Manchester United have "discussed" signing Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, however the move is nowhere near as advanced as reports have suggested, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Is Sofyan Amrabat joining Man United?

There have been reports that Amrabat has packed his bags ahead of a move to Old Trafford, as he believes Man United and Fiorentina are close to reaching an agreement, after an offer of £21.5m was made for his services last week.

That bid was just shy of the Italian club's asking price, which is believed to be £26m, however the midfielder is confident a deal will be struck in the coming days, so he has started to prepare for a move to Manchester.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has recently confirmed that "conversations" have been held with the Moroccan's camp, with the player himself "open" to a move to Old Trafford, but he does not believe it is close to being a done deal.

That viewpoint is shared by Jacobs, who recently told GiveMeSport that while United have expressed an interest in the 26-year-old, the move is nowhere near as close as has been suggested by the media.

The journalist said: “So, it is true that a defensive midfielder is a possibility in terms of the position that Manchester United may look to strengthen next, should they get Rasmus Hojlund over the line and Sofyan Amrabat is on the list.

“But I’m still not aware, despite the reports, of any bid or anything imminent on the Amrabat front. So, it’s fair to say that the player is there and has been discussed by Manchester United, but I don’t actually think that it’s as far along or as focused as perhaps being reported by others.”

How good is Sofyan Amrabat?

The Red Devils were keen on signing the Morocco international during the January transfer window, having been impressed by his performances for the Atlas Lions at the World Cup, however they instead opted to sign Marcel Sabitzer.

Journalist Charlie Parker-Turner was also wowed by the central midfielder's performances out in Qatar, saying: "Sofyan Amrabat is in the conversation for Player of the Tournament. Unbelievable warrior of a midfielder."

Not only has the maestro impressed at international level, he has also put in some top-quality performances for Fiorentina, averaging a pass success rate of 89.2% in the Serie A last season, the second-highest of any midfielder to play over 1500 minutes.

However, there may be some justified concerns about the lack of attacking threat posed by the Fiorentina ace, who has failed to score a non-penalty goal in the past year, while his defensive attributes can also be called into question.

The World Cup star ranks in just the 32nd percentile for tackles, and the 42nd percentile for interceptions per 90 over the past year, indicating he may not be as solid a defensive midfielder as Man United fans were hoping for.

Of course, Amrabat has proven he is capable of performing at the top level, with journalist Greg Lea describing him as the "heartbeat" of the Morocco side that reached the semi-finals of the World Cup, but there are question marks over whether he is good enough for the Red Devils.

Newcastle United's transfer window is close to bolting its latch, with manager Eddie Howe and technical director Dan Ashworth plying some impressive work over the past few months.

Playmaker Sandro Tonali has completed a £55m transfer from AC Milan, Leicester City have allowed winger Harvey Barnes to make a £39m move to Tyneside after their Premier League relegation and Southampton (also relegated) have sold Tino Livramento for £40m.

Allan Saint-Maximin has departed for Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli, and while the Magpies will be ready and raring after qualifying for the Champions League this year, one more offensive signing looks to remain on the cards…

Who are Newcastle going to sign?

According to Turkish-Football, United have been in negotiations with Galatasaray forward Nicolo Zaniolo's agents all summer and are considering meeting the player's £30m release clause.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

However, transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Newcastle's Premier League rivals Aston Villa have registered a concrete interest following a recent ACL injury to Emi Buendia.

How good is Nicolo Zaniolo?

While Zaniolo has not enjoyed the most seamless career to date, it's easy to see why European outfits such as Newcastle and Villa are eager to add him to the ranks, with the Italian's cutting edge and dynamism blending to create a truly deadly attacking outlet.

Zaniolo suffered a nightmare period in 2020 where he endured two ACL injuries himself, but has since rebounded and has caught the eye of many top outfits looking to add an extra dimension to their frontline ahead of the looming campaign.

Described as a "lethal playmaker" by journalist Zach Lowy, the 13-cap Italy international scored five times in the Turkish Super Lig despite only joining from Roma in February and starting two matches.

This follows on from the previous campaign where he scored eight goals and supplied nine assists for Jose Mourinho's Serie A outfit, netting the winning goal in the Europa Conference League final against Feyenoord.

