All posts by h716a5.icu

Jurgen Klopp slammed the Anfield atmosphere during Liverpool's 5-1 victory over West Ham United in the Carabao Cup.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Liverpool cruised past West Ham 5-1Sailed into Carabao Cup last fourYet Anfield failed to bring out their bestWHAT HAPPENED?

Despite leading 1-0 at half-time with a stunning goal from Dominik Szoboszlai, Klopp felt that the excitement in the stands was lacking. Liverpool eventually secured a comfortable win over the Hammers with Curtis Jones, Cody Gakpo, and Mohamed Salah finding the net after the break.

AdvertisementWHAT JURGEN KLOPP SAID

Speaking to reporters, Klopp said: "I thought in the first half when the boys played really exceptionally, I was not overly happy with the atmosphere behind me. I asked people what do they want? We changed a lot of things and we dominated West Ham like crazy and missed chances. If I was in the stands I would be on my toes, 1,000 per cent. I don’t know, if the Man United game was that bad that we have to say sorry we didn’t smash them?

"If it is too much football in December, if you are not in the right shape, give your ticket to somebody else. It was just not the excitement I felt. There were so many good performances but we were only 1-0 up.”

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Liverpool are set to host Arsenal in a blockbuster top-of-the-table Premier League clash on Saturday and Klopp kept no stone unturned to rally the Reds faithful ahead of the crucial fixture.

“We need Anfield on Saturday," he said.

"Arsenal didn’t play this week. They’ve prepared for this game and anyone who knows anything about them knows they will be prepared. So we need Anfield on their toes from the first second, without me having an argument with the opposition coach."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

DID YOU KNOW?

Gary Neville also criticised the Anfield atmosphere after the 0-0 draw against Manchester United and labelled it "the worst I've seen ever for a Liverpool-Manchester United game."

Rajasthan Royals have to win to have a chance of qualifying, whereas a win for Kolkata Knight Riders would put them through to the playoffs

The Preview by Arun Venugopal15-May-2015Match factsSaturday, May 16, 2015
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)3:06

O’Brien: KKR need to look for consistency in away games

Big PictureRajasthan Royals must be feeling an uneasy sense of déjà vu. They began the season with five wins in five games but like last year, when they appeared to be cruising to the playoffs, they have lost steam midway. Royals find themselves needing to win their last game, and yet that might not be enough.That there has also been a change in captaincy, with Shane Watson stepping down ahead of the Chennai Super Kings encounter, has added another interesting dimension. But, with Steven Smith having stood in for Watson in the opening stages of the tournament, his elevation might not be an earth-shattering development.Knight Riders, on the other hand, would be inclined to look back ruefully at their five-run loss to Mumbai Indians on Thursday, but will have little emotional bandwidth to do so. They know that a win would get them into the playoffs, but a defeat would leave them pinning their hopes on other results.Both the matches played at the Brabourne Stadium thus far have been high-scoring affairs and this one isn’t likely to be any different. It could well be a contest between Royals’ batsmen and Knight Riders’ spinners, who have contributed 35 wickets in the tournament.Form guideRajasthan Royals LLWLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Kolkata Knight Riders LWWWLWatch out for…Chris Morris has been a worthy investment for Royals, and he has contributed with both bat and ball. Besides being their second-highest wicket-taker, he has also been the most economical of Royals’ bowlers. He has also scored 72 from five innings with a strike-rate of 189.47 without being dismissed once. By playing him too low down the order, Royals have perhaps not completely exploited his batting potential. A promotion in a crunch game might not be a bad idea.Yusuf Pathan has been a revelation in this year’s IPL, having shed his one-dimensional slogging in favour of a more balanced approach. He showed maturity in taking Knight Riders to the brink of victory against Mumbai, but his dismissal in the last over changed the course of the match. Marrying sangfroid with his characteristic big-hitting, Pathan could well be both the middle-order marshall as well as the finisher.Stats and trivia Robin Uthappa (11) is third on the list of most dismissals behind the stumps in this IPL. Wriddhiman Saha (13) and Dinesh Karthik (12) occupy the top-two positions Ajinkya Rahane (4) is joint-second with Lendl Simmons and Shreyas Iyer, behind only David Warner (6) for the most number of 50-plus scores made in IPL 2015Quotes”Gautam Gambhir is one of the best captains in the IPL. He always goes for wickets and not containing the batsmen. Even in the 15th or 16th over if there is a new batsman at the crease, he will have a short-leg and slip.””I doff my hat off to Watto for giving up the captaincy and taking more responsibility for his batting. It was a responsible thing to do. We all appreciate it as team men and move on.”

