwith cease and desist” from continuing in the BCCI till fresh elections were held.The CoA had also asked the court to order that the committee, along with the BCCI’s professional management led by its chief executive officer Rahul Johri, take complete charge of the board in the interim. But the court deferred a decision on that request, effectively meaning Khanna, Choudhary and Chaudhry can continue in their posts.The court’s pronouncement cannot be misread as a relief to the office bearers, however. Khanna, Choudhary and Chaudhry had given written undertakings to the court in January saying they would ensure the BCCI implemented the reforms. Those undertakings were sought by the court after it sacked Anurag Thakur and Ajay Shirke, the BCCI president and secretary, for failing to honour their written submissions where they had stated the board would implement the reforms.On Wednesday, the court also directed the two-member CoA panel (comprising Vinod Rai and Diana Edulji) to draft the new BCCI constitution as per the approved reforms, barring the three it said it would revisit during the previous hearing on July 24. Back then, the court passed an interim order asking the BCCI to implement the reforms as far as “practicable” so that the “‘gentleman’s game’ remains nearly perfect”. The court had also said that it was willing to reopen debate over some of the reforms “pertaining to membership, number of members of the selection committee, concept of associate membership, etc”.Two days later, at a special general meeting (SGM), the BCCI members – the state associations – “unanimously” agreed to implement all but five of the reforms approved by the court in its original judgement of July 18 last year. Furious, the CoA said that the BCCI had handpicked from reforms that formed the “fundamental core” of the recommendations that were approved by the court originally.The five broad reforms the BCCI wants the court reconsider comprise: membership status which includes the one-state-one-vote reform, disqualification of office bearers, ministers and government officials based on eligibility criteria such as the age cap, tenure and cooling-off period, the strength of the Apex Council – which replaces the existing working committee – the division of powers between the office bearers and the professional management, and strength of the national selection committee.Those objections, the CoA noted in the status report, were “nothing short of gross abuse/contempt”. On Wednesday, Gopal Subramanium, the amicus curiae in the case, echoed the sentiment. “The objections to the recommendations expressed in the meeting (SGM) seeks to erode fundamental aspects of Lodha Committee recommendations and the principal judgement,” Subramanium said in a 23-page submission in the court. “It was clear that anything that affected the vested interests of the concerned individuals was not acceptable to the office bearers of BCCI and the state associations.”In his expansive note, Subraminum outlined the “systematic manner” in which the BCCI office bearers and state associations had “repeatedly” played the obstructionist role in not implementing the reforms. In its principal judgement of July 18 last year the court had given the BCCI a maximum of six months to implement the approved reforms. “Over a year has since passed,” Subramaniam said. “The conduct of the stakeholders has throughout been that of veiled non-cooperation.”He also said that the CoA, having realised the “portrayal of the purported intention” of the office bearers at both BCCI and state associations was merely a “farce”, was forced to request “sweeping directions” from the court including removal of board’s top three administrators – Khanna, Choudhary and Chaudhry.Subramanium agreed with the CoA that if “stringent” steps were not taken, the court’s principal order was in danger of staying as a dead letter. “The fact that two august Committees have conveyed considerable difficulties in resolving the deadlocks evidences the resoluteness of all involved to make a mockery of Justice and Rule of Law. Permitting such a course of action will be detrimental to the public perception of the sanctity attached to the judgements rendered by this Honourable Court.”This Honourable Court has been magnanimous in accommodating the grievances of all parties to ensure that justice is done. However, all efforts have been designedly defeated with the sole intention to avoid implementation of the judgement by triggering all fathomable objections.”

Southampton return to Championship action for the first time since the 2011/12 campaign when they travel away to face Sheffield Wednesday next week on the opening day.

How many points did Southampton get in the 2011/12 season?

Nigel Adkins led the Saints to promotion that year as his team finished second in the division, one point behind winners Reading on 88 points.

Only three points separated the top three as the club narrowly beat West Ham United to second place and the side's attacking firepower played a huge role in their success.

Southampton's 85 goals led the league and centre-forward Rickie Lambert was vital to that achievement as the former Bristol Rovers marksman plundered 30 goals and 13 assists in 45 outings.

Russell Martin could now land his own prolific no.9 to help fire the south coast outfit back to the Premier League this season by signing one of the club's mooted transfer targets.

The Sun on Sunday [16th July 2023, page 61] reported earlier this month that they will consider a move for Sunderland forward Ross Stewart if one of their current strikers moves on, amid interest from Fulham and Crystal Palace in Che Adams.