Zaniolo also ranks among the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for total shots taken and the top 14% for touches in the attacking box per 90, as per FBref, illustrating his prowess at finding dangerous openings to sink the opposition with regularity.

Barnes is listed as a comparable player to the £76k-per-week gem, and Howe might actually be wise to make a move for a similar profile and provide healthy competition for his thriving squad.

Indeed, Barnes enjoyed an impressive campaign on an individual level despite the Foxes' relegation to the second tier, having scored 13 goals from 34 Premier League matches and earned praise for his presence as a "livewire" by pundit Alan Hutton.

As such, Barnes now ranks among the top 7% of positional peers for goals per 90, and while his clinical ability will bolster Newcastle's attacking impetus, given that the club will be looking to compete across four competitions this year, spreading the workload could be imperative.

Once dubbed a “frightening talent” by journalist Ben Jacobs, Zaniolo could shoulder the burden considerably, offering a different slant but maintaining Barnes' goalscoring knack, and both players could consequently thrive and take the next step in their development.

Following the exit of Riyad Mahrez this summer, Manchester City are reportedly targeting a right winger, as their Premier League title defence edges closer and closer.

Pep Guardiola has already welcomed Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol this summer, and the treble winners don't look to be done there in the summer transfer window.

What's the latest on Jeremy Doku to Manchester City?

Replacing Mahrez is no easy task, given his output of 15 goals and 13 assists last season, but Manchester City have reportedly identified their man.

According to Mike McGrath of The Daily Telegraph, the Champions League winners are eyeing a move for Stade Rennais winger Jeremy Doku this summer.

City are reportedly yet to make an offer for the winger this summer, who Rennes value at between €50m (£43m) and €60m (£52m) if they were to allow the sale in the coming weeks.

It looks set to be a busy end to the transfer window for Guardiola, given the Doku reports, combined with the fact that City have had a verbal approach of £70m rejected for West Ham United's Lucas Paqueta, as per Fabrizio Romano, who reported that the Brazilian wants a move to The Etihad.

Of course, it is key to point out that it does not seem to be the case of picking one of Paqueta and Doku, but instead a case of each player plugging holes in different areas of City's system.

Doku would come in as a Mahrez replacement, for example, whilst Paqueta would likely replace Ilkay Gundogan, who left on a free deal to Barcelona at the end of last season.

Both deals are certainly ones to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.

How good is Jeremy Doku?

Still only 21-years-old, bringing Doku to the club to work under Guardiola would represent solid business from Manchester City. We've seen the likes of Mahrez, Raheem Sterling, and Leroy Sane star under the guidance of the Spaniard, and now it could be Doku's turn.

Statisticially speaking, the Belgian even outperformed Mahrez in some aspects last season. According to FBref, Doku made more progressive passes, had more progressive carries, and had almost double the take-on success of Mahrez per 90 in astonishing stats for a player still so young.

Of course, the winger's general output can be improved, with just seven goals and four assists to his name last season, but in a side of City's calibre, those numbers should naturally rise, especially if assisting Golden Boot winner Erling Haaland.

Doku has rightly earned plenty of praise during his time in France, with Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig Tweeting a number of stats, before saying back in February: "20 years of age. The Belgian Flash. Such a superb player when fit."

Lightening quick, his injury history, as pointed out by Kulig, may be a slight concern, after the winger missed 11 games through three injuries last season, but City may still decide to take the risk, given his clear ability.

As the end of the transfer window looms, City look set to be incredibly busy.

استطاع فريق النصر السعودي تحقيق فوز كبير على نظيره الوحدة بنتيجة 6-0، بالمباراة التي أقيمت اليوم السبت ببطولة دوري روشن.

والتقى النصر مع الوحدة على أرضية استاد الأول بارك، في خضم مواجهات الجولة الـ30 من الدوري السعودي “دوري روشن”.

وسجل كريستيانو رونالدو الهدف الأول في الدقيقة 5 من عمر الشوط الأول، بعدما استغل خطأ الحارس منير المحمدي أثناء محاولته تمرير الكرة ونجح في قطع الكرة ثم وضعها داخل الشباك.

