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It’s not been the summer that Wolverhampton Wanderers would’ve planned, with woes regarding Financial Fair Play (FFP) consuming all areas of the club.

After joining the Old Gold back in November, Julen Lopetegui worked wonders in his first season, taking over from Bruno Lage when Wolves were bottom of the table, and firing them to a 13th-place finish.

Following the tests and turnaround of the 2022/23 campaign, the Spaniard has been rumoured to be moving towards the exit door, as the Midlands side’s financial problems become more and more of a hindrance on progression.

Who could replace Lopetegui at Wolves?

As reported by talkSPORT this week, Fosun could seek help in the form of former AFC Bournemouth manager Gary O’Neil, should Lopetegui decide to part ways.

The report claims that the Old Gold owners ‘will consider’ approaching the former Premier League boss in the instance of the Spaniard’s exit.

It would be a fast return for the Englishman, who was let go by the Cherries after keeping them safely in the top-flight at the end of last season.

Should Wolves hire Gary O’Neil?

Praised by Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodsgon for his “fantastic” efforts in keeping Bournemouth up in what was an “enormous job”, O’Neil could be the perfect candidate to take the reins from Lopetegui.

Thrown into action just after the commencement of the 2022/23 season, the 40-year-old was relieved of his role as a coach within the first team and pulled into the spotlight following Scott Parker’s dismissal.

In November, the former midfielder was appointed as head coach following his temporary appointment as interim manager, in a move that ultimately kept the Cherries fighting in the top-flight.

Bournemouth were three points above the relegation zone at the point of his crowning as permanent head coach, and luckily for those at the Vitality Stadium, the Englishman managed to keep the momentum going.

O’Neil received an abundance of praise for his transformation of things on the pitch for the south coast side, chopping and changing between his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation to find the best shape for the side he had.

Finishing the season in 15th and five points clear of the chop, was a monumental achievement considering the club’s run-in, however at the end of the campaign the 40-year-old was shockingly dismissed.

Speaking following his exit, former Arsenal legend and pundit Martin Keown branded the decision as “brutal”, however in hindsight, it could be good news for Wolves.

Ending last term as the Premier League’s lowest scorers, things had to change this window, however with the club caught up in the midst of FFP concerns, it doesn’t seem as though things will change.

Club chairman Jeff Shi penned an open letter to fans to explain the struggles and to suggest that the transfer situation is not expected to change dramatically before the close of the window.

Lopetegui has spoken openly about how he is “worried” about the new season, leaving many doubtful about his commitment to staying at Molineux.

O’Neil could be the perfect man, considering how he utilised his squad at the Vitality, taking them six league matches unbeaten at the beginning of his tenure and visibility improving the side’s playing style, whilst also helping them beat the drop – something that the Midlands outfit seem destined to face themselves this term.

The Englishman’s thorough tactical approach and ability to not only keep Bournemouth up last season but to implement an attractive style of play, makes him a strong acquisition for Wolves to consider should Lopetegui exit.

Given his experience at a similar level within the Premier League to the Old Gold’s situation last term, his ability to succeed against the odds could turn fortunes around at Molineux.

Jack Taylor, the Gloucestershire allrounder, has been banned from bowling for a third time after being reported for a suspect action

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Oct-2017Jack Taylor, the Gloucestershire allrounder, has been banned from bowling for a third time after being reported for a suspect action. As per the ECB’s regulations, he will not to be able to bowl his offspin for 12 months from September 26, 2017.Taylor, 25, was suspended from bowling last season but was allowed to resume a couple of months later after remodelling his action.Having been called again, he underwent testing at Loughborough on September 26 and his arm was found to exceed the permitted 15-degree limit for flexion and extension. As this was his second suspension within a two-year period, he receives an automatic 12-month ban, after which he can request to have his action retested.In recent seasons, Taylor has become a valuable lower-order batsman for Gloucestershire. This year, he scored two Championship hundreds and averaged nearly 40, while contributing 302 runs at 43.14 in the Royal London Cup; with the ball, he took 19 wickets in all competitions.His first-class batting average has risen to 32.44, with six hundreds, to go with 75 first-class wickets at 43.86. Taylor’s value as an allrounder was more apparent in white-ball cricket and he was Man of the Match in the final of the 2015 Royal London Cup as Gloucestershire won their first trophy in a decade.Taylor was previously banned in 2013 for an illegal action before being passed to bowl again after remedial work in February 2014.

