All posts by n8rngtd.top

Southampton are now staggeringly 19 games unbeaten in the Championship after a thumping 4-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend. Russell Martin's Saints are on song and look like a tough nut to crack at the top end of the division.

The south coast side are now within touching distance of the top two places in the division, with the whole squad playing their part against the Owls – four different goalscorers chipping in against Danny Rohl's beleaguered away side to secure a comprehensive win.

Yet, although Adam Armstrong got on the scoresheet himself for the high-flyers in the victory, the prolific Southampton man could be supercharged even further with this potential addition in through the door at St Mary's this month.

Southampton going after Premier League winger

talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook revealed on social media late last month that the promotion-chasing Saints were interested in bringing David Brooks to the club on loan, with a further development recently only adding more fuel to the fire over a potential deal.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT in the past few days, journalist Dean Jones confirmed that Martin's side are going after Brooks with the transfer 'one to genuinely keep an open mind about' from a Southampton perspective.

A deal to bring in the current AFC Bournemouth winger could see Armstrong moved back to a far more comfortable centre-forward position, Martin shoehorning his star-man into a right-wing role owing to Che Adams' upturn in form.

Acknowledging that this decision to play the Saints number nine out wide recently has made Armstrong a 'bit annoyed' when speaking to BBC Radio Solent directly after the Wednesday demolition job, bringing in Brooks could see Martin opt to start the exciting Cherries attacker there instead to link up with Armstrong up top.

If Adams also decides to move on from St Mary's this transfer window, it's a win-win deal for all involved.

Why Brooks would benefit Armstrong

Brooks and Armstrong could make the Southampton attack even more terrifying for Championship defences to attempt to thwart, 4-0 and 5-0 wins on their own patch becoming customary now even without the additional firepower of the Welsh winger in the side.

During his last full campaign at this level for the Cherries, the slick attacker managed to contribute to 11 goals in total with five goals and six assists tallied from 32 games.

With those numbers in the Saints set-up now, Brooks wouldn't be far off the likes of Samuel Edozie and Ryan Fraser who both have five and seven assists next to their name respectively in an attack just oozing strength in numbers.

Yet, the 26-year-old can stand out from the pack making the short trip across the South Coast from Bournemouth to Southampton if signed.

Boasting a promotion to the Premier League on his Cherries CV could make him a worthwhile buy alone, alongside glowing comments from previous managers who single out how dazzling Brooks can be on his day.

At the peak of his powers in the top flight during the 2018/19 season – helping himself to five goals and seven assists across a breakthrough season – the then Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe praised Brooks for his "intelligent" play on the ball after scoring in a 2-0 win over Brighton. Further praise would be forthcoming during Scott Parker's time at the helm, the former midfielder labelling Brooks as "first-class".

Armstrong being unleashed back in a lone striker role is a no-brainer move, the 26-year-old becoming more of an assist machine than a goalscoring one in recent weeks but could well be the prolific finisher Southampton require to mount a more aggressive charge for the automatic promotion spaces.

Finding the back of the net an astounding 70 times at second-tier level during his career to date, Martin will hope the goals continue to flow with Brooks next to him in the team with a promotion to celebrate come the end of the season as a result.

Real Betis are launching a unique clothing range inspired by Antony's neck tattoo as the club look to fund £21.6m move from Manchester United. The Brazilian winger had already won fans over during his loan spell in Seville last season, but finances threatened to derail the deal. United stood firm on their valuation, leaving Betis to search for creative ways to bridge a £5m gap.

