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Ange Postecoglou has enjoyed a terrific start to his life at Tottenham Hotspur and is proving that you can merge exciting football with the desired results at the club. Spurs can move back to the top of the Premier League table, and two points clear of Manchester City in doing so, with a win against London rivals Chelsea this evening.

The recruitment work that was carried out over the summer is already looking to be a masterclass from the club; as the likes of James Maddison, Micky van de Ven and Guglielmo Vicario have been standout performers in the top-flight so far this season.

Postecoglou and his staff may look to carry that over into the January transfer window to make further additions to bolster his side for the second half of the campaign.

Tottenham transfer news – Wilfred Ndidi

According to TEAMtalk, Spurs are one of a number of clubs showing an interest in Leicester City central midfielder Wilfred Ndidi ahead of 2024. Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are said to have made enquiries about the Nigeria international, whilst Brentford, Aston Villa, and Newcastle United are also eyeing him up.

The report claims that Tottenham, alongside their Premier League rivals, are considering an approach to land the EFL titan at the turn of the year. TEAMtalk claim that the Foxes are trying to tie Ndidi down to an extended contract as his current deal will see him become a free agent in the summer of 2024.

This means that Spurs could wait to sign him for nothing at the end of the season or they could use that situation to strike a cut-price deal in January, if the Championship side want to avoid losing him on a free.

Ndidi is a "monster" out of possession

Tottenham may have an interest in Ndidi due to his impressive form at Championship level this season, but they could also be keen on the player who previously starred in the Premier League.

The 26-year-old battler has been able to showcase the attacking quality he can provide from a midfield position thanks to Leicester's relegation to the second tier. Over nine league starts, the talented gem has contributed with one goal and three assists to go along with 1.3 key passes per game.

However, his defensive ability was on full display last term in spite of his team's struggles. The 6 foot ace is a proven top-flight performer who excels at winning possession back for his side. He ranked in the top 6% or higher of his positional peers in the Premier League last season for tackles (3.27), interceptions (2.04), and clearances (2.57) per 90. This included him being in the top 1% for interceptions made per 90, which illustrates how impressive his out-of-possession work was for the Foxes.

Ndidi consistently provided an excellent screen in front of his defence in the top-flight as he also ranked within the top 3% of midfielders for tackles (3.34), interceptions (2.34), and clearances (three) per 90 during the 2021/22 Premier League campaign.

This could be why Postecoglou is considering a swoop to sign the "machine" – as lauded by BBC contributor Raj Choban – to bolster his midfield options.

Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior was involved in an altercation with Alvaro Morata at the end of Tuesday's friendly between Spain and Brazil.

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Vinicius and Morata argued on touchlineBrazil star had to be dragged awayWinger also involved in Laporte incidentWHAT HAPPENED?

Vinicius and Atletico Madrid striker Morata were seen involved in a war of words on the touchline at the Santiago Bernabeu. The Brazilian winger had to be dragged away by his team-mates as he continued to remonstrate with Morata.

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The clash with Morata was not the only contentious moment for Vinicius. He was seen pushing Spain defender Aymeric Laporte in the 3-3 draw and the Spaniard poked fun at the incident on social media, saying: "Maybe he wanted to dance".

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR VINICIUS?

Vinicius will return to club action at the Santiago Bernabeu this weekend when Madrid meet Athletic Club in La Liga. The Spanish giants are currently eight points clear of Barcelona at the top of the Spanish top-flight.

Tottenham Hotspur are reported to already be "working on an agreement" for a new defensive signing as Spurs' absentee list grows and grows.

Postecoglou's problems at Tottenham

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou had been overseeing the best start made by a new manager in Premier League history, but the club's early-season unbeaten streak finally came to an end against Chelsea on Monday.

There were real positives to take from Tottenham's 4-1 defeat in north London, namely the performance of goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and their real bravery in playing a high line despite being down to nine men.

