Depois de cinco jogos sem entrar em campo pelo São Paulo, Luan disputou grande parte do confronto contra o Botafogo, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro. Embora não tenha sido titular, entrou aos dez minutos do primeiro tempo após Pablo Maia ser retirado de campo com um desconforto. Mesmo com menos espaço na equipe, o jogador falou sobre o momento que vive no clube.
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Nesta temporada, esteve presente em 24 jogos. Porém, não está sendo titular nas escalações do Tricolor com frequência. Mesmo com menos minutos em campo, Luan afirmou que ‘está muito feliz no São Paulo’ e ‘que se entrega independente do tempo que joga’. Vale destacar que nas últimas temporadas, a Cria de Cotia chegou a sofrer algumas lesões graves que o afastou dos gramados por meses. O meia também comentou sobre esta fase.
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– Acho que depois de um desgaste físico e emocional, nossa equipe mostrou que o elenco estava pronto, a gente precisava estar atento, fizemos uma grande partida, um grande jogo, jogamos de igual para igual – disse.
Luan também falou sobre a forma que entrou em campo e destacou que todo o elenco são-paulino sempre está preparado caso precise jogar.
– Como eu falei, a gente nunca quer entrar com um companheiro passando mal, precisamos estar preparados e encarar com seriedade. Estou feliz, poder ajudar minha equipe, mostrar que estou preparado e ajudando meus companheiros – completou.
O São Paulo volta a campo nesta quinta-feira (24), contraa LDU, no Equador, pelo jogo de ida das quartas de final da Copa Sul-Americana.
Newcastle United’s start to the new Premier League campaign has been far from convincing.
Supporters came into the season with high hopes after Eddie Howe achieved silverware last year, but the Magpies are already struggling for rhythm and creativity in the final third.
They began with a 0-0 draw against Aston Villa, before losing 3-2 at home to Liverpool in a chaotic contest.
A second goalless draw followed away at Leeds, highlighting their difficulties in carving open stubborn defences.
The first three points of the season finally arrived in a narrow 1-0 home win over Wolves, only to be followed by another frustrating 0-0 against Bournemouth and then a last-gasp 2-1 home defeat to Arsenal.
The numbers tell their own story. Newcastle have generated just 5.2 expected goals (xG) across their opening six matches – only West Ham, Aston Villa, and Burnley have managed fewer.
Lowest Expected Goals (xG) – 2025/26
Burnley
4.5
Aston Villa
5.0
West Ham
5.0
Newcastle United
5.2
Wolves
5.6
Source: Fotmob
For a side that had prided itself on intensity and attacking fluidity under Howe, this sharp decline is concerning.
Part of the issue stems from recruitment, but Howe’s tactical tinkering has not helped.
Persisting with variations of a back three has blunted Newcastle’s attacking edge. Too often the side has looked hesitant and reactive, with key attacking players failing to contribute.
While output must improve, much of the frustration among fans has centred on one man.
Anthony Gordon – Synonymous with the malaise
Anthony Gordon entered the season with renewed optimism.
“I’m really refreshed. I’ve got my appetite back for football,” he said before the campaign kicked off.
On paper, he should be central to Newcastle’s attacking success.
Last season, Gordon contributed six goals and six assists across 34 appearances, a solid if unspectacular return.
He has yet to register a single goal or assist in the league this season.
His only strike came as a late consolation against Barcelona in the Champions League.
A red card against Liverpool and subsequent three-match suspension disrupted his rhythm further, and he now looks a shadow of the player who posted 25 goal contributions across all competitions in 2023/24.
For Gordon, the challenge is not just statistical but psychological.
Once a winger who thrived on directness and intensity, he is currently embodying Newcastle’s collective malaise.
Anthony Gordon looks dejected for Liverpool
Hesitant in possession, predictable in attacking patterns, and lacking the conviction to turn tight games.