طالع أيضاً.. ترتيب هدافي الدوري السعودي بعد هاتريك رونالدو أمام الوحدة

وفي الدقيقة 12 أحرز كريستيانو رونالدو الهدف الثاني، بعد تمريرة عرضية من مارسيلو بروزوفيتش استقبلها البرتغالي برأسية سكنت الشباك.

وأضاف أوتافيو إيدميلسون الهدف الثالث في الدقيقة 18، بعد تمريرة طولية من ساديو ماني استلمها أوتافيو داخل منطقة الجزاء بتسديدة داخل المرمى مباشرة.

وتقدم ساديو ماني بالهدف الرابع في الدقيقة 45 من الشوط الأول، بعد عدة تمريرات بين أوتافيو وماني ثم سدد الأخير الكرة من على حدود منطقة الجزاء سكنت الشباك. 

وتابع كريستيانو رونالدو تألقه في المباراة وأحرز الهدف الخامس في الدقيقة 52، بعد تمريرة من ساديو ماني استلمها رونالدو داخل منطقة الجزاء ثم سددها داخل الشباك.

وأضاف محمد آل فتيل الهدف السادس في الدقيقة 88،  بعد تسديدة قوية من مشاري فهد ارتدت من القائم الأيمن ثم تابعها محمد آل فتيل بتسديدة سكنت الشباك.

بتلك النتيجة يحتل النصر وصافة جدول ترتيب الدوري السعودي برصيد 74 نقطة، بينما يتواجد الوحدة بالمركز الثاني عشر، ولديه 32 نقطة. أهداف مباراة النصر والوحدة في الدوري السعودي

Jack Leach began the season with a remodelled action and doubts about his effectiveness. He finished it with 50 Championship wickets as he bowled Somerset to safety

George Dobell at Taunton28-Sep-20171:11

ECB officer explains ‘below average’ Taunton pitch rating

Of course it was spin that sealed Somerset’s victory. And of course it was Jack Leach who took the final wicket.Less than a year after his career was threatened by suggestion that his action was not legal, Leach clinched his fourth five-wicket haul of the campaign to secure his side’s third victory in the final four games of the season. As a result, he passed 50 wickets in the season and Somerset avoided relegation. Matt Maynard, Somerset’s departing director of cricket, said he “couldn’t make sense” of the decision not to take him to the Ashes.Leach wouldn’t see many pitches like this in Australia, of course. Pitches where spinners open the bowling in three of the four innings and take all 10 wickets in the fourth innings. Somerset have made a point of preparing such surfaces in the last couple of years and, in Leach and Dom Bess, they have two bowlers well equipped to take advantage.The Somerset players took a lap of honour at the end of the game. It wasn’t so much a sign that they were content with their low position in the table; more a reflection of their relief in retaining their decade-long stay in Division One (no side in the land will have been in the top division so long when the 2018 starts) and gratitude to their 2000 supporters. Cricket still matters in Taunton.This pitch was marked “below average” by the Cricket Liaison Officer (CLO), Wayne Noon, as it showed signs of “excessive turn” from the start. Crucially he could not see any uneven bounce on days one or two. As a result there will be no points deduction and Somerset’s place in Division One is assured.That isn’t quite the get out of jail free card it might appear. The ECB regulations state that, should a pitch be marked “below average” twice within a 12-month period in the same competition, penalties can be applied. While Somerset have not had another such mark this season, they will, Noon said “have to be very mindful” of their surfaces in 2018.There is a slight caveat to all this. Phil Whitticase, a senior CLO, will arrive in Taunton on Friday and conduct a further investigation into the pitch. He will, as part of that investigation, speak to the umpires and the groundsman and it remains theoretically possible that he will increase the penalty. He could also decrease it.But it would be a major surprise – and an astounding own goal from the ECB – if they should, for the second season in succession, alter the table after the campaign has finished and change the relegation positions. But, not so long ago, it seemed impossible that a hotel magnate with comic hair would become US president; life is full of surprises and not all of them are good.Adam Voges, the Middlesex captain, was frank in his assessment of the pitch. “We knew we’d get a spinning wicket,” he said. “And I’ve no problem with teams preparing pitches to suit their strengths.”But we were surprised by how much disturbance there was before a ball was bowled. There was excessive spin from ball one. There were rake marks at both ends. There should be a line and whether that line was crossed is the match-referee’s decision.”He remains more upset by the two-point deduction for a slow over rate following the crossbow incident at The Oval last month. He feels his team were assured by officials at the time that the nature of the incident would be taken into account and no penalty levelled.”It was such an extraordinary circumstance,” he said. “We had every intention to rectify our over rate and were assured at the time that it wouldn’t be an issue. Whether there is anything that can be done now is up to the administrators.”Voges admitted, though, that to leave themselves in a position where they were hurt by such moments was a reflection of their disappointing cricket over the course of the season. Champions in 2016, they end 2017 with rumours of deep dressing-room discontent. They still look a very strong side on paper, though, and might reflect in time that they have simply been victim to a league which relegates a quarter of its participants a season. Over-reaction would probably be an error.”You look at the season as a whole and it’s obviously been disappointing,” Voges said. “It’s not just the last week or the last month.”It took less than two hours to wrap-up victory on the final day. Leach and his fellow left-arm spinner, Roelof van der Merwe, utilised the conditions expertly with the latter finishing with career-best figures. Leach, in particular, bowled beautifully with his subtle and wonderfully disguised changes of pace causing many of the problems. And, for all the talk about this pitch, it wouldn’t have raised an eyebrow in Asia. England really don’t play spin very well.Marcus Trescothick salutes the crowd after Somerset secured Division One status•Getty Images

