Jurgen Klopp admits that news of Mohamed Salah picking up an injury on AFCON duty came as an unwelcome “shock” to those back at Liverpool.

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Reds forward away on international dutyLimped out of latest appearanceSet to undergo further medical testsWHAT HAPPENED?

The Egyptian forward is currently away with his country chasing down continental glory at the Africa Cup of Nations. He lasted less than 45 minutes in his latest outing at that event, with the 31-year-old winger limping off in a 2-2 draw with Ghana.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT KLOPP SAID ABOUT SALAH

Egypt boss Rui Vitoria says the problem is not “dangerous”, but Salah is due to undergo medical tests. Klopp has told reporters of learning that a talismanic part of his plans at Anfeld is nursing a knock: “We don't know anything about Mo. I spoke last night with him and (asked) how it is with his injuries. With these injuries they need further assessment, that's what they are doing now and we will know more. In that moment (it happened), it was a shock. I couldn't see it was like he was hit by something high intense and then go down. You can have these hamstring injuries in different ways, be he still felt it. We all know how rarely Mo goes off or needs to go off so it is definitely something, so we will see. There will be ultrasound and MRI and then we will see what Egypt plan. But it's too early.”

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Salah has missed Liverpool’s last two games, and could be absent for five in total. The Reds will not have any of their walking wounded back for a Premier League clash with Bournemouth on Sunday – despite seeing Trent Alexander-Arnold put his knee injury to the test during a visit to the Dolce & Gabbana fashion show in Milan – with Klopp adding: “Obviously he can walk on the catwalk! He is not ready but all are going in the right direction and getting closer. Some of them might be part of team training next week. I don't expect anybody back before then. If nobody else is out before, after Bournemouth and maybe for Fulham, we will see how the boys do but they are all close. Trent is close, Dom (Szoboszlai) is close, Robbo (Andy Robertson) is close. All are going in the right direction.”

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

Alexander-Arnold could be back for the second leg of Liverpool’s Carabao Cup semi-final showdown with Fulham next Wednesday, but the Reds will have to cope without Salah for some time yet as they look to remain in contention for major silverware on four fronts in 2024.

A key feature of Erik ten Hag's Manchester United tenure so far has been the Dutchman's ruthless streak, with the former Ajax boss having notably shown Cristiano Ronaldo the door last season following the striker's bombshell interview with Piers Morgan, while also calling time on David De Gea's 12-year stint at Old Trafford earlier this summer.

The 53-year-old also looks set to allow Harry Maguire to join West Ham United after stripping the Englishman of the captaincy, while Brazilian enigma, Fred, is another who appears to be up for grabs after spending the last five years in Manchester.

It looks as if no one is truly safe from the axe with Ten Hag in charge, with the experienced coach also seemingly set to allow Donny van de Beek to move on before the September deadline, despite the playmaker having thrived under his compatriot during their time together in Amsterdam.

Will Van de Beek leave Man United this summer?

According to recent reports, the 26-year-old has been the subject of interest from Real Sociedad as his nightmare stint in English football looks set to be coming to a close, with the £40m signing having scored just twice and provided only two assists in 60 games in all competitions for the Red Devils.

Read the latest Manchester United transfer news HERE…

Despite previously chipping in with 75 goals and assists in 175 games in all competitions during his time in the Eredivisie, Van de Beek has since been unable to enjoy a consistent run of games since being snapped up by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and co back in 2020, having notably missed the second half of last season after suffering an unfortunate injury blow in January.

In what has been a rather luckless three years for the midfielder, in truth, the one-time Everton loanee has hardly impressed when he has featured in a United shirt, with journalist Samuel Luckhurst suggesting last year that playing the Netherlands international simply "doesn't work".

With Van de Beek likely to be on his way sooner rather than later, it may well provide a chance for Hannibal Mejbri to stake a claim for a more prominent role in the first-team squad, although the Tunisian isn't the only youngster who could be deserving of a promotion, with Isak Hansen-Aaroen also catching the eye of late.

