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Aston Villa are now eyeing their latest ambitious swoop in the transfer market as Unai Emery looks to strengthen his squad for a tilt at Champions League qualification, according to a report.

Aston Villa continue to shine…

This term, Aston Villa have once again proved to be one of the most entertaining sides in the Premier League as they continue to go from strength to strength under Spanish coach Emery, netting the second-most goals in the division with 29 strikes, only being bettered by Manchester City.

With 12 games gone, the Villans have racked up an impressive 25 points from 36 available and will be hoping to continue their positive run of form on Sunday; however, Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham Hotspur will provide a stern test of their capabilities in N17.

Heading into the January window, Aston Villa will once again be keen to bolster their ranks in key areas after the additions of Nicolo Zaniolo, Moussa Diaby, Clement Lenglet, Youri Tielemans and Pau Torres in the summer. According to reports, acquiring another final third threat is high on Emery's agenda in the New Year, with Athletic Club attacker Inaki Williams now emerging as a potential target for the Villans as they aim to add some extra firepower.

Outgoings will undoubtedly also be part of Aston Villa's plans in January; however, The Evening Standard claim that Emery is desperate to keep hold of Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz, who is attracting interest from Premier League high-flyers Arsenal as they try to compensate for Thomas Partey's absence. Mohamed Elneny is also set to join up with Egypt for the upcoming African Cup of Nations; nevertheless, Luiz is viewed as a pivotal part of the furniture at Villa Park.

Aston Villa's recent results – all competitions
Opponent & result	Venue
Aston Villa 3-1 Fulham	Villa Park
Aston Villa 2-1 AZ Alkmaar	Villa Park
Nottingham Forest 2-0 Aston Villa	City Ground
Aston Villa 3-1 Luton Town	Villa Park
AZ Alkmaar 1-4 Aston Villa	AFAS Stadion

Instead of losing ground in the engine room, Emery could now be set to bring in another body to help boost his options, according to a report.

Aston Villa keen on Bryan Cristante

According to TV Play, Aston Villa are one of a number of clubs interested in Roma's Bryan Cristante, who could be attainable if a proposal is put forward for his services worth more than €30 million.

Nevertheless, Aston Villa will need to fend off stiff competition to sign the Italy international, as Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United are also courting him. The Villans could have an advantage in negotiations, though, as president of football operations, Monchi, played a role in facilitating his transfer from Atalanta to Roma in 2019.

Attracting the attention of Emery, Cristante has gone on to be a key player for Roma during his time at the Stadio Olimpico, registering 13 goals and 16 assists in 244 appearances for the Serie A giants (Cristante statistics – Transfermarkt).

Described as a player who is "under-estimated" by Roma director Tiago Pinto, Cristante has made his presence known on the field this term, completing an average of 1.8 tackles and 1.8 clearances per match in the Italian top-flight (Cristante statistics – WhoScored).

Conceivably, Cristante could add some extra bite to an already stacked Aston Villa midfield as they aim to go to the next level in the near future.

Despite losing four of their last five Tests, Sri Lanka won away series against Bangladesh and West Indies, as well as a home series against South Africa