His role on the left flank has been underwhelming, leaving fans questioning whether Eddie Howe should look to the club’s younger talent to inject energy and belief into a stuttering attack.
Newcastle's young Gordon replacement
If Gordon represents the current problem, Park Seung-Soo may offer the solution.
The South Korean teenager only joined Newcastle in July from Suwon Bluewings, but he has already generated real excitement within the fanbase.
Seung-Soo made history in his homeland in June 2024, becoming the youngest player to feature in the K League at just 17 years and three months.
By the time he left Suwon, he had played 28 games in all competitions, scoring once and providing three assists.
Primarily a left-winger but versatile across the front line, Seung-Soo is right-footed and thrives in one-on-one situations.
John Duerden, the leading Asian football expert, has even suggested his playing style “is similar to Mbappé” – high praise for a player valued at just £150k.
Since arriving in the North-East, he has already shown glimpses of his potential.
His pre-season displays caught Howe’s eye and earned him a spot in the matchday squad for the opener against Aston Villa.
He has since featured three times in Premier League 2 and once in the UEFA Youth League, impressing with his direct running and willingness to take defenders on.
At just 18, Seung-Soo is still raw, but Newcastle’s lack of spark in attack makes a compelling case for his inclusion.
With Nick Woltemade still adapting, Yoane Wissa sidelined, and Gordon out of form, the teenager could provide the injection of pace, unpredictability, and intensity that has been missing from Howe’s attack.
For supporters, the hope is that Howe will be bold enough to make the switch.
Gordon may rediscover his form in time, but at present, Seung-Soo looks ready to tear it up in the Premier League and give Newcastle the lift they so desperately need.
The eight players who are part of the WTC squad will return to South Africa by May 27
Firdose Moonda15-May-2025
Kagiso Rabada will not be available for GT, should they qualify for the playoffs•IPL
The eight South African players who are part of the World Test Championship (WTC) final squad will return to home by May 27 and, as a result, miss the IPL 2025 playoffs.The eight players, Kagiso Rabada (Gujarat Titans), Aiden Markram (Lucknow Super Giants), Marco Jansen (Punjab Kings), Tristan Stubbs (Delhi Capitals), Lungi Ngidi (Royal Challengers Bengaluru), Wiaan Mulder (Sunrisers Hyderabad), Ryan Rickelton and Corbin Bosch (both Mumbai Indians) will leave for the United Kingdom with the rest of South Africa’s WTC final squad on May 30, to prepare for a warm-up game against Zimbabwe from June 3 at Arundel.ESPNcricinfo has confirmed that Cricket South Africa (CSA) has concluded negotiations with the IPL about the early release of these players, given the importance of the WTC final, which will be played on June 11 at Lord’s against Australia.All other South African players not part of the WTC final will remain at the IPL until its conclusion.Related
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Bairstow and Gleeson set to replace Jacks and Rickelton at Mumbai Indians
IPL 2025 scenarios: GT and RCB one win away from playoffs, MI in control of their fate
IPL 2025 to resume on May 17, final to be played on June 3
Rabada serves suspension for recreational drug use
The IPL resumes on May 17 after it was suspended for just over a week in the wake of the India-Pakistan cross-border tensions. RCB will take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the first game, with Ngidi expected to be a part of the fixture, in case Josh Hazlewood does not recover in time from a shoulder niggle.Out of the seven teams which have the WTC final-bound South Africa players, SRH are out of contention. GT have played a chunk of the season without Rabada, the last being on March 29 against MI and are just one step away from sealing a playoffs spot.MI will be most affected with their South Africa contingent departing after the league stage. With 336 runs in 12 innings, Rickelton is MI’s second-highest run-getter, while Bosch has played useful cameos and bowled decently in the three games he’s played.Jansen’s departure will also worry PBKS, who need two wins in their last three games to confirm a playoff spot. Jansen is PBKS’ third-highest wicket-taker with 11 wickets in as many games. Stubbs, meanwhile, has been DC’s designated finisher and is their third-highest run-getter this season with 259 runs in ten innings at a strike rate of 151.46.Markam has 348 runs in 11 innings for LSG and is their third-highest run-scorer so far. LSG are currently placed seventh on the points table and need to win all their remaining fixtures, and even that might not be enough for them to make it to the playoffs.The league phase ends on May 27, while the playoffs begin on May 29, with the final on June 3.