Who is Isak Hansen-Aaroen?

The former Tromso starlet is yet to make a senior, competitive appearance since signing for United back in 2019, although at the age of just 18, the Norwegian maestro still has time on his side to force his way into Ten Hag's thinking over the coming years.

The teenage talent did take his chance to impress during the pre-season encounter with rivals Leeds United last month, with Manchester Evening News journalist Rich Fay writing that the £1.1k-per-week gem was 'direct and dangerous whenever he got on the ball in front of a noisy home crowd'.

That rare outing was followed up by another sparkling cameo against Lyon a week later in Edinburgh, with MEN's Steven Railston also writing glowing about the playmaker's performance, stating: 'His passing was progressive and he looked to initiate attacks whenever in possession.'

Previously part of United's FA Youth Cup-winning side back in 2022, the Norway U19 international has been dubbed a "beautiful footballer" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, with the respected insider also writing that the precocious prospect "has football in his veins".

That has come amid hefty praise from his former Tromso teammate Yttergard Jenssen, who has previously likened Hansen-Aaroen to his compatriot, Martin Odegaard:

"I realised that this was a talented boy already in the first training. He has some skills that are completely raw. He's so playful with the ball. And the way he moves on a football field… There's something artistic about it. He is a bit reminiscent of Martin Odegaard."

While yet to prove himself on the senior stage at the Theatre of Dreams, it would be no surprise if Hansen-Aaroen were to follow in Alejandro Garnacho's footsteps and cement his place in Ten Hag's squad moving forward, with the likely exit of Van de Beek set to leave a space up for grabs in those attacking midfield berths.

Liverpool having been pursuing Romeo Lavia for a while now and it hasn’t been the easiest of transfer sagas. Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor has now given an update on the future of the Southampton midfielder to GIVEMESPORT.

Where will Romeo Lavia move to?

Despite being relegated to the Championship, Southampton are remaining strong and holding out for mouth-watering fees regarding their most valuable assets.

At the heart of this is Romeo Lavia, who has Liverpool on red alert and has done for a while. The midfield turnover at Anfield is well and truly happening with Jordan Henderson and Fabinho both having made the move to Saudi Arabia.

Chelsea have also been linked to the 19-year-old from Brussels, Belgium and if their pursuit of Brighton’s Moises Caicedo proves unsuccessful, then Liverpool could be presented with yet another headache.

Chelsea themselves are looking at wholesale changes in the middle of the park. Conor Gallagher has been linked with a move to fellow Londoners West Ham United as he goes in search of more regular playing time whilst Mason Mount has of course joined Manchester United.

Lavia, who has been hailed as a "shining star", would certainly be a welcome addition to the Chelsea side.

What has Ryan Taylor had to say?

“It's hard to say in the transfer window because as we've seen so many times in the past, something can happen out of the blue within the space of an hour.

"My personal opinion is that if Lavia is to leave Southampton, he's going to be joining Liverpool. I think negotiations are already, I don't want to say advanced as in they are at an advanced stage, but there has been a lot of dialogue between the two clubs.

"Two bids have gone in, both of them have been rejected. There have been talks on the player side with his representatives as well, and Lavia would be happy to move to Liverpool.

"So when I say advanced, I mean a lot more groundwork has been done on the deal, and obviously we know Liverpool have lost Fabinho and Jordan Henderson.

"I say this cautiously, but I don't think Liverpool have anything to fear with a hijack. The only way that becomes the case is if Chelsea categorically decide that Moises Caicedo is too expensive, and then I think Chelsea will move for Lavia.

"But I still see Chelsea getting Caicedo anyway, so I think those two are expected to materialise."

What else is going on at Chelsea?

Chelsea have been one of the most active Premier League teams so far in this summer window whether or not Romeo Lavia moves to Stamford Bridge.

Christopher Nkunku is one of those arrivals but injury may keep him out for a number of months, potentially leading to another attacking signing. Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic is one name in that conversation, having been linked with the Blues previously.