Andrew Fidel Fernando30-Dec-2018Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal rued the first-innings mistakes in Christchurch that had allowed New Zealand to build an advantage and set the tone for the game, but in reflecting on Sri Lanka’s Test year, suggested there were some promising signs.Sri Lanka have lost four of their last five Tests, but had won away series against Bangladesh, drawn one in West Indies, and won at home against South Africa, through the course of 2018. There have also been key individual performances. Lead spinner Dilruwan Perera was the year’s second-most prolific bowler, with 50 wickets at 29.32. Opener Dimuth Karunaratne had another strong year, averaging 46.43 to finish sixth on the run-scorers’ list, despite having played only 17 innings in 2018.Chief among Sri Lanka’s individual achievements, however, was Kusal Mendis’ 1023 Test runs. His tally is second only to that of Virat Kohli in 2018. No younger player has had a four-digit Test year since AB de Villiers in 2005.”He thinks a lot about his game off the field from day to day, and he’s a player with a big future,” Chandimal said of Mendis. “I’ve congratulated him on getting to 1000 runs, and that he did it at such a young age. That’s a big achievement. I hope he can play just as well going forward.”I think overall the Test team has done pretty well this year. The major regret is that we weren’t able to take the chances that we had to turn that England series around. But as a captain I’m really happy about the style of cricket we played this year. There are big areas for improvement. We need to change those things and make sure the coming year is a good one.”One of the batting positions Sri Lanka have found unproductive in 2013 is the No. 3 spot, with various batsmen occupying the position through the year. Dhananjaya de Silva had somewhat unsuccessfully batted at No. 3 through the England series, and in the first Test against New Zealand, before he was dropped from the XI and Chandimal assumed the role. The new year may see Chandimal stay in that position, for the coming tours of Australia and South Africa.I had actually been planning to bat at No. 3 in that series, but because of the injury I picked up I wasn’t able to bat higher than six in the first Test against England in Galle,” Chandimal said. “When I came back into the team, I didn’t want to make anyone change the places they were already batting in. That’s why in the first match I batted down at No. 6. But when Dhananjaya wasn’t able to get back amongst the runs, I thought I really needed to challenge myself and bat at No. 3. We’ve got two big Test series coming up, and you’ll probably see me at No. 3.”In New Zealand, Sri Lanka have also struggled to find a penetrative third seamer to support Suranga Lakmal and Lahiru Kumara. Kasun Rajitha had gone wicketless in the Wellington Test, and Dushmantha Chameera claimed just one wicket in Christchurch.”Kasun and Dushmantha haven’t been able to play Tests much recently, whereas Suranga and Lahiru have had a few more opportunities and have a bit more of that experience,” Chandimal said. “Kasun was playing his first Test in New Zealand, and he’s got things he can improve. He’s a very good bowler. Dushmantha wasn’t able to get wickets on this tour, but in the last New Zealand tour he had got wickets so we had that faith in him. When a pitch is good for batting, we need to learn a little bit more on how we can bowl better on those pitches, and that’s something you get with experience.”

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is starting to turn his attention towards the January transfer window in order to secure some much-needed reinforcements.

United have struggled so far this term, winning just nine of their opening 18 matches and something needs to change once the domestic season resumes.

With January fast approaching, the Dutchman has targeted a few players ahead of a potential move to Manchester.

Man Utd transfer news

According to Football Insider, the Old Trafford side are in the race for young French defender Arouna Sangante, although they face stiff competition as Chelsea and Manchester City are also interested.

The 21-year-old is currently valued at €7.4m (£6.5m) according to Football Transfers, and while Le Harve will expect a fee bigger than this, Ten Hag could perhaps secure a bargain.

The need for another centre-back comes after the rumour mill circling regarding the future of Raphael Varane.

According to Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Bayern Munich are reportedly showing interest in the 30-year-old ahead of a potential move in January, with the player himself seemingly considering an exit in the New Year.

His contract doesn’t expire until 2025 and this suggests the winter window may be the best time for Ten Hag to cash in on Varane, giving him funds to secure another defender.

It could be all over for the former Real Madrid star in the coming weeks, but the Dutchman may just have an ideal heir in a swoop for Sangante.

Arouna Sangante’s career statistics

Lauded as “interesting” alongside a host of other Senegal U23 prospects by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Sangante – who has also been dubbed a "sensation" by journalist Pete O'Rourke – has enjoyed a meteoric rise of late.

The 21-year-old made his debut for the club during the 2020/21 season, and he played an integral role in leading Le Havre back to Ligue 1 as they won the title and the youngster chipped in with three goals and two assists.

The youngster proved his worth by ranking first among the squad for accurate passes per game in the second tier, while also ranking in the top five for interceptions and clearances per game, but he has taken his development to the next level in Ligue 1 this term.

The centre-back has helped his side record five clean sheets in ten league matches – including keeping AS Monaco and Lyon at bay – while he has also recovered 5.1 balls per game and won 52% of his ground duels each match.

These statistics are even better than what Varane has registered, as the 30-year-old has kept just one clean sheet in eight Premier League matches, while recovering four balls per game and winning 50% of his ground duels.

Sangante is also the youngest captain in Ligue 1, proving that, despite his tender age, the Frenchman has outstanding leadership qualities and Utd certainly need more of that right now.

While he has developed into a solid defender, he clearly has plenty of learning to do, yet a move to Utd could allow him to gain experience at one of the biggest clubs in the world, alongside gaining some vital European exposure.

It is looking increasingly likely that Varane won't be at the club by the end of the campaign and this opens the door for a replacement, with Sangante appearing to be a perfect option for the former Ajax boss.