• Antony's new clothing line inspired by Iluminado tattoo

  Betis and Antony have collaborated on a fashion range inspired by the winger’s iconic neck tattoo, which reads Iluminado; “enlightened” in English. The collection will see royalties shared between the club and the player, generating non-sporting income designed to offset the transfer fee.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Betis chief Alarcon reveals bold commercial plan

  Chief executive Ramon Alarcon said: "We’ve launched a clothing line with Antony, we’re participating with him through royalties. And he’ll also have some non-sporting income from that merchandising. If he ends up being the world star he has been, we at Betis hope to recover the investment and even what it cost us the previous year. It carries a certain risk because this is locked in for five years and at a high cost, but you can potentially reap benefits. It’s the most difficult signing I’ve made as CEO because there was a lot of pressure from all the Betis fans. It was taken for granted that he was coming, everyone was asking when he was coming.”

• United’s stance and Glazer green light caused Antony delay

  Despite Betis’ inventive financial approach, the move nearly collapsed just two days before the deadline. Antony was involved in a dispute with Manchester United over a payment he believed was due. That issue was eventually scrapped to push the transfer over the line. Adding to the drama, the deal could not be rubber-stamped until the Glazer family signed it off from the United States on deadline day. Betis had to hold their nerve until the very last hours before finally confirming Antony’s arrival.

• Red Devils secure sell-on clause in Antony deal

  While Betis celebrated their coup, United made sure they did not walk away empty-handed. The Premier League club inserted a 50 per cent sell-on clause into the deal, ensuring they will pocket half of any future transfer fee if Antony is sold again. For United, it represents a long-term safeguard after letting go of a player who cost them £82m from Ajax in 2022.

Bilal Khan and Fayyaz Butt took three wickets apiece to set up a seven-wicket victory

Peter Della Penna19-Oct-2019The absence of three banned players in the wake of an ICC ACU investigation into match-fixing left UAE badly exposed on the opening night of the T20 World Cup Qualifier on home soil as Oman ran roughshod over the depleted hosts, storming to victory by seven wickets.Oman demonstrated early that they would show little mercy to their shorthanded gulf rivals with some superb fielding leading to three wickets in the Powerplay. The sequence included a direct hit from mid-on by Khurram Nawaz but was highlighted by a brilliant diving catch from Aqib Ilyas at backward point off the fifth ball of the match to dismiss Ashfaq Ahmed and give Bilal Khan the first of his three wickets.The normally fluent Rameez Shahzad and Rohan Mustafa struggled to pace their innings in the middle overs without the suspended Shaiman Anwar as a buffer, each scoring below a run a ball before they fell after the halfway stage. Shahzad was bowled missing a slog sweep to Khawar Ali’s legspin before Mustafa lofted Khan to Aamir Kaleem at long-on.UAE wheezed their way past 100 before stuttering badly in the final two overs as Khan and Fayyaz Butt excelled at the death. Butt took three wickets in four balls in the 19th with clever use of the slower bouncer. Khan then had Junaid Siddique caught behind in the final over on what may have been a far more contentious decision – replays indicated it was a bump ball but third umpire referrals are not in place for this tournament – had the scoreline been remotely tighter.The chase became even more comfortable for Oman thanks to some very sloppy fielding by UAE, in contrast to the visitors. Medium pacer Siddique bounced out Khawar for a five-ball duck to start the reply and should have had Jatinder Singh at deep square leg for 2 in the third over, but Waheed Ahmed put down a diving effort coming in from the rope and Jatinder went on to make 16, not much but enough in a low-scoring match.A much clumsier effort was put down by Ashfaq Ahmed at slip in the 9th over. Kaleem was fresh at the crease after Jatinder’s run out by Waheed from deep cover and captain Ahmed Raza supported Mustafa’s offspin with a slip in the form of Ashfaq. But he still had his hands on his knees when Kaleem, on 2, edged one that went in between his legs at knee height and carried on for a boundary.Kaleem made 27 off 19 before he slogged to long-on in the 14th off Raza but by that stage Oman needed just 28 off 39 balls to reach the target. An uncharacteristically sedate Ilyas patiently knocked singles and twos in tandem with captain Zeeshan Maqsood in an unbroken fourth-wicket stand to get Oman across the line with 10 balls to spare as Maqsood ended the match pulling a six off Siddique over square leg.