The fall-out has been worse than Spurs' actual result, as Postecoglou will now have to make do without a few key players. Both Destiny Udogie and Cristian Romero are suspended following their red cards against Mauricio Pochettino's side, while James Maddison and Micky van de Ven were hauled off due to injury.

Tottenham are waiting to find out the severity of these knocks, but van de Ven's problem is already looking like a significant one after he want off clutching his hamstring.

Uncertainty surrounds the future of Pierre-Emile Hobjberg, who could leave in January, while fellow midfielders Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma will undergo a Spurs hiatus early next year for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Depending on van de Ven's injury, with the Dutchman facing months out (Daily Mail), Postecoglou could be left very short in both defence and midfield pretty soon.

Spurs targeting new midfielder for Ange

Reports in the last few days have suggested that a new midfield man could be added in the January transfer window as a result. Spurs are targeting Fluminese midfielder Andre, with Brentford star Christian Norgaard eyed by Postecoglou as well (Football Transfers).

Indeed, it appears new sporting director Johan Lange is eyeing up reinforcements for the middle of the park at Spurs. As per a new rumour out of Spain, Tottenham might not be wasting any time in giving Postecoglou exactly what he wants after a rip-roaring start to the new campaign.

Spurs "working on an agreement" for Ndidi

As per Spanish media sources, Tottenham are "working on an agreement" for Wilfried Ndidi, who has starred for Leicester City in the Championship so far this season.

Postecoglou's side are apparently "seeking the signing" of Ndidi to shore up their defensive midfield options, with his potential signing viewed as an "important solution" taking into account his uncertain future at the King Power Stadium.

The 53-cap Nigeria international has racked up a goal and three assists in 12 second tier appearances so far, but with his contract expiring next summer, he could come as a fairly astute/affordable option for Spurs.

Called a "machine" by BBC Sports contributor Raj Chohan, Foxes boss Enzo Maresca refuses to rule out the possibility of him leaving despite being an "important player".

Likes to play short passes

Counter-attack threat

Likes to tackle

(via WhoScored)

“Wilfred, he arrived as I said from day one, into the box. He’s scored and got an assist. Probably it was better, the assist, than the goal," said Maresca on Ndidi after a recent performance (via Leicester Mercury).

“He’s an important player, but I have to say the same, the window market is open. Anything can happen for Wilfred and for all of the squad.”

Shamsi is yet to take a wicket in two outings against Zimbabwe, while Tahir took 10 wickets – including a hat-trick – in the ODI series and collected a career-best 5 for 23 in the first T20I

Liam Brickhill10-Oct-2018Imran Tahir has been released by South Africa for the remainder of their T20 series against Zimbabwe in order for the hosts’ selectors to have a closer look at left-arm wristspinner Tabraiz Shamsi.Tahir took 10 wickets, including a hat-trick, across the one-day internationals last week and claimed five wickets in just 17 deliveries to finish with a career-best 5 for 23 in the opening T20I against Zimbabwe in East London on Tuesday. Twice he has also opened the bowling, adding to his already formidable skill set in white-ball cricket.”I’m just happy that it’s coming out nicely at the moment,” said the understated Tahir after his match-winning performance. “Now and then it will be a big challenge to bowl with the new ball with only two men out, but I’m up for the challenge. I’m really keen to learn and experiment, and see where I am. It helps to have someone bowling at 140 from the other end. It makes my job easier.”While he remains a vital part of South Africa’s plans building towards the World Cup next year, Tahir’s workload has often been managed by the team management. He was also left out of the tour of Sri Lanka earlier this year in order to give an opportunity for coach Ottis Gibson to see what South Africa’s other spinners can do.Tahir’s absence will bring both pressure and opportunity for Shamsi, the sole specialist spinner remaining in South Africa’s squad. Shamsi has yet to take a wicket in two limited-overs matches against Zimbabwe, and has struggled in Tahir’s shadow.In the Paarl ODI, Shamsi registered the most expensive figures ever for a South African against Zimbabwe, leaking 72 runs in 10 overs, and in the first T20, he was at the receiving end of Peter Moor’s charge – the Zimbabwean smashing four sixes in a 25-run over.As the series moves up to the highveld for two games in Potchefstroom and Benoni, it was always less likely that South Africa would even pick two spinners in their playing XI. With Tahir gone, Shamsi has a chance to show the coaches and selectors where he might fit into their plans.

