Nat Sciver-Brunt, England’s captain, has been ruled out of the third T20I against India at the Kia Oval on Friday, and could miss the remainder of the five-match series, after suffering a groin strain during her side’s 24-run defeat in Bristol on Tuesday.Tammy Beaumont will step in as captain, for the first time in her 247-match international career, with Sciver-Brunt set to undergo further scans to assess the severity of the injury. She was forced to leave the field for large parts of Tuesday’s contest, with Sophia Dunkley, her official vice-captain, taking the reins in her absence. However, with England slipping to a 2-0 series deficit with three matches remaining, Beaumont’s greater experience has been called upon for now.”It’s real pride and honour to have the captain’s armband tomorrow, albeit in difficult circumstances,” Beaumont said. “Charlotte [Edwards, head coach] asked to meet me this morning, and straightaway I said, ‘Yep, thank you very much, I’ll give it a good go’. I guess we need a bit of fight to come out in this series, and I’m probably someone who likes to get in a battle, so can understand why.”Related

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The setback is a blow, not only for England’s hopes of bouncing back in a series in which they have been comprehensively outplayed by their opponents, but also for their bid to forge a new team identity in the wake of Heather Knight’s removal as captain earlier this year.The new captain-coach partnership of Sciver-Brunt and Edwards began the summer with a comfortable clean sweep of West Indies across ODI and T20I formats. However, England have found the step-up in class of India’s batters especially hard to counter, with Smriti Mandhana’s century in the series opener setting up a crushing 97-run victory at Trent Bridge, before Jemimah Rodrigues and Amanjot Kaur combined to post another imposing total of 181 for 4 in Bristol.”The worst thing we could do right now is panic,” Beaumont said. “Obviously, it’s not the circumstances we wanted to be in. We didn’t want to be 2-0 down, and we didn’t want our captain and best batter to be out of the team. But we’re here where we are, and that’s what we’ve got to do.”We’ve got to try and bring some calm to it, and some rationale, some logic. We certainly believe we can come back and win this. Full credit to India. They’ve challenged us. They’ve pushed us so far, but I hope that we can respond, and I’m certainly intending on getting the girls to try and respond to what’s happened so far.”Sciver-Brunt had already been unable to bowl this series, with England managing her workload prior to this setback. However, she was their lone source of resistance with the bat at Trent Bridge, making 66 from 42 balls out of England’s total of 113. Beaumont, however, had been in fine form in the West Indies series, with two hundreds in the ODI series, and top-scored for England in the Bristol match, making 54 from 35 balls before being run out.Tammy Beaumont scored her first T20I fifty in four years, and will now lead England for the first time•ECB/Getty Images

“Obviously it’s pretty amazing to be back in the T20 side,” Beaumont said, having been a peripheral figure in the format since the 2021-22 Ashes. “It’s a slightly different role [at No. 4], but something that I think I’ve got the skillset to be able to do.”Asked whether she expected Sciver-Brunt to be ready in time for next Wednesday’s fourth match at Emirates Old Trafford, Beaumont said the picture was currently unclear, but that she was braced to take on the captaincy role for as long as needed.”That’s something we don’t know just yet, our medical team are doing all they can,” Beaumont said. “She’s got a scan today, so we’ll know more, but I think it’s in the balance for Manchester. But, whether it’s one game or a couple, I’m just hoping to put my hand up for the team and do the best I can, and will welcome Nat back with open arms whenever she’s fit.”England’s struggles against India have come as a reality check for the team, which has got used to winning comfortably on home soil in recent years, including an unbeaten summer campaign against New Zealand and Pakistan in 2024, before coming unstuck at the major tournaments – including last winter’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, and their 16-0 points loss in the Ashes.1:01

Beaumont: Nat Sciver-Brunt is a ‘complete natural’ at juggling motherhood and captaincy

