Everton's strikers so far this season haven't set the world alight with their finishing, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has two goals to his name in the league after eight games whilst new attackers Beto and Chermiti have yet to score in the Premier League so far.

It's led to the Toffees struggling early on under Sean Dyche, a lack of clinical finishing versus Luton Town at Goodison Park recently meant the visiting Hatters grew in confidence and picked up a 2-1 victory despite Everton registering 23 shots on goal over the 90 minutes.

Strikers disappointing in an Everton jersey isn't unique to the Toffees situation in the present though, the Merseysiders signing one particular dud up front during the 2017-18 season that severely disappointed punters.

When did Everton sign Cenk Tosun?

Cenk Tosun arrived under the tenure of Sam Allardyce, signing for the Toffees in January 2018 for a reported £27 million fee, as per Sky Sports.

At the time, it looked as if Everton had purchased a clinical forward who was ready for the demands of top-flight English football – his goal return for Beskitas in Turkey was deadly, scoring 20 goals from 33 appearances in his final full campaign for the Black Eagles.

The Turkish striker wouldn't score his first goal for his new employers until March however when relocating to England, netting his first goal for the Toffees away at Burnley in a slim 2-1 defeat.

This would see the experienced marksman go on a mini purple patch for the Blues, scoring three goals in his next two appearances for the club versus Brighton and Stoke City with a double against the Potters ensuring Allardyce's side won the tight contest 2-1.

Unfortunately for Tosun, his goals would dry up after.

He would only go on to score another five in the Premier League for Everton before he was moved back to his native Turkey, leading to Guardian journalist Aaron Sharp branding him as "awful" and crying out for central defender Yerry Mina to play up front instead of the 6 foot dud.

Thankfully for the latter man, he has managed to turn his career around since departing Merseyside.

Where is Cenk Tosun now?

Tosun would move back to Turkey after his disastrous couple of seasons at Goodison Park, even a loan spell with Crystal Palace away from the Toffees couldn't kickstart his Premier League career again – managing a solitary goal with the Eagles from a forgettable temporary switch.

He would return to his best with former club Beskitas, picking up from where he left off as a clinical finisher in the Süper Lig.

He now has 86 goals from 190 appearances with the Turkish club across his various spells, outscoring the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Neal Maupay and others who have slotted into the Blues attack since Tosun's exit.

It could well be that Tosun thrives surrounded by home comforts, netting 15 goals last season for the Istanbul outfit as they finished in a respectable 3rd spot in the league.

On the contrary, Everton's main man Calvert-Lewin managed a meagre two goals during the entire 2022-23 Premier League season, while the club's leading scorer in the competition was Dwight McNeil with just seven goals.

Dyche and co likely could have benefitted from a prolific talent like Tosun last term, although the 32-year-old will himself be delighted that he's been able to shrug off his nightmare spell with the Toffees and become a star man for Besiktas once more.

Pep Guardiola gave a sarcastic answer when asked about Trent Alexander-Arnold suggesting that Liverpool's success 'means more' than Manchester City's.

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• Guardiola gives sarcastic response to TAA
• 'I wish him a speedy recovery'
• Haaland & Dias had previously goaded Reds' defender

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Liverpool defender Alexander-Arnold had provoked certain City players by telling this week that a greater value should be attached to the Merseysiders' triumphs: “Looking back on this era, although they’ve won more titles than us and have probably been more successful, our trophies will mean more to us and our fanbase because of the situations at both clubs financially.”

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• WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID

  Guardiola said: "I wish him well. I wish him a speedy recovery to come back to the pitch as soon as possible."