A huge name being tied to Chelsea in the headlines, as per The Guardian, is the one and only Neymar. The Brazilian superstar wants out of Paris Saint-Germain, meaning that the unstoppable triumvirate of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi could all be moved on this year. Neymar is also being linked with a famous return to Barcelona, but could the pull of the Premier League make the difference?

Despite having dominated much of the Tests, South Africa will have to contend with a confident ODI team, without their best player in the format

The Preview by Firdose Moonda31-Jan-2018Big pictureInevitably, everyone wants another Test between South Africa and India after the three-match series ended 2-1, with South Africa dominating the early stages and India getting progressively better. A fourth, maybe even a fifth Test would have been a fitting finale. Instead, six ODIs will take place in the space of 16 days, two of them at the venue South Africa criticised for having a subcontinental style pitch, SuperSport Park.At least the pitches are unlikely to be the source of much discussion in the limited-overs matches with a strong likelihood of flat pitches and big totals. And there’s still a strong contest to be expected – this remains a battle between No.1 and No.2, except now the roles are switched. South Africa are the top-ranked ODI side in the world, though Ottis Gibson continues to stress that it means very little in this format, while India are second with only a point separating the two sides.Rather than focus on widening the gap, South Africa are using this series to mark the start of “Vision 2019,” a catchy name for their campaign to win the World Cup. They’ve set aside the next few months to trial different combinations, so expect to see new faces and funky tactics, with the view to using the time between September and June next year to fine-tune their game plans ahead of a tournament they are desperate to triumph in.India have not even mentioned the World Cup yet. For them, this is more about being able to win a series on this trip. An ODI trophy, especially after South Africa took the series in India in late 2015, will be a prized possession.Form guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa: WWWLL
India: WWLWWESPNcricinfo Ltd

In the spotlightNeither Faf du Plessis nor Gibson are concerned about Quinton de Kock’s form but the rest of South Africa is. With 71 runs in the Test series off the back of a lean domestic twenty-over campaign, de Kock looks out of touch. There are suggestions from the inner circle that he requires a change of lifestyle to bring focus back to his game. Du Plessis and Gibson hope a change of format will do the same thing. They might be right – the last time de Kock made a score of significance was in a fifty-over game when he smashed 168* against Bangladesh last October. He will need a few like that to provide reassurance of his ability.Rohit Sharma had his place questioned during the first two Tests and scored just 78 runs in four innings before being dropped for the third. But in the ODI format, Rohit is the only batsmen in the world to have three double-hundreds to his name, the most recent of which came in India’s series against Sri Lanka, just before they left for South Africa. Rohit remains a white-ball darling, and India will hope his best on this tour is yet to come.Team newsAB de Villiers’ injury opens a spot in the middle-order that du Plessis confirmed will be filled by Aiden Markram, meaning Khaya Zondo will have to wait to make his debut. The rest of the batting is familiar, with JP Duminy coming off a run of good scores in the domestic one-day cup. Lungi Ngidi may have to wait for his first fifty-over appearance if South Africa opt for Morne Morkel, with Imran Tahir likely to start as the sole specialist spinner.South Africa (probable): 1 Hashim Amla, 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Faf du Plessis (capt), 4 Aiden Markram, 5 JP Duminy, 6 David Miller, 7 Chris Morris, 8 Andile Phehlukwayo, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Morne Morkel, 11 Imran TahirIndia seem set to become more flexible with Ajinkya Rahane’s role after having pegionholed him into the opening slot earlier last year. He could be playing at No. 4 given there will be pace on offer throughout the innings in conditions in South Africa and England, where the World Cup will be played. They seem to be set with whom they want at Nos 5, 6 and 7: Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya and MS Dhoni. Another decision they will have to make is whether they play two specialist spinners.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Virat Kohli (capt.), 4 Ajinkya Rahane/ Manish Pandey, 5 MS Dhoni (wk), 6 Kedar Jadhav, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Jasprit Bumrah, 10 Kuldeep Yadav/Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Mohammed Shami/ Shardul ThakurPitch and conditionsDurban’s surface can sometimes be a little slower than others around the country. It will definitely not have the pace of the Highveld venues the teams have just come from. Rain is forecast for the early afternoon but should stop later on, though the cloud cover will remain with temperatures in the early 20s.Stats and triviaThe last time South Africa and India played in a bilateral ODI series against each other was in October 2015. The series see-sawed, but South Africa emerged triumphant in the end, winning 3-2. India have only won five out of 28 ODIs in South Africa, none in Durban. MS Dhoni needs 102 runs to become the fourth Indian batsmen to 10,000 ODI runs.Quotes”AB is not playing this game so Aiden Markram is coming into his place and we’re giving him an opportunity to bat in different places in our batting order. That’s also a great way to evolve your own game, learn different situations at different times and it will be a nice learning curve for him.”