Samuel Umtiti, once a World Cup-winning defender, is considering retirement as he remains without a club almost 20 months since his last match.

• Umtiti yet to find a new club
• Last played a competitive game in January 2024
• Frenchman considering retirement aged 31

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Umtiti's future is currently shrouded in mystery. Without a team since the end of his adventure at Lille, the 2018 World Cup winner is refusing to call time on his career for good. At 31, the former Lyon, Barcelona, and Lecce defender faces a crucial choice: to prolong his professional career by seizing one last opportunity or to turn the page for good. In less than 10 days, Umtiti will have to give his verdict.

Advertisement

• getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After six largely injury-riddled seasons at Camp Nou, the centre-back was loaned out to Lecce in Serie A for the 2022-23 season. In the summer of 2023, he moved to Lille on a two-year deal.

  Umtiti’s stint at Lille came to a predictable end after a prolonged battle with injuries. The World Cup winner last featured on January 21, 2024, in a Coupe de France tie against Racing Club, before physical setbacks sidelined him once again. Over two seasons, he made just 13 appearances — all during his first year — his progress hampered by recurring injuries, including a concussion in September 2023. His troubled left knee, worn down since the 2018 World Cup, remained a persistent issue.

  However, Umtiti hasn’t given up. After undergoing two knee operations in February 2024, he claims to be pain-free for the first time in years. This summer, he trained intensively in Barcelona with a personal coach to rebuild fitness and confidence. While questions remain about his future, the ex-France international is eyeing a comeback.

• TELL ME MORE

  At 31 years of age – he will turn 32 in November – Umtiti knows he is close to a decisive turning point. Free from any contract, the Frenchman still has the opportunity to sign with any club despite the transfer window being closed. According to , a deadline has been set:September 10. By that date, he will have to decide whether to accept a new adventure or end his professional career.

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR SAMUEL UMTITI?

  During the summer, Umtiti certainly had no shortage of offers. According to the French newspaper, several clubs in France, the United States, the Middle East and even Italy came forward. The MLS, in particular, appeals to him because of the prospect of an environment conducive to his future career change. However, the former Lyon player has not ruled out one last European challenge, convinced that his experience and track record remain strengths. His decision will be made in the coming days.

South African bowling allrounder set for his first stint in the BBL while English batsman returns after a successful spell last season

Alex Malcolm18-Sep-2019Sydney Thunder have signed South Africa bowling allrounder Chris Morris for BBL09 while England batsman James Vince has re-signed for with Sydney Sixers.Sydney Thunder coach Shane Bond was delighted to secure Morris for the BBL. He has extensive T20 experience globally and has been a valuable commodity in the IPL for Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals and, most recently, Delhi Capitals. Bond has watched Morris closely whilst serving as Mumbai Indians bowling coach over recent seasons.”Chris is someone who I had my eye on,” Bond said. “It’s always great to have a player who can change the game with bat and ball. He’s an experienced, hardened cricketer who bowls 90mph and smacks it with the bat. Those players are very rare, so he brings a unique skill set.”I’m looking forward to welcoming his personality and competitiveness to the team as well.”Morris will join the Thunder after his commitments with Nelson Mandela Bay Giants in the Mzansi Super League in South Africa end. The MSL final is set for December 16, and the Thunder play the opening game of the BBL on December 17 in Brisbane. Morris’ early availability will be tested further given the Thunder play three matches in the first five days of the tournament.James Vince brought up his half-century off 36 balls•Getty Images

