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أعلن الفرنسي هيرفي رينارد عن تشكيلة المنتخب السعودي لمواجهة بنما اليوم في خامس المباريات التحضيرية للأخضر في معسكر أبو ظبي التحضيري لكأس العالم 2022.

منتخب السعودية قبل معسكر أبو ظبي خاض 4 وديات تحضيرية لكأس العالم دون تحقيق أي فوز، حيث خسر بهدف نظيف في مباراتي كولومبيا وفنزويلا في شهر يونيو الماضي، ثم تعادل سلبيًا في مباراتي الإكوادور والولايات المتحدة الأمريكية في معسكر إسبانيا في سبتمبر الماضي.

اقرأ أيضا.. مباشر بالفيديو | مباراة السعودية وبنما الودية.. إعلان التشكيل

الأخضر بدأ مشواره في معسكر أبو ظبي بالفوز بهدف دون رد أمام مقدونيا الشمالية ثم تعادل بهدف لمثله أمام ألبانيا، وتعادل سلبيًا أمام الهندوراس ثم فاز بهدف دون رد أمام أيسلندا. تشكيل السعودية أمام بنما اليوم

حراسة المرمى: محمد العويس.

خط الدفاع: ياسر الشهراني، علي البليهي، حسان تمبكتي، محمد البريك.

خط الوسط: محمد كنو، عبد الإله المالكي، سامي النجعي.

خط الهجوم: فراس البريكان، هيثم عسيري، سالم الدوسري.

ويتواجد منتخب السعودية في المجموعة الثالثة في كأس العالم 2022 بجانب منتخبات المكسيك والأرجنتين وبولندا.

يذكر أن مباراة الأرجنتين والسعودية في بداية مشوار الأخضر في كأس العالم 2022 تقام على ملعب لوسيل يوم الثلاثاء 22 نوفمبر في الواحدة ظهرًا بتوقيت السعودية، الثانية عشر ظهرًا بتوقيت مصر ضمن مباريات المجموعة الثالثة والتي تضم كذلك منتخبات بولندا والمكسيك.

ويلعب منتخب السعودية أمام بولندا في الجولة الثانية يوم 26 نوفمبر في الرابعة عصرًا بتوقيت السعودية، الثالثة عصرًا بتوقيت مصر ثم يواجه المكسيك يوم 30 نوفمبر في العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت السعودية، التاسعة مساءً بتوقيت مصر.

يرى اليوناني نيكوديموس بابافسيليو أن الأهلي استحق الفوز على الزمالك والتتويج ببطولة كأس السوبر المصري في المباراة الاخيرة التي جمعت بين قطبي الكرة المصرية.

واستطاع الأهلي أن يتوج ببطولة السوبر للمرة الثانية عشر في تاريخه بعد تغلبه على الزمالك بهدفين دون رد.

طالع أيضًا.. لاعب توتنهام السابق: أشجع الأهلي لسبب واحد.. ولقب المونديال بين الأرجنتين والبرازيل

وقال بابافاسيليو اثناء استضافته ببرنامج “الريمونتادا” المذاع على قناة “المحور”: “الأهلي استحق الفوز، كان الأكثر تماسكا وكانت لديه حلول والزمالك فاجأني، فمن المفترض أن الفريق يدافع جيدا مع فيريرا ويلعب على الهجمات المرتدة ولكن الهدف المبكر غير المباراة تماما”.

وأضاف: “الزمالك لم يجد الحلول عندما كانت تصل الكرة للاعبيه، وكان من المفترض أن يكون هناك رد فعل بعد هدف الأهلي”.

وتابع: “نتيجة هذا المباراة ستؤثر نفسيًا على الزمالك، لأن الفريق كان في أفضل مستوى خلال الموسمين الماضيين”.

وواصل المدرب اليوناني حديثه: “نتيجة هذه المباراة ستؤثر نفسيا، لأن الزمالك كان في مستوى أفضل خلال الموسمين الماضيين، وخسارة أول بطولة في الموسم في وقت مبكر جدًا تعطي الثقة الكبيرة للمنافس، والجانب النفسي مهم جدًا في تلك الأندية الكبرى”.

وأردف: “الأهلي الآن أصبح يؤمن أكثر أنه يمكنه المنافسة وانه جيد بالقدر الكافي ويستطيع خوض تحدي الدوري وأعتقد أن مستواه سيبقى عاليًا”.