In those circumstances, Beaumont agreed that the challenge that India were mounting could prove to be a blessing in disguise in the long run.”That’s what we keep talking about,” she said. “We’ve wanted more challenge [on home soil] for a long time. We’re well aware that our results in world tournaments and big series haven’t been what we’ve wanted them to be for a number of years now.”It’s only going to happen by being pushed more in bilateral series and feeling that pressure, and experiencing that, and taking learnings from it, and getting better each time. It’s happened quite early on, and it may come as a bit of a shock, but we are doing the hard work behind the scenes.”We had another really good meeting this morning, with some really honest reflections from a lot of players. A lot of players were being vulnerable, and that’s the only way that you can learn. Unfortunately, at the moment, we’re going through a tough time, but I’m a firm believer that tough times don’t last, but tough people do. We’re trying to become really tough people in this team and keep moving forward.”

Left-arm spinner Zanden Jeh produced a tidy spell in his first professional game of cricket

AAP09-Jul-2025

Matt Renshaw capped an impressive one-day series•Getty Images

Matt Renshaw has well and truly put his hat in the ring for an ODI call-up after producing yet another big knock for Australia A in their series-deciding one-day win over Sri Lanka A.Sri Lanka A recovered from 8 for 2 to reach 213 for 9 in Darwin, with Sahan Arachchige (47 off 65), Nuwanidu Fernando (40 off 69) and Sonal Dinusha (36 off 40) leading the way.Jack Nisbet, Bryce Jackson and Henry Thornton all chimed in with two wickets apiece in an even bowling display for the home side. Left-arm spinner Zanden Jeh, who has not played a professional game of state cricket, snared 1 for 27 off seven overs on his Australia A debut.In reply, Australia A cruised to 215 for 3 with a whopping 105 balls to spare.Jason Sangha top scored for the home side with an unbeaten 79 off 76 deliveries, while Renshaw blasted his way to 62 off 36 balls, his blistering knock including eight fours and two sixes. Opener Campbell Kellaway set up the run chase with 56 off 62 balls.The seven-wicket win secured a 2-1 series victory in the one-day component of the clashes between Australia A and Sri Lanka A, with the teams now to face off in two four-day matches.Renshaw produced scores of 80, 106 and 62 across the three one-dayers, putting him at the front of the queue for an ODI call-up. The 29-year-old has already played 14 Tests for Australia, but is yet to feature at international level in any form of white-ball cricket.The ODI retirements of Glenn Maxwell and Steve Smith have opened the door for Renshaw to cement a spot in the one-day side and his performances for Australia A will further boost his case.Sangha, who posted two half-centuries across the three games, also gave his hopes a big lift.

Perhaps no play better represents the Minnesota Twins' recent collapse than catcher Ryan Jeffers's bunt attempt in the bottom of the 12 inning Thursday night at Target Field.

With the game tied 5–5 and the winning run standing on second base, Jeffers tried to bunt but instead popped out to Miami Marlins first baseman Jonah Bride. Even worse, Bride caught Twins veteran Carlos Santana too far off second base and doubled him up for the second out of the inning.

Play-by-play announcer Cory Provus had seen enough on the Bally Sports North broadcast.

"Double play," he said. "Come on guys, that can't happen. Can not happen!"

The Twins would go on to lose to the Marlins, 8–6, in 13 innings. They left the winning run on base in the ninth, 10th, 11th and 12th innings and were 2-for-19 as a team with runners in scoring position, continuing an unfortunate trend of losing baseball in Minneapolis.

Provus's call perfectly represented the frustration of the Twins' fan base over the past six weeks.

On Aug. 17, the Twins beat the Texas Rangers 5–2 to improve to 70–53 on the season. At the time, per Fangraphs, Minnesota had a 92.4% chance to make the playoffs and was just two games behind the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the AL Central.

Minnesota went on to lose 24 of its next 36 games and now is all but officially eliminated from playoff contention.

Entering Friday's slate of games, the Twins are three games behind the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals for the American League's final two wild-card spots. To make the playoffs, the Twins need to sweep the Baltimore Orioles this weekend combined with the Atlanta Braves sweeping the Royals and the Tigers getting swept by the lowly Chicago White Sox.

