Kemar Roach, Jason Holder run through England batting line-up, West Indies chase down meagre target

The Report by Valkerie Baynes02-Feb-2019

Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell celebrate the winning moment•Getty Images

West Indies 306 (Bravo 50, Brathwaite 49, Broad 3-53) and 17 for 0 (Campbell 11*, Brathwaite 5*) beat England 187 and 132 (Buttler 24, Holder 4-43, Roach 4-52) by 10 wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFor the second match in a row, England were outplayed in every area as West Indies won the Antigua Test by 10 wickets to claim the series 2-0. While England were left holding out for a hero to stand up with the bat, West Indies have channeled David Bowie, not Bonnie Tyler, to produce multiple heroes throughout the series so far, with a dead rubber in St Lucia to come.Kemar Roach, whose five-wicket haul was instrumental in bowling England out for a first-innings 77 to set up victory in Barbados, and Jason Holder, the West Indies captain who scored an unbeaten double-century to put that win beyond doubt, took four wickets each on day three in Antigua to restrict the tourists to just 132 in their second innings and set their themselves a meagre target of just 14 runs.Fellow fast bowler Alzarri Joseph was also nothing short of heroic, claiming two wickets while mourning the death of his mother overnight. Joseph also took a diving catch off Holder to dismiss England’s last man out, James Anderson, for a duck.West Indies openers Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell reeled in the target in just 13 balls, Campbell bringing up the winning runs with a thumping six off Anderson to sum up the magnitude of his team’s triumph.Brathwaite had helped lay the foundations for West Indies in the first innings, his disciplined 49 alongside Darren Bravo’s tenacious half-century on a pitch that was particularly challenging for the batsmen building a 119-run lead.Holder’s captaincy was also a highlight. He made confident use of the DRS with critical effect, ultimately leading to the dismissals of Joe Root and Ben Foakes in the second innings.England openers Joe Denly and Rory Burns safely negotiated tricky spells either side of lunch but, when Holder brought himself into the attack, his first ball had Burns out to a miscued cut shot that flew straight to Campbell in the slips. Holder struck again to remove Jonny Bairstow. Batting at No. 3 despite standing in for injured wicketkeeper Foakes for the entire 121 overs of West Indies’ first innings, Bairstow drove hard at and missed a ball that clipped the top of off stump.Root was out in dramatic style. Joseph did not appeal despite the wicketkeeper and entire slips cordon, which included Holder, going up in unison for caught behind, with umpire Chris Gaffaney ruling it not out. Holder, convinced he had heard something, called for the DRS which appeared to show ball had brushed glove and the decision was overturned.Joseph, understandably, showed no emotion when he bowled debutant Denly with a neat delivery that angled in to take the top of off stump. Just three balls later, Joseph watched as Campbell grassed a thick edge off Ben Stokes. That meant Stokes and Jos Buttler returned from tea shouldering the responsibility of posting a defensible target, but when Roach bowled Stokes for just 11, the rot set in.Bravo had not played a Test in more than two years before Barbados, where he managed scores of just 2 and 1. But the value of his 50 in Antigua proved immeasurable. It was the slowest half-century by a West Indies batsman in terms of time but in those 342 minutes, Bravo displayed patience and intelligence.He withstood the difficult batting conditions and some searching England bowling, particularly from Broad on the second day, to bring up his fifty off 215 deliveries late in the morning session on day three. On his next ball, however, Bravo succumbed to a stumping by Bairstow off the bowling of Moeen Ali.While Bravo was the only West Indies batsman to reach 50, his first innings combined with 40s from Brathwaite, Campbell and Shai Hope proved to England’s batsmen the difficult pitch could be contended with. The problem for England was – half-centuries to Moeen and Bairstow in the first innings aside – no one could step up when it really mattered.England’s poor Test series record in the Caribbean – with just one triumph (in 2004) since 1968 – continues as a result.

