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An unbeaten 157 from opener Luis Reece – and an opening stand of 219 – was part of another dominant day against Middlesex

ECB Reporters Network22-Apr-2018
ScorecardDerbyshire are poised to end their long wait for a home Championship victory after they outplayed Middlesex for the third day running in the Division Two match at Derby.Luis Reece scored an unbeaten 157 and Ben Slater fell one short of a century before Derbyshire declared on 333 for 3, setting Middlesex a highly improbable target of 442 in a minimum of 129 overs.Their chances were even slimmer after Sam Robson, Rob White and Hilton Cartwright were dismissed leaving Middlesex on 86 for 3 at the close and Derbyshire scenting a first home win since they beat Leicestershire at Derby in September 2014.Derbyshire started the day in a strong position with a lead of 226 and they increased that by 53 in 17 overs before rain resulted in an early lunch.Middlesex were without injured pace bowlers Toby Roland-Jones and James Harris and although they did well to restrict Derbyshire’s run rate, it was always a question of when the home side pulled out.Reece and Slater passed Derbyshire’s previous highest opening stand against Middlesex of 181 and then eclipsed the best ever partnership against the county of 209 set in 1932.Both looked certain to reach three figures but after Reece completed his third Championship hundred for Derbyshire from 268 balls, Slater became becalmed on 99 and cut a long hop from Ollie Rayner to cover.Reece drove Rayner for six as he and Wayne Madsen added 101 before Paul Stirling had Madsen caught at short fine leg and Alex Hughes stumped before the declaration came leaving Middlesex to equal the highest winning fourth innings total against Derbyshire.But their first target was to get through 29 overs against an attack that bowled them out for 157 in the first innings and although conditions were good for batting, Middlesex’s chances suffered a big setback when Hardus Viljoen removed Robson.The Middlesex captain played across a full length ball and was lbw for 5 and there was another breakthrough when Duanne Olivier replaced Viljoen at the City End. White shuffled across and was only half forward when he was struck in front and Olivier was celebrating again when he switched ends.Hilton Cartwright pulled a short ball to the midwicket boundary but the next left him and took the outside edge to take Derbyshire a step closer to that elusive victory.

How England’s tendency to bowl short on the fourth day nearly cost them the match

On the Ball with S Rajesh and Arun Gopalakrishnan07-Aug-2005Throughout the first three days of the Edgbaston Test, Steve Harmison and Andrew Flintoff bowled with impeccable control on a slow pitch: they realised the futility of bowling short, and instead kept the ball up to the bat. With victory only sniffing distance away, though, they lost the plot completely, reverting to short-pitched bowling. It looked good on television, and occasionally caused the batsmen – particularly Brett Lee – physical discomfort, but it did little for England’s cause. As the graphic shows, the short ball is a great option when used as a surprise weapon, but when overdone, it becomes an excellent run-scoring opportunity for the batsmen – even Australia’s tailenders managed to get those 28 deliveries away for 30 runs, whereas on the third day their top order only eked out five from 15.Meanwhile, England’s win at Edgbaston means that the venue continues to be a lucky one for them – they’ve won 21 Tests and lost just seven here, while Australia’s win-loss record has gone down to 3-5.

Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has called Newcastle United “a bit silly” regarding the situation with Dan Ashworth.

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Ratcliffe takes aim at NewcastleAshworth currently on gardening leaveRatcliffe looking to add Ashworth to teamGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Having successfully taken over the Red Devils in a minority capacity, Ratcliffe now wants to appoint Ashworth as his new transfer guru. The former director of Brighton & Hove Albion has been placed on gardening leave by Newcastle United, who are unwilling to let him go until the Red Devils provide a compensation package of £20 million. Ratcliffe, who has spoken highly of Ashworth, said he does not blame the 52-year-old for wanting to move from St. James' Park to Old Trafford.

AdvertisementWHAT RATCLIFFE SAID

“Dan Ashworth is clearly one of top sporting directors in the world,” he told The Athletic. “I have no doubt he is a very capable person. He is interested in Manchester United because it’s the biggest challenge at the biggest club in the world. It would be different at [Manchester] City because you’re maintaining a level. Here it’s a significant rebuilding job. He would be a very good addition. He needs to decide if he is going to make that jump."

“We have had words with Newcastle who would be disappointed. They have done really well since their new ownership. I understand why they would be disappointed but then you can’t criticise Dan because it’s a transient industry. You can understand why Dan would be interested because it’s the ultimate challenge. We’ll have to see how it unfolds.”