Reigning champions, the U.S. is one of the favourites for the title. But who is on its World Cup roster?

This summer, the U.S. women's national team will aim to do what no team has ever done before and win a third successive Women's World Cup title.

However, things have not been easy for the world champion in recent times, with defeats to England, Spain and Germany in the latter months of 2022 showing the growth of women's soccer in Europe.

This is still a team packed with talent, though, and there will be high expectations on head coach Vlatko Andonovski at his first World Cup tournament despite recent struggles.

So, who has trusted to deliver on the big stage and handle the pressure that comes with playing for the USWNT?

GOAL breaks down Andonovski's 23-player World Cup squad…

GettyGOALKEEPERS

It was expected that the most predictable department on this roster would concern the goalkeepers.

Alyssa Naeher, Casey Murphy and Adrianna Franch is the trio Andonovski has selected for the USWNT's last four camps. However, Aubrey Kingsbury has surprinsingly made the cut instead, at the expense of Franch.

Naeher and Murphy should compete hard for the starting spot and possibly rotate in the tournament, though it is anticipated that the former will be the team's No.1.

Name Club

Aubrey KingsburyWashington SpiritCasey MurphyNorth Carolina CourageAlyssa NaeherChicago Red StarsAdvertisementGettyDEFENDERS

There is a lot of experience and quality in the USWNT's defensive options but the team will be without its biggest leader in New Zealand – captain Becky Sauerbrunn ruled out through injury in June.

Naomi Girma and Alana Cook should be the center-back partnership, then, with Emily Fox, Crystal Dunn and Sofia Huerta competing to complete the back four.

Kelley O'Hara and Emily Sonnett, meanwhile, are both back from recent injuries and provide similar depth and versatility.

Name Club

Alana CookOL ReignCrystal DunnPortland ThornsEmily FoxNorth Carolina CourageNaomi GirmaSan Diego WaveSofia HuertaOL ReignKelley O'HaraGothamEmily SonnettOL ReignGetty ImagesMIDFIELDERS

There have been a lot of questions surrounding the USWNT's midfield – particularly its base, with Julie Ertz having been out for a while as she became a mother for the first time. She returned in April, though, and is now set to head to her third World Cup.

Andi Sullivan is another option in that deeper role, one that Rose Lavelle – in the 23 despite a recent injury problem – has also played.

Lyon's Lindsey Horan and Ashley Sanchez, Sullivan's Washington Spirit team-mate, are on the roster as expected, with Kristie Mewis also making the cut.

One of the big surprises is the inclusion of Savannah DeMelo. The Racing Louisville star is in good form but had not been called up since November and is yet to make her USWNT debut.

Catarina Macario is a notable absentee due to injury.

Name Club

Savannah DeMeloRacing LouisvilleJulie ErtzAngel CityLindsey HoranLyonRose LavelleOL ReignKristie MewisGothamAshley SanchezWashington SpiritAndi SullivanWashington SpiritENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyFORWARDS

The strength in depth that the USWNT has right now in the forward areas is .

Sadly, they will be without Mallory Swanson after the in-form forward was carted off with a knee injury in April but this roster still has plenty of firepower, including the 2022 NWSL season's MVP, Sophia Smith, and Golden Boot winner, Alex Morgan.

Trinity Rodman, one of the most exciting young talents in world football, could take on a bigger role in Swanson's absence. Or perhaps it will be an experienced head like Megan Rapinoe that will be called upon more by Andonovski as a result.

Rounding out the forward pool are Lynn Williams, who returned in January and has shown good form since, and Alysssa Thompson, the 18-year-old who only made her debut last October. She, too, has been playing brilliantly in the NWSL after being selected first overall in January's draft.

