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Glasgow Rangers suffered yet another blow in what is turning out to be a dismal season as they were defeated 2-1 by Aris Limassol in their Europa League clash on Thursday evening.

This was the hosts' first ever home win in the group stages of a European competition, and they currently share their stadium with two other clubs, putting last night's result into perspective on yet another woeful Rangers display.

The Glasgow club is in crisis, no doubt about it and whatever reaction interim manager Steven Davis expected last night, he didn’t get it.

Question marks now surround everyone minus goalkeeper Jack Butland, who has been the standout summer signing by far – as pundit Kris Boyd has noted – and the entire mentality needs to be changed.

Michael Beale was sacked on the weekend and if James Bisgrove didn’t think things could get much worse, he was sorely mistaken, especially after that abject performance in Cyprus.

The chase is now on for just the 19th permanent manager in the history of the Ibrox side and the next appointment must be spot on, as another barren season simply is not an option.

Several names have been touted as potential options for the role, with AZ Alkmaar coach Pascal Jansen seemingly keen, along with former Gers defender Kevin Muscat, yet there is another name who has apparently entered into the mix surrounding the role, and it is one which should be avoided – Steve Bruce.

Why was Michael Beale sacked?

There are several reasons why the 43-year-old was relieved of his duties but the crux of it was the results so far this season.

Having signed nine new players in the summer transfer window while crowd favourites such as Scott Arfield and Alfredo Morelos left upon the expiration of their contracts, there was a massive upheaval at Ibrox.

In truth, this rebuild should have been conducted a year or two ago, but with the backing of Bisgrove and the board, it appeared as though Beale would be given time to build a stronger squad in the hope they could topple Celtic for domestic supremacy.

A 1-0 defeat to Kilmarnock in the Premiership opener set the tone for what was an underwhelming period until the international break and this included defeats to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League playoff round and to Celtic in the league.

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This meant Beale won just four of his first nine games in charge during the embryonic stages of the 2023/24 campaign.

A brief respite was offered upon resumption of club football as the Light Blues reeled off four successive wins, keeping clean sheets across all these matches, and it looked as though there was a small chink of light which kept the Ibrox faithful believing things would come good.

Last weekend's defeat to Aberdeen at Ibrox, however, was the final straw, and it was no surprise to see the former QPR boss depart before the weekend was over.

Is Steve Bruce a candidate to be the Rangers manager?

According to Football Scotland, Bruce has been put forward as a potential candidate to take over the reins from Beale, yet this is a move which must be avoided at all costs.

The former Manchester United defender has been out of work since being sacked by West Bromwich Albion in October 2022 amid a series of poor results and with the club rooted in the bottom three of the Championship.

The 62-year-old does have plenty of experience managing in England, especially in the Premier League and the Championship, yet managing Rangers is a whole different ball game and the pressures faced by both Old Firm managers will be something he has never experienced during his lengthy managerial career.

Is Steve Bruce a successful manager?

During his playing career, he was arguably one of the finest defenders in the English top flight for Man United, winning three league titles and three FA Cups before ending his career in 1999.

He embarked on a managerial career which initially spanned four clubs in just two years before settling down with Birmingham City and enjoying relative success, leading them to the top flight.

His nomadic career continued with spells at Wigan Athletic, Sunderland and Hull City – with whom he reached an FA Cup final in 2014 – before joining Aston Villa in 2016. He failed to get them promoted and spells at Newcastle United, Sheffield Wednesday and West Brom hardly worked wonders for his reputation.

Indeed, he was criticised during his spell at the Magpies by journalist Sean McCormick, who said: “That was dreadful. Another season consigned to mediocrity for #NUFC. Managed to lose to a team who had no intention of winning and it felt so depressingly predictable. Another abject display on Saturday and Steve Bruce will realise the extent of resurfacing fan anger.”

Throughout the course of his career, Bruce has managed 1019 matches while he has won just 1.38 points per game, winning just 385 of those, clearly indicating that he isn’t the right person for the job.

The lbrox side need to make their next appointment an inventive one and not take the safe option which they have done in the past.

Bruce would certainly fall under the latter category and his lack of success elsewhere would also count against him, despite managing at the top level since 1999.

Beale was bad, yet when he arrived, the 43-year-old had previous knowledge of the club having worked under Steven Gerrard, winning the 2020/21 Premiership title.