Inter Miami's assistant coach Javier Morales has provided an update on the planned date for Lionel Messi's return to action from injury.

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• Messi set to miss game against NYCFC
• Aim to return against Monterrey
• Had to miss international duty through injury

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Messi has been out with a minor hamstring strain for over two weeks after being forced off against Nashville in a CONCACAF Champions Cup clash. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner missed the Herons' game against D.C. United and the international break as a precaution, but is doing light training in a race to be back for Wednesday's game against Monterrey.

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  WHAT MORALES SAID

  Morales explained: "Leo is working with the physios. He is ruled out for tomorrow [against NYCFC], he will not be available because we will be trying to do our best so that he can play at home next Wednesday against Monterrey."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Since making his debut for the Herons, Messi has played in 19 games and the side has won 15 of them. However, without the footballing genius, Inter Miami have struggled to pick up results – epitomised by last weekend's thumping by New York Red Bulls.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI AND INTER MIAMI?

  Messi will have to watch on from the sidelines as Miami take on NYCFC but will be satisfied should he recover to play in the Champions Cup quarter-final. Inter Miami and Columbus Crew are the only remaining MLS representation left in the tournament.

Halfway-line goals are a rarity in football. Not many players possess the vision, technique and execution to pull off such an audacious strike.

But every now and then, someone across the globe pops up with a moment of magic from long range, catching a goalkeeper unawares with a mischievous effort.

That has led Football FanCast to take a trip down memory lane and revisit what we consider to be the top 10 best goals scored from inside the opposite half. We’ll be ranking the strikes on the difficulty of execution, from ‘easiest’ to hardest.

Without further ado, here’s our selections:

11 Xabi Alonso v Newcastle

21st September 2006: Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle United

Xabi Alonso netted a wondergoal from inside his own half as the Reds eased past Glenn Roeder’s Newcastle United side in the 2006/07 campaign.

Alonso’s effort was struck from a colossal 70 yards out, and it’s not the only time the Spaniard has scored from his own half, having netted a similar strike a season earlier against Luton Town in the third round of the FA Cup.

Though, we’ve been harsh adjudicators and left that goal out of our list.

Champions League

2005, 2014

UEFA Super Cup

2006, 2014

FA Cup

2006

Community Shield

2006, 2007

European Championship

2008, 2012

World Cup

2010

Copa del Rey

2011, 2014

LaLiga

2012

Supercopa de España

2013

Bundesliga

2015, 2016, 2017

DFB-Pokal

2016

DFL-Supercup

2017

10 Maynor Figueroa v Stoke City

12th December 2009: Stoke City 2-2 Wigan Athletic

Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa put the visiting Latics back in front after striking a quickly taken free kick from inside his own half, catching out Stoke City goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen.

The effort wasn’t hit with much height, but rather a driven effort, leaving Sorensen with little chance to get back in time to make a stop.

Even more spectacularly, the long-distance strike found the top corner, making it that bit more pleasing to the eyes of football purists.

The goal came ahead of the January transfer window, with Manchester United and Sunderland both said to be interested in acquiring his services.

Though, the Honduras international remained at the Latics and was later awarded Goal of the Season by the BBC’s Match of the Day programme.

Every MOTD Goal of the Season since 2000

Honduras

181

5

3

0

Wigan Athletic

87

5

2

1

Houston Dynamo

63

2

3

0

Hull City

43

0

1

0

Colorado Rapids

10

1

0

0

9 Wayne Rooney v West Ham United

22nd March 2014: West Ham United 0-2 Manchester United

Spoiler alert, Wayne Rooney features twice on our list, which is quite incredible. The Manchester United forward was at the double against West Ham back in 2014, with his first strike, although from slightly inside the opponents’ half, particularly memorable.

Rooney used his physicality to roll Hammers defender James Tomkins before unleashing a sensational half-volley which looped over Adrián and bounced in.

David Beckham was in attendance at the ground and was seen applauding Rooney’s astounding strike, which was similar to his own marvellous effort against Wimbledon in 1996.

Read more: 10 memorable David Beckham moments

“Everybody probably flashbacked to Beckham’s goal and there was a bit of similarity in it tonight. I was saying to Wayne, ‘it bounced before it went in and we were worried the bounce was going to go over the bar’. He’s a top player and he’s scored a great goal,” David Moyes said post-match.