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Alexander-Arnold will miss Sunday's showdown with City at Anfield with injury. Erling Haaland and Ruben Dias both responded by goading Alexander-Arnold for City's greater level of success for Liverpool over the past decade but Guardiola did not want to add to the war of words and insisted he felt indifferent about his players' responses. "Do you think we're going to fight because Erling and Ruben talk? We are there and we know what happened over the last years and we are going to try again tomorrow and do a good game," he added.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  City have only beaten Liverpool once at Anfield since 2003 and that was during the coronavirus pandemic-affected season of 2020-21, when there were no fans in the stadium. Asked why Liverpool were so hard to beat at Anfield, Guardiola said: "Especially the quality of the team. The crowd of course but especially the quality of the team. I think it will be nice because it always has been [tough] and we accept the challenge. "

Scorecard”In many ways, it’s been enjoyable to see grounds we don’t normally see,” said one good citizen of Middlesex as he reflected on life in Division Two of the Championship. What he politely left unspoken, though, as he gazed upon the hushed setting of Grace Road was the thought that one season would be quite enough. And, for Middlesex, an immediate return to Division One is not remotely the sure-fire thing that many pundits assumed it would be in April.Few would have imagined that Middlesex would come to Leicester in mid-June down in seventh, with only one win from five matches, to face a Leicestershire side, perennial whipping boys for longer than they care to remember, in third.Middlesex, already 28 points off a promotion place, need their spurt to begin soon. But a polished, unbeaten 150 by Colin Ackermann, once billed as the future of South African cricket, now seeking in his third season to be the future of Leicestershire, has ensured it must wait a little longer. The first day ended in the Foxes’ favour at 353 for 8.The South African was playing with a protective cast on a finger in his right hand, but he was not inhibited as he reached his hundred with a huge six over midwicket off the left-arm spinner Ravi Patel, whose inclusion ahead of Ollie Rayner did not pay immediate dividends, and collected 150 off the final ball of the day. He survived another blow, too, on 54, this time when a return drive from Neil Dexter struck the boot of Hilton Cartwright and flew up into his face. He remained down on the floor a worryingly long time before responding in redoubtable fashion.For Middlesex’s director of cricket, Angus Fraser, the phrase emblazoned on the back of his sponsor’s shirt – Perfect Smile – was hardly encouraged by the unfolding of the day. Until the league table improves he will just have to rely upon a few tips on how to fake one, such as the Tongue Touch Trick (place your tongue on the roof of your mouth), the Close and Open Eyes Trick (avoids awkward expressions brought on by dropped catches) and the Clamp and Smirk Trick (which in itself might not guarantee promotion but will apparently make him look cool and mysterious.The redoubtable county performer, Toby Roland-Jones, is out for the season, but three seamers – Tim Murtagh, James Harris and Hylton Cartwright have 53 wickets between them at a decent average and only one win has so far fallen their way. Two gun batsmen, Dawid Malan and Nick Gubbins, have been absent because of England and injury respectively and Sam Robson has barely made a run. Malan is back here with a big task ahead.Murtagh was again a great provider. To finish with 5 for 52 from 23 controlled overs and still be behind the game will have been a frustrating outcome. He made the first breakthrough of the day, producing a fine delivery which seamed back in to hit the top of Horton’s off and middle stumps.Two more wickets soon fell, but the cloud began to clear and Ackermann, in company with Neil Dexter, took advantage on a pitch which had been used the previous day for a one-day match between Leicestershire and India A.Dexter’s 50 against his former county came off 73 balls, but shortly after he was dropped by Middlesex captain Malan, a tough low chance diving to his right off James Harris, Murtagh beat an attempted drive and wicket-keeper John Simpson took an easy catch.Murtagh had Lewis Hill caught at first slip by Robson, bowled Zak Chappell and bounced out Callum Parkinson, but Ackermann found support in between times from Ben Raine and even Gavin Griffiths dug in for a career-best 18 not out.