Tottenham Hotspur’s squad has come a long way in such a short space of time, with Thomas Frank the current beneficiary of the hierarchy’s impressive recruitment.
Managers like Antonio Conte have tried and failed to transform the club, subsequently being unable to bring the success the fans have desired to North London.
The Italian ultimately left the club back in March 2023 despite achieving a 53% win percentage, with Ange Postecoglou taking over ahead of the following campaign.
In the last couple of years, the hierarchy have spent big on the transfer window to try and take the club to the next level and achieve a sustained period of success – whether that be in the Premier League or Europe.
One of the players brought in during such a period has demonstrated his talents for the Lilywhites, but has also come under fire for his lack of impact at certain times of his spell at the club.
The ups and downs of Brennan Johnson’s Spurs career
Brennan Johnson joined Spurs for a reported £47.5m back in the summer of 2023, arriving with high expectations after netting 10 goals and registering three assists for Nottingham Forest the year prior.
The Welshman has endured a topsy-turvy time in North London to date, only scoring five times in his first season at the club – leading to unjustifiable abuse from the supporters.
Such a situation would lead to the winger deleting his social media accounts, but it would lead to a huge upturn in form and securing his place as a regular starter once again.
Johnson would score 18 times across all competitions last campaign – the most of any player in the squad – even netting the winner in the Europa League final against Manchester United.
The goal against the Red Devils ended the Lilywhites’ 17-year wait for any form of silverware, subsequently handing a generation of supporters memories to last a lifetime.
Whilst scoring twice in as many outings at the start of 2025/26, Johnson has since fallen down the pecking order of late, failing to make a single start in the Premier League since the end of August.
As a result, he’s subsequently being outperformed by one former Spurs star who may have been harshly sold given his lack of first-team action in North London.
The former Spurs star who is playing better than Johnson
Whilst Spurs have spent big in the transfer market over the last couple of seasons, numerous players have had to be sacrificed to help balance the books to avoid any financial implications.
Harry Kane has been the biggest player to depart North London over recent windows, leaving in a mammoth £82m transfer to join Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.
The Englishman has left a huge gap in the first-team squad, unsurprisingly so given his tally of 280 goals for the Lilywhites – the most by any player in the club’s history.
He wasn’t the only attacker that was sacrificed by the club to raise funds, with former boss Conte deciding to offload winger Jack Clarke to Sunderland back in the summer of 2022.
The winger joined the club from Championship side Leeds United for a fee in the region of £10m, with his addition seeing the club land themselves a star for the future.
However, it’s safe to say his time in North London failed to live up to expectations, as Clarke was restricted to only four senior appearances for the club – none of which came in the Premier League.
After countless loan spells away from the Lilywhites, he would move on a permanent basis to join the Black Cats three years after his transfer – subsequently unable to have the impact he desired.
Fast forward to the present day, the 24-year-old now plies his trade for Ipswich Town after joining them for £15m last summer, now becoming a key member of their current first-team squad.
Clarke has now scored three times and registered one assist for the Tractor Boys, a tally higher than that of Johnson, who’s only scored twice in the 2025/26 campaign.
Jack Clarke – stats in 2025/26
Statistics (per 90)
Tally
Games played
9
Goals & assists
4
Pass accuracy
78%
Chances created
1.3
Cross accuracy
67%
Successful dribbles
2.3
Tackles won
1.8
Fouls won
2.1
Stats via FotMob
There’s no denying the Englishman is achieving such heights in a lower division, but it’s clear that he’s a player full of confidence at present – but the same can’t be said for the Welshman.