واختار مدرب غزل المحلة لاعبًا واحدًا من الدوري المصري يمكنه اللعب في أوروبا، قائلًا: “المالي آليو ديانج يعجبني منذ سنوات، أعتقد لديه كل الإمكانيات للعب في أعلى المستويات”.

واستكمل عن ديانج: “لاعب رائع وسريع جدًا وشديد الحماس ويستطيع أن يغطي المساحات بشكل جيد جدًا، وقراراته وهو مستحوذ على الكرة وتحت الضغط رائعة جدًا”.

وتطرق للحديث عن الدوري المصري والمنافسه فيه: “هناك 7 أو 8 فرق دعمت صفوفها بصفقات قوية عكس المواسم الماضية، كان هناك 3 فرق فقط، الدوري المصري أصبح أقوى”.

وأوضح: “تدريب غزل المحلة كان يمثل تحديا كبيرا عندما عرض علي العمل به، وقبل أن أقبل العرض أو أرفضه شاهدت بعض المباريات ورأيت شيئا أحببته كثيرا والوضع يختلف عندما تقوم بتحليل فريق واحد بالتفصيل”.

وأضاف: “عندما بدأت في تحليل غزل المحلة رأيت خصائص كثيرة، ورأيت روح قتالية وعقلية أحبها جدا، وأيضا لاعبين صغار في السن وجيدين جدا وبالتدريب الجيد والتوجيه الفني يمكنهم أن يتطوروا، واعتقد خلال فترة التوقف الحالية يمكنني أن أطبق أفكاري مع اللاعبين وأنا أحب التحديات”.

وأردف: “كل شيء كان عظيم من البداية مع الفريق، حيث بدأنا بمباريات ودية، وشاهد اللاعبون أن الأشياء التي نتدرب عليها حدثت في المباراة وخطوة تلو أخرى يبدأ الإصلاح”.

واستأنف: “في الدوري المصري أحيانا تكون المباراة عبارة عن مهاجمين أمام مدافعين، ولا وجود لخط الوسط، ولكننا سيطرنا على ذلك، هناك لاعبون مميزون ربما اكتسبوا الموهبة من الشارع”.

واختتم: “كان الأمر مضحكا في يوم ما عندما كنا نتدرب على الكرات الطولية بسبب سوء الأرضية، واللاعبين أرادوا التمرير، هذا شيء عظيم ومعناه أن اللاعبين يؤمنون بأساليبك”.

Leeds United have had a bid knocked back for Brenden Aaronson this week, according to reports.

The Athletic claim that RB Salzburg have rejected the Whites’ offer of £15m for the 21-year-old midfielder and also believe they are intent on signing him before deadline day on January 31st.

Historically, the Austria Bundesliga champions have rarely hesitated to cash in on their biggest and brightest stars but they remain in the Champions League and Aaronson’s influence to the side makes him invaluable right now.

Therefore, the Yorkshire giants may need to turn their attention elsewhere and it’s another name that they have been linked with that could prove the be the perfect solution.

Forget Aaronson

Just last week, Foot Mercato editor-in-chief Sebastien Denis claimed Leeds were one of several teams looking at a potential move for RC Lens midfielder Seko Fofana

And what a signing he would be.

Soon after these links, the Ivory Coast powerhouse captained his side to a last-gasp victory over Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1, where he bagged the winner in one of his typical box-to-box runs.

It was his eighth goal of the campaign.

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One of these strikes came during a 1-1 draw with financial giants Paris Saint-Germain, where he bullied Mauricio Pochettino’s engine room, leading to journalist Zach Lowry describing him as a “phenom”.

Fofana is currently Lens’ second highest-rated player (7.09), per WhoScored figures, whilst he’s averaged a squad-high 2.8 shots, 2.2 dribbles, 1.3 key passes, 0.8 tackles and 0.8 interceptions per game.

That only goes to show how well-rounded he is – not only is he getting forward and contributing in the final third with cutting-edge passes and an incredible ability to carry the ball but he is also putting in the dirty work in his own half, as evident above.

It’s no wonder his manager Franck Haise dubbed him “the most complete player.”

