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After their win over Pakistan in UAE, New Zealand have a chance to scale Test rankings’ summit if they topple Sri Lanka

The Preview by Madushka Balasuriya13-Aug-2019Big PictureSri Lanka won their last Test assignment – it was a historic one too – in South Africa, but so much has happened since. New Zealand have had a different kind of high, and a heartbreak to boot, at the World Cup, but are determined to move on and make a fresh start in Sri Lanka, with the Tests part of the World Test Championship.What’s certain is they won’t underestimate the hosts, even though they are yet to emerge from their forever-rebuilding state, under another interim coach. In Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, and Henry Nicholls they have a middle order more than capable of batting Sri Lanka out of the game. To bolster their batting unit, they have also recruited former Sri Lanka batting coach Thilan Samaraweera for the duration of the series.Sri Lanka are coming into the series on the back of a comprehensive ODI series whitewash over Bangladesh. Prior to that, they finished a World Cup campaign that was nowhere near as bad as it could have been. All of it has taken place in the midst of constant backroom turmoil, culminating in head coach Chandika Hathurusingha being replaced in the interim by fast-bowling coach Rumesh Ratnayake.Yet, this Sri Lanka side under Dimuth Karunaratne has shown considerable mental resolve in recent months, especially with their batting, and while most teams would be unsettled by the loss of a coach days before a series, not many sides are as practiced at compartmentalising such chaos as Sri Lanka.All things considered, though, New Zealand certainly have the edge. Yes, Sri Lanka have beaten South Africa and Australia at home in recent years, but that was with the assistance of the now retired Rangana Herath, and the injured Dilruwan Perera. Sri Lanka’s spin-bowling future in Tests still has heavy question marks around it. New Zealand meanwhile are coming on the back of five consecutive series wins, and it would take brave man to bet against them making it six.Form guideSri Lanka WWLDL (last five completed matches, most recent first)New Zealand WWWDWIn the spotlightThis will be Sri Lanka’s first Test at home since Rangana Herath’s retirement. There had been a succession plan in place in the shape of Dilruwan Perera, but with him also out injured, Sri Lanka have suddenly lost some 378 wickets worth of spin-bowling experience on home soil. This puts the pressure squarely on Akila Dananjaya to carry Sri Lanka’s spin attack on what should be a fairly accommodating Galle surface. While Dananjaya only has 27 Test wickets to his name, 17 of which have come at home, they have come in just five Tests. This will be his first outing in the longer format of the game since he remodelled his action earlier this year.Left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel was instrumental in New Zealand’s away series win against Pakistan last year, and despite having just the five Tests under his belt, he impressed in the warm-up game, where he walked away with a five-for on the only day play was possible. Visiting spinners have also had a fair bit of success in Sri Lanka recently, and Patel and co. will have studied closely.Team newsSri Lanka are set to welcome back Dinesh Chandimal, dropped for the series in South Africa because of poor form, and Angelo Mathews, who missed the South Africa tour because of an injury. New Zealand, meanwhile, could field three frontline spinners, with Todd Astle missing out.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), 2 Lahiru Thirimanne, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Dinesh Chandimal (wk), 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Kusal Perera, 7 Dhananjaya De Silva, 8 Lasith Embuldeniya, 9 Akila Dananjaya 10 Lakshan Sandakan 11 Suranga LakmalNew Zealand (probable): 1 Jeet Raval, 2 Tom Latham, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Henry Nicholls, 6 BJ Watling, 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Ajaz Patel, 9 Will Somerville, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Tim SoutheePitch and conditionsGalle pitches usually favour spin, so expect the same this time too. Given rain is forecast right through the Test, there’s every chance of a five-day affair, unlike recent Tests that have finished early. If it does go there, both sides will want to be bowling on a deteriorating deck, so winning the toss and batting first would be the obvious choice.Stats and trivia If New Zealand win this series 2-0 they will become No.1 ranked Test side in the world for the first time in their history Teams winning the toss have batted first in 27 of the 32 Tests played here Kane Williamson’s 968 runs against Sri Lanka at 80.66 is the most he has scored against a single opponent Galle is one of only four venues where a single bowler has more than 100 wickets (Lord’s the only non-Sri Lankan venue in the list). Tim Southee is six wickets from becoming the second-highest wicket taker in bilateral Tests between Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Muttiah Muralitharan is the highest.Quotes”We were too attacking perhaps in our last game here. We couldn’t for example stop the flow of runs. Now we have plans to move forward and all the spinners are in good shape.”
“The guys that are here were part of a fantastic series in the UAE where spin bowling was the dominant art. They are really looking forward to the opportunity in another country where the conditions will be slightly different again.”