Bruce has yet to win a major trophy during his managerial career while the veteran coach has managed a grand total of four matches in European competition, and these were nearly a decade ago when in charge of Hull.

Although it is unlikely he will get the role, even on a short-term basis, Bisgrove must sound out the supporters for their view on what is occurring at the club right now and ensure the next manager has a clear identity and playing style.

Instant success won't be expected, but having a team full of players who know their roles and responsibilities along with giving everything on the pitch will be the key facets towards long-term glory.

Recovery, TV time and a quiet evening with the team was all the celebration that the record-breaking New Zealand allrounder needed after an extraordinary day

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jun-20181:26

WATCH – The best of Kerr’s record 232*

Amelia Kerr hadn’t heard of Belinda Clark or the 229 not out the former Australia Women captain struck in 1997. Kerr, who was only born four years later, broke a 21-year-old record on Wednesday when she struck an unbeaten 232 against Ireland. It is the highest ever score in women’s ODIs and also made her the youngest double-centurion – male or female – across formats. But those are only two of several landmarks the legspin-bowling allrounder achieved on a day of astounding all-round returns. After all, when it was her turn to bowl, she picked up 5 for 17.”I hadn’t heard of Belinda Clark [before],” Kerr said. “It’s pretty surreal. I had no idea [of the record]. I think I heard them say stuff on the speaker but I didn’t hear them because everyone was clapping.”In her first game as an opener at the international level, Kerr batted the full 50 overs and bettered her previous highest score across formats at any level of 152, against Otago Under-21s. As far as maiden centuries in women’s ODIs go, her 232 not out is the highest now and it will take take some beating.”It was nice to get the opportunity to open and get some time out in the middle. I had to work hard at the start. But once I got going, I had a good partnership with Leigh [Kasperek], which allowed me to play how I wanted to play and try and hit boundaries because we weren’t losing wickets.”And how did the 17-year old fancy celebrating her amazing feat? “Bit of recovery and… watch some quality TV in Love Island! Recoupling tonight, so it’s going to be a good episode,” Kerr quipped.A student of Tawa College, Kerr reflected on her roots in Wellington’s northernmost suburb, where she played much of her age-group cricket before debuting for New Zealand in 2016.”232 is the Tawa home phone line. All my family is in Tawa. It’s a great place, great community, so I’m sure they’d be celebrating.”Amelia Kerr lofts one over covers•Getty ImagesFor Haidee Tiffen, the head coach, watching Kerr stitch together a record 295-run stand – the highest second-wicket partnership in women’s ODIs – with Kasperek was a journey down memory lane. Nine years ago in Sydney, Tiffen and current captain Suzie Bates had put together 262, then the highest partnership for any wicket for New Zealand women.”Suzie and I held that record and we’re happy to hand that to two young and incredible batters,” Tiffen said. “Records are there to be broken, and there’s been a fair few in this series and it’s just really exciting from the coach’s point of view – the way the team’s tracking and the way we can hit in the future.”Amelia is a pretty humble character. She had a wry smile on her. She’s chuffed inside absolutely. She wants to do well and contribute, but how the team celebrates her successes is what it’s about as well.”The way Kerr closed her innings out was especially thrilling. She smashed two fours and her second six – in an overall tally of 33 boundaries – off her last three balls to go past Clark’s 229 and brought all her team-mates up to their feet.”I was thinking, ‘Will she get the record?'” Tiffen said of the moment. “She needed a six [four] off the last ball, and trust me, she didn’t know about that, but we did. And for her to get back and hit that six down the ground and get the record is fantastic.”To put the cherry on top of one of the most dominating performances in cricket history, Kerr picked up her first five-wicket haul.”I didn’t think I was going to bowl today, I thought Suzie was going to let me rest in the field standing at slip all day,” Kerr said. “[Between innings], the physio asked me to lie down on the table, and I took a two-minute nap. Then I went out to field. I saw it was a good day, so I embraced it and it was good to be out there with the team. Got to have a bowl, it was nice, and the pitch was turning, which obviously helps me.”So at the end of it all, New Zealand wrapped up a resounding 3-0 whitewash over Ireland, scoring 400-plus in each game and winning all of them by 300 runs or more. With the experiment to promote both the bowling allrounders – Kerr and Kasperek – up the order working, the record returns on Wednesday are likely to strengthen the management’s long-term plans of giving Kerr a run at the top.”I’ve always known Amelia has huge potential with the bat and I genuinely think we have a top-class allrounder in the team, [there’s] no doubt about it,” Tiffen said. “She’ll be batting in the top order in the future for the White Ferns. The point of difference has been her spin bowling, but the fact that she’s actually gone out and worked really hard on her bowling, and I know she’s hungry for the batting, to perform with the bat, to contribute to the team. [She’s a] hugely talented player, and at 17, she’s got the world ahead of her.”[The record] is unbelievable but she’s got the skills; the 360 game – she’s capable of scoring big. A hundred – fantastic, but to go on a get 232, I’m not speechless but it’s just absolutely incredible from here.”