Monterrey coach Fernando Ortiz says Lionel Messi's fitness will be a "determining factor" when his side face Inter Miami in midweek.

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Messi out injured since March 13Could return for Monterrey clashOrtiz says he could be decisiveWHAT HAPPENED?

Messi has been out of action since he was forced off 50 minutes into the 3-1 Champions Cup win against Nashville on March 13. He was kept out of the Argentina team as a result and the Herons are eagerly awaiting his return.

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The Champions Cup clash could see him back in the action, but Inter Miami coach Tata Martino says no decision has been made as of yet, saying at a press conference: "We will determine fundamentally what is the best for Leo and every other player, and then we'll make the correct decisions."

WHAT ORTIZ SAID

Ortiz knows there is more to Inter Miami than Messi, but feels the Argentine's presence will be big, telling reporters: "It's not just the players of names like [Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez and Messi], the entire team worries me, not just one name in particular. Miami is a very interesting team, they reached the same round as us. Those players are ones that have shown interest on an international level, but all of Miami worries us."

He added: "I don't think we are the favorites. It's going to be a close game that can be determined in the details. I think whether Messi plays or not will be a determining factor, but I trust my players."

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DID YOU KNOW?

Monterrey defender Hector Moreno knows all too well how Messi can change a game immediately, as he experienced while playing against him in a 2-0 loss for Mexico at the Qatar World Cup in 2022. He said: "My most recent experience with Messi was the World Cup, and I gave him half a meter and he changed the score and our World Cup path. We have to be vigilant of those types of situations."

Repeated indiscretions from Pakistan resulted in India beginning their chase on 10 for 0, before a ball was bowled

Melinda Farrell in Providence11-Nov-2018Pakistan have been penalised ten runs for running in the danger zone of the pitch during their Group B match against India in Providence, Guyana. The penalty runs were awarded – five each after two separate incidents – after the umpires had already issued three warnings to the batsmen during the Pakistan innings.*Pakistan captain Javeria Khan admitted after the game that it was poor form on her team’s part, and an issue that has troubled them previously too. “I had a chat [with the umpires]. They told me that after warning the players three times, they gave the penalties,” Javeria said. “It’s unprofessional on our part because we were warned. It’s not happened [for] the first time. It’s happened in Sri Lanka as well.”After a shaky start, during which Pakistan lost three early wickets, Bismah Mahroof and Nida Dar mounted a recovery but were warned by the umpires at the end of the 13th over for running on the danger area of the pitch. On the first ball of the 18th over, the same two batsmen scurried through for a single but, after consultation between umpires Sue Redfern and Gregory Brathwaite, Pakistan were penalised five runs and the single was disallowed. However, in what appears to be an umpiring error, the batsmen were not called back to their respective original ends and Dar faced the following delivery.On the dramatic final ball of the innings, with Sana Mir at the non-striker’s end, Sidra Nawaz edged a Poonam Yadav delivery and the pair scampered for one run. Radha Yadav fired the ball in from point to wicketkeeper Taniya Bhatia, who whipped the bails off. The decision was sent to the third umpire but the replays showed Mir was well within the crease.But the greater drama was taking place on the field, as Redfern signalled a second five-run penalty against Pakistan for running in the danger area of the pitch. There was confusion as the umpires and players started walking off as to whether the last run had been counted in the total. That’s when Javeria walked over to get clarification from the officials.Eventually, it was confirmed that the final run would not be added to the total and Pakistan’s score stood at 133 for 7, their highest ever innings in a T20 International. India started their innings on 10-0 before a ball was bowled.After the game, which India eventually won by seven wickets with an over to spare, Mithali Raj – who top scored with 56 – said India too got a warning for running on the pitch and were wary not to repeat the offence after that. Raj said: “We were told before getting in to bat that those 10 runs were because the Pakistan batters were running on the danger end and they were warned. So were we, but we didn’t get to that point [where the umpires had to dock runs]. We were aware of it.”Under the ICC playing conditions, rule 41.14.3 states that when avoidable damage to the pitch has been caused by the batting side after the issue of a warning, the bowler’s end umpire will “disallow all runs to the batting side, return any not out batter to her original end, signal no-ball or wide to the scorers if applicable, and award five penalty runs to the fielding side.”The Pakistan batsmen involved also face the possibility of further penalties from the match referee.*