Meanwhile, Vince returns to Sydney Sixers after playing eight matches last season coming in as a replacement for countryman Joe Denly. Vince will return to Sydney alongside another Englishman Tom Curran as the Sixers’ two overseas players.Vince was instrumental in helping the Sixers to the semi-final, making 75 off 46 balls against Brisbane Heat and then 74 not out from 50 balls in a record-breaking partnership with Josh Philippe to beat competition leaders Hobart Hurricanes.”James made a huge impression within our group through his consistent performance in the vital No.3 position that assisted the team reaching the semi-finals,” Sixers coach Greg Shipperd said. “As captain of his county Hampshire, and an England player, he brings great knowledge, leadership and calm to our group.”He is one of the sweetest strikers of the ball in the world, with a rare purity of strokes on both sides of the wicket making him tough to contain. Who can forget his breathtaking unbeaten partnership with Josh Philippe at the SCG. He will compliment beautifully our opening duo of Philippe and Daniel Hughes.”Vince is keen to atone for last year’s semi-final loss. “Having lost out in the semis in BBL 08 I’m hoping we can go all the way this time around,” he said. “There is a huge amount of talent in the squad and some great people at the club. I’m looking forward to contributing to what is hopefully going to be a great BBL for the Sixers.”

Before December, Eddie Howe's worst-ever period at Newcastle United came right at the beginning of his tenure, as his side picked up merely five points from a possible 21 in his first seven matches in the St. James' dugout.

However, after spending around £400m throughout his spell in charge, the Magpies have now lost seven of their last eight matches in all competitions and Monday's defeat at Anfield against Premier League leaders Liverpool piled further pressure on the manager.

Newcastle's 4/10 man was a bigger villain than Dan Burn vs Liverpool

Newcastle have now suffered seven defeats in their last eight games in all competitions.

By
Adam Scully

Jan 2, 2024

Nevertheless, with the January window now open, Howe could add to his squad in an attempt to stop the rot and has reportedly set his sights on one player from a league rival.

Newcastle United transfer news – Andrey Santos

According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Newcastle United have enquired to Chelsea about midfielder Andrey Santos, who is currently out on loan at relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest. It was previously reported that Chelsea were unhappy with the Brazilian's lack of minutes at the City Ground and were set to recall him from his loan this month, with the Magpies keen to bring him to the club.

After completing his move to Stamford Bridge last year for £18m from Vasco da Gama, Santos was sent out on loan to the Tricky Trees during the summer to acclimatise to English football. However, the youngster has played merely 97 minutes this season for Forest, including just seven minutes in the Premier League. Santos' last appearance for his loan club came away at Anfield back in October.

Now, the 19-year-old could be recalled from his disappointing stint in Nottinghamshire and may be an astute signing for Newcastle, particularly on loan as Howe recently admitted that FFP will be a constraint for the side this winter, meaning dipping into the loan market could be the way forward.

Andrey Santos' stats comparison vs Sean Longstaff

Newcastle's midfield has been a problem area for the club this season. This department has been left quite bare in recent months due to injuries and suspensions to the likes of Joelinton and Sandro Tonali, leaving Howe hamstrung with his decision to constantly deploy Sean Longstaff in the middle of the park. The boyhood Geordie has made 24 appearances in all competitions already this term.

The problem is, since Tonali was handed a season-ending suspension early into the campaign, Howe has been forced to keep Bruno Guimaraes in a deeper position as Newcastle's holding midfielder which has caused the creative and goalscoring burden to fall onto Longstaff. Unfortunately, the 26-year-old has managed merely five goal contributions this season, including three goals and two assists.

While Santos has yet to register an assist in his professional career, the 5 foot 11 teenager has still outscored Longstaff and was outperforming the latter's output from this term in several key metrics from his time with Vasco da Gama, particularly from a defensive standpoint.

While Longstaff has proven himself to be more productive in the attacking phase, Santos' defensive nous would be more beneficial for Howe's team, who conceded a Premier League record 7.27 xG against Liverpool on Monday, to be more resilient out of possession, hence why football scout Jacek Kulig once described Santos as a "pressing machine".

Having Guimaraes as the deep-lying playmaker, supported by Santos and Joelinton could be more advantageous for Newcastle right now.

Compared to all other number '8s' in Europe's top-five leagues this season, Joelinton ranks in the top 20% for tackles won per 90, the top 15% for interceptions per 90 and the top 17% for blocks per 90, having been converted into a box-to-box midfielder by Howe back in 2021.