Frank needs to give Johnson the support he needs to get back to the levels he produced last season, with his drop in from in recent weeks a huge concern to everyone involved with the club.
As for Clarke, it’s great to see a former player finally fulfilling the potential he arrived with, but it’s a real shame that he’s not doing so in the whites of Tottenham.
His departure may have been a tad premature, but unfortunately for the fanbase, he will now remain a case of what could’ve been with their loss now Ipswich’s gain.
100% dribbles, 78 touches: Spurs star is now emulating Kane under Frank
Tottenham Hotspur maintained their unbeaten record in the Champions League last night against Bodo Glimt.
O Palmeiras conquistou uma vitória importante ao bater o Vasco, por 1 a 0, no Allianz Parque. No entanto, diferentemente do que foi o último jogo pela Libertadores, o Verdão esteve bem longe de uma grande atuação. Acontece que o elenco conta com atletas acima da média, que fazem a diferença quando o coletivo não funciona. Foi o caso de Raphael Veiga, que marcou um golaço e mostrou o porquê do esforço do clube para segurar as principais peças.
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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui
Depois da goleada por 4 a 0 sobre o Deportivo Pereira, no meio de semana, o Alviverde subiu o sarrafo para seu próprio desempenho. O que Abel Ferreira e seus comandados não contavam era com o atraso no retorno da Colômbia para o o Brasil, que fez com que a equipe pudesse treinar apenas uma vez antes de receber o Cruz-Maltino no domingo (27). E o que se viu em campo foi um Palmeiras pouco inspirado em diversos sentidos.
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O ímpeto inicial foi até interessante, fazendo parecer que uma nova goleada viria. O problema é que as chances não foram concretizadas, e o Vasco conseguiu equilibrar as ações e até assustar a defesa palmeirense. Não à toa Paulinho marcou um golaço aproveitando uma falha de Weverton e uma falta de atenção absurda do sistema defensivo alviverde. A “sorte”, como o próprio Abel disse, é que o VAR anulou o gol, o que gerou reclamação dos cariocas.
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A verdade é que o jogo do Verdão não acontecia e a lesão de Dudu no fim do primeiro tempo deu um baque no time. Artur, que vem em uma sequência de gols desperdiçados, perdeu mais um de forma inacreditável, dentro da pequena área do Cruz-Maltino. Ali parecia mesmo que nada iria acontecer e o 0 a 0 estaria decretado.
+ Abel fala de proposta por Gómez e rasga elogios ao capitão do Palmeiras: ‘Nunca tive um profissional como ele’
Mas quem tem uma equipe com nomes extraclasse que consegue se sobrepor a um dia ruim do coletivo, sempre conseguem arranjar uma solução. Foi aí que Raphael Veiga, em uma cobrança de falta espetacular, marcou um golaço para abrir o placar e decretar a vitória. Outros lances foram criados para aumentar a vantagem, mas as tomadas de decisão erradas acabaram minando essa possibilidade.
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Fato é que se não fosse a genialidade de Veiga, provavelmente o Palmeiras sairia de campo com apenas um ponto e vendo o Botafogo disparando ainda mais. Quando o clube faz força e impede a saída de seus principais craques, mesmo com números absurdos como nas propostas para Gómez, é para jogos como o desse domingo (27), que foi decidido por alguém que faz a diferença.
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Parece até óbvio dizer que o Alviverde sentiria a falta de cada um desses 11 titulares que fazem dessa equipe o melhor coletivo do país, mas é importante destacar quando fica muito claro que cada peça mantida é de fundamental valia para seguir nessa fase vitoriosa que o clube passa. O triunfo sobre o Vasco é uma dessas ocasiões que escancaram a importância de segurar os craques.
Leeds United have started the 2025/26 season better than people may have expected, given the hoodoo surrounding newly promoted sides in recent years.