Leach may yet feature in the Ashes. He can expect to be named in the Lions party that will train in Perth as the Test series is played and, should anything befall Moeen Ali, could well be called into the Test squad if required.”I’d prefer to see him there instead of Mason Crane,” Maynard said. “Crane can’t get into the Hampshire side all the time. I can’t understand it. If he gets called into the team he won’t know anyone there. They’ve missed a trick in not picking him”One thing is sure: for Leach to recover from the low he was in only a few months ago is testament to impressive resilience. To re-model an action without missing a game and then emerge as a better, more skilful, more mature bowler bodes well for his future.He had, he admits, some “dark moments” on the Lions tour of the UAE last winter. There were times, as he tried to bowl with his new action, when he feared he might never recapture the bite and consistency of previous days. Just nine months later, he is back to winning games for his side and pushing for an England spot.”I’ve shown good resilience,” he said. “Something like that can’t be fixed overnight and, from a mental perspective more than technical, there were some dark moments on that tour. I wanted to make a really good impression but it was hard.”Now I look back on it as part of the journey. I think I’m probably a better bowler now. I can bowl a bit quicker and I’ve learned a lot. About myself and my action. At the start of the season I wasn’t sure if I could keep doing this, so to have finished with more than 50 wickets…. Yes, I’m proud of how I’ve reacted to the challenges. It was tough.”Leach was one of eight academy products in this Somerset side. Well, academy or equivalent. They didn’t have academies when Marcus Trescothick was growing up. Hell, they didn’t even have the Quantocks. But it means that Maynard’s successor – and it still seems likely that Andy Hurry will be named as such next week with Jason Kerr as his deputy – inherits strong foundations ahead of next season.”I’d love to have stayed and seen the project through,” Maynard said. “We did have discussions about me doing the head coach role, but decided there could be friction if I didn’t agree with the new director of cricket. So a settlement was agreed and we part very amicably. The club have handled it well.”The club have undergone quite a transition under Maynard. The over-reliance upon imports has improved and the trust in home-grown youth has improved. And it was his idea that Trescothick, at slip, should field on his knees to the spinners in certain circumstances. “When the ball is dying, we felt he could get that bit lower,” he explained. It wasn’t, perhaps, a perfect stay but the club went within an ace of winning that elusive first Championship title a year ago. Memories in cricket have never been shorter.It transpires the review of the club structure was led by James Taylor, the England batsman who retired through illness at the start of last season, who felt it was necessary to employ a head coach and director of cricket. Maynard, who described cricket as his passion, will now consider more “backseat” roles such as batting consultancy positions. He is unlikely to be without offers for long.So, Somerset will play in Division One in 2018. And that means Trescothick could yet fulfil that Championship-winning dream. If he does, it would be a success popular far beyond the borders of the county.

Wolverhampton Wanderers head into their opening Premier League tie against Manchester United in a far from ideal position.

