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Eoin Morgan, England’s limited-overs captain, has described Tymal Mills as a “really exciting” addition to the T20 squad

Alan Gardner19-Jun-2016Eoin Morgan, England’s limited-overs captain, has described Tymal Mills as a “really exciting” addition to the T20 squad ahead of a possible international debut against Sri Lanka next month. Sussex left-armer Mills is capable of bowling above 90mph and his selection is another step towards England developing a pool of players who can consistently mount a challenge for global white-ball trophies.Mills’ pace has made him a player of interest to England for some time but a back problem diagnosed last year effectively forced his retirement from first-class cricket at the age of 22. He has since been focused on becoming a T20 specialist, with a tailored training programme developed in conjunction with the ECB.Morgan suggested Mills could provide England with a cutting edge similar to Mitchell Starc for Australia and welcomed his introduction to the set-up. England were beaten finalists at this year’s World T20, with the tournament next scheduled for 2020 – although a 2018 edition may still materialise – but it is possible that Mills could eventually have a role to play in 50-over cricket as well.”It’s really exciting,” Morgan said. “We have a left-arm option who is quite steady but to have a genuine quick… I don’t think we’ve somebody who bowls as quick as Tymal in quite a long time. I think he’s been bowling at 93, 94mph. I think Steven Finn bowled that three or four years ago but has not managed it since. It’s not something that comes easy. Certainly if we can ease Tymal into the squad when it comes to a big match I see no problems going to him. I think now is the time to get him involved.”Mills has taken 25 T20 wickets at 18.32, with an economy of 7.94, since joining Sussex ahead of the 2015 season, leading to his involvement with the England Lions against Pakistan A in the UAE over the winter. He has only played two List A games in the last year, since the discovery of the spinal condition that causes shooting pain in his legs, and has a career average of 35.77 from 23 matches.Morgan concedes that Mills is restricted to T20 at the moment. “At the moment, yes,” Morgan said. “He’s building up towards 50 overs if possible, but I think that’s a long way away at the moment. He’s come a long way since last year. He thought his career might be over. It’s really exciting to see him back. With the balance of the side we have, if Ben Stokes is fit, we can have the luxury of gambling with somebody like that.”Tymal Mills has carved out an impressive T20 record with Sussex•Getty ImagesEngland have enjoyed a renaissance in limited-overs cricket over the last 12 months under Morgan, particularly in their style of play, which culminated in an exhilarating run to the World T20 final in India.Results have been less consistent in ODI cricket, however. England have won 10 and lost nine ODIs since the start of last summer, with series victories over New Zealand and Pakistan counterbalanced by defeats to Australia and South Africa, and Morgan believes it is “still the beginning” in terms of challenging at next year’s Champions Trophy and the 2019 World Cup.”We’re still a long way away,” he said. “I think we have the attributes to be the team we want – we’re moving in the right direction, particularly in our bowling department. We have a legspin option who turns it both ways, a left-arm seam option, we have quicks and then somebody who is quite steady. The all-round balance of a bowling attack is important leading into any major competition. Having not just one line-up but a back-up is important.”It’s always good to look back and realise we have made some good progress but also think whether we are still going in the right direction. Who is our next left-arm seamer if somebody goes down, who is our next legspinner if somebody goes down? Things are going well at the moment but it is still the beginning.”Morgan also held out hope for Stuart Broad – who has spoken openly of his desire to return to the one-day side – and James Anderson, suggesting the formats had become more squad driven, and that England wanted to have greater strength in depth rather than attempting to settle on an ideal XI to play all of the time.”I actually think somewhere between 15 and 17 players [is what we need]. It’s a squad game. One of the lessons from the World Cup last year was that going into the event our standout bowlers weren’t in form, coming back from injury. That put quite a bit of pressure on Jimmy and Broady. It was probably wrong of us to do so. That’s one lesson.”It creates a lot of healthy competition for places. We’ve had some fantastic performances over the last 12 months but 12 months doesn’t necessarily earn you the right to win a 50-over World Cup. It’s a bit of a longer race than that.”We’d still like to keep Stuart, Jimmy, etc in our minds. Like I say, probably a squad of about 17 players who are in and around the side. We would like guys to stand up and say, ‘This spot is mine.’ But we’ve jigged around during the last 12 months trying to find the best balance.”Etihad Airways, a global partner of Taste Festivals, is the first ever official airline partner of the England Cricket teams. Etihad Holidays will have a range of cricket tour packages for the upcoming England tours to Bangladesh and India: www.etihad.com

Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos is set to leave this summer, having not been offered a new contract by manager Michael Beale, and Football Insider have confirmed he has a number of offers on the table.

Which Rangers players could leave this summer?

The Gers are set to part ways with a number of first-team players this summer, with Beale confirming Ryan Kent will not be offered a new deal, although he has played down reports the winger has held talks with Turkish side Fenerbahce.

In the same report, the Light Blues manager also confirms Malik Tillman will not play again this season, however he hints that he would be interested in signing him on a permanent basis, if the player himself is willing to make the switch to Ibrox.

With Rangers closing in on the signing of Jack Butland, veteran goalkeeper Allan McGregor may also choose to call time on his playing career, although he will wait until the summer before making his final decision.

Beale recently confirmed the club "haven't come forward" with a contract offer for Morelos, and Football Insider now report multiple clubs across Europe are eyeing the striker, who is set to announce his next club within weeks.

The Colombian wants to give it his all in his final five games as a Gers player, before deciding where he moves next, with clubs in Italy, Spain and multiple other countries said to have made offers.

The likes of Filip Helander, Scott Arfield and John McLaughlin are also understood to be joining the striker in leaving Glasgow this summer.

Is letting Morelos leave the right decision?

The 26-year-old has been a regular starter under Beale, recording 11 goals and six assists in 30 Scottish Premiership games this season, so it is a little surprising the manager is willing to let him leave.

That said, the Rangers boss may be eager to bring in his own personnel, rather than relying on players who have already had their chance to impress at Ibrox, with journalist Dean Jones claiming the forward probably needs a "fresh start."

The "terrific" £33k-per-week marksman will be remembered fondly by Rangers fans, not least because of the part he played in the title-winning 2020-21 campaign, scoring 11 league goals.

However, it is time for a new era at Ibrox, and Morelos could be replaced by Bordeaux striker Josh Maja, who is joint-second in the Ligue 2 goal-scoring charts this season.

Chelsea will battle title-chasing Arsenal tonight as the Blues attempt to restore some pride to their horrendous season, whilst halting the Gunners’ attempts to return to the top spot.

However, this will be a humongous task considering the abysmal form that the Blues currently find themselves in.

Since Frank Lampard took charge as caretaker, the 2021 Champions League winners are winless in five games, only scoring once and conceding nine.

Mikel Arteta’s men also find themselves in patchy form, drawing three of their last four matches, but they will be desperate to bounce back in this London derby.

In Chelsea’s last outing, the side produced a dismally depressing showing against Brentford, slumping to a 2-0 defeat.

One player who drastically struggled was Cesar Azpilicueta and should be dropped for the encounter this evening.

Should Chelsea drop Azpilicueta vs Arsenal?

The Spaniard is currently the club’s longest-serving player and has been the captain since Gary Cahill’s departure in 2019. He has made over 500 appearances for the Blues across 11 years and in January 2023 he became the sixth player to reach this milestone.

His reliability, longevity, and consistency are three unteachable traits that have to be applauded. However, the 33-year-old has unsurprisingly declined and that was painfully apparent against the Bees.

Nowadays, full-backs are expected to be a versatile blend of defensive solidity and attacking flair, but Azpilicueta didn’t impress in either of these categories.

The 44-cap international made only his 12th top-flight start of the season, but it quickly soured. The former Marseille man failed to register only any tackles or blocks, as well as being unable to win any ground duels.

The £180k-per-week veteran also failed to contribute to any offensive phases of play and didn't offer any accurate crosses, key passes, or successful dribbles.