Ratcliffe was asked about the potential £20m compensation package for Ashworth: “A bit silly, personally. I won’t get dragged into that. What I do think is completely absurd is suggesting a man who is really good at his job sits in his garden for one and a half years.

“We had a very grown-up conversation with City about Omar Berrada. When things got done we sorted it out very amicably. They could see why he wanted to take that challenge. You look at Pep [Guardiola] and when he’s done with one of his footballers he doesn’t want them to sit in the garden for one and a half years. He doesn’t do that. That’s not the way the UK works or the law works."

(C)GettyImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Manchester United are looking to turn the club back into title challengers following the takeover. The club has failed to win the Premier League since Sir Alex Ferguson left and currently six down in sixth place in the table. With Ratcliffe and potentially Ashworth on board, fans will be hoping that the club can move back to the top of the Premier League and consistently battle with the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

The Red Devils will next take the field when they take on Fulham on February 24 as they look to maintain their current winning run and secure a top-four finish.

Gregg Berhalter has explained why the USMNT are “not panicking” when it comes to Gio Reyna and his bench duty at Nottingham Forest.

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Left Dortmund in winter transfer windowTaken on new challenge in the Premier LeagueBusy year ahead for the United StatesWHAT HAPPENED?

The 21-year-old playmaker is still considered to be one of the hottest prospects in world football, with injuries having prevented him from unlocking full potential. A move to England in the winter transfer window was supposed to provide him with an opportunity to catch the eye in the Premier League.

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Reyna has been restricted to just 29 minutes of game time since leaving Borussia Dortmund on a short-term loan, leading to questions being asked of whether he will be ready for a busy 2024 with his country that includes the CONCACAF Nations League finals, Copa America and Olympic Games in Paris.

WHAT BERHALTER SAID ABOUT REYNA

United States head coach Berhalter is not overly concerned by Reyna’s lack of game time at Forest, telling : “I think it’s important to realise that Gio is still a young player, still finding himself, still finding who he is as a player. Every player on our team has gone through times when they are not thriving or it’s not going the best way for them. For Gio, it’s no different. We’re not panicking. We know he has a ton of talent. We know that he can be a game-changer and we’re looking forward to the day when he’s in the team each and every week and really starting to thrive and grow. We know how much quality he has and what a good player he is.”

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GettyDID YOU KNOW?

There has never been any doubting Reyna’s natural ability, but Berhalter is eager to point out that players of his ilk require more than that in order to reach the very top. He added: “With a growth mindset, people change and people can improve. I don’t think it’s just about talent. You need the whole package if you want to be at a top, top level. There is a big difference between being at a good level and the absolute top. At the absolute top, you need the whole package – I’m talking about a handful of clubs across the globe, top five leagues, Champions League teams, that’s a really high level. You need everything. Soccer is so competitive, they are playing all over the world, so talent isn’t going to separate you from everybody else.”

Glasgow Rangers secured a confidence-boosting 2-1 win at Ibrox yesterday as Philippe Clement continued his solid start to life at the club.

Hearts led until the dying embers of the match but James Tavernier scored a penalty to equalise before he set up Danilo to score the winner in the 93rd minute.

It will feel like a smash-and-grab victory, but three points is all that matters and Clement will be happy with how the Gers fought until the final whistle.

Once again, however, there were a few lacklustre performances, most notably from Cyriel Dessers and Sam Lammers.

Michael Beale’s £7.5m duo now walking a tightrope

During the summer, Beale splashed the cash on the pair in order to freshen up his attacking options. Dessers cost £4.5m from Cremonese while Lammers arrived for a fee in the region of £3m and while £7.5m for two players could be seen as excessive, the nature of the transfer market meant Beale had to spend to secure players of high quality.

So far however, Dessers and Lammers have failed to live up to their transfer fees as they have struggled to settle in at the Light Blues.

The Nigeria international has scored four goals across 18 matches while he currently ranks first across the Ibrox squad for most big chances missed (nine) in the Premiership, a telling sign of just how poor he has been in front of goal.

The Dutchman has also been underwhelming and for someone who has such impressive technical ability, he has struggled with the nature of the Scottish game, and it is clear after Sunday's performance that Clement must now jettison the 26-year-old.