Joe Ravitch, who formed part of the protracted takeover saga at Manchester United, says “Qataris were very real” following Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s jibe.

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Glazer family opened themselves up to offersInterest from the Middle East eventually droppedINEOS acquired 25 per cent stake in Red DevilsWHAT HAPPENED?

After seeing the Glazer family open themselves up to offers at Old Trafford, a long-running bid for power played out. Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani was a leading player in that process, but ultimately walked away from talks when a deal became impossible.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALTHE BIGGER PICTURE

That left the door open for Ratcliffe to acquire a 25 per cent stake in the Red Devils, with the INEOS chief claiming at one stage: “Still nobody’s ever seen him (Sheikh Jassim), actually. The Glazers never met him… he never… I’m not sure he exists!”

WHAT RAVITCH SAID ABOUT MAN UTD

Ravitch – co-founder and partner at Raine Group, who were charged with the task of negotiating with interested parties – has told of takeover talks: “We met Jassim. He was in New York. He’s a lovely guy; a very smart guy. The Qataris were very real. They were very smart guys, very thoughtful. I don’t know why they didn’t appreciate the value [of the club] but we were not their adviser. We tried as the seller to explain the value to them, and they put what they thought was a series of very serious bids on the table.”

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Qib.com.qa & Man UtdDID YOU KNOW?

Ravitch added on why the Qatari bid fell short, with United having been valued at “around $6.5bn [£5bn]”: “I think the Qataris got to about $5.75bn. We said to them, ‘You’re within 10 per cent, why don’t you get in a room and try to get to a deal.’ But they said no. I think they were very conscious of criticism if they were seen to be overpaying.”

Southampton came close to losing Che Adams over the summer, but whilst he remained beyond the deadline, a reliable journalist has now shared the chances of him leaving in January instead.

Who is trying to sign Che Adams?

Adams left Birmingham City to join the south coast outfit back in 2019. He’s made 155 senior appearances for his current club to date (Transfermarkt – Che Adams transfer history), but the striker was once again the subject of big summer attention in 2023.

In the Premier League, Everton, Wolves, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace were all credited with an interest in the 27-year-old, and whilst a deal failed to come to fruition, there is still a strong possibility that he could be heading for the exit door at the start of next year.

The Scotland international’s deal is set to expire at the end of the season (Southampton contracts), and having established himself as Russell Martin’s second best-performing offensive player so far this term behind Adam Armstrong (WhoScored – Southampton squad statistics), potential suitors will know that a bargain is up for grabs.

According to The Daily Echo’s Alfie House, the centre-forward has been offered fresh terms for a further three years, which includes being handed the status of vice-captain, but having publicly refused to admit whether he will sign it or decide to move onto new pastures, there is cause for concern surrounding his future.

Che Adams transfer update…

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Dean Jones, who is a journalist and transfer insider, delivered a transfer update on Che Adams, who is creating plenty of uncertainty regarding his long-term position at Southampton. He said:

“At the back of every person's mind at Southampton, there will surely be the threat that Che Adams is going to look to leave again in January or, at least, that there will be another offer for him to come in January because we know that he is a player capable of being in the Premier League right now.

"But, at the same time, he owes it to Southampton to be fully focused on this moment and improving so that he can repay what they've given him over the years by allowing him to have this platform."

How much does Che Adams earn?

At Southampton, Adams currently pockets £30k-per-week (Southampton salaries) which he’s more than earned since putting pen to paper, and once again, he’s made another strong start to the 2023/24 Championship season.

The Leicester-born talent has posted five final third involvements (three goals and two assists) in nine games whilst recording 17 shots to date, which is the joint third-highest total behind Adam Armstrong and Carlos Alcaraz (FBRef – Southampton squad statistics).