Liverpool's Darwin Nunez beat Mohamed Salah to an impressive 2023-24 milestone with a brace against Bournemouth on Sunday.

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• Nunez netted a brace against Bournemouth
• First EPL player to score 10 goals & provide as many assists this season
• Liverpool thrashed Bournemouth 4-0

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  With his brace on Sunday, which helped Liverpool register an important 4-0 win over Bournemouth, the Uruguayan striker achieved a milestone as he became the first player in the ongoing 2023-24 Premier League season to score 10 goals and provide 10 assists across all competitions.

  He opened the scoring for his side in the 49th minute and then doubled his account in injury time after executing a brilliant first-time volley when latching onto Joe Gomez's cross at the back post.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While Nunez becomes the only player to have 10 goals and as many assists in the current season, when it comes to overall goal contributions from Premier League players, Reds' star Mohamed Salah continues to top the list with 14 goals and eight assists. He is followed by Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins, who has netted nine times and provided 10 assists. Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland has the same number of goals as Salah but has contributed with only four assists thus far.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

  With the win over the Cherries, Jurgen Klopp's side extended their lead over Manchester City to five points at the top of the table. The Reds are now set to take on Fulham in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final clash on Wednesday before facing Norwich City in the FA Cup fourth round on January 28.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
For the second time this series, rain intervened before the match was finished with New Zealand in front. This time, it subsided early enough for further play to be possible, and for Martin Guptill to storm back to form. An explosive innings from the opener – who scored 86 off 71 balls – ensured New Zealand carried a 2-0 lead into into the third ODI at Dunedin with an eight-wicket win.After a two-hour delay, New Zealand’s target was revised from 247 to 151 in 25 overs, with a further 87 required in 11 overs after the resumption. Guptill made it look supremely straightforward, smashing Hasan Ali for consecutive sixes in his first over back. The sixes were hit at will for Guptill – five of them in total – while Ross Taylor provided suitable support. Pakistan fell apart spectacularly in the field, and New Zealand completed the chase with seven balls to spare.AFP

Before the interruption, New Zealand spent much of the game enjoying the upper hand, and barring the salvo of a 49-ball 70 run partnership between Hasan Ali and Shadab Khan, Pakistan couldn’t quite lay claim on any passage of play.Sarfraz Ahmed might have made a different decision at the toss, but that didn’t change how the innings panned out. Pakistan, batting first, turned in another limp batting performance. All five regular bowlers chipped in with wickets, and it was left to Pakistan’s lower order to respond with a magnificent rearguard action as half-centuries from Hasan and Shadab took Pakistan – once tottering at 141 for 7 – to a more presentable 246.

De Grandhomme back in ODI squad

Colin de Grandhomme has been added to New Zealand’s squad ahead of the third ODI against Pakistan. De Grandhomme had missed the series against West Indies, and the first two ODIs against Pakistan following the death of his father. George Worker has been excluded from the squad.
“It’s been a difficult time for Colin and I know the group are excited to catch up with him,” selector Gavin Larsen said. “Everyone has been thinking of him while he’s been away, He’ll play for Auckland on Wednesday and, all going well, will join the team in Dunedin on Thursday.”