Australia’s Glenn Maxwell and India’s KL Rahul among the top 10 batsmen in the latest ICC rankings update

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Feb-2019Hazratullah Zazai, Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi have not only been helping Afghanistan win T20Is left and right, they’ve also now ensured the team’s representation among the world’s top 10 batsmen, bowlers and allrounders.The latest ICC rankings update had Rashid as the No. 1 bowler in T20Is. He consolidated his place at the top by picking up four wickets in four balls during the final game against Ireland on Sunday. In the previous game, Hazratullah had smashed 162 not out, the second-highest score in T20I history. That innings helped him rise 31 places up the batsmen’s rankings to occupy seventh place. Nabi also had a good time against the Irish, scoring 147 runs at a strike rate of 181 while also picking up two wickets at an economy rate of 7.3. He keeps his No. 3 spot on the allrounders’ table.ALSO READ: Hazratullah Zazai, the Afghanistan Chris GayleGlenn Maxwell’s run-spree this week has enabled him to climb to third place on the batsmen’s rankings. The Australia allrounder struck 56 and 113 to help his side win the two-match T20I series against India.There were some gains for the Indians as well with opener KL Rahul returning to form with 97 runs in two innings. He moved into sixth place while his captain Virat Kohli occupies 17th. Among the bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah, who nearly rewrote the script during the first T20I when he picked up two wickets in the 19th over of the chase, shot up 12 places to stand No. 15 among the world’s best T20I bowlers.

After a near-perfect season last year, Arsenal endured a pretty miserable end to their campaign as they crashed out of the Europa League and saw their Premier League title chances go up in smoke.

However, instead of simply melting away this year – as some predicted they would – Mikel Arteta's men have found themselves right in the middle of another title race, only this time they have the know-how to go one step further.

The Gunners have shown a new maturity this season built upon an impressive defence and gritty midfield, although to really push on, that midfield could do with some reinforcements.

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The north Londoners have been consistently linked with Douglas Luiz since the summer of 2022, but the latest player touted for a move to the Emirates could be an even better fit, Amadou Onana.

Arsenal transfer news – Amadou Onana

According to the Daily Mail, Arsenal are keen to add another midfielder to their ranks in 2024 as they look to cover themselves over Thomas Partey's increasing injury concerns, and while Aston Villa's Luiz remains a target, Everton's Onana is also 'being watched closely.'

The 22-year-old Belgian only joined the Toffees from Ligue 1 side LOSC Lille in the summer of 2022 for £34m, but he has already proven his ability to impact games at the highest level.

Perhaps his best performance of last season came against the Gunners, when Everton fought their way to a 1-0 win over Arteta's side at Goodison Park, largely thanks to the Belgian's imposing presence in midfield.

While displays like this are encouraging to prospective buyers, they have also driven up the price substantially, with Football Insider reporting earlier this year that Everton will not entertain selling their star midfielder for anything less than £70m and with the team's place in the Premier League table, there is unlikely to be much wriggle room on that price.

Amadou Onana could be the perfect alternative to Douglas Luiz

There is no denying that Villa's Luiz is a fantastically talented footballer – his seven goal involvements in 16 league games this season prove so – but with a move for him seeming an impossibility at the moment, Arsenal could do a lot worse than Onana.

In fact, it could be argued that the midfield "monster", as described by football writer Raj Chohan, would be the better option for what the Gunners are looking for.

The former Lille man doesn't necessarily have the same attacking output as the Brazilian, but his ability to disrupt opposing teams and break up play from the midfield is more impressive.

Dubbed a "complete package" and a "true Swiss army knife in midfield" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Onana could be the player that takes Partey's mantle as Arsenal's number six and unlocks Rice to play the left-eight role that was vacated by Granit Xhaka.

When comparing the underlying numbers of Luiz and Onana, it becomes increasingly clear that the Toffees star could be a more practical acquisition as he comes out on top, aside from Progressive passes and carries.