After that colossal collapse, Fangraphs now gives the Twins a 3% chance of making the playoffs heading into the final weekend of the 2024 regular season. And that might even be a bit generous.

Hurricane Milton hammered Tropicana Field.

On Thursday, as Florida begins the cleanup from the hurricane that mauled it on Wednesday, the Tampa Bay Rays' home park stands as a monument to the devastation Milton left in its wake.

The roof could be seen blowing off the ballpark late Wednesday night, and on Thursday we got a full look at the aftermath via drone footage. Most of the roof is gone, parts of it fell onto the stands and field, and sections of the field look mangled as well.

Video is below.

That's a really sad sight and speaks to the power Milton hit Tampa Bay with. The hurricane reached Category 5 status in the Gulf of Mexico, but made landfall on the west coast of Florida as a Category 3 storm. It fell to Category 1 as it crossed the state.

Tropicana Field opened in 1990 and has been the home of the Rays since thier inaugural season in 1998. In July of this year a deal was struck to build a new part for the club. Construction is set to begin in early 2025, and is expected to be finished by Opening Day in 2028.

Hopefully, like the rest of Florida, the cleanup and repair efforts on Tropicana Field can commence quickly.

Newcastle United are now believed to be one of the clubs who are battling to complete the signing of Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney.

The Magpies arguably have one of the most complete midfields in the Premier League currently, with the starting options at Eddie Howe’s disposal the envy of many managers.

In Bruno Guimarares, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, Newcastle have a trio who complement each perfectly, playing a big role in their success in recent years.

Bruno’s passion acts as the heartbeat for the Magpies, with the Brazilian such a popular figure from day one at St James’ Park, while Tonali’s box-to-box brilliance is seeing him become a more highly-rated player by the week. Then there’s Joelinton, whose physical prowess is such a potent weapon for his side.

Despite this, there is a feeling that added midfield depth is required for Newcastle, which is why they have been linked with a move for an exciting young talent.

Newcastle looking to sign Hayden Hackney

Speaking to Football Insider, former scout Mick Brown talked up Newcastle’s interest in Hackney, as the Magpies look to beat others to his signature with Howe concerned at his strength in depth.

“Hackney is a top player and he’s somebody I rate very highly. It’s no surprise there is interest in him, I’m told a lot of clubs have been keeping tabs on him, and it seems Newcastle are now one of those clubs. If Hackney was at Newcastle tomorrow, I don’t think he’d get into their midfield, because the options they’ve got in there at the moment are pretty much fixed.

“But he is the sort of player they would love to have who can come into the team when needed. Howe has been a bit concerned about the players they’ve got behind those three in there. He’s a very talented player with plenty of room to grow and develop, so he could go into that Newcastle squad with a view to becoming a key player in the future.

“With the three they’ve got in midfield at the moment, he would be going in there to provide depth, and whether that’s what he will be interested in, I’m not sure. But it’s definitely something that would make sense for Newcastle.”

Hackney could be an outstanding long-term addition for Newcastle, acting as a strong squad player before maturing into a key starter over time.

The 23-year-old has shone in a Middlesbrough shirt for years now, making 127 appearances and registering 23 goal contributions, and his former manager Michael Carrick was a big admirer of his.

“He’s grounded, he’s humble, he’s down to earth and loves to learn. He loves the place and he loves the club as well. To have that, added with the talent he has got, it’s the perfect scenario. I think it just shows his consistency really, over a long period of time. It’s not easy when you’re a younger player, but he’s certainly done that.”

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Hopefully, the fact that Hackney wouldn’t have to move far works in Newcastle’s favour, also seeing the club heading in a positive direction under Howe.

Newcastle's "sensational" talent is looking like another Bruno-type player

Tottenham Hotspur have only won one of their last four matches in all competitions after a last-gasp goal meant that they had to settle for a point against Manchester United on Saturday.

The Lilywhites turned the game around from 1-0 down to lead 2-1, but they were unable to get the three points over the line, as they were napping in stoppage time to allow Matthijs de Ligt to head in at the back post.