“On the pitch, he is able to stay organized to adjust the team’s balance. At the same time, he has a great ability to create and to be decisive on the last pass. He is also capable of scoring a few goals in a season,” he said (via Newcastle World).

Having begun his professional career at Manchester City, there have been interesting comparisons made to his former youth coach Patrick Vieira, who was an absolute box-to-box machine in his day at Arsenal, as well as Yaya Toure.

He’d only need to be half of either to be an instant hit at Elland Road. All of his attributes point towards him being an exciting fit for Bielsa and his high-intensity system.

Just imagine the £16.2m-rated dynamo sitting in front of an anchorman like Kalvin Phillips. He could really get forward to help Leeds in the final third, knowing that he has an international quality defensive midfielder behind him.

That’s a mouthwatering partnership that could bring the Yorkshiremen so much success.

As such, Victor Orta and co must turn their attentions to Fofana before deadline day in a little over a week’s time.

AND in other news, Leeds could welcome back key injured duo earlier than expected…

A thrilling last-wicket partnership between Surrey’s Andre Nel and Jade Dernbach helped drag their side back into their County Championship Division Two contest against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road

26-May-2010
ScorecardA thrilling last-wicket partnership between Surrey’s Andre Nel and Jade Dernbach helped drag their side back into their County Championship Division Two contest against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road. The pair smashed 118 runs off 147 balls to help the visitors from 268 for 9 to 386 all out, with both making their highest scores in all forms of the game.Former South African paceman Nel hammered 96 off 125 balls, while Dernbach’s knock of 56 not out from 67 balls included two huge sixes. Nel then took two wickets and Dernbach one as Northants moved to 154 for 4 at the close of day three, with wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien top-scoring with 44 and all three results still possible.Surrey began the day on 210 for 7, 187 runs behind Northants’ total of 397, with Matthew Spriegel resuming on 25 and Nel yet to score. Former Sri Lanka seamer Chaminda Vaas broke through in the 14th over of the day when Spriegel’s (43) attempted pull was edged to O’Brien.Tim Linley, who took his maiden first-class five-wicket haul on day two, faced 10 balls without scoring before edging Lee Daggett to O’Brien, who took his fourth catch of the innings.But Nel smashed an explosive half-century, his first for Surrey, off 63 balls before tailender Dernbach surpassed his previous best first-class score of 19, made against Northants last year. Nel then went past his highest total, 56 for South Africa versus Bangladesh A at Worcester in 2008, as the last pair piled on the runs to guide their side to 352 for 9 at lunch.Dernbach reached his first ever half-century off just 56 balls before Nel was trapped lbw just four runs short of an improbable century by former international team-mate Nicky Boje.With their lead cut to 11 runs, Northants were haunted by Nel again in the ninth over of their second innings when his delivery brushed Stephen Peters’ (9) pad before hitting his leg stump. The hosts then lost O’Brien, who made 44 off 55 balls before edging Dernbach to Surrey wicketkeeper Steven Davies with the last ball before tea.Mal Loye, who smashed 164 in his first innings, made it to just 20 this time before being caught leg before by Chris Schofield in the first full over after the interval.Rob White made a patient 29 as part of a 50-run partnership with Boje before throwing his wicket away by needlessly launching Nel straight to Linley at fine leg. Northants captain Andrew Hall and ex-skipper Boje then guided the hosts to the close, which came five overs early because of bad light.

