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Manchester United are keen to kick on under Ruben Amorim and could now be set to target a defender as part of a two-pronged solution to bolster their ranks.

Man Utd look to tie Harry Maguire down to contract extension

Harry Maguire was the man of the hour for the Red Devils last weekend after scoring the decisive goal in their victory over Liverpool at Anfield, though there is still a question mark over his future with the New Year now approaching.

The England international earns around £9.8 million annually at Old Trafford and has more than proved his worth. With that in mind, former chief scout Mick Brown made it clear to Football Insider that the defender appears primed to extend his stay.

He explained: “As long as he’s still got an important role to play, for Manchester United, I still feel there’s a willingness from all parties to get a new contract done.

“Maguire is very much open to staying at Man United. There’s been talk of reported interest from the Saudi pro league, but Maguire would prefer to stay at Manchester United as long as the terms are right.”

Leny Yoro appears to be a natural long-term heir once Maguire moves on. However, there is still a collective realization that further defensive reinforcements are needed to ensure the Red Devils can challenge for major silverware under Amorim.

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BySean Markus Clifford Oct 24, 2025

January promises to be another significant milestone during his reign, and new blood will be imperative if aspirations of qualifying for continental football is something that is on their agenda.

With that in mind, Amorim may now have turned his attention towards a star who could solve one of his key concerns at Old Trafford.

Man Utd could kickstart January transfer spree with Ousmane Diomande

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United are keen to land Sporting star Ousmane Diomande, who has a release clause deemed to be in the region of just under £70 million.

Nevertheless, there is belief that he could be attainable at the £43.6 million mark, and Amorim views the Ivorian, previously labelled “assured” by Goncalo Tristao Santos, as someone who could fit perfectly into his complex tactical set-up.

Intruigingly, the youngster profiles as the next Thiago Silva from a statistical standpoint, ranking similarly to the PSG and Chelsea legend in goal threat, passing ability and aerial prowess.

Most similar players to Ousmane Diomande – (FBRef)

Thiago Silva

Fluminense

Sergio Ramos

Monterrey

Nehuen Perez

Porto

Jeison Palacios

Nashville

German Pezzella

River Plate

Athletic Club midfielder Oihan Sancet has also been budgeted for in what could be a combined spend on both players of almost £105 million. However, Diomande would be an impressive arrival due to his ability to play out from the back and willingness to take on responsibility.

Making four appearances acros all competitions this season, the 21-year-old is currently suffering from a muscle injury, though it is believed that his relationship with Amorim could see a swift transition into starting matches at Old Trafford.

The mid-season window is nearing and Manchester United appear to be preparing their strategy in plenty time, which will delight supporter as they aim to keep pace with the Premier League’s big-hitters.

Would it be hyperbole to suggest that Kobbie Mainoo provided the best, or most significant, moment at Manchester United in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era?

Faced with an imperious Manchester City side in the 2024 FA Cup final, Erik ten Hag’s men defied the odds to claim a richly deserved 2-1 win, a year on from having tamely been defeated by their neighbours en route to treble glory.

Alejandro Garnacho had pounced early on to open the scoring, before fellow academy graduate Mainoo popped up at the backpost to add a second, slotting home perfectly following Bruno Fernandes’ ingenious reverse pass.

The then-teenager, like the thousands decked out in red at Wembley, roared in celebration, revelling in the crowing moment of a stunning, six-month rise from relative obscurity.

The Old Trafford faithful have been wedded to United’s golden boy since then, although there has been no such warmth from new boss Ruben Amorim.

What Amorim said about Mainoo after West Ham

From the highs of that Wembley showpiece, and his subsequent role in England’s run to the final at Euro 2024, Mainoo’s impact has plummeted since then, having hardly had a look-in following an injury-hit start to 2024/25.

Seemingly fighting a losing battle from the off following Amorim’s arrival in November 2024 – having failed to start the Portuguese’s first game in charge against Ipswich Town – the Stockport native has drifted onto the periphery, with 2025/26 proving particularly frustrating thus far.

The forgotten man, Mainoo is yet to start a single Premier League game this season, playing just 171 minutes in all, having been an unused substitute for the fourth time against West Ham United in midweek.