Their first season back in the top flight, it was predicted that Leeds would go straight back down. ESPN’s Bill Connelly was one of those who predicted them to come 18th, despite explaining that they are “well-suited” to survive the drop.
There is still a lot of football to be played, with 31 games to go this season but Leeds find themselves on eight points, four clear of the drop. It has been a positive start to the campaign for Daniel Farke’s side.
One area they would surely want to improve is how clinical they are in front of goal.
Why Leeds are struggling in the final third
To win football matches, you need to be able to put the ball in the back of the net. That is something that Leeds were good at under Farke last season, bagging 95 times, more than any other Championship team.
It was always going to be tough to replicate in the top flight, but the West Yorkshire outfit have perhaps left a little to be desired in front of goal.
As per Understat, they have found the back of the net seven times this season, but have underachieved on their expected goals tally.
Farke’s side have notched up a total of 8.03 xG so far, and whilst it is not a huge difference, they will be hoping that doesn’t increase as the season goes on. Indeed, he will want more from his strikers, in particular Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Leeds’ summer signing has scored once for his new club. The 28-year-old bagged against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 3-1 win at Molineux, but has failed to bag in any of his other four appearances.
After their last game against Tottenham Hotspur, Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth said his “finishing was missing again.”
So, it might be the case that Farke decides to shake things up ahead of their next game against Burnley on Saturday.
Leeds' Calvert-Lewin alternative
Of course, former Everton number nine Calvert-Lewin was not the only centre-forward who moved to Elland Road this summer. They also added Lukas Nmecha to their squad on a free, with the two strikers joining existing forward Joel Piroe in the ranks.
However, Farke might choose to shuffle the pack around and start Noah Okafor up front. The “versatile” forward, as football scout Jacek Kulig called him, has played as a left-winger to great success this term, but is a more than capable striker.
Despite being just six games into his Leeds career, the Switzerland international has already bagged twice, at an average of a goal every 154 Premier League minutes.
Just like Calvert-Lewin, he netted at Molineux and also got Leeds’ goal in their 2-1 home loss to Spurs last time out.
Playing as a number nine would not be a strange concept to the former AC Milan star. Okafor has played that role a great deal in his career, with Transfermarkt showcasing that he’s featured as a centre-forward on 79 different occasions, scoring 26 goals and assisting 16.
It is interesting to compare Okafor and Calvert-Lewin’s key underlying numbers from this season. The Swiss star comes out on top in several metrics, including the average number of goals per shot on target.
The Leeds number 19 averages one per 90 minutes, with the former Everton striker just 0.14, showing far better efficiency in Okafor’s favour.
Okafor vs Calvert-Lewin
Stat (per 90)
Okafor
DCL
Goals
0.59
0.25
Goals per shot on target
1
0.14
Expected goals
0.35xG
0.35xG
Goals minus expected goals
0.24
-0.10
Goal-creating actions
0.3
0.25
Stats from FBref
There is a strong case to be made for Okafor starting at Leeds’ number nine during their next game. He’s got a good goal record and strong underlying numbers from the left wing this season, so Farke might well decide to test him out up front.
It would be a bold call, but one that could really pay dividends for the Whites as they look to become more efficient in front of goal.
Not just Meslier: Leeds star who was "so important" is now on borrowed time
This Leeds United ace could now find he’s on borrowed time under Daniel Farke.
يترقب عشاق الكرة المصرية والعربية ضربة بداية منتخب مصر تحت 17 عامًا في بطولة كأس العالم للناشئين 2025، حين يلتقي مساء اليوم الثلاثاء منتخب هايتي في مستهل مشواره بالمجموعة الخامسة من البطولة المقامة على أرض دولة قطر.