The new agreement which runs from 2019 to 2023 makes GSC the official broadcast and digital rights holder outside South Africa

Liam Brickhill26-Aug-2019Cricket South Africa has extended its commercial deal with Global Sports Commerce for the Mzansi Super League for another four years.GSC, which is headquartered in Singapore but has an affiliate office in Johannesburg, was the official commercial and broadcast partner for the inaugural MSL in 2018. The new agreement which runs from 2019 to 2023 grants GSC all commercial rights to the MSL, excluding the teams, and makes GSC the official broadcast and digital rights holder outside South Africa.GSC has various partnerships with global and Indian brands, and also had a hand in broadcasting the last edition of the Pakistan Super League.Closer to home, however, CSA have confirmed that local broadcast rights for the second season of the MSL will remain with SABC, South Africa’s public broadcaster. The embattled broadcaster last month secured a R 3.2 billion (approx $210 million) bailout from the government but will provide little to no commercial value to CSA locally – making overseas partnerships all the more important.”It gives us great pleasure to extend our partnership with GSC,” CSA Chief Executive Thabang Moroe said. “They are a significant global brand that has put its faith in our administration, our governance and our players for a considerable period of time.”As their name indicates, GSC have a global sporting presence as a major player in the organization of sporting events around the world and already have considerable experience of South African sport through their investment in Megapro and Megaview,” Moroe said. “They made a significant contribution to getting the MSL off to a winning start last year and will again play a major role as we build on those advances in MSL 2.0.””GSC is delighted to be associated with the MSL,” GSC’s chief executive MS Muralidharan said. “We see this as a milestone sports asset for Africa as the sole and exclusive International Commercial Partner across Television, Digital, and Event Sponsorship.”The GSC family, including its South Africa-based affiliates, Megapro and Megaview, will bring to the event its global technology expertise with cutting edge technologies in Television/Content Production, Event Presentation and Immersive fan experience.”

Arsenal icon Paul Merson poked fun at Harry Kane during England's dour draw with Slovenia – after the England ace took exception to recent criticism.

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Kane hits back at Lineker criticismEngland in dour draw with SloveniaMerson trolls Three Lions skipperWHAT HAPPENED?

Former England striker Gary Lineker described the Three Lions' 1-1 draw with Denmark as "sh*t" earlier this month. This prompted Bayern Munich striker Kane to say ex-internationals, who are now pundits, should "remember what it's like to wear the shirt" and be more "helpful" before they criticise Gareth Southgate's side. Now, ex-Gunners player Merson has aimed a cheeky jibe at the 30-year-old, with England then drawing 0-0 with Slovenia on Tuesday.

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At half-time, where England had more chances and possession but did little with it, Merson tweeted: "Brilliant first half and lots of shots on goal against the best team in Europe…. (Is that okay Harry?) 👍🏼😂⚽️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 #EURo2024."

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For the first time in what seems a long time, England's players and the manager are getting more widely criticised for their performances. While they topped their Euros group and are into the last 16, they do not look like a side that will end their barren run without an international trophy – dating back to the 1966 World Cup.

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England are in last 16 action on Sunday evening, where they may face the Netherlands or whoever finishes third in Group E. After winning just one game so far, they will need to find the winning touch in the knockout stages to progress further.

Aside from Wednesday night, the last month of football has been a joy to watch for the Arsenal faithful.

Mikel Arteta's men have been imperious in the Premier League, and five wins in a row have seen them reaffirm their title credentials.

While it's difficult to pick a stand-out player from those games, it's hard to look past club captain Martin Odegaard, who has been masterful in midfield for the Gunners in recent weeks – he's the sort of player who doesn't come around very often.

That said, the talent factory that is Hale End might've just produced a gem who could get pretty close.

Martin Odegaard's time at Arsenal

Odegaard first joined Arsenal in a surprise loan move from European juggernauts Real Madrid in January 2021, and while he was far from poor, a return of just two goals and two assists in 20 appearances left some wondering whether it was worth signing him on a permanent in the summer.

However, Arteta and Edu were sure and opted to spend £34m on the Norwegian international in the August and to say that it was money well spent would be a vast understatement.

In his first full season as a Gunner, the mercurial midfielder scored seven goals and provided five assists in 40 appearances before being named club captain in July 2022, reflecting the impact he was having on the club outside his raw numbers.