Speaking after that dismal 1-1 draw, Amorim went on the defensive regarding his treatment of the youngster, while laughing off suggestions that the midfielder could have been an “offensive” alteration.

Asked if he understood why Mainoo’s status as a homegrown talent made him such a talking point for fans and pundits alike, the 40-year-old replied:

Mainoo, unsurprisingly, is seeking a January exit amid his bizarre fall from grace, although he surely isn’t the midfielder INEOS should be looking to move on.

Man Utd must sell flop who's getting the Mainoo treatement

Perhaps the biggest source of frustration regarding Mainoo’s situation is that Amorim isn’t exactly blessed with regard to midfield depth, with his current squad boasting just four recognised, senior midfielders to choose from.

For much of 2025/26, the ex-Sporting CP boss has selected ever-present skipper, Fernandes, alongside the ageing Casemiro, with both Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte limited to mere late cameos off the bench.

Like the FA Cup final hero, Ugarte has also become a notable talking point amid his limited role under Amorim, despite having previously worked with the 3-4-2-1 boss in Lisbon.

Indeed, it was reported last month that the ex-Paris Saint-Germain man had been criticised by his manager in front of teammates at Carrington, following the Europa League final defeat.

Like Mainoo, who enjoyed just a mere last-gasp cameo in Bilbao, Ugarte was also something of an afterthought even as United toiled, having failed to even make it off the bench on the night.

Games

9

10

Starts

0

2

Goals

0

0

Assists

0

0

Big chances created

0

0

Key passes*

0.6

0.1

Pass accuracy*

87%

86%

Total duels won*

36%

60%

Balls recovered*

1.1

2.0

Dribbled past*

0.1

0.4

Much like Mainoo too, the Uruguayan has been forced to settle for a watching brief for much of this season, starting just twice in the top-flight, while notably being hooked at the break following an “embarrassing” display against Grimsby Town, in the view of writer Alex Turk.

Of course, there isn’t the groundswell of support for Ugarte like there is for his midfield colleague, with the decision to fork out almost £50m on the 24-year-old standing out as one of the worst decisions of recent years at Old Trafford.

Whether the £120k-per-week talent, again like Mainoo, is being helped by his manager is another matter, however, with Amorim hardly backing his man after revealing that Ugarte is “struggling” to adjust to life in the Premier League.

Either way, if it comes down to choosing between which peripheral midfielder needs to be shown the door, it should surely be Ugarte whom INEOS cash in on, with the safe and steady asset doing little to warrant a third-season stay in Manchester.

Cunha 2.0: INEOS to fast-track Man Utd bid for 'best winger in England'

Manchester United look set to make a huge move for one player in the upcoming January window.

ByEthan Lamb Dec 5, 2025

Arsenal beat German champions Bayern Munich 3-1 on a night to remember in Europe, and one Gunners star absolutely stole the show with his performance.

Mikel Arteta’s side were handed one of their toughest tests on paper tonight against a Bayern side who are still unbeaten in the Bundesliga and one of the favourites to win the Champions League, but they were no match for the Premier League frontrunners in north London.

Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich – best performers

Match Rating

Jurrien Timber

7.7

Bukayo Saka

7.4

Riccardo Calafiori

7.4

Lennart Karl

7.4

Declan Rice

7.3

via WhoScored

Bayern had also won all but one of their matches in all competitions this season heading into their trip to the Emirates, with Arsenal handing Vincent Kompany’s side their first defeat of 2025/2026.

Second-half goals from Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli ended up firing Arsenal to victory in their heavyweight clash. Madueke, back after two months out with a knee injury, scored his first Gunners goal before fellow sub Martinelli pounced on a mistake from Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer to stretch Arsenal’s perfect record in the competition to five victories from five matches.

Earlier, Jurrien Timber had headed Arsenal into the lead and, with former Tottenham striker Harry Kane unable to add to the six goals he has scored at the Emirates, it was left to Bayern’s 17-year-old star Lennart Karl to grab the first goal Arsenal have conceded in the competition this season.

This glamour tie was arguably the least important of Premier League leaders Arsenal’s three matches this week, sandwiched between the 4-1 derby demolition of Spurs and Sunday’s trip to second-placed Chelsea.