Innings of the dayWho would have thought that the sight of Ian Bell marching to the wicket could carry with it such reassurance? And who would have thought that a man who has been habitually derided for “soft runs” could attain such fulfilment from a century against Bangladesh? But strange things have happened to Ian Bell this winter, and his chipper tenth Test century was the bedrock of an otherwise jittery England innings. For the first time in his career he was the only man on the card to reach three figures (though Tim Bresnan may yet ruin that statistic) and until he fell in the final hour of the day, his average against Bangladesh had reached a heady 488. No matter. For England’s sake, it was invaluable.Dismissal of the dayJonathan Trott’s second-day 64 was “like watching paint dry”, according to Darren Gough, who added, via Twitter, that innings such as his are “killing cricket”. So it was either a cruel misfortune or a blessed relief when Trott’s resumption was curtailed in the space of eight deliveries this morning. He had added no runs – to no great surprise – when he propped half-forward to Shakib Al Hasan, only for the ball to loop off the pad, onto his elbow, and curl agonisingly and inexorably into his off stump.Controversy of the dayTo make any real headway against a determined England line-up, Bangladesh needed some luck to back up their determination. But as Andy Flower admitted in the build-up to the series, “I think sometimes the bigger teams get things going their way”, and sure enough each of England’s three key batsmen on the third day got a reprieve. Matt Prior might have been pinned lbw on 9 by a Rubel Hossain inswinger, but went on to make 62; Bresnan appeared to nick a bat-pad catch on 5, but was still there at the close on 74; and when Bell walked across his stumps to Abdur Razzak on 82, an irate Jamie Siddons charged out of the dressing-room to gesticulate that it ought to have been given out lbw.Drop of the daySome let-offs, however, couldn’t be blamed on the umpire, and the one that Imrul Kayes handed to Bell, on 120, had the makings of a passion-killer, coming as it did in the third over after tea, and with Bangladeshi heads already beginning to drop. With Shafiul Islam working up a good head of steam, Bell flicked loosely to midwicket, where Imrul dived forward but couldn’t cling onto the chance. And at 381 for 5, with a first-innings deficit of less than 40, England seemed set to push on to the 500-odd total that Kevin Pietersen had predicted on the second evening. But to Bangladesh’s credit, things didn’t quite pan out that way.Mow of the dayPietersen also claimed that it was virtually impossible to remove a well-set batsman on this pitch, but England somehow contrived some impressive ways to end their stays. For sheer lack of gorm, few dismissals rivalled that of Matt Prior, whose already breezy innings was given a bit of jet-propulsion when Shakib Al Hasan served up a brace of help-yourself full-tosses that were readily tonked to the boundary. But with his dander up, Prior forgot that Shakib bad-balls are the exception, not the norm. Two balls later he skipped down the track to attempt a third leg-side four, but yorked himself sublimely as the delivery tweaked out of the rough and into off stump.Stodge of the dayBresnan’s batting is highly fancied by the England management, despite the fact that his only previous Test innings was a non-descript 9 against West Indies last summer. But in a team of all round potential, he has been pushed up the order ahead of both Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad, and today he proved his worth with his maiden Test half-century. It wasn’t a pretty affair by any means, and in fact his 74 from 214 balls put Trott’s 64 from 195 in the shade. But seeing as his primary role is to take wickets, and his secondary role was to support Bell in a 143-run stand, it was rather more forgivable.Bowler of the dayAmid all the gripes, one man rumbled on. Shakib’s end-of-day analysis read 57-27-99-4, a testament to his personal powers of endurance on a day when his team might easily have lost their focus. He still has time to claim his five-for with two wickets still to claim, but he had a hand – quite literally – in one other wicket to fall, when his fingertips brushed a Bresnan drive into the non-striker’s stumps, with Graeme Swann left stranded. It proved to be a timely dose of good fortune, with Broad’s late dismissal redressing the balance significantly.

Tamim Iqbal rated his blistering 125 from 120 balls in the first ODI against England at Mirpur as “one of his best” performances

