All posts by h716a5.icu

The BCCI has exempted Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals from paying the annual IPL franchise fee during their suspension period, between 2016 and 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Aug-2016The BCCI has exempted Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals from paying the annual IPL franchise fee during their suspension period, between 2016 and 2017. It is understood that the board made the decision during its most recent working committee meeting in Delhi, and has agreed to return the first instalment of the fee paid by the franchises.While there was no comment forthcoming from the Royals camp, a Super Kings official confirmed that the two franchises have now withdrawn legal proceedings after the board opted to settle the matter out of court. After the board had insisted on the payment being made, Super Kings had contended that they need not pay the fee while they were not playing. However, it is learnt that the Super Kings paid the first instalment of around Rs 11 crore in protest, before filing a case in the Bombay High Court.”There is no need to pay the franchise fee when we are suspended,” the CSK official told ESPNcricinfo. “They will refund the franchise fee which we have paid so far [under protest]. We have already withdrawn the case from the Bombay High Court.”When they asked for the full and final [instalment] of payment, we approached the court for a stay and then we invoked the arbitration clause. Arbitrators were also in favour [of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals], so they [BCCI] went for an out of court settlement.”The BCCI’s change of heart comes following a stand-off with the franchises over the matter for more than six months. Super Kings and Royals were suspended for two years in July 2015, following the corruption scandal in IPL 2013, and two new franchises inducted into the league in the interim.

Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Julen Lopetegui will look to address their offensive options in the summer transfer window as well as other positional areas, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Wolverhampton Wanderers?

As per Sky Sports News, Wolves are keen on signing Coventry City striker Victor Gyokeres this summer and it has been claimed that they are the 'leading club in the Premier League for his signature' as of now.

Competition is high for Gyokeres, with the likes of Crystal Palace and West Ham United also interested in the Sweden international. The report also states that Sheffield United striker Iliman Ndiaye, Luton ace Carlton Morris, Middlesbrough frontman Chupa Akpom and Ben Brereton Diaz have also been tracked by chiefs at Molineux.

One Spanish outlet has claimed that a sensational part-exchange deal involving Wolves captain Ruben Neves and Barcelona attacker Ansu Fati has been floated; however, the Spain international isn't too enthused by the prospect of a transfer to the West Midlands.

Salernitana midfielder Lassana Coulibaly and Wolfsburg defender Ridle Baku are also potential targets for the Old Gold as Lopetegui gets ready for another busy transfer period.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones believes that bolstering the forward areas will be a key priority for the Spanish coach in the summer.

Jones told FFC: "The attacking options have to be addressed pretty early in the window. I think we could see some pretty big changes and I would expect that given the demands and expectations Lopetegui has for this job."

Who could Wolverhampton Wanderers let go this summer?

Wolves have a squad in need of surgery, which makes it all the more impressive that Lopetegui has managed to guide the Old Gold to Premier League survival despite their evident deficiencies.

Club captain Neves and teammate Matheus Nunes have been linked with moves away this summer to Barcelona and Liverpool respectively.

Striker pair Diego Costa and Raul Jimenez also have their future in doubt at Molineux and could be moved on in the off-season to make way for new recruits, according to Sky Sports News.

Adama Traore and Joao Moutinho also see their contracts expire at the end of the campaign and look unlikely to agree new deals, as per Transfermarkt. Defender Nelson Semedo is in the same boat; nevertheless, Wolves have a two-year option to extend his stay at the club.

Lopetegui is set for a massive summer as the Old Gold look to streamline their squad appropriately to compete in the Premier League come 2023/24.

Half-centuries from Paul Horton and Mark Cosgrove helped Leicestershire to a six-wicket victory inside three days of their Championship game against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham College