Name Club

Alex MorganSan Diego WaveMegan RapinoeOL ReignTrinity RodmanWashington SpiritSophia SmithPortland ThornsAlyssa ThompsonAngel CityLynn WilliamsGotham

The squad is nowhere near as strong as it will be, which gives coach Tata Martino some difficult choices to make

Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets have arrived. Inter Miami's new era has begun. It'll officially kick off on Friday night against Cruz Azul in the club's first-ever Leagues Cup game, which will also serve as the debut of the club's new legendary signings, either as starters or off the bench.

Still, while most of the legwork has been done, Miami remain an unfinished team. Jordi Alba is on his way, as are several other Gerardo 'Tata' Martino signings, but the team currently assembled is far from the one that will likely finish the 2023 MLS season.

Because of that, Martino has some shuffling to do. Miami are in last place in the Eastern Conference, and they're there for a reason. This team, quite frankly, isn't very good, although the arrivals of Messi and Busquets will no doubt take them to a new level.

Others will be on their way soon, but Friday night's battle with Cruz Azul isn't about that; it's about Messi and Busquets. All eyes will be on this game as the two superstars take the field for the first time in what will be a historic moment for Miami, MLS and American soccer in general.

But, Messi and Busquets aside, what will Martino do with his XI? What players could we see next to them in the XI? GOAL takes a look…

GettyGK: Drake Callender

The team's regular No.1, Callender is a player who has really risen through the ranks in Miami. He's been their first-choice goalkeeper for a season-and-a-half now, having been with the club since the beginning, and has earned U.S. men's national team looks. He'll be the team's starter for the foreseeable future.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesLB: Noah Allen

The teenager is keeping this spot warm until Jordi Alba gets involved. Once the ex-Barcelona man arrives, there's no doubt who will be starting in this position. Until then, the 19-year-old defender could hold down this spot, with previous starter Franco Negri out with an ACL tear.

GettyCB: Kamal Miller

Miller was Miami's big in-season signing until he absolutely wasn't a few weeks ago! The Canada international is back from the Gold Cup and has been a key player for Miami since arriving in a trade from CF Montreal earlier this season.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyCB: Sergiy Kryvtsov

A veteran Ukraine international, Kryvtsov has been a regular since joining the club earlier this year. He's started 19 of the club's 22 games so far and will likely be very, very excited to have a player like Busquets in front of him as a new midfield shield.

Everton have been handed a staggering 10-point deduction by the Premier League. What happens next for the Toffees?

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Everton docked 10 points in historic punishmentHave slipped into the relegation zoneToffees may decide to appealGetty ImagesWHAT DID EVERTON DO WRONG?

Everton have been docked the points for breaching Financial Fair Play rules. Under the regulations set out by the Premier League, clubs are allowed to lose a maximum of £105m across a three-year period. Everton lost £19.5m more than this, and have been sanctioned as a result.

The Premier League issued a statement confirming the sanction, explaining it further: “In accordance with Rule W.82.1, the Premier League confirms that it has today referred an alleged breach of the league’s profitability and sustainability rules by Everton Football Club to a commission under Premier League Rule W.3.4.

“The assessment period for which it is alleged that the club is in breach is the period ending season 2021/22.

“Commissions are independent of the Premier League and member clubs. The members of the Commission will be appointed by the independent Chair of the Premier League Judicial Panel, in accordance with Premier League Rules W.19, W.20 and W.26.

“The proceedings before the commission will, in accordance with Premier League Rule W.82, be confidential and heard in private.

“Under Premier League Rule W.82.2, the commission’s final award will be published on the Premier League’s website. The League will be making no further comment until that time.”

AdvertisementGettyHOW DID EVERTON GET IT SO WRONG?

Everton have spent lavishly in recent summers in an attempt to arrest an alarming slide on the pitch. The commission that handed down the punishment ruled that such spending was "recklessness that constitutes an aggravating factor."

Everton spent £145m in Farhad Moshiri's first summer transfer window, buying the likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson, Cenk Tosun and Michael Keane for vastly inflated fees. They also spent over £100m in the 2019/20 season, buying such flops as Moise Kean and Andre Gomes for big sums.

The belt has notably tightened since, with the club repeatedly failing to qualify for Europe, and thus avoiding any scrutiny from UEFA. That has also played a role in delaying any ruling.