Leeds United entered into the summer with the takeover of the club by 49ers Enterprises for £170m as they bought up the rest of former owner Andrea Radrizzani's shares.

Shortly before that was made official, head coach Daniel Farke was appointed to be the first manager of their tenure in full control of the Whites.

The German tactician, formerly of Norwich City in England, has won ten of his first 18 matches in charge of the club and has only lost four times to date – a win rate of 55.6%.

Leeds are third in the Championship and have won nine of their 16 league matches – a win rate of 56.3% – and this shows that the ex-Borussia Monchengladbach coach has enjoyed a strong start to life at Carrow Road.

49ers will be hoping to avoid some of the mistakes that have been made by previous owners with managers. Massimo Cellino, in particular, struggled in this area, with the appointment of Dave Hockaday being a notable low.

Dave Hockaday's record at Leeds

The Italian swooped to appoint the former Stoke City defender from Forest Green Rovers ahead of the 2014/15 campaign and provided him with a two-year contract.

Journalist Phil Hay had it put to him that a "little-known" coach would be brought in, which proved to be the case when Hockaday was snapped up from non-league football.

It was a bold appointment by Cellino, given the English tactician's lack of experience in senior management at Championship level, and it did not work out for either of them.

Hockday only managed six competitive matches at the helm and produced two goals and four defeats from those outings – a dismal win rate of 33.3%.

He was sacked on the 28th of August in 2014, after two-and-a-half months in the job, and Cellino revealed at the time that the head coach should have been relieved of his duties after a 4-1 defeat to Watford on the 23rd of that month, with the benefit of hindsight.

Leeds and Cellino chucked the ex-Forest Green Rovers boss into the deep end and did not give him much time to adjust before making a swift decision on his future, as they admitted – by sacking him – that their gamble did not pay off.

Dave Hockaday's current job

At the time of writing (23/11/2023), Hockaday's LinkedIn profile states that he currently works as the Head of Football at the South Gloucestershire and Stroud College in Bristol.

He has been there since January of 2017 – almost seven years ago – and his last role before that was as a first-team coach with Coventry between July 2015 and December 2015.

The 66-year-old coach has boasted the success of his work at the college by mentioning that former pupil Antoine Semenyo went on to sign a professional deal with Bristol City.

He completed a £10.5m transfer to Premier League side Bournemouth at the start of this year, and Hockaday seemingly played a key role in his early development.

Whilst Hockaday has not been able to forge a successful career as a professional football manager, it is pleasing to see that he is still working within the footballing world and having a positive impact by developing young players at the college to help them make it in the game.

The champions climbed back to the top of the Premier League table after an utterly dominant win over the struggling Hatters.

The Etihad Stadium really is Kevin De Bruyne's playground. Luton couldn't get near the Belgian as he pulled the strings in an ultimately comfortable 5-1 win that sent Manchester City back to the summit.

Indeed, the 32-year-old was involved right from the first whistle, setting Erling Haaland through as the opening goal arrived within two minutes, courtesy of a hugely unfortunate own goal from Daiki Hashioka.

