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The two quicks are wired differently but can be equally lethal and, alongside Rashid Khan, give Gujarat Titans the cushion of an all-weather attack

Shashank Kishore05-Apr-20232:29

Moody: Alzarri Joseph varies pace like Andy Roberts

Three weeks ago, Mohammed Shami saw deliveries repeatedly scoot low to the wicketkeeper from the good-length areas that he hit consistently at Feroz Shah Kotla. Such a prospect in the very first over of a Test can be deflating. But Shami still bounded in to pick up four wickets to skittle Australia in the first innings.Last night, Shami was in for a surprise upon his return to Delhi. The ball was zipping around, there was lateral movement, and the carry was largely consistent. All he needed to do was to land it on good length like he does, with a bolt upright seam, and let nature take its course. After all, it’s a method that’s brought him rich rewards in the powerplay since last year.In Ahmedabad, at the IPL’s opening game, he picked up the season’s first wicket with a Test-match dismissal of Devon Conway, bowling him through the gate with a sharp in-ducker. And the early evidence in Delhi seemed to suggest he wanted to have fun, even if it meant conceding a few extra runs in search of that perfect delivery.Related

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Especially after seeing how the ball behaved after a pearler of a first delivery to David Warner, the ball leaving him late to kiss the stumps only for the bails to remain intact. Shami just wanted to let it rip. And the short square boundaries weren’t going to dissuade him.Prithvi Shaw was in the firing line and was roughed up by a short delivery as he spooned a catch to mid-on. Shami, the joint-highest powerplay wicket-taker for the Titans during their march to the title last year, had struck again.This Test-match length would have its second victim in Mitch Marsh in his next over when Shami had him play on. The opening spell was a spectacle, even if it wasn’t quite as thrilling as Shami flattening the stumps, like he did to Conway. But it set the tone for the Titans.It gave their attack markers on a surface where captains can often opt for the insurance of a score to defend. Hardik Pandya, though, was having none of it. Titans have been chasing well, and this surface was right up their ally. It took all of two overs for Shami to justify his decision to bowl.If Shami set the scene, Alzarri Joseph truly owned it. Five nights ago, he was in Jo’burg, delivering a telling T20I spell for West Indies on surfaces where 435 runs were smashed for fun. And he’s carried on doing the same at the IPL, where he’s got some unfinished business.Alzarri Joseph struck twice in two balls•BCCIIn 2019, he arrived as a replacement and ended up with the tournament’s best bowling figures with his 6 for 12 for Mumbai Indians against Sunrisers Hyderabad. He had made 136 seem 180 and beyond that night. But an injury soon had him missing the remainder of the season. It wasn’t until he was signed by Titans last year that he started getting games regularly.There’s some fire in his bowling that can be deceptive, because he doesn’t make an outward effort to bowl fast. His bowling is just so naturally wired and in sync that he can let them rip without seemingly meaning to. In the first game, he was largely responsible for Super Kings’ slowdown after they threatened to make 220 at one stage. Here, again, he went short of a length on a deck that offered to be his ally. And he found success.When Titans assembled a squad that was ridiculed by some last year, they did so knowing they weren’t going to play at home immediately. On red-soil decks with decent bounce and carry, they knew they needed fast bowlers. It perhaps explains why they got Shami and Joseph, among others.Here, Joseph had a batter of Warner’s calibre hanging back more often than not. Warner is as much of a white-ball destroyer as anyone can be but brought with him the inherent risk of playing back to a full ball, and was snuffed out after being late on the shot to a ball angling away.Joseph then went on a sustained short-ball barrage that had Sarfaraz Khan ducking and weaving under them uncomfortably until one pinged him on the helmet. Debutant Abishek Porel also copped one on the helmet in trying to pull. But the ball he bowled to Rilee Rossouw summed up his spell. It reared up from short of a length and ballooned off the shoulder of the bat to point.Joseph had combined seam movement, up-and-down bounce and “inconsistent pace” to have the night of his life. Two for 29 to boot, alongside Shami’s top spell that felled Shaw and Marsh, gave Titans the advantage.

“This is a name that is well back in the archives, but the great West Indian fast bowler Andy Roberts was like that. Different in stature to Alzarri Joseph but … he’s got that great change of pace, and has now got control of his line. He’s a weapon.”Tom Moody on ESPNcricinfo’s T20 Time:Out

“He’s a gun,” former Australia allrounder Tom Moody gushed of Joseph on ESPNcricinfo’s T20 Time:Out. “He bowls genuinely quick, and what I like about him is he’s unpredictable with his pace. And that’s intentional. So he’s either bowling one in the high 140s or he’s bowling in high 130s. And that’s why he’s hitting people in the head, because of that inconsistency.”This is a name that is well back in the archives, but the great West Indian fast bowler Andy Roberts was like that. Different in stature to Alzarri Joseph but you talk to some of the greats like Ian Chappell, who have played a lot against Roberts, and they will say you put the pull shot or hook shot away because he’s got two bouncers and you never know which one it is. So, he’s got that great change of pace, and has now got control of his line. He’s a weapon.”This variety that Shami and Joseph bring, along with Josh Little’s left-arm angle and Hardik Pandya’s seam-ups give them the luxury of using Rashid Khan in the second half, when teams don’t have the option of playing him out. Rashid had never been introduced as late as he was here – in the 13th over – in the IPL, and it needed all of two balls for him to strike.That nipped in the bud a flourishing stand between Sarfaraz and Porel that could’ve yet given Capitals 180. Rashid would walk away with three wickets in the end, benefiting from the work done by the fast bowlers on a surface that was as fast-bowler friendly as Kotla could get.The treat of two fast bowlers, wired differently but operating on a same wavelength, and a gun legspinner bamboozling batters with a modus operandi that can’t be novelty anymore brought thrills. And it gives Titans more than just an edge. It gives them the comfort of being an all-weather IPL attack.

The best advertisement for the IPL came in the very first game

Matt Roller19-Apr-20214:20

Ajit Agarkar, David Hussey and Dale Steyn on McCullum’s innings

We polled our staff for their picks of the top ten best batting, bowling and all-round performances in the IPL through its history. Here’s No. 6 Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders, 2008It was the innings that changed cricket forever. On the competition’s opening night, Brendon McCullum’s breathtaking 158 not out confirmed that the IPL was not merely a showbiz concept but the future of the sport: futuristic gold helmets and cheerleaders brought the glitz, but the league could not flourish without a world-class on-field spectacle.There is an irony, therefore, in the fact that the abstract image of McCullum’s innings has been discussed so much more than the innings itself in the years that have followed. Its significance and its wider meaning for the IPL was transformative, but it also served as a handbook for a generation of T20 batters.McCullum went into the season under pressure. While he was an established international batter, his US$700,000 (Rs 2.8 crore approximately) price tag in the auction raised traditionalists’ eyebrows: was he really more valuable than his Kolkata Knight Riders team-mate Ricky Ponting, or Test greats like Shaun Pollock and Glenn McGrath? Certainly, there were no signs of that in the first over of the game, with Praveen Kumar extracting enough from the conditions to induce two false shots and even a leave.By the time Zaheer Khan was standing at the top of his mark to bowl the second over, McCullum had 0 off five balls. He could have been selfish, opting to see off the new ball and take the innings deep, but that is not the McCullum way.The gold standard: McCullum’s innings set the bar for the IPL in its first-ever game•Getty ImagesHe attacked. After failing to connect with a cut, he finally got off the mark with a pair of boundaries over midwicket – a sweetly timed pick-up, and a full-blooded pull. Shimmying down to Khan’s fourth ball, he was beaten for pace looking to swing to leg, but the power in his shot meant it hardly mattered: his thick edge flew away over third man’s head for six.Another four through the leg side followed the ball later, and McCullum was in his groove, making a mockery of the short Chinnaswamy boundaries. A powerful thrash through midwicket off Kumar flew away for four, before a vicious pull and a towering straight drive in Ashley Noffke’s first over, both going for six, took KKR to 50 within the first four overs.The numbers

114 Runs McCullum hit on the leg side, 68 of them coming between square leg and straight midwicket alone

19 Balls McCullum faced in the rest of the 2008 IPL season. He flew to England after four games, hitting 97 off 97 balls in the first Test at Lord’s.

2 Number of innings of exactly 158 not out in T20 history. Both of them were by McCullum – the other for Birmingham Bears against Derbyshire in 2015.