Spurs have only won one of their last four matches in the Premier League after that result, which has seen them drop out of the top four in the division.

Thomas Frank will surely be disappointed with the nature of the two goals that were conceded, because they were both unmarked headers inside the box that should have been dealt with.

The former Brentford head coach should look at his full-backs and demand more from them defensively, as Destiny Udogie was on the scene for the second goal and Pedro Porro was caught out for Bryan Mbeumo’s header.

In fact, Porro is one player who may be on borrowed time in the starting line-up under Frank, because his defending has come into question on multiple occasions.

Why Pedro Porro should be dropped

The Spanish right-back’s marking, or lack thereof, for Mbeumo’s goal was simply not good enough. He was not aware of arguably the biggest United threat in the box, and allowed him to have a free header to score past Guglielmo Vicario.

To his credit, though, the former Manchester City youngster did react to a comment from a supporter after the match and acknowledged that he was not at his best against the Red Devils.

This is not the first time that Porro’s defensive qualities have been called into question. Last year, former Ireland international Keith Treacy said: “Pedro Porro is a good footballer, obviously, he plays in the Premier League, he’s a decent footballer, but he’s not a good right-back, he can’t defend.”

The former Blackburn star added: “If I was a coach going up against Spurs I would say to isolate him, run at him all day long.”

Back in 2023, former Spurs manager Tim Sherwood said that Porro was “all over the place” because he “just wants to run forward” and play as a winger. The Tottenham defender later reacted to those comments by saying that he is not a “machine” who could integrate straight away, as he had only just joined the club from Sporting.

On top of the long-standing question marks over his defensive capabilities, the 26-year-old full-back has also been incredibly wasteful with the ball at his feet in the last two Premier League matches.

Pedro Porro

Vs Chelsea

Vs Man Utd

Minutes

73

67

Tackles won

0

1

Duels won

3

3

Error led to shot

2

0

Key passes

0

0

Crosses completed

0/5

1/12

Possession lost

24x

29x

Pass accuracy

58%

64%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Porro has lost possession of the ball a staggering 53 times in the last two league games, without creating a single chance for his teammates, and creating two chances for the opposition with errors that led to shots.

This shows that the Spaniard has been dismal defensively and offensively of late for the Lilywhites, which is why Frank should ruthlessly ditch him from the starting XI after the international break for the North London derby.

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The obvious solution in the short-term would be for Udogie, who assisted Mathys Tel’s goal on Saturday, to come in at left-back and Djed Spence to move over to right-back.

However, the long-term plan that could put an end to Porro’s career in North London could be for Archie Gray to eventually nail down a place in the team as a right-back.

Why Archie Gray can end Pedro Porro's Spurs career

The England U21 international is currently sidelined with a calf injury that he sustained at the end of last month, and he is expected to be back in action around the end of this month or at the start of December.

Gray signed for the Lilywhites from Leeds United for a fee of £40m in the summer of 2024, with Joe Rodon heading back the other way, but he has failed to establish himself in one position since his move to the club.

The English youngster had to fill in at centre-back far too many times under Ange Postecoglou because of the injury crisis in that position, with the likes of Radu Dragusin, Micky van de Ven, and Cristian Romero all picking up injuries last term.

Archie Gray’s Tottenham career

Position

Starts

Centre-back

20

Right-back

9

Defensive midfield

8

Left-back

6

Central midfield

3

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Gray’s second-most played in position at Spurs has been right-back, which is where he played the majority of his first-team football with Leeds, despite coming up through the academy set-up in West Yorkshire as a central midfielder.

The young defender played 44 out of 46 league matches for Leeds in the Championship in the 2023/24 campaign, mainly as a right-back, and earned the Championship Young Player of the Year award.

Gray, who was hailed as “ridiculous” by Como scout Ben Mattinson, showcased his defensive quality as a right-back in that second tier season with the Whites, winning 92 tackles and 186 duels in total.

Per FotMob, he ranked within the top 7% of full-backs for tackles won and the top 14% for duels won, whilst also ranking in the top 7% for ball recoveries (196), which shows that he was one of the best defensive full-backs in the division, for a team that finished third in the league.