Getty ImagesWHY HAVE EVERTON BEEN PUNISHED NOW?

Everton were referred to an independent commission after their financial records for the 2021/22 season were audited. Burnley and Leeds had written to the Premier League to ask if Everton had broken rules at the time, and the commission held a five-day hearing last month, with the punishment handed down on November 17.

A Premier League statement explained: “Following a five-day hearing last month, the commission determined that Everton FC’s PSR [profit and sustainability rules] calculation for the relevant period resulted in a loss of £124.5m, as contended by the Premier League, which exceeded the threshold of £105m permitted under the PSRs. The commission concluded that a sporting sanction in the form of a 10-point deduction should be imposed. That sanction has immediate effect.”

Everton had previously staved off any intervention by selling Richarlison to Tottenham for £60m ($74m), which helped with FFP, while the COVID pandemic also further delayed any forensic accounting.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyCAN EVERTON APPEAL THE SANCTION?

Yes, and they intend to do so. The appeal, per , will be heard before the end of the season. If it is successful, there is the potential of the 10 points being reinstated.

However, the ruling has had wider implications and could lead to legal action from other clubs, notably Leicester City and Burnley, who could be paid up to £300m in compensation. They have a month to submit such a request if they do want to seek compensation. Both the Foxes and the Clarets have been relegated in recent seasons, while Everton survived.

USMNT captain Tyler Adams has passed his 'return to play' tests for Bournemouth following a long spell out with injury.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

USMNT star passes 'return to play' testsUnderwent hamstring surgery last yearCaptain set to fight for USA role againWHAT HAPPENED?

Finnish orthopedic surgeon Lasse Lempainen posted on Instagram that he collaborated with the Cherries and Adams to perform the American's 'return to play' tests. The midfielder underwent hamstring surgery last year and has yet to make a league appearance for Bournemouth since his mid-summer transfer.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

In his photo with Adams, the surgeon states that he "will be back soon", and this surely has both Bournemouth and USMNT fans buzzing. More than anyone, though, it's likely the USMNT captain who is bursting with excitement. The midfielder has not played two matches in a row since last spring for Leeds United, with his lone appearance since coming in September for the Cherries before re-aggravating his injury, causing the surgery.

DID YOU KNOW?

Adams has 36 international caps with the USMNT, scoring one goal. He has made just one appearance so far for Bournemouth, having been brought off the bench in his team's 2-0 win against Stoke in the Carabao Cup in September.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ADAMS AND BOURNEMOUTH?

The Cherries take on Newcastle United in the Permier League on Saturday. Meanwhile, Adams is shooting for a return to the pitch this March.

Rangpur Division clinched their maiden National Cricket League title after they beat Dhaka Metropolis by 102 runs, with four minutes left on the clock

