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Leeds United are back in action in the Championship once again this afternoon as they prepare to welcome Gary Rowett’s Oxford United to Elland Road.

Des Beckingham left the newly-promoted side earlier this month and they are now heading to West Yorkshire for Rowett’s first match in charge.

The Whites will be looking to take advantage of that, whilst also being wary that they could play with added motivation to impress the new boss, to bounce back to winning ways after they were held to a 1-1 draw last time out.

A stoppage-time own goal from Jack Whatmaugh salvaged a point for Leeds against Preston North End at Deepdale last weekend, after they went 1-0 down to a strike from Brad Potts in the first half.

It was a result that has left them second in the table and three points behind Sheffield United in first place, which means that they are well in the race to secure automatic promotion to the Premier League.

The Whites now come up against an Oxford United side that they will not be familiar with, as it has been over 12 years since they last clashed with them.

Leeds United's last clash with Oxford United

Their last meeting came in the League Cup in August 2012 and ended in a 3-0 win for Leeds, who were managed by veteran EFL boss Neil Warnock at the time.

Given that the game was over 12 years ago, the Whites team looked incredibly different to the one that is likely to come up against Oxford this afternoon at Elland Road.

However, it may not look entirely different because Sam Byram, who started against Preston last weekend, started the match on the right of a midfield four.

GK

Jamie Ashdown

RB

Tom Lees

CB

Patrick Kisnorbo

CB

Jason Pearce

LB

Adam Drury

RM

Sam Byram

CM

Michael Brown

CM

Rodolph Austin

LM

Aidan White

ST

Andy Gray

ST

El-Hadji Diouf

As you can see in the XI above, the Leeds academy graduate played in midfield in Warnock’s 4-4-2 system, with Tom Lees and veteran Adam Drury preferred ahead of him in the full-back positions.

Rodolph Austin opened the scoring in the first-half for the Whites before Byram got himself on the scoresheet by lobbing the ball over the goalkeeper from close range, and Lees made sure of the win with a second-half header.

Will the English defender start back-to-back games for Leeds against Oxford 12 years apart, though? Well, the injury issues ahead of this clash suggest that he will.

Latest Leeds United injury news

In his pre-match press conference, Daniel Farke revealed that Junior Firpo and Ilia Gruev remain out injured with their hamstring and knee issues respectively, which means that they will not be available for selection.

Firpo is the only natural left-footed left-back in the squad and his absence from the starting line-up means that the German head coach does not have many other options.

Max Wober, a left-footed centre-back, has operated at left-back at times this season but the Leeds boss claims that he only has a “small chance” of being fit, due to a knee injury.

This means that Byram could keep his place in the XI after his start against Preston last week, because Firpo and Wober could both be missing from the matchday squad.

The other headline injury news is that Pascal Struijk, who has captained the team in the absence of Ethan Ampadu, is a doubt with a hamstring injury.

He did not train for two days earlier in the week and Farke states that it is a 50/50 call as to whether or not he will be available at the back against Oxford.

Predicted Leeds line-up to face Oxford

With this injury news in mind, there could be three changes to the starting XI that line-up against Preston last weekend, starting with an alternation at centre-back.

If Struijk misses out, the armband could go back to club captain Ethan Ampadu, who has come off the bench in the last two matches since his return from a knee injury.

The Wales international played at centre-back next to Joe Rodon in the second half of the 2023/24 campaign and helped Leeds to reach the play-off final, and he could be called upon in that position should the Dutchman miss out.

In terms of any unforced changes to the side, Farke could look to shake up his attacking options after they failed to find the back of the net against Preston, needing an own goal to seal a point.

Brenden Aaronson is one player who could be ditched from the starting line-up after a disappointing showing last time out at Deepdale in the number ten role.

Minutes

65

Key passes

0

Big chances created

0

Shots on target

0

Big chances missed

1

As you can see in the table above, the USA international struggled badly at the top end of the pitch, with zero chances created and zero shots on target in 65 minutes.

He also missed the best opportunity of the first-half by blazing his effort well over the bar after Byram’s flick found him around 12 yards out, with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Football FanCast recently published an article explaining why Mateo Joseph should be unleashed in a new role as a number ten behind Joel Piroe, and the Spain U21 international could replace Aaronson in the XI as part of that against Oxford.