Nevertheless, it is still one to revel in, and the result perhaps hands Arsenal the status of Europe’s best team right now.

While Timber, Madueke and Martinelli were the heroes on paper, it was a complete midfield performance by club-record signing Declan Rice, who absolutely bossed proceedings in the middle of the park with one of his best ever displays in red and white.

Ally McCoist hails 'out of this world' Declan Rice in Arsenal win

Covering the game for TNT Sports, commentator Ally McCoist repeatedly waxed lyrical about the England international — branding him Man of the Match for his “first class” outing against the Bavarians.

Rice was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet as well on 60 minutes, with the former West Ham captain storming down the left only for veteran keeper Manuel Neuer to deny him just reward for his imperious showing.

McCoist called Rice “magnificent” and “out of this world” for the run, which just about summed up what was a possessed performance from one of Arsenal’s leaders.

Tonight was a massive statement from Arsenal, who not only showed they can cut it against Europe’s toughest opponents, but also sent a very clear message that they’ve got absolutely zero intention of letting up.

Next up, a fierce London derby awaits against Chelsea this weekend — a match which could send Arteta’s side nine points clear at the top of the table and cement their status as overwhelming title favourites.

Rice will be a massive part of that, and tonight shows just how vital he is in Arteta’s quest to end the club’s 22-year wait for a Premier League trophy.

This weekend is arguably the biggest in Thomas Frank’s tenure as Tottenham Hotspur manager, when he leads his side out against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.

The Dane has yet to get his first taste of the North London Derby, but he will be looking to get one over Mikel Arteta and secure bragging rights for the Lilywhites faithful.

Such a fixture is huge for supporters, with the meeting between the two clubs one of the first dates they look for upon fixture release day, before a ball is kicked.

However, it’s been a game that the white side of North London have often come out on the losing side away from home – subsequently winning just one of their last 32 encounters.

If Frank’s side are to write themselves into the history books, they will desperately need to keep one player quiet throughout the clash at the Emirates.

The threat Bukayo Saka poses to Spurs this weekend

Bukayo Saka may ply his trade for Arsenal, but he’s cemented himself as one of the Premier League’s most threatening attackers over the last couple of years.

The Englishman has managed to register over 20 combined goals and assists in all competitions in each of the last three years – often providing the difference in such a fixture.

He’s often popped up with the goods in attacking areas, as seen by his record against the Lilywhites since his senior debut back in the 2020/21 campaign.

Saka has featured on ten occasions against Spurs throughout his professional career, racking up a total of five goals – subsequently finding the net in 50% of his outings in such a clash.

He’s also popped up with various assists in the North London Derby, with his corner to Gabriel securing the Gunners all three points at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last campaign.

It’s evident that the winger possesses serious quality, often coming alive on Derby Day, with Frank and his squad desperately needing to silence him on Sunday afternoon.

However, he too could unleash his own version of the Englishman at the Emirates, with the Lilywhites star potentially able to inflict serious trouble on Arteta’s men.

The Spurs star who’s becoming their answer to Saka

Players such as Saka don’t come around very often, and when they do, they cost a pretty penny – many of which undoubtedly cost a small fortune in the modern-day.

Whilst Spurs are unlikely to pay over the odds for top-level talents, they have invested heavily into the frontline over recent years – as seen by their deal to land Brennan Johnson.

The hierarchy forked out a reported £47.5m for the Welshman’s signature back in the summer of 2023, with the attacker showcasing his talents in North London last campaign.

He registered a total of 18 goals across all competitions last season, the highest of any player in the squad, often starring off the right-hand side of the club’s attack.

However, he’s fallen down the pecking order in recent months, which has resulted in various options being considered within the forward line in the capital.

Mathys Tel joined the Lilywhites on a permanent basis during the summer window, with the Frenchman costing a total of £27m from German side Bayern Munich.

The 20-year-old is capable of operating off the left-hand side or even as a centre-forward, with Frank able to rely upon the youngster in a variety of different positions.

When operating on the left, he’s able to cut inside and onto his favoured foot – something which Saka has made a name for himself for in England’s top-flight.