Bangladesh batted for most of the third day and threatened South Africa at times, but the home side fought back with a clean-up job of the visiting team’s tail and furthered their lead to 230 runs

The Report by Mohammad Isam30-Sep-20171:24

Moonda: Bangladesh will be disappointed with soft dismissals

Smart stats

1 – This was the first time Bangladesh’s third, fourth, fifth and sixth wickets all added 50 or more runs in a Test innings.

1 – Number of bigger totals for Bangladesh against South Africa than the 320 they scored in this match. Their highest is 326, which came in Chittagong in 2015. These are the only two 300-plus totals for them in 19 innings against South Africa. Bangladesh’s previous-highest total in South Africa was 252 in East London in 2002.

28 – Runs for which Bangladesh lost their last five wickets in nine overs. They collapsed from 292 for 5 to 320 all out.

Bangladesh batted for most of the third day and threatened South Africa at times. But the home side fought back with a clean-up job of the visiting team’s tail and furthered their lead to 230 runs. When play was called off due to bad light at Senwes Park, they were 54 for 2.Hashim Amla and Temba Bavuma batted out the last 4.5 overs with some ease after Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram were snuffed out early in South Africa’s second innings. Elgar was first to go, after using up a review when Shafiul Islam trapped him in front of middle and leg with one that curved in from back of a length. Aiden Markram chased a Mustafizur Rahman cutter that broke away from him and edged behind. Unlike Elgar, he didn’t challenge the decision, and replays showed his bat had bumped into the ground at the same moment the ball took his outside edge.Bangladesh could possibly have been looking at a much smaller deficit but for a lower-order meltdown that resulted in them losing their last five wickets for 28 runs. Keshav Maharaj bowled well for South Africa despite being attacked at times and finished with three wickets.Bangladesh had done well to move close to the follow-on mark when Sabbir Rahman chopped on a short ball from Duanne Olivier after finding the bounce too disconcerting. But with Mahmudullah well-set on 59, it had at least seemed like Bangladesh would comfortably pass their highest Test score against South Africa, of 326.South Africa decided to take the second new ball halfway into the 84th over and immediately struck, Morkel getting Mahmudullah to chase a length ball and chop it on. A moment’s brilliance from Temba Bavuma at backward point caught Taskin Ahmed short of his crease, and by the time tea was taken, Bangladesh had lost three wickets in six overs.South Africa needed just 19 more balls after the break to take out the last two batsmen. With the ball hard and new, out came the short stuff. Rabada bounced out Mehidy Hasan second ball after the break. Maharaj then found Shafiul Islam’s outside edge with one that straightened from middle and off, Amla pouching an excellent catch at first slip.It was far from how the day had begun for Bangladesh. Morkel and Rabada bowled well at the start of the first two sessions but were wicketless in those periods. As a result, Bangladesh added 91 runs in the first session for the loss of just Tamim Iqbal.Tamim was at times lucky during his stay and survived a blazing opening spell from Rabada. Eventually, he fell to a diving, one-handed catch from Quinton de Kock, who anticipated early and moved to his right, giving Andile Phehlukwayo his maiden Test wicket.Thereafter, Mominul Haque and Mahmudullah buckled down. Mominul, who had looked solid on the second evening, fought through a tough initial spell in the morning, collecting his first runs of the day after 30 testing deliveries.That moment also marked Bangladesh finally opening up, as they took 17 runs off one Rabada over. Fed plenty of deliveries that were angled into his body, Mominul collected eight boundaries through the leg side, five of them between mid-on and midwicket.Mahmudullah took a bit of time to settle down, but once he did, the on-the-up drives, cuts and slog sweeps came out, one of which helped Bangladesh avoid the follow-on and bring up the 300. Mahmudullah adjusted well when Faf du Plessis placed two short covers, placing his shots through the empty third-man region.Their stand of 69 was broken in the fourth over after lunch when Mominul fell for 77. He had gone seven innings without a half-century since his 64 in Wellington in January.Mahmudullah and Sabbir then added 65 for the sixth wicket before both batsmen dragged deliveries on to their stumps. They should have pushed on to bigger scores, but their break in concentration was the theme of Bangladesh’s reply.

It is "crucial" for Manchester United to find buyers for Donny van de Beek and Fred this summer, as their transfer strategy relies on it, per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Are Donny van de Beek and Fred leaving Manchester United this summer?