Another change could come on the left side of the attack after Wilfried Gnonto struggled against Preston, with zero shots on target and zero chances created in 65 minutes.

Largie Ramazani created a chance in just 25 minutes off the bench and could start for the first time since returning from injury, to offer an exciting threat down the left wing.

The Belgian whiz, who was once described as an “explosive” player by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored in his last start, against Watford, and could be given the nod this afternoon.

Leeds had a star who was "similar" to Klich & Phillips, then he left for £0

The former Leeds United star was highly-rated by Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road.

ByDan Emery Dec 18, 2024

Full predicted line-up for Leeds: Illan Meslier; Jayden Bogle, Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Sam Byram; Ao Tanaka, Joe Rothwell; Dan James, Mateo Joseph, Largie Ramazani; Joel Piroe.

Barcelona star Raphinha sent out a fiery message ahead of Brazil's World Cup qualifying clash against arch-rivals Argentina.

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Brazil to face Argentina in a World Cup qualifierRaphinha sent out a fiery message to arch-rivalsScored in Brazil's win against Colombia last weekFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

The South American foes are set to lock horns in a crucial 2026 World Cup qualifying match on Tuesday. Brazil head into the clash after a 2-1 win over Copa America 2024 runners-up Colombia last week where Raphinha and Vinicius Junior were on target. Ahead of the showdown in Buenos Aires, the Barcelona man has sent out a rallying call to motivate his team-mates.

AdvertisementWHAT RAPHINHA SAID

During a chat between Raphinha and Brazil legend Romario, the Selecao icon first asked: "We are going to play against Argentina, our biggest rival. Now, thank God, without Messi, are we going to beat them?" In response, Raphinha said: "We will beat them, no doubt. On and off the pitch, if we have to."

Romario again asked: "Are you going to try to score a goal against Argentina?" The Barca winger replied: "Yes, with everything." The duo then ended the conversation with Romario asking, "F*ck them?" Then Raphinha responded: "F*ck them."

Getty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Messi has not joined the reigning world champions for their latest round of World Cup qualifiers after a muscular complaint. Despite their leader's absence, Argentina won their last qualifying game against Uruguay 1-0 courtesy of Thiago Almada's strike.

WHAT NEXT FOR RAPHINHA?

After competing against the Argentines on Tuesday, it is unlikely that the 28-year-old will be able to take the field for Barcelona against Osasuna in their La Liga fixture on Thursday.

Pep Guardiola is pushing Manchester City to make a move for a “great” £40 million defender, according to a recent report. January could be an intriguing month for the Blues, as their unusually poor form in the Premier League could mean they are active in the transfer window.

Man City must regret selling £80m star in the making who's like Musiala

Manchester City now may regret offloading a star who’s set the Premier League alight.

ByEthan Lamb Dec 10, 2024 Man City transfer news

One player who is on City’s radar but may not be a transfer that happens until the summer is German midfielder Florian Wirtz. The Premier League side are desperate to sign the Bayer Leverkusen talisman, and to get a deal done, they are willing to offer some players as makeweights in exchange for Wirtz.

As well as being interested in Wirtz, City are now pushing to sign Ederson from Serie A side Atalanta. The Brazilian has become a key player for his side in recent times, and his performances have put him on the radar of Premier League teams.

The Blues are keen on a deal as they see the tough-tackling midfielder as an ideal replacement for Rodri, who looks set to miss the rest of the campaign. Signing Ederson will not be a cheap deal for the Premier League champions, as he could cost them £42 million.

Guardiola pushing Man City to sign USA star

According to Give Me Sport, Manchester City are seriously considering a move to sign Antonee Robinson from Fulham in January. The USA international has become one of the best-performing left-backs in the Premier League in recent years, as the Cottagers establish themselves as a mid-table team.

Robinson, who has been labelled a “great athlete” by manager Marco Silva, has been at Craven Cottage since 2020, during which he has been firmly Fulham’s number one choice for the left-back spot. The 27-year-old played 37 times in the league last season, during which he grabbed six assists, and he has continued that form into this campaign, as he’s got four assists to his name in 15 games.