A miserable display was capped off by an own goal from a corner, and he was hauled off at half-time to spare his blushes.

With Reece James being ruled out until the end of the season, Chelsea are missing one of their primary creative forces and the skipper fails to even moderately mirror what the Englishman offers.

Although Azpilicueta should only be used sparingly for the rest of the season, it makes a huge amount of sense to retain the experienced leader beyond this campaign in this period of change and difficulty.

The defender has won every available trophy in West London and will be remembered as one of the club’s most successful players, but starting him at the Emirates tonight would invite trouble.

Manchester United could be boosted by the return of Alejandro Garnacho when they welcome Aston Villa to Old Trafford on Sunday, reports the Manchester Evening News.

What's the early team news?

The Red Devils welcome a high-flying Villans side to Manchester on Sunday in what has suddenly become a hugely important fixture in the race for European football. The hosts can move themselves nine points clear in the race for Champions League qualification, while Villa have their own aspirations and could actually sit just three points behind Erik ten Hag's side with a win of their own.

Unai Emery is expected to be without Matty Cash, Boubacar Kamara, Philippe Coutinho and Leon Bailey, but United have some problems of their own, with first-choice centre-back pairing Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane both sidelined.

One piece of good news however is the return of Garnacho, after the teenager participated in training on Friday, the same day on which the club announced a bumper new contract for the rising star.

According to MEN, the 18 year-old, who has not played since March, "took part in first-team training on Friday afternoon at Carrington", which suggests he "could be available" when Villa come calling in what the paper describes as a "boost" for the manager.

Will Garnacho play vs Aston Villa?

The Argentina U20 international has been praised for being "dangerous" and having a "massive influence" when he plays by none other than Paul Scholes, and it's not hard to see why.

Capable of playing on both wings and terriying defenders with his quick feet and directness, Garnacho has mustered up nine direct goal involvements in 31 senior appearances for the club, a phenomenal return for such a young player.

With Anthony Martial not quite looking his best since injury and Wout Weghorst still failing to really make his mark, having Garnacho off the bench could prove to be the difference when the game gets stretched and Villa's legs are tiring.

If he is indeed fit enough to give Ten Hag 30 minutes of his usual high-tempo performance, Garnacho's return is indeed a massive boost and he should be granted the opportunity to make his mark.

Leeds United youngster Crysencio Summerville is wanted by Newcastle United in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh update.

Is Summerville having a good season?

The Whites are having a tricky time in the Premier League, with survival still far from a given, and too many players have struggled to perform this season. Summerville is one who has arguably done better than some expected, however, proving to be an important figure at times.

The £15,000-a-week-earning Dutchman has scored four goals and registered two assists in the campaign to date, including a memorable late winner away to Liverpool back in October, and he has made 27 appearances in all competitions. Unfortunately, an ankle injury disrupted his season earlier this year which halted his progress, but it has still been a positive campaign on an individual note.

It could be that Summerville is a wanted man when the summer window arrives, however, and while his current contract doesn't expire until 2026, his head could potentially be turned by an offer from another club if Leeds go down.

Could Summerville join Newcastle?

According to Football Insider reporter Pete O'Rourke, sharing news from his sources, high-flying Newcastle could be a possible destination for the winger at the end of the season, should he depart Elland Road. They are "among the top clubs monitoring the situation" currently.

The Magpies are "ready to pounce in the off-season", especially if Leeds suffer relegation to the Championship, while Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund are also seen as potential suitors. The report does state that the Whites "will find it hard" to keep the youngster if they do go down, which isn't too much of a surprise.

Losing Summerville would be a big blow this summer, considering the long-term ceiling he has, having been hailed as "absolutely incredible" by former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha recently. At 21, he still has so much improving to do as a player, and for Leeds to see him develop elsewhere would be tough to stomach, having seen him mature so much in recent years.

The hope is that the Whites retain their Premier League status and are able to persuade the attacker to stay put, perhaps with the promise of him being even more of a key starter next season. Should the worst-case scenario happen and he demands a move, though, it is essential that Leeds get as much money as possible, in order to bolster their transfer kitty ahead of what is an important summer.