Stats (per 90)

Onana

Luiz

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.31

0.24

Progressive Passes

4.53

4.94

Progressive Carries

0.77

2.27

Tackles Won

1.62

1.56

Tackles + Interceptions

3.25

2.99

Clearances

1.20

0.84

Miscontrols

0.94

1.23

Dispossessed

0.26

0.65

Ball Recoveries

6.75

6.56

Aerial Duels Won

2.99

0.71

All Stats via FBref for the 2023/24 Domestic Season

Where he really shines is in his defensive numbers, utterly dominating the Villa man in aerial duels, tackles and interceptions, and clearances.

Ultimately, while fans might initially view a move for Onana over Luiz as a downgrade, his sheer talent and hard work would win them over in no time at all.

Kylian Mbappe was reportedly left behind by the Paris Saint-Germain team bus after their Champions League defeat to Borussia Dortmund in Germany.

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• Mbappe drew blank in PSG's defeat to BVB
• French star left behind at Signal Iduna Park
• Rejoined his teammates at the airport

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The first leg of the semifinal clash saw PSG falter against Dortmund, with Niclas Fullkrug's first-half goal securing a vital win for the German side. Despite the Parisians' concerted efforts in the second half, they failed to break through Dortmund's resilient defence, leaving Mbappe and his teammates frustrated on the pitch.

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  Following the match, Mbappe found himself stranded at the Signal Iduna Park with the rest of his teammates leaving for the airport. According to the forward appeared for a random drug test which delayed his departure from the stadium. However, he later got reunited with his teammates at the airport for the return journey to Paris.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Mbappe got several opportunities against Dortmund but was denied by the post which added to his disappointment. However, his manager remains upbeat that his troops can turn around the tie with the decisive leg set to be played in Paris next week.

  "In the last two rounds, they had the home game as their second game, whereas it was the other way round for us," he said. "Now it's a different and new scenario, we'll have the crowd on our side in the second leg. I would have liked to create the chances we have created, but you have to be effective to score. We'll see what version we show in Paris."

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  With tensions running high and the pressure mounting, PSG's ability to bounce back from adversity will be put to test next Tuesday by a resurgent Dortmund team who knocked out Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals. Enrique has the full week to prepare his men for the clash as they have no domestic commitments over the weekend.

Nottingham Forest are set to revisit their pursuit of a talented ace in January after previously being keen on his services during the summer, according to a report.

Steve Cooper under pressure

As per The Daily Mail, Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper is still under pressure to retain his job despite his side producing a commendable performance in their 1-1 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend. The stalemate at Molineux ended a run of four consecutive Premier League losses under the Welshman.

However, Tottenham Hotspur visit the East Midlands on Friday and could serve to heap more scrutiny on Cooper's shoulders if they claim three points at the City Ground. According to the outlet, ex-Eintracht Frankfurt coach Olivier Glasner has been earmarked as a potential replacement for the 44-year-old if Evangelos Marinakis decides to pull the trigger on his tenure.

Following the Tricky Trees' draw with the Old Gold, Cooper shared his pride at his side's display and indicated his belief they should've claimed a much-needed victory against Gary O'Neil's side, stating via BBC Sport: "I'm proud of the team, to be honest. It's a game we should have won in terms of chances. If we were to look at the game in isolation, you would see it's a more than satisfactory day in terms of performance and a point on the road."

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Undoubtedly, Cooper is someone who has a lot of credit in the bank at Nottingham Forest; however, the axe can fall on any manager at any given time in the Premier League, making it hard to predict whether he will continue to be in charge for the long-term. He could be eyeing up the January transfer window as a chance to save his job, and the Reds could now go back in for a previous target once the window opens.

Nottingham Forest keen on Federico Gatti

According to reports in Italy via Sport Witness, Nottingham Forest are keen on Juventus defender Federico Gatti, who they previously had an interest in over the summer; nevertheless, Massimiliano Allegri blocked his departure from the Allianz Arena.

Federico Gatti – five most similar players (via FBRef)

Club

Player

Marseille

Chancel Mbemba

Atalanta

Sead Kolasinac

Lorient

Souleymane Toure

Valencia

Mouctar Diakhaby

Newcastle United

Fabian Schar

Everton are also believed to have been attentive to his situation during the last transfer window, and both clubs haven't forgotten about the 25-year-old as 2024 rolls around the corner. Gatti's father spoke about previous speculation regarding his son, stating: "In the summer a couple of English clubs wanted him. I always thought that the Premier League was a type of football suited to him."