وتُقام بطولة كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا في قطر خلال الفترة من 3 إلى 27 نوفمبر 2025، في نسخة جديدة تحمل طابعًا خاصًا من حيث جودة التنظيم والبنية التحتية المميزة للملاعب، التي سبق أن استضافت نهائيات كأس العالم للكبار عام 2022.
ويدخل الفراعنة الصغار اللقاء بطموح كبير لتحقيق الفوز الأول الذي يمنحه دفعة معنوية قوية قبل المواجهتين المقبلتين أمام فنزويلا وإنجلترا، خصوصًا أن حصد النقاط الثلاث في الجولة الافتتاحية يُعد خطوة أساسية نحو التأهل إلى الدور التالي.
ويتواجد منتخب مصر في المجموعة الخامسة بجانب منتخبات إنجلترا وفنزويلا وهايتي، وتُعد هذه المجموعة متوازنة إلى حد كبير، حيث تمتلك المنتخبات الأربعة فرصًا متقاربة للتأهل، ما يجعل كل مباراة حاسمة في تحديد هوية المتأهلين.
طالع أيضًا | موعد مباراة مصر وهايتي اليوم في كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا القناة الناقلة لمباراة مصر وهايتي اليوم في كأس العالم للناشئين
ومن المقرر أن تُذاع مباراة مصر ضد هايتي عبر قناة “بي إن سبورتس” المفتوحة، وقناة “الكاس 3”.
ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث المباريات لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا
O São Paulo chega à final da Copa do Brasil com uma dúvida na zaga: Arboleda ou Diego Costa, quem iniciará jogando a partida deste domingo (17), no estádio do Maracanã?
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Titular, o defensor equatoriano viveu uma maratona nos últimos dias para se recuperar de uma fibrose na coxa esquerda, problema sofrido na última terça-feira (12), quando ele representava a seleção do Equador no duelo contra o Uruguai pelas eliminatórias para a Copa do Mundo de 2026.
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Como não foi constatado grau avançado na lesão, a previsão inicial do departamento médico são-paulino era de recuperação até o jogo de volta da final, no dia 24 de setembro. Porém, Arboleda teve boa evolução durante o tratamento realizado nos últimos dias e treinou com bola durante parte da atividade deste sábado (16), antes da viagem ao Rio de Janeiro. Por conta disso, o atleta viajou à capital carioca e tem chances de jogar contra o Fla.
Ainda não se sabe quanto tempo o equatoriano poderá estar em campo. Se for menos do que 45 minutos, Diego Costa deverá ser titular em um momento de reviravolta do jogador que já chegou até mesmo ser capitão da equipe do Morumbi, mas perdeu espaço após falhas em finais. A principal delas na Sul-Americana do ano passado, quando o Tricolor foi derrotado pelo Independiente del Valle (EQU), em Córdoba, na Argentina.
+ Promoção Lance! Betting para a final da Copa do Brasil: aposta grátis até R$200!
Além do vacilo no primeiro gol dos Rayados, Diego ficou para trás no São Paulo por conta da evolução de Beraldo e uma cirurgia que fez no fim da última temporada, que fez com que ele entrasse em campo somente em abril.
A única indefinição são-paulina para o confronto deste fim de semana é em um setor fundamental, já que não sofrer gols será de extrema importância, pois garantirá, no mínimo, um empate no jogo de ida da final, com a volta sendo disputada no estádio do Morumbi, casa do Tricolor.
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Em 36 partidas disputadas sob o comando de Dorival Júnior (ou a comissão do treinador), o São Paulo não foi vazado em 16. São 29 gols sofridos no período, uma média de 0,80 por jogo.
England expecting Gus Atkinson and Jofra Archer to come into contention through series
Matt Roller19-Jun-20253:16
Does England’s inexperienced bowling even the scales?