How many goals did Ross Stewart score last season?

The Scotland international scored an outstanding ten goals in 13 Championship appearances for the Black Cats, whilst he also provided his teammates with three assists.

Injuries prevented him from being able to add to his tally as the ex-Ross County ace missed 36 matches due to a hamstring issue and then a long-term Achilles problem.

His sensational form when fit, however, suggests that the potential is there for him to be a phenomenal centre-forward for Martin at St. Mary's – if he can avoid further injuries.

Like Lambert, who scored 29 goals in 45 League One matches for Rovers before his move to Southampton, Stewart also proved himself to be prolific in the third tier of English football, with 26 strikes in 49 games for Sunderland during the 2021/22 campaign.

The Black Cats titan, who stands at 6 foot 2, was directly involved in a goal every match on average for the club last season in the Championship, which suggests that he could emulate and even surpass the former Saints striker this term.

Lambert, who also stands at 6 foot 2, produced a goal contribution every 1.05 clashes on average throughout the club's 2011/12 promotion, with 43 goals and assists in 45 appearances.

This indicates that Stewart has the potential to provide a similar level of quality at the top end of the pitch in terms of the regularity with which he chips in with goals and assists from a no.9 position at that level.

The 26-year-old frontman, who was once hailed as "unbelievable" by teammate Alex Pritchard, has been prolific in League One and the Championship, which could now allow him to follow in Lambert's footsteps to be Southampton's talisman next season.

He could lead Martin's side to an instant promotion push with his ability to punish opposition teams on a regular basis with his clinical finishing and his knack for setting up his teammates, which is why the Scottish head coach must push for a deal to be completed this summer.

Manchester United are confident that they can land Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund for under £45 million this summer despite his heavy price tag, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Rasmus Hojlund and Man United?

According to The Sun, Manchester United are preparing a second offer to try and land Hojlund this summer which is said to be worth in the region of £40 million.

The report states that the Red Devils have already seen a bid of £30 million rejected for the 20-year-old, while Financial Fair Play regulations are set to make their quest to sign players this off-season more difficult.

As per The Daily Mail, talks continue over the prospect of Hojlund moving to Old Trafford between both parties. Eintracht Frankfurt ace Randal Kolo Muani has been identified as another target by Erik Ten Hag.

90min claim that Atalanta could demand as much as €80 million (£68.6 million) before sanctioning an exit for the Denmark international; however, Manchester United are only keen to pay a maximum figure of €60 million (£51.5 million) to seal a deal for Hojlund.

Tottenham Hotspur hitman Harry Kane and Napoli star Victor Osimhen have been heavily linked as high-profile arrivals at Manchester United over the course of the last few months, though both pursuits have since fallen by the wayside due to the estimated cost involved.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones thinks that Manchester United will hold optimism they can land Hojlund for under £45 million.

Jones said: "We have said for a while now that Hojlund is the forward most suited to United in the here and now. He’s better than Weghorst, but he doesn’t have much top-level experience yet and only got nine goals in Serie A last season.

"So he won’t be a goal machine, but he will open up gaps for [Marcus] Rashford to exploit. He will fit into the budget and that is a key to this. There have been some huge valuations put on him, but United are pretty sure this is a player that can be landed for under £45m."

Would Hojlund be a good fit for Manchester United and who could he replace?

Bringing in Hojlund, who has been hailed as a "scary" player, could help to boost a Manchester United forward line that is in desperate need of replenishing and the Danish wonderkid could offer a long-term striking option at Old Trafford.

Last term, the 20-year-old was in fine goalscoring form, registering 16 goals and seven assists in 42 appearances combining his spells at Atalanta and former employers Sturm Graz, as per Transfermarkt.

As per FBRef, Hojlund has managed to excel over the past year in the field of progressive passes received compared to his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues, taking in around 10.99 per match across the last 365 days.

In terms of who Hojlund may replace, Anthony Martial looks to be the most likely candidate who is currently on the books of Manchester United.

The Daily Mail report that Martial could be moved on this summer due to being in the last year of his contract and Manchester United would demand around £25 million for his signature.

