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The CSK captain has hit 554 runs in 227 balls in the 20th over of an IPL match. That’s 13% of all the runs he’s made in this tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff01-May-20192:55

MS Dhoni’s top 5 last-over heists

MS Dhoni has hit 554 runs in 227 balls in the 20th over of an IPL match. That’s 13% of all the runs he’s ever made in this tournament. How does he do it?”Watch the ball, hit the ball,” the CSK captain told after putting in a sensational performance to beat Delhi Capitals in their last home game of the 2019 season. “Also by that time, you’ve spent enough time to know what are the variations that are really working on that wicket, how is it coming onto the batsmen, whether you can play a few shots that are maybe not your stronger points. I think by 20th over you’re almost ready and you swing at everything.”ESPNcricinfo LtdDhoni’s been especially aggressive this season, hitting 70 runs off 21 final-over deliveries. That translates to a strike-rate of 333. So it was fairly straightforward that he would call Ambati Rayudu through for a sneaky single after the new batsman was beaten outside the off stump by Trent Boult.Once he was back on strike, Dhoni sent the last two balls of innings for sixes and finished with 44 off 22. At the start of the 19th over, he was 13 off 12″It’s easier for somebody to play 10-15 deliveries than somebody who has just come in to bat. It was just holding on a bit. It was not a wicket where it was coming on nicely and I felt it was slightly difficult for Rayudu to come and hit and [wicketkeeper] Rishabh [Pant] helped, he didn’t take the gloves off [Dhoni does that a lot to prevent giving away such runs when he’s behind the wicket] and that gave me an extra few seconds to finish my run.”In addition to his usual big-hitting exploits, Dhoni showcased immense skill in the field, stumping Chris Morris and Shreyas Iyer even though their back feet had barely risen from the ground.MS magic – Dhoni pulled off two outstanding stumpings within three balls, both off Ravindra Jadeja•BCCIHe managed to catch them out largely thanks to his unique technique of waiting for the ball with his hands right on top of the stumps. Other wicketkeepers have a little give – cushioning the ball by swinging the hands back before thrusting them forward to clip the bails – but Dhoni doesn’t. He collects the ball and clips the bails. No back swing.”It’s something that has come from tennis-ball cricket which I’ve played a lot,” Dhoni said. “But you need to do the basics right first and then graduate to the next level. I feel if you want to keep like that, then this is what you practice. You may commit a lot of errors so what’s important is you stick to the basics and then get to the advanced course. If you can reduce the time where you can clip the bails off, it always helps.”After the game, Dhoni went around the ground, hitting tennis balls into the crowd and thanking them for their support. But just before that, he was asked whether he liked being called .”I’ve always said it’s very special to get that kind of a nickname. It’s a big nickname that has been given to me. It feels truly special. I never realised it was part of the first song that was made on CSK, that was part of it. And after hearing it, I realised [how important it is]. And the way I got accepted, the whole of Tamil Nadu, down south, it’s always that they yell [not my name] and the moment I hear it, I know he’s a fan of CSK and that he definitely comes from down south and he’s slightly different. It feels special. At the same time, they’ve been very nice not only to me but to the whole team. So a big thanks to them.”

أكد داني كارفاخال لاعب ريال مدريد ومنتخب إسبانيا، تفهمه لما يعاني منه زميله في الفريق، فينيسيوس جونيور، فيما يتعلق بالعنصرية، ورد على تصريحاته المتعلقة بسحب تنظيم كأس العالم 2030 من بلاده.

وتستضيف إسبانيا والبرتغال والمغرب مونديال 2030، وأكد فينيسيوس أنه يجب سحب تنظيم كأس العالم من إسبانيا بسبب عنصرية الجماهير مشيرًا لما يتعرض له من هتافات مسيئة في الدوري الإسباني مع ريال مدريد.

ويلتقي منتخب إسبانيا مع صربيا غدًا الخميس ضمن منافسات بطولة دوري الأمم الأوروبية.