Premier League

29

17

12

Champions League

9

2

8

EFL Cup

2

0

2

8 Charlie Adam v Chelsea

4th April 2015: Chelsea 2-1 Stoke City.

Stoke City’s Charlie Adam levelled against the soon-to-be Premier League champions Chelsea just before the break with a 65-yarder, lobbing a true world-class goalkeeper in Thibaut Courtois.

“I never knew I had that much power, to beat a quality goalkeeper like that is something special. One that I will always remember. It was one of them that sat up nicely and I saw the goalie off his line. I was lucky enough that it went in.

“Once in a lifetime this can happen to you, it’s great on an individual level – a great way to get my 50th goal in English football – but the team lost and that is the disappointing thing,” Adam said.

Chelsea boss José Mourinho was full of praise for the strike, despite being on the receiving end of it: “It was a fantastic goal, every player in the world would like to score a goal like that. Diego Maradona to Lionel Messi to all these brilliant players. Not all of them did score that goal in their careers.

“Charlie Adam has condition for a 50-metre shot, so normally he would anticipate the moment we lost the ball, but it’s a great goal.”

Adam’s technique should be marvelled at for years to come, as the former Liverpool midfielder demonstrated a masterclass in long-distance shooting. He even managed to swerve the ball, making matters more complicated for Courtois. Simply brilliant.

Team

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Trophies

Scotland

26

0

7

0

Stoke City

179

22

17

0

Blackpool

98

35

22

0

Rangers

81

15

11

1

Dundee FC

65

12

19

0

Liverpool

37

2

9

1

Reading

27

2

4

0

St Mirren

2

0

0

0

7 Harry Kane v Darmstadt 98

28th October 2023: Bayern Munich 8-0 Darmstadt 98

Harry Kane settled in quickly to his new Bayern Munich surroundings, having completed a £100m move from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2023

The England skipper netted 44 times in 45 outings in his debut campaign, whilst laying on 12 assists, though, one goal stood out more than any other.

As Bayern notably secured a thumping 8-0 victory against Darmstadt 98, Kane continued his prolific goalscoring fortunes – netting a hat-trick.

The 30-year-old’s second goal saw him lob the backtracking Marcel Schuhen from inside his own half, Beckham-style. The superbly executed strike didn’t even bounce, as it soared straight into the centre of the goal.

Bundesliga

32

36

8

Champions League

12

8

4

DFL-Supercup

1

0

0

6 David Beckham v Wimbledon

17th August 1996: Wimbledon 0-3 Manchester United

Perhaps the most iconic halfway-line goal, certainly in Premier League history…

David Beckham’s spectacular effort against Wimbledon catapulted his profile to superstardom. It had fans in complete amazement and Becks recalled Sir Alex Ferguson shielding him from the public spotlight following the game – aware that the flock of media attention could affect him.

“I went up to the boss. I thought he was going to say, ‘Great goal’ and put his arms around me. He said, ‘Straight on the bus — and don’t talk to anyone.’ But that was his way of protecting me. He didn’t want me speaking to any media because he knew what that goal was going to do.”

England

115

17

42

0

Manchester United

394

85

120

14

Real Madrid

159

20

52

2

Los Angeles Galaxy

124

20

42

2

AC Milan

33

2

9

0

Paris Saint-Germain

14

0

2

1

5 Ismaïla Sarr v West Bromwich Albion

8th August 2022: West Bromwich Albion 1-1 Watford

Ismaïla Sarr broke the deadlock in quite brilliant fashion, executing a beautifully struck chip from inside his own half to put the visitors ahead at The Hawthorns.

His initial touch is worth noting, too, as he brought down a looping ball elegantly before pivoting and pulling off the extraordinary – a strike that was later crowned EFL Goal of the Season.

Though, the Senegal international would’ve left the field disappointed by his performance, despite scoring perhaps the best goal of his career.

With the score one apiece, Sarr stepped up to take a penalty in the 73rd minute but saw his effort saved by David Button. A contrasting day of emotions for the former Stade Rennais winger.

4 Nayim v Arsenal

10th May 1995: Real Zaragoza 2-1 Arsenal

The Parc des Princes staged the 1995 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup final, as Spanish outfit Real Zaragoza met reigning champions Arsenal.

The cagey affair burst into life when Juan Esnáider’s volley beat David Seaman in the 67th minute before John Hartson found the leveller just eight minutes later.