Steven Smith’s third century of the series carried Australia to 300, while India bounced back through wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav’s 4 for 68 on debut

The Report by Daniel Brettig25-Mar-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details2:34

Chappell: First thought Kuldeep’s selection was gutsy

Kuldeep Yadav’s left-arm wristspin gave this series yet another unexpected twist, trumping the far more consistent theme of the Australian captain Steven Smith’s batting excellence, as India enjoyed the better of the first day of the decisive fourth Test in Dharamsala.Having reached lunch at a domineering 131 for 1, Australia gave up their last nine wickets for a mere 169, all on a surface that showed itself to be by a distance the most evenly paced of the series. That they did so was down largely to Kuldeep, who was given a key role immediately upon the afternoon’s resumption by the stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane and responded with a delectable spell that turned the direction of the day.Though Smith motored to his third century of the series – one of only six visiting batsmen to score that many in India – he was left without significant top-order support, and of the rest only Matthew Wade was able to endure for any protracted period. A good indicator of the different nature of play in Dharamsala was that the innings went by without a single recourse to the DRS, in sharp contrast to earlier matches. The new ball in Australian hands looms large as a key to the match.An irony of Kuldeep’s display was that he had come into the side in place of Virat Kohli, who was reduced to drinks duties after concluding that his strained right shoulder was not going to be 100% fit for this match, the last of the Test season. Turning the ball sharply both ways while maintaining an immaculate length and line, Kuldeep recalled the problems created for Australia by another left-arm wristspinner in Sri Lanka last year – Lakshan Sandakan.The Dharamsala pitch offered pace and bounce for both fast men and spinners to exploit, and it was the fresher fingers of Kuldeep that were best able to take full advantage rather than either Ravindra Jadeja or R Ashwin. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who replaced Ishant Sharma, and Umesh Yadav had both found new-ball movement before Smith took control of proceedings with some help from David Warner.After Rahane lost the toss, Bhuvneshwar’s first ball of the match swerved away from Warner at drivable length. Warner chased it and edged, but the chance was grassed when Karun Nair could get only one hand to it. That incident was a necessary stroke of luck Warner needed after a largely barren series, and after Matt Renshaw was beaten and bowled by a Umesh delivery that straightened down the line, he and Smith were quickly into stride by using the extra pace and bounce offered up by Dharamsala’s hard pitch and thinner atmosphere.1:19

Steven Smith: highest average for a captain v India

Smith wasted little time to get moving, capitalising on any errors in line or length and at one point miscuing a hook at Umesh, so eager was he to get after the bowling. On another day the ball might have plopped into the gloves of Wriddhiman Saha, but here it fell safely.Warner was a little more sluggish after that early chance, covering up in defence to ensure he did not miss any of Bhuvneshwar’s inswingers, and on one occasion cuffing a boundary over the slips when trying to avoid a short ball. The arrival of spin helped Warner build momentum, as the Dharamsala surface offered the odd bit of spin but otherwise played in a friendly fashion in the morning session.Kuldeep was called upon for a pair of overs before the lunch interval, but he too was struck for boundaries as Smith and Warner set a highly promising platform for the tourists.Rahane and his bowlers reset their plans during the interval, focusing on greater economy while encouraging Kuldeep to maintain a full length and test Australia’s batsmen on the drive. Warner seemed preoccupied with trying to cut or force off the back foot, and in trying to do so from a delivery well pitched up, he succeeded only in edging to slip.Shaun Marsh, so stubborn in the second innings in Ranchi, flicked limply at an Umesh delivery and was taken down the leg side cheaply, before Peter Handscomb was out to a lovely piece of bowling from Kuldeep. The ball was tossed up and slower, drifting enough to drag Handscomb’s bat away from his pad and then breaking back through the gap to splay the stumps.Glenn Maxwell thought himself capable of muscling Kuldeep out of the attack and managed one lofted boundary, but he too was unable to be sure of which way the ball was turning. Two balls after reaching the rope, he went back to what he thought was a stock ball and instead found himself beaten and bowled by a googly.Smith’s earlier rapid scoring had slowed, and it was a subdued celebration on reaching three figures. He seemed likely to shepherd Matthew Wade to the tea break, but with five minutes to go edged an Ashwin drifter to slip, the ball after Wade had sneaked a bye from a ball that turned expansively.Pat Cummins, Steve O’Keefe and Nathan Lyon all offered momentary support to Wade, who played sensibly to ensure the visitors at least reached the 300 mark. But Kuldeep’s return to the attack accounted for Cummins, before O’Keefe was run-out by the substitute fielder Shreyas Iyer, who many had expected to be playing in place of Kohli. Needing to win the match to claim the series, India’s selectors had instead gambled on the extra bowler – Kuldeep’s wiles offered the richest of rewards.