It has been a strong transfer window for Erik ten Hag's Red Devils so far this summer, at least in a buying sense.

The arrivals of Mason Mount, Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund should all instantly improve the first team and be around long enough to help the Dutchman build his perfect side.

The former Ajax boss would probably like to add more players to the team this summer, with Fiorentina star Sofyan Amrabat one of the names heavily linked to the club.

Read the latest Manchester United transfer news HERE…

Unfortunately for the player, and manager, United now have to sell some of their current players to make space for the Moroccan, per The Telegraph.

Two of the names who could potentially leave are former Ajax midfielder van de Beek and Brazilian international Fred.

The latter has been linked with a move to Turkish Super Lig giants Galatasaray. However, despite personal terms not being an issue, there is currently a gap in the player's valuation from both sides, per Sky Sports.

In van de Beek's case, it looks as if his miserable time in the northwest might finally be coming to an end, as a report from Spanish publication Noticias de Gipuzkoa (via the Daily Mail) has claimed that La Liga side Real Sociedad are working on a deal to take him on loan next season, with an option to buy for £8m.

Transfers expert Fabrizio Romano explained the situation on his YouTube channel, saying:

"For Man United, it's crucial to find a solution for Donny van de Beek. Real Sociedad are interested, but also, for Fred, we know the interest of Galatasaray, but I'm told that there is still no agreement with Galatasaray at the moment.

"They tried a few days ago to attack the situation, but some other club could enter the race, so it's not guaranteed yet [for] Galatasaray. There are also other clubs in the race. Let's see what happens with Fred.

"For Man United, it is crucial to sell him to make room for Sofyan Amrabat, [who is] waiting for an official bid, not arrived yet."

Who else at Manchester United is linked with an exit?

While the attention seems to be on van de Beek and Fred at the moment, who else could be heading for the door at Old Trafford?

The player that has undoubtedly received the most coverage regarding a potential departure this summer has been former captain Harry Maguire.

The England international has had a rather bleak couple of seasons at the Theatre of Dreams, compounded by the removal of the captaincy earlier this month, and he has since been linked to several clubs in England and abroad.

The Premier League side that have appeared the most interested thus far have been West Ham United, who, after seeing their initial £20m offer rejected by United, are now considering whether or not they will go back in, per Football Insider.

The same publication revealed earlier this month that the three-time European champions would be willing to sell the former Foxes star at a massive loss, around £35m, but that has been complicated somewhat by Maguire wanting his £10m-a-year contract paid out before he agrees to leave.

It looks like the Red Devils are going to be busy for the rest of the summer as they try their best to shift the players that Ten Hag has deemed unnecessary to his new project.

After just a solitary season in the second tier, newly-promoted Burnley are now preparing for life back in the Premier League with the new campaign looming large, with the Clarets having romped to the Championship title last term at a canter.

That glorious campaign has also set up a return to the top flight for manager, Vincent Kompany, with the 37-year-old having previously won four league titles and a host of other domestic honours during a glittering, 11-year spell at Manchester City.

That lengthy stint at the Etihad saw the towering centre-back ply his trade among a raft of high-profile names, including his compatriot, Kevin De Bruyne, with the experienced playmaker having repeatedly delivered the goods over the years from his attacking midfield berth.

Lauded as "the greatest" midfielder in Premier League history by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp, the 32-year-old has scored 96 goals and chipped in with a staggering haul of 152 assists in 356 games for his current side, having been a central figure in the success that Pep Guardiola has enjoyed of late.

With Kompany well aware of his former international colleague's stellar talents, he would no doubt love to be able to find his own De Bruyne-esque talent to slot into his side at Turf Moor, hence why snapping up Genk's Mike Trésor could prove to be an astute move.

What's the latest on Trésor to Burnley?

Recent reports in Belgian have suggested that the Lancashire side remained interested in sealing a move for the highly-rated 24-year-old, with Kompany having previously been linked with a move for his compatriot earlier in the summer.

The 5 foot 8 gem – who is valued at around £6m, according to Football Transfers – has also caught the attention of Brentford amid his fine form in recent times, ensuring Burnley could have a battle on their hands to try and get a deal over the line.

How good is Mike Trésor?

Despite that rival interest from the Bees, the Clarets would be wise to do all they can to try and get Trésor in the door as soon as possible, with the £13k-per-week sensation having dazzled in his native Belgium of late.