ECB Reporters Network22-Jul-2016
ScorecardClint McKay picked up three second-innings wickets as Leicestershire secured a three-day win in Cheltenham•Getty ImagesHalf-centuries from Paul Horton and Mark Cosgrove helped Leicestershire to a six-wicket victory inside three days of their Championship game against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham College.Set 181 to win, Leicestershire recovered from 16 for 2 shortly after lunch to seal victory with more than three sessions of the game to spare. Cosgrove hit an impressive 54 and Horton, an unbeaten 73. However, it was far from plain sailing on a festival wicket that once again provided plenty of encouragement for the bowlers.Gloucestershire, resuming their second innings on their overnight total of 133 for 4, found themselves in trouble during the first session, against the Leicestershire trio of Ben Raine, Clint Mckay and Charlie Shreck. Although Michael Klinger reached 50 off 101 balls, with seven fours, he became the fifth Gloucestershire wicket to fall when caught behind off the bowling of Raine at 155 for 5.Jack Taylor, with whom Klinger added 55 for the fifth wicket, departed off the final ball of the same Raine over and when Craig Miles and David Payne followed, in quick succession, Gloucestershire were 161 for 8.Liam Norwell was bowled by McKay for 3, six runs later, before Benny Howell and Josh Shaw, who hit a career-best 29, gave Gloucestershire fresh hope with 48 for the final wicket.Leicestershire, chasing a modest 181 for victory but mindful that Gloucestershire had bowled out Division Two leaders Essex for 151 on the final day of last week’s Championship game at the picturesque college ground, lost Angus Robson before lunch and Neil Dexter shortly after.However, Cosgrove and Horton not only batted with great patience to add 108 off 184 balls for the third wicket, but in doing so, took the visitors to within sight of a third Championship victory of the summer.Cosgrove, who reached his half century off 88 balls, with seven fours, eventually chipped a catch to Will Tavare at midwicket, off the bowling of Graeme van Buuren, at 124 for 3. Still, Horton posted 50 off 113 balls and continued in the same sensible vein as Gloucestershire toiled in the late afternoon sunshine.There were one or two close shaves along the way, before the slow left-armer van Buuren finally snared Horton, lbw for 73, at 163 for 4. Unfortunately, for Gloucestershire, it was too little too late and Mark Pettini and Niall O’Brien finally put Gloucestershire out of their misery, with more than 15 overs of the day remaining.

South Africa captain AB de Villiers is pleased with the way his side has responded to pressure in the ongoing triangular ODI series in the Caribbean

Firdose Moonda20-Jun-20163:16

Always good to have a spinner you can turn to – de Villiers

There was even less cricket played in Barbados on Sunday during AB de Villiers’ 200th ODI appearance for South Africa than there was in Bangalore seven months ago, where de Villiers played his 100th Test and four of the five days were lost to rain. But the South Africa captain did not let that dampen his spirits.”I’m not too fussed about that kind of thing, the fact that it rained off. I take it one game at a time,” de Villiers said. “It’s a nice milestone and a way to look back over my career, how lucky I’ve been to have played so many games and to have been around for so long. It is a great privilege and an honour to represent this country and to have played for that long.”Instead of looking back, de Villiers is choosing to look forward, to the rest of this triangular series. If Australia lose to West Indies on Tuesday, South Africa will be guaranteed a spot in Sunday’s showdown. If Australia win, then South Africa will need to beat West Indies on Friday; a loss will not be enough get them through, even if they finish ahead of West Indies on net run rate, because the tournament’s regulations stipulate that number of wins is the first criterion to separate teams tied on points.*Either way South Africa go into their last game with a good chance of making the final, something that seemed unlikely when they were outplayed in their opening match and then found themselves in a must-win situation against West Indies in their fourth match. To watch his team step up in those kinds of pressure situations has given de Villiers great satisfaction.”The close games we’ve won as a team mean more than personal milestones. Those are the kind of things I’ll look back to and think I’m a really fortunate man,” de Villiers said. “We’ve played quite a few really close series in the past, like this one, where we’ve had a few must-win games. We enjoy those kind of situations. We like to bring the fight when it matters most. It’s a great opportunity for us to prove that we are that kind of team under pressure.”In South Africa’s previous ODI series, they came back from 2-0 down against England at home to beat them 3-2. Given South Africa’s reputation for buckling under pressure, the improvements they have made bode well for their next major tournament, next year’s Champions Trophy. As a side that plans early, they will already be thinking of how they will look to balance their XI at that event and this series could provide some early clues.South Africa have gone into the matches in the Caribbean with a shortened batting line-up of only six specialist batsmen, two allrounders and, for every match except the rain-out, two specialist spinners. The composition of their attack has meant that Morne Morkel was forced to sit on the sidelines until they reached Barbados, a pitch expected to provide something to the seamers. South Africa’s new approach is more horses for courses than it has ever been, helped by the personnel they have at their disposal. De Villiers indicated that will continue when explaining how they chose the team for Sunday’s game.”I’m always a believer in having that spinner in your pocket; it’s a great way to change the pace of the game. But the stats tell you the seamers have been doing the damage here and it looked like that kind of wicket,” de Villiers said. “Imran Tahir could bowl on glass at the moment, he’s in great form. So I was never going to leave him out of the side. We also have four world-class seam bowlers to do the business. I thought both teams had decent balance.”South Africa will have to wait out the week to see how Tahir performs at Kensington Oval, which gives them five days to enjoy island life with their families. At the same time, de Villiers will make sure they are focused enough for what could be a must-win on Friday.”It’s all about reading the situation and reading where your team’s at. There are certain mornings when I see the guys strolling around a bit, and they need a bit of a kick to get going. On other mornings, I feel the energy’s in a really good place so I just let it go and keep it low key,” he said. “It changes from day to day, and I’ll try and assess that again at training and when we arrive here that morning for that big, must-win game.”*11.00am GMT, June 20: The article had erroneously stated that South Africa could go through to the final ahead of West Indies on net run rate. This has been changed.