Likened to Juventus legend Leonardo Bonucci by Frosinone sporting director Guido Angelozzi, Gatti has made 13 appearances in Serie A this term, registering three goals in the process (Gatti statistics – Transfermarkt), and is clearly battle-tested at the highest level having also played twice for Italy.

Given their slide down the Premier League table in recent weeks, Gatti could be a solid reinforcement that could also help to counteract the prospective departures of Joe Worrall and Scott McKenna, who are both said to have an uncertain future at the club.

Wolverhampton Wanderers face Chelsea in their final match before Christmas and a win would do their confidence the world of good.

Gary O’Neil has led the Old Gold to just one Premier League win since the return of domestic football following the last international break of the year and a couple of victories before the end of 2023 would boost their top half ambitions.

Once they get those games over with, the January transfer window will be in full swing and the 40-year-old coach can concentrate on trying to bolster his playing squad.

O'Neil can land an upgrade on Kalajdzic with Wolves move for £7m "superstar"

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ByRoss Kilvington Dec 20, 2023 Wolves transfer news

The Old Gold have been linked with a few names leading up to the winter window, but perhaps they should reignite a swoop for Norwich City winger Jonathan Rowe next month – having been noted as one of the clubs who are in the race for his signature.

The Molineux outfit had a £15m bid rejected by the Canaries for the youngster towards the end of the summer transfer window and with fellow Premier League side Aston Villa also showing interest in Rowe, now could be their time to strike.

With O’Neil looking to transform his attack, a move for the 20-year-old could potentially work wonders, and he would forge a solid partnership with Hwang Hee-Chan during the second half of the season.

Hwang and Rowe would be an exciting partnership

The 5 foot 10 Championship starlet has been in stunning form during the 2023/24 season thus far.

Across just 22 matches, Rowe has found the back of the net 11 times while chipping in with two assists and this attacking threat means he could add another spark to the Wolves side.

David Wagner, Rowe’s boss at Norwich, lavished praise on him recently, hailing the young talent as a “character” and perhaps a step-up to the top flight could be wonderful for his development.

Rowe has created one big chance and averages 1.1 key passes per game in the second tier along with succeeding with 1.1 successful dribbles per game, and he could be the perfect foil for the South Korean forward.

Hwang has enjoyed a fruitful spell in front of goal under O’Neil. In 17 Premier League matches, the 27-year-old has netted eight times while grabbing two assists, and it is clear he is enjoying his football under the 40-year-old.

The former RB Leipzig forward has also created three big chances, averaged 0.7 key passes per game and succeeded with 1.5 successful dribbles per game, sharing similar statistics to that of Rowe this season.

The duo could be devastating by leading the line at Wolves and with another attacker clearly wanted at the club, the Old Gold should certainly think about reigniting a move for the Championship talent.

A top-half Premier League finish is certainly achievable with his current team, but O’Neil will know that more consistency must be the priority come 2024.

Wins against Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur are all fine and well, but if you can't beat Luton Town or Sheffield United, all the good work has been wasted and this may come back to haunt them at the end of the season.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola shared an update on the fitness of Erling Haaland ahead of a crucial Premier League clash against Wolves.

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Haaland was nursing a muscle problemWas involved in a limited role against ForestCould feature against WolvesWHAT HAPPENED?

The Norwegian striker had been nursing a muscle problem which forced him to sit out in the FA Cup semi-final victory over Chelsea and the 4-0 win away to Brighton. However, he was eased into action against Nottingham Forest and the striker made the most of the opportunity to get on the scoresheet and guided the reigning champions to the three points.

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Guardiola has now shared a positive update on Haaland's fitness and said: "Yes. When everybody is fit they have to be ready. I don't know tomorrow, of course, I have doubts about one or two players. But the rest of the gameplan, what I want to do, I see the last games for Wolves. But he's ready."