Much like De Bruyne – who notably began his career at Genk – the former Willem II maestro is a true master at supplying quality service to his teammates, having registered a mammoth haul of 24 assists in the Pro League last term, while also netting eight goals to boot.

A player with an "exceptional kicking technique" – according to coach Michael Ribeiro – the two-cap international was evidently the real creative hub for his side in 2022/23, having created 22 big chances and averaged 2.8 key passes per game.

That is undoubtedly a similar record to what De Bruyne achieved for City last term, with the one-time Chelsea man scoring seven goals and registering 16 assists in 32 league games, while also creating 31 big chances and averaging 3.1 key passes per game, as per Sofascore.

Equally, while Trésor has been hailed for his "wonderful vision" by manager Wouter Vrancken, De Bruyne also possesses that ability to pick out his teammates with relative ease, with Redknapp having stated:

"His football IQ, the way he sees gaps and threads through passes with such pinpoint accuracy, I haven't seen it before."

Although the younger man has typically operated from the flanks in recent times, he also mirrors his Red Devils colleague in being able to thrive in an advanced, playmaking berth, ensuring he could be an adaptable and versatile option for Kompany and co.

Of course, Trésor would have to go a long way to emulate the success of De Bruyne in English football, although the clear comparison between the pair should be reason enough for the Turf Moor hierarchy to push for a move.

The CoA felt such a blunt measure was necessary only because the three office bearers – president, secretary and treasurer – had failed to ensure the implementation of the Lodha Committee’s reforms

Nagraj Gollapudi16-Aug-2017In another damning indictment of the BCCI, the Committee of Administrators (CoA) has asked the Supreme Court to remove the three office bearers of the board with immediate effect.The CoA felt such a blunt measure was necessary only because the three office bearers – CK Khanna (acting BCCI president), Amitabh Choudhary (secretary) and Anirudh Chaudhry (treasurer) – had failed to ensure the implementation of the Lodha Committee’s recommendations despite having given a written undertaking in January.The CoA said the court had already set the precedent in January when it had removed the two senior-most BCCI office bearers – Anurag Thakur (president) and Ajay Shirke (secretary) – after the pair had failed to implement the reforms, thus violating the court’s order delivered on July 18 last year. Simultaneously, the court stated that if Khanna, Choudhary and Chaudhry wanted to continue as office bearers, they would need to make written submissions saying they would help the BCCI implement the reforms. The CoA said that it has been more than six months and the three office bearers are “not in a position to make good” on their undertakings and hence should be sacked.”The current office bearers of the BCCI have demonstrated scant regard for the directions issued by the Committee of Administrators and continue to flout the same with impunity,” the CoA noted in its fifth status report, which is likely to be heard by the Supreme Court on August 18. “There is a need to direct that the existing office bearers of the BCCI shall forthwith cease and desist from being associated with the working of BCCI.”The report also said that with fresh BCCI elections scheduled for September, the running of the board should be entrusted “exclusively” with the COA, which would work closely with the board’s professional management led by its CEO Rahul Johri. “The governance, management and administration of the BCCI may be entrusted exclusively in the hands of the Committee of Administrators along with the professional management of the BCCI headed by the CEO until elections are held in accordance with the New BCCI Constitution and a new set of office bearers take charge.”The stonewalling by the BCCI and majority of the state associations against implementing the reforms has finally started to test the patience of the CoA. Vinod Rai, the committee’s chairman, admitted in an interview last month that his “consensus-building” efforts paid no dividends. Disappointed but not disheartened, the CoA asked the court in the fourth status report to issue an order under Article 142 of the Indian Constitution that would enforce the implementation of reforms.Without mincing words, the CoA has once again said unless the court did not issue the directives as requested in last two status reports, its judgment would never see the “light of the day”. “The Judgment of this Hon’ble Court will remain a writ in sand and the implementation of reforms mandated by this Hon’ble Court will never see the light of the day.”In its latest status report, the CoA presented various examples, which exposed the “willful disobedience” and the “resistance” put forth by majority of the BCCI members, which are the state associations. The CoA was annoyed that the three office bearers had just remained ineffective, instead of imposing themselves.The latest instance, the COA said, came around the BCCI’s last special general meeting, on July 26. Two days before the SGM, the court, responding to the “urgent” intervention sought by the COA, had directed that only qualified office bearers/representatives from state associations could attend the meeting.The CoA’s fifth status report is likely to be heard by the Supreme Court on August 18•AFPIn an interim order on July 24, the court had also indicated that it was willing to reopen debate over some of the reforms. “All concerned (BCCI and state associations) shall implement the recommendations of the Justice Lodha Committee Report as far as practicable, barring the issues which have been raised pertaining to membership, number of members of the selection committee, concept of associate membership, etc.”At the SGM, the BCCI agreed unanimously to implement all but five broad reforms: membership status which includes the one-state-one-vote reform, disqualification of office bearers, ministers and government officials based on eligibility criteria such as the age cap, tenure and cooling off period, the strength of the Apex Council – which replaces the existing working committee, the division of powers between the office bearers and the professional management, and strength of the national selection committee.Barring the recommendations concerning one-state-one vote and the strength of the selection panel, the other three “identified” by the BCCI form the “fundamental core” of the reforms that were approved by the court in its original order last July. “Describing these issues as ‘impracticable’ or ‘difficult’ is nothing short of gross abuse/contempt,” the CoA said. “It is obvious that the whole idea was to stonewall the fundamental core of the reforms mandate by this Hon’ble Court and make the same a dead letter.”The CoA was disgruntled with the office bearers also because they did not send it the minutes of the July 26 SGM despite being asked to. The CoA also took strong exception to the BCCI’s decision, asking Johri and the BCCI administrative staff, including the board’s legal team, to leave the SGM, which it said was “pre-planned and orchestrated.”When the CoA checked with the office bearers as to why they did not “reprimand” the BCCI members who asked Johri to leave the SGM, their response was “ingenious”, saying he had “left of his own accord.” “The conduct of the office bearers is such as to demonstrate that they are unfit to continue and ought to removed.”

