Prospect of vaccine roll-out leads to optimism, after 2020 event is staged behind closed doors

Matt Roller09-Dec-2020Tickets for T20 Blast Finals Day at Edgbaston have sold out before Christmas for the second year in a row.Finals Day, in which the two semi-finals and the final of the T20 Blast are played back-to-back-to-back, has been staged at Edgbaston for last eight editions, but was forced to take place behind closed doors this season due to the Covid-19 pandemic.However, 86% of tickets were rolled over to 2021 by purchasers, with the remaining pre-sale tickets selling out in a priority window for Warwickshire members and previous buyers. An allocation of around 3,000 tickets will be held back for supporters of the four teams that reach Finals Day.Optimism is growing within English cricket that it will be possible to stage events in front of capacity crowds in 2021 following the start of the Covid vaccine’s roll-out in the UK this week, and major venues have opened their ticket ballots for England’s international fixtures.Neil Snowball, who recently joined the ECB as managing director of county cricket after a stint as Warwickshire’s chief executive, said: “Following such a challenging year for everyone, it’s great to see that the enthusiasm for county cricket is as strong as ever with thousands of cricket fans keen to reserve their place for one of the stand-out days in the sporting calendar.ALSO READ: Old is gold for Nottinghamshire as Christian seals the Blast spoils”We continue to work closely with government and the other major sports on plans for the safe return of crowds as we prepare for what promises to be an exciting summer of cricket in 2021.”Meanwhile, the 2021 domestic season’s calendar will begin to take shape in the coming weeks, with the ECB hoping to publish fixtures for the group stage of the revamped County Championship before Christmas. The remainder of the domestic fixtures would then be released in early 2021.County fixtures have typically been released in late November, but uncertainty surrounding the pandemic and the international calendar has meant a delay this year.There remains at least one men’s international series to be confirmed, with Sri Lanka due to play three T20Is at the Ageas Bowl, Edgbaston and Cardiff, while it is possible that Tests against New Zealand or Ireland may be scheduled in June depending on England’s progress in the inaugural World Test Championship and the date that the ICC choose for the final.Dates for England women’s series against South Africa and New Zealand are currently unconfirmed, while the Hundred is likely to be staged from mid-July to mid-August.

After featuring in the Champions League for the first time in 20 years last season, you can imagine the frustration felt by everyone involved at Newcastle United after missing out on any European football completely for 2024/25.

It was a hugely memorable European tour for Eddie Howe’s side, an almost unimaginable feat given the fact he took over the club when they were flirting with the idea of relegation to the Championship.

However, it was evident that the added fixtures took a toll on the Magpies squad, with multiple first-team players missing large spells of the season with various injury and fitness issues.

As a result, he will be wanting to delve into the transfer market to provide added competition and squad depth to his Newcastle side ahead of another Champions League push this season.

Lloyd Kelly has already arrived on Tyneside, but Howe still wants multiple more new signings, including in the final third.

Newcastle’s pursuit to bolster Howe’s attacking options

Since the opening of the transfer window in early June, the Magpies have been linked with numerous attacking options from fellow Premier League attackers to players plying their trade in South America.

Journalist Ben Jacobs confirmed earlier this week that Howe’s side are still eyeing moves for Chelsea’s Noni Madueke and Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga, but the deals remain tricky with neither of their current clubs wanting to part ways with the attackers.

However, his report also states that Newcastle are keeping a closer eye on West Ham United attacker Jarrod Bowen after his sensational campaign for the Hammers.

The 27-year-old registered 22 goal contributions in his 34 appearances under David Moyes, catching the eye of the Magpies, but the fee touted for his services may prove to be a stumbling block.

Bowen will undoubtedly be a huge player under new Irons boss Julen Lopetegui, with the club slapping a £100m price tag to prise him away from the London Stadium this summer.

It’s a huge fee and one that simply isn’t a suitable one for Newcastle, with the club already employing a talent who has a higher market value than 27-year-old Bowen.

Anthony Gordon’s market value in 2024

After joining the club for £45m from Everton back in January 2023, winger Anthony Gordon arrived on Tyneside with high expectations after his breakthrough at his boyhood club.