As the encounter ticked into the final minute of extra-time and with penalties looming, Nayim produced a moment of genius, looping a 45-yard volley over Seaman’s head to win the cup in quite extraordinary fashion.

“I had played against Arsenal for five years with Tottenham and remembered they always played with a high defensive line, with the goalkeeper acting like a sweeper, so before the game, I told my team-mates and our coach that we should try and shoot from the halfway line,” Nayim said.

“I was going to pass to a team-mate but I looked up and I saw Seaman coming out so I just kicked it. I was very lucky. It’s my first goal against Arsenal after playing against them half a dozen times. For me, it’s something special as a former Tottenham player.”

Supercopa de España

1986

Copa del Rey

1988, 1994

FA Cup

1991

Community Shield

1991

UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup

1995

3 Wayne Rooney v West Ham United

29th November 2017: Everton 4-1 West Ham United

Wayne Rooney completed a hat-trick with a remarkable first-time effort from 59 yards out, as Everton cruised past the visiting Hammers back in 2017.

The strike perfectly soared over two leaping West Ham defenders and shot-stopper Joe Hart – who could only watch on helplessly.

It just edged his previous goal in our rankings due to the distance from where it was hit and the difficulty of taking it on first-time. Most players would’ve either hesitated and taken a touch or shanked it – which is completely understandable, by the way.

The difficulty rating is off the charts…

2 Kemar Roofe v Standard Liège

22nd October 2020: Standard Liège 0-2 Rangers

Not only did Kemar Roofe find the net from inside his own half, which is remarkable in itself, but he also used nimble footwork to skip past two players to make room for the shot which sealed a Europa League victory for Rangers in 2020.

The Gers forward struck from 54.6 yards out, lobbing it over backtracking ‘keeper Arnaud Bodart, who ended up being nowhere near it, in all honesty.

Roofe’s marvellous effort broke the record for the longest-distance goal ever scored in the UEFA Europa League.

Genius innovation from the former Leeds United forward.

Premiership

24

14

4

Europa League

7

2

0

SFA Cup

3

2

0

Europa League Qualifying

1

0

0

League Cup

1

0

0

Somerset’s game resistance has given them every chance to save the match at Chelmsford and keep their own title challenge bubbling

Dan Norcross27-Jun-20181:57

Kent go top of Division Two

ScorecardThe best days at cricket are comprised of numerous moments. Singular moments, such as a wicket taken or a pleasingly creamed cover drive, and extended, even occasionally tantric moments; a battle royale, for example, between batsman and bowler, such as that enjoyed by Atherton and Donald at Trent Bridge.This match has been graced with too few moments; plenty of runs, plenty of toil, plenty of earnest endeavour but very few moments. The most significant today was a moment to forget; Westley dropping a sharp but eminently gettable chance above his head at slip when James Hildreth had just 16. Harmer, the bowler, would almost certainly have pouched it. He can’t, despite Theoretical Physics’ best efforts, be in two places at once though.Hildreth went on to produce the innings of the day but even his 75 was not garlanded with enough of those trademark Hildreth moments to make it an innings that will stay long in the memory. Neither the pitch nor the ball were conducive to his aesthetic.Running it a close second was the controversial catch that wasn’t. Harmer thought he’d clung on to a low chance at slip when Lewis Gregory had 11, and Somerset, on 322 for 6 still needed 46 to avoid the follow-on. The umpires consulted. The catch was not granted. Ryan ten Doeschate, returning after a two match ban and conscious of not wanting to incur further wrath, remonstrated as politely as any remonstrator has ever remonstrated, but Gregory survived.Neil Wagner produced the most entertaining moments. For the vast bulk of the 22 overs he bowled today (32 overall in the innings) he seemed intent on breaking Anthony Thornton’s record for walking backwards the longest distance in two days as he accompanied every bouncer, which was pretty much every ball, with a glare, a smile and fixed eyes on the batsmen as he made his way slowly back to his mark. The record, incidentally, is 95.4 miles, was set in 1989 in Minneapolis and still stands, but only just.He also produced the ball of the day to remove the most eye catching batsman of the day. Dom Bess arrived with Somerset in a spot of bother on 310 for 6 and five overs to go until tea. The new ball had just been taken and Porter had done for Peter Trego, taking the top of off stump.Bess counter attacked, saw off the new ball and his 35 from 38 balls was threatening to speed his side to the relative of safety of 368 and follow-on avoidance. Wagner bent his back that bit further, got one to rear at Bess’ throat (admittedly not a towering achievement) and caught the outside edge as Bess, fully off the ground, did his best Robin Smith impression of trying to evade a Curtly Ambrose snorter.Briefly the game was alive. Lewis Gregory’s miserable run with the bat (he now has 123 runs in 11 completed innings) continued with a hideous swipe that ended up at Third Man and seven were needed with just two wickets in hand. Wagner, unsurprisingly, peppered Overton with more bouncers. Overton survived, then flung the bat. The follow-on was averted.Eventually the innings was wrapped up in the softest of whimpers when Overton gently offered a catch to Bopara off Westley’s sixth and final ball. All out for 407 conceding a lead of just 110 and with only 9 overs to go on the third day the match looked as good as dead. But just when we thought we’d have no more moments today, and in all likelihood tomorrow as well, Tom Westley, opening in place of Alastair Cook who is laid low with tonsillitis was trapped by Davey for a duck. The debutant Michael Pepper went next over to Gregory for 1. Suddenly it was 3 for 2. The slip cordon peaked at four. Momentarily nerves jangled but Browne and Bopara survived to the close with Essex leading by 127.The pitch is showing no signs of deterioration and it may require an improbably generous declaration to prevent the very real possibility of Essex slipping 39 points behind the leaders Surrey who have a game in hand. The grip on their title is loosening by the day.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has revealed he will speak to Djed Spence about his negative reaction to being substituted in the 3-0 loss at Nottingham Forest, four years after Neil Warnock’s infamous criticism of the defender’s attitude.