The knockout matches for the 2017-18 season, however, will continue to be played at neutral venues and the 28 teams participating in the competition be divided into four pools

Arun Venugopal01-Aug-2017The neutral-venue system in the Ranji Trophy is set to be scrapped after the BCCI’s technical committee recommended a return to the home-and-away format for the league stage in the 2017-18 season. The knockout matches, however, will continue to be played at neutral venues. This marks the end of a short-lived experiment with the neutral-venue policy that was mooted last year by the Sourav Ganguly-led committee, which was appointed to make domestic cricket more competitive. However, given the strident opposition to the system from captains and coaches alike, the committee had to revert to the old format where each team played an equal number of matches at home and away.”We have reverted to home-and-away format because of logistical reasons, [and] even the players and captains wanted this,” Ganguly told reporters. “The matches will be less now; it was becoming too long a season. [State] associations also wanted to see their teams play at the home venue. It was on a trial basis and now we wanted to go back to the original format.”The committee has also recommended that the 28 teams in the competition be divided into four pools each as opposed to three in previous years. This would mean that teams will now play only six games each in the league phase. The Duleep Trophy, however, has been left unaltered and will continue to be played with the pink ball. The new format was trialled last year. These recommendations will now have to be ratified by the board’s working committee.”There will be a change from the past as far as Ranji Trophy is concerned,” BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary said at the end of the meeting of the technical committee. “All league matches will be home and away as it was two seasons ago. The committee has also decided that for junior cricket – while the home-and-away system will continue for league matches – the knockout matches will again be at neutral venues. The Ranji Trophy as of now will start on October 6.”Chaudhary said that the inclusion of Chhattisgarh last year had necessitated the creation of four pools. “Because of the addition of Chhattisgarh last year, the total number of teams in the Ranji Trophy became 28 and, as you are aware, led to a skewed setup of Ranji Trophy with nine+nine+ten [teams in three groups respectively],” Choudhary said.It is, however, unclear how the teams will be grouped: will the weaker teams be staged across the four pools or clustered into one or two groups, or if there is going to be a relegation system. The change, as it stands, didn’t find favour with some coaches.Andhra coach Sanath Kumar felt it reduced the number of opportunities for a player in a season. “The whole idea of dividing [teams] into three groups was mainly because they wanted to give more first-class games,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “In countries like England, they play more than 15 first-class games in a season, but I don’t understand why the number has been reduced to six here.” He also reckoned a relegation system is unlikely to be constituted. “How will there be relegation when there are four groups? The whole spice of trying to go up from Plate to Elite [weaker group to stronger] is gone.”Tamil Nadu coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar said there were different thoughts on teams being split into four groups during the captains’ and coaches enclave held in May, but there was no vehement opposition. “If somebody doesn’t start the season in a good form, he hardly has any time to come back and loses the whole season if his team doesn’t qualify,” he said.Among several other issues discussed at the conclave, increasing the wages of domestic cricketers was one. While Kanitkar said the issue was raised by many captains and coaches during the meeting, there was yet to be any clarity on the BCCI’s position on the issue. “It is their livelihood,” Kanitkar said. “Right now they are stuck between finding a job and playing. If you want them to devote their time to get better and have newer players coming into the system, you need to have some financial incentive.”The other major bones of contention during the conclave were, according to Sanath, the poor standard of umpiring last year and the gap between games. “There are only three-day breaks between games at the moment,” he said. “But, with two fewer games, I think there will be more gap, so that is one good thing.”The decision to go back to the home-and-away format, though, was welcomed by many. Chhattisgarh captain Mohammad Kaif said it would offer an opportunity for the local crowd to cheer its players. “It is a big thing for us,” he said. “Last time we played Ranji for the first time and all the matches were outside. This time the local crowd can enjoy, so all the kids can come and watch us play. Being a new state, it is a great thing for local people to watch their local heroes play.”A former state association official felt the neutral-venue format had increased the travel and accommodation expenditure for the board’s member units last season. “With the state associations not receiving any money from the board – the funds won’t be released until they adopt the Lodha Committee’s recommendations – their reserves have already been exhausted. I don’t know how many of these units are going to manage the upcoming season.”