The surface in Nelson looked dry, and even Kane Williamson admitted he would have much preferred to bat first, but his opening bowlers didn’t leave him wistful for too long. Tim Southee and Trent Boult were at the openers straightaway, Azhar Ali and Imam-ul-Haq – in for the injured Fakhar Zaman – struggling against generous early swing. At the same time, Boult was dangerous with the short ball, with Azhar survived a caught behind after a review showed it was in fact his helmet that had grazed the ball on the way through to the keeper.Boult wasn’t to be denied in his next over, though. It was the short ball that brought the breakthrough, as Imam was unable to get on top of the bounce, and the pull shot went straight to Colin Munro at square leg.Azhar followed him in the next over. Tim Southee got the wicket in almost identical fashion to the first ODI, Azhar falling over to off stump and missing a straight one that thudded into his pads.Babar Azam played a loose shot unbecoming of the reputation and class to leave Pakistan wobbling at 39 for 3, and it was up to old hands Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez to regroup. A 45-run partnership provided some hope of a Pakistan revival, as the pair began to rotate the strike regularly and use their feet to the spinners. But just as the momentum was shifting, Malik danced down the wicket and hit one straight to long-on.Sarfraz and Hafeez were Pakistan’s last recognised batsmen, but both fell to indifferent shots. Sarfraz’s was shocking, coming down the wicket to a short ball from Todd Astle and getting himself stumped. A few overs later, Hafeez, after compiling 60 classy runs, charged Mitchell Santner in similarly unseemly fashion, only succeeding in chipping to short cover.The innings looked to be petering out well under 200, and it took a whirlwind partnership between Shadab and No. 9 Hasan to restore some competitiveness to the contest. Hasan took charge in their stand, striking four boundaries and four sixes, beginning his assault with successive sixes off Mitchell Santner. Ferguson struck him with a vicious bouncer around the neck, but he wasn’t dissuaded, taking the attack to the quicks as well as New Zealand lost their discipline. Astle went for 21 runs in an over, while Boult bowled two full tosses around waist height – only one of which was called – as the runs began to flow freely.Southee was smashed for 12 in three balls to bring up a 30-ball fifty, but the bowler dismissed Hasan off the next ball. Shadab continued to attack, as Pakistan took 13 off Southee’s final over. Boult wasn’t spared either as a gorgeous cover drive off the left-armer brought up Shadab’s half-century.New Zealand started their chase shakily, Mohammad Amir – looking near his fearsome best – forcing a false shot from Munro to send him back for a duck. Williamson and Guptill restored some order, before a superb diving catch at point from Shadab left New Zealand at 47 for 2.Pakistan may have felt they were right back in the game, before the rain break. By the time the rain subsided, Guptill appeared to be a different batsman, one against whom a lackadaisical Pakistan stood no chance.

Alex Hales, the England opening batsman who was present at the arrest of Ben Stokes in Bristol in September, will mark his return to action this week