Scotland captain Kyle Coetzer said they had “two opportunities to make more statements” ahead of the T20Is against Pakistan

Peter Della Penna in Edinburgh11-Jun-20181:26

More eyes on Scotland after England win – Coetzer

Scotland’s win over England at the Grange was not just their first ever over the “Auld Enemy”. It was also the first time an Associate country had ever beaten a No. 1-ranked side, and predictably it has reignited a debate which continues to lurk around such encounters: whether or not more teams, specifically Associates, deserve to be included in the World Cup.For a country like Scotland, the question has a double-edged sword. Yes, they want to keep hammering home the point with performances like that on Sunday to prove they belong. But the continued ignorance of global cricket administrators that results in the question constantly being asked can be exhausting.It was a hot topic after Scotland’s win, but rather than dwell on their absence from next summer’s showpiece event, Scotland coach Grant Bradburn indicated that such victories aren’t introducing much into the debate that hasn’t already been said, considering his side has also beaten Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Afghanistan in the last 13 months.”It sends a message and now maybe confirms that there’s not only ten teams in the world that are reasonable cricket teams, but I think the world knew that looking at the way these guys played and the other Associate nations played in Zimbabwe [at the World Cup Qualifier],” Bradburn told ESPNcricinfo after Scotland’s six-run win. “There’s some fantastic Associate teams out there and hopefully today, if it helps the Associate cause then that’s fantastic.”I don’t think it’ll be any surprise to a lot of teams that we’ve competed well enough to stay in the game long enough and we’ve actually found a way to win the game. I don’t think it will come as any surprise because those who watched [the qualifier] have seen this team progress and personally I feel that the team were just bubbling away for a performance like that for quite some time. We got the conditions today and all of our batsmen appreciate conditions like that.”In past matches in which Associates have caused great upsets over Full Members, a constant theme has been that the underdog seized upon a good toss, bowler friendly conditions to skittle an unsuspecting opposition. Not so for Scotland. Their wins over Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in particular came on similarly flat batting tracks, where bowlers had to work hard for wickets while a stream of runs flowed.Against England, just as impressive as Scotland’s record-breaking total of 371, the highest ever by an Associate country, was the way their bowlers defended it. After Jonny Bairstow’s 54-ball ton got England off to a rip-roaring start, Mark Watt and Alasdair Evans built the pressure that eventually sparked a collapse for England to fall from 220 for 2 in the 27th over to 365 all out.Kyle Coetzer helped Scotland to a terrific start•Getty Images

“[Our batsmen] are all free-flowing shot-makers and they have the encouragement from us and they know their skills,” Bradburn said. “You put them on a good surface like that, it doesn’t really matter who is bowling and it happened to be the No. 1 team in the world. They’re a good team and it actually makes it sweeter that they played so well too.”You mentioned Jonny Bairstow, but there’s a number of players in their order that played magnificent contributions. Moeen Ali, I didn’t think the game was in our pocket until that wicket. It was a key wicket for me. I think our guys have been brewing for awhile.”Since the match, captain Kyle Coetzer has been inundated with messages from other players and captains across the Associate world, a typical example of the bond shared by players across emerging nations. Coetzer is mindful of the fact that when they perform the way they did Sunday, they are scoring a victory not just for themselves but enhancing the reputation of all other Associates by extension.”Prior to the game various other Associate players were messaging their messages of support and good luck and then afterwards they came flooding in even more after the game,” Coetzer said during the pre-series press conference ahead of the two T20Is against Pakistan starting on Tuesday. “I think that just shows how supportive every Associate member is of each other. In actual fact there’s been plenty of members of the English team messaging well done and good luck for the future and that will show the development of the game.”The messages of support and what’s come around from everyone, I think it’s been exceptional. We always want to support the Associate game but most importantly promote cricket as a special sport.”Whatever we do is great for Cricket Scotland but it’s great for the Associate world and there’s another two opportunities to make more statements. We’ve had messages flooding in from all around the world. Yeah it’s going to do wonders for the game in Scotland but it’s going to do wonders for the Associate game. It’s going to do wonders for the world game.”As for Calum MacLeod, Sunday’s Man of the Match after becoming the first Scotsman to score an ODI century against England, the win will go down as “one of the great days for Scottish cricket”. But he wants to make sure it’s not the end of the story.”Hopefully we use it as a springboard to kick Scottish cricket on,” MacLeod said. “Hopefully it’s a clear message to everyone watching that Associate cricket is strong and Scottish cricket is strong.”You just don’t know how it’s going to pan out. We’ve been crying out for more cricket and hopefully you always got the sense before that teams might add this game on. Now I hope it can be a catalyst that teams want to come and play us when they’re over in the UK and we can have more weeks and series like we do this week.”