Sam Lammers' days may be numbered

The warning signs surrounding the former Feyenoord forward should have been apparent to Beale, as he has netted just six goals since the start of the 2020/21 season.

Lammers may have succeeded with 100% of his dribble attempts against Hearts, yet he missed a big chance (not for the first time this term) while failing to have a shot on target during the encounter.

The 6 foot 3 liability was dribbled past on two occasions along with losing possession 14 times and it is clear his defensive attributes also need some work if he is to make it at the Light Blues.

Clement may not offer the former Atalanta forward that luxury, however. The Belgian will be able to rely on several players returning from injury shortly, while youngster Ross McCausland made more key passes in 14 minutes than Lammers did in 83.

Perhaps it is time Clement places his trust in young gems such as McCausland instead of having to rely on Lammers time and time again, as it is clearly not working out for him in Glasgow.

A trip to Dundee on Wednesday could be the ideal opportunity for the manager to experiment with a few players and see what type of reaction he can get.

It may not even be Halloween yet, but the nightmare pairing of Lammers and Dessers could soon find themselves on the Ibrox scrap heap, and they have nobody else to blame but themselves.

The regular Monday column in which Steven Lynch answers your questions about (almost) any aspect of cricket

Steven Lynch20-Nov-2006The regular Monday column in which Steven Lynch answers your questions about (almost) any aspect of cricket:

Viv Richards scored seven hundreds in eleven Tests in 1976 © Getty Images
Who has scored the most centuries in Test matches in a calendar year? asked Kamran Zahid from the United States
The record is seven, shared by the West Indian Viv Richards and Aravinda de Silva of Sri Lanka. Richards scored seven centuries in 11 Tests in 1976, the year he set the overall record for runs in a calendar year, with 1710. de Silva equalled the mark in 1997, also in 11 Tests: six of his seven hundreds were scored in Colombo (the other one was in Chandigarh, in India). Watch out for Mohammad Yousuf, who has scored six centuries so far in 2006, and Ricky Ponting, who has scored five in six Tests this year to date. For a full list of the highest runscorers in a calendar year, click hereIs it true that the highest opening partnership in ODIs is held by two Kenyans? asked Philip Goulter from New Zealand
The Kenyan openers Deepak Chudasama (122) and Kennedy Otieno (144) put on 225 against Bangladesh at the Nairobi Gymkhana in October 1997. That was a new one-day international record at the time, but remained so for less than a year – Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar shared a stand of 252 against Sri Lanka in Colombo in July 1998. The record now is 286, set by Upul Tharanga and Sanath Jayasuriya for Sri Lanka against England at Headingley in July 2006.How many first-class matches had Jeff Thomson played before the 1974-75 Ashes series? Was his selection really as surprising as people make it out to be? asked Andy Rashleigh from Leeds
The super-fast Jeff Thomson was not entirely an unknown quantity when he was unleashed on England in the first Test of the 1974-75 Ashes series at Brisbane. For a start, he had played a Test before – against Pakistan at Melbourne in 1972-73 – although he went into that match with an injury, and failed to take a wicket. That was only his seventh first-class match, but because of injury he played only four more before surprising England at the Gabba.Is there a player who played for two different teams (for example, India and Pakistan) during his Test career? asked Harshal Vora from the United States
There are 14 men who have appeared for two different countries in Test cricket (this excludes the World XI players who played in the Super Series Test in Australia last year). Three of those played for India before moving to Pakistan after Partition. They were Amir Elahi, AH Kardar (who played for India as “A. Hafeez”), and Gul Mohammad. There are also five players who have played for both England and Australia: Billy Midwinter, who uniquely played for both sides against each other, and Jack Ferris, Billy Murdoch, Albert Trott and Sammy Woods, who played for England against South Africa after playing for the Aussies against England. The other two-country men are Frank Hearne and Frank Mitchell (England and South Africa), the Nawab of Pataudi senior (England and India), Sammy Guillen (West Indies and New Zealand), Kepler Wessels (Australia and South Africa) and John Traicos (South Africa and Zimbabwe). For a full list (including those World XI players), click here.Which Test captain was also an Olympic Boxing gold medallist? asked Tim Jameson from Coventry
This was Essex’s John Douglas – whose initials JWHT led to him being nicknamed “Johnny Won’t Hit Today” when he batted defensively in Australia – who captained England in 18 of his 23 Tests, including the 1911-12 and 1920-21 Ashes series Down Under. In 1908, Douglas won the middleweight boxing title at the London Olympics, beating another renowned allround sportsman, Reginald “Snowy” Baker from Australia, in the final. Douglas drowned in 1930, trying to save his father’s life when their ship sank in the North Sea.I recently did the Lord’s tour when I was in London, during which they talked about the only player to bat and bowl on both innings of a Test match on the same day. Could you help me with what match it was and when it happened? asked Rob Cohen from Australia
The player concerned was Courtney Walsh, and the match was at Lord’s, during West Indies’ 2000 series in England. Walsh was one of the not-out batsmen at the end of the first day, but was out to the first ball of the second, which also ended West Indies’ first innings. He then took 4 for 43 as England were bowled out for 143, but was called upon to bat again as West Indies collapsed to 54 all out, their lowest score against England at that point. There was time for seven balls that evening in England’s second innings, and Walsh bowled one of them to complete his unique set. This was the first Test match in which part of all four innings took place on one day of the game (England squeaked home to win the match by two wickets the next day). It happened again, as reader Rajiv pointed out, at Hamilton in December 2002, when Ashish Nehra and Tinu Yohannan of India repeated Walsh’s feat against New Zealand. Steven Lynch’s new book, The Cricinfo Guide to International Cricket 2007, is out now. Click here for more details, or here for our review.