With this renewed responsibility, the former Madrid man scored 15 goals and provided eight assists in 45 games during the 2022/23 season as he came agonisingly close to ending Arsenal's two-decade title drought in his first campaign as captain.

Season

Appearances

Goals

Assists

2020/21

20

2

2

2021/22

40

7

5

2022/23

45

15

8

2023/24

32

8

7

While the "pure talent", as talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him, took longer to kick into gear this season than last year, he's still amassed an impressive eight goals and seven assists in 32 games.

The 25-year-old has become an essential cog in Arteta's Arsenal machine, and the Spaniard has made his feelings about the star no secret: "You notice him around the building all the time because he's doing all the right things that he needs. I think he's quite funny and a really likable person, so committed, and I'm really, really happy to have him as a captain."

Nothing guarantees success in football, but having a player like Odegaard as captain can only help the Gunners get closer to the promised land.

The rise of Ethan Nwaneri

The Hale End gem that could duke it out for Odegaard's place in the years to come is 16-year-old Ethan Nwaneri.

Now, generally, fans aren't aware of the 16-year-old prospects in their academies because, well, those prospects don't tend to warrant people knowing about them at such a young age, but Nwaneri is different.

The "special player", as described by U23 scout Antonio Mango, caught the attention of the footballing world last season as he became the youngest Premier League player in history when coming on against Brentford in September 2022 at just 15 years and 181 days old.

He's since made it onto the first-team bench on multiple occasions and finally got his second run out with the team earlier this month when he came on for the last 13 minutes against West Ham United.

However, while his minor cameos with the first team have caught the attention of the media, it's his performances with the junior sides that should leave Gooners the most excited.

Ethan Nwaneri's youth record

Described as an "absolute diamond" by Kulig, Nwaneri has made 42 appearances for Arsenal's various youth sides, scoring 20 goals and providing nine assists in the process, meaning that he currently averages a goal involvement every 1.44 games, which is frankly remarkable for a 16-year-old.

Team

U21

U18

UEFA Youth League

Appearances

18

23

1

Goals

4

15

1

Assists

4

5

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.44

0.86

1

However, while his effectiveness in front of goal is a brilliant attribute for a player so young, it's not his only one.

Arteta is known to appreciate positional versatility in his players – just look at Ben White and Leandro Trossard – and this is something that the Hale End gem has in spades.

In his short time with the junior sides, Nwaneri has already played as an attacking midfielder, a right-winger, a left-winger, and a centre-forward. Data analyst Ben Mattinson has also claimed that the youngster could "play in many" different positions when he becomes a first-teamer.

However, Mattinson also claims that the 5 foot 9 dynamo's best position could mirror "where Odegaard played last season," which was as a hybrid between a second striker and a traditional ten.

He credits the prospect's "creativity, vision, finishing, spatial awareness" and "dribbling" as his strongest qualities, which, combined with his "tight turn radius", could make him the perfect understudy to the Arsenal captain.

Finally, while Nwaneri has shown his positional versatility in the academy, his ability to play in attacking midfield and right-wing is most important if he is the long-term Odegaard successor, as this is the space that the Norwegian likes to operate in, as demonstrated with heatmaps from this season and last season.

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Ultimately, the Gunners are lucky to have a captain as talented as Odegaard, and while he's irreplaceable at the moment, Hale End is set to gift them a gem who could carry the Norwegian's mantle a few years down the line.

While most English cricketers are enjoying some down time, Billings can’t wait for return to action