Phil Parkinson has explained why he is ignoring Wrexham’s League Two rivals, with there “no benefit” to be found in constantly checking results.

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Red Dragons riding high in League TwoAiming to secure a top-three finishHollywood co-owners watching onWHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Dragons are looking to chase down back-to-back promotions in 2024, with Hollywood co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney continuing to make the funds available that allow a meteoric rise up the EFL ladder to be enjoyed.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT PARKINSON SAID

Wrexham have 10 games left on their League Two schedule, as they sit third in the table, and Parkinson has said of turning a blind eye and deaf ear to events outside of his control: “At this stage of the season, there is absolute no benefit in me knowing the results elsewhere because every game, if we are drawing we are going to try and win it anyway. I always say when you are at the top and you come off the pitch, expect the top teams in the main to have won because that is what happens. The top teams win so we have got to keep winning and do everything in our powers to keep ourselves in there.”

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Parkinson did take to shuffling his promotion-chasing pack in February, but has settled on a favoured starting XI again in Wrexham’s last two games. He added on the importance of stability and continuity: “We freshened the team up in that run we had in February, which we had to do because it's unrealistic when you have got six games in 21 days to expect the same players to keep going. I didn't feel we needed to do that on Saturday [against Morecambe]; the team was in a good rhythm and the lads who played last week had trained well so everyone deserved the chance to go again.”

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Getty/GOALWHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

Wrexham’s next two games will be at SToK Racecourse, against Harrogate and Tranmere, and they continue to boast the best home record in the division – which bodes well as they seek to deliver on the ambition of Reynolds, McElhenney and an excited fan base.

Southampton made an official summer move for a managerial alternative to Russell Martin, but a journalist has revealed that he rejected the opportunity to move to the St. Mary's Stadium.

How have Southampton started the season?

In the Championship, Martin’s side have made a mixed start to the new term having secured four wins, one draw and suffered four defeats from their opening nine games, meaning that they have so far taken 13 points out of a possible 27, as per BBC Sport.

Speaking on the 'What The EFL?!' podcast, Adrian Clarke, who is a pundit covering all of the football leagues in England, claimed that the south coast boss won’t be able to lead his team to promotion and predicted that he would be sacked before the end of the season.

However, Sport Republic are fully understanding of the current situation and have put their full backing behind the manager, according to the man himself in charge at St. Mary’s, but details have emerged that he wasn’t actually their first-choice target over the summer.

Did Southampton want to appoint Enzo Maresca?

Speaking to GiveMeSport, CBS reporter Ben Jacobs confirmed that Southampton made an approach for Leicester City's Enzo Maresca, but he turned down the chance to join because he preferred the project on offer at the King Power Stadium. He said:

"I think he was sold on Leicester because their foundations and the strength of their squad going down were just stronger. So I don't think that Maresca ever seriously entertained, Southampton, but it's absolutely true that he was approached.

“The appeal of Southampton would have been there's a few that have obviously moved or had at the time (from Manchester City), because Romeo Lavia has gone now to Chelsea and Gavin Bazunu is another one, though, that is still there who had come from Manchester City, that he would have known very well.”

What is Enzo Maresca's record at Leicester?

Since taking to the dugout at Leicester back in July, Maresca has overseen 11 games in total, and from that, he’s racked up an outstanding nine victories, losing on just two occasions, with this form meaning that he’s averaging 2.45 points per match in the Midlands, via Transfermarkt.

The Italian, who has a preferred formation of 4-3-3, also already knows what it takes to beat Martin’s side having produced a 4-1 thrashing at St. Mary’s in September, so if he can have this positive impact when leading the opposition, imagine what he’d be capable of if he was in charge of the home outfit.