Robinson has become a key player for club and country, and now this report states that City are considering a move for him in the New Year. The Blues are looking at signing a new left-back, and Robinson is among the names being considered as Guardiola is keen to bolster an area that has become a problem.

Apps

166

Goals

3

Assists

16

The left-back is under contract at Craven Cottage until 2028, meaning Fulham are under no pressure to sell. But City are refusing to rule out a formal proposal for Robinson in January, as signing Robinson would allow Josko Gvardiol to move back into the centre of defence, which is his preferred position. Guardiola’s side are not alone, though, as Liverpool are also keen on signing the defender who has a £40 million price tag on his head.

Allrounder included in England’s 14-man squad to face India after recovering from hamstring tear

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jun-2018Ben Stokes has been recalled to England’s 14-man squad for the three-match ODI series against India, having recovered from the hamstring tear that ruled him out of the second Test against Pakistan in May, as well as the subsequent limited-overs fixtures against Scotland and Australia.The ODI leg of India’s tour gets underway on July 12 at Trent Bridge, the scene of England’s world-record innings of 481 for 6 against Australia earlier this month, and by then Stokes is expected to have tested his fitness by playing in the Vitality Blast for Durham against Yorkshire at Headingley on July 5.England ODI squad v India

Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Jos Buttler (wk), Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Mark Wood

Assuming he comes through that match unscathed, Stokes could be in line to make an early comeback in the third of England’s three T20Is against India, on July 8 at Bristol – the scene of his last ODI appearance on home soil in September 2017.Despite his lengthy period on the sidelines, and the success of England’s white-ball team in his absence – they achieved a 6-0 clean-sweep against Australia in ODIs and T20Is this month – the England management have no doubt about Stokes’ importance to their first-choice XI.”Ben is a three-in-one player,” Paul Farbrace said ahead of the squad announcement. “He can bowl and he is the best fielder. You are going to bring him in as soon as he is available. It might mean another shift in your batting order but he’s not a bad bloke to be coming into your team.”Stokes’ return means bad news for Sam Billings, the Kent captain who has failed to grab his opportunities in his intermittent outings in England’s power-packed middle-order. He made 12 from 14 balls as England tripped up in their run-chase against Scotland at the Grange earlier this month, and 11 from 18 balls in his solitary outing against Australia at Cardiff, when Eoin Morgan pulled out with a back spasm on the morning of the game.Billings will, however, get a high-profile opportunity to restate his credentials when he leads Kent in the final of the Royal London One-Day Cup, against Hampshire at Lord’s on Saturday.England’s other notable injury absentee, Chris Woakes, has not been recalled to the squad at this stage, as he is still recovering from a torn right quad and a long-standing knee injury. However, if he proves his fitness, he could be added to the squad during the latter part of the ODI series.Sam Curran, who made his ODI debut against Australia at Old Trafford last week, having also made a Test debut against Pakistan earlier in the season, has been excluded from the squad, with his brother, Tom, ahead of him in the pecking order now that he has recovered from a niggle.

USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie could return to the Premier League with negotiations on a new deal at Juventus reaching a stalemate.

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Midfielder exploring potential return to EnglandContract expires at the end of next year, no extension immediateHas tallied nine assists this season in all competitionsWHAT HAPPENED?

McKennie's contract expires at the end of the 2024-25 campaign, and there has been little movement on a new deal for the 25-year-old. The Italian club might be looking to cash in as a result, as they are willing to accept a €20 million (£17m/$22m) bid for their star midfielder, according to . The reports would seem to counter talk that the Bianconeri are prepared to offer McKennie an extension.

AdvertisementWHAT MCKENNIE SAID

In January, the midfielder asserted that his second spell at Juventus is an opportunity to return to his best: "When I left Leeds, I knew I had a bad showing. I knew I didn’t have the time that I thought I was going to have or that maybe I should have had. It put me in a mindset that when I came back here to Juventus, I was starting brand new. I’m going back to Juventus like it’s my first time. I have to prove myself all over again.”

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

McKennie has seized a role in central midfield for the Bianconeri, starting 24 Serie A games this season and tallying seven league assists. Juventus are third in the Italian top flight, and seem well positioned to return to the Champions League ahead of the 2024-25 season.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MCKENNIE

The USMNT midfielder seems poised to be a part of the Juventus midfield going forward. He is set to feature on March 17, when his side take on Genoa.