His similarities to the Englishman are also reflected in his shot on target accuracy, with Tel matching the winger with his tally of placing 33% of his efforts between the posts.

The Frenchman has previously impressed in his professional career, but has transferred his skills over to the Premier League, as seen by his tally of two goals in the league this season.

Games played

8

Goals scored

2

Shot on target accuracy

33%

Pass accuracy

73%

Dribble success

50%

Long ball success

83%

Aerials won

1.2

Mins per goal

124.5

Tel’s efforts in attacking areas have led to huge praise from numerous outlets, with Bayern Chairman Herbert Hainer labelling him “one of the biggest talents in Europe”.

However, he will need consistent first-team minutes to reach the heights many have touted him to, with Frank needing to trust him in the near future to reap the rewards.

He’s shown that he’s capable of producing the goods in attacking areas, potentially able to provide the difference in the clash against the Gunners on Sunday.

Tel has proven he’s able to be the club’s answer to Saka, but it remains to be seen if the manager will show faith in him to allow the youngster to continue on his upward trajectory.

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Caleb Jewell passes 1,000 runs for the season but is only wicket to fall in Derbyshire second innings

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay10-Sep-2025

Only ten overs were possible on a rainy day at Lord’s•Getty Images

Caleb Jewell reached 1,000 County Championship runs for the season on a rain-ravaged third day of Derbyshire’s clash with hosts Middlesex at Lord’s.Only 10 overs were possible, but it proved sufficient time for the Tasmanian left-hander to reach the landmark with a glance tickled to the fine-leg fence.The 28-year-old, who reached his 1,000 in what was his 22nd innings for the county, also became the only wicket to fall, as Derbyshire closed on 33 for 1, bowled by a beauty from Ryan Higgins which flattened the off stump.The further frustration for Jewell was he hadn’t reached the pavilion steps before the second rain interruption of the morning drove the players off for an early lunch.Only three more overs were bowled, during which Luis Reece survived two huge lbw shouts from Toby Roland-Jones before rain prevented any further play.Both sides are desperate for a win to keep any pressure on second placed Glamorgan in the Division Two promotion race, but it will take creative collaboration between the respective captains to contrive a positive result on the final day.

We’ve got a full day of MLB on the slate, and there are plenty of ways to get in on the action. Today, I am zeroing in on two matchups: the Los Angeles Dodgers at the Milwaukee Brewers and the Hosuton Astros at the Tampa Bay Rays.  

All bets listed below present good value and can be found at DraftKings.

Let’s get to it! 

MLB Best Bets Today for Wednesday, Aug. 14

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Milwaukee Brewers Predictions and Best Bets

Dodgers at Brewers over nine runs (-105)

Milwaukee Brewers ML (+100)

I’ll be backing the home dogs tonight in Milwaukee. 

Walker Buehler has not pitched since June 18 and is returning from the injured list after dealing with hip inflammation. 

Before landing on the IL, Walker had a rough start to the season with a 5.84 ERA. Buehler has not looked the same since returning from his second Tommy John surgery, and though he is 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA vs. the Brewers in his career, I’m throwing that out the window.  Milwaukee has scored three or fewer in its past four games after a four-game stretch in which it scored 42 runs.

The Brewers are due for some positive regression at home tonight in this matchup.

Yes, the Dodgers have the best record in baseball, and they have won four of the five matchups with the Brewers this season. However, the Brewers’ +98 run differential is not far behind the Dodgers’ +105, and they have a 33-24 home record.

This could turn into a slugfest, with Frankie Montas having an 8.50 ERA in four starts since the All-Star Break.

The Brewers have scored 5.91 runs per game in August, while the Dodgers have scored 5.27.  The Brewers have the better bullpen, so we will root for the Brewers to win by a run in a high-scoring affair. 

Houston Astros at Tampa Bay Rays Predictions and Best Bets

Both Teams to score 2+ runs in the First Five Innings (+160)

The Astros will be looking to win their eighth consecutive game tonight at Tropicana Field.  

Ronel Blanco will start for Houston, and though he began the season as Houston’s ace, he has started to show some signs of fatigue.  

Since the All-Star Break, Blanco has had an ERA of 5.68 compared to his 2.68 ERA before the All-Star Break.  His 3.59 walks per nine innings are the fifth-most among qualified starters this season, and his 1.34 home runs per nine rank 15th.  