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Mar-2015Rangpur Division clinched their maiden National Cricket League title after they beat Dhaka Metropolis by 102 runs at the BKSP-2 ground. When Mahmudul Hasan trapped Asif Hasan leg-before to take the tenth wicket, only four minutes of play remained and that was after the umpires had taken the mandatory final hour at 3:58pm.With Khulna having moved to 120 points on the third day of the final round, the onus was on Rangpur to complete an outright win over Dhaka Metro, who were set a target of 361 runs in a minimum of 76 overs. The win moved Rangpur to 121 points.Wickets were hard to come by at the start of the second innings on the fourth morning, but Mahmudul and Suhrawadi Shuvo pegged away. Shamsur Rahman and Mehedi Maruf added 51 for the second wicket before Marshall Ayub and Mehrab Hossain jnr added 65 runs for the fourth wicket. Mahmudul picked up his fourth wicket when he had Mohammad Shahid caught and bowled in the 58th over, leaving Dhaka Metro eight down.Sharifullah, batting at No 10 due to illness, fell to Shuvo in the 65th over before Jabid Hossain and Asif resisted for 14.3 overs that almost took the title away from Rangpur’s grasp. But finally, Mahmudul struck in the 80th over.Rangpur chose to bat first in this game and scored 491 runs at a breathtaking 4.41 per over in their first innings. Litton Das made 107 while Ariful Haque slammed an unbeaten 112 off just 56 balls, with 12 sixes and six fours. He reached the century off just 54 balls. Naeem Islam made 91 while Elias Sunny picked up six wickets.Dhaka Metro made a strong reply, and were bowled out for 437 with centuries from Mehedi and Mehrab. Saikat Ali and Asif Ahmed struck fifties too, while Shuvo took five wickets.Rangpur were bowled out for 306 in their second innings, and again they scored at well over four an over, with Litton and Naeem making half-centuries.In only their fourth season in the first-class competition, Rangpur became the sixth NCL champions. Chittagong Division were the inaugural champions while Biman Bangladesh Airlines won it in the second season. Dhaka Division and Rajshahi Division have won the title five times each while Khulna, who finished just one point short of winning the title this time, have been champions three times in the past.Apart from the fight for the title, there was the battle to remain in the first tier of next season’s NCL where the teams will be split into a two-tier system depending on points table finishes from this season. Five-time champions Rajshahi Division will be one of the four teams in the second tier after they finished fifth following a 134-run loss to Dhaka Division in Fatullah.Batting first, Dhaka made 318 in the first innings with Shuvagata Hom scoring 111, his eighth first-class century. Muktar Ali took four wickets.Rajshahi were in deficit by 27 runs after they were bowled out for 291. Maisuqur Rahman, Touhid Tareq and Hamidul Islam struck fifties while Left-arm spinner Mosharraf Hossain took four wickets. Nadif Chowdhury’s fourth first-class century helped Dhaka take a 359-run lead on the final morning.Rajshahi were bowled out for 225 in 68.5 overs with Mosharraf taking five wickets in the second innings, in addition to Jubair Hossain’s three-wicket haul. Dhaka, who were champions in the 2013-14 season, finished third with 119 points, just two short of this year’s winners.Sylhet Division picked up their first win of the competition when they beat Barisal Division by ten wickets at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. Barisal and Chittagong ended the campaign without any wins.Ahmed Sadiqur’s four-wicket haul on the first day put Barisal in the back foot and they were bowled out for 167 in 65.2 overs. Shahriar Nafees made 90 but there were only two other double-figure scores in the entire innings.Sylhet replied with 486 for nine and only declared their first innings on the third afternoon. The highly experienced Rajin Saleh scored his maiden double hundred in his 124th first-class match, an innings that spanned 446 minutes and contained 20 fours and three sixes. Shanaj Ahmed, Ruman Ahmed, Alok Kapali and Enamul Haque jnr also scored fifties. Left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed took four wickets.Barisal, trailing by 319, were bowled out for 390. There were fifties for Nafees, Shahin Hossain, Fazle Rabbi and Mosaddek Hossain but two wickets each from Sadiqur, Enamul, Rahatul Ferdous and Kapali kept Sylhet in a dominant position. They knocked off the second innings target in 13.4 overs with Rajin adjudged man of the match.

Sri Lanka Women captain Chamari Atapattu struck her maiden T20I fifty, effected a run out, and picked up a wicket, to lead her side to a 10-run victory over South Africa Women in Bangalore

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Mar-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsChamari Atapattu profited from slog sweeps during her first T20 international fifty•IDI/Getty ImagesSri Lanka Women captain Chamari Atapattu willed and rallied her side to a 10-run victory over South Africa Women in Bangalore, in the last league match of the Women’s World T20.Atapattu first stroked her maiden T20 international fifty, which contained five fours and one six, even as her partners floundered. Atapattu then brought herself into the attack in the defence of 114 and her second over resulted in two wickets. She ran to her right from her follow through, collected a wristy push from Trisha Chetty and flung a throw to the keeper to catch Dane van Niekerk short for 24 off 31 balls. Three balls later, Atapattu pinned her opposite number Mignon du Preez plumb in front for a duck, a wicket the Sri Lanka captain identified as the “turning point” at the post match-presentation.Left-arm spinner Sugandika Kumari and left-arm pacer Udeshika Prabodhani backed Atapattu to squeeze South Africa’s middle order. From 50 for 0, South Africa slumped to 102 for 7. Du Preez said: “We had a good start and we lost it in the middle order. We have been struggling with it in the whole tournament. It was also poor execution from us. This is something we need to work on and come back stronger.”Prabodhani speared in full balls and defended 12 off the last over, including taking the wicket of Chloe Tryon for 11 off 10 balls. Though it was just a dead rubber, Sri Lanka toasted the win, and got into a huddle only after wicketkeeper-batsman Dilani Manodara had joined the team from the dug out; Prasadani Weerakkody had taken the gloves in the absence of Manodara.Manodara was pinged on the grille of the helmet when she missed a scoop off her first ball. She scratched around for 4 off 9 balls, before she was bowled by seamer Marcia Letsoalo. Manodara was later sent to the hospital for a scan and it was found that she had no major injuries.Sri Lanka’s middle order folded as well and they managed only 34 for 4 in their last five overs. Atapattu, however, had lifted Sri Lanka with a bevy of muscled slog sweeps. She hit 52 off 49 balls before she was run out by Marizanna Kapp, who was featuring in her 50th T20 international. She picked up two wickets and was complemented by legspinner Suné Luus, who also scalped two wickets. But Attapattu’s act would prove to be too much for South Africa.