The hosts, despite finishing the game with an incredible 37 shots at goal, had to wait until after the hour mark for their second – Mateo Kovacic lashing home a thunderous volley that gave Thomas Kaminski no chance.

It was three soon after as Haaland slotted home from the penalty spot and although Ross Barkley pulled one back for Rob Edwards' side, the impressive Jeremy Doku made it 4-1 with a jinking run and expert finish. There was still time for Josko Gvardiol to add a fifth in stoppage time too, with City nudging their goal difference up to +44 as a direct result.

GOAL rates Manchester City's players from the Etihad Stadium…

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Ederson (6/10):

No clean sheet today. After having literally nothing to do in the first half, his crossbar was rattled by Cauley Woodrow before he was beaten by a smart finish from Barkley for Luton's consolation goal.

Rico Lewis (7/10):

Bright and effective in that inverted full-back position on the right. Linked up well with the likes of De Bruyne and Nunes in front of him and proved once again he's a more than capable deputy for the absent Kyle Walker.

Manuel Akanji (6/10):

Often found himself in central midfield, such was City's domination. Had hardly anything to do from a defensive point of view, with Luton so focused on keeping the hosts out.

Ruben Dias (7/10):

Like Akanji, he had the freedom to start much higher up the pitch and cruised through what was a comfortable afternoon for him. Made over 100 successful passes which was more than anyone else on the pitch, De Bruyne included.

Josko Gvardiol (7/10):

Looked to cut in from the left flank and get shots away, like he did so effectively at the Bernabeu. One slack moment saw Fred Onyedinma wrestle past him, leading to Luton smacking the crossbar, but a largely positive performance that resulted in a stoppage-time goal.

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Mateo Kovacic (7/10):

Flashed a deflected shot wide midway through the second half before thumping a half-volley into the net to make it 2-0. Not a bad way to score his first Premier League goal for City.

Kevin De Bruyne (8/10):

Wrap him up in cotton wool ready for Madrid. Dominated again here, especially in the first half, creating chance after chance after chance – seven in total over the course of the game. Will be disappointed he didn't record a goal or assist and didn't look too pleased to be taken off with 10 minutes left.

Matheus Nunes (5/10):

His afternoon was tarnished somewhat by his role in Luton's goal, as a loose touch on the half turn allowed Barkley to rob him and fire past Ederson.

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Julian Alvarez (5/10):

Provided a threat with his wicked deliveries from corners but his end product from open play was largely disappointing. Did get the assist for Kovacic's goal but nowhere near the levels he was hitting at the start of the season.

Erling Haaland (7/10):

After forcing the first goal, somewhat fortuitously, with his wayward strike going in off the face of Daiki Hashioka, it looked as though he'd drift through the game without troubling the scoresheet. That changed with the award of the penalty, though, with Haaland stepping up for goal number 20 of the season in the league.

Jeremy Doku (8/10):

After a largely ineffective first half, he was far more decisive in the second and his clever bit of play in the box bamboozled Onyedinma to force the penalty. He then expertly slotted home City's fourth goal with a mazy run and finish before getting another assist for Gvardiol's late goal. A top afternoon's work.

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Sergio Gomez (N/A):

Came on late in the game with City cruising.

Oscar Bobb (N/A):

Replaced Haaland with only 10 minutes to go.

Pep Guardiola (8/10):

He'll be delighted with that. Managed to rest the likes of Rodri, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden for the Madrid game and still got the emphatic result that not only put City back on top, but also significantly boosted their goal difference.

Ryan Reynolds is feeling the "pressure" before Wrexham's clash with Crawley but Phil Parkinson says they're in a "great position" to reach League One.

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Wrexham in second spot in League TwoVying for a second successive promotionSet to host Crawley Town at Racecourse on Tuesday eveningWHAT HAPPENED?