Last season was by far his best in his short professional career, scoring 11 and assisting ten – reaching double figures in both statistics for the first time in his career.

Anthony Gordon's PL stats in 2023/24

Statistics

Tally

Games played

35

Goals

11

Assists

10

Pass accuracy

82%

Successful dribbles

54

Fouls won

67

Duels won

125

Stats via FotMob

The “sensational” talent, as described by Sky Sports contributor Dougie Critchley, has seen his market value soar as a result of his impressive performances under Howe’s guidance, with the 23-year-old now worth £50m, as per Transfermarkt.

When comparing his market value to current transfer target Bowen, the West Ham forward is unable to match such figures, valued at just £42m despite his stellar campaign in London.

With Gordon still in the early years of his professional career, he has the potential to impress once more which could see his own value increase further in the future.

He’s only just settling into life at St James’ Park, with the club needing to take care in the transfer market if they are to repeat the success of the deal that saw Gordon swap Merseyside for Tyneside.

Related Imagine him & Gordon: Newcastle battling Bayern Munich to sign £42m talent

The attacker could prove to be the final piece in Howe’s attacking puzzle.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Jul 4, 2024

Dimuth Karunaratne’s seam attack has been decimated by injury. But he’s confident (or at least he’s hoping) that despite his bowlers’ inexperience, their hunger to earn a more stable place in the team will translate to good results for Sri Lanka at The Wanderers.There was a slim chance Suranga Lakmal would be cleared to play this game, but as he failed a fitness test on Friday, that seems unlikely. The most likely seam attack will comprise of fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera, left-arm swing bowler Vishwa Fernando, medium pacer Asitha Fernando, and fourth seamer Dasun Shanaka. None of these bowlers have played 10 Tests. Asitha Fernando would be on debut.”You can’t play in your comfort zone all the time, and it’s a good opportunity for me and the players who will play to show what they’ve got,” Karunaratne said on the eve of the Test. “It’s going to be a challenge for me to work out how to utilise this inexperienced side.”The players who will likely play – Chameera, Vishwa, Asitha and Shanaka – are all players who have been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. They have a fast bowlers’ wicket to bowl on, which has got a lot of bounce and seam. I think they’ll relish this chance, and they’ll have the opportunity to firm up a place in the Test side if they do well.”Related

• Anrich Nortje six blows Sri Lanka away before Dean Elgar cements strangle hold

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The batting too, has been depleted by injuries, and Sri Lanka are likely to have another debutant – Minod Bhanuka – bat in the middle order. Sri Lanka had not had a full-strength side in 2019 either, but on that tour, had managed to win both matches, albeit on the much slower surfaces in Durban and Port Elizabeth. Just like for this match, Sri Lanka were without their two most experienced batsmen – Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal.”We’ve got some good youngsters who have done well in domestic cricket in Sri Lanka,” Karunaratne said. “We’ll need to be competitive every day and every session to win the match. In the last series, we didn’t have the senior players like Chandimal or Angelo. I still believe we can do it.”The first Test was also a personal disappointment for Karunaratne, who scored 22 and 6. If Sri Lanka are to be competitive at the Wanderers, they will likely need Karunaratne to turn around his record in South Africa. So far, after 12 innings in the country, he has made just one half-century.”Although I’ve played Tests in South Africa before, I didn’t have a lot of confidence in the first Test,” He said. “And I’m coming into this series after a break of about eight or nine months. Since playing against West Indies (in February), I haven’t been able to play any competitive cricket. I couldn’t play any domestic cricket either.”There’s a bit of nervousness, and I have to find a way to get rid of that. That can happen to anyone. Until I get back amongst the runs I will have that nervousness. I need to make a plan for the first 10 or 15 overs.”It’s not easy – everyone finds these conditions difficult. But I’ve worked hard with Grant Flower, and I’m hopeful I can do the job for the team.”

After a season of ups and downs in which they came so close to finishing in the Champions League places, Tottenham Hotspur have a big summer of transfers ahead.

Ange Postecoglou got off to a flyer in North London, but injuries and a downturn in form saw his side slip down to fifth by the end of the campaign, with star signing James Maddison missing out on a place in the Euros due to his lacklustre performances.