Furthermore, the 43-year-old shares the same agent, Wasserman, as Ryan Manning, James Bree, Flynn Downes and Ryan Fraser, so his representative will already hold a strong, existing connection to the hierarchy, making it even more of a shame that an agreement couldn’t be reached.

However, if the club don't start climbing the table as expected, Maresca is certainly a candidate that chiefs should consider targeting once again should they decide to sack Martin in the near future.

England were bowled out in a session on the second day at Trent Bridge with an unlikely figure doing much of the damage

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Aug-201824.1 – Root c Rahul b Pandya 16 (86 for 4)Pandya to Root, OUT, has that carried to second slip? KL Rahul has certainly celebrated like it has. Hard to think the soft signal will be anything other than out, given that. Yes, soft signal is out…it is a legal delivery…oh this will be close! There is possibility of there being a bounce and he can only possibly have fingertips under it…third umpire rules he has fingertips under it! Joe Root cannot believe it. Neither can the crowd. By the rules, that is the correct decision – there wasn’t conclusive evidence to overturn an out decision. But it wouldn’t have been overturned if it was given not out in the first place. It’s that soft signal debate lurking again. That was short of a length and straightening in the corridor as Root defended inside the line. Pandya bowled from wide of the crease. Root never looked convinced, not even before the replay was taken. He was marking his guard as the review happened.30.1 – Bairstow c Rahul b Pandya 15 (110 for 6)Pandya to Bairstow, OUT, What a ball, Hardik Pandya! What a spell, Hardik Pandya! Perfectly-pitched ball, full, angling in towards middle and off, makes Bairstow play, the late seam movement squares him up, and finds the outside edge. This is held comfortably by Rahul at second slip. From 54 for 0, England have fallen to 110 for 630.6 – Woakes c Pant b Pandya 8 (118 for 7)Pandya to Woakes, OUT, Pant takes a step to the leg side, then stretches out his right glove, the ball just about sticks in his webbing even as it keeps swerving away from his reach. Umpire Erasmus raises his finger and gives Woakes out caught behind. Woakes challenges the on-field out decision. Bouncer aimed at the arm-pit, cramps the batsman for room. Woakes still dares to hook, he only tickles it off the bat to Pant32.1 – Rashid c Pant b Pandya 5 (128 for 8)Pandya to Rashid, OUT, Four wickets for Pandya, five catches for Pant. Pant dives to his right and snaffles this edge. Shastri and Bangar are up on their feet, applauding their boys. Full, angling in just a shade outside off, and nibbling away, Rashid has a defensive push at it and nicks it behind to the debutant. England’s procession continues…32.5 – Broad lbw b Pandya 0 (128 for 9)Pandya to Broad, OUT, Pandya bags his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket. He holds the red ball aloft and celebrates. Broad thinks about a review but decides against it. Plumb. This is full and straight, swings in, 142ks, Broad falls over a leg-side flick and is pinned in front of middle. This is some spell from Pandya. Five wickets inside five oversGraphic: Hardik Pandya’s maiden Test five-for took all of 29 balls•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Tottenham Hotspur have made inroads to bring in a new teenage addition following recent developments at Hotspur Way, according to reports.

Latest Tottenham news…

Spurs overcame a tough test on Saturday against Luton Town at Kenilworth Road, running out 1-0 victors over the Premier League newcomers thanks to a smart finish from defender Micky van de Ven. Despite being reduced to ten men due to Yves Bissouma's sending off on the stroke of half-time for a second bookable offence, Tottenham rallied against a dogged opponent to dig out an excellent three points, something which delighted boss Ange Postecoglou in his post-match press conference.

Cited by Football London, Postecoglou stated: "I thought the lads handled it really well (Bissouma red card). They stayed calm and composed. They gave up a couple of chances but for the most part, kept them away from our goal. We were always a threat going the other way. As you said, in the end just the sheer will and effort of them to make sure we won, not just the starters but the guys coming on, it was a great collective effort."