Furthermore, Martin’s “phenomenon”, as dubbed by former manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, is a versatile operator having been deployed in five different positions across the pitch since the start of his career, including everywhere along the frontline and in attacking midfield, so the thought of losing him in the new year is a huge blow.

Worcestershire’s Matthew Pennington only made his Twenty20 debut on Sunday but 4 for 9 in two overs in a nine-over match suggested he could handle it

ECB Reporters Network13-Jul-2018
ScorecardDillon Pennington picked up four wickets in two overs as Worcestershire Rapids maintained their 100 per cent winning start in the Vitality Blast in a rain-reduced encounter with Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Blackfinch New Road.The England Under-19 paceman destroyed any hopes the Steelbacks had of reaching a steep 131 target in nine overs after taking the new ball.Pennington, who only made his debut in the competition against Derbyshire Falcons on Sunday, dismissed Ben Duckett, Josh Cobb, Richard Levin and Steven Crook and finished with 4 for 9.His efforts helped the table-topping Rapids to make it four wins out of four with a 41 run success in a competition where they have never reached finals day.A mid afternoon downpour left the ground under pools of water but umpires Jeremy Lloyds and Ian Blackwell decided that play could finally get underway under leaden skies at 7.30pm.The Rapids were put into bat on the same wicket as had been used for last week’s thrilling success over Birmingham Bears.Northants paceman Ben Sanderson gave the Rapids a helping hand by conceding four wides from his second delivery in an opening over costing 11 runs.Joe Clarke set the tone for the Rapids innings by smashing Rory Kleinveldt over long off for six but in the same over fellow opener Martin Guptill holed out to mid off.Australian left hander Travis Head, on his Blast debut for Worcestershire, flicked Brett Hutton through mid-wicket for four to get off the mark and the powerplay of 2.4 overs realised a total of 39 for 1.Clarke and Head both hit a six in Graeme White’s first over before the former on 28 from 13 balls perished off a skier to long on.Head hammered three sixes and four fours in his 37 off 14 deliveries before he sliced a catch to backward point off Seekkuge Prasanna. Then Ross Whiteley carried on the display of powerful hitting with an unbeaten 36 from 15 balls with one six and five fours.Pennington made a quickfire breakthrough for the Rapids as Duckett nicked his first delivery through to keeper Ben Cox. Then later in the same over Cox went away to his right to pull off a superb catch to account for Cobb with just one run on the board.Pennington’s second over brought another double success as Levi (14) was caught at deep mid wicket and the next delivery trapped Crook leg before.Pat Brown then got in on the wicket-taking act by bowling both Prasanna and Kleinveldt.Steelbacks skipper Alex Wakeley hit a 20 ball half century but it was too little, too late as his side closed on 89 for 6

Sunderland have had to deal with their fair share of transfer blunders over the years as shelling out on several big flops contributed to their collapse.

The Black Cats aimlessly spent their war chest of funds in the Premier League era, acquiring a breadth of underperforming stars which included Jack Rodwell, Didier Ndong and Papy Djilobodji.

Ultimately, their deficient and lacklustre recruitment strategy returned to bite them on the back side as consecutive relegations meant a North East giant fell to the depths of League One.

While that collapse was detrimental, it allowed Sunderland to reset, recover and rebuild a squad of talented youngsters with a point to prove rather than flexing their financial muscle on overpaid prima donnas.

A revamp in strategy has oiled the wheels for their recent rise as a number of youthful talents have graced the Stadium of Light turf, none more so than Jack Clarke, Jobe Bellingham and Dan Ballard, a young centre-back that Alex Neil acquired permanently in the summer of 2022.

How much did Sunderland pay for Dan Ballard?

Sunderland signed Ballard on a permanent deal for a fee in the region of £2m from Arsenal.

A graduate of the Gunners youth academy, who joined the club at the age of eight, the towering centre-back made a rapid rise up the underage groups but has previously spoken about the struggles that held him back.

He told SunSport: "As I was growing up in the younger age groups, I was a late developer. Even at 18, I still wasn’t a centre-back because I wasn’t tall enough.

“I was one of the slowest, couldn’t move my legs and I wasn’t a technically gifted player. Yet I’ve always been naturally good at defending."

Ballard showcased a level of maturity and defensive prowess across two loan spells. First, he helped Blackpool win promotion from League One and then he played a major part in Millwall's surprise challenge for a play-off spot in 2021/22.