Luckily for him and the manager, the latest player heavily touted for a move to N17 could be the perfect midfielder to help the Englishman rediscover his form and power the Lilywhites back up the table next year.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Tottenham are interested in Juventus' star midfielder Weston McKennie, and have already held talks with the Serie A side over his potential move.

Earlier this month, Football Insider claimed that the Lilywhites had 'jumped ahead' of Aston Villa and made themselves favourites to secure the American's signature, and this latest story has revealed that the Villans have ceased their interest in the player over wage demands.

In more good news for the Lilywhites, it looks like they won't have to pay a great deal for the 25-year-old, as the report claims that further talks have taken place over a £15m fee due to his contract expiring next summer.

It might not be the most exciting name and conjures up images of Leeds United's relegation in the minds of Premier League fans, but McKennie has been immense for Juventus over the last year and could be the perfect player to play next to Maddison.

Why McKennie would be a great teammate for Maddison

Now, I know McKennie's last showing in England was, to put it diplomatically, dreadful, but it was a tough stage for him to show his worth.

Brought in by compatriot Jesse Marsch for half a season to try and help the Peacocks fend off relegation in the 2022/23 season, the American looked woefully out of place in England's top flight, even being called a worse signing than Jean-Kevin Augustin by presenter and Leeds fan Joe Wainman.

However, last season, the USMNT star proved that his poor spell in West Yorkshire was just that, a spell.

Back in Turin, the "dangerous" ace, as Marsch dubbed him, made 38 appearances, 33 of which were starts, provided ten assists, and helped the Old Lady win the Italian Cup – oh, and he also won the CONCACAF Nations League with the US in March.

He's clearly left quite an impression on people in Italy as well, as former Juventus great Mark Iuliano described him as a player with "a good sense of position" who "never gives up" and, arguably just as important, a player who "puts a lot of heart into it."

Appearances

38

Goals

0

Assists

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.26

Domestic Trophies

1

International Trophies

1

These are the things that would make him the perfect midfielder to play in the left-eight alongside Maddison. His ability to get all over the pitch put out fires, and start attacks would allow the former Foxes star to focus on what he is best at playmaking.

The 27-year-old was on fire in the opening stages of the season, scoring three goals and providing five assists in his first ten full league games, but following his return from injury, he only managed one goal and four assists in 17 games.

It could be a little reductive to blame it on fatigue, but if he has an incredibly mobile player next to him willing to do more of the running, it can only help him in the long term, and according to WhoScored, one of McKennie's key strengths is his defensive contribution from midfield.

Ultimately, this may not be a move that gets fans out of their seats, but given his performances last season and the incredibly low price, it would make sense for Levy and Co to go ahead and get it done.

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Pulisic, who leads the team in scoring, was only available off the bench due to illness, while Musah played 90 minutes as Milan fell to Napoli.

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Napoli defeat AC Milan 2-0Christian Pulisic dealt with stomach virusYunus Musah plays 90Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

AC Milan fell short of a three-game winning streak with a 2-0 loss to Serie A leaders Napoli. U.S. international Yunus Musah earned his second start of the season but struggled to make an impact, while USMNT and star Christian Pulisic, dealing with a stomach virus, began the match on the bench.

Antonio Conte's Napoli were a class apart Tuesday as both goals from the came in the first half, courtesy of Romelu Lukaku and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Pulisic was called upon midway through the second half, but was rather unrecognizable as he struggled to adapt to the tempo of the match while down two goals.

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Tuesday marked the first Serie A match this season that Pulisic did not start for the , while Musah earned a rare spot in the starting XI. It was the 21-year-old midfielders first start since Aug. 24 – a 2-1 loss to Parma.

Pulisic was introduced into the match in the 62nd minute, registering two shots on target in his 28-minute cameo. Musah, meanwhile, was one of the's top-performers on the night, running the show from the midfield.

For Milan, Tuesday saw them earn their third loss of the campaign, while they dropped to eighth place in the league standings. For manager Paulo Fonseca, who joined the club in the summer, it was a grim performance where he took risks with his starting XI that did not pay off. The decision to bench star winger Rafael Leao and England international Fikayo Tomori was a bold call, especially considering their status as fan favorites.