وتحدث كارفاخال، في مؤتمر صحفي قبل المباراة ضد صربيا، وقال: “نحن نعارض أي موقف من العنصرية، أعرف ما يعانيه فينيسيوس، إنه يتحسن ضد هؤلاء المجانين”.

وأضاف: “لكن إسبانيا لا تستحق أن تُحرم من تنظيم كأس العالم، إسبانيا بلد يتمتع بالكثير من التنوع الثقافي”.

وعن جائزة الكرة الذهبية، حيث تم الإعلان عن المرشحين وبينهم كارفاخال، وأفاد: “الأمر أكثر تعقيدًا بالنسبة لأولئك الذين يلعبون في الدفاع (في فرص التتويج بها)، لكنني راضٍ بالفعل عما لدي”.

وبشأن ارتداء شارة قيادة إسبانيا، أوضح: “إنه يعني الكثير بالنسبة لي، دائرتي المقربة تعرف ذلك، أن أرتدي شارة بلدي، لا أفعل أي شيء مميز، أحاول أن أكون قدوة للصغار”.

وفيما يتعلق بكرة القدم الإسبانية، أصر كارفاخال: “نحن نعمل بشكل جيد للغاية في جميع الجوانب ومن الطبيعي أن يغارون منا في أوروبا”.

كما سُئل عن النظام الجديد لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، وأجاب: “أرى المشكلة في أن القرعة لها تأثير كبير وأن هناك المزيد من المباريات”.

Strong hands from Tammy Beaumont, Danielle Wyatt and, especially, Heather Knight with the bat set up a comprehensive 41-run win for England in the first of their three T20Is against India in Guwahati on Monday.Asked to bat, England blazed off the blocks with an 89-run first-wicket stand between Beaumont, who went on to hit a half-century, and Wyatt, before Knight hammered a 20-ball 40 later in the innings to put the game well beyond India.

India captain Smriti Mandhana on

Where India lost the match
I think in ODIs and in T20s, two wickets should not fall in a span of three or four balls. Our top three or four lost their wickets in a short period. I think that makes the batting order look very thin. It’s important as a batting unit to take responsibility and chase this kind of total. As a batter who is settled, our top four , we are playing for a long time now. I, Mithali [Raj], Jemi have to take more responsibility and bat more and take the time through (the finish line). We have to give a bit of cushion to the youngsters.
Whether her field placements were reactive with England exploiting areas made vacant by a player who was stationed there earlier
It was the first time I was leading for India. It was a good experience, with a lot of takeaways. As a captain, I need to learn from the mistakes I did today and also as a player. I don’t think the field setting was based on reactions. We had two sets of plan for each batter. So when the first plan wasn’t working, we went with the second. It was not due to where the batsmen was hitting the ball. Definitely, next time we will plan much better, and I will be more proactive.

Chasing 161 to go 1-0 up after they had won the preceding ODI series 2-1 in Mumbai, India went off the rails from the get-go. Katherine Brunt sent back debutant Harleen Deol first, and left-arm spinner Linsey Smith then put India firmly on the back foot by dismissing Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues, the big guns, off consecutive balls. And, just like that, India were in a big hole at 23 for 3 inside three-and-a-half overs.Mithali Raj didn’t last long either, and when Veda Krishnamurthy was sent back by Anya Shrubsole for 15 at the halfway mark, the scoreboard read a sorry 46 for 5.From there, all India could hope for was to keep the margin of defeat to a minimum, and the lower middle-order of Deepti Sharma (22 not out), Arundhati Reddy (18) and Shikha Pandey (23 not out) did well on that front. They ensured India survived their 20 overs, with Deepti and Pandey adding 43 runs for the last wicket, but that didn’t change the fact that England were the better team by far, on all counts, on the day.Katherine Brunt bowled with fire•PTI