Sunderland travel away from home this evening as they take on Luton Town at Kenilworth Road with the chance to progress through to the play-off final.

The Black Cats will guarantee a place at Wembley, where they will face Coventry or Middlesbrough, if they can avoid defeat after winning 2-1 in the first leg at the Stadium of Light last Saturday.

Amad Diallo and Trai Hume scored the goals against the Hatters in the first leg as Tony Mowbray's side were able to come from 1-0 down to secure the win.

Whilst Sunderland were able to come away with the victory against Rob Edwards' side at home, the manager may opt for a more defensive approach in the second leg to avoid leaving themselves too open at the back, in order to protect the lead.

Will Abdoullah Ba start against Luton?

Mowbray must decide to unleash central midfielder Abdoullah Ba from the start ahead of the attack-minded Alex Pritchard this evening.

The Frenchman has won 64% of his aerial contests, compared to Pritchard's woeful 9%, in the Championship this season and adding his immense physical presence to the midfield could increase Sunderland's chances of dealing with any potential aerial bombardments from the opposition as they fight to get back into the tie, particularly after they conceded from a cross in the first leg.

Ba has averaged more aerials won, blocks, and clearances per 90 than the Englishman over the last 365 days in the second tier, which indicates that the 19-year-old has more to offer to the team out of possession.

The teenager, who was once described as a "pearl" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, would also be a better option than Edouard Michut, who was the other midfielder on the bench on Saturday.

Ba has averaged more of the aforementioned defensive actions than the Frenchman and Michut has lost a whopping 65% of his aerial duels in the Championship, which suggests like Pritchard he would be dominated in the air.

However, the ex-Le Havre midfielder also offers quality in possession. Journalist Josh Bunting described him as "brilliant to watch" and the ace ranks in the top 10% of midfielders in his position in Europe's next eight leagues (after the top five) over the last 365 days in progressive carries and successful take-ons.

Along with his excellent defensive work, this means that Ba can carry the ball up the pitch by beating opposition players with his dribbling ability which could allow him to then play passes to the likes of Amad and Jack Clarke in dangerous positions in the final third.

As such, it is clear that Mowbray needs to unleash the youngster in place of Pritchard tonight.

Yorkshire’s NatWest Blast hopes still hang by a thread – and the margins are getting tighter -victory by one run in a match that was Derbyshire’s for the taking