DID YOU KNOW?

Pulisic is the fourth-highest scorer in Serie A this season with five goals. On top of that, he has three assists, making it eight goal contributions in nine regular season matches.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR PULISIC, MUSAH AND MILAN?

The are back in action on Saturday, Nov. 2 in Serie A against Monza. Paulo Fonseca's side will look to rebound from their midweek defeat with a crucial three points on the cards.

“New Zealand is a good team playing at home, but you will see a competitive series”

Umar Farooq15-Dec-2020

Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf, who is known for his pace, has said he can’t afford to be “predictable”. Rauf believes the amount of cricket that is played requires him to keep evolving around the stock balls and variations in pace, and said he wouldn’t like to tone down his “natural” aggression.”I have a clear mindset with my pace and 140+ [kph] is my average speed,” Rauf said at a press conference held on Monday. “But with Waqar Younis [Pakistan’s bowling coach], I think he is all in for pace, [and he] keeps on empathising [with me] while making me work on my line and length. There are so many things I am learning from him – like bowling yorkers using the crease, and he was best at it.”I understand these days [with] the kind of cricket being played, I can’t be predictable with my pace. You obviously have to keep on evolving with the other stocks. Bowling with pace is okay, but bowling slower ones with different lines are the points of discussion with Waqar . I am learning in practice and applying in games.”Rauf’s aggression while bowling has also often been a talking point – he became a subject of criticism for his controversial throat-slicing wicket celebration in the BBL last year – and exuberant celebrations have at times seen him part with some of his match fee.”Aggression is important as a fast bowler and it comes naturally,” Rauf said. “I am not wearing it, it’s just there and I play with it. Sometimes I react, because as a bowler you get hurt when you concede a boundary. It’s not like I am unhappy with the batsman, but it’s basically something that I am not happy with myself.”It’s how a fast bowler works; it’s just natural. I am happy the way my career is being worked out and I want to be remembered as a renewed fast bowler who has done well for this country. I am fully focused on my cricket and performances.”Rauf can regularly touch the 150kph mark, with his sheer pace catching the eye of the PSL franchise Lahore Qalandars in their player-hunt program. His development became a success story instantly when he signed a BBL contract with the Melbourne Stars last year, for whom he grabbed 20 wickets in ten games, including 5 for 27 against the Hobart Hurricanes and a hat-trick against the Sydney Thunder. His elevation was quick and unorthodox, not having climbed the usual ladder of the domestic set-up.Rauf’s abilities were only discovered in 2018 by which time he was 25. A T20 specialist, he has so far played 52 T20s and taken 78 wickets at 19.37. His form led to a surprise call-up to the Pakistan side for the home T20Is against Bangladesh this January, and even made his debut in the first game in Lahore. Since then, he hasn’t missed any of Pakistan’s T20Is, having played all eight games and picked up 11 wickets at 23.63. With that success, his ODI debut also followed this season in the first match against Zimbabwe in Rawalpindi.But despite his pace, Rauf says he doesn’t want to be a one-dimensional fast bowler. “Pace is always a requirement in international cricket, and all I want is to maintain my pace and never let it go down,” he said. “That is one thing where you always have a chance against any good batsman in the world and give him a tough time.”He is presently with the Pakistan team in New Zealand, training and making most out of the time during the 14-day quarantine period. Though Rauf has never played in New Zealand before, he is relying on the inputs provided by Younis when it comes to assessing the New Zealand pitches. He also quashed any sense of under-preparedness with the side having to deal with an extended quarantine, instead saying he got enough practice during their available sessions to work on his skills, while also discussing about the pitches and the conditions.”I obviously haven’t played cricket in New Zealand, but Waqar is there with all the experience to guide me,” he said. “I played some cricket in Australia last year [during the 2019-20 BBL], and pitches [here] are similar [to Australia]. [They] help pacers, but conditions [in New Zealand] are definitely cold. Following the time in quarantine, we all had a good training session and [also] three scenario-based matches in Queenstown.”[The] time [available] wasn’t as much as we [were] supposed to get, but we tried to squeeze everything within what we got and made sure we covered everything. New Zealand is a good team playing at home in their own conditions, but you will see a competitive series. I know their players… how well they play at home. But we also have a good history playing in New Zealand. We did well in the past and have the capacity to do well this time too.”