In the latter of those campaigns, the Northern Irishman reined in the plaudits for his exceptional defensive work as Gary Rowett praised him for his "fabulous pedigree".

A claim that was backed up by how he stood up against his positional peers in the Championship, ranking in the top 4% for passes blocked, the top 15% for tackles won and the top 25% for aerials won, as per FBref.

From those metrics alone, Sunderland knew they were getting a defender who would put his body on the line for the sake of his team and those attributes have only become more prevalent since moving to the North East.

What is Dan Ballard worth now?

In an injury-hit first season on Wearside, Ballard featured just 19 times in the Championship, missing his presence in the play-off semi-final defeat against Luton Town, as they had no available central defenders, leaving them exposed to the Hatters' direct playing style.

Despite the injuries, the 24-year-old has only reaffirmed those defensive qualities that were so prevalent at the Den and has been subject to Premier League interest from West Ham, according to reports.

With his fee predicted to be over £20m, as per one fan pundit, the defensive "diamond" and "warrior" – as lauded by Tony Mowbray – is an imperious presence at the back for Sunderland and has clearly shown he's worth that prospective value.

In 11 Championship matches this term, Ballard has weighed in with some tremendous defensive work and has only been dribbled past 0.3 times per game, averaged 5.5 balls recovered, 1.5 tackles and helped his side keep four clean sheets, as per Sofascore.

It is clear to see why the Hammers have displayed an interest in the Northern Ireland international given he's a no-nonsense defender who thrives in winning the physical battle against his attackers.

Ballard recently put on the captain's armband for Northern Ireland for the very first time and described the moment as "overwhelming", with Sunderland expected to make huge profits on their initial £2m investment, if he departs.

England boss Gareth Southgate has opened the door for Mason Greenwood to make a return to the Three Lions squad in the future.

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Greenwood joined Getafe in summer Has scored eight goals in Spain Southgate opens door for England returnWHAT HAPPENED?

Southgate, 53, had refused to rule out the possibility that Manchester United loanee Greenwood could make a return to the England squad in the future.

When questioned by reporters regarding the matter, Southgate highlighted that it is unlikely he'd consider it before the upcoming Euro 2024 competition in Germany – but did leave the door open for Greenwood to stake his claim next season.

Advertisement(C)GettyImagesWHAT SOUTHGATE SAID

Speaking on the possibility of Greenwood returning to the England fold, Southgate said: "Well for me I don’t think it’s something for pre-Euros. I think allowing him to get his career going again abroad appears to have been a good move but I have to say I have not tracked it closely.

"I think at this moment in time it would be a big distraction for the team and let’s see where that leads next season. I would need to know more details about the whole thing before it was an option."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

In a bid to reignite his professional career, after seeing all criminal charges dropped against him last February, Greenwood secured a move to La Liga side Getafe last summer. The 22-year-old, who has been capped by England once already, now has eight goals and five assists to his name for the Spanish side.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR GREENWOOD?

For now, Greenwood will likely watch the upcoming international tournament from home. The young forward played the full 90 minutes of Getafe's recent 1-0 win against Girona on Saturday and they will next be in action against Sevilla after the international break (March 30).

England rookie welcomes Tendulkar suggestion that youth brings fearlessness as he prepares for Lord’s debut at age of 20