In the first half, Wyatt was the early aggressor after three quiet overs as she sent Deepti to the boundary thrice in the fourth over of the innings. There might have been a fourth had it not been for Poonam Yadav’s dive at short fine-leg.Beaumont joined in the fun soon, and by the end of the Powerplay, England were at 45 and coasting. The spread of the field didn’t change the script much either, as Mandhana, captaining India in Harmanpreet Kaur’s absence, looked short of ideas, changing the field after every other ball.There was at least one four in every over as Beaumont picked up speed and outscored Wyatt, till India got a lucky break when Wyatt made room for herself and slapped a delivery from Pandey straight to Mandhana in the covers.One wicket brought another as Radha Yadav, who had been expensive till then, got Natalie Sciver to hole out at square-leg, and that brought the scoring rate down a bit.At 124 for 2 with three overs to go, India had a chance of keeping England to under 150, but Knight chose the 18th over to change the tempo of the game altogether, hitting Reddy for five successive fours after Beaumont had turned the strike over first ball. It was poor bowling, but Knight was superb, sweeping the first, going over cover in the next two, and then smashing one through the covers and hammering the last past long-on.Two more fours came from the England captain’s bat in the next over too, off Deepti, before the bowler finally found joy off the last ball, getting Knight caught at long-on.Beaumont had quietly gone past her half-century by then and, going for a big one in the last over, was stumped off Radha. Her 57-ball 62 was an excellent effort, exactly what England needed to hold the innings together as Knight went hammer and tongs at the other end.The second game will be played on Thursday.

It is believed that one player finds the idea of a move to West Ham quite tempting, with a January transfer now possible for him.

West Ham facing mass 2024 exodus

The Hammers are facing a pretty real prospect of losing key players in 2024, with many squad members currently out of contract next summer as things stand. Pablo Fornals, Ben Johnson, Vladimir Coufal, Michail Antonio, Conor Coventry, Aaron Cresswell, Lukasz Fabianski and veteran defender Angelo Ogbonna could all depart the London Stadium for free at the end of this Premier League season, giving London Stadium chiefs some big decisions to make.

Manager David Moyes is another important figure who may leave next year, with reports suggesting that West Ham are unlikely to offer the Scotsman a new contract.

Coufal is a pretty interesting case, as the Czech Republic international has been one of the arguable success stories of Moyes' second stint in charge.

Signed for just £5.4 million in 2020, which looks like a real bargain, the full-back has gone on to become a fixture in the West Ham eleven alongside Czech teammate Tomas Soucek. Both dazzled in their debut season and have played a major roles in West Ham's European success since then. Saying goodbye to Coufal in June could come as a pretty tough call from sporting director Mark Noble and transfer chief Tim Steidten.

The 31-year-old's contract contains a club option to extend by an additional 12 months, but there have been reports that West Ham are targeting long-term replacements for Coufal regardless.

Wolves star Nelson Semedo has been linked with a West Ham move in recent months, while another option could be Man United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Wan-Bissaka finds West Ham move tempting

According to a report by Football Transfers this week, it is believed Wan-Bissaka is enticed by potentially joining West Ham over London rivals Crystal Palace. A winter window exit is apparently on the cards for United's full-back, and West Ham are targeting the Englishman as a possible replacement for Coufal.

Indeed, Steidten is said to be chasing a new right-back for as soon as the January window, with Wan-Bissaka viewed as a serious option. The former Palace star has made six appearances for United so far but could depart Old Trafford mid-season, something which may benefit West Ham in their hunt for a Coufal heir.

Spurs star James Maddison, commenting on Wan-Bissaka's ability, said that the Englishman is one of world football's best one-v-one defenders – calling him "ridiculously good" in that aspect.

This sentiment is echoed by BBC pundit Alan Hutton, who urged West Ham to make a move for the £100,000-per-week ace earlier this year (Salary Sport).

“If we are talking about just as a defender, West Ham need to strengthen and there is no doubt he is one of the best 1v1 defenders that there is as a full-back," said Hutton to Football Insider.