Manchester United were left reeling following their 7-0 demolition at the hands of bitter rivals Liverpool. It launched something of an inquest into the Red Devils, who had enjoyed such a successful season prior.

However, that performance revealed the soft underbelly that the English giants were yet to lose, and something which Erik ten Hag had not been made privy to.

A subsequent draw with Southampton and then a comprehensive loss to Newcastle United threw their Premier League campaign into doubt, as it was thought their grip on top four would slip away. Many throughout the media sought to lambast the squad members, with Bruno Fernandes acting as a lightning rod for such scathing comments.

Gary Neville even said on commentary for Sky Sports during that aforementioned Anfield drubbing: “The second half has been an absolute disgrace, a shambles. Epitomised by no one more than the captain Bruno Fernandes, who I think has been embarrassing at times in this game.”

However, if he is to be to blame for their poor form, then surely the 28-year-old deserves the praise when they turn it around.

Yesterday only exacerbated such a switch in fortunes, as his outfit won their third consecutive league fixture with his exploits at the heart of their latest win.

How did Bruno Fernandes play vs Nottingham Forest?

Having been pushed into a role that has lessened his personal impact, the Portugal international has become a far more selfless player for this club this season. This is no greater exemplified than through his five goals and six assists in the league, a tally dwarfed by the ten he scored last season, and 18 the year before even that.

However, what he does offer is creativity from deep, and a work rate unseen in players of his quality within that engine room.

He showcased this to perfection at the City Ground, in their 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest.

During his full 90 played, the former Sporting CP star was handed the best rating of anyone on the pitch, upheld by his desire to drive the team forward. Missing key players through injury, their number eight stepped up to record 96 touches and six key passes, creating two big chances too, via Sofascore.

Without actually gaining a goal contribution he did everything but, often being thwarted by his own teammates’ profligacy and some Keylor Navas brilliance too.

Having endured a five-game period without recording a goal or an assist beforehand, which has now stretched to six, displays like yesterday’s stand out as truly mesmeric and unneeding of such a statistic to justify a successful showing.

Journalist Lucas Filus even took to Twitter to suggest that Fernandes was in: “his most exciting phase since arriving at United.”

Given the form he showed during that first full season after his £47m move, this is truly high praise.

Having suffered a slight wobble following that Anfield massacre, the midfield general has dusted himself off with poise and retaken his position as one of the key men within this relentless United side. Champions League football is now well and truly on the horizon for Old Trafford.

As Manchester United continue their push for Champions League qualification and further silverware, a key figure for the Red Devils yet again this season has been Bruno Fernandes, with the Portugal international proving truly influential in the centre of the park.

The 28-year-old – who signed for the Red Devils back in January 2020 – has arguably had his "best" campaign yet since arriving in Manchester, according to journalist Samuel Luckhurst, notably offering the versatility and willingness to feature in a variety of roles for his side, including on the flanks.

Something of an everpresent during his time at Old Trafford – having remarkably missed just one game through injury or illness over the last three years – the former Sporting CP man has again been a mainstay in midfield this term, starting 47 games in all competitions to date.

The playmaking sensation has racked up a stellar haul of 22 goal involvements across all fronts in that time, with it no doubt unsurprising that Erik ten Hag has followed in the footsteps of the likes of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick in making the one-time Udinese ace his main man.

There will, however, be concern with regard to the over-reliance on Fernandes in that playmaking berth, with the only other senior alternative in that position, Donny van de Beek, having failed to score or register an assist this term, prior to his season-curtailing injury.

As such, Ten Hag could have potentially identified a dream heir or competitor to Fernandes in the form of Feyenoord captain, Orkun Kokcu, with The Mirror having reported that United sent scouts to watch the Turkey international – who could be the subject of a £31m offer from Benfica – in action of late.

Would Kokcu be a good signing for Man United?

Much like United's stand-in skipper – who has been "leading the team" according to Ten Hag – Kokcu is also a "true leader" in his current home, as per talent scout Jacek Kulig, with the 22-year-old having taken on the armband despite his relative youth.