Melinda Farrell at Lord's07-Aug-2018As far as inspiration for a young batsman on the cusp of an international Test career goes, Sachin Tendulkar isn’t a bad shout. After all, Tendulkar was just 16 years old when he made his Test debut against Pakistan at Karachi in 1989: Ollie Pope, at 20, could be seen as a seasoned old pro by comparison.Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Tendulkar maintained age should not be a criteria in selecting players such as Pope or England’s other 20-year-old tearaway, Sam Curran. Youth could, he claimed, be an asset because it often brings with it a certain fearlessness. If you haven’t experienced failure, you’re less likely to be afraid of it.When Pope, whose boyish demeanour somehow manages to make Joe Root look like a grizzled old campaigner, was told of Tendulkar’s words in his first press conference in an England shirt, he thoughtfully agreed.”I think so yeah. It’s almost that naivety in the whole thing,” said Pope. “I think I’m probably similar to him [Curran] – just ready to put the shirt on and just want to perform at my best. We’ve both played a fair bit of county cricket now and things have gone on an upward spiral.But yeah, completely – looking back on people like him [Sachin Tendulkar], what was he, 16, 17? He’s quite a good person to listen to in terms of that. I think it’s the fearlessness. Hopefully we can play and express ourselves the way we want to.”Everyone always says – if you’re good enough, you’re old enough. It’s nice hearing those stories. Just knowing I’m not one of the first ones to play when I’m young or after not a huge amount of games. Hearing those stories are pretty inspirational – they make you realise what you can do.”On Sunday morning Pope was on his way to Chelmsford, to play for Surrey in the Vitality Blast, when his phone rang. Looking down he saw Ed Smith’s name on the caller ID: it wasn’t necessarily expected, but it could hardly have been a complete surprise. His name was floating around Edgbaston with growing expectation as Dawid Malan’s struggles continued and Pope had seen media reports suggesting he was on the cusp of selection. But for a batsman with just 15 first-class games under his belt to potentially be in the frame to bat at No.4 against India at Lord’s is still a remarkably rapid rise.Ollie Pope and Sam Curran in the nets at Lord’s•Getty Images”It’s been a bit of a whirlwind,” said Pope. “If someone told me I’d be in the squad for the second Test at Lord’s at the start of the season, I wouldn’t have really believed them. Likewise last year: if someone told me I was going to make my Championship debut last year, I wouldn’t have believed them. Same too that I was going to be playing all the T20s. It’s just one of those sports where things happen so quickly. It’s nice to do it with Sam in the same team. When I made my Surrey debut, there were four 19-year-olds in there at the same time. Things happen quickly. It’s exciting.”Pope has been in outstanding form for Surrey in the County Championship this year, scoring 684 runs at an average of 85.50. He credits his early season form to his decision to spend the English winter playing grade cricket in Australia where he joined up with Camden-Campbelltown Cricket Club in southwest Sydney.”I didn’t really have a coach, I just had to ask people to throw balls at me mid-week,” said Pope. “Playing week in, week out, Saturday and Sunday, getting to know my game a bit better. The wickets were flat, so I got time in the middle that I needed. That’s a massive thing for a young lad to do, especially when you’re just finding your way in the game. Just being on your own two feet and getting to know your strengths and weaknesses, learning from your dismissals and the games you play well in and score runs in.”That helped me kick off the season quickly, I didn’t feel like it was the first game of the year, I didn’t feel like I had been in the nets all winter. I was game-ready in the first one against Hampshire. That was a step ahead, helped me kick off the season how I wanted, found a bit of form and my method for now. I need to just keep riding the wave.”It is somewhat ironic considering Pope’s improvement over the winter, that just last month, after a review of funding, the ECB confirmed it was cutting the Overseas Placement programme that allowed him to play in Australia.”I’m surprised but hopefully counties will still keep doing it,” said Pope. “I know we’ve got a lad, Will Jacks, in the year below, he’s off to Perth so hopefully the counties will still keep supporting it because it was a top drawer thing for me to do.”If Pope is selected in the playing XI, it presents England with the choice of shuffling the batting order or slotting him in at No.4 as a direct swap with Malan. Pope bats at No. 6 for Surrey and came in at 5 for England Lions against India A last month but he says he would be comfortable batting higher up the order.”If required, yes,” said Pope. “Especially against this Indian side. They bowl a lot of spin, so I don’t think there’s a massive difference. When I bat at 6 I can be in in the 10th over or for the second new ball. Four to six region, I don’t think there’s a massive difference in the way you play.”Being a right-hander has undoubtedly played in Pope’s favour with selectors, particularly given R Ashwin’s success rate against left-handers. The prospect of facing one of the world’s best spinners isn’t one that seems to faze him.”He’s not your regular off-spin,” said Pope. “He bowls a ball that swings away and one that swings back in. You play him like a normal off-spinner, you’ve just got to watch him a bit closer out of the hand. You need to know what ball’s coming down at you – you can’t just premeditate an off-spinner with him. That’s probably the main difference. I’ll have a closer look before the game, if picked, and I’ll have my game-plan before. Not a massive difference, just got to look a bit closer I think.”Whatever style of bowling he is asked to confront first-up, Pope said that he doesn’t suffer “massively” from nerves and this week he will practise his customary use of visualisation as a technique to overcome them.’I have been since I had the call really. It’s quite a useful thing to do. I was watching a documentary called In the Zone and that was pretty useful. A lot of the players like to stand in the middle and imagine this bowler is running up to you and I’ll be doing the same thing tomorrow and before the game if picked.”His swift quip when asked where his first ball would be going? “It depends where they bowl it!”Fearless of reputation, at the prospect of batting at No.4 when the opposition incumbent is Virat Kohli, of the idea of walking out at the Home of Cricket on the first day of a Test match against India. England will be hoping Tendulkar is right and Pope’s callowness bears fruit.