The wicket of Sourav Ganguly at the other end prompted a brief slowdown, but McCullum was soon back up and running, with sixes in consecutive overs by Sunil Joshi. Cameron White came on in the 15th over hoping to stem the tide but disappeared for two enormous sixes over midwicket and a four, taking McCullum to 99. A cover drive for two brought him to three figures – prompting unbridled joy from Shah Rukh Khan, KKR’s owner, in the stands.Perhaps the shot of the night was a deft paddle sweep for six off Zaheer in the 17th over. McCullum was particularly punishing at the death. As Kumar and Jacques Kallis missed their lengths, he hit 39 off his last 11 balls, including five sixes, pounding the leg-side boundary time and again. Anything back of a length was pulled; anything full was bludgeoned down the ground. The method was simple but the result was extraordinary.Innings of 158 do not come around often in T20 cricket. In the 816 IPL matches since that night in Bengaluru, only one has featured a higher individual score – Chris Gayle’s 175 not out for RCB in 2013. Even now, Gayle’s is one of only five bigger innings in the history of the format.The Greatest IPL performances 2008-2020

The Phillies saw their 2025 season come to a dramatic end in Thursday night's Game 4 loss to the Dodgers, a bitter defeat that arguably stings that much more due to how the game ended.

With bases loaded and two outs, Phillies reliever Orion Kerkering had the chance to end the 11th inning after Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages hit a weak ground ball right to him. Kerkering had an easy toss to first base to get the third out, but he instead chucked it to home plate way above catcher J.T. Realmuto's head. That wild throw drove in Dodgers pinch-runner Hyeseong Kim for the winning run, allowing L.A. to clinch the 2-1 win and punch its ticket to the NLCS.

Kerkering bafflingly threw to home despite Realmuto very clearly pointing to first base right after Pages's grounder. Maybe the Phillies catcher could have given him a more audible heads-up instead of physically gesturing, but the error ultimately fell on Kerkering for automatically throwing it to Realmuto for some bizarre reason.

A photo of Realmuto pointing to first just before Kerkering makes his unfortunate error is going viral on social media, and it's a pretty sad one:

Better luck next time for the Phillies.

Would it be hyperbole to suggest that Kobbie Mainoo provided the best, or most significant, moment at Manchester United in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era?

Faced with an imperious Manchester City side in the 2024 FA Cup final, Erik ten Hag’s men defied the odds to claim a richly deserved 2-1 win, a year on from having tamely been defeated by their neighbours en route to treble glory.

Alejandro Garnacho had pounced early on to open the scoring, before fellow academy graduate Mainoo popped up at the backpost to add a second, slotting home perfectly following Bruno Fernandes’ ingenious reverse pass.

The then-teenager, like the thousands decked out in red at Wembley, roared in celebration, revelling in the crowing moment of a stunning, six-month rise from relative obscurity.

The Old Trafford faithful have been wedded to United’s golden boy since then, although there has been no such warmth from new boss Ruben Amorim.

What Amorim said about Mainoo after West Ham

From the highs of that Wembley showpiece, and his subsequent role in England’s run to the final at Euro 2024, Mainoo’s impact has plummeted since then, having hardly had a look-in following an injury-hit start to 2024/25.

Seemingly fighting a losing battle from the off following Amorim’s arrival in November 2024 – having failed to start the Portuguese’s first game in charge against Ipswich Town – the Stockport native has drifted onto the periphery, with 2025/26 proving particularly frustrating thus far.

The forgotten man, Mainoo is yet to start a single Premier League game this season, playing just 171 minutes in all, having been an unused substitute for the fourth time against West Ham United in midweek.

Speaking after that dismal 1-1 draw, Amorim went on the defensive regarding his treatment of the youngster, while laughing off suggestions that the midfielder could have been an “offensive” alteration.

Asked if he understood why Mainoo’s status as a homegrown talent made him such a talking point for fans and pundits alike, the 40-year-old replied:

Mainoo, unsurprisingly, is seeking a January exit amid his bizarre fall from grace, although he surely isn’t the midfielder INEOS should be looking to move on.