"I think he could definitely make them better but the fee is going to be the big thing, probably a stumbling block."

Wolverhampton Wanderers are beginning to see brighter days under Gary O’Neil, after a difficult start to the 2023/24 campaign.

The Old Gold have lost one of their previous seven Premier League fixtures, however form isn’t just being shown by those at Molineux in the top flight, as a host of stars behind the scenes continue to show their worth.

One name that is thriving whilst on Wolves’ books but out on loan is Ki-Jana Hoever, who looks set for stardom as he pursues his career at senior level at Stoke City.

Ki-Jana Hoever’s career so far

Signed from Liverpool at the age of 18 in 2020, Hoever was backed by former Reds captain James Milner to be a “top, top player” during his time at Anfield, making the initial £10m fee somewhat of a bargain for Nuno Espirito Santo.

The Dutchman secured four senior appearances and netted his first senior goal for the Premier League outfit in 2019, making his potential very clear as a progressive right-back from an early age.

At the point of his arrival at Molineux, chairman Jeff Shi explained that the club had signed the teenager for the “long-term future”, although the now 21-year-old has already captured 25 senior appearances for the Old Gold.

Ki-Jana Hoever 2022/23 loan experience
Club	Appearances	Goals	Assists
PSV Eindhoven	10	0	2
Stoke City	17	4	1
Figures via Transfermarkt

Loans at PSV Eindhoven and Stoke paved the way for the former Ajax academy whiz to gain vital experience away from the comforts of the academy, with his attacking prowess prominent as highlighted in the table above.

This summer, the decision was made for the Netherlands U21 international to head back to the Bet365 Stadium, to further his experience with the Potters.

Ki-Jana Hoever’s season in numbers

Previously lauded as “sensational” by Jurgen Klopp, Hoever has made a flying start to the 2023/24 campaign at Stoke, having contributed to three goals in 13 Championship appearances, scoring once and assisting twice so far.

Averaging 64.0% successful take-ons per 90, the Dutchman ranks in the top 3% of Championship full-backs this season for his attacking play, via FBref, signifying what use he could be to O’Neil going forward for Wolves.

The 21-year-old’s attacking spark rates him highly among those back at Molineux, with the defender already securing more goals and assists than striker Fabio Silva, who has one goal and no assists to his name this term.

Ki-Jana Hoever 2023/24 Championship statistics
Appearances	13
Goals	1
Assists	2
Key passes per game	0.9
Tackles per game	2.2
Interceptions per game	1.3
Clean sheets	4
Figures via Sofascore

Due to the aftermath of Wolves’ financial fair play (FFP) struggles in the summer, O’Neil could see Hoever’s development over this campaign as a new signing next season, with his prominence at senior level now at a point where he could contend in the first team.

There’s a long way to go in the 2023/24 calendar for both Wolves and Hoever, however if his progression continues on such an upward trajectory, his face could soon become a familiar one in the Old Gold’s favoured XI.

Newcastle United are believed to have sent their scouts to watch a world-renowned star who has been described as a "£100m player", according to a fresh transfer update.

Newcastle want January signings

Eddie Howe could be desperate to get to the January transfer window without any further injury problems, having seen his squad riddled with fitness issues throughout this season. Newcastle have had so many absentees at different points during the campaign, whether it be Sven Botman, Bruno Guimarares, Callum Willson or Alexander Isak, to name just a few. The winter window will allow the Magpies to add to their squad, assuming they are allowed to financially, and they have been linked with a number of players in recent weeks.

In midfield, Manchester City ace Kalvin Phillips has been backed to join Newcastle, with the 27-year-old arguably seen as the best option to come in for the suspended Sandro Tonali. Meanwhile, further attacking reinforcements have also been mooted, and Brentford striker Ivan Toney is also considered a target for the Magpies, with his own suspension ending in January.

Newcastle eyeing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia move

According to a new transfer claim from 90min, Newcastle have scouted Napoli superstar Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, with other Premier League clubs also in the mix.