Sean Dyche will face off against his former side in Burnley tomorrow evening in the Carabao Cup with Everton, the Toffees' confidence boosted after a 1-0 win away at West Ham – Dominic Calvert-Lewin the match-winner in London.

Burnley, on the other hand, find themselves submerged in a relegation battle with only one win to their name after ten games played in the Premier League.

Dyche is likely to change up his starting XI for this match under the Goodison Park floodlights with freshness needed, but who could start tomorrow evening?

1 GK – Jordan Pickford

It's likely that Everton's number one will retain his spot in net for this Cup clash, the former Sunderland man ever-present for the Blues in both Cup and league – notching up 12 appearances this campaign, shipping 14 in the process.

His recent performances for the Toffees have been pivotal in ensuring his side have the platform to secure a much-needed victory, his display in a 3-0 win over AFC Bournemouth saw Pickford receive an 8.0 Sofascore rating with the shot-stopper making three key saves to keep a deserved clean-sheet.

2 RB – Nathan Patterson

Signed by Everton after bursting onto the scene as an exciting talent at Rangers, Patterson is now starting to cement a regular starting spot in the first-team fold at Goodison Park and make the right-back position his own on Merseyside.

Playing the full 90 minutes last time out against West Ham, Patterson was solid in defence and helped his side along their way to an impressive 1-0 win with four clearances registered on top of three tackles keeping the Hammers at bay.

3 CB – James Tarkowski

Now 30 years of age, Tarkowski is an experienced figure at the heart of the Toffees defence and should start this match against his former employers Burnley.

Everton's captain has been fantastic for the Blues so far this season, averaging a highly impressive 7.35 rating on Sofascore. He was a colossus for his team away at Brentford in the middle of September, winning eight of his nine aerial duels.

4 CB – Jarrad Branthwaite

The 21-year-old has been a revelation for Dyche's men in recent weeks, maturing on loan with PSV Eindhoven and returning to Merseyside ready to battle for the Blues.

His resilience and desire to get stuck in will be key to advancing at the expense of Burnley, averaging two tackles and 4.50 clearances per 90 minutes in the last year via FBRef.

5 LB – Vitaliy Mykolenko

Everton's Ukrainian full-back could be presented with an opportunity to impress in the Carabao Cup, the 24-year-old sparingly used by Dyche at the start of the season but is now a regular at left-back.

His display against West Ham shows to everyone why Dyche has faith in his number 19, winning six of his ten ground duels whilst also launching into six tackles as the Blues travelled back up north with three points and a clean sheet for their troubles.

6 RW – Arnaut Danjuma

The ex-Villarreal man could be in contention for a start against Vincent Kompany's Clarets, eager to help his side progress further in the Carabao Cup.

Only playing for 16 minutes across Everton's last four Premier League encounters, Dyche will give Danjuma some much-needed game-time you expect versus Burnley to up his confidence.

Scoring against Doncaster Rovers in Everton's first Carabao Cup match of the season in September, he'll hope he can conjure up another goal on Wednesday evening.

7 CM – Idrissa Gueye

Frozen out of Dyche's first-team plans since a 45-minute spell against Luton Town, the 34-year-old could be welcomed back to the starting XI by his manager for the game against Burnley.

Featuring in both prior Carabao Cup ties for the Toffees, the experienced central midfielder looks set to be given a run-out on Wednesday with his know-how a major plus if Kompany fields a second-string Clarets side when travelling to Merseyside.

His display against Doncaster helped Everton overcome a minor scare in South Yorkshire, Gueye's calming presence on the ball key against the League Two opponents with 86% of his passes accurate on the night.

8 CM – James Garner

Once a Manchester United hot prospect, James Garner is now a crucial cog in the Toffees machine and an established first-teamer through the centre of the park – not missing a minute of football for his team in their last five Premier League matches.

Garner's energy could be crucial in this one, especially if fatigue as a collective is a factor with fixtures coming thick and fast.