Following a hard-fought victory against Colchester United, Wrexham climbed to second place in League Two, trailing leaders Stockport by four points, who still have a game in hand. The Red Dragons should comfortably finish within one of the automatic qualifications pots if they play to their potential in the final lap of the league stage and yet Deadpool actor Reynolds, who is a co-owner of the club alongside Rob McElhenney, has admitted that his feeling the "pressure" in a post on Instagram showing kick-off times around the world for the Crawley game.

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With only four games left in the league stage, three of these crucial matches are scheduled to be played at The Racecourse, providing an advantage for the Welsh side. While Wrexham boast an impressive home record, Parkinson remains cautious, focusing solely on the upcoming clash against Crawley and not on the larger canvas, albeit while being aware that his team are on course for a second successive promotion.

"That is big for us, we can't hide away from that," said Parkinson. "But we just concentrate on Tuesday and won't get ahead of ourselves. Saturday was big, we enjoyed it but will get ready to go again.

"We have come so far as a club and we have got ourselves in a great position. Of course, it is good to be up there, we have just got to get ready for a great night at The Racecourse on Tuesday."

PARKINSON PLEASED WITH RESPONSE TO DONCASTER DEFEAT

Wrexham have been fairly inconsistent with their recent performances, losing two out of their last five matches. Parkinson admitted that the defeat against Doncaster added to the pressure but the victory over Colchester has once again boosted their morale.

"When you have two away games – Doncaster were the form team in the league and then Colchester – you always want more but after you have lost the first one, there becomes a little bit more pressure on the second," he added.

"To come away with three points is obviously a huge result. We spoke about the home game against Crawley and we didn't want back-to-back defeats going into that. Three points is so crucial at this stage of the season and the lads are pleased because they knew it was a hard game."

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As Wrexham's journey towards promotion unfolds, Parkinson emphasised the significance of maintaining composure amidst mounting pressure. With their sights set on League One, the club remains determined to overcome challenges and seize opportunities on the path to success and another victory over Crawley would further put them in control of a promotion spot.

CoA receptive to team management’s request for rest, but reportedly unhappy with overseas Test results and Shastri’s comments

Nagraj Gollapudi08-Nov-2018The IPL could be advanced by a couple of weeks and is likely to start on March 23 to accommodate the Indian team management’s request to allow their fast bowlers adequate rest before the World Cup starts on May 30.India captain and coach Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri are believed to have laid out the need for at least a two-week rest period for their fast bowlers during meetings last month with the Committee of Administrators (CoA) and the board’s senior management team. They are also believed to have asked whether key players, including senior fast bowlers, could be rested from the IPL and adequately compensated if so.These meetings, held in New Delhi and Hyderabad, were also attended by Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane, vice-captains of the ODI and Test sides respectively, and selection committee chairman MSK Prasad.The IPL management, headed by chief operating officer Hemang Amin, is understood to have told the CoA that the Indian team management’s request would need the consent of the franchises, which could be hard to come by. In turn, this may have forced the BCCI into considering an early start.During these meetings, ESPNcricinfo understands that the two-member CoA, comprising Vinod Rai and Diana Edulji, also made it clear to Kohli and Shastri that while India remain the No. 1 Test side, they have been “found wanting” in South Africa and England.The CoA is understood to be displeased about some of the grievances put forth by the team management pertaining to inadequate facilities at the team hotel and players’ partners not travelling with the side. The CoA also apparently didn’t take too kindly Shastri’s comments about India being the best travelling team. The CoA is understood to have told Shastri that even if India is one of the best teams going around, people should be allowed to judge for themselves.The BCCI is also exploring the feasibility of hosting IPL 2019 in India, but can only take a final call on this once the dates of the country’s seven-phase general elections are announced by the Central Election Commission. A team has already carried out a recce in South Africa, should the IPL need a plan B. It is likely that a clearer picture will emerge ahead of the player auction in Jaipur on December 18.