The report states that "Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Newcastle United all had representatives in attendance" to watch the Georgia international in action for his country against Spain on Sunday, as the possible Newcastle transfer target scored in a 3-1 defeat.

While those present at the game may have been there to watch any number of players in action, "sources have confirmed to 90min that Kvaratskhelia in particular was under the microscope." Kvaratskhelia could be a sensational signing by Newcastle, whether that be in January or next summer, with the Napoli ace arguably one of the world's most exciting attacking players over the past 18 months or so.

The 22-year-old was an integral part of his side winning their first Serie A title since 1990, with the Magpies target registering 22 goal contributions (12 goals and 10 assists) in 34 league outings, linking superbly with Victor Osimhen in the process. Former Rubin Kazan manager Leonid Slutsky has called him a "£100m player" in the past, too, which says a lot about his current ability and long-term potential.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia Napoli stats

Total

Appearances

58

Goals

17

Assists

22

Kvaratskhelia is a footballer who would not only get Newcastle fans off their seats with his trickery, pace and unpredictability out wide, but also back it up with relentless end product, which is something Alla Saint-Maximin often failed to do, for example. The ex-Magpies man only scored 13 times in 124 appearances, which isn't at the level required at St James' Park these days.

Whether Newcastle have the funds to wrestle the Georgian superstar away from Napoli remains to be seen – he is contracted at the Serie A champions until the summer of 2027 – but he is someone who could take Howe's side to another level, possibly becoming a new attacking maverick hero at St James' Park.

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Durante a vitória do Grêmio contra o Guaraní, que garantiu o Tricolor nas quartas de final da Libertadores, o meia Jean Pyerre deixou o gramado mais cedo com dores musculares.

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Apesar da imagem que ligou o sinal de alerta, o meio-campista usou as redes sociais para tranquilizar os torcedores e afirmou que estava bem.

Porém, a realidade dentro do Grêmio é diferente. Preocupado com o acúmulo de jogos do calendário, a comissão técnica deve poupar o atleta para o fim de semana, quando o Tricolor encara o Vasco pelo Brasileirão.

O grande motivo de poupar o atleta é a Libertadores. Na próxima quarta-feira, o Tricolor abre a série das quartas de final diante do Santos.

Two years ago on from last Saturday, Saudi Arabian consortium PIF officially completed their takeover of Newcastle United from former owner Mike Ashley.

The Magpies have been on a stunning journey on the pitch since that deal was ratified as the club's new owners have provided financial backing and ambition.

Eddie Howe was quickly brought in to replace Steve Bruce in the dugout and the former Bournemouth boss has already led the side to a League Cup final and a fourth-place Premier League finish, with the latter securing Champions League football for the 2023/24 campaign.

Alexander Isak

£60.6m

Sandro Tonali

£55.4m

Anthony Gordon

£39.5m

Harvey Barnes

£38m

Bruno Guimaraes

£36.4m

The English head coach, as shown by the table above, has been backed in the transfer market by PIF throughout his time at St. James' Park to date.

He has been able to bring in a number of big-money signings to bolster his squad but one of his best pieces of business has been one of the least flashy additions of his tenure – Dan Burn.

How much did Newcastle pay for Dan Burn?

The Magpies boss reportedly spent a fee of £13m to sign the towering central defender from Premier League rivals Brighton & Hove Albion.

Sky Sports claimed that Newcastle had two undisclosed bids rejected by the Seagulls before they were finally able to secure a deal for his services during the January transfer window at the start of 2022.

At the time of the move, FootballTransfers placed his Expected Transfer Value (xTV) at €6.4m (£5.5m) after his performances for Brighton over the previous two-and-a-half years.

He joined them from Wigan in 2019 and went on to play 85 matches in all competitions for the club, in which time the giant defender scored two goals.

Burn started 33 Premier League games during his first campaign with the Seagulls and showcased his aerial quality as he won 73% of his battles in the air throughout the season.