Julen Lopetegui left the club by mutual consent following a summer of unrest with regard to transfer activity (or lack of) and the Old Gold have made just two signings thus far, with Matt Doherty and Tom King arriving.

Ruben Neves and Conor Coady are the high profile departures, leaving for £47m and £8.5m respectively and Gary O’Neil will need to find replacements for these two players as soon as possible.

The Molineux outfit have shown interest in defender Nico Elvedi throughout the transfer window, yet no move has materialised, but could a breakthrough be found in the coming weeks?

Could Wolves sign Nico Elvedi?

Borussia Mönchengladbach manager managing director Roland Virkus gave an update earlier this week regarding the future of the defender, saying:

“After 8 years, Nico has expressed the desire to do something different. We are in talks with clubs. There will certainly be a decision in the next two weeks. I can't rule anything out, but I think there will be an agreement."

This could give Wolves a major boost in their bid to lure the player to the Midlands. The £49k-per-week titan has interest from elsewhere, but O’Neil will be confident the lure of the Premier League will work in his favour.

Could Nico Elvedi replace Conor Coady?

Coady spent the entirety of last season on loan at Everton, playing 24 league games as the Toffees struggled near the bottom of the table for practically the whole campaign.

His presence was missed in the Midlands as Wolves conceded 58 goals, which was 15 more than the term before when Coady was marshalling the defence.

It’s clear a heir must be found for the Englishman heading into the 2023/24 campaign in order to galvanise the Wolves defence.

Elvedi could be an ideal candidate, especially with his vast experience in the Bundesliga which has spanned eight seasons and a total of 230 matches in one of the strongest leagues in Europe.

The Swiss centre-back enjoyed a solid season for the German side last term. He ranked first across the whole for accurate passes per game (61.4), while ranking fourth for tackles (1.4), third for interceptions (1.1) and first for clearances (4.5) per game, showcasing his defensive acumen while proving that he can also circulate the ball to a high standard.

Indeed, the “solid” 26-year-old – as lauded by scout Antonio Mango – was among one of the finest players on the continent with regard to his passing ability, ranking in the top 6% when compared to his positional peers for pass completion percentage (91.4%) per 90.

This suggests he could transition the ball between defence and attack with ease and potentially create more chances for Wolves in the process.

Coady was missed last season, and it was perhaps surprising to see him depart this summer following 317 appearances for the Old Gold. All good things have to come to an end however and O’Neil could find a perfect heir to the Englishman by luring Elvedi to the club in the next week or so.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
1:29