Man Utd must sell flop who's getting the Mainoo treatement

Perhaps the biggest source of frustration regarding Mainoo’s situation is that Amorim isn’t exactly blessed with regard to midfield depth, with his current squad boasting just four recognised, senior midfielders to choose from.

For much of 2025/26, the ex-Sporting CP boss has selected ever-present skipper, Fernandes, alongside the ageing Casemiro, with both Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte limited to mere late cameos off the bench.

Like the FA Cup final hero, Ugarte has also become a notable talking point amid his limited role under Amorim, despite having previously worked with the 3-4-2-1 boss in Lisbon.

Indeed, it was reported last month that the ex-Paris Saint-Germain man had been criticised by his manager in front of teammates at Carrington, following the Europa League final defeat.

Like Mainoo, who enjoyed just a mere last-gasp cameo in Bilbao, Ugarte was also something of an afterthought even as United toiled, having failed to even make it off the bench on the night.

Games

9

10

Starts

0

2

Goals

0

0

Assists

0

0

Big chances created

0

0

Key passes*

0.6

0.1

Pass accuracy*

87%

86%

Total duels won*

36%

60%

Balls recovered*

1.1

2.0

Dribbled past*

0.1

0.4

Much like Mainoo too, the Uruguayan has been forced to settle for a watching brief for much of this season, starting just twice in the top-flight, while notably being hooked at the break following an “embarrassing” display against Grimsby Town, in the view of writer Alex Turk.

Of course, there isn’t the groundswell of support for Ugarte like there is for his midfield colleague, with the decision to fork out almost £50m on the 24-year-old standing out as one of the worst decisions of recent years at Old Trafford.

Whether the £120k-per-week talent, again like Mainoo, is being helped by his manager is another matter, however, with Amorim hardly backing his man after revealing that Ugarte is “struggling” to adjust to life in the Premier League.

Either way, if it comes down to choosing between which peripheral midfielder needs to be shown the door, it should surely be Ugarte whom INEOS cash in on, with the safe and steady asset doing little to warrant a third-season stay in Manchester.

Cunha 2.0: INEOS to fast-track Man Utd bid for 'best winger in England'

Manchester United look set to make a huge move for one player in the upcoming January window.

ByEthan Lamb Dec 5, 2025

Micah Richards was left blown away by the performance of one Sunderland star in the Tyne-Wear derby victory against Newcastle United this afternoon.

Sunderland win first Premier League game vs Newcastle since 2016

The Black Cats managed to get one over on their biggest rivals in the first Premier League meeting with Newcastle since 2016, courtesy of a bizarre own goal from Nick Woltemade in the second half.

Regis Le Bris’ side have made a dream start to life back in the top flight, but today’s victory is undoubtedly the sweetest yet, moving four points clear of the Magpies after managing to hold out for a well-earned 1-0 win.

A lot of credit has to go to the defence, with the visitors being limited to an xG of just 0.26, never really managing to create any big opportunities throughout the match.

However, Richards was also quick to praise Granit Xhaka after the match, with the former Manchester City man saying: “This man, we talked about him before the game, was brilliant again, absolute warrior in that midfield. What a player he’s been, what a signing. I’m gonna say he’s been the signing of the season so far, that’s how big I’m going.”

“He’s been absolutely immaculate in everything he does, even the way he speaks is just brilliant. Wow.”

Xhaka deserves all the plaudits after another impressive display

The Basel-born midfielder has been absolutely indispensable for Le Bris this season, starting all 15 Premier League games, during which time he’s chipped in with five goal involvements.

Related Sunderland could now make £12m approach to sign "unreal" defender in January

The Black Cats are assessing their options ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

Posts ByDominic Lund 6 days ago

However, the Swiss maestro is perhaps best known for his defensive qualities, which were on show again today, making a number of important contributions.

Granit Xhaka’s key stats vs Newcastle

Number completed

Ground duels (won)

3 (2)

Aerial duels (won)

3 (3)

Clearances

4

Tackles

2

The Black Cats managing to sign the former Bayer Leverkusen man is starting to look like a real coup, with Jamie Carragher describing him as “fantastic” and the “most influential” player for a Premier League team this season.

The sky is the limit for this Sunderland side, who are firmly in contention to qualify for Europe, but Xhaka is likely to be paramount to their success, and Le Bris will be hoping for a similar display when his side travel to Brighton for their penultimate game in 2025 next weekend.

One of the targets Leeds United have for the January transfer window seems to be a new striker. Despite bringing Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha in for free over the summer, they have been lacklustre in front of goal, and are now set to sign a new number nine.

Indeed, that player could be Troy Parrott. The former Tottenham Hotspur star is said to be a key target for the Whites going into the winter transfer window.

However, the 49ers will not have a clear run at his signature, with Wolverhampton Wanderers also keen on the £20m-rated star.

Indeed, the Irish international is a man in excellent goalscoring form, sparking such interest.

Why Leeds want to sign Parrott

£20m is a small fee in the current transfer market, and Parrott certainly seems like he’d be worth that sort of price. The 23-year-old has been in excellent goalscoring form this season for both his club, Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar, and his country, Ireland.

For the Dutch top-flight side, the Spurs academy graduate has bagged an impressive 14 goals in 15 appearances, chipping in with a couple of assists, too. His form in the Eredivisie has been scintillating, with seven goals in eight appearances.

However, what has really stood out of late is Parrott’s form for Ireland.

He became a national hero earlier in the month, bagging five times in just two World Cup qualifiers to help guide his side to the playoffs and keep their dream of going Stateside next summer well and truly alive.

The 33-cap Ireland star kicked off November’s qualifiers by scoring twice to sink Portugal in a 2-0 win. Next up was a game against Hungary, in which the centre-forward bagged a remarkable hat-trick, scoring the third in stoppage time, to secure a 3-2 win and a playoff spot.

To fund the signing of Ireland’s striker, though, Leeds might first have to sell one of their highest earners.

The player Leeds must now sell

After a summer of heavy spending under the new 49ers regime, there is no saying just how much Leeds will have at their disposal in January.

The reported £20m fee for Parrott isn’t too expensive in the grand scheme of things, but who knows how much the Whites have left in the bank?

Thus, it might be the case that Jack Harrison has to depart the club in January. He has not been in good form this season after returning to the club following two years on loan at Everton, and isn’t necessarily loved by the fans. They even booed him in a preseason friendly upon his return.

Indeed, Harrison has not been the most trusted lieutenant this season under Daniel Farke. He’s played ten times in the Premier League, but has only started once and has racked up just 262 minutes.

Whilst the Stoke-born winger has yet to bag this term, he has scored 34 times and assisted 32 for Leeds across his career.

Perhaps the highlight of that was a hat-trick away to West Ham United back in 2022. However, he simply can’t reach that sort of form nowadays.

As for his time as an Everton player, those were a forgettable couple of seasons. The former Middlesbrough star played 73 games for the Toffees, but could only muster nine goals and assists.

Premier League legend Gary Neville said at the end of last season that his “quality’s been poor” for the Merseysiders.

It is easy to see why Harrison might be the fall guy for Leeds if they are to sell someone. Valued at £10.5m by Transfermarkt, he is also the second-highest earner at the club, on £90k per week, a yearly total of £4.68m.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

£100k

£5.2m

Jack Harrison

£90k

£4.68m

Sean Longstaff

£80k

£4.16m

Daniel James

£75k

£3.9m

Noah Okafor

£72.5k

£3.77m

Selling Harrison this winter could help Leeds raise the funds they need to add to their squad up front. Depth on the left wing is not necessarily an issue, with Noah Okafor and Wilfried Gnonto both fighting it out for a starting spot out there.

If Leeds can help themselves sign Parrott by selling Harrison, a player who hasn’t exactly set the world alight with his form this term, then it might be an excellent piece of business.

He's a lot like Bielsa: Leeds could sack Farke for "special" 4-2-3-1 manager

Leeds United could finally dismiss Daniel Farke and replace him with their next Marcelo Bielsa.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 24, 2025

In the wake of a breakout season, Athletics right fielder and designated hitter Lawrence Butler appears set to stick around for the foreseeable future.

The Sacramento-based team has signed Butler to a seven-year contract extension worth $65.5 million, according to a Thursday night report from Jeff Passan of ESPN. The deal includes a year covered by a team option.