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These statistics suggest that he has the defensive resolve to eventually nail down a place at right-back as a reliable defender for Spurs in the future, which is why he could end Porro’s career at the club by offering Frank a steadier presence than the Spaniard, who has struggled on and off the ball.

It is now down to Gray, though, to return from injury and deliver quality performances when called upon to show that he can be better than Porro defensively week-in-week-out, which would leave Spence free to compete with Udogie at left-back.

Aston Villa has been home to various Premier League greats over the years.

Gareth Barry would go on to make a whopping 439 appearances for the Villans, with 53 England caps even falling into the tough midfielder’s lap by the end of his long-winding and successful career.

Ashley Young also springs to mind as another top-flight veteran who used to call Villa Park home, whilst Jack Grealish is certainly one of the most entertaining stars Villa have ever had on their books in the elite division, before he was poached for an outrageous £100m by Manchester City.

James Milner is another name that might well fly under the radar in these conversations, with the ultra-reliable midfielder often thought of as a Liverpool and Manchester City staple.

Yet, it was with Villa where he really began to shine as a dependable spark in the Premier League.

Why James Milner is still a hero at Villa

Before going on to win three Premier League titles with the aforementioned Reds and the Citizens, Milner was a rising star in the top-flight, ready to be taken to that next level, after collecting 11 goals and 20 assists in total for Newcastle United.

In a Villa set-up that often saw him line up alongside even more much-loved favourites of the past in Brad Friedel and Gabriel Agbonlahor, Milner would often shine the brightest, with two standout seasons in the West Midlands pushing him on to join City.

Only missing two Premier League games across the 2008/09 and the 2009/10 seasons meant Milner became a relied-upon regular, and he had the quality to back up his hard work for the team, too.

A stunning haul of 19 goals and 25 assists in all competitions over those two campaigns lead to his Villa boss in Martin O’Neill hailing him as “sensational.”

Capable of also playing down either flank away from his central midfield duties, it’s very clear now why the Leeds-born 39-year-old has gone on to have such a well-established career at the very top, off the back of his early days at Villa, having very rarely made a blip across his 643 games and counting in the competitive division.

Still plugging away for Brighton and Hove Albion – with a penalty even put away in August – Milner must surely stand out as a glowing example to footballers trying to make it big today when it comes to ageing gracefully.

Emery arguably has his own Milner-type presence back at Villa Park now, with the star in question only getting better with age to rival their former number eight’s insane longevity.

Emery's own Milner-type player

Milner very much proved at both Anfield and the Etihad that a steady presence can go a long way, even if there were flashier figures that surrounded him.

Indeed, Emery might well have faces such as Morgan Rogers – who has been touted to be worth £100m – at his disposal, alongside feared marksman Ollie Watkins, but he knows he will always get a consistent magic out of John McGinn whenever he is chosen to don Villa claret and blue, even as the Scotsman now hits 30 years of age.

25/26

11

3 + 1

24/25

49

4 + 6

23/24

53

9 + 8

22/23

36

1 + 3

21/22

36

3 + 4

20/21

37

3 + 6

19/20

30

3 + 3

18/19

44

6 + 10

Just one glance at the table above reinforces the idea that McGinn is Mr consistent for the West Midlands outfit, much like Milner was at Villa Park, with a stunning haul of 33 goals and 41 assists next to his name for the Villans from 295 appearances, which stretches all the way back to their unfortunate Championship days.

He has always received warm praise for his memorable contributions, too, with his ex-Villa boss in Dean Smith, hailing him as a “driving force” for the side all the way back in 2021, while forgotten former manager Steve Bruce also lauded him as a “hero” from the minute he arrived in Birmingham.

Those words still very much ring true, even as McGinn enters the arguable twilight years of his career, with the Glaswegian already three goals and one assist down this campaign, which included this fierce strike breaking a Europa League deadlock against Bologna.