Spence in the spotlight as Spurs defeated at Forest

The England international was seen gesturing and shaking his head when his number came up during the second half at the City Ground.

Spence was replaced on the hour mark after a Callum Hudson-Odoi double put the hosts in complete control, but Ibrahim Sangare’s wonder goal sealed Spurs’ fate in a dismal afternoon which saw them drop further behind the European places.

“I didn’t see it,” Frank said. “Of course I will look back to be aware of it.

“I think there can be three reasons. He can be disappointed with his own performance, the team’s performance, he can be disappointed with being subbed off. I’ll ask him about that.”

Minutes

59

Tackles (won)

1 (1)

Duels (won)

9 (6)

Passes (completed)

21 (16)

Dribbles (completed)

5 (3)

It is not the first time Spence has shown dissent towards his manager after he appeared to snub a handshake after the defeat to Chelsea.

Spence has been one of Tottenham’s best performers this season, something Frank alluded to after the incident following the defeat to Chelsea, but it’s not the first time his attitude has been under the spotlight.

What did Warnock say about Spence?

After making his senior debut in 2018, Spence was fast-tracked into the first team at Middlesbrough under Jonathan Woodgate and eventually his successor, Neil Warnock.

The young defender’s playing time plummeted in the second half of the 2020/21 campaign, when Warnock revealed his attitude could prevent him from fulfilling his potential.

The England international was loaned out to Forest, and was part of the Reds team who won promotion back to the Premier League, after which he couldn’t resist a jab at his former boss on Twitter.

Warnock responded again, congratulating the full-back on taking his advice.

The 77 year-old is not the only boss to take issue with Spence either, as Antonio Conte pinned the blame for his signing on the Tottenham board during his time in North London, referring to the youngster as “club signing”.

Since then, a resilisent Spence has not only earned his place in Frank’s best XI but also potentially in Thomas Tuchel’s, racking up three senior England caps.

And while it seems unlikely Warnock’s “non-league” prediction will come true in the next 12 months, it is certainly fair to suggest the defender has used two of his three strikes when it comes to causing Frank headaches at Tottenham.