Muzumdar: Haven’t seen India this intense in a dead rubber

India took back their No. 1 ODI ranking by shackling Australia after yet another good start and then chasing down the possibly tricky 243 with apparent ease. India won the series 4-1 – a reversal of the scoreline in the ODIs in Australia early last year – with just one century from their batsmen, that too in the last innings by Rohit Sharma, but a third successive hundred-run opening partnership between Rohit and Ajinkya Rahane.India won the final match on the dry and slow Nagpur track through spin. India’s spinners pulled back a bolted horse, conceding 134 for 4 in 30 overs between them; Australia’s Adam Zampa released all the pressure exerted by the quicks with the new ball, conceding 48 in six insipid overs before getting Rohit out with a long hop when the match was over for all practical purposes.For a change, Marcus Stoinis and Travis Head staged half a recovery from the strikes of the spinners, but the returning Jasprit Bumrah put in a stellar spell of death bowling, removing Stoinis, bowling a maiden in the 45th over, not conceding a single boundary in his last six overs.Australia went from 100 for 1 to 118 for 4 to 205 for 4 to their eventual total, which was not straightforward on this pitch. However, Rohit and Rahane absorbed the good spells from Nathan Coulter-Nile and Pat Cummins at the top, before cashing in on the absence of the unwell Kane Richardson and the error-prone spin.India, too, had to contend with the illness of Yuzvendra Chahal, but Kuldeep Yadav proved to be a more than fitting replacement, Axar Patel returned another impressive set of figures of 3 for 38, and for the first time in his career, Kedar Jadhav bowled his full allotment of 10 overs. He also kickstarted the first collapse by adding Steven Smith to the illustrious list of batsmen he has dismissed, which includes Kane Williamson, David Warner, Angelo Mathews and Tamim Iqbal among others.This had come after yet another rapid start by Aaron Finch and David Warner, who seemed mindful that batting was going to get difficult once spin came on. In striving for quick runs before the inevitable slowdown, Finch took one risk too many and fell to Hardik Pandya in the 12th over. Smith and Warner added 34, but Smith, who seems to have allowed the frustrations of leading a flattering side creep into his batting, played a frustrated sweep after Jadhav had gone for 11 in his first three overs. The almost underarm delivery came slowly and bounced little. Smith didn’t even wait to check with Warner if he should review the lbw decision.There would have been lots the two could have discussed in the dressing room when Warner soon miscued an intended chip over midwicket to give Axar his first wicket. The frustration that singles weren’t coming easily enough showed in the aerial shots attempted. Warner had attempted it after reaching his fifty, but Peter Handscomb did so even before getting his eye in. The big sweep dragged from wide outside off only produced a fatal top edge.Watching in the balcony, Smith couldn’t hide his exasperation. You couldn’t blame him. You know how ugly these Australian collapses can get. With more than half the innings to go, you wondered if they would even play the whole 50 overs out. Stoinis and Head, though, staged a recovery. They played Jadhav only down the ground, with Stoinis taking the odd risk every now and then. Stoinis did enjoy some good fortune, as he edged Axar three times without getting caught. Two of these went between MS Dhoni and Rahane, who stood a touch too wide at slip, with his left foot outside the return crease.Stoinis began to look dangerous as the last 10 overs approached. He hit Jadhav for a four and a six in his last over, and then went after Kuldeep in the 40th. Before signing off, though, Axar sent back Head with a fast yorker, which Head had already premeditated to sweep. Then it was all down to Bumrah, who first produced just enough movement to trap Stoinis and then handcuffed the rest. Only two boundaries came in the last 10 overs, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar playing an able supporting role to Bumrah.The value of these last few overs cannot be overstated. That even 242 was tricky showed in how Rohit struggled to get his timing for a long time. He didn’t score a run off the first 14 balls he faced. He tried an ungainly heave off the 14th. Had the asking rate been higher, would he have been able to take his time and pick his targets?How well Rohit picked his targets, though. Not one of the first 14 balls was pitched up to him. He was clearly looking uncomfortable, but when the 15th one was in his driving arc, he caressed it to the right of mid-off. The next full ball went sailing over mid-off. Coulter-Nile, the highest wicket-taker of the series, and Pat Cummins tested the openers, but ran out of support.As the bowling errors piled on, the India openers delighted the capacity crowd in the outskirts of Nagpur. If Rahane drove on the up through covers, Rohit managed to somehow find enough timing on this low pitch to punch a short ball for a six over long-on. Twice. Despite a slow start to the series, Rohit now topped the runs chart. If there was one blemish on the victory, it was that despite his fourth straight half-century, Rahane once again perished the moment he tried to look for a higher gear.

On paper, a midfield three of Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum, and Fabinho is one that you’d find in a Premier League top-four race. In reality, however, it is one that dominated Europe; one that welcomed Barcelona when 3-0 down in a Champions League semi-final, and sent the La Liga giants packing in one of the greatest comebacks of all time.The trio sum up Jurgen Klopp’s best football at Anfield. They allowed the Reds’ electrifying front three to flourish, shining light on the stars, whilst they maintained the work behind the scenes, so to speak. Without Fabinho, Henderson, and Wijnaldum, it could be argued that there would be no Liverpool legacy for Klopp and co. They were that important.With Fabinho and Henderson officially leaving the club, footage has re-emerged of one of the trio’s best performances, as Liverpool beat Manchester City 3-1 on their way to the Premier League title in the 2019/20 season.

Footage emerges proving how good Liverpool trio were

In a game that saw Fabinho open his Liverpool account, the Reds were rampant against City, as they so often have been throughout history at Anfield.

The Brazilian’s goal was quite something, too, as he struck from distance, fizzing the ball past a helpless Ederson, and into the bottom left-hand corner.

From there, Klopp’s side ran riot, finding another goal through Mohamed Salah’s header, before finishing the game off in the second-half, courtesy of Sadio Mane’s goal.