Over the last decade, Leicester City have been through one of the most incredible stories English football has ever seen.

From being promoted to the Premier League ahead of the 2014/15 season and avoiding relegation against all odds, to winning the league title the next season in one of the most unbelievable achievements in the history of top-flight football.

After several experiences in European football, Leicester would even win the FA Cup for the very first time in 2021. This success would, however, mark the beginning of the end for Leicester, who were struggling financially due to the Covid outbreak.

With the number of outgoings heavily outweighing new incomings, it was hardly a surprise to see Leicester struggle in the 2022/23 season, as they were relegated back to the Championship.

While some outgoings, such as Ben Chilwell and Wesley Fofana, brought huge amounts of money into the club, there were others that have since reflected poorly on the club, who never got their chance to impress in the first team.

Who has left Leicester City in recent years?

With the need for a financial boost, the Foxes turned to player sales to help them. After winning the FA Cup, star defender Ben Chilwell was one of the first names to go, with their opponents in the final, Chelsea, paying a sizable £50m fee for the full-back.

Another departure that summer was Demarai Gray, who left for a rather underwhelming £1.7m fee to German side Bayer Leverkusen, before returning to the Premier League a year later to join Everton.

In 2022, the club reluctantly sold promising defender Wesley Fofana, again to Chelsea for an irrefutable £70m, providing the club with important funds.

While a number of big names have left the club in recent years, Leicester have also let go some of their upcoming talents, some of which they may look back on with regret as one of the factors in their relegation was a result of lacking squad depth.

One player who left the Leicester setup and has gone on to achieve better things is Nigerian international defender, Calvin Bassey.

When did Leicester sell Calvin Bassey?

After coming through the ranks at Leicester, playing in both their U18 and U21 sides, Bassey was never given a chance to appear in the first team before his eventual departure.

In June 2020, Scottish side Rangers announced that they had agreed a pre-contract signing for Bassey, who was 20-years-old at the time. The compensation fee paid to Leicester was reported to be just £230k for the young defender.

The Scottish side’s manager at the time Steven Gerrard spoke highly of the Nigerian, saying:

“It’s pleasing to secure the services of another young talent. He’s a strong and dynamic athlete who is very much the modern-day full-back.”

Over the course of his debut season in Scotland, Bassey featured 15 times in all competitions, seven of those appearances coming in the league as Rangers went unbeaten and attained a club-record 102 points to win their first title in ten years.

What was next for Bassey?

After showing promising signs in his brief spells on the pitch over the 2020/21 season, the following season saw Bassey begin to cement his place in the first team for Rangers.

In all competitions, he played 50 times as Rangers won the Scottish Cup and made it to the Europa League final, where they were harshly beaten by Eintracht Frankfurt on penalties.

Bassey’s performances over the season stood out from left-back, and despite the loss in the Europa League final, he was one of the better players on the pitch, receiving praise online.

Football journalist Joshua Bunting took to Twitter to applaud his efforts, as he said: “Bassey has been a monster tonight, outstanding performance.”

In the summer of 2022, many top clubs around the continent were interested in the Rangers full-back, but it was European giants Ajax who landed the signing.