Tottenham now discussing sacking Frank and appointing "intelligent" manager

Thomas Frank is under pressure after the 3-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

ByDominic Lund 1 day ago

According to a statement released by NZC on behalf of his wife Lady Dianne Hadlee, he has undergone surgery to remove a tumour, and ‘has made an excellent recovery’

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jun-2018Sir Richard Hadlee has been diagnosed with bowel cancer. According to a statement released by New Zealand Cricket on behalf of his wife Lady Dianne Hadlee, he has undergone surgery to remove a tumour.”Last month, Richard had a routine, 3-year colonoscopy, and we discovered that he has bowel cancer,” the statement said. “He has since had an operation to remove the tumour. This operation went extremely well and he has made an excellent recovery from surgery.”As a safeguard, further treatment in the form of chemotherapy will commence shortly and last for a few months. It is expected that, in time, he will have a full recovery.”Hadlee, 66, is widely considered New Zealand’s greatest ever cricketer, and was one of the four great fast-bowling allrounders of the 1980s alongside Imran Khan, Ian Botham and Kapil Dev. He took 431 Test wickets – a world record at the time of his retirement – in 86 matches at an average of 22.29, and also contributed 3124 runs at 27.16.His performances were central to New Zealand’s rise as a serious cricketing power, as match figures of 7 for 130 and 10 for 100 in their first ever wins over Australia and England, respectively, would suggest. In all, he took 173 wickets at 13.06 in New Zealand Test wins.During his last tour of England, in 1990, he was knighted for his services to cricket.

Leeds United haven't exactly got off to a flying start on their return to the Championship, but a comfortable 3-0 victory over Millwall in their most recent outing shows that Daniel Farke's side are at least finding their feet.

The international break was clearly needed, and seems to have given the former Norwich City boss the chance to collect himself, before solving his side's problems. At The Den, it wasn't always easy, but the quality of Leeds' attack paid dividends as they earned their second win of the season in style.

Despite the victory, it's not all good news, though, with Farke confirming that one star is set to be out of action for an extended spell after suffering an injury in the build-up to the Millwall clash.

What's the latest Leeds United injury news?

Those at Elland Road were already forced to compete without both Liam Cooper and Stuart Dallas before being dealt yet another serious injury blow in defence. The absences do not come at an ideal time, either, with the fixtures set to come thick and fast, particularly towards the festive period. The fact is, the last thing that the Whites needed was more bad news on the injury front.

Yet, as confirmed by Farke, the joy from the Millwall win was quickly quietened, with Djed Spence set for an extended spell on the sidelines. Farke said, via The Nottingham Post: "Yes, sadly sad news with Spence because Djed has done his lateral ligaments. He will be out for several weeks so we wait for further assessment.

"It seems like no surgery is needed but we have to wait for the further assessment. He will definitely miss out the next weeks. We will have to wait but to give you a timeframe for this but he's definitely out for a few weeks."

The news becomes even worse when you consider that Spence is only on loan at Elland Road from Tottenham Hotspur, and the Yorkshire club would, therefore, have hoped to get a full season out of him to judge if they should make a permanent move in 2024.

How has Djed Spence performed this season?

It's a real shame for Spence, who would have been looking to get his Leeds stint going after the international break, having made just one appearance for the club prior to that.

With plenty of Championship experience under his belt, too, after making over 100 appearances in England's second tier, the Spurs loanee could have played a key part in kickstarting Leeds' season, who won just once in their opening four games, before defeating Millwall at the weekend. Instead, the full-back will be forced to watch from the sidelines.

When at his best, Spence has received high praise from the likes of Ian Wright, who said on the Wrighty's House Podcast, via The Nottingham Post: "I saw him after the game and said 'listen, my friend. You're on loan from Middlesbrough and I don't know what's happened there, because if you can't get into the Middlesbrough side, I don't know what's wrong, so I need to know the full story'.

"But let me say, that was one of the best right back performances I have seen for a very long time. A very long time. If we are talking about right-backs performing at an unbelievable level, we're talking Reece James and Trent (Alexander-Arnold). But I have not seen a combative, technical, swashbuckling performance like that for a very long time."

Only 65.1 overs were possible on another rain-affected day on which Tasmania’s third-wicket pair put on an unbroken partnership of 160

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Feb-2018Getty ImagesPersistent batting from the Tasmanian pair of Beau Webster and Jake Doran and persistent rain have combined to frustrate New South Wales at the SCG.After much of day two was lost to rain, further weather delays meant only 65.1 overs were bowled on day three.The Blues made an early breakthrough with Steve O’Keefe deceiving George Bailey seven balls into the start of play to leave Tasmania two down and trailing the home side’s first-innings total by 369. But that was the only joy for New South Wales as Webster and Doran put together an unbroken stand of 160 in 64 overs.Webster reached his fourth first-class hundred in the penultimate over of the day, having faced 253 balls to get there. Doran remained not out on 86 at close. The two sides will face a challenge on the final day trying to manufacture a result.