Bernardo Silva’s late strike gave City some hope, but the full-time whistle then came to give Liverpool a title advantage that they didn’t let go of for the rest of what was a dominant campaign.

Up against Pep Guardiola’s technicians, Liverpool’s midfield three pressed City into brutal submission. Perhaps the finest example of how good Fabinho, Wijnaldum, and Henderson were together, Klopp may not get a better midfield three than that throughout the rest of his Anfield tenure.

What is the latest Liverpool transfer news?

At the end of an incredibly successful era, Klopp and Liverpool must now rebuild and go again.

So far this summer, they have welcomed both Alexis Mac Allister and Dominic Szoboszlai, bolstering their midfield in the process. Meanwhile, according to Fabrizio Romano, the Reds are set to submit a £45m bid for Southampton’s Romeo Lavia.

The teenager could complete Liverpool’s midfield rebuild this summer, which will look far more youthful than last season.

Speaking on incomings earlier in pre-season, Klopp said on the We Are Liverpool podcast: “There are so many things to do.

“The transfer window is open. If my day would have 28 hours at the moment it would not be a problem — I could fill them easily!

“With all the things you have to do left and right, my main focus and energy has to go into the training sessions then that’s what I do. Then either side of the sessions I can try to help with other stuff.

“Still three-and-a-half weeks until the first game of the season. A few things have to happen before then, definitely, transfer market-wise as well. That is clear now. And it will happen. New players have to come in. We will have a good team.”

Some nostalgic fans took to Twitter to remember the good old days…

The excessive media coverage that followed his reporting of an allegedly corrupt approach frightened the Pakistan captain

Umar Farooq25-Oct-2017Sarfraz Ahmed was relieved and scared in the aftermath of being the target of an allegedly corrupt approach.The Pakistan captain reported the approach last week and though the PCB did confirm a player was approached with a fixing offer, it refrained officially from revealing the identity of the player at the time. It had passed on the information to ICC, internally allowing the global body to take over the matter.Speaking about the approach for the first time on Wednesday, ahead of Pakistan’s first T20I against Sri Lanka, Sarfraz said though he found himself relieved after reporting the incident, he was also “scared” watching himself excessively discussed on television.When the news first broke last Saturday, as expected, it was widely covered by the Pakistan media. Sarfraz was lauded for his swift response, but, given Pakistan’s history with fixing incidents, it understandably jangled some nerves.”Whatever happened, it is done and I did what I was supposed to do,” Sarfraz said in Abu Dhabi. “But I wasn’t frightened after informing; in fact, I was more scared watching myself on TV. I was discussed on TV so much that at some stage I started to feel fear. But by the grace of Allah, everything is getting normal. When you are going into a series you need to be normal and everything is going good so far.”Earlier this year, the second edition of the PSL, in the UAE, was disrupted by a spot-fixing scandal. A number of Pakistan players were the target of corrupt approaches there and have since been punished by the PCB – a few for failing to report approaches and two players – Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif – for more serious breaches of the PCB’s anti-corruption code.”To be honest the player reacted unbelievably well, he did everything required of him and we had a chat straight afterwards,” coach Mickey Arthur said on Monday after the incident.”It was handled brilliantly and I think that is a real example to our team and to the cricket world that a really important player was approached and acted to the letter of the law and did exceptionally well as a true ambassador of the game. I am very comfortable with our players they are outstanding and I have no doubt that if anyone is approached they will do the same way as the individual did.”Pakistan’s tour of the UAE has come down to the final leg, with the first match of the three T20Is against Sri Lanka on Thursday at the Sheikh Zayed stadium in Abu Dhabi. A new-look Sri Lanka T20 squad was announced after several players, including regular limited-overs captain Upul Tharanga, had refused to travel to Pakistan to play the last match at the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore. Despite clean sweeping the opponents in the ODI series, Sarfraz did not wish to take the young Sri Lankan side for granted.”They have a new team but I know them as I have played against them when they were with A team,” Sarfraz said. “I know Mahela Udawatte, [Danushka] Gunathilaka, [Isuru] Udana and T20 is a different form of the game and whoever plays better on the day will win. It will be an interesting series and fans will be able to see good cricket.”We naturally are very happy because we will be playing at home and if we can go on to lift the trophy in front of home fans, then nothing like it.”

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