Manchester United will host Wolves on Monday 14th August as the two teams kick off their respective Premier League seasons. It's the first Monday Night Football of the season – and is a game rich with history.

This fixture should certainly be an interesting one, too. United will go into it hoping to improve on their third-placed finish last season and with an improved team. Wolves, who secured a mid-table finish, will want to make strides in their first full season under Julen Lopetegui.

So how have things gone in the past? Football FanCast takes a trip down memory lane to find everything you need to know about this fixture.

Man United vs Wolves: Who has the better head-to-head record?

These two teams first clashed in 1892, so there's a lot of history here. 111 games of it, in fact, across four different competitions. They've met at the top two tiers of the English pyramid, as well as the FA Cup and EFL Cup.

It's United who boast the best overall record, though, with 54 wins in those 11 games. Wolves aren't too far behind, having triumphed on 37 occasions. That leaves 20 times that the spoils have been split.

Man United vs Wolves: What's the top-flight record?

As we say, there's about 130 years of top-flight history here – or at least, that's when the two clubs first met. It means that of their 111 meetings, 92 of them came in England's top flight.

The respective records in this fixture are a little closer than some may have thought. Wolves, after all, have had periods where they were the outright best team in England – and that's shown here.

United still come out on top – being an elite club for 30 years will do that – winning 43 of the 92 games. Wolves sit ten behind on 33, with 16 draws.

Man United vs Wolves: What's their Premier League record?

There's a tendency these days to boil things down to just the Premier League era, such is the dramatic change in football over the last 30 years. When we look at this fixture in those terms, you see just how far things have swung in that time.

United and Wolves have met 18 times in the Premier League since the Old Gold's first appearance in 2003/04, with the former winning 11 and the latter just four. Only three of those games ended in a draw. This has been a very happy fixture for the Red Devils, then.

Man United vs Wolves: Who has the better cup record?

These two teams first met in a cup competition back in 1948, with Wolves winning an FA Cup semi-final replay against United. The Manchester side have fought back to boast the superior cup record since, however.

In total, there have been 13 meetings across the FA Cup and EFL Cup. United have won seven of those, with the majority coming away from home, interestingly enough. Wolves have won a further three, while another three went to FA Cup replays.

Man United vs Wolves: Who has the record at Old Trafford?

This upcoming fixture will be at Old Trafford, of course, so perhaps that record counts for a little more historically.

54 of the 111 games have been in Manchester, and United, as you could have guessed, dominate the results. They've won 35 of the 54, losing just ten. That leaves nine as draws, for those keeping count.

But what about just in the top flight? Well, that's seen 46 fixtures at Old Trafford and United won 29 of them – a far superior record to their away results against Wolves.

Man United vs Wolves: What team has the most goals in this fixture?