In other news, Football Insider report that Tottenham are set to be one of several competitors for the signature of Al-Ittihad winger Jota in the January transfer window. The outlet claim that Jota could be targeted owing to long-term injuries sustained by Spurs duo Manor Solomon and Ivan Perisic, which could breed a reunion between the Portuguese attacker and his former manager Postecoglou, who brought him to Celtic in 2021.

Tottenham also have belief that they could win the race to sign Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher if he doesn't put pen to paper on a new deal at Stamford Bridge.

Tottenham transfer news – teenager on trial

Tottenham signings since Ange Postecoglou's arrival

Player

Previous club

Fee

Brennan Johnson

Nottingham Forest

£47.5 million

Guglielmo Vicario

Empoli

£17.2 million

Dejan Kulusevski (deal made permanent)

Juventus

£25.9 million

Micky van de Ven

Wolfsburg

£43.5 million

Pedro Porro (deal made permanent)

Sporting Clube de Portugal

£39 million

Manor Solomon

Shakhtar Donetsk

Free agent

Alejo Veliz

Rosario Central

Undisclosed

Ashley Phillips

Blackburn Rovers

£2 million

James Maddison

Leicester City

£40 million

All fees courtesy of Sky Sports News

Reliable journalist Alan Nixon provided a Tottenham transfer update on Patreon, claiming Spurs are looking to sign Norwich City's teenage goalkeeper Dylan Thompson and have taken him on trial at Hotspur Way. Tottenham appear to be keen on signing the youngster and would be happy to pay a compensation fee for his services, with movement on a potential deal possibly happening in the near future.

Securing the arrival of young talent could be key to long-term planning processes in north London as the Lilywhites aim to challenge at the top end of the English pyramid for the coming years. Northern Ireland-born England youth international striker Jamie Donley has already been in and around the first-team squad at Tottenham this term and it remains to be seen who else could enter the fold over the course of the coming months, with a move for Thompson one to watch over the coming weeks.

Loughborough marched onto their fifth win in sixth matches as their overseas stars took command of a stiff run-chase

ECB Reporters Network04-Aug-2018

Elyse Villani sweeps•Getty Images

Loughborough Lightning 174 for 7 (Villani 61*, Haynes 53) beat Southern Vipers 172 for 6 (McGlashan 55*) by three wickets
ScorecardAussie stars Rachael Haynes and Elyse Villani powered Loughborough Lightning to a fifth win in six matches to stretch their lead at the top of the Women’s Kia Super League and make their qualification for Finals Day look almost a formality.Haynes posted her second half-century of the competition before, in a dramatic finish, Villani crashed four and six off New Zealand all-rounder Suzie Bates after Lightning, chasing a challenging 173 to win, had gone into the last over still needing 11 more runs.Lightning had lost two wickets in the penultimate over as Jenny Gunn holed out to long-off and Lucy Higham was run out, but Villani kept her nerve to finish unbeaten on 61 after lofting Bates for a towering maximum backward of square to complete victory with two balls to spare.It was tough luck on Vipers, last year’s runners-up and the 2016 champions, who produced their best batting performance of the series in a bid to end a run of four straight defeats and keep alive their hopes of reviving their season.Vipers veteran Sara McGlashan posted her highest KSL score with some powerful striking in an unbeaten 55 off just 28 deliveries, including six fours and three sixes, with England’s Danni Wyatt weighing in with 34 as Vipers justified skipper Bates’s decision to bat first by recording their biggest score of the season.Lightning’s hopes of limiting their opponents to a much lower total were high after Vipers lost their two most dangerous batters for single-figure scores inside the powerplay were dismissed both Bates and Tammy Beaumont for single-figure scores inside the powerplay overs.Bates was caught on the mid-wicket boundary when she tried to go after Gunn, then Beaumont, back in the Vipers side after missing two matches because of a concussion injury, top-edged a pull-shot against Sophie Devine, Sarah Glenn safely pouching the catch.Wyatt and Mignon du Preez added 39 for the third wicket yet after Wyatt had holed out off a Glenn full toss in the 10th over and Du Preez had pulled a short ball from Georgia Elwiss straight to mid-wicket in the 13th, Vipers had lost their top-four batters for 83.But McGlashan took charge immediately, punishing former teammate Linsey Smith with four boundaries in an over as the left-arm spinner’s customary control deserted her.A nightmare over from Gunn cost 16 runs as the England seamer conceded 11 in wides, including five from each of two consecutive deliveries.Smith was on the receiving end again as Arran Brindle struck three fours in an over and though Elwiss broke the partnership when she trapped Brindle in front for 26 in the penultimate over, the pair had added 71 in 7.2 overs.McGlashan, the former New Zealand batter and wicket-keeper who retired from international cricket in 2016, finished with a flourish, smiting three huge sixes and a four off the last seven balls she faced, her second maximum off Devine’s last over completing her half-century from the final ball of the innings.Devine was an early casualty as Lightning began their reply but Haynes out on a display of high quality strokeplay and controlled power at the top of the innings.Haynes made 53 off 34 balls and shared a partnership with Amy Jones that helped Lightning to 55 for 1 in the powerplay, laying the foundation for victory.Jones fell for 31 from 18 balls, after which the onus rested on Villani’s shoulders to put her experience to good use.But she was well supported by her partners, who thwarted Vipers’ best efforts to keep Villani off strike and in the end her aggressive hitting, which brought her seven fours and two sixes, made sure her compatriot Haynes’ efforts did not go to waste as Lightning celebrated a third win in five days at the Haslegrave Ground.