After falling short in the Championship playoff semi-finals last season, West Bromwich Albion are looking to bolster Carlos Corberan's squad as they aim to go one better in the upcoming campaign.

Baggies braced for big summer rebuild

After last summer saw their transfer activity limited by financial sanctions, West Brom can finally put their ownership struggles behind them and splash the cash this summer.

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The Baggies have already managed to get a couple of deals over the line with their first signing of the summer coming in the form of midfielder Ousmane Diakite. The 23-year-old was most recently at Austrian Bundesliga side TSV Hartberg and joins the club on a two-year deal with an option for a further twelve months.

West Brom's second arrival of the summer was Norwegian defender Torbjorn Heggem who joins the West Midlands outfit in a move from Swedish topflight side Brommapojkarna. The Baggies have also been reportedly linked with a move for Huddersfield Town star Sorba Thomas who played under Coberan during the Spaniard's tenure with the Terriers.

With the Baggies lining up a number of new arrivals, it appears that players could also depart the club this summer. Two candidates who have been linked with an exit from The Hawthorns are midfielders John Swift and Okay Yokuslu. The former has been linked with a move to Middlesbrough whilst the latter has attracted interest from both Hull City and clubs in his native Turkey.

As Corberan's current midfield stars attract interest from other clubs, West Brom are already looking towards who they can bring in to replace them.

West Brom plotting Cameron Brannagan move

If Yokuslu and Swift are to depart this summer, it appears that Oxford United's Cameron Brannagan is a likely candidate to fill the void in the middle of the park. That's according to the X account of Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke who claims that West Brom and Blackburn are both plotting moves for the midfielder, who is in the final year of his contract at the Kassam Stadium.

A product of Liverpool's youth academy, Brannagan, 28, was once thought to be the next big thing out of Anfield after excelling in the Reds' youth sides. The midfielder was even previously linked with moves to Real Madrid and Barcelona back in the summer of 2016, although neither of these rumours ever materialised.

Despite never reaching the heights of European superstardom, Brannagan has carved out a decent career for himself at Oxford, playing a key part in his side's promotion to the Championship last season. The midfielder joined Oxford in January 2018 with then manager Pep Clotet saying of the player:

"Cameron is a player with huge potential and someone that a lot of clubs have been monitoring for a long time. He has excellent technique, a good understanding of game and a real hunger to do well".

With the future of some of the Baggies' top stars looking uncertain, the club could do a lot worse than bringing in an established EFL talent like Brannagan.

Daniel Levy's shrewd nature at Tottenham Hotspur has served him well throughout his tenure as the north London club's chairman.

Spurs have achieved comparative success over the past 15 years, rising to a sustained position in the Champions League and consistently threatening to secure silverware without actually lifting a trophy.

That next step is crucial, and under Ange Postecoglou, there's a tentative sense of optimism that that goal could be realised, with purposeful signings being made in the transfer market.

Patchy form prevented Tottenham from recording a top-four Premier League finish last term but there was patent underlying progress that is now being reinforced with some exciting summer deals. Archie Gray has already signed from Leeds United for £30m and now focus is being turned to the frontline.

Latest on Spurs' pursuit of Chiesa

According to Football Transfers, Tottenham have the lead in the race to sign Juventus forward Federico Chiesa, with a strong relationship with Juventus swaying the odds as Arsenal and Liverpool also register an interest.

The Italian club need to sell and view Chiesa, who can play across the frontline, as a necessary sacrifice with just one year remaining on his current contract. It's believed that the Old Lady are fielding bids of €30m (£25m), which would be a bargain if the 25-year-old's fitness holds up.

Tottenham are fast improving and nurturing an impressive crop, and it's a testament to the work being done down N17 that there's one Lilywhite whose value eclipses that of Chiesa, just one year after his signing.