Last week, in his start vs. the Rays, he allowed two earned runs before getting into trouble and exiting early.   

When Blanco does get into trouble, it's usually in the first or fifth inning. Blanco has an ERA of 4.09 in the first inning and an ERA of 4.74 in the fifth. 

The Rays will start Zack Littell at home tonight. Though Littell held the Astros to one run through six innings last week, I don’t expect the same tonight.   

Littell’s home run numbers are even higher than Blanco’s. He has allowed the 11th-most home runs per nine this season, and both Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez have been hot in August.  

Bregman has hit a home run in four consecutive games and will be looking to make it five tonight. Alvarez and Bregman are the reigning co-players of the Week in the AL and have scored 22 combined runs in the first eleven games of August. 

The Astros are averaging 2.48 runs per game in the first five this season, while the Rays are averaging 2.01.  The game total is set at eight today, and both bullpens have been excellent to start August with a combined ERA of just 2.00.   I see both teams scoring a couple early if we are getting close to eight. 

That’s enough to have me taking a chance on this plus money payout. 

MatériaMais Notícias

A comissão técnica de Mano Menezes no Corinthians está completa. Neste domingo (1), o clube anunciou a chegada do preparador físico Diogo Linhares. Ele se junta aos auxiliares Cauan de Almeida e Sidnei Lobo, que comandou o Corinthians na derrota para o São Paulo pois Mano cumpria suspensão automática.

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+ Renove o seu estoque de camisas do Timão com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF

Diogo estava no Kashiwa Reysol, do Japão, e soma passagens pelas categorias de base da Seleção Brasileira, pela Seleção da Arábia Saudita, além de clubes brasileiros como Flamengo e Sport.

A comissão técnica corintiana ainda conta com A comissão também conta Fernando Lázaro e Mauro da Silva, auxiliares fixos do Corinthians.

O elenco alvinegro se reapresentou no CT Joaquim Grava neste domingo (1), iniciando a preparação para o duelo contra o Fortaleza, pelo jogo de volta da semifinal da Copa Sul-Americana. Os atletas que atuaram mais 45 minutos no Majestoso fizeram um trabalho regenerativo na parte interna do CT.

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Assim, Mano Menezes chamou 11 jogadores das categorias de base para completarem as atividades em campo: os goleiros Cadu (2005) e Kauê (2004); os zagueiros João Pedro (2003); Renato (2004) e Thierry (2005); o lateral Vitor Meer (2004); o volante Thomas Rafael (2005); os meias Breno Bidon (2005) e Pedrinho (2004); e os atacantes Arthur Sousa (2003) e Kayke (2004).

+ Garanta a sua vaga no curso que formou craques como Pet, Dante e Léo Moura! Cupom: LANCE1000

O técnico Mano e sua comissão comandaram um trabalho de posse e marcação pressão em espaço reduzido. O treinador também orientou um treinamento tático.

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With more and more money being pumped into the Premier League every season, transfer fees and player wages are ballooning. With that in mind, we have taken a look at what teams are paying their star players, specifically Aston Villa.

In 2025/26, those at Villa Park have an annual payroll of £123,110,000, with the average first team player collecting more than £4.3m per season. Here are the Villans’ best-paid players this year, per Capology.

Disclaimer – only the club and the players themselves truly know their wages, so take each of these figures as you will.