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Dec-2017Alex Hales, the England opening batsman who was present at the arrest of Ben Stokes in Bristol in September, will mark his return to action this week when the inaugural Ten10 League gets underway in the UAE.Hales had been withdrawn from England selection by the ECB following the incident outside Mbargo nightclub on September 25, in which Stokes was allegedly caught on camera throwing punches at two men. Both players missed the final two ODIs of the English season, against West Indies at The Oval and the Ageas Bowl, with Stokes subsequently being withdrawn from England’s Ashes squad.However, Hales was informed last week that he was no longer under police investigation and, having been named in England’s ODI squad to tour Australia and New Zealand in the New Year, he was granted a No-Objection Certificate by the ECB to play for Maratha Arabians in the T10 League.”I was disappointed not to be out there on the [Ashes] trip,” Hales told reporters in Dubai. “But if I was out there, obviously I wouldn’t be here. When one door closes, another one opens.”England’s Ashes campaign remains tainted by the fall-out from the Bristol incident, with the team not only 2-0 down in the series, but facing endless questions in the media about their off-field behaviour, in the wake of the headline-generating antics of Jonny Bairstow and Ben Duckett in a bar in Perth.Hales, however, refuses to write off their hopes of a comeback, in spite of Australia’s daunting record at the Waca in Perth, a venue where they have beaten England in each of their last seven Tests.”They definitely have got it in them, but it is going to be tough,” Hales said. “The Waca is one of Australia’s best ground for them to play at home. But the guys are tough. I know them all really well as a team, and they are tough individuals.”I think they missed out at Adelaide, because they had chances to win the game there. They will know that.”I don’t see why they can’t turn it around in Perth, and suddenly at 2-1, it is anyone’s for the taking.”In the meantime, Hales is preparing to take a leap into the unknown with the T10 League. It is a format that he hopes will suit his hard-hitting game, but he admits, the pressure to keep the scoreboard moving will be intense.”Being tall with long arms helps me get under the ball, so I’ve got some things in my favour,” he said. “But there will be more pressure because you haven’t got as long to get in as you usually would.”In T20, if you face two or three dot balls, you have a little bit of time to build your innings, but 10 overs will creep up on you very quickly.”

The board has not begun planning the event yet, but it has taken the preliminary step of blocking out a three-week slot in August and September 2019

Andrew Fidel Fernando13-Dec-2017Sri Lanka Cricket hopes to revive the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) – or a similar showpiece T20 tournament – by the end of 2019.The board has not begun planning the event yet, but according to the latest version of the FTP, it has taken the preliminary step of blocking out a three-week slot in August and September 2019. This will give SLC the option of hosting such a tournament, should an array of other factors – a broadcast deal included – come together.”We have talked about having a tournament like SLPL, but there is nothing concrete yet,” an SLC official said. “It’s something we are looking at because in addition to giving our players a lot of exposure in T20, it can also help our finances. But we are just speculating at the moment.”The challenges that hosting a profit-making T20 tournament entail will not be lost on the board. The SLPL concept has already failed under a previous administration, which held a poorly-received tournament in 2012. That tournament was also beset by fixing rumours – Lasith Malinga having reported a suspicious approach at the time.The following year’s iteration of the SLPL was cancelled weeks before it was due to be played, and no similar tournament has been organised since.Among the particular difficulties SLC may face if it schedules a T20 tournament in August and September 2019 is attracting foreign talent. Not only are England and Australia set to be playing each other during that time, the Caribbean Premier League is also scheduled for those months.

A potentially major update has surfaced for Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp and co work fervently to rectify the issues in the transfer market and secure a first-class new holding midfielder.

Who are Liverpool going to sign?

Chelsea have beat Liverpool to the signings of both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia recently in a remarkable show of strength and incisiveness, and the Reds now need to move with their own swiftness to reaffirm their own guile.

The Anfield side have compiled a shortlist of options, with Fulham's Joao Palhinha and Crystal Palace's Cheick Doucoure believed to be the most coveted names.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

The latter, Doucoure, is likely the primary target, with the Independent confirming on Wednesday afternoon that the Malian midfielder could be available for less than £60m, and that while the Eagles are wary of losing too many players this summer, Liverpool are stepping up their efforts to secure his signature.

How good is Cheick Doucoure?

There is much to lament about Liverpool's transfer strategy this year, and it's unequivocally true that sporting director Jorg Schmadtke could have handled the recent events with more conscientiousness.

Saudi Arabian sides swooped for defensive midfielder Fabinho and captain Jordan Henderson to compound the departures of midfield trio James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose contracts concluded in June.

This is not to say that such outgoings were not necessary, rather, an illustration of the smoother road that could have been taken; Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have both penned deals with the club, but the squad currently feels thin.