Additionally, Guardiola has confirmed the return of Phil Foden, Ederson, and Ruben Dias to the matchday squad after they missed out on the trip to the City Stadium due to illness.

"Phil Foden and Ruben Dias are okay. (Ederson’s injury) looked worse than it is. He trained yesterday and feels good. He could be back against Wolves," he said.

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City got a rare midweek break after they were ousted from the Champions League by Real Madrid. Guardiola hailed the break from continuous action and said: "Good, days off, three really good training sessions. They always train really good. More fresh in the mind, tactics, little details. That is the stage, not much to talk about tactics. Fresh legs, minds, ready for the game for tomorrow."

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As the season nears its conclusion, every match becomes pivotal, and City will be banking on their fully fit squad to deliver the results needed to secure success on multiple fronts. With the return of key players and a renewed focus on preparation, Guardiola's side will be aiming to finish the season on a high note and defend their Premier League and FA Cup titles.

Ricky Ponting is probably the only person in Australian cricket who could call national coach Justin Langer a “control freak” and get away with it.Not only because the pair are such close friends, but also because of the deep empathy and understanding that Ponting holds for difficult task Langer has guiding Australian cricket through an unprecedented phase.Ponting’s care for both his great mate and Australian cricket is a huge part of the reason he’s accepted a part-time role as Langer’s assistant for Australia’s World Cup campaign.”I think it’s been as hard on him as it possibly could be just because of the situation Australian cricket has found itself in with some senior players being out, a lot of changes happening internally,” Ponting said.”Knowing what Justin is like as well, I’m not . . . well I will say it, he’s a bit of a control freak. He wants to make sure that everything is exactly how he wants it to be and that’s the way it should be as the head coach of the Australian cricket team. You should have everything lined up the way you want it. He’s just come into the job at a really difficult time.”That’s what makes it even more exciting for me to get in and get my hands dirty and help him out as much as I possibly can. We are great mates. We know each other really well. We’ll work really well together, I’m sure, if he can put up with me. But no doubt it’s been a tough, but I think I’ll be able to take a bit of that workload away from him when I get involved as well.”The job of Australian cricket coach has escalated to a point where it is becoming almost impossible to manage for one man. Darren Lehmann, who vacated the position post the Cape Town scandal, outlined the enormity of the role while commentating on on Saturday night.”The hardest thing is you’re away 300 days a year,” Lehmann said. “You don’t sleep. Three hours a day was about all you got. You’re worried about the players. You’ve got selection issues going on all the time. You’ve got media, you’ve got board meetings, you’ve got high performance meetings, all these other things going on and you’ve got to try and cater for the six state coaches, the 66 players playing around [the country], the 25 contracted players, three different formats and then you’ve got to keep your family going okay.”Justin, I think, will be a fantastic coach for Australia. He’s got to find out what works for him. At the moment he’s probably not sleeping and not getting the results he would like but he’ll get there.”The bans of Australia’s two best players in Steven Smith and David Warner and one of Langer’s young talents in Cameron Bancroft, the loss of public trust, and the vast fallout that followed only added to the extraordinary pressure and stress levels.Selection during a staggeringly packed summer has also been a hot topic. Something that Lehmann identified as an enormous challenge. “I reckon I watched one Shield game a year for my five years as Australian coach,” he said. “You physically can’t because you’ve got so much going on with the Australian team.”Nothing exemplified this challenge better than January 17 this year. Langer was at the MCG all afternoon helping prepare the ODI team for a series deciding match against India. It meant he was unable to watch newly selected Test aspirants, who were playing Sri Lanka in a tour game Hobart ahead of a Test match a week later, and possible World Cup candidates and 2020 T20 World Cup candidates who were also playing in a BBL game in Brisbane.The addition of Ponting to Langer’s coaching team, albeit for the World Cup only, comes at a critical time. He is the godfather of Australian cricket and his presence, if only for a short time, will unburden the coach and energise the players.It is understood Langer has already used Ponting as a sounding board over the summer but Ponting’s many commitments as a commentator with and coach of the IPL franchise Delhi Capitals meant his council was not always available at short notice. Those lucrative commitments are also unable to be matched by Cricket Australia for Ponting’s services full-time.The challenge for Cricket Australia is how to get Ponting involved more permanently. There was a possibility of the Australian coaching jobs being split towards the end of Lehmann’s tenure with Ponting rumoured to take full control of the T20I side in the lead-up to 2020 before Cape Town scuppered all best-laid plans. But for Ponting the door remains ajar.”There’s a chance to do more, especially around white-ball cricket,” he said. “I don’t think I’d do much around Test cricket for the fact it’s through the summer and obviously my commentary commitments through the summer it makes it hard, but with the World T20 coming up as well, I think I might be able to do a bit more work around the group with that as well.”