Manchester United are in the midst of a potential takeover at Old Trafford and the 'fixation' on a preferred bidder being announced by the Glazer family during the process is 'unhelpful' to the process, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest ownership news involving Manchester United?

According to The Daily Mail, Manchester United may not enter new ownership before the start of the 2023/24 campaign as the Glazer family haven't identified their preferred bidder to take control at Old Trafford.

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani and the Nine Two Foundation alongside Sir Jim Ratcliffe's petrochemicals are still competing for different variations of control; however, the deadlock will not affect Erik ten Hag's £120 million summer transfer budget.

ESPN detail that several minority investment firms are also waiting to hear whether they have been successful in their bid to plough financial capital into the Premier League giants.

As per The Guardian, Manchester United staff are fearful for their job security due to the uncertainty surrounding the club's impending takeover due to a lack of information about the permutations of a change of hands at Old Trafford.

800-plus staff at the Red Devils are in the dark about their future as the ownership saga drags on at the club and it looks like they may have to wait a while yet to find out the new policies of whoever takes over from the Glazer family.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs has dropped some fresh insight into the state of play at Manchester United regarding their ownership situation.

Jacobs told FFC: "Those running the process are working around the clock now with both groups to try and get both offers in shape, which is highly atypical.

"If the Glazers don't, until they pick a winner, provide a period of exclusivity, then they can obviously have maximum competitive tension. Then, if or when a winner is named, we then wait and see whether there is a short period of exclusivity to effectively go through the process of acquisition, but that would still be different to a preferred bidder in a period of exclusivity."

What now for Manchester United?

Manchester United look like they will be in the grips of a takeover stalemate for a while yet. Despite this, other matters will also need to take priority over the next few months, with recruitment likely to be a key focus at Old Trafford.

Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount is a target for Erik ten Hag and the Dutchman has already seen a bid of around £40 million rejected for the England international, though is expected to return with an improved offer in the region of £50 million, as per The Daily Mail.

The Evening Standard also report that Manchester United are now 'favourites' to sign Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana this summer as rival suitors Chelsea have now dropped out of the race to acquire the Cameroon international.

But without a potential takeover, it will be intriguing to see how their transfer plans may be affected this summer.

Aston Villa have been offered the chance to sign Benfica forward Goncalo Ramos, with the player’s agent approaching those at Villa Park.

What’s the latest Aston Villa transfer news involving Ramos?

Villa have already made a start on their summer transfer plans by reaching an agreement with Youri Tielemans, who will officially become a Villa player on July 1 when his Leicester City contract expires.

The club have now brought in former Sevilla sporting director Monchi as Villa’s president of football operations and he will work closely with manager Unai Emery.

A new attacker was previously the club’s top transfer priority, and it looks as if a new striker could arrive over the coming months to rival or possibly partner Ollie Watkins during Emery’s first full season in charge which will include Europa Conference League football.

According to The Sun, Portuguese super-agent Jorge Mendes is working hard to get Ramos a Premier League move, with Manchester United offered the striker’s services.

However, Mendes has also approached Aston Villa, Newcastle, Tottenham and West Ham, with Benfica set to demand £80m for Ramos, a figure which would smash the transfer record at Villa Park.

Who is Goncalo Ramos?

Ramos is just 21 years of age and is an out-and-out centre-forward who has seen his Transfermarkt valuation rocket from €8m to a career-high €50m over the past two years.

Sponsored by Nike and under contract until 2026, the Portugal international progressed through Benfica’s academy and has now made over 100 senior appearances for the club. He has scored 41 goals and provided 16 assists during that time, with 19 of his goals coming in Liga Portugal last season.

Ramos, dubbed a "monster" in the media, has also starred on the international stage, scoring a hat-trick in last year’s World Cup in Qatar after replacing Cristiano Ronaldo in the starting XI.

You can see why a move for Ramos could appeal to those in the Midlands, especially with Watkins linked with a move to Manchester United in recent days. Villa enjoyed a brilliant resurgence under Emery but scored just 51 goals in their 38 Premier League games in 2022/23, the fewest out of the top 10 sides.

Therefore, bringing in someone like Ramos to bolster the club’s attacking ranks could be an extremely shrewd move, however, should a move materialise over the coming months, you’d expect he would arrive at a big cost, with many expecting immediate results.