Andrew Miller in Dhaka28-Feb-2010

Tamim Iqbal rated his blistering 125 from 120 balls in the first ODI against England at Mirpur as “one of his best” performances, but admitted that his personal satisfaction had been tempered by his team’s familiar failure to make the most of their opportunity.After nine overs of the contest, having been asked to bat first, Bangladesh had rattled along to 63 for 0, with Tamim hurtling towards a 32-ball half-century. But a spate of cheap dismissals undermined their momentum, and Naeem Islam’s late 25 was the next highest score as they were eventually restricted to 228 with 4.2 overs unused.”We were going beautifully at the start, but we just kept losing wickets, and the guys who are in form, like Shakib [Al Hasan], Junaid [Siddique] and Mushfiq [Rahim] didn’t make the big scores,” said Tamim. “That was the main turning point. We really trust our team and we have been working really hard. I hope the mistakes we made in this game will not be repeated in the next.”Tamim came into the contest with a reputation to uphold, having starred for Bangladesh in both the Test and ODI arena in recent months. He produced a matchwinning 128 in the second innings at Kingstown in July, to set up a famous maiden overseas victory over West Indies, before shocking India with a blazing 151 in last month’s second Test. But this was arguably his most commanding 50-over performance since his precocious 51 against India in the 2007 World Cup.”I got two ODI hundreds before this one,” he said. “One was against Ireland, the other against Zimbabwe. So to get a century against England, a proper Test nation, really feels good. But I think the best is yet to come. I am enjoying playing international cricket, I feel I have learned a lot of things from this innings, and that will help me for the future.”I’m happy with my performance but it would have been better if we’d won the game,” he added. “We started very well, but we made mistakes at crucial times, so we need to see that that doesn’t happen in the next game. England is a very good side, very strong at batting and bowling, so we have to put our 100% effort and play our best cricket to beat them. I hope in the second or third ODI, we play the better cricket and win.”Although Tamim’s reputation is as a formidable hitter, he has already shown a game-brain that sets him apart from his peers, and that was on display once again in this contest, as he reined himself in as the wickets started to tumble, and set himself to bat for as long as he could. In the end he lasted until the 43rd over of the innings, before walking across his stumps in a bid to beat fine leg, with only Nos. 10 and 11 for company.”Cricket is not about an individual game, it is a team game,” said Tamim. “So I need to follow the team rules also. When two wickets fell in quick succession I needed to put down my own game, and play according to the ball. That’s what the plan is for Bangladesh cricket. We are working really hard on our game, and the way we are going and training, I hope in one or two years we will be a very tough opponent to beat.”That prospect is not entirely out of the question. Tamim himself turns 21 on March 20, and the core of the team is still in its international infancy, including the captain Shakib, who is a few days’ shy of 23. “We are a young side, and an improving side,” said Tamim. “If you count our average age, it is not more than 24. We have lots of cricket left in ourselves, and lots of years to play.The major obstacle to Bangladesh’s progress will be an exhaustion of patience, both domestically and internationally, but Tamim believes they are headed in the right direction. “The crowd always wants us to win, so it’s tough because we always disappoint them,” he said. “We know that, we know that very well, but we trust in our ability that we will achieve that thing that they want.”Alastair Cook, taking charge of England for the first time in a 50-over match, was both relieved and satisfied at the end of a tough contest, his contentment heightened by the fact that he had overcome a spirited challenge to record that all-important first victory.”We know you have to take advantage of those first 10 overs as a batting side,” said Cook. “That was the first time I’ve seen [Tamim] and he struck it really well. We’ll need to have a look at him over the next 24 hours, and come up with plans that are better executed, but you can’t take it away from how he played. We bowled some good balls at him and he hit them well. I was impressed how cleanly he hit them.”

As per le10sport, West Ham United have made their intentions known as club chiefs make contact to sign Clermont striker Mohamed Bayo.

The Lowdown: West Ham eyeing new strikers…

As revealed by manager David Moyes, the club have been trying to sign a new striker over 2021 and attempts were made in the summer, with there being no shortage of links heading to the January window.

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Adam Hlozek and Andrea Belotti are just two forwards who have been mentioned as West Ham eye swoops for Michail Antonio alternatives.

The Jamaica international’s worrying injury history has been a cause for concern and more news has emerged on who West Ham could bring in to cope.

The Latest: West Ham willing to meet asking price…

According to le10sport, West Ham have ‘launched operations’ for Bayo whilst making ‘contact’ to sign him ahead of January.

As well as this, it is believed that Clermont have placed a €20 million (£17m) price tag on their frontman and it’s a fee West Ham ‘does not seem to be afraid’ of paying.

However, his club would prefer to insert a clause which would allow him to spend the rest of the season in France before making his Premier League move in the summer – an idea which West Ham wouldn’t entirely rule out.

The Verdict: Right man?

Scoring a prolific 22 goals in 38 Ligue 2 appearances last season, he’s continued in that vain over 2021/2022 with eight so far in the French top flight (Transfermarkt).

His career tally overall comes in at 47, impressive numbers for a 23-year-old, and his age indicates he would come with real sell-on potential for just £17m.

Bayo’s attracted praise from Ligue 1 critics also, with Norwegian football scout Tor-Kristian Karlsen explaining he is an opportunistic finisher with pace and great strength (ESPN).

As an outside option for a relatively cheap fee, the towering 6 foot 2 centre-forward could come as a shrewd option.

In other news: ‘Oh my’, ‘Yes yes yes’…ExWHUemployee news on ‘perfect’ striker has these West Ham fans talking, find out more here.