Rank

Player

Wage per week

Wage per year

1

Jadon Sancho

£200,000

£10,400,000

=2

Emiliano Martinez

£150,000

£7,800,000

=2

Boubacar Kamara

£150,000

£7,800,000

=2

Youri Tielemans

£150,000

£7,800,000

=5

Amadou Onana

£140,000

£7,280,000

=5

Donyell Malen

£140,000

£7,280,000

7

Lucas Digne

£135,000

£7,020,000

8

Ollie Watkins

£130,000

£6,760,000

=9

John McGinn

£120,000

£6,240,000

=9

Victor Lindelof

£120,000

£6,240,000

11

Tyrone Mings

£110,000

£5,720,000

=12

Pau Torres

£100,000

£5,200,000

=12

Ian Maatsen

£100,000

£5,200,000

14

Matty Cash

£80,000

£4,160,000

=15

Emiliano Buendia

£75,000

£3,900,000

=15

Ezri Konsa

£75,000

£3,900,000

=15

Evann Guessand

£75,000

£3,900,000

=15

Morgan Rogers

£75,000

£3,900,000

19

Harvey Elliott

£65,000

£3,380,000

20

Ross Barkley

£60,000

£3,120,000

21

Marco Bizot

£45,000

£2,340,000

22

Lamare Bogarde

£30,000

£1,560,000

=23

Andres Garcia

£15,000

£780,000

=23

Samuel Iling-Junior

£15,000

£780,000

25

Lewis Dobbin

£7,500

£390,000

26

Joe Gauci

£5,000

£260,000

Here is a look at Aston Villa's top 10 earners… 10 Victor Lindelof £120,000 per week

After being released by Manchester United in 2025, Aston Villa eventually swooped in and signed Victor Lindelof on a free transfer.

The Swedish defender signed a two-year deal at Villa Park and will collect just under £12.5m in wages during his time in the Midlands.

9 John McGinn £120,000 per week

Since he joined the club from Hibernian in 2018, John McGinn has been a consistent performer for Aston Villa, and when he’s at his best, he can pull some magic out of nowhere.

The club clearly value the 29-year-old as he signed a new deal in 2023 that will keep him in the Midlands until the summer of 2027. We’d argue McGinn has more than earned his spot on this list.

8 Ollie Watkins £130,000 per week

Striker Ollie Watkins has had the time of his life at Villa Park, and his form in front of goal helped the club achieve regular European qualification.

Watkins isn’t far off 100 goals in a Villa shirt, therefore a fine justification of his £130,000 per week wage, and he is under contract until 2028.

7 Lucas Digne £135,000 per week

Lucas Digne’s time at Villa Park is rather hard to judge due to injuries derailing his momentum whenever he looked like he had found some form.

In fairness to the Frenchman, he did make his way into Unai Emery’s plans at the start of the previous season, though he is under contract until 2028.

6 Donyell Malen £140,000 per week

Donyell Malen

5 Amadou Onana £140,000 per week

Amadou Onana, signed in 2024, was one of the club’s marquee additions that summer, with Villa putting the lure of Champions League into full effect by winning the race for the Belgian.

Onana arrived from Everton for around £50m and looks set to be a mainstay in the side, potentially over the next five years of his contract. He will only be 28 years of age in 2029 as well, so Villa may have secured a shrewd deal over time.

4 Youri Tielemans £150,000 per week

Youri Tielemans was the first signing of the 2024 summer and helped set the tone for the calibre of player that fans could expect to come in.

The Belgian has been a Premier League regular ever since he joined Leicester City from Monaco in 2019. In fact, it was quite the coup for the Villans to land the midfielder as he had been linked to Arsenal for well over a year.

3 Boubacar Kamara £150,000 per week

Boubacar Kamara made the move to Birmingham in 2022 after his contract with Ligue 1 giants Marseille expired.

He has had his injury issues, however, the midfielder still done enough to earn a huge new £150,000 per week deal which was signed in 2025.

2 Emiliano Martinez £150,000 per week

Emiliano Martinez is another on a hefty £7.8m per year salary. However, given his international pedigree and general performances in the league since joining the Villans, he’s probably well worth it.

The World Cup winner joined the Villans in the summer of 2020 for just £17m from Arsenal and has been brilliant in Claret and Blue, although he did nearly leave in 2025.

1 Jadon Sancho £200,000 per week

Jadon Sancho tops the charts as Aston Villa’s top earner after joining on a season-long loan from Manchester United over the summer.

The winger spent the 2024/25 campaign with Chelsea, however, the Blues turned down the chance to sign the Englishman on a permanent basis. He also wasn’t in Ruben Amorim’s plans at Old Trafford, leading to Villa making a late swoop.