Both teams have historically scored well in this fixture. Remember, there have been 111 meetings in their histories so Wolves' tally of 151 is quite fantastic. United do have that beat, though, with 184. That also translates to the league record, unsurprisingly, as United have 154 to Wolves' 127.

As for Old Trafford, United look good there. They have 101 goals to Wolves' 52 when playing at home, which becomes 87 to 46 in the league.

What is Marcus Rashford's record against Wolves?

Who might get the goals this time around, then? Marcus Rashford seems like the most likely player, given he scored 30 in all competitions last season. United rewarded him with a five-year contract – he's their star man going forward.

And his record against Wolves is pretty decent. The forward has come up against them seven times, which is a fairly small number given only four of those meetings have been league clashes.

Indeed, Rashford has missed three Premier League fixtures with Wolves because of injuries, while he missed both encounters in the 2018/19 season.

Rashford has three goals across his seven games against Wolves, with two of them coming in the Premier League. The other was an FA Cup strike in 2019.

What is Man United's record win vs Wolves?

United's record win wasn't technically by Manchester United. It came in the very first meeting between the two teams, back in 1892.

They were Newton Heath back then, and demolished Wolves 10-1 at home (to Wolves' credit, they did manage to win the reverse fixture 2-0). This actually remains United's biggest-ever win in the league.

As for a more recent result, their record Premier League win came in 2011/12 as United won 5-0 at Wolves. The best they've ever managed at home was a 4-1 win that same season.

What is Wolves' record win vs Man United?

Wolves thrashed United 7-0 in 1932 for what remains their biggest-ever win against the Red Devils. It came with both sides competing in the second tier of English football.

In the Premier League, their record home win against United is 2-1 and their record win at Old Trafford is 1-0 – that came in early 2022. So if Wolves do manage to win this one, don't expect a thrilling scoreline.

Man United vs Wolves: What are the recent results?

United took the spoils in both games last season, winning 1-0 at Wolves before seeing them off 2-0 at Old Trafford. It was a much more stable season for the club and the scores reflect that. We can't say the same for the season prior.

Both games finished 1-0 to the away sides in 2021/22. That was Wolves' first win against United since 2019 and their first at Old Trafford since 1980. A historic win, then.

That brought to an end a period of dominance from United, who had avoided defeat to Wolves in seven attempts. They'd won both games in 2020/21, after all, with 1-0 and 2-1 results.

The 2019/20 season saw the teams face off four times, with them not only playing in the FA Cup for the second consecutive season, but the fixture also going to a replay. United did win that replay 1-0, but the other three fixtures finished in draws.

And the 2018/19 season, which saw Wolves return to the Premier League for the first time in six years, was a good one for the Midlands club. They drew their first fixture with United before beating them at home in both the league and the FA Cup.

Man United vs Wolves: Classic meetings

2nd April 2019: Wolves 2-1 Man United (Premier League) – The two clubs made something of a habit of playing against each other during this time, with the Old Gold getting the better of United just weeks prior in the FA Cup.

The Red Devils' following trip to Molineux was just as fruitless despite an absorbing tie that saw them take the lead through Scott McTominay, before a dogged Wolves comeback saw Nuno Espirito Santo's side battle back for victory.

5th February 2011: Wolves 2-1 Man United (Premier League) – Another comeback in the Black Country saw bottom-placed Wolves overcome Sir Alex Ferguson's unbeaten United side, who were top of the table heading into the clash.

And it looked as though they'd extend their lead at the top when Nani gave the visitors the lead after just three minutes, before goals from George Elokobi and Kevin Doyle turned the match – and the table – on its head as Wolves charged towards safety.

When is Man United vs Wolves?

Man United will host Wolves on Monday, August 14th at 8pm UK time. It'll be the first Monday Night Football of the Premier League season – and a big one for both sides.

United hope to build on their improvements last season and have made several important moves in the transfer market. David de Gea is out in goal, with André Onana joining from Inter. Mason Mount will feature in midfield, too, having arrived from Chelsea.

Wolves have made moves, too, but the most notable may be their outgoings. Ruben Neves, for so long the lynchpin of their midfield, has left for Saudi Arabia, while Raul Jimenez – albeit perhaps past his best – is now a Fulham player.

The main arrivals at Molineux have been loans officially turning permanent, including Boubacar Traore and Matheus Cunha – they'll hope the Brazilian can fix their goalscoring issues after really struggling last time out.