Valkerie Baynes01-Oct-2019While most English cricketers have been revelling in some down time after a long and intense summer, Sam Billings was left ruing the end of the season and is bursting to return to action on the upcoming tour of New Zealand.Depite the 2019 season comprising, in his own words, the worst six months of his career, Billings believes it has prepared him well to capitalise on his comeback.”Probably 90 percent, 95 percent of county cricketers around the country want the season to end and I’m in that five percent who want the season to continue,” Kent captain Billings told ESPNcricinfo during his side’s final match of the County Championship season, which ended in a rain-affected draw with Hampshire.”It’s nice to find some form towards the end of the season. It’s been the hardest six months of my career, without a doubt, missing a victorious home World Cup, and of course it’s been a tough time.”But I’ve looked back on the three hundreds that I’ve got in a row, that probably wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t got injured in a weird kind of way because when the game gets taken away from you, with stuff out of your control, it definitely, when you get back to playing, makes you far hungrier.”Having played just one game for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, making a four-ball duck, a dislocated shoulder on his return for Kent sidelined Billings for more than three months and ruined any hopes he had of breaking into England’s World Cup squad. A run of defeats when he came back then ruled Kent out of the knockout stages of the Vitality Blast.Billings finished the season strongly, however, immediately following a century against Nottinghamshire with scores of 138 and 122 not out in Kent’s penultimate Championship match against Yorkshire.”When you’re playing the whole time and you’re travelling around and you’re playing and it’s kind of that merry-go-round you, I suppose, lose that mental edge,” Billings said.”For me, I probably would have got to 60 in the second innings [against Yorkshire] for instance and maybe done something stupid, tried something different. But because of the experience of the injury, it’s really made me get my head down and crack on and not take it for granted. When you’re in form you’ve got to make the most out of it and it has definitely made me hungrier, the cricket that I’ve missed.”Billings’ next major opportunity to make the most of his return will be England’s opening T20I against New Zealand on November 1 and he will do so with fond memories of his last international knock, when he scored 87 off 47 balls against West Indies to be named Player of the Match at Basseterre in their second of three T20Is in March.Billings is keen to pick up where he left off and already has his sights set on the T20 World Cup in Australia next year, where England will aim to better their runners-up performance after falling dramatically to a Carlos Brathwaite-inspired West Indies in the final of the 2016 edition in India.”That’s a huge goal for me,” Billings said. “Missing out on this World Cup and being around this white-ball team, especially in England at the moment, there’s so much competition for places. There’s no reason why we can’t go one better than the last T20 World Cup. For me that would be a huge honour and something that’s definitely on my radar.”

Celtic are interested in sealing the summer signing of a player compared to Italy and AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini, according to a new transfer rumour.

Celtic to chase defensive additions this summer

The Hoops will no doubt be eyeing a busy summer transfer window, in order to take Brendan Rodgers' squad up another level, and they seem to be targeting defensive additions at the moment.

Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has emerged as a hugely exciting option, with the Republic of Ireland international potentially looking for a fresh challenge away from the Reds. He is enjoying plenty of minutes this season, due to Alisson being injured, but while the Brazilian is around, he is going to find it hard to ever be first choice.

In the same update, Trabzonspor stopper Ugurcan Cakir is seen as an alternative option for Kelleher, should the Liverpool man either stay put or go elsewhere, with the 27-year-old winning 26 caps for Turkey to date.

Rapid Vienna centre-back Leopold Querfeld has been linked with a summer move to Celtic, too, with the tall centre-back considered an exciting young target, along with midfield teammate Matthias Seidl.

Celtic want player compared to Paolo Maldini

According to 1908.nl [via Sport Witness], Celtic are interested in signing FC Twente left-back Gijs Smal this summer, with a free transfer in the offing. That's because the 26-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season, and it looks unlikely that he will sign an extension at his current club.

Rangers are mentioned as suitors in the report, too, but the Hoops' rivals will have to sell either Borna Barisic or Ridvan Yilmaz before they consider sealing a move for him.

Celtic are believed to have already told Smal "what they can offer", suggesting that talks have already taken place with him, and it looks like a signing that would tick plenty of boxes.

The 26-year-old is at a brilliant age to come in and make an immediate impression at Parkhead, having picked up so much experience in his career, but also still having plenty of years ahead of him at a high level.

Appearances

16

26

Goal contributions

1

7

Tackles per game

1.3

1.6

Clearances per game

1.3

0.9

Key passes per game

1.1

1.8

Pass completion rate

79.7%

82.5%

This season, Smal has made 16 appearances for Twente in the Eredivisie, also enjoying two outings in the UEFA Europa Conference League. Perhaps the biggest compliment he can be paid is that he has been nicknamed 'Smaldini' in his homeland in the past, drawing comparisons to the Italy icon.

The Dutchman could provide strong competition at left-back for Greg Taylor at Celtic, giving Rodgers two excellent options there, assuming the current Hoops ace stays put at the club ahead of his contract expiring in the summer of 2025.

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Smal has the pedigree and quality to be a big success at Parkhead, and if the Hoops were to beat Rangers to his signature, it would feel even sweeter.

Manchester United are eyeing a move for Chelsea full-back Ben Chilwell as they look for competition for Luke Shaw.

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Man Utd want Chelsea's ChilwellClub to hold a recruitment meetingRed Devils to begin pre-season this weekWHAT HAPPENED?

Per the Daily Mail, United are eyeing a move for Chelsea and England defender Ben Chilwell as they look to bolster their backline. After finalising a deal for Bologna's Joshua Zirkzee, the club will now hold a recruitment meeting where they will discuss other deals for the ongoing summer transfer window.

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The club have been in talks to sign Matthijs de Ligt from Bayern Munich, while they will consider placing a second bid for Everton centre defender Jarrad Branthwaite. They are also looking for competition for Luke Shaw in the left-back position and therefore could go after Chilwell.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Telegraph reported last week that Chilwell could see himself surplus to Enzo Maresca's needs this summer as the new Blues boss is looking for players who can play in multiple roles.

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getty imagesWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

The Red Devils returned for pre-season on Monday before they jet off to the US where they will play friendly matches against clubs including Liverpool, Arsenal and Real Betis.

Jamie Carragher is a name that football fans up and down the country have grown to become very familiar with over the past 30 years or so, due to his long football career and his thriving punditry and presenting career on television.

However, there's a whole lot more to uncover regarding the former Liverpool centre-back, as believe it or not, he does have a life outside of television and football.

So, we have decided to compile a fact file on everything about Jamie Carragher.

Jamie Carragher's age and height

James Lee Duncan Carragher was born on 28th January 1978, in Bootle, England, making him 46 years of age.

According to various sites, Carragher stands at 185cm, or 6ft 1in, tall.

Jamie Carragher's net worth

Carragher has an estimated net worth of around £16 million.

The 46-year-old enjoyed a long football career at Liverpool, which spanned over 17 years. During this time, he would have been earning a very handsome salary as one of the key figures at Anfield, with Steven Gerrard even calling him his co-captain on the field.

But he's arguably been even more successful since his career came to an end as a leading pundit for Sky Sports. His salary at Sky is believed to be around £1 million per year.

Plus, he may have various investments.

Jamie Carragher's salary

As mentioned above, Jamie Carragher pockets a large sum of money from Sky Sports every year, with his current salary at the broadcasting giants sitting at around £1 million.

Although it's not known exactly how much, he also earns a salary from CBS Sports from his role as a pundit alongside the likes of Kate Abdo, Micah Richards and Thierry Henry. And if his salary at Sky is anything to go by, it won't be cheap.

Jamie Carragher's wife

No, Carragher isn't married to Gary Neville. In fact, he's married to long-term love interest Nicola Hart.

Indeed, the pair have been together for around 26 years after tying the knot back in 2005. They went to primary school together, but things didn't click until they were 18 years of age.

In typical Carragher fashion, he actually asked Nicola to marry him twice after his first proposal went wrong after originally using a wrong-sized ring and a mis-wrapped present.

Jamie Carragher's son & daughter

Jamie and Nicola have two children together: one boy and one girl.

Their first child, James, is a professional footballer. He joined Inverness in the January transfer window on loan from Wigan Athletic, and has since made eight appearances for the Scottish side.

Meanwhile, Mia prefers creative arts and is an aspiring actor, singer and dancer. She has over 50,000 followers on her TikTok account.

Marc Guehi could be the next English star to end up at the Bernabeu as Real Madrid reportedly eye a stunning move for the Crystal Palace defender.

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European champions keen to sign Palace starBarcelona, Juventus & Arsenal also interestedPalace set asking price for 23-year-oldGetty WHAT HAPPENED?

Guehi has made the most of his opportunity to start for England at this summer's European Championship – he's arguably been the Three Lions' best player – and his performances have apparently attracted the attention of none other than Real Madrid – as reports.

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Real are keen to sign a new centre-back following the departure of Nacho, and few look primed to fill the void as well as Guehi. The Chelsea academy graduate reads the game well, has all the physical attributes required, and questions about whether he can cut it on the biggest stage have been answered at the Euros. He may also relish the chance to link up with international colleague Jude Bellingham at club level, with the Real Madrid man having shone since his big-money switch from Borussia Dortmund in 2023.

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

According to , Palace are seeking a similar fee to the £50 million ($64m) they will receive from Bayern Munich for Michael Olise. The South London club could be tempted to sell due to fears Guehi may run down his contract, which expires in 2026, with Barcelona, Juventus and Arsenal also said to be interested in his services.

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WHAT NEXT FOR GUEHI?

Unfortunately for England, Guehi will miss their quarter-final clash with Switzerland on Saturday due to suspension. Guehi can blame Kieran Trippier for his second booking of the tournament, with the Newcastle United star selling his fellow defender short with a dreadful pass in England's win against Slovakia.