Carlos Corberan will be fearing the worst ahead of West Bromwich Albion's trip to Rotherham United tonight, losing to the Millers at the New York Stadium would be the Baggies' third defeat on the spin with injuries stacking up for the West Midlanders at present.

The playoff-chasers will be without Matt Phillips and Jed Wallace in midfield for the game in South Yorkshire, whilst Josh Maja was substituted off in the 2-1 loss to Sunderland last match owing to a knock and looks as if he too will be absent for the contest.

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Kelan Sarson

Dec 11, 2023

Corberan will be scrambling around to decide what starting team he should field for the game tonight, with this predicted XI on the cards as one Baggies dud looks as if he will miss out…

1

GK – Alex Palmer

Alex Palmer will be retained in this starting line-up by Corberan for the trip to Yorkshire, yet to miss a game this season under the Spanish boss.

Palmer was credited with three saves away from conceding twice in the 2-1 defeat to Sunderland as per Sofascore, helping to keep the scoreline respectable at the Stadium of Light.

2

RB – Darnell Furlong

Darnell Furlong is a well-respected figure at the Hawthorns in defence, amassing 172 appearances for the Baggies to date.

This season, he's been largely everpresent under Corberan but wasn't at his best versus the Black Cats – losing possession a grand total of 20 times to consistently put his team under unnecessary pressure.

Still, with two goals and one assist from right-back this campaign, Corberan will hope he can be a creative force against Rotherham United to expose a leaky Millers defence whilst also competently completing his standard defensive duties.

3

CB – Kyle Bartley

Kyle Bartley will also likely start away at Rotherham tonight, the tough centre-back helping his well-oiled side keep seven clean sheets when playing this season.

Still, even the most experienced players have off days as was evident in the 32-year-old's individual performance against Sunderland – substituted off on the 75th minute mark after losing all of his duels.

Despite this poor display, Bartley will be trusted at the back for the trip to Rotherham.

4

CB – Cedric Kipre

Cedric Kipre exited the field of play at the Stadium of Light with his head held high despite the final score, the Ivorian centre-back doing his utmost to thwart Sunderland advancing forward.

Kipre would win six of his nine duels in the 2-1 defeat whilst also winning a combined five interceptions and tackles against the Black Cats.

5

LB – Conor Townsend

Conor Townsend didn't quite cover himself in glory however compared to Kipre's valiant efforts, the Baggies captain putting in an unconvincing shift versus Sunderland.

The 30-year-old was ineffective going forward with one failed cross attempt, whilst Patrick Roberts for the hosts routinely had him on toast with Roberts completing three successful dribble attempts.

He will however start owing to a lack of other options at left-back being readily available, the Baggies skipper eager to show what's truly capable of again at the New York Stadium.

6

CM – Okay Yokuşlu

Okay Yokuşlu will walk back into Corberan's starting lineup for the game at Rotherham tonight after serving a suspension, the Turkish midfielder's stand-in Jayson Molumby was poor throughout the slim Sunderland defeat when gifted a rare first-team appearance.

Molumby failed to impose himself onto the contest with zero tackles registered, whilst further being wasteful venturing forward with two off-target efforts attempted in a dire 60-minute spell on the pitch.

It led to Birmingham Live journalist Joseph Chapman giving Molumby a 5/10 rating for his performance at the Stadium of Light, singling out the midfielder for his "erratic" passing.