Howe could potentially repeat this masterclass by signing another Brazilian gem – Santos – on loan for the remainder of the campaign.

The Australia batsman went to the ground with the rest of the team two days out from the Test, but did not train

Daniel Brettig in Leeds20-Aug-2019For a fleeting moment, Steven Smith was fully part of preparation for the Headingley Test. He joined team-mates for an initial look at the pitch and then was in the general huddle before training.But from the instant that group broke up and the other 16 players assembled for warm-up exercises, only an official confirmation was required to add to the obvious evidence of the eyes: Smith had been ruled out after failing to recover in time from the concussion he suffered at Lord’s.Given the symptoms Smith had experienced the morning after his blow from Jofra Archer and the desperately short turnaround time between Lord’s and Leeds, it had always been difficult to imagine him being fit to bat in time. While Cricket Australia’s concussion policy does not set a minimum recovery time, its requirement for a graded return to play was almost inevitably going to take longer than the three days available.ALSO READ: Travis Head brings out the stem guard after blow to Steven Smith
Justin Langer, not only Australia’s coach but also the recipient of a huge number of blows to the head when batting for his state, county and country, said the decision to leave Smith out of calculations was, in the end, a straightforward one in the hands of the team doctor Richard Saw. “It was pretty simple really, when we followed the protocols, he was probably a couple of days off being fit to be selected,” Langer said. “There’s been a lot of work go into this concussion substitute, the concussion policy, over many years.”The very fact we’ve got one in international cricket goes to show how much has gone into it. At the end of the day it was really a no-brainer, he felt a bit better yesterday but he is not going to have time enough to tick off everything he needs to do to be ready to play. Not unlike England losing James Anderson, he’s arguably their best bowler, we are going to arguably lose our best batter for this Test match, so it’s always a blow, no doubt about that.”You take your best players out it always has an impact, we have got to make sure that all the other guys, our senior players and our younger players all step up and fill what are almost unfillable shoes as he is almost the best player in the world. We’ve talked the whole time about squad mentality and being ready and when things come up like they always do in this game and guys are ready to step up and I’m confident they will do that. He obviously, like all the players, wants to play, he loves batting but he understands as well that he’s not 100% yet and with only a couple of days between Test matches, that’s what makes it so difficult.”Smith had initially passed a concussion test and returned to complete his innings in the hour after he was struck on the fourth afternoon, but woke up with a headache and some dizziness on the final day and mandatory subsequent testing revealed his condition to have deteriorated. Langer, who had defended the decision to allow Smith to resume his innings at Lord’s when he passed initial tests, said the subsequent diagnosis after the later onset of the blows effects had not only educated him but also caused him to pause and think about past instances in his own career.Getty Images

“The process is there for a reason and I am 100% confident that the decision made the other day was the right one,” Langer said. “He passed all the testing and he had a smile on his face, he had colour in his face, he was desperate to go out and bat and as I said the other day, I asked him over and over and over.”We have a duty of care to our players not just as cricketers but as people. He was really keen and confident he was okay and the tests all showed that. They talk about this delayed concussion. I probably have a whole different insight having been in his shoes a couple of times before. It can hit you afterwards and it did with him and that’s why he is out of this Test match.”While the vice-captain Travis Head had expressed hope that Smith would be fit, and he joined the rest of the team on the bus from Leeds out to Headingley, he arrived with an expression that indicated he would primarily be at training as a spectator. After taking an initial look at the pitch for the third Test, Smith joined the squad’s start-up huddle, but then walked away for a lengthy one-on-one discussion with Langer in the centre of the ground.He then moved closer to the Kirkstall Lane End of the ground for another chat, this time with Saw. All the while the rest of the squad went through warm-ups, then fielding practice and ultimately a net session, as Smith did no more than look on.The former captain Mark Taylor, in England as a commentator, chatted with Smith, whom he has mentored at regular intervals over his career. Langer can be expected to lean on Taylor, Ricky Ponting and other members of the commentary cadre for advice and counsel over the remaining three Tests, after Steve Waugh’s stint as team mentor ended with the conclusion of the Lord’s Test.Finally, as Smith and Taylor walked to the middle to observe and advise on some catching drills, the official word arrived. Smith was out of the Headingley Test, giving him two weeks to recover and prepare for the fourth match of the series at Old Trafford. And as much of a blow to the Australians as this is, the underlying emotion was care: for Smith, and for anyone who has been hit a similarly horrid blow. England’s coach Trevor Bayliss, a longtime associate of Smith who was coaching New South Wales the day Phillip Hughes was struck at the SCG in 2014, summed it up.”I went up to their medical room to check on him when he came off,” Bayliss said. “It’s something you never like to see and certainly brought flashbacks from that New South Wales v South Australia game a few years ago when Hughesy got hit. But just glad to see him get to his feet. Hopefully he’s right and able to play in the next match.”