David Hopps at Derby10-Jul-2016
ScorecardAdil Rashid had a key role to play on his return from England duty•Getty ImagesYorkshire’s NatWest Blast hopes still hang by a thread – and the margins are getting tighter. Five runs in a feverish Roses match against Lancashire, two runs – and a few doubts about that – against Warwickshire on Friday night and now the closest of all: victory by one run in a match that was Derbyshire’s for the taking.Twenty-five off the last three overs with six wickets intact made Derbyshire favourites, even allowing for a sluggish Derby pitch and slow outfield, but they contrived to lose four wickets in 10 balls for eight runs and, by the time Matt Critchley swung the last ball from Azeem Rafiq for six, the match was settled. Yorkshire go fifth, the return from England ODI duty of Adil Rashid, David Willey and Liam Plunkett reviving their optimism. Derbyshire, by losing by one run for the third time this season, are now as good as eliminated.Kane Williamson is fighting fatigue, according to Yorkshire’s director of cricket Martyn Moxon, but one of cricket’s consummate professionals is not the sort to wear his responsibilities lightly. There are few greater loads to bear than energising Yorkshire’s Twenty20 cricket, but he stood up to the challenge, his 65 from 45 balls the guiding force in Yorkshire’s 166 for 6.It has been a difficult season for all of Yorkshire’s T20 batsmen with only Joe Root having passed 50 before Williamson’s intervention. Alex Lees’ own contribution on this occasion was a first-baller, caught at the wicket driving at Shiv Thakor, but his first season as Yorkshire’s T20 captain remains alive and he will take sustenance from that.Williamson will soon depart; the Australian Travis Head has just landed in England. In the NatWest Blast, players come and go so often the county grounds should have their own runway: another alternative perhaps to Heathrow expansion. Thanks to this victory, Head’s involvement will at least have some relevance to it.That Williamson’s efforts almost came to naught owed much to a second-wicket stand of 73 in 49 balls for Derbyshire between two New Zealand compatriots, Hamish Rutherford and Neil Broom. Rutherford’s six over extra cover against Willey, who is now contending with shin splints after only just recovering from a side strain, was as good as it got, and with Broom taking a fancy to Plunkett, Derbyshire were 76 for 1 off nine.Rashid intervened in the nick of time, having Rutherford stumped attempting a slog sweep in his first over, and trapping Broom lbw at the start of his third. His return from England one-day duties will also steel Yorkshire’s challenge and his control never wavered, Wayne Madsen outfoxed as he came down the wicket, a second stumping for Andrew Hodd delivering figures of 3 for 20.Only briefly did Yorkshire feel confident. Two towering sixes by Chesney Hughes, with 17 off an over from Tim Bresnan, should have made it Derbyshire’s game but when an outstanding catch at deep midwicket by Plunkett intercepted Jimmy Neesham’s fast, flat pick-up, they still needed 13 off the last over.That over was bowled by Rafiq – and thereby hung a tale. It was Derbyshire who almost signed him after he was released by Yorkshire, only for his action to waver ahead of the season while contractual negotiations were underway. His nerve held here – a yorker off his penultimate ball engineering a drive back by Critchley and the run out of Thakor – and Yorkshire look a better T20 side for having the option of bowling Rashid and Rafiq in tandem.Gillespie was full of praise for Rafiq, who conceded only 28 from four overs. “It takes some nerve from a finger spinner to bowl in the powerplay and the last over of the innings,” he said. “It shows how far he’s come in such a short time. He’s very relaxed, he’s happy in his own skin and I can’t tell you how happy I am to see him have that success after a challenging period for him.”Some will contend that Yorkshire were fortunate to enter the match still with hopes of a quarter-final place. Adam Lyth’s acrobatic last-ball stop at long-on to complete an unexpected victory against Warwickshire at Headingley on Friday night was perilously near to the boundary according to some spectators with a close view. Yorkshire’s supporters celebrated victory, but their reaction might have been more critical if the situation had been reversed.Willey is another man Yorkshire are relying upon to bring fresh impetus to their last-eight challenge. Fourteen in three balls over long-on against Neesham, and 21 off in all off the over, gave Yorkshire’s innings early stimulus, but even he was relatively restrained apart from that, finally dismissed for 33 from 28 balls when he lofted Wes Durston’s offspin to long off.From 42 for 0 off four overs, Yorkshire struggled to make headway, their batting strength undermined by a groin injury to Ballance which has made him doubtful for the first Test against Pakistan at Lord’s on Thursday. Lyth was first out, helping a short ball from Andy Carter to third man, and Jack Leaning and Will Rhodes succumbing quickly.Williamson’s innings ended seven balls early, bowled around his legs by his fellow New Zealander Neesham. His seventh-wicket stand of 48 in 27 balls with Bresnan rallied Yorkshire, although as successful as it was, it seems wasteful for a side which struggles to hit long not to find a way to get the potentially destructive hitting of Plunkett into the action earlier.So for the second season in a row, the group stages of the NatWest Blast had reached the final stages with every county still in contention. That will be used as evidence by those dismissive of Twenty20 that it is such a short game that the result becomes more random and therefore is of less value.But it can be perceived in different ways. Those seeking comfort will view it as evidence of the depth, not always recognised in England’s professional game. Those committed to radical change will insist that it is the withdrawal of England players which levels the standards and only their introduction would lead to a tournament of real value. And some, this being England, just blame the whole thing on the rain which has caused 12 No Results and when matches have been played consigned them too often to sluggish surfaces where quality does not always out.Whatever the cause, only a fool would suggest with confidence who might win it.