The Dutch outfit spent a club-record £23m on the defender, emphasising their trust in his potential to be a star.

Despite a disastrous debut, which saw him sent off after just 15 minutes of being brought on as a substitute, Bassey played the majority of the season in Amsterdam, under multiple managers. His versatility was important for the club, being able to play across the back line of defence.

Where is Calvin Bassey now?

After one season in Amsterdam, the 23-year-old gem had shown glimpses of the talent seen at Rangers, but new manager Maurice Steijn told Bassey “it would be better to leave Ajax,” as the club needed to raise funds.

Over the past summer window, Bassey made his return to England, three years after he left Leicester City. In July, Fulham agreed a £19m fee to sign the defender, recouping most of the money Ajax spent a year prior and an 8160.87% increase on what Rodgers let him go for three years ago.

Club

Transfer fee

Fulham (2023-)

£19m

Ajax (2022-2023)

£23m

Rangers (2020-2022)

£230k

Leicester (2016-2020)

£0

Total

£42.2m

Following his arrival, Bassey spoke of his delight to be back in his hometown, saying:

"They’re playing in the Premier League, the best league in the world, so I didn’t have to think much about it.

“It’s a London club as well, so it’s always a plus to be home.”

With Fulham spending a rather hefty fee on the player, it is clear they also see a future in the player.

Although his spell at Ajax may not have hit the levels expected of him, a move to a strong mid-table side in the Premier League is able to give Bassey the opportunity to prove himself in England’s top-flight after never getting his chance during his time at Leicester.

With his former club now residing in the Championship, perhaps the move to Rangers three years ago was pivotal to Bassey’s development as a player.

The move to Marco Silva’s exciting Fulham side is seemingly a great fit for the 6 foot 1 defender to make the next step in his career and solidify himself as a starting defender for a Premier League side.

Football is unquestionably the world's game, and with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon even the US is starting to succumb to the beautiful game. Nowhere is that more clear than with Major League Soccer seeming to go from strength to strength with every passing season.

With that in mind, we here at Football FanCast have decided to rank all of the stadiums in MLS' Western Conference.

14 Toyota Stadium – FC Dallas

Kicking off the list is the first of the three Texan stadiums in the Western Conference, FC Dallas' Toyota Stadium.

The main problem with this stadium is that, for some inexplicable reason, the designers opted not to put any overhangs or cover above the seats, so when games are played during the Texan summer, fans essentially evacuate the sunny side of the stadium to get away from the blinding heat.

The ground was at least designed specifically for football, but that and good sight lines are about the only things it has going for it. Although, with just the 20th-highest average attendance in the league, we don't think that's enough to bring in more fans.

13 Shell Energy Stadium – Houston Dynamo

Following close behind their Texan rivals, Houston Dynamo's Shell Energy Stadium ranks as the second-worst stadium in the West.

Unfortunately for Houston, this ground really isn't one to shout about, which becomes immediately apparent when you look at the attendance figures.

The ground can hold 22,039 fans, but the team only averaged 16,426 per game last year. That said, unlike their neighbours, they were at least smart enough to install covers above the seats so as not to fry their supporters during play.

12 America First Field – Real Salt Lake

Questionable name aside, there really isn't anything about Real Salt Lake's America First Field that makes it stand out, for good or bad, that is.

The design feels very by the numbers, with the two sides covered and the two ends left open, which can sometimes be an issue with Utah's hot summers.

The one thing it does have going for it is the view of the mountains in the distance, but we aren't sure if that's enough to place the ground any higher.

11 Dick’s Sporting Goods Park – Colorado Rapids

Colorado Rapids' Dicks Sporting Goods Park is a perfectly fine stadium for anywhere other than central Colorado. The state is famous for its extreme weather and, in particular, its snow storms, so to leave the ground open to the elements seems pretty short-sighted in our books.

Images of games being played in blizzard-like conditions aren't a rare occurrence, and for as cool as that might be once, we're sure it gets old pretty quick for the players and fans.

So, while some of the surroundings are nice, we can only really place it as high as 13th.

10 Citypark – St. Louis City SC

St. Louis City SC, are the newest team in the league, having joined this year, and from looking at their stadium, you'd probably be able to guess that.

Citypark, at least from a purely visual standpoint, is a lovely stadium. They didn't do anything particularly out there with the design, but it looks incredibly well done, and with its location downtown, it's ideally positioned for the fans as well.