Everton are thought to be in advanced talks to seal what could be a controversial off-field deal, according to one report.

What’s the latest Everton news?

The Toffees have endured a frustrating start to the new Premier League campaign under Sean Dyche, with the club failing to back up promising wins at Brentford and Aston Villa with a defeat to Luton Town at Goodison Park last time out. The club could well be in line for another battle at the bottom of the Premier League table, currently sitting on just four points from their opening seven top-flight fixtures.

There has been better news off the pitch, though, with the possibility of 777 Partners taking full control of the club. The company signed an agreement last month to acquire Farhad Moshiri's full stake in the club, although a deal still needs approval from the Premier League, FA and the Financial Conduct Authority.

The prospective new owners could soon have plenty on their plate, though, with recent reports claiming Burnley, Leeds and Leicester have written a joint letter to 777 about potentially suing the club for £300m if they are found guilty of breaking Premier League spending rules. However, the club appear to be making off-field plans ahead of the 2024/25 season, one of which is a new kit supplier.

Football Insider shared a report in the last 48 hours regarding Everton and a potential new kit manufacturer. The Toffees are believed to be in advanced talks with Castore over a deal which could be the first commercial deal struck by 777 Partners.

However, Castore are currently facing criticism from those at Aston Villa, while Newcastle United have already triggered an early exit clause with the company. There has also been criticism from other clubs they supply for including Rangers and Wolves, so an agreement with Everton could be a controversial one.

Who makes Everton’s kits?

Everton are in a partnership with Hummel at this moment in time, however, the deal is set to expire at the end of the current campaign, which appears to have led to talks with Castore. Football Insider add that Hummel’s deal on Merseyside is worth around £8m a season, a higher fee than Castore pays for any of the clubs they represent.

Aston Villa’s men’s and women’s players have complained over the ‘wet-look’ of Castore’s shirts, with the company looking at if there are any short-term solutions. Therefore, Everton could be taking a risk, should they sign with Castore, especially with Newcastle, Rangers and Wolves also seemingly not left thrilled with the company.

It looks as if an agreement is one to keep an eye on over the coming months, though, especially with plans needing to be made in advance over a new kit for the 2024/25 season.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have seen some spectacular talent grace Molineux over the years, with the glory days of Nuno Espirito Santo currently looking like light-years away.

To say that the Old Gold have suffered in recent months would be an understatement, going from bottom of the table of Christmas Day of 2022, to battling financial struggles and managerial changes late in the summer.

Gary O’Neil took charge of the squad just four days before the club’s 2023/24 Premier League season opener, with the former Bournemouth manager handed the impossible task of attempting to compete with an extremely frail Wolves squad.

The challenge of balancing the books and maintaining a strong squad proved to be out of reach, as big names were sold for critical profit with little reinforcements welcomed to ease the blow on the team.

Speaking after his side’s abysmal 3-2 Carabao Cup defeat to Championship side Ipswich Town, the manager admitted his squad is “£80m short” of quality due to the sales made in the summer.

While Wolves generated sufficient cash for the sales of stars such as Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes, ensuring profitable exits from Molineux hasn’t always been possible, with last season highlighting just how much the club fumbled on one player in particular.

When did Wolves sign Pedro Goncalves?

In 2017, 19-year-old Valencia academy talent Pedro Goncalves made the switch from Spain to England to become another Portuguese addition to Nuno’s newly constructed squad at Molineux.

The teen was signed under the manager at Valencia prior to his move to Wolves, telling of how much of a fan Nuno was of the young winger, who had built his career in his homeland before moving to Spain and on to the Midlands.

In the 2017/18 campaign, the forward made a quick start to life in the Old Gold’s academy, scoring four goals and providing one assist in just 16 Premier League 2 appearances.

In a total of 38 appearances for Wolves’ academy sides, the Chaves-born whiz contributed to 13 goals, scoring nine times and assisted four goals for his teammates, hinting at how effective he could one day become in the final third.

His coach at the time of his success in the academy was current Luton Town boss Rob Edwards, who has since admitted that the forward’s development in senior football “does not surprise” him.

Despite earning praise and making a positive impact in Wolverhampton, the Portuguese ace bid farewell to the club just two years after his arrival.