Butler, 24, is coming off a breakout 2024 in the Athletics' final season in Oakland. The Burlington, N.J. native slashed a rock-solid .262/.317/.490 with 22 home runs and 57 RBIs—bettering his numbers from a 42-game cameo in 2023.

Since its relocation, the Sacramento team—aiming to move to Las Vegas by 2028—has shown an uncharacteristic willingness to spend on its roster. The Athletics gave pitcher Luis Severino a three-year, $67 million contract on Dec. 6, for instance.

The Sacramento team is scheduled to open its 2025 season on March 27 against the Seattle Mariners.

Teenager Ollie Peake made 92 for Australia A as the two-match series finished at a dull 0-0 draw

AAP23-Jul-2025

Jason Sangha has given his future Test prospects a massive boost after posting an unbeaten double century for Australia A in their drawn first-class clash with Sri Lanka A in Darwin.In reply to Sri Lanka’s dominant 485 for 6 declared, Sangha posted 202 not out off 379 balls as Australia A reached a monster 558 for 4 before the game was declared a draw on the cusp of tea on day four. Only ten wickets fell across the four days, with the two-match series finishing in a dull 0-0 draw.Eighteen-year-old Oliver Peake showed he could also be part of Australia’s next generation of Test players, scoring 92 off 178 balls in just his second first-class game, and sharing a 165-run stand with Sangha. Opener Jake Weatherald (183) led the way for the hosts on Tuesday in a knock that gave his own Test hopes a boost ahead of the Ashes.But it was the Sangha show on Wednesday. The 25-year-old began the day unbeaten on 121, and the skipper continued to pile on the pain on the way to his maiden double-century in first-class cricket. Sangha’s previous highest score in first-class cricket was 151, but he blew that away on the batter-friendly deck at the Marrara Cricket Ground.Sangha’s star is well and truly on the rise. He struck an unbeaten 126 to lead South Australia to a tense four-wicket victory in last season’s Sheffield Shield final against Queensland, helping his side break a 29-year title drought.Sangha averaged 78.20 across six Shield games last season, and he looms as part of generation next for the Australian Test team, having scored three centuries in his last five first-class innings. Peake put his name in that mix as well, falling just eight runs short of a maiden first-class century, having only made his first-class debut for Victoria in March. Peake’s 92 came after he scored an unbeaten 55 off just 38 balls during Australia A’s series-opening one-day win over Sri Lanka A on July 4.Meanwhile, Weatherald’s century on Tuesday came at the perfect time, with the Tasmania opener firmly in the mix to play in this summer’s Ashes if he can keep his form going.Australia’s current opening pairing of Usman Khawaja and Sam Konstas struggled in difficult batting conditions in the recent Test series against West Indies, raising questions about whether it’s time to inject a player like Weatherald.Weatherald led the Shield run charts last season with 906 runs at an average of 50.3, and his scores of 54 and 183 across his two first-class innings against Sri Lanka A will further bolster his cause.

Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro is in no doubt: Florian Wirtz "definitely" would have joined Real Madrid rather than Liverpool during the summer had he been offered the chance to follow Xabi Alonso to Santiago Bernabeu. "But Xabi has less say at Madrid than he did with us," Carro pointed out in an interview with Sport1. "One of Alonso's greatest strengths was his ability to work with our scouting department to define who needed to be in our team, but Florentino Perez decides the transfers at Madrid – not Xabi Alonso."

Consequently, Wirtz was left with three serious suitors to choose from: Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Liverpool. After careful consideration, he went with the latter.

However, as Wirtz wonders – just like the rest of us – whether he'll start for Liverpool in Sunday's massive Premier League showdown with City, it is worth asking if he made a mistake moving to Anfield? And might he actually have been better off at the Etihad instead?

• Getty
  

  'Wanted to be a part of this team'

  There were many reasons why Wirtz picked Liverpool over City and Bayern. He was struck by both the quality of Arne Slot's side – and the club’s facilities – after Leverkusen were routed by the Reds in last season's Champions League. He was also blown away by the stunning scenes of celebration on Merseyside that followed Liverpool's record-equalling 20th English title triumph in May. "I just wanted to be a part of this team," he told the club's official website.

  What really won Wirtz over, though, was the promise of not just becoming a part of Slot's side, but being absolutely integral to it. According to Liverpool sources, it was the Dutchman's detailed plan for Wirtz that effectively sealed the deal.

  Whereas Wirtz reportedly had doubts over whether he would play regularly as a No.10 at Bayern because of the presence of Jamal Musiala at the Allianz Arena, he would literally be central to attacking strategy at Anfield, deployed in his preferred position just behind the centre-forward. However, Slot's plan for Wirtz appears to have already been scrapped – or at least shelved – because of Liverpool's incredibly erratic form.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  'Damages' Liverpool's balance

  Wirtz started Liverpool's first four games of their 2025-26 Premier League campaign – and in his familiar attacking midfield role. However, he wasn't involved in a single goal during that winning run, which inevitably led to online mockery and intense media scrutiny of his transfer fee.

  So, when the Reds' results took a serious turn for the worse, Wirtz became something of a scapegoat, even though his obvious struggles with the pace of the Premier League had absolutely nothing to do with his team's far more costly inability to deal with set-pieces.

  "I think Wirtz actually damages the balance of Liverpool and how they play," former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney said on his podcast. "He's a top player and I'm sure he will get better – but he's had a slow start and I think there's no denying that. I've seen players come into this league and it takes time.

  "But it's not the price tag. It's not the player or his ability. I just don't see where he fits into what Liverpool do in that [4-3-3] system. Is he a third midfield player? For me, no, he's more of an attacking player. So, if I have to choose between him and [Dominik] Szoboszlai, then I choose Szoboszlai."

  Worryingly for Wirtz, Slot is now favouring the Hungarian too.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Upstaged

  Amid all of the excitement surrounding Liverpool's unprecedented summer of spending, Szoboszlai became something of an after-thought. The versatile No.8 may have played a major role in last season's title triumph with his remarkable work-rate, but the presumption was that Wirtz would take his spot in Slot's starting line-up.

  The German was widely regarded as a massive – and necessary – upgrade on Szoboszlai, whose end product has been repeatedly criticised by the likes of Jamie Carragher. Even Slot stated earlier this year that he wanted more goals and assists from Szoboszlai.

  In that context, Liverpool's willingness to push the boat out to sign Wirtz made perfect sense. He was the most coveted No.10 on the market, a young man who had already proven himself highly adept at both scoring and creating goals.

  However, while Wirtz has yet to get off the mark for his new club, Szoboszlai has already scored twice, including a fantastic free-kick winner against Arsenal. Even more surprisingly, Szoboszlai, Liverpool's undisputed player of the season so far, also has twice as many assists (four) as Wirtz in all competitions.

  When one also considers that the Hungary captain played a starring role in last season's win over City at the Etihad, there appears little doubt that Slot will field his trusted title-winning trio of Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister on Sunday – particularly as they laid the foundation for the wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid that arrested the Reds' recent slide.

  So, is Rooney right, then? Is there no room for Wirtz in Liverpool's strongest side? And if so, should he have pushed to join City despite his alleged doubts over Pep Guardiola's long-term future at the club?

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• AFP
  

  City a better fit?

  It's been widely reported that Guardiola identified Wirtz as the ideal replacement for Kevin De Bruyne, whose contract expired at the end of the 2024-25 campaign, and it would be easy to understand why. Wirtz, with his mix of industry and innovation, fits the profile for Pep’s perfect 10. So, why didn't the German end up at the Etihad?

  Well, that very much depends on who you talk to, because there are those that claim that City felt that Wirtz was overpriced at £100 million ($130m), while others insist that the player walked away from the deal because Guardiola could offer no guarantee that he'd extend his stay in Manchester beyond 2027.

  If Wirtz really did reject City, it is possible that he's regretting that decision now, given he probably would have immediately settled into one of the two attacking midfield roles in Guardiola's 4-1-4-1 formation. After all, Rayan Cherki is already enjoying a more productive start to his Premier League career than Wirtz. Despite being hindered by a thigh problem that ruled him out of action for more than a month, the Frenchman has already racked up eight direct goal involvements since signing for City just before the Club World Cup.

  As plenty of critics have been quick to point out, Liverpool were also considering signing Cherki if their audacious move for Wirtz failed to come off – and it would certainly be hard to argue against the £30m ($42m) signing from Lyon looking like a better-value buy right now.