Southampton’s Premier League season has been a bit hit and miss so far, but there is an answer to their problems and his name is Armando Broja.

The Albania international is currently on loan from Chelsea for the season and has been impressive in his displays at St Mary’s Stadium, scoring five goals since joining in the summer. Add to that the fact he has scored three times for his national team too, it’s fair to say that Broja is the in-form striker at the club currently.

Despite that though, Ralph Hasenhuttl is yet to really put 100% of his faith into the 20-year-old forward.

Broja has so far started just four times in the Premier League this season, with a further seven appearances coming off the substitutes bench. In his two starts in the Carabao Cup the 6 foot 3 hitman found the target on both occasions, so why is he not starting more regularly in the league?

Hasenhuttl has opted for Che Adams as the first-choice striker this season, as they look to replace the goalscoring burden left behind by Danny Ings’ departure to Aston Villa during the summer transfer window. Ings scored 34 of the 98 Premier League goals the Saints have managed in the previous two campaigns but so far this season they have only managed to find the net on 14 occasions in 15 games.

The Scotland international has so far only managed three goals in 11 starts this season in the league, while summer signing Adam Armstrong has managed just two himself in 12 starts.

Broja is currently averaging his goals from just 1.4 shots per game on average, while Armstrong has less from almost double the number of shots at 2.7 and Adams’ 1.8 shots a match. Stylistically the player dubbed “excellent” by Micah Richards has previously been likened to Diego Costa by Chelsea fans who were impressed with his displays in pre-season.

He is strong, a willing runner, powerful and a very good finisher. Considering the Saints’ high energy style of play and his good record, it’s time for Hasenhuttl to unleash his new beast in the hunt for more goals to avoid yet another relegation battle. In the process, his battling attributes could just terrify an Arsenal team scared by the events of Goodison Park on Monday.

AND in other news, Southampton handed ElYounoussi boost.

Close England 356 (Swann 81, Harris 5-123) and 11 for 1 (Cook 4*, Anderson 6*) need another 353 runs to beat South Africa 418 (Kallis 120, Swann 5-110) and 301 for 6 dec (Amla 100)
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsHashim Amla was South Africa’s saviour, as he turned the tables on England•Getty Images