What happened to Pedro Goncalves?

A combination of missing home comforts and not seeing a path for a way into the first team under Nuno was suspected to be the cause of Goncalves’ swift exit.

The youngster left having made one appearance for the senior squad, which came in the form of 28 minutes in the league cup against Sheffield Wednesday, far from the glitz and glamour of the Premier League.

Unfortunately for both player and club, his arrival came at a critical time for Wolves, where the squad were doing well on their return to the top-flight, with stars such as Neves and Joao Moutinho dominating central midfield, where Goncalves had been positioned in the academy.

It was unlikely that the youngster would have broken through to the level that he desired, which led him to make the mature decision to leave his Premier League hopes behind and return to Portugal.

Wolves sold Goncalves, known as Pote, to Famalicao for a fee believed to be in the region of £1m, which began the start of a reel of difficult viewing for those at Molineux, as their former academy player began to grow into a different beast.

Pote spent one season at Famalicao in Liga Portugal before being picked up by Portuguese giants Sporting CP, having made a quick impact on his return to his homeland, scoring five times and recording six assists in the 2019/20 league campaign.

Pedro Goncalves record in the Primeira Liga, via Transfermarkt

Season

Club

Apps

Goals

Assists

2019/20

Famalicao

33

5

6

2020/21

Sporting CP

32

23

4

2021/22

Sporting CP

27

8

10

2022/23

Sporting CP

33

15

12

Having previously been lauded as “phenomenal” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the winger has become one of Sporting’s most influential players due to his power in front of goal and ability to add a constant threat in attack.

Having secured 136 Liga Portugal appearances, along with 10 Champions League and seven Europa League appearances for Sporting so far, the former Wolves outsider has caught the attention of Europe since his Molineux departure.

Speaking on the Express and Star’s Wolves podcast in 2021, The Athletic’s Tim Spiers described Wolves’ management of Goncalves as “frustrating” and his sale as a “massive mistake”, a fair judgement when reviewing his form in Portugal.

How many goals has Pedro Goncalves scored?

Last season, the Old Gold were the Premier League’s lowest-scorers after scoring just 31 goals in 38 games, 63 goals fewer than league winners Manchester City to highlight the difference in quality.

To put into perspective just how poor the sale of Goncalves was, the forward scored just 11 goals less than his old club in the 2022/23 campaign over all competitions, scoring 20 times and assisting 15 goals in 51 appearances.

The winger has directly had a hand in 94 goals in 136 appearances for Sporting, with his highest-scoring season coming in his debut Primeira Liga campaign, in which he was named on the scoresheet 23 times in 32 appearances.

Goncalves’ feat in the 2020/21 term, his first for Sporting, came less than two years after he left Wolves, highlighting just how horrendous the decision was to sell the forward for pennies rather than loan him to such clubs for development.

How much is Pedro Goncalves worth now?

Wolves currently sit short of goals, funds and inspiration, three things that the winger has been relishing over the past year.

This summer, Aston Villa were linked with a potential move for the Sporting hero, with news in Portugal, relayed by Sport Witness, revealing that Wolves’ rivals reportedly walked away from a deal due to the price the Portuguese club valued him at.

With a release clause of €80m (£68m) in place in his contract, Sporting understandably told interested buyers that they would not consider selling the player for less than the value of his clause, reinforcing the funds the Old Gold could have had if they had kept him on their books rather than selling him for so little.

In his position currently sits Pedro Neto, who has come to light this season, but has netted just 12 goals in his 117 appearances for Wolves, highlighting the drop in quality following the sanctioning of his compatriot's move away.

Away from his goal contributions, in which he scored 15 goals fewer than the former Wolves gem last term, Neto has fallen short of Pote in other areas of his game, as communicated through their season averages in their respective 2022/23 league campaigns.

As per FBref, Neto averaged 2.24 progressive passes,1.87 key passes and 3.83 shot-creating actions per 90 in the Premier League, falling short of Goncalves in the Primeira Liga who averaged 5.26 progressive passes, 4.55 shot-creating actions and 2.37 key passes per 90.

The sale of Goncalves was a low point for Wolves in hindsight, with the player having the potential to have generated significant profit to the Midlands side, as well as the quality he could have implemented in the squad, which is currently so short of luxury.