The Reds expect to make significant signings ahead of next season, but who could be on their way out of Anfield?

Change will be in the air at Anfield this summer, and rightly so. This, unquestionably, is the end of an era at Liverpool, with on-field struggles this season matched by off-field uncertainty.

The club is up for sale, the sporting director is leaving, a new stand is opening and a new team needs to be built, with contracts expiring, key players ageing and Jurgen Klopp’s midfield options, in particular, in need of serious reinforcement. 

Klopp has already hinted that an overhaul is likely to take place. Jude Bellingham is the Reds’ No.1 transfer target, with the likes of Matheus Nunes and Teun Koopmeiners also linked. A summer of spending is anticipated, regardless of whether Liverpool qualify for next season’s Champions League.

It is likely to be busy in terms of outgoings, too, with several players expected to leave the club.

Here, GOAL looks at those who could be heading for the Anfield exit door…

GettyAlex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Oxlade-Chamberlain’s six-year stay on Merseyside is set to end this summer when his contract expires. 

The former England international has failed to hold down a regular starting spot in recent years, but has offered a useful squad option for Klopp, playing on the wing or in midfield. 

But at 29 – he will turn 30 in August – Oxlade-Chamberlain’s time at Anfield is up. He will not be offered a new deal, and has already been linked with a move to various Premier League clubs, including West Ham and Southampton. 

Likelihood of leaving? 10/10

AdvertisementGettyNaby Keita

Another player out of contract at the end of this season, Keita has found himself back in favour of late, starting each of the Reds’ last three matches and helping improve a midfield that had struggled badly beforehand.

The Guinea international’s injury record, though, means any optimism surrounding his form must be tempered, and the fact there has been no breakthrough in talks over a new deal does not bode well. A number of German clubs have expressed interest in signing the 27-year-old.

Likelihood of leaving? 8/10

Getty ImagesRoberto Firmino

If Klopp gets his way, Firmino will be staying around. The Brazilian will be a free agent in June, but his manager is eager for him to extend his contract for at least another year, believing he still has an important role to play.

As yet, though, there has been no resolution. Firmino is understood to be open to the idea of remaining on Merseyside, but is expected to receive lucrative offers from elsewhere, and the January arrival of Cody Gakpo hardly bodes well for his future prospects.

Likelihood of leaving? 5/10

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesJames Milner

The last of Liverpool’s out-of-contract quartet, Milner had been expected to leave the club last summer, only to sign a one-year extension in June. 

A repeat this time around cannot be ruled out – Klopp hinted as much recently – but at 37, the vice-captain certainly does not represent the long-term, and with the Reds set to bring in at least two senior midfielders, and probably more, the time might be right for Milner to move on. 

If he does, he has more than played his part in a wonderful era on Merseyside.