The ground can hold up to 22,423 fans and has been a sell-out for every game this season, which makes sense given their current position atop the Western Conference.

This popularity and success have also helped to cultivate an impressive atmosphere at the ground.

9 BC Place – Vancouver Whitecaps

The only Canadian team in the Western Conference, Vancouver Whitecaps' BC Place is next on the list.

The design of the stadium is very, very cool. It is completely enclosed, and during MLS games, a 'secondary ceiling' is deployed to completely envelop the lower tier of seats to help create a better atmosphere for matches. While the stadium proper has a capacity of 54,500, the secondary ceiling brings that down to 22,120.

Unfortunately, the club didn't even get close to this number last season, averaging an attendance of just 16,399. So, without an atmosphere to match the unique design, we can't place the ground any higher than it is.

8 PayPal Park – San Jose Earthquakes

San Jose's PayPal Park is undoubtedly one of the league's most interesting stadiums. The ground is a large U shape, with the seats going around three sides of it and leaving one end completely open to the elements – think Oxford's Kassam Stadium.

What's more interesting is that there are only two tiers, with the first being tiny, which essentially means the pitch is surrounded by three huge stands, creating a unique look that we are big fans of.

The team could only average 15,260 fans a game last season, although, with a maximum capacity of just 18,000, that's not as poor as it first sounds.

7 Dignity Health Sports Park – LA Galaxy

As arguably the biggest team in the league's history, you'd probably expect LA Galaxy to place higher on our list, but for as nice as their stadium is – and it is nice -it's not the best in the league.

The ground has two issues. First of all, it isn't in downtown LA, meaning that getting to the games can be more complicated than it needs to be – especially when compared to their new neighbours.

The second issue is sightlines; some seats provide dreadful viewing angles for fans, which is a problem you see less with the league's newer grounds.

That said, with an average attendance of 22,841 last season, the atmosphere can be brilliant when it gets going.

6 Allianz Field – Minnesota United FC

Minnesota United's Allianz Field is one of the league's newer grounds, hosting its first MLS game in April 2019 as New York City FC came to town.

The stadium can hold 19,400 fans, and given that the club averaged an attendance of about 19,000 last year, we'd say it's been a success so far.

Visually, though, it might be a bit polarising. It's clearly modelled after Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena – led facade and all – which some might take issue with. That said, we'd argue that it's a great addition to the league and looks great both inside and outside.

5 Children’s Mercy Park – Sporting Kansas City

The Children's Mercy Park stadium opened in 2009 and has been the home of Sporting Kansas City ever since.

The ground itself doesn't particularly stand out, with a fairly standard design for the league, but it does stand out for the atmosphere you can find within it.

The fans often hold up a banner saying 'Welcome to Blue Hell,' and with the club regularly selling all 18,467 tickets, it's easy to see why.

Liverpool were interested in making a fifth midfield addition over the summer, but a reliable journalist has revealed that a deal wasn’t as advanced as has recently been reported.

What's the latest transfer news at Liverpool?

According to reports, FSG and Jurgen Klopp maintain a strong interest in Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes despite him being about to sign a new long-term contract in the northeast, whilst club correspondent Neil Jones has confirmed that West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen is a player that chiefs have admired for quite some time.

The Merseyside outfit have additionally set their sights on Juventus’ Federico Chiesa should Mohamed Salah leave for Saudi Arabia next year, and they have also learned that it will take a huge offer to secure the services of Brentford’s Aaron Hickey should they want to prise him away from the Community Stadium.

At Anfield, another player of interest was Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat who, before the transfer deadline, ended up joining Premier League rivals Manchester United on a season-long loan with an option to buy at the end of it, but an interesting claim emerged that he could have instead been on his way to L4.

The Daily Mail’s Confidential previously reported that the Moroccan defensive midfielder was just hours away from joining the Reds, but the deal supposedly ended up collapsing following talks being put on hold in a period that saw the board have a change of heart.

Did Liverpool almost sign Sofyan Amrabat?

In his Daily Briefing for CaughtOffside, however, Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Liverpool did initiate contact to ask about a swoop for Amrabat, but shut down rumours that it was ever close to completion. He said:

“Speaking of Amrabat, I’ve been asked about some reports of Liverpool coming very close to signing the Moroccan midfielder this summer. From what I know, there was just a call from Liverpool in the summer right after the Moises Caicedo story to ask for conditions of Amrabat deal and then nothing else.