Time will only tell if the Villans captain will still be plying his trade in the Premier League come his 39th birthday, but it’s clear right now that he is as beloved as Milner was at Villa Park, for being another adaptable presence always ready to give his all.

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Jaiswal had three lives, while Sai Sudharsan, Akash Deep and Nair were all put down

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Aug-20251:44

‘Disappointed, but it is what it is’ – Trescothick on dropped catches

4.5 Atkinson to Jaiswal, FOUR runs
Chance…. bursts through Brook’s hands at second slip. It went high, just above the left shoulder, and at pace. Had to hop across and was beaten by pace. Tipped it over and to the deep-third boundary. 140ks full ball outside off, Jaiswal committed fully to the booming cover drive, got a bona-fide edge13.2 Tongue to Jaiswal, 1 run
Another life for Jaiswal. Dawson doesn’t spot and gets hit in the face! This was hit flat and going right at his throat at deep fine leg. He swayed his head to the right and had his hands right in front. Might’ve come earlier than he thought. Was a shortish ball at waist-height that Jaiswal hooked14.3 Overton to B Sai Sudharsan, 3 runs
That’s another drop! Went quickly to the left of Crawley at third slip, he got on one knee and tried to snap it up with his hands. Reached across, got a big deflection that took it towards the third boundary. Might’ve hit the thumb. Duckett stops it. Was an overpitched ball outside off that Sudharsan looked to drive firmly through cover25.3 Tongue to Akash Deep, no run
edged into the cordon and dropped again! Crawley, diving across from third to second, a comfortable height, and it spans off both palms! Deep was pushing hard to the full length, and that’s two big opportunities gone for England53.4 Overton to Nair, 1 run
another one goes down! England’s fifth drop of the innings! It’s a tough one, but these have got to stick! Right in the gap between Crawley, diving across from third, and Brook, reaching down at second. It’s into Brook’s fingers and out again. The ball looping a touch off the splice as Overton hit his hard length57.4 Overton to Jaiswal, FOUR runs
Chance at leg gully! On a length and angled into Jaiswal, who looks to tuck it leg-side. Comes to Duckett’s left, and he dives to take it low, but it bursts through him. Tough chance, but that’s their 20th drop of the series so far!21.3 Tongue to Jaiswal, FOUR runs
fenced through the cordon! Chancy from Jaiswal! He rode the bounce outside off, but not very effectively, caught in two minds at the point of impact… two slips weren’t enough though, that would have been third’s or gully’s.

USMNT star Haji Wright has been advised to shun any interest shown in him during the January transfer window, with Coventry looking for him to “be the man” that fires them back into the Premier League. Ex-Sky Blues striker Clinton Morrison has explained, during an exclusive interview with GOAL, why Wright is on course to hit his top-flight target in England.

Wright's record: Goals scored for Coventry

Los Angeles native Wright joined Coventry in the summer of 2023 for a club-record £7.7 million ($10m) fee. They would be able to get much more than that for the 27-year-old frontman were they to open themselves up to a sale.

That is because the versatile forward has netted 40 goals for the Sky Blues through 97 appearances. Said return is made all the more impressive when taking into account that he was regularly deployed on the left wing by former manager Mark Robins.

Wright has been moved down the middle by current club boss Frank Lampard, leading to him sitting third in the 2025-26 Championship Golden Boot race. His eye for goal, alongside notable physical qualities, have brought him to the attention of clubs across Europe.

AdvertisementGettyBit of everything: What makes Wright special?

Ex-Coventry star Morrison admits that Wright has got a bit of everything – telling GOAL while speaking in association with Freebets.com, the home of best casino sites: “He’s good. This is what I’m saying about Frank Lampard. Mark Robins was playing Haji Wright off the left, now Frank is playing him through the middle. That is where he looks better.

“He can cause problems – he can run in behind, score all kinds of goals. He’s a big target man, wins his headers, so I think he’s a problem. He wasn’t fit last year, they did miss him for a few months and that hindered Coventry. The way that he’s playing at the moment, he’s a handful. That’s credit to Frank Lampard. I do rate Haji Wright. He wants to have a good season because it’s a World Cup year and he wants to get into that America squad.”