Likelihood of leaving? 7/10

Alastair Cook issued a rallying cry to England’s potential Test batsmen to put out a marker for the new season and he did just that himself with a Championship hundred for Essex in his first knock of the season

David Hopps at Chelmsford11-Apr-2016
ScorecardAlastair Cook and Tom Westley log their first hundreds of the season•Getty ImagesAlastair Cook had issued a rallying cry to England’s unproductive top order to lay down markers ahead of the first Test – not as much expressing an appetite for change as a simple desire to see consistency of run making from those in contention.Make runs, was Cook’s straightforward exhortation to all concerned and, the message so delivered, responsible guy that he is, he felt obliged to respond himself. In his first innings of the season, he took Gloucestershire for 105, one of the least demanding hundreds of his career perhaps, but one that restated that his desire still runs strong.”I have said that there are places up for grabs,” Cook said. “People have taken that as looking for change. That’s not entirely right but it’s important if you say things like that you have to back up words with actions. We all know how important early-season runs are.”He has spent the past few months as a spectator, as excited as anybody at England’s T20 dash and dare, as briefly downcast by the cruel twist in a final that seemed theirs, but the spectator has given way to the player once more. With a child in his arms and his grandmother looking on, the Cook clan was out in force to support him.At 224 for 1, a hundred also bagged by the impressive Tom Westley, and a record Essex second-wicket stand against Gloucestershire of 222 established, Essex were only 41 behind Gloucestershire’s 262 and a big first-innings lead looked inevitable. But the weather deteriorated, both batsmen fell just before the second new ball and Essex’s lead of 25 at the close with only four wickets remaining was a paltry one. The best batting line-up in the division needs to lose its tendency for wastefulness.When Cook scratched his guard for the first time this season it felt like a staging point in the cricketing calendar, as imprinted on the rhythms of the year as the end of Lent or the Glorious Twelfth. Talk of a World T20 final was consigned to the past. There were Tests to plan for, and Cook immediately set his mind to doing just that.He has four Championship matches to build-up to the first Investec Test against Sri Lanka and from the moment he received the warmest of welcomes – a routine boundary opportunity on his pads offered by Josh Shaw and politely accepted without hesitation – he looked entirely at ease. The more it continued, the more it became clear that it was very much in keeping with the end of Lent, or indeed the Glorious Twelfth, being an opportunity for excess after a period of want.Twenty-eight of Cook’s 52 first-class centuries have been at England level – as have more than half his first-class matches – so his appearances for Essex these days are valued because of their scarcity. The Chelmsford crowd watches him with a respect given to few. There was only one edgy moment to speak of when he nicked Liam Norwell to second slip on 80, Chris Dent doing well to get a hand on it.Jack Taylor’s offspin removed both Cook and Westley. The ECB’s policy on giving the opposing captain the right not to toss is designed to encourage spinners back into the game, but there was some irony when one of the victims of the new regulation turned out to be the England captain. Taylor’s seventh ball of the day, shortly after lunch, turned gently – this, at seam-friendly Chelmsford on the second afternoon – to trap Cook leg before, the umpiring decision given after a decent interlude for thought befitting an England captain.When Westley edged behind, undone by a little extra bounce, Essex then faltered against the new ball. Ravi Bopara was cleaned up by Norwell’s nip backer, Dan Lawrence should have sat in for a while but instead mis-pulled Shaw to mid-off and Shaw then had Ryan ten Doeschate lbw. With drizzle showing in the floodlights, the sooner Essex could retreat for the day the better.Gloucestershire won the Royal London Cup in Richard Dawson’s first season as coach, but a one-day trophy does not mean the Championship becomes a breeze and injuries to two frontline pace bowlers, plus the departure of James Fuller to Middlesex, left them stretched.Shaw and Tom Hampton had four first-class matches between them, so the sight of the England captain 22 yards away should not be under-estimated. Cook dropped his bat so gently on one delivery from Shaw that the bowler must have been taken aback to see it scoot through extra cover for four. It was the antithesis of T20 power hitting: another four runs logged with minimal exertion.Some would have strutted afterwards, confident in their superiority, but Cook is not that type. He has respect for the game and those who play it and Hampton, after a tough day, can only be heartened by his supportive comments.”Two days in this game have already shown this regulation on the toss to be a good decision,” he said. “We have left grass on here before and have got results in two days but that’s not great for English cricket. Tom Hampton might feel he was a bit erratic but they are the guys you have to get overs into because guys with that extra pace and who do swing it will get people out on flatter wickets.”An England captain with a sense of the wider game: as a new season got underway, it made you feel that English cricket was in good hands.