Both teams are looking forward, then – especially with this being Wolves' first full season under Lopetegui. A win could generate serious early momentum for either side in what's sure to be an exciting Premier League season.

The ECB has shelved plans for a women’s domestic 50-over competition to mirror the T20 Kia Super League

Melinda Farrell27-Jul-2017The ECB has shelved plans for a women’s domestic 50-over competition to mirror the T20 Kia Super League.The second edition of the KSL, which commences in August, was originally supposed to pave the way for an additional 50-over version involving the same teams, starting this summer. But the ECB will instead expand the KSL next year, doubling the group games for each of the six teams from five to ten, and consider other ways to improve the domestic structure of 50-over cricket.A major reason for the decision not to create a new competition is the perceived lack of a sufficient window in which to run anther domestic tournament alongside the expanded KSL.Despite England’s success in the recent Women’s World Cup, there has long been concern at the lack of a strong pyramid structure in the women’s domestic game. The unwieldy county set up has led to a dilution of talent in comparison to Australia, where the 50-over domestic WNCL, made up of seven state and territory teams, has been running successfully for more than 20 years. Instead, England have developed most of their players through the high performance academy at Loughborough.Players who are contracted to WNCL teams are paid on at least a semi-professional basis and the New South Wales Breakers became the first fully professional domestic women’s team last year when sponsor Lend Lease guaranteed them a minimum wage of $35,000.Such a scenario is unworkable in the current women’s 50-over county structure in England, which consists of 36 teams spread over three divisions.While the ECB recognises it must find ways to strengthen the talent pathway through counties and regions, no changes will be made to the 50-over competition until 2019 at the earliest.The next World Cup will be held in New Zealand in 2021.

Pre-season friendlies are always an enjoyable watch as we get familiar faces up against each other, and new players coming through the ranks to impress out of nowhere.

It’s not a time when results should play too much of a part in future predictions, however, with teams simply getting up to speed before doing their best work when it really matters.

That’s not to say that certain players don’t have the chance to embarrass opponents, of course. And that’s exactly what happened to Cristiano Ronaldo up against former Real Madrid teammate Angel Di Maria, as Al-Nassr took on Benfica this week.

Angel Di Maria’s skill leaves Cristiano Ronaldo Bemused

Di Maria is one of the most elegant players of his generation, with the ability to pluck the ball from impossible angles, controlling it expertly. Even at 35, the Argentine winger has still got plenty to offer, too, as he looks to star once more after swapping Paris Saint-Germain for Benfica this summer.

The World Cup winner wasted no time in showing off that elegance against Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr side, either, with his former teammate left bewildered by his clever flick.

As you can see in the footage above, with two quick movements, Di Maria expertly controls the ball, before flicking it over the head of the incoming Ronaldo to remind us all why the Al-Nassr man was never a defender, before CR7 then hauled his former teammate to the ground in a flash of frustration.

The moment summed up a day to forget for Ronaldo, who could do nothing as his side were defeated 4-1 by Benfica, with Di Maria even scoring on his debut for the club.

So far, it’s been a pre-season to forget as a whole for Ronaldo’s side, who were also defeated by Celta Vigo 5-0, to make an aggregate score of 9-1 up against European sides.

It is perhaps ironic that Al Nassr have been smashed by two European sides after Ronaldo recently said: “I won’t return to European football, the door is completely closed.

“I’m 38 years old, also European football has lost lot of quality… only valid one is Premier League, they’re way ahead of all the other leagues.”

How much is Cristiano Ronaldo paid per week?

Setting the trend of making the move to Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo earns a reported £3.6m per week at Al-Nassr, in what is an eye-watering amount.

If the wage was to be calculated per minute, then the star forward earns £357 every 60 seconds, meaning that by the time his side have had the chance to ship five goals against a mid-table La Liga side, Ronaldo would have earned a whopping £32,130.

It remains to be seen whether or not Al-Nassr will be among those competing for the title in the Saudi Pro League. After all, others around them have strengthened a significant amount, particularly current champions Al-Ittihad.

Indeed, last season’s title winners have so far welcomed N’Golo Kante, Karim Benzema, and Jota, as they look to defend their crown.

Fans have been quick to react to Al-Nassr’s pre-season, and particularly Di Maria’s fantastic piece of skill that left Ronaldo frustrated and bewildered up against Benfica.

You can see some of the reactions below: