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Myles Lewis-Skelly has revealed he thought he had received a call from England boss Thomas Tuchel, only to end up speaking to an Uber Eats driver.

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Lewis-Skelly awaited first England call upMistook Uber Eats driver for TuchelCould make debut in qualifier against AlbaniaFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Arsenal defender was nervously waiting for for Tuchel's call to confirm his place in the England manager's first squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia. But when he answered his phone and expected to hear the German's voice, the 18-year-old got a hilarious surprise.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT LEWIS-SKELLY SAID

Lewis-Skelly told England team-mates Declan Rice and Dan Burn: "I was on the phone with my friend the day before the big announcement. Then I got a call from a number so I was like: ‘Oh bro, I've got to call you back, let me take this call’. So I hung up with my friend and put on my good voice. I was getting ready and then the person that speaks is: ‘We’ve got your food, it’s outside’. It’s Uber Eats for my mum."

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The left-back has been called up to the England squad for the first time following his impressive performances for Arsenal. Since December, he has become a regular for coach Mikel Arteta, making 14 Premier League appearances and six in the Champions League.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR LEWIS-SKELLY?

The Gunners academy graduate could make his national team debut in the Three Lions' opening World Cup qualifying game against Albania on Friday.

Litton Das will be Shakib’s deputy as the allrounder takes over from Mominul Haque

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jun-2022Shakib Al Hasan will take the reins for Bangladesh in Test cricket once again, being confirmed as captain on Thursday. He takes over from Mominul Haque, who had resigned as captain on May 31 after leading the side since October 2019. Litton Das has been named Shakib’s deputy.”What I have discussed – or, what we have discussed – and learnt is that he [Shakib] is available to play,” BCB president Nazmul Hassan said on Thursday. “After the series against West Indies, we have a series against Zimbabwe. Shakib is uncertain for that series, and it’s unclear how long Shakib will remain the captain for.”I had three names. The people responsible for [selecting the captain] had their discussions and gave me three names – one of them would be the captain and one of the others would be the vice-captain. If Shakib had refused the captaincy, we would have turned to the other two.Related

Back injury sidelines Yasir Ali from West Indies Tests

Mominul Haque steps down as Bangladesh Test captain

Shakib: 'We are physically fit, but mentally behind'

Ban vs SL: Crafty Shakib Al Hasan conjures a bit of old magic

The Shakib saga: All you wanted to know (or didn't)

“We wanted to appoint both the new captain and the vice-captain. And after the preliminary discussions, we decided to have Shakib Al Hasan as the captain and Litton Das as the vice-captain.”Results did not go Bangladesh’s way a lot during Mominul’s tenure: in all Bangladesh won just three Tests under him, losing 12 and drawing two. Also, Mominul’s own batting form fell away – he has 162 runs in six Tests so far in 2022, averaging 16.20 – as a result of the pressures of captaincy, and that was one of the primary reasons for him giving up the job. “When you play well, even if the team doesn’t win, you are still in a position to motivate them. I felt that captaining a side is tough when I am not scoring and team is not winning,” he said at the time of announcing his resignation.Shakib, 35, has had numerous stints as Bangladesh’s Test captain, first leading the side in a game against West Indies in 2009. He captained for six more matches in the first half of 2010, and again in August 2011 against Zimbabwe, before falling out of favour with the then BCB chief Mustafa Kamal. He took over the Test captaincy once again in December 2017, replacing Mushfiqur Rahim. He held the role for nearly two years, till he was handed a one-year ban from all cricket in 2019 for failing to report a bookie’s approach.Incidentally, Shakib’s future in Test cricket has been a topic of discussion in recent months, with the allrounder going back and forth on his commitment to red-ball cricket. In February, Shakib had reportedly asked the BCB for some time off from Test cricket, but was nonetheless selected in the squad for the tour of South Africa.Shakib, though, suggested that he was “jaded”, and requested a break from international cricket, which the BCB eventually granted him. But then board president Nazmul Hassan publicly questioned Shakib’s commitment to his country and, following another round of meetings between the allrounder and the BCB boss, Shakib was included in the squad for South Africa. In the end, though, he did miss the Tests due to illness in his family.In the Test series assignment that followed, at home against Sri Lanka, Shakib finished as the highest wicket-taker for the hosts. The visitors, though, won the series 1-0.Hassan further confirmed that former Indian batter Wasim Jaffer and former Australia batter Stuart Law will join the Under-19 coaching team.”Our Under-19 [men’s] coaching staff will have Stuart Law and Wasim Jaffer,” Hassan said. “Stuart Law will be the head coach and Wasim Jaffer will be BCB’s batting consultant. We can use them in various capacities.”

Sunday was an absolutely sickening afternoon for all of a Rangers persuasion, with the Ibrox side defeated by fierce rivals Celtic in the League Cup Final in the most heartbreaking fashion imaginable.

Fair to say Glasgow’s big two served up a thriller.

Nedim Bajrami fired the Light Blues in front on the cusp of half-time at Hampden, only for Celtic to lead 2-1 and then 3-2 in the second half, but Mohamed Diomande and then Danilo hit back, the latter with a towering header mere moments after his team had fallen behind.

This forced extra time and, ultimately, a penalty shootout; just the second shootout in Glasgow derby history.

Nine of the ten spot-kicks were scored, but somebody had to miss and that someone turned out to be Ridvan Yilmaz, his tame attempt saved by Kasper Schmeichel, meaning it was Celtic who once again hoisted aloft the trophy.

From Philippe Clement’s point-of-view, he is still yet to beat Celtic in six attempts, but there are certainly signs his team are moving in the right direction, making the next Premiership Old Firm fixture at Ibrox as soon as 2 January so crucial.

Rangers players starting to show their best

Of course, Sunday’s shootout defeat was devastating, but it was another sign of progress from Rangers.

Three days earlier, they’d held Tottenham Hotspur to a 1-1 draw in the Europa League, unfortunate not to win that one, having scored nine goals across back-to-back Premiership victories against Kilmarnock and Ross County beforehand.

A key factor behind the Gers’ recent resurgence has been the emergence of Hamza Igamane.

The striker arrived from AS FAR in his native Morocco for £2.5m last summer, having minimal impact before opening his account against FCSB in late October, before scoring five in five between 28 November and 12 December, bagging a brace against Nice, before breaking the deadlock when Spurs visited Govan last Thursday.

Ianis Hagi’s return has also attracted a lot of attention, starting each of the last four domestic fixtures, registering a pair of assists during the demolition of Killie earlier this month.

This season’s top-scorer Vaclav Cerny, who has nine goals to his name, has also earned wide-spread praise, but there’s another Rangers player, who’s perhaps going under the radar, that could prove to be the squad’s most valuable asset.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Rangers next big sale could be inbound

Nicolas Raskin arrived at Rangers from Standard Liège for £1.75m back in January 2023, making 67 appearances in Light Blue to date, his only goal for the club, so far, came during a 4-0 demolition of Hibs in October last year.

According to Sofascore, the Belgian is only Rangers’ joint-seventh highest-rated player this season, albeit he’s been rated 7 or higher in three of his last four Europa League appearances, as well as for each of his last seven Premiership outings.

Raskin is clearly a man in form, so could he command a massive fee, should he depart Glasgow in 2025?

Calvin Bassey

£22.7m

£230,000

Nathan Patterson

£16m

£0 (academy)

Joe Aribo

£10m

£300,000

Glen Kamara

£5m

£50,000

Fashion Sakala

£4m

Free

Antonio Čolak

£2.5m

£1.8m

As you can see, since Rangers returned to the Scottish Premiership in 2016, they have sold just six players for £2.5m or more, with Calvin Bassey, Nathan Patterson and Joe Arbo the only men departing for at least £10m.

During the same period, for context, Celtic have sold seven players for £10m+: Matt O’Riley, Jota, Kieran Tierney, Moussa Dembélé, Odsonne Édouard, Kristoffer Ajer and Jeremie Frimpong departing for a combined £138.5m.

If Rangers want to compete with their cross-city rivals, something Clement says they currently are unable to do financially, they need to start selling players for huge profits.

Key players from the Steven Gerrard title-winning campaign such as Borna Barišić, Connor Goldson, Ryan Kent, and Alfredo Morelos have all been allowed to depart for free, or for minimal fees, which simply isn’t allowing the Gers to reinvest.

So, they need to find those players and perhaps Raskin could be the man for the job. Rangers legend Kris Boyd labelled Raskin as “unbelievable” against Tottenham last week, adding that “it was his best performance for Rangers”.

The stats certainly told a pleasant story. Against elite midfielders such as James Maddison and Rodrigo Bentancur, the 23-year-old registered the most touches (76) and the most passes (49) of any Gers player, showcasing what a talent he is. As Glasgow World reporter Lewis Anderson stated, he was the ‘best player on the park against Tottenham’.

His stock continues to rise, so could he depart for a gigantic profit?

As well as Dessers: Clement must finally cash in on 1/10 Rangers flop

The Glasgow Rangers midfielder and forward should both be sold in the January transfer window.

ByDan Emery Dec 16, 2024

Newcastle United are now keen on signing a “special” Premier League forward with 10 goals to his name this season, according to a report.

Newcastle on the rise

After enduring an inconsistent start to the season, Newcastle finally look like they could be putting a run together, winning their last four matches in all competitions, culminating in a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Aston Villa.

The Magpies are now pushing for a top-four spot, and with the January transfer window just around the corner, it could be the perfect opportunity to strengthen their ambitions of reaching the Champions League for the second time under Eddie Howe.

Having missed out on Marc Guehi in the summer, one of Howe’s priorities this winter appears to be signing a new centre-back, and Lens’ Abdukodir Khusanov is thought to be the number-one target.

A proposal has been sent to Barcelona regarding Eric Garcia, while Newcastle are also leading the race for Milan’s Fikayo Tomori, highlighting the strong desire to strengthen the defence in the January transfer window.

Fixture

Date

Manchester United (a)

December 30th

Tottenham Hotspur (a)

January 4th

Wolverhampton Wanderers (h)

January 15th

AFC Bournemouth (h)

January 18th

Southampton (a)

January 25th

Although the defence is a priority, a new report has now revealed that Howe also has his eye on a forward, with The Boot Room detailing that Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha is now a target.

However, there may be stiff competition for Cunha’s signature, amid interest from a number of other big Premier League clubs, namely Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United.

Clubs from the Saudi Pro League are also keen, with the player’s camp very much aware of the widespread interest.

Although Wolves have struggled for much of the current season, the 25-year-old is not expected to push for a move this winter, with the Old Gold hoping to tie him down to a new contract.

Newcastle and PIF could now sell £120k-a-week star in shock 2025 decision

It’s a shock decision at St James’ Park.

ByHenry Jackson Dec 24, 2024 Cunha impressing for Wolves

Although it appears unlikely the Brazilian will be on the move in January, he could be a fantastic signing in the summer given how impressive he has been in the Premier League so far this season.

The £60k-p/w Wolves star has 10 goals to his name already this term, most recently getting on the scoresheet and bagging an assist in the Boxing Day 2-0 victory against Man United.

New manager Vitor Pereira praised the forward in the wake of his performance, saying: “He is a special player. He can do things that can make the difference in small details.

“Matheus Cunha is a player, in my opinion, who can reach high standards in this league. I hope not [elsewhere] because we need him.”

With doubts over Alexander Isak’s future amid interest from Paris Saint-Germain, Newcastle may be forced to strengthen their attacking options this summer, and Cunha has proven he could be up to the task.

Ruben Amorim revealed why Chido Obi-Martin will not feature in Manchester United's matchday squad against Nottingham Forest.

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Obi-Martin won't play against ForestAmorim explained reason for youngster's absenceMan Utd take on Nottingham Forest on TuesdayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

After the international break, United are all set to return to action in the Premier League on Tuesday as they take on Nottingham Forest away from home. Teenager Obi-Martin, however, will not feature in the difficult fixture, as he has been included in the club's U-18 team, who are scheduled to face Aston Villa in the semi-final of FA Youth Cup on Monday.

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Since moving from Arsenal last year, the striker has been instrumental for the Red Devils U-18 side as he has scored seven goals in three appearances in the youth tournament, including a hat-trick against Chelsea in the fifth round.

WHAT RUBEN AMORIM SAID

Speaking to reporters, manager Amorim said: "He is going to play today because we try to imagine the next game and if you look before he was on the bench and just played against Fulham, but just 10 minutes at the end of the game, and we have to manage the minutes, we have to give the minute stop the kid.

"So tomorrow I try to imagine the game, I imagine also it is really important for our young kids to feel the energy also of the game. It is really important for us, we are trying to win that competition, trying to build something with the youth, and the good thing with the academy players is they have that feeling of winning. So we are trying to to manage everything and Chido needs to play also, so we are helping the team and the player."

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

After facing Forest in midweek, Amorim's side will next take on rivals Manchester City in a derby clash in the Premier League on April 6.

Hope’s century gave West Indies 305 to defend, and with their death bowling, they nearly pulled it off

Danyal Rasool08-Jun-2022Pakistan 306 for 5 (Babar 103, Imam 65, Joseph 2-55) beat West Indies 305 for 8 (Hope 127, Brooks 70, Rauf 4-77) by five wicketsIt was all going to plan, until it suddenly wasn’t. The usual hundred from Babar Azam – his fourth in five innings – set Pakistan up for what looked like a fairly straightforward chase of 306, before a middle-order stutter let West Indies back in. In the end, it was left to a gem of a cameo from Khushdil Shah, who smashed four sixes en route an unbeaten 23-ball 41, to see Pakistan home by five wickets and four balls to spare. It meant Shai Hope, whose 12th ODI hundred was classy enough to merit winning the game in its own right, ended up in vain, as the visitors fell just short in an attritional ODI.The target didn’t hold much fear for Pakistan, at least while some combination of the ever-reliable top three were still out in the middle. When Jayden Seales forced Fakhar Zaman to flat-bat one to short point, it brought Imam and Babar together – two men who combined famously to chase down 349 against Australia. The West Indies fast bowlers, though, kept things tight on a Multan surface that looked like it wasn’t allowing the ball to come on so easily in the evening, and for a while, it was all Pakistan could do to ensure they didn’t lose a cluster of wickets while waiting for batting to get easier.While Babar took his time en route his first 50 runs, Imam was brisker. After fortuitously surviving a marginal lbw call early on, he took on charge of keeping the asking rate in check, finding regular boundaries and routinely turning the strike over. It took 56 balls for him to get to his half-century, by which time the asking rate was creeping to seven.Eventually though, the wicket-taking threat that West Indies posed began to fade, and right on cue, Babar whirred into action. By the time Akeal Hosein struck to remove Imam, he was in full flow, inexorably motoring along to his 17th ODI hundred. Mohammad Rizwan, whose lack of form in this format has come under scrutiny – if only for the sharp contrast it presents compared to his T20 record – kept him company. Pakistan were building towards something of a cruise of a finish, with 72 required in nine overs with eight wickets still in hand.But Alzarri Joseph, perhaps the pick of the West Indies bowlers, drew Babar into mistiming a bouncer, and with 69 to win and a fragile middle order to come, West Indies sniffed an opportunity. The runs dried up and Romario Shepherd got rid of Rizwan soon after, and suddenly an asking rate that looked comfortable was pushing 12 in the final four overs.It was time for the Khushdil show. Shepherd was put away for three successive sixes – the bottom hand power in each of them particularly impressive – as Pakistan inched closer once more. West Indies struck with the wicket of Shadab Khan and took it to the final over, but by then, the damage Khushdil had inflicted was too much to recover from. Mohammad Nawaz sealed the win with a six over long-on, and Pakistan had survived a scare.Khushdil Shah (left) played a big part in setting up a last-over win for Pakistan•AFP/Getty ImagesA classy 127 from Hope, which took him past 4,000 runs in ODIs, had powered West Indies to 305. The backbone of the innings was a 154-run partnership between Hope and Shamarh Brooks, two men who effortlessly made the transition from cool Amstelveen to sizzling Multan. It set for the visitors a glorious platform, but Pakistan struck back after Brooks fell for 70 in the 31st over thanks to a superb diving catch from Shadab. Pakistan secured regular wickets from thereon, while also keeping the run-rate in check, but a strong finish from Rovman Powell and Shepherd catapulted West Indies past 300.Winning the toss, Nicholas Pooran opted to put runs on the board on a surface that appeared conducive to batting. Despite a stuttering start that saw them lose Kyle Mayers early – Shaheen Afridi invariably striking in his first spell – Hope and Brooks grew increasingly comfortable out in the middle after the Powerplay. Once the field spread out, the dot balls – of which there were 40 of in the first 10 overs – vanished.The Hope-Brooks partnership was as artistic as it was effective. There was some sumptuous strokeplay against both spin and pace bowling, Brooks regularly presenting the full face of the blade in the process of caressing some lovely straight drives, while Hope’s dismantling of Hasan Ali and Nawaz meant regular runs were an ever-present feature of the middle overs.But when, once too often, Brooks looked to power Nawaz against the turn through midwicket, his fortune ran out. A top edge flew up in the general vicinity of short third man, and if the man in question hadn’t been Shadab, the stand might have continued on its jolly way. As it was the allrounder put in a dive, left arm outstretched, plucking the ball out of the air and breathing new life into a bowling effort that was beginning to wilt.Pooran could offer little more than a cameo – though consecutive cow corner sixes off Nawaz did keep the runs ticking over. Brandon King’s struggles to get going perhaps recalibrated West Indies expectations of a truly huge score, though by now, Hope had got his hundred with a crunching cover drive and appeared to be truly cutting loose.But once he fell in the 44th over, Pakistan’s death bowlers struck back. Sure, there were a few fours and sixes sprinkled in, but too often for the visitors’ liking, Pakistan managed to sneak in tight overs, undoing some of the damage those boundaries inflicted. Even Hasan Ali, who endured another rough day, pulled things back with a brilliant final over. Even so, at the very end, a couple of sixes from Shepherd and Hosein guaranteed the visitors a score in excess of a run-a-ball.It’s a chase that, of late, Pakistan have found particularly comfortable to deal with at home. But for Khushdil, this one might not have been. It was perhaps fitting, then, that at the post-match presentations, Babar refused the Player-of-the-Match award, handing it instead to the man who had ensured his 17th ODI hundred would come in a match-winning cause.