Manchester City will be seeing two new attacking players arrive at the club over the summer in the shape of Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez.

However, it seems as though the Citizens could also see one of their current attacking players wave goodbye to the Etihad Stadium.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Goal in Brazil, City striker Gabriel Jesus and his representatives have reportedly told the club behind the scenes that he wants to leave during the upcoming summer transfer window.

The Premier League champions secured a deal for the Brazilian back in the summer of 2016 from Palmeiras for a fee of £27m.

After then making the move to Manchester in January 2017, the now-25-year-old has gone on to make 235 appearances for the club across all competitions. In that time, the £45m-rated attacker has scored 95 goals and supplied 46 assists along the way.

With 40 appearances under his belt across all competitions in the current campaign, Jesus has found the net 13 times and provided 12 assists for his team-mates.

To further highlight how important a player he has been for Pep Guardiola’s side this season, no other player in City’s squad has racked up more goal-scoring actions (17) than the Brazil international.

Also, no other player in the squad has completed more successful dribbles which have led to a shot at goal (12) than Jesus, who also has the second-highest number of live-ball passes which have led to a goal in this current Premier League campaign.

This shows just how much of a blow it would be for the club to see the striker leave this summer, and why it will be bad news for the supporters to hear that he apparently wants to leave.

Taking into account how City have seen the likes of Leroy Sane and Ferran Torres leave the Etihad for moves elsewhere in recent times, seeing Jesus potentially follow in their footsteps will be another disappointment for them.

Despite the attacking duo who are set to arrive in the summer, the club should definitely try and persuade their Brazilian star to stay where he is and continue his journey with them, given how vital an attacking talent he is.

In other news: Man City eye move for £20m wizard who “always gives solutions”, imagine him & Alvarez

The English FA has given its approval for the appointment of a foreign manager as Gareth Southgate's successor.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• England open to hiring foreign manager
• Tuchel and Pochettino in the race
• FA also targeting Howe and Potter

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Southgate called it time on his eight-year tenure as the head coach of the England national team following the Three Lions' Euro 2024 final loss to Spain last month. The FA are currently in the process of identifying his successor and are not ruling out the appointment of a foreign coach, per The Guardian.

Advertisement

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  As per the report, it was the FA's CEO Mark Bullingham who took the idea to the other nine board members for their backing, and the idea was approved. It means that foreign candidates will be approached for the position, as well as English ones.

• Getty
  

  WHAT'S MORE?

  As per the report, former Chelsea bosses Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino are the top foreign choices to succeed Southgate. They will also keep chasing Howe and Graham Potter in the meantime as Tuchel and Pochettino may have very high salary demands.

• WHAT NEXT FOR THE THREE LIONS?

  The English FA will hope to hire Southgate's appointment swiftly but won't rush the process; the priority is making sure they get the right person. Under-21 manager Lee Carsley, himself a candidate for the senior job, is expected to take interim charge with a clash against the Republic of Ireland in the Nations League to come on September 7.