Resting on their laurels is not an option, and the powers that be must now throw the kitchen sink to secure Doucoure's services, with the 23-year-old impressing for Crystal Palace since completing an initial £18m transfer to Selhurst Park from French side RC Lens one year ago.

The £60k-per-week machine is a first-class ball-winner, ranking among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for interceptions per 90, as per FBref – for comparison, Fabinho ranks only among the top 34% after his "awful" season, as was said by Jamie Carragher.

This strengthening of the formidability of the midfield would only improve the performances of those around, and Doucoure, who has been described as "the complete holding midfielder" by former boss Patrick Vieira, could play to £60m man Szoboszlai's qualities.

The Hungarian midfielder has been lauded as a "magician" by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his technicality and flair, and ranks among the top 15% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 10% for shot-creating actions and the top 16% for progressive passes per 90.

He also ranks among the top 5% for blocks and the top 14% for clearances per 90, which could pay dividends for Doucoure's progress on Merseyside, with such a robust and industrious midfield partner easing his workload.

Liverpool have fallen by the wayside, but the new season signifies an apt opportunity for meaningful, impactful change, and now is the time to steal a swoop for Doucoure and enhance Liverpool's midfield.

In a bizarre turn of events, the BCCI website (www.bcci.tv) went blank on a memorable weekend for Indian cricket because someone failed to pay the renewal fee for the domain registration. And that someone happens to be Lalit Modi, who’s been a persona-non-grata for the BCCI for close to five years.The site went down while India’s Under-19 team was winning the junior World Cup on Saturday and the blackout lasted for nearly 24 hours, during which the seniors drubbed South Africa to take a 2-0 lead in the ODI series. And the BCCI officials could do nothing but wait because the domain is owned by Modi, who was banned by the board in 2013 and has been living in London since then as various government agencies pursue cases of financial irregularities against him.The story dates back to 2007 when, in an illustration of how the board operated then, Modi, who was then one of the board’s vice-presidents, registered numerous domains on behalf of the BCCI’s various properties including the IPL under his own name instead of BCCI’s.According to a BCCI official, Modi registered almost 100 domains and got the costs reimbursed by the board.Modi, speaking to ESPNcricinfo, denied that he had been reimbursed for the domains.* The money he got from the BCCI was solely for the third-party content that was hosted on the board’s website a decade ago, he said: “I got reimbursed only for the content that was managed by a third party, which I had paid for.”According to Modi, in 2006 there was an offer made by a third party, which wanted to sell the domain name bcci.com. However the BCCI, Modi said, did not want to buy that domain. “Then they wanted [to] use bcci.tv, which they are using. I pay for the servers. I am not taking their money.”I registered many, many websites under my names. I paid for them, I ran them.” He pointed out that he had been in the business of buying and owning domain names well before he came to the BCCI. In 1997, he had bought the domain name Indian Cricket League, which was eventually used by the unsanctioned T20 league owned and operated by the Zee Group.Modi said the BCCI has since approached him to buy the IPL website (www.iplt20.com) off him, but he refused to sell. “They can’t force me to sell my website.”Following the removal of Modi in 2013, the BCCI had approached the Bombay High Court to reclaim the domains while accusing Modi of breach of trust. The court said that pending a final decision, all the payments for the various domain accounts should be put on auto-renewal on a credit card owned by Modi.According to the BCCI official it was likely that Modi had changed the credit card and hence the payment was rejected. By late Sunday the website was functioning once again, although users continued to face issues outside of India.The BCCI official said that as soon as a red flag was raised late on Saturday, it chased Modi, who assured it that the payment would be done. The board official also said without the court taking a final decision, the BCCI was helpless if any such issue flared up in future. “The court has said that till a final order is given on the ownership [of the BCCI domain names] Lalit Modi will need to provide for the services of the websites,” the official said. “So the onus to renew is on them [Modi].”Modi said this shutdown was merely a case of a clerical error: “It was not my payment. It was going through a sub-agent who had issues with his card.”*