Aston Villa could target Arsenal full-back Kieran Tierney this summer as Unai Emery looks to bolster their squad ahead of next season, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Kieran Tierney?

As per The Telegraph, Aston Villa boss Emery is keen to bring in Tierney this summer and reunite with the left-back he previously purchased from Celtic for £25 million in 2019 when he was in charge of Arsenal.

The Daily Mail report that the Scotland international has also attracted attention from Manchester City and Newcastle United recently following a campaign mainly featuring as an understudy to Oleksandr Zinchenko at the Emirates.

It would cost over £30 million to entice the 25-year-old away from north London, according to The Sun, who also claim that Tierney completing a move to Newcastle United in the forthcoming transfer window is said to be 'increasingly likely'.

Tierney has made 33 appearances for Arsenal this term in all competitions, netting one goal and two assists, as per Transfermarkt.

Capology understand that the former Celtic man earns around £110,000 per week at the Gunners on a contract that runs until June 2026.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that there could be 'an element of truth' to the Villans' pursuit of Tierney this summer.

Jones said: "It's a really interesting story and I think that's probably one that there will be an element of truth to it, so it'll be interesting to see why that's coming about."

Should Aston Villa look to sign Kieran Tierney from Arsenal this summer?

Tierney has become a fan favourite at Arsenal due to his industrious displays in north London and would be an excellent signing for Aston Villa if Emery was able to entice him to the West Midlands.

The 25-year-old has excelled in the art of progressive carries at the Gunners and shown his ability to provide an offensive threat from the left flank, performing an average of 3.17 per 90 minutes across the last 365 days, as per FBRef.

In the Premier League, Tierney has also come out on top in 30 duels as well as completing 38 ball recoveries this season, illustrating that he is a more than able deputy to step in for Zinchenko and be a reliable presence in the Arsenal backline when called upon.

Looking ahead to the summer, the Scot would be a sensible addition by Emery as he aims to continue the Villans' upward trajectory on the field come 2023/24.

The BCCI has announced that Rajkot, Visakhapatnam, Pune, Dharamsala, Ranchi and Indore will debut as Test venues in India’s 2016-17 home season, which will include series against New Zealand, England, Australia and Bangladesh

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Jun-20161:26

India set for bumper home season in 2016-17

The BCCI has announced that Rajkot, Visakhapatnam, Pune, Dharamsala, Ranchi and Indore will debut as Test venues in India’s 2016-17 home season, which will include series against New Zealand, England, Australia and Bangladesh. The announcement was made after the BCCI’s Tour Programme and Fixtures Committee met in Mumbai.Facts and trivia

India last hosted a five-Test series in 1986-87

The previous time Chennai hosted a Test match was in February 2013

Delhi and Nagpur are the only active Test venues to miss out on long-format games in 2016-17 (Ahmedabad’s stadium is being rebuilt); Delhi has had administrative issues, while Nagpur’s pitch was rated poor after the previous Test it hosted

There was no mention of a day-night Test in India for 2016-17

Bangladesh will visit for a one-off Test during the season, their first Test in India since they were given Full Member status in 2000. India are the last of the Full Members to host Bangladesh for Test cricket.In all, India’s home season will include 13 Tests, eight ODIs and three T20Is; 13 Tests equals the record for the highest number of home Tests in a season for India; the only other instance was in 1979-80. It is also a world record for the number of Tests in a home season.New Zealand will visit first and play three Tests and five ODIs from September 23 to October 30, before England arrive towards the end of the year for five Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is between November and January. The Australia series is scheduled for February-March 2017; they will play four Tests. The BCCI said the Bangladesh Test will be held in Hyderabad, but did not mention a date for it.Indore, Kanpur and Kolkata will host New Zealand for their three Tests, before they move to Dharamsala, Delhi, Mohali, Ranchi and Visakhapatnam for the ODIs.England’s Tests are scheduled for Mohali, Rajkot, Mumbai, Visakhapatnam and Chennai, while the ODIs are at Pune, Cuttack and Kolkata. The three T20Is will be played in Bangalore, Nagpur and Kanpur.Australia’s Tests will be in Bangalore, Dharamsala, Ranchi and Pune.How 2016-17 will compare to previous seasons in India (only bilateral series)•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Sky Sports News reporter Peter Stevenson has noted that opponent fans were already chanting "you're getting sacked in the morning" at new Leeds United manager Sam Allardyce.