January transfer: Wright urged to shun interest

A home World Cup in 2026 is providing added incentive for Wright. He will be determined to form part of Mauricio Pochettino’s plans at that tournament. Regular game time will be required in order to catch the eye.

With that in mind, as Coventry top the second-tier table in England, Wright has been urged to shun any advances that may be made in January. Instead, he has been told to stay put and fire the Sky Blues back into the big time after a 25-year absence.

Morrison added on Wright being destined to grace the Premier League at some point: “I think he can get there. There will be interest but I think he will stay at Coventry City. If he is going to play in the Premier League, it will be with Coventry.

“There will be interest from other clubs due to his record in the Championship, but at the moment it is a difficult one because if you go to the Premier League, he might not get the game time he wants. If he stays with Coventry City, he has got a good chance of getting promoted. If you get that on your CV and you are the man to get them to the Premier League, you will be playing at that level next season anyway.”

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Getty Images SportPromotion push: Coventry on course to reach the Premier League

Morrison is not the first to suggest that Wright’s career path will pass through the Premier League. Another ex-Coventry forward, Matt Jansen, told GOAL recently when asked if the United States international is ready to compete at that level: “He has eight [Championship] goals this season, USA international, good player. You can never say you are going to succeed in the Premier League until you get there.

“We will get a glimpse of that in the World Cup when he is up against world-class defenders, whether he can handle that. He is certainly doing a fantastic job for Coventry at the minute. Time will tell, if they go up, whether he can produce the same in the Premier League. If I was a betting man, I would bet that he would.”

Coventry sit five points clear at the top of the Championship table through 15 games this season. They have suffered just one defeat – to the Wrexham side backed by Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac – and will return to action on November 22 when playing host to West Midlands rivals West Brom.

كشفت تقارير صحفية موقف الدولي البرازيلي رافينها، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة من العودة مرة أخرى إلى الملاعب بعد الإصابة التي عانى منها الفترة الماضية.

وخلال الاستعداد لمباراة الكلاسيكو، تعرض رافينها لإصابة قوية في العضلة الخلفية بقدمه اليُمنى جعلته غائبًا عن الملاعب حتى الآن.

كانت أشارت تقارير سابقة إلى أن الألماني هانز فليك، المدير الفني لفريق برشلونة سيستغل فترة التوقف الدولي والتي تمتد نحو أسبوعين حتى يستعيد رافينها بعدما يكتمل شفائه وتأهيله ويتمكن من المشاركة بشكل طبيعي في المباريات ولتجنب تكرار الإصابة مرة أخرى.

ووفقًا لصحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية، فإن رافينها يواصل تعافيه بشكل جيد ومستقر لكنه لا يزال يتدرب منفردًا مع تمارينه التأهيلية.

اقرأ أيضًا | بيدري: لا تقترب من فليك وهو غاضب.. ولامين يدرك ما يفعله

بعدما يخوض الجناح البرازيلي تلك التدريبات التأهيلية الفردية واستمرت حالته في التحسن والتطور، سينضم للتدريبات الجماعية للفريق الأسبوع المقبل، هذه هي خطة برشلونة، بحسب ما أفادت الصحيفة الإسبانية.

وذكرت “ماركا” أن الناد يشعر بإيجابية شديدة تجاه عودة رافينها بشكل سريع خلال الأسبوع المقبل، من المقرر أن يحصل على بعض الوقت ضد أتلتيك بلباو في المباراة التي ستجمعهما في الثاني والعشرين من نوفمبر، لكن من الضروري أن يشارك في عدة حصص تدريبية قبل المباراة لمعرفة مدى قدرته على تحمل الحِمل التدريبي المتزايد.

وفي سياق متصل، أفادت الصحيفة أن خوان جارسيا، حارس مرمى البلوجرانا سيكون جاهزًا تمامًا للمشاركة أساسيًا أمام أتلتيك بلباو بعد ان تدرب بشكل مكثف مع الفريق.