Bangladesh come into the series as the more settled side despite missing a few big names, but they’ve never won an ODI at the Premadasa Stadium

The Preview by Madushka Balasuriya25-Jul-2019

Big picture

While all eyes will rightfully be on Lasith Malinga ahead of his final ODI, the Sri Lanka quick’s swansong also brings into the focus the journey both these sides have been on over the last several years.In 14 ODIs against Bangladesh, Malinga has tasted defeat just three times, and remains probably the last member of the Sri Lanka squad, barring maybe Angelo Mathews, to remember having played Bangladesh when a Sri Lanka victory was considered a mere formality.For the rest of the squad, though, these games have been much feistier affairs, spurred on by disputes over celebratory taunts, shattered dressing-room doors, and coach swaps.The last six completed ODIs between the two sides, meanwhile, have been evenly shared – which is why it was such a shame their game at the World Cup was washed out. As such it’s safe to say that this series is set to be the most competitive bilateral contest, ever, between the two nations.Even so, Sri Lanka come into the game with more problems than the visitors. A chronic inability to pick up wickets in the middle overs has left the team management with their fingers perennially crossed over the return to form of Akila Dananjaya, while the batting order’s instability has long been a point of contention. Malinga’s imminent retirement only deepens their woesBangladesh, on the other hand, despite their underwhelming finish in a World Cup that began with so much promise, have by far the more settled side. Even without stars such as Shakib Al Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza and Liton Das, they have built enough strength in depth to put out arguably the stronger of the two teams, and while captain Tamim Iqbal was keen to avoid the favourites tag in the build-up, the fact that the team will be disappointed with anything other than a win shows how far they’ve come.

Form guide

Bangladesh: LLWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Sri Lanka: LWLWL

In the spotlight

Shakib Al Hasan was unarguably Bangladesh’s star performer of the World Cup, but with him ruled out, Mohammad Mithun has a golden opportunity to stake his claim for a spot in an otherwise settled batting line-up. Likely to take up the coveted No. 3 role, Mithun could give Sri Lanka’s bowlers a tough time if he carries on the form he showed in the warm-up match.Lasith Malinga picked up 13 wickets at the World Cup, more than twice as many as any other Sri Lankan bowler. In his final game, expect him to push his ageing frame to the limit, and attempt to give himself a fairytale farewell.Mohammad Mithun gets creative•Getty Images

Team news

Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), 2 Kusal Perera (wk), 3 Avishka Fernando, 4 Kusal Mendis, 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Dhananjaya De Silva, 7 Thisara Perera, 8 Isuru Udana, 9 Nuwan Pradeep, 10 Akila Dhananjaya, 11 Lasith MalingaBangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal (capt), 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Mohammad Mithun, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Mahmudullah, 6 Sabbir Rahman, 7 Mossadek Hossain 8 Mehidy Hasan, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Rubel Hossain

Pitch and conditions

The pitch at the Khettarama has the reputation of being high-scoring with ball coming on to bat, with teams putting up an average first-innings total of 313 in the last five matches here, of which four have been won by the team batting first. However, there’s an 80% chance of rain in the afternoon and evening, something the team winning the toss will have to take into consideration.

Stats and trivia

• Tamim Iqbal is 129 runs away from becoming the first Bangladesh cricketer to score 7000 ODI runs.
• No player taking part in this series from either side has scored a century at the R Premadasa Stadium. The highest score remains Angelo Mathews’ 97 not out.
• In eight attempts, Bangladesh are yet to win an ODI at the R Premadasa stadium.

Quotes

“Not too long ago we were in a similar situation and Sri Lanka came to our country and played a beautiful series. In cricket we’re like a family, and we need to help each other when these sort of things happen. Nobody in our team thought about not coming. We’re feeling very comfortable, and we’re only thinking about our cricket.”
“To be very honest I just heard from him just now, that’s the truth. So I haven’t even thought about it yet.”