Hashim Amla rescued South Africa from a first-session meltdown with a brilliant and phlegmatic five-and-a-quarter-hour century, and in so doing, built a platform from which England were left dangling precariously at the end of an enthralling and fluctuating fourth day at Centurion. In the six overs available after Graeme Smith had declared with an unassailable lead of 363, Morne Morkel produced an unplayable second-ball snorter to extract the key scalp of Andrew Strauss for 1 – a massive breakthrough in their bid to claim the opening match of the series.By the close, Alastair Cook and England’s nightwatchman James Anderson had chiselled and grimaced to 11 for 1 in reply, an uncomfortable mini-session that meant that the day had finished as it had begun, with massive pressure being exerted on a jittery top-order by accurate and incisive new-ball bowling. On a dry and dusty surface, the extra hardness of the still-lacquered Kookaburra played havoc on the ever-widening cracks – and few deliveries misbehaved as badly as the Anderson shooter that eventually ended Amla’s vigil after five deliveries of England’s second new ball.With that in mind, England’s bid for survival will require a performance of Amla-esque sang froid, after he arrived in the middle in the third over of the day and had to watch from the non-striker’s end as his captain Smith was himself skittled by a delivery from Graham Onions that barely rose above his bootlaces. With England alive to the possibilities and maintaining an admirable wicket-to-wicket line, South Africa’s anxieties extended even to the normally unflappable Jacques Kallis, who ground his way to 4 from 32 balls before hoisting a surprise short ball from Broad straight down the throat of Cook at deep square leg.At 46 for 4 in the 22nd over, South Africa were in serious jeopardy, especially given the manner in which Graeme Swann and Anderson had ripped the initiative away from them with their thrilling ninth-wicket partnership on Friday afternoon. But Amla retained his composure admirably in the conditions, crouching low in his stance to combat the bounce, but quick to cash in on anything loose, particularly with a spring-loaded cut shot.Until his dismissal, his innings was virtually flawless. Swann’s offspin caused him one moment of alarm on 23, when an lbw appeal was sent to the third umpire for review, but replays showed he was struck just outside the line. And on 49, he brought up his half-century from 106 balls with arguably his only false stroke in 213 attempts – a rash swipe for four that just skimmed out of the reach of the man at mid-on.But if Amla was the linchpin, then the catalyst for South Africa’s revival was de Villiers, with whom he added 119 for the fifth wicket in a fantastic post-lunch alliance. De Villiers’ urgency and aggression transformed a run-rate that had been dawdling along at barely 2.5 an over, and in so doing, forced England out of their comfortable wicket-to-wicket mindset, and forced them to offer up more loose deliveries in search of the elusive unplayable ball.His first shot in anger was a shimmy down the track to Swann and a handsome loft for six over mid-on, and though both Anderson and Onions hinted at a touch of reverse-swing, neither man could maintain a consistent line to utilise it to the max, with too many offerings sliding into the pads. He survived one moment of good fortune on 47, when a reviewed lbw from Onions was upheld in accordance with the original on-field decision, and it was eventually Broad who broke the stand, 20 minutes before tea, when Ian Bell at short cover scooped a scuffed drive off a slower ball.On 11, JP Duminy redressed the review balance when his own marginal lbw decision was upheld, this time in Anderson’s favour, but if England thought they were back in the hunt at 191 for 6 (a deficit of 253), then Mark Boucher came bursting out of the blocks in typically belligerent fashion. With Amla quite content to close down one end, Boucher blazed nine fours and a six in a 73-ball 63 not out, and reached the fifty that had eluded him in the first innings moments before Amla sealed his century with a sweet clip through midwicket off Broad.By now, the demons in the wicket had vanished along with the hardness of the old ball, and while it was a frustration to England after a spate of morning successes, it also served as something of a reassurance that survival could be a simple matter of putting bat on ball on the final day – assuming, of course, that tomorrow’s first hour with the six-over-old new ball doesn’t prove to be a demolition derby.Anderson’s reaction on detonating Amla’s off stump was instructive. Far from celebrate the moment, which left him with England’s stand-out figures of 4 for 73, he booted the offending orb into the outfield as it rebounded into the path of his followthrough. In the final hour of the day, England’s last vestiges of good humour were wiped away by Morkel, who flogged Broad for 18 in an over to hasten Smith’s declaration, then responded to his new-ball opportunity by cramping Strauss from round the wicket, and grazing his edge with a perfect leaping delivery.First shooters, then fliers. The net result is that England have a battle awaiting them on Sunday. And unless they can find an Amla of their own, their fortunes could be made or broken inside the first hour of play.

Following Steven Gerrard’s appointment as the new Aston Villa manager last week, the club have already been linked with a host of players in the upcoming transfer window, with the likes of Ryan Kent, Glen Kamara and Joe Aribo all being touted with moves to Villa Park this winter.

However, in order to make space for the club’s potential incoming signings, the 41-year-old may well have to look to move a number of the current Villa squad on come January, with one name likely to be high on the manager’s list of outgoing candidates being that of Keinan Davis.

Despite having made his debut for the club as an exciting 18-year-old prospect back in 2017, the centre-forward has failed to kick on in his professional career at Villa Park, still yet to enjoy what could be considered as his breakout season in first-team football.

Indeed, in his first season spent predominantly with the senior squad, the £2.7m-rated striker scored three goals and provided four assists over his 30 appearances in all competitions, returns which suggested that the former England U20 international could have the potential to go on and become a first-team regular.

However, the 23-year-old would ultimately make only 45 more appearances over the following three campaigns, scoring just three goals and registering three assists in the process, as the centre-forward found himself pushed further and further down the Aston Villa pecking order, while his returns did nothing to convince Dean Smith that he deserved a spot in the manager’s starting XI.

This is a lesson that Steven Gerrard must learn from, as, over the past four seasons the £25k-per-week Davis has consistently proven that he is not a player of the standard required at Villa Park.

Indeed, fans of the club also agree with this assessment, as, in a poll ran on Football FanCast, the vast majority of supporters made their feelings known that they do not believe the player who Jack Grealish once dubbed as “unplayable” has a future at their club.

As such, Gerrard simply must axe the 23-year-old in January, as his place in the squad, as well as his rather hefty weekly wage, could be put to much better use by the 41-year-old manager.

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