Denmark will now rely on help from Uganda and Bermuda in matches to be replayed on Sunday in order to keep Jersey or Malaysia from leapfrogging them on the net-run-rate tiebreaker

The Report by Peter Della Penna in Kuala Lumpur05-May-2018Shane Deitz flicks off his pads for runs through the leg side•Peter Della PennaVanuatu’s late rally after three consecutive losses at the start of the WCL Division Four has put Denmark’s final-standings fate out of their own hands as the NiVans upended the Danes by five wickets with as many balls to spare at the Kinrara Academy Oval to become the first team all week to successfully chase a target at the ground.Overhauling Denmark’s 234 with half-centuries from the top three – vice-captain Jonathon Dunn (86 off 139 balls), Joshua Rasu (69 off 77), and Patrick Matautaava (53 off 42) – Vanuatu registered their second successful chase in three days. Dunn had scored only 15 runs in Malaysia coming into the match while Matautaava more than doubled his week-long output of 49 runs. Rasu ended three runs short of doubling his group-stage tally.All three were due for a score, particularly Matautaava after his Player-of-the-Tournament performance at Division Five in September, and they came up trumps in style against Denmark. Dunn and Rasu put on 116 for the first wicket before Matautaava took over following the dismissal of Rasu. Matautaava blasted his way to a half-century off 33 balls, putting Denmark in serious jeopardy of not only losing outright, but also losing their net-run-rate tiebreaker advantage over Jersey.Denmark entered the day with a 12.2 over or 54-run net positive differential with Jersey on the net-run-rate tiebreaker. At one stage, thanks to Matautaava’s blitz which took the score to 167 for 1 in 31 overs, most of that differential was on the brink of being wiped out. But the spin troika of Bashir Shah, Nicolaj Laegsgaard and Saif Ahmad dug deep to stretch the game into the final over, with Saif nipping out Matautaava and captain Andrew Mansale to slow Vanuatu’s charge and, in the process, help preserve some of their tiebreak advantage over Jersey in spite of the loss. Shane Deitz, however, whacked a six off the first ball of the final over to seal the chase.Vanuatu’s bowlers set up the win with an excellent display at the death after Denmark had set themselves up for a launch from 182 for 4 at the 40-over mark thanks to half-centuries from Anders Bulow and captain Hamid Shah. But the middle order failed to kick on, adding only 40 through the next eight overs before Nalin Nipiko and Matautaava took two wickets each off four consecutive balls to end the 49th and start the 50th.Denmark will now rely on help from Uganda and Bermuda in matches to be replayed on Sunday in order to keep Jersey or Malaysia from leapfrogging them on the net-run-rate tiebreaker and into the promotion slots to move up to Division Three.

Southampton manager Russell Martin has delivered an update on his future on the south coast, with Sport Republic's current stance regarding his position also revealed.

How have Southampton started the season?

In the Championship, Martin’s side have had an extremely mixed start to the new campaign having secured three wins, one draw and suffered four defeats from their opening eight games, meaning that having taken ten points from a possible 24, they find themselves 15th in the table, as per Sky Sports.

Speaking on the ‘What The EFL?!’ podcast, EFL pundit Adrian Clarke claimed that the St. Mary’s outfit won’t be able to achieve promotion this season should the 37-year-old remain at the helm and that he believes he will be sacked before the end of the campaign.

Unfortunately for the Saints, life isn't set to get any easier with their next two second-tier fixtures being a home match against also recently relegated Leeds United followed by a trip to face Stoke City at the Bet365 Stadium, so it's vital they pick up as many points as possible.

Is Russell Martin leaving Southampton?

Speaking to The Athletic, Martin was asked whether Sport Republic are understanding of Southampton's current position and if he still has their full backing.

As quoted by Football League World, he replied: “I think so, yeah. There’s been a lot gone on. They’ve made huge changes in the football club. Listen, we shouldn’t have lost the amount of games we have but I don’t think they expected a magic wand.

"Yesterday I said the club has embarked on a journey and what I meant by that was with us [coaches] as well, not the players, with Jason, the chief exec, so many new people, a different way of behaving — all that stuff you don’t see when you’re not there every day.