What's the latest on Sam Allardyce and Leeds?

The 68-year-old has made his return to Premier League football with a rather big job on his hands as he looks to keep the Whites from relegation.

Indeed, after Jesse Marsch and Javi Gracia have failed to deliver any sort of consistency over the course of the season, Leeds now look to 'Big Sam' as their third managerial appointment of the campaign.

Unfortunately for the Englishman, he arrived at the club with just four games left in the season and his first outing was a trip to the Etihad to play Manchester City.

Unsurprisingly, the league leaders didn't take long to find their stride against Leeds and were 2-0 up inside the first half an hour thanks to a brace from Ilkay Gundogan.

As noted by Stevenson on Sky Sports, with the game already looking out of reach for Allardyce and co before half time, the home fans aimed a brutal dig at the 68-year-old.

The journalist said: "Gundogan had far too much time. It's far too easy for Man City.

"The Leeds defence is starting to look so vulnerable.

"The home fans taunt Sam Allardyce with chants of 'you're getting sacked in the morning'."

What did Allardyce say about Guardiola?

Speaking ahead of the game, Allardyce suggested that his footballing brain was on par with Pep Guardiola, telling the press (via BBC Sport): "I'm 68 but there's nobody ahead of me in football terms. Not Pep, not Klopp, not [Mikel] Arteta," he said.

Well, he certainly has plenty of Premier League experience under his belt – having coached the likes of Bolton, Newcastle United, West Ham and many others over the years – but it didn't help much as City raced to that early lead.

Of course, having only just arrived at Elland Road, Allardyce hadn't had much time to work on his tactics ahead of the trip to the Etihad and he has admitted there is much work to do in not very much time, explaining in that the aforementioned press conference: "It's probably my biggest challenge because of the shortness of games that are left and the difficulty of those fixtures."

Of course, City fans may have been jumping the gun with their comments about him getting the sack so soon, but it's unlikely Allardyce will be at Leeds next season if he can't pick up some vital points in the club's final three games.

Newcastle United are on course to secure Champions League football as they currently sit third in the table and nine points clear of fifth, with five games left to play.

The Magpies were able to avoid the drop down to the Championship after PIF completed their takeover and provided Eddie Howe with the funds to sign the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Dan Burn, and Kieran Trippier.

Last summer, Alexander Isak, Sven Botman, and Nick Pope were among those added to the group to push on, and they have played key roles in the club's European charge.

However, their success this season has not all been down to recent funding from PIF and one of Howe's crucial players is a player who cost the club nothing – Sean Longstaff.

The local lad came through the academy system at St. James' Park and was handed his first-team opportunity by former Magpies boss Rafa Benitez, who saw the potential in him.

Newcastle gave the academy graduate a four-year professional deal in 2018 with the Spanish coach saying that the Englishman has "great potential" and is "keen to learn".

Since then, the midfielder has made 135 first-team appearances for the Toon Army and contributed with eight goals and nine assists from the middle of the park.

How much is Sean Longstaff worth?

Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie recently told GIVEMESPORT that Longstaff should be valued in the region of £50m. That merely illustrates the ace's meteoric rise since coming into the senior team in 2018.

This season, the 25-year-old has made 32 Premier League outings and has been a reliable operator in midfield – completing 83% of his attempted passes.

Ex-Arsenal star Paul Merson praised his "outstanding" play and the role the dynamo has in the Magpies team, saying: "He's probably one of the first names on the team sheet. People might raise and eyebrow there and say 'don't be silly.' He's got the legs in midfield, he's an unsung hero.

"He does a lot of the hard graft for them and that's why they are where they are. Defensively, when Southampton really asked the questions they were solid as a rock."

Longstaff's rise to prominence in a team on course to secure Champions League football this season is vindication for Benitez and the faith that the Spanish boss had in the youngster five years ago.

The former Liverpool coach believed in the maestro's potential and Eddie Howe, who replaced Steve Bruce in the dugout, has been able to unlock his quality in the top flight this term.

Hopefully, there is more development to come from the Englishman, and he can continue to be a key player for Newcastle moving forward.