The Netherlands-born maestro – who can operate in a central midfield or attacking midfield berth – has also enjoyed a standout campaign for the Eredivisie title hopefuls, providing 12 goals and four assists in 38 games across all fronts.

Clearly a player who can make the difference in the final third, like Fernandes, the 5 foot 9 gem also shares the Portuguese's creative prowess having created nine big chances and averaged 2.8 key passes per game in 26 league games this season, while the United man has created 21 big chances and averaged 3.0 key passes from his 28 top-flight outings.

Kokcu also clearly possesses that knack for sparking attacks for his side from deep as he has averaged 11.85 progressive passes per 90 over the past 365 days, with that actually far better than what even Fernandes has achieved (6.71).

That standout metric is an illustration of just what a coup it could be if Ten Hag is to utilise his Dutch connections to sign the 20-cap ace from Rotterdam, with it looking as if the youngster could be a dream successor to United's number eight.

Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been slammed for his dismal display in the recent defeat at Stamford Bridge against Aston Villa.

Does Potter trust Mudryk?

The Ukrainian was awarded a start in Saturday's Premier League clash as his struggles in a Chelsea shirt continue since his big-money move to the club in January.

Mudryk has now been handed seven appearances in the English top flight and has only been able to return one assist over the course of his 319 minutes in the league (via Transfermarkt).

The winger lasted 59 minutes at the Bridge on Saturday before being hooked off by Graham Potter for another January addition in Noni Madueke.

His display saw Tony Cascarino rip into the £97k-per-week winger on talkSPORT as he suggested he had no idea what was going on around him whilst on the pitch:

(0:40) "Look, they've got great individuals. Look at [Joao] Felix he's a great technical player. There's no doubt he's got the lot, you know, [Kai] Havertz can produce moments. Will he be the long-term [option]? No, I don't quite see that, but I still think he has a role to play at Chelsea.

'You know, but you look at Mudryk, come in and wow, you know, he had a couple of chances, didn't take him that happens. But since he's come, he's looked like he hasn't got a clue what's happening around him."

How bad was Mudryk against Villa?

The 22-year-old had an afternoon to forget on Saturday as the Blues slumped to a disappointing defeat against a side that would not typically be viewed as a competitor in the league.

However, as a result of Chelsea's issues this season, the defeat took Unai Emery's men above Chelsea and push Potter's side down into the bottom half of the table.

And it was not as if Mudryk wasn't handed opportunities during the game, the Ukrainian squandered two huge opportunities to put Chelsea on the scoreboard.

Perhaps the most damning statistic to come out of the game was that Mudryk only recorded 21 touches of the ball despite being on the pitch for practically an hour (via SofaScore).

Out of the two dribbles he attempted during the game, he failed to beat his man on either occasion and gave away two fouls during his display in west London.

Over the international break, Madueke – who replaced Mudryk – shone for England U21s having netted and provided two assists during a brief cameo off the bench against France U21s (via Transfermarkt).

On the back of such a poor display for Mudryk, it will be interesting to see whether interim manager Bruno Saltor looks to make a change on the wing ahead of their game on Tuesday against Liverpool.

Aston Villa return to long-awaited Premier League action today, but face a tough test as they travel to the capital to face a resurgent Chelsea side.

The Blues had enjoyed a fine turnaround under Graham Potter but were halted last time out against Sean Dyche's resilient Everton. He has provided the blueprint for all visiting sides seeking to snatch some points from Stamford Bridge, and Unai Emery will look to build upon it further.

Having impressed since joining, the Spaniard is seeking to further separate his side from the eight teams embroiled in a relegation battle and push the Villans ever closer to an unlikely European push.

Surprisingly, these sides actually sit on the same points after 27 games, effectively making this a huge mid-table six-pointer.

To truly give themselves the best possible chance of winning, the Midlands outfit will have to be resolute at the back and clinical in the final third. As such, perhaps it could merit a recall for Lucas Digne in the place of Alex Moreno.

Will Lucas Digne start for Aston Villa?