"And when you’re trying to do something really different, I don’t think that is ever easy. It’s a time to be really brave, for everyone to stick together, to get through it together. Or you don’t. That’s football.”

What is Russell Martin's record at Southampton?

Since joining Southampton back in July, Martin has only secured three victories from nine games and is averaging just 1.11 points per match, via Transfermarkt, but it’s not just his side’s performances in the league that have been concerning.

During the first round of the Carabao Cup, the south coast outfit bowed out following a shock 3-1 loss to League Two side Gillingham, so due to a result that nobody would have expected, they have also lost one of their roads to potentially securing some silverware away from the second tier.

The Brighton-born coach still has another three years remaining on his contract, but as it stands, it’s unlikely that he will last that long in his job unless he is to rapidly turn the club’s form around and get them back in the race for promotion with the aim being to jump back up to the top-flight at the first time of asking.

A mix of short balls and run-outs helped skittle Kings XI for 88. Royal Challengers knocked those runs off with almost 12 overs to spare

The Report by Deivarayan Muthu14-May-2018
3:38

Agarkar: Kings XI’s collapse the worst performance this season

Umesh Yadav ambushed KL Rahul and Chris Gayle with short balls and the rest of Kings XI Punjab’s batting line-up made lemmings seem cautious as they were knocked over for 88 in 15.1 overs. Royal Challengers Bangalore chased it down with almost 12 overs to spare and boosted their net run-rate, from -0.26 to +0.21, and their playoff qualification chances. The result also confirmed a top-two finish for current table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad.Kings XI had suffered a big blow even before the first ball was bowled: their top wicket-taker Mujeeb Ur Rahman was sidelined with a hand injury sustained in his previous game against Kolkata Knight Riders. On the flip side, they recalled Marcus Stoinis to bolster a batting line-up that had Axar Patel at No. 6 on Saturday. Stoinis, however, yorked himself against Yuzvendra Chahal and was part of an irreparable collapse. Three of the last four wickets were chaotic run-outs, which summed up Kings XI’s approach on a pitch that wasn’t as flat as the one that produced a run aggregate of 459 on Saturday, but it wasn’t unplayable either.Short ball leaves Kings XI short-changed
Umesh teased Gayle with a brace of outswingers in the corridor, including one that grazed the outside edge, but Parthiv Patel dropped it to reprieve the batsman on 0 in the first over. He then ventured short and kept attacking the body of Gayle, who took seven balls to get off the mark against Umesh. In all, Umesh bowled 15 short or short-of-good-length balls in his three-over first spell, and fetched two wickets in doing so. In his third over, he first had Rahul pulling a catch to deep square leg for 21 off 15 balls and then dismissed Gayle in similar fashion. In the next over, Mohammed Siraj dug one in outside off and coaxed an outside edge from Karun Nair to leave Kings XI at 41 for 3 in the sixth over.The middle-order implosion
In the next over, Stoinis misread the length of a googly from Chahal and was bowled for 2. His Australia team-mate Aaron Finch, though, threatened to haul Kings XI to three figures, but the other end was a revolving door with batsmen entering and exiting in a flash. Besides Rahul and Gayle, Finch (26) was the only other Kings XI batsman to move into double figures. He, however, fell in the 12th over, when he pulled a short ball from Moeen Ali straight into the lap of Virat Kohli at deep midwicket. The RCB captain was simply having fun. He broke into an animated jig, and his team was in such a dominant position that he could afford at least one slip till the end of Kings XI’s innings.Kings XI’s misery, on the other hand, deepened when R Ashwin, Mohit Sharma, and Ankit Rajpoot all ran themselves out. Kings XI’s 88 was the second-lowest total this season, and their joint second-lowest overall. RCB’s ‘perfect’ dayIn the absence of swing and scoreboard pressure, Kohli and Parthiv Patel launched a flurry of boundaries and took RCB to 66 for 0 in the Powerplay. Fourteen balls later, Kohli capped an early finish with a top-edged four. He later said: “It was a perfect day for us. We are in the nothing-to-lose zone and it will work well for us. Other teams will be wary of a team with such a mindset.”If RCB win their remaining two matches, at home against Sunrises Hyderabad followed by an away game against Rajasthan Royals, they could sneak into the playoffs.