Yokuşlu will start ahead of Molumby and make that position his own again, hoping to be a forceful and disruptive presence that can easily nullify Rotherham and help his team get back to winning ways.

7

CM – Alex Mowatt

Alex Mowatt shined where Molumby failed against Sunderland, the former Leeds United man was calm and controlled on the ball with three key passes registered in a bright 90 minutes for the midfielder.

He was also a presence that Sunderland had to keep tabs on defensively, notching up two efforts on Anthony Patterson's goal with one effort having to be blocked.

Mowatt will hope he can be a creative spark again when his team face off against Rotherham United, keen to add another goal or assist to his season tally versus the Millers from a holding role – the 28-year-old credited with a solitary goal and two assists so far after 18 games played.

8

RM – Grady Diangana

Grady Diangana has played in a whole host of positions in attack for the Baggies recently, filling in where needed in the absence of star men Phillips and Wallace in the team.

The ex West Ham United forward has been played recently through the centre as an attacking midfield option on top of playing as a lone striker, but he underwhelmed reverting back to his natural right wing spot against Sunderland.

But, despite failing to hit a single shot on target against the Black Cats in a torrid 60-minute display, Corberan will continue to persist with his out-of-form attacker praying that he flickers back into life soon.

With Rotherham conceding 39 goals this campaign to date – the leakiest defence in the division this season – Diangana could cause the Millers all sorts of havoc at the back if he is firing on all cylinders again.

9

CAM – John Swift

Likewise, John Swift on his day can terrorise Championship defences but the former Chelsea midfielder was nowhere near his best versus Sunderland.

Labelled by Birmingham Live journalist Joseph Chapman as looking "rusty" – an understandable description considering he is just back from a long-term injury lay-off – Swift will need to get back up to speed soon to help his team going forward in crunch matches to come.

Much like Diangana, Corberan will just hope starting Swift against a poor Rotherham side can give him a boost and get him back on the scoresheet after a blistering start to the second-tier season – scoring six times for the Baggies before an injury cruelly intervened.

10

LM – Jeremy Sarmiento

West Brom's on-loan winger has shown flashes of his brilliance this campaign since making the temporary switch from Brighton, his long-range strike against Cardiff City recently a standout moment from his short time with the club.

He was quiet in stark contrast away at the Stadium of Light last time out but showed glimpses again of his immense quality in patches.

Firing three efforts at Patterson's goal in the game, with just one being dangerous enough to require a block, Corberan will hope his loaned-in winger can find the back of the net again in spectacular fashion versus Rotherham to help his team pick up three points.

Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel is set to sign a new contract with the Bavarians, however, he has two demands that may be deal-breakers.

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Tuchel set to remain at Bayern MunichHas two demands before making decisionWants to sign Man Utd's Fernandes and a pivotGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

In February, Tuchel and Bayern announced that they would be parting ways at the end of the season. However, with the Bavarians failing to attract any of their preferred choices to take over from the German, it has now been reported that Tuchel may sign a new deal with Der Rekordmeister to keep him at the club at least for another season. However, he has two demands that, if Bayern reject them, will tempt Tuchel to not sign on the dotted line.

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As reported by The Independent, the former Chelsea boss has asked the club to undertake the signing of Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes. There have been reports of the Portuguese attacking midfielder being unsettled at Old Trafford this season, and that would play very well for Bayern as they may lose Jamal Musiala in the near future with Manchester City very interested in the German's services.

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

The second demand from Tuchel is a top defensive midfielder. The 50-year-old believes that the pivotal point in Bayern's season was when they failed to sign Fulham's Joao Palhinha on last summer's deadline day. Tuchel wants to avoid the same this season and wants a pivot to be brought in as soon as possible.

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WHAT NEXT FOR TUCHEL?

It now seems likely that Bayern will make a massive U-turn this summer and announce the renewal of Tuchel, despite having claimed otherwise multiple times this month. However, the renewal could entirely depend on Bayern's position on Tuchel's demands for the upcoming transfer window.