Tottenham Hotspur have clicked into gear at the perfect time, with the campaign entering its crucial late phase and the race for Champions League qualification heating up.

Whether the Premier League will receive a fifth spot in Europe's elite club competition next season remains to be seen but given that Spurs are only two points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa after last weekend's victory – and with a game in hand – there will be confidence that fortunes can be placed beyond doubt with a top four finish.

That said, anything other than victory at Craven Cottage will unravel the recent gains made and hand Manchester United a lifeline in their own pursuit of Champions League football, currently six points behind Ange Postecoglou's side having played a game extra.

Fulham will not make life easy for their London rivals on Saturday evening, with Marco Silva instilling discipline and togetherness that has seen the Cottagers pull off recent victories over Brighton & Hove Albion and Man United (at Old Trafford).

Richarlison remains sidelined with a knee injury while Micky van de Ven was forced off at Villa Park and is expected to miss this one out. Ryan Sessegnon and Manor Solomon are longer-term absentees and are nowhere near a comeback.

1 GK – Guglielmo Vicario

The defence gets a lot of credit but Guglielmo Vicario has been a monstrous presence between the sticks this season, and the 27-year-old looks set to stay for the years to come under Postecoglou's leadership.

2 RB – Pedro Porro

Pedro Porro has been utterly brilliant in the top flight this season and has so far chalked up seven assists from 24 fixtures, also completing 80% of his passes, averaging 1.7 key passes, 2.9 tackles, 2.5 clearances, 5.6 ball recoveries and 5.0 successful duels per game, as per Sofascore.

Dynamic? Yes. World-class? He's getting there.

3 CB – Cristian Romero

Sure, Cristian Romero has his detractors, but while he might be a tiny bit hot-headed, his elite defensive skill set has been the bedrock of Postecoglou's success this term, blending brilliantly with Van de Ven's athleticism and enterprise.

Fulham have some powerful figures in their squad but there's no doubt that the Argentina international has the tools to deal with them.

4 CB – Radu Dragusin

Radu Dragusin will start at Craven Cottage, with Postecoglou eradicating any doubt in his pre-match press conference and confirming as such.

Van de Ven is injured but this is exactly why the Romanian defender was signed from Genoa for £27m in January, and he will be desperate to make an impression.

5 LB – Destiny Udogie

Daniel Levy signed Destiny Udogie from Udinese in a £15m package in 2022 and he spent the 2022/23 campaign back on loan with the Serie A side. This was a prudent move; it's now paying off.

One of the Premier League's finest full-backs this season, Udogie is ferocious in attack and formidable in defence.

6 CM – Yves Bissouma

Yves Bissouma has enjoyed a much-improved campaign in a Tottenham shirt this year, albeit battling against the over-aggressiveness that has caused three suspensions.

As per FBref, the Malian midfielder ranks among the top 1% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 4% for passes attempted, the top 14% for progressive passes, the top 9% for successful take-ons, the top 5% for tackles and the top 7% for interceptions per 90.

He really is key in the centre of the park and will be vital against tough-tackling counterpart Joao Palhinha.

7 CM – Pape Matar Sarr

He collected it, he drove, he whipped it toward the box, just so. Pape Matar Sarr is a man of many talents, and despite his youth and inexperience, he looks the part at the centre of a Tottenham team targetting success.

His delightful cross kickstarted Spurs' second-half dismantling of Aston Villa and he will start once again. He makes such a difference.

8 RW – Brennan Johnson

Having posted three goals and four assists in the Premier League across his past ten matches, starting just six of those, Brennan Johnson will feel that he has done enough to earn a starting berth at Fulham.

His role from the outset would come at the expense of the £110k-per-week Dejan Kulusevski, described as Tottenham's "engine" by Sky Sports' Jamie Weir, but then rotation is healthy and the Welshman can't really do much more to retain his starting berth.

9 AM – James Maddison

James Maddison is one of the Premier League's finest playmakers and looks to be a real steal at £40m, arriving from relegated Leicester City back in June.

There's no question that he will be lodged in the No. 10 position, and you wouldn't bet against his influence harvesting a goal or an assist on Saturday.

10 LW – Timo Werner

He might have only been introduced in the late stage against Aston Villa but Timo Werner scored for the second game running, netting a close-range strike as his side narrowed the gap to the top four.

The Germany international could start to make up an electric flank, with Johnson on the alternate, and with Maddison pulling the strings centrally, it could spell danger for the hosts.