Tim Sherwood has suggested that one Tottenham Hotspur star is now being brought "back to life" by Ange Postecoglou.

Tottenham form this season

Over their best start to a Premier League campaign since the 1960/1961 season, Postecoglou has seemingly rejuvenated this once-dejected side of former Lillywhites head coach Antonio Conte. They're still unbeaten in the league after a run of six wins from a possible eight matches, with the only blemish on Spurs' impressive early-season record being a second round EFL Cup defeat away to Fulham. Postecoglou's men take on the Whites again very soon upon their international break return, and a few star players will be itching to don the jersey.

The likes of James Maddison, who has dazzled for Spurs since joining for just £40 million from Leicester City in the summer window, and Son Heung-min have showcased match-winning quality time and time again so far this season. The South Korea international and Maddison have formed a deadly partnership in the attacking areas, with Son being praised for taking to his new central striker role excellently.

"The way Ange wants Tottenham to play is very football-based, it is not long balls up the pitch,” said BBC pundit Alan Hutton to Football Insider recently.

“Wow, Son is very intelligent, he can link play and run in behind so it actually suits him and it gives you an opportunity to bring in different wide players – the likes of Richarlison, if he is picked to play alongside him, and Maddison who has been excellent since signing. They have got different options to play there. Son has no problem playing there.“

Indeed, the 31-year-old appears to be rediscovering his fine form which saw him share the Golden Boot with Liverpool star Mohamed Salah in 2022. Scoring six goals in eight league matches already, Son has now also been praised by former Spurs boss Sherwood.

Son Heung-min news

The forward, according to Sherwood, is now being brought back to life by Postecoglou at Spurs after what was a very difficult 2022/2023 season under Conte.

“They’re the same players, yes they have signed Maddison who has been brilliant," said the pundit to No Tippy Tappy Football Podcast.

"Son looks like he has come back to life. You can guarantee they will continue playing this way, they’re a Harry Kane away from winning the Premier League."

On-lookers and supporters alike appear to be running out of superlatives for Son, with Postecoglou recently drawing attention to the leadership side of his game after a 2-2 draw away to north London rivals Arsenal.

Through balls

Key passes

Long shots

Taking set-pieces

Holding on to the ball

“He’s been outstanding as a leader and as a player," said Postecoglou. "His first thought is what’s best for the team and he puts himself into that position and then he has the quality to finish. I’m so happy for him. When I talk about that great environment with the players, Sonny is leading that with Madders and Romero.”