Max Holden and Emilio Gay also did their bit as Lions ended day two 320 behind but only two wickets down

Nagraj Gollapudi31-May-2025

Karun Nair celebrates after recording his fourth first-class double-century•PA Images via Getty Images

England Lions 237 for 2 (Haines 103*, Holden 64*, Gay 46, Kamboj 1-24) trail India A 557 (Nair 204, Jurel 94, Sarfaraz 92, Hull 3-72, Akhter 3-73, Jack 2-75) by 320 runsIf you put up a total over 550, you think you are in command. Yet, India A were made to work hard for a lot of the second day as Sussex top-order batter Tom Haines led England Lions’ fightback with a resolute century in response to the imposing 557 in Canterbury.It was a contrasting start and end to the day for the visiting side. In the first hour, Karun Nair celebrated his fourth first-class double-century. Nair, who last year played county cricket for Northampton, joined an exclusive club of Indian batters to score multiple double-centuries in England in the process. His seven-plus-hour vigil came to an end as Zaman Akhter forced an inside edge that went into the gloves of James Rew behind the wickets.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Nair had shown patience, composure and solid defensive technique during his 435-minute stay that lasted 281 balls as the runs came at a decent clip. His 204 included 26 fours and a six. As he walked back with the Lions players rushing to congratulate him, and the 1700-plus crowd giving him a standing ovation, Nair would think he had put himself in pole position to stake a claim for a slot in the India batting order for the first Test against England in Leeds, starting June 20.India A finished after 125.1 overs, and the focus was now on the bowlers after the Lions began their second innings just over an hour after lunch. The new ball was shared by Mukesh Kumar and Anshul Kamboj. While Mukesh struggled to find his lines and rhythm, Kamboj was disciplined.Related

Why India picked Nair and Arshdeep and left out Sarfaraz and Shami

Tour blog – Mhatre, Malhotra shine as second Youth Test ends in draw

A strong unit, broad-shouldered, just about six-feet tall, Kamboj can bang the hard lengths and move the ball off the seam. Unlike Mukesh, Kamboj offered no width and forced the batters to play every ball as he attacked the top of off stump. Ben McKinney, the tall Durham opener with a high backlift, had been beaten by one such delivery, the first of Kamboj’s third over (the sixth of the innings). Next ball, delivering from close to the stumps, Kamboj pitched on the top band of good length and managed to shape the ball from middle to off while sneaking past McKinney’s outside edge to uproot the off stump.Kamboj should have had his second wicket soon after: Emilio Gay nicked a delivery, but wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel put down the sitter. Soon after, Shardul Thakur, early in his first spell, should have had Haines. Then on 11, Haines poked at a fifth-stump delivery, but Sarfaraz Khan, at second slip, failed to latch on to a low attempt to his left. Annoyed, Thakur momentarily stood in teapot stance.The sloppy fielding became a cause for annoyance for India A. There were several misfields, including another life to Haines when, on 83, he slashed hard at a wide delivery outside off from Harshit Rana, which flew to point fielder Abhimanyu Easwaran. The India A captain threw himself to his right to attempt a double-handed catch but the ball burst through.Tom Haines ended the second day unbeaten on 103•PA Images via Getty Images

Haines would soon celebrate his 15th first-class century, and his third so far this summer, having started the season with two centuries in April for Sussex. Haines, who is among the leading run-makers in the County Championship, showed why he is rated among the best top-order batters around as he did not let go of any scoring opportunities. The Indian bowlers helped his cause by spraying the ball wide and short, or going too straight.He was also fluent against Harsh Dubey, who was a late entrant into the India A squad. Haines was comfortable reading the left-arm spinner, especially utilising the sweep and reverse sweep to good effect while also playing it late and being mindful of the arm ball Dubey used frequently.The pitch, though, had flattened and become slower, making batting easier. Haines said after the day’s play that the bowlers had to “really smash the pitch to get something out of it”. Still, the Indians would have liked to control the scoring tempo, which was over four runs an over through the afternoon.Two bowlers the Indian team management would want to look at during the two four-day games are Thakur and Nitish Kumar Reddy. While both went wicketless, Thakur showed more control, conceding 37 runs in his ten overs, including a maiden. Reddy, whose inclusion as an allrounder for the England tour has become a talking point considering he had barely bowled in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, was brought in about half-an-hour before the close of play. He went for 27 runs in three overs and was quickly replaced.