Although the Frenchman has not had the desired impact since moving from Merseyside, having been signed by former manager Steven Gerrard, the £160k-per-week full-back remains a quality creative asset who is bound to come good eventually.

Perhaps starting him in a game of this magnitude could be the vote of faith needed to reignite the form that saw him revered by the Toffees.

During his final full season at Goodison Park, he provided seven assists for a side that finished decidedly in mid-table, outlining just how important he could be contributing to the attack.

His offensive impetus could prove key in exploiting Chelsea's big weakness, which coincidentally is down the flanks.

Although they have been somewhat toothless going forward, they boast one of the best defences in the league this season. However, given the three-at-the-back system that Potter prefers, it often surrenders plenty of space out wide; especially with Reece James and Ben Chilwell pushing on.

Therefore, Digne could look to overlap into that space, and with that cutting edge, he could be clinical enough to provide a killer blow.

He has maintained 0.8 key passes per game in a season where he is averaging just 65 minutes per outing, as per Sofascore. Especially when he'll be supplementing the red-hot Ollie Watkins, who boasts seven goal contributions across his last eight appearances.

Digne's experience will also help him know when the right time to push forward is, which his former Toffees boss Marco Silva lauded during his debut year in England. He said:

"Fantastic football player, a fantastic professional, works always with a big ambition, and he’s a winner – he likes to win, not just in the matches but in every training session as well."

With Moreno posting the worst rating of any of Emery's starters last time out, this switch seems like the natural decision to exploit that space in behind, so the Spaniard must look to unleash the decisive 29-year-old today.

Newcastle United are reportedly among the clubs showing interest in Paris Saint-Germain midfielder, Renato Sanches, with the Portuguese playmaker potentially set to be up for grabs this summer.

What's the latest on Sanches to Newcastle?

According to 90min, the Magpies are among a raft of Premier League clubs – including the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur – who are all said to 'appreciate' the 25-year-old's quality, with those top-flight sides all keen to be 'kept informed' regarding the player's future at the Parc des Princes.

That 'significent interest' from English clubs comes amid the suggestion that the former Lille man – who only made the switch to Paris during the summer – could be moved on at the end of the season, with the Ligue 1 giants already looking to cash in.

There had been claims made last year that the former Bayern Munich flop was of interest to the Tynesiders, prior to his eventual €15m (£12.5m) move to PSG in August.

Who could Sanches replace at Newcastle?

The midfield ranks do appear to be an area that the northeast side need to strengthen this summer, with the departure of Jonjo Shelvey to Nottingham Forest in January having left manager Eddie Howe rather thin on the ground in that department.

If the former Bournemouth boss is to turn to Sanches as a possible solution, the one-time Swansea City man could represent a possible upgrade on academy graduate Sean Longstaff in the centre of the park, despite the Englishman having been a regular fixture this season – starting 22 top-flight games thus far.

While the PSG man has endured a difficult campaign to date – after starting just three league games under Christophe Galtier – the £154k-per-week machine remains a truly top-drawer asset with elite-level experience under his belt, having previously played his part in Portugal's European Championship triumph in 2016 – being named the Young Player of the Tournament in that competition.

For all his woes this term, the Lisbon native is still a gifted individual with the ball at his feet as he ranks in the top 3% among those in his position in Europe's top five leagues for progressive passes and in the top 10% for progressive carries, as well as in the top 7% for pass completion.

Longstaff, by contrast, is far less effective in an attacking sense, as he ranks in just the bottom 28%, the bottom 17% and the bottom 37% for the same three metrics, respectively, having been unable to truly provide that ball-playing, creative presence in Howe's side.

Equally, despite standing at just 5 foot 9, Sanches is a combative and "powerful" operator in the centre of the park – according to pundit Kevin Campbell – having previously been hailed as a "great ball carrier" and someone who "players bounce off" due to his physical prowess (as per Campbell).

Such dynamism could provide Newcastle with that extra sprinkling of quality next season as they aim to kick on once again, with Longstaff no doubt set to be fearing for his place if a deal can be agreed.