Brydon Carse will play his first home Test match against India at Headingley and will do so in an unfamiliar role. England spent more than a decade with James Anderson and Stuart Broad as their new-ball bankers but this week opening the bowling alongside Chris Woakes will be Carse, taking on a job he has not done regularly since 2019.Carse was England’s standout bowler across their winter tours to Pakistan and New Zealand, showcasing his pace, bounce, ability to nip the ball in off the seam, and physical robustness to take 27 wickets at 19.85 in his first five Tests. But he only once took the new ball, and that was effectively by default, as one of two fast bowlers in the second Multan Test.England gave him the chance to open the bowling in their recent ODI series win over West Indies, when he took an early wicket in all three matches, and were sufficiently impressed to give him another opportunity this week. He may return to first change when Gus Atkinson returns to fitness, but his performance at Headingley could have long-term implications.Related
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India begin Gill era with an eye on England's weakened bowling
England must engage with the WTC's oddities, not fight them
Ben Stokes insisted on Thursday that his players are solely focused on the India series, rather than the away Ashes that follows. But with Woakes’ struggles overseas well established, Carse will have the opportunity to turn himself into a viable opening bowler for England in Australia this winter – potentially sharing the new ball with Atkinson, with Mark Wood at first change.Stokes said that England’s decision to hand Carse the new ball will also help them get the best out of Josh Tongue who, like Carse, has spent most of his first-class career as a change bowler. Tongue had a quiet match for England Lions against India A in Northampton this month, but will win his fourth cap in Leeds after missing the whole of last summer through injuries.”I know it’s a different format and different colour ball, but Brydon looked very threatening with the Kookaburra in the white-ball series leading up to this,” Stokes said. “The skills Tonguey has, I think it suits him better in the role he’s got in this team, being first change. But Brydon looks all the part of a new-ball bowler.”Carse has practised with new balls in training this week to prepare for the role, and believes versatility is one of his strengths. “I’d like to think I can be quite adaptable,” he said. “Over the winter, we saw slightly different conditions and different roles used… Being adaptable and being flexible around my role in the team is something that I know is probably going to happen.”Brydon Carse is set to play his first home Test•Getty Images
He is fully fit after a serious toe injury ruled him out of the IPL and last month’s Test against Zimbabwe, and revealed – half-joking – last month that he had considered an amputation. “It was true, what I said. I’ve had a lot of friends giving me a lot of stick asking if I still have my toe,” Carse said on Tuesday. “It was a little tricky period over the winter.”It was an even trickier period for him last summer. This time last year, Carse had just started serving a three-month ban from all cricket for gambling offences; he did not place bets on any matches that he was involved in, but placed more than 300 on other cricket matches between 2017 and 2019, which violates the ECB’s anti-corruption regulations.The ban ended up working in his favour when he made his Test debut in Pakistan: rather than arriving in Multan at the end of a long season, he was physically fresh after working hard on his fitness while suspended, and was able to endure the challenge of back-to-back Tests on pitches which offered no lateral movement for fast bowlers.He should get more assistance in Leeds this week on a surface that had a healthy grass covering on Thursday afternoon. Carse has played seven Hundred games at Headingley for Northern Superchargers and an ODI for England last year, but believes his first home Test will provide a “different feeling” to anything he has experienced before.”I’m so excited,” he said. “To be at home and to be in familiar surroundings gives me a lot of confidence. It’s a good chance to see where our side is at the moment, with a couple of younger players and slightly less experience. It’s a great opportunity to stamp down our authority throughout the series.”England’s seam-bowling resources are depleted in Leeds, but they hope to bolster them as the series wears on. Atkinson, who has a hamstring strain, has trained at Headingley this week and could be in contention for the second Test in Birmingham, while Jofra Archer is set to make his comeback to first-class cricket this week for Sussex in the County Championship.Stokes revealed on Thursday that Archer had been texting him about the prospect of making his return against Zimbabwe. “I was like, ‘Let’s just hold it there, all right,'” Stokes said. “It’s great that he’s in a position now where we’re looking to build his overs and his loads back up to hopefully be considered at some point for the series, which would be great.”