Micky van de Ven's market value in 2024

We're talking about the one and only Micky van de Ven, who was purchased from the German Bundesliga's VFL Wolfsburg in a £43m deal last summer as Postecoglou shored up his backline.

Endowed with supreme athleticism and a formidable physique, the Netherlands star shone as he utilised his pace and power to forge a steely bond with Cristian Romero in Spurs' backline, with James Maddison stating such qualities were "frightening".

As per FBref, he actually ranked among the top 10% of centre-backs in the Premier League last season for goals, the top 16% for ball recoveries, the top 2% for pass completion and the top 5% for successful take-ons per 90.

Matches played

27

Goals

3

Clean sheets

5

Pass completion

94%

Touches per game

77.4

Dribbles per game

0.6

Ball recoveries per game

5.3

Tackles per game

1.8

Clearances per game

2.6

Ground duels won per game

3.0 (65%)

A truly astounding talent, even described as an "utter freak" by podcast host Michael Caley, Van de Ven's £43m arrival raised a few eyebrows initially; Liverpool are believed to have withdrawn from the race due to concerns about Wolfsburg's proposed price tag.

Might that opinion differ now? Probably. CIES Football Observatory – a research organisation located in Switzerland – have concluded their appraisal of the dynamic defender and marked him with a £65m market value, already £22m higher than Spurs' initial outlay.

It's a significant rise and one that is projected to continue over the coming years. Chiesa, a high-level talent in his own right, is available for £25m in what is £40m off Van de Ven.

Tottenham have a lot to do to reach the desired platform but the signs thus far are promising, and with players such as Van de Ven in the side, lofty ambitions might just be realised down the line.

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Rodri is eyeing a Manchester City comeback before the end of the 2024-25 campaign as he recovers from surgery on an ACL injury.

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Rodri hopes to play again in the 2024-25 campaignSuffered ACL injury against ArsenalMan City have lost in their last four outingsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Spanish midfielder, who won the Ballon d'Or in Paris last month ahead of Vinicius Junior, ruptured his ACL during a Premier League clash against Arsenal in September. It was initially believed that Rodri might have played his last game of the 2024-25 campaign for Manchester City, however, he is hoping to return ahead of schedule.

AdvertisementWHAT RODRI SAID

Speaking on the Spanish show , the 28-year-old said: "I have in mind to play this season. Now the seasons are getting longer and the (Club) World Cup ends on July 13, I have in mind to return this year, as a challenge. I’ve already started walking and I’m feeling better than I thought."

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It has been a nightmare for City in the past couple of weeks as they have lost four games in a row – the first time in Pep Guardiola's coaching career – including back-to-back defeats against Bournemouth and Brighton in the Premier League. They have been ousted from the Carabao Cup, faced humiliation against Ruben Amorim's Sporting CP in the Champions League and they are currently trailing English top-flight leaders Liverpool by five points.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER CITY?

The reigning English champions will aim to get back to winning ways after the international break as they meet Tottenham in a difficult home fixture in the Premier League on November 23.

Neymar posted a 'hopeful' update after the Al-Hilal forward went off with an injury on Monday.

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• Neymar injured in Al-Hilal match
• Star taken off after 30 minutes
• Says a flare up is 'normal'

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Brazil forward pulled up with an apparent muscle injury 30 minutes after coming off the bench in the second-half of his team's AFC Champions League win against Esteghlal. The 32-year-old limped off the field and had to be replaced, sparking fears of another serious injury.

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  Neymar was making just his second appearance of the season for Al-Hilal, having recently returned after a year out with an anterior cruciate ligament injury. He admitted that he had been warned of another flare up as he took to social media after the match to provide an update.

• WHAT NEYMAR SAID

  Neymar wrote in an Instagram story that the injury will be examined, adding: "Hopefully nothing too much… It's normal that after one year [out] this happens, the doctors had already warned me, so I have to be careful and play more minutes."

  instagram/neymarjr

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• WHAT NEXT FOR NEYMAR?

  Neymar was left out of Al-Hilal's squad for the Saudi Pro League due to his previous injury, so he is ineligible for their next two matches. If he is fit, he will likely feature against Al-Sadd in the AFC Champions League on November 26.