Everton's number 37 was fantastic in the Toffees' last Carabao Cup victory over Aston Villa, Garner firing home the opener at Villa Park to set his team up for an impressive 2-1 victory.

9 LW – Lewis Dobbin

This would be the boldest inclusion in Dyche's starting XI if he does go ahead and give Lewis Dobbin a start versus the Clarets, the young prodigy with the Toffees infrequently featuring for his side so far this campaign.

Staying on the bench against Aston Villa last time in the Cup, the one-time Derby County loanee could be the fresh pair of legs the Blues need down the wings to catch a less-than-confident Burnley team off-guard.

Scoring 14 times for the Everton U18s when progressing through the youth ranks at Goodison, this could be his opportunity to impress in the senior side on Wednesday night.

10 CAM – Abdoulaye Doucoure

Switched to a more attacking role this season under Dyche, Doucoure has become a goalscoring hero for his side when strikers at Goodison have fired blanks – the former Watford man netting three goals from ten Premier League starts.

The 30-year-old therefore feels like he can't dropped for this night under the lights against Burnley, with his manager hoping he can be a match-winner again.

The Bournemouth midfielder netted a scoring effort on Sunday, but it's not the best-ever in the history of this rivalry

There's nothing better than scoring against your rival, and in international soccer, there might not be better rivals than the U.S. men's national team and Mexico. It's a feud loaded with history, one filled with ebbs and flows for either side.

Right now, the USMNT is in charge. Their 2-0 win over El Tri in the CONCACAF Nations League final on Sunday confirmed it. For the past few years, the U.S. has become the region's premier team, knocking Mexico off their perch.

Sunday's game was one headlined by one of the best goals this longtime rivalry has seen. Tyler Adams' long-range missile just before halftime was stunning, and almost immediately, social media began debating its place in this rivalry's great history. Was it the best goal ever between these two teams? If not, what could it be?

Adams has earned his spot on this list, although not the top spot. Following the midfielder's stunner, GOAL has you covered with our top five USMNT goals against Mexico:

5. The Man in the Mirror

We start with an iconic goal, which isn't remembered necessarily for the quality of the finish, but the quality of the celebration.

In the leadup to a World Cup qualifier between the two rivals in 2021, Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa said that "Mexico is the mirror in which the [U.S.] wants to see itself". His words came back to bite him.

After scoring in that 2-0 win, Christian Pulisic unveiled a now famous undershirt that read "Man in the Mirror". The American star fired back at Ochoa in a big way, both with his goal and the celebration. The rivalry hasn't been quite the same since, as that game felt like a real turning point in a match-up that has become one-sided in the USMNT's favour.

AdvertisementGetty Images4. The first Dos a Cero

It's become a common scoreline now, but, back in 2002, Dos a Cero was historic. The USMNT's triumph over their local rivals in the last 16 of the 2002 World Cup truly signalled the program's arrival on the world stage. Brian McBride's eighth-minute opener really set the tone but, for the purposes of this list, we're going to go with Landon Donovan's goal in the second half.

Donovan's headed finish, and ensuing celebration, was a defining moment in USMNT history. There's a very real case that, regardless of the quality of goal, it should be tops on this list. And the fact that it isn't shows just how many memorable moments there have been in this rivalry.

3. Adams' missile

Recency bias has many throwing this goal to the top of their list. It's a fantastic one, for sure, and it's earned its place in this rivalry's history. The best we've seen, though? Not quite.

In context, Adams' goal was a massive one for the USMNT but, more importantly, it was a massive one for the midfielder. After nearly a year on the sideline, Adams needed a moment like this and, when it came, he made sure to smash it as hard as he could.

The midfielder's missile was just his second career USMNT goal. His first came against, you guessed it: Mexico. Adams probably won't score a better goal for his country, and the fact that it came against a heated rival in a cup final makes it even sweeter.

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2. Feilhaber wins the Gold Cup

It was a goal that had everything, one worthy of an occasion like a cup final. Level at one apiece in the 2007 Gold Cup final, the ball found its way to Benny Feilhaber in the 73rd minute. Just 11 minutes prior, Donovan had equalized, firing the U.S. back into the game. The game, and the tournament, then fell to the feet of Feilhaber.

You don't hit a volley much sweeter. After a headed clearance from Mexico, Feilhaber rifled a shot all the way across goal, and there was no stopping it. The U.S. went on to win 2-1, with Feilhaber's goal proving a legendary decider in a memorable finale.