“It was not even a negotiation, just a request and then they moved on [to] different targets. I think there’s no need to compare as in that position they preferred Wataru Endo, so their choice was clear.”

Is Sofyan Amrabat good?

During Man United’s 3-0 Carabao Cup victory over Crystal Palace on Tuesday, Amrabat made his full debut and was the star of the show, recording an outstanding 96.3% pass success rate, highlighting his excellent calmness and composure on the ball.

Sponsored by Nike, the 27-year-old also managed two tackles during the game so he loves to throw himself into challenges and win back possession for his team, with these qualities having previously seen him dubbed a “monster” by journalist Carlo Garganese.

Furthermore, Ten Hag’s £65k-per-week earner, who has secured four senior trophies throughout his career, is a versatile operator having been deployed in eight different positions since bursting onto the scene, including everywhere across the midfield and the defensive backline, so it's hard to deny he could have been a great addition for the Reds.

West Ham United's 2022/23 campaign was characterised by highs and lows, with David Moyes' outfit failing to replicate the imperious league form that had resulted in successive European campaigns.

Indeed, the Hammers actually got sucked into the battle at the pit of the Premier League table at the season's midpoint and Moyes fell under heavy scrutiny, even believed to be one match away from the sack back in February, though they dispatched Nottingham Forest 4-0 in that decisive fixture.

Improved form at the season's business end was cherry-topped with a sensational triumph in the Europa Conference League, and despite selling midfield centrepiece Declan Rice to Arsenal for £105m in July, West Ham have started the current campaign in fine fettle.

How are West Ham getting on this season?

While many of an Irons affiliation will have been concerned by Rice's departure, with the 24-year-old heralded as a "monster" by ESPN's David Cartlidge for his feats, the club have responded convincingly in the summer market to retain a position of strength.

Having welcomed the first-team additions of Mohammed Kudus, Edson Alvarez, James Ward-Prowse and Konstantinos Mavropanos, Moyes has reinvested from Rice's sale astutely.

The early-season signs are promising, with three wins and a draw to commence the campaign – including victories over Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion – placing the east London outfit in fourth place after as the season pauses for the first international break.

The Athletic's Roshane Thomas has praised the "great start to the season", and while the ever-impressive Jarrod Bowen has stolen the headlines with his prolific exploits over the past month, it is one of the squad's fresh faces who has truly stolen the show thus far; James Ward-Prowse.

How good has James Ward-Prowse been at West Ham?

Signed from relegated Southampton for £30m in August, Ward-Prowse arrived with a weight of expectation after performing so admirably as the Saints' captain, making 410 appearances, scoring 55 goals and supplying 54 assists.

Renowned as a "set-piece master" – as has been said by stadium announcer Maximiliano Bretos – Ward-Prowse has been the fulcrum of Southampton's efforts for numerous years, and while the club have fallen into the second tier, he can hold his head high after sustained performances of merit.

3 games

1 goal

3 assists

6.7 ball recoveries per game

2 interceptions per game

All stats via Sofascore.

Arriving at West Ham, Moyes lauded the 28-year-old's "leadership qualities" and technicality, confirming that he would play a big role in the years to come after such splendid work on the south coast

And in the maiden stage of his career in claret, Ward-Prowse has tantalised a starring position, having already netted his first goal and laid off three assists across his first three outings.

Having been praised for his "world-class" qualities by former Southampton manager Nathan Jones, Ward-Prowse ranks among the top 8% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 16% for assists and the top 14% for interceptions per 90, as per FBref, highlighting a dynamic, all-incorporating skill set to provide his squad with quality from multiple angles.

Such talent is showcased through his remarkable free-kick ability, with his 17 goals scored from direct free-kicks bettered only by David Beckham's 18 – the way things are going, the Portsmouth-born ace will likely surpass that tally this term.

Bowen has indeed been the starring presence so far this season, scoring three goals and registering an assist across four games, hailed for his “outstanding” form by journalist Josh Bunting, but while he has been the focal point in offensive movements, it is the £115k-per-week Ward-Prowse who has been the engine to charge the churning Hammers machine.

With his superlative passing skills, tenacious defensive application and metronomic conduit-like presence between defence and attack, Ward-Prowse has risen to the fore already under Moyes' stewardship, and now with a framework to build from, could star in a fantastic season for his new, ambitious outfit.