He followed that up with 40 top-flight appearances for the club over the subsequent 18 months, which then led to his transfer to Newcastle at the start of last year.

This meant that the Magpies were signing a player who had played 73 Premier League matches in under three years before his move to St. James' Park. Therefore, they were not taking a big gamble with a player from a foreign or lower league.

Burn was a reliable and ready performer who had already proven himself to be a capable defender at the top level, which made him a sensible addition by Howe and his staff.

Whilst big-money, flashy, signings can get supporters excited and get the media talking about the club's ambition, you need proven quality and players who can do a job week-in-week-out to supplement the star quality and that is exactly what Burn provided – a solid base from which his exciting teammates could build from.

How many appearances has Burn made for Newcastle?

Burn has made 70 appearances for the Magpies in all competitions to date, with his latest coming against West Ham United in the Premier League on Sunday.

He came in for the second half of the 2021/22 campaign and played a big role in their success in avoiding relegation down to the Championship.

The 6 foot 7 colossus started 16 Premier League matches and averaged an impressive WhoScored rating of 6.98, which was the fifth-highest score within the squad. This shows that he was able to hit the ground running at St. James' Park as the ex-Brighton star became one of Howe's most consistent performers as a left-back and centre-back when needed.

Former West Ham forward Frank McAvennie was blown away by Burn's performances during his first few months on Tyneside. He claimed that the £13m fee Newcastle paid for him was an absolute "steal" and said that the supporters love him for the "ridiculous impact" he made at the back for the Magpies.

The 31-year-old ace followed that up with 35 Premier League starts for Newcastle during the 2022/23 campaign as Howe's side finished fourth and secured Champions League football.

He won 70% of his aerial duels as the English titan consistently dominated opposition players in the air to prevent teams from causing too many problems from set-pieces and crossing situations.

How much is Dan Burn worth now?

At the time of writing (09/10/2023), FootballTransfers has his xTV at €15.7m (£13.6m) and this means that his value has soared by 145% from the €6.6m that he was valued at when Newcastle signed him from Brighton at the start of last year.

This shows that Howe struck gold with the signing of Burn as his market value has rocketed up over the last 18 months since his switch to Tyneside from the Seagulls.

The Magpies star, who was a season-ticket holder at the club in his younger days, has proven himself to be a dependable and reliable performer at left-back for the head coach.

And he is not showing any signs of letting up this season, despite the signing of Lewis Hall potentially providing him with competition for his place, as Burn has been an excellent player for the club over the last few months.

The 31-year-old ace has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.97 across eight Premier League starts for the Magpies this term and has won 63% of his aerial battles, along with 51% of his duels in total.

There was also a fantastic moment for Burn recently as he scored his first ever Champions League goal in the 4-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain at St. James' Park earlier this month.

The towering English brute won all four of his aerial duels against the French champions and made four clearances and one block on a historic night for Howe's men, to go along with his headed goal, as per Sofascore.

Hopefully, Burn will continue to be a superb option for Howe and help Newcastle to progress further, in the Premier League and Champions League, this season.

It would be terrific to see a local lad win a major piece of silverware for the Magpies but it remains to be seen how likely that is with Manchester City's dominance of football at the moment.

The Eredivisie giants' form has fallen off a cliff since the former Liverpool captain's arrival in Amsterdam

The 2024 January transfer window provided frightfully little in terms of storylines. However, one saga that did cut through the radio silence was Jordan Henderson's much-debated decision to call time on his Saudi Pro League 'adventure' at Al-Ettifaq.

Just before the window swung open, rumblings began to surface of Henderson's desire to manufacture an early exit, due to concerns about the low standard of competition in the country ahead of the Euros and his family's inability to settle in their new surroundings.

Midway through the month, he got his wish, with Ajax snapping him up on a surprisingly-long two-and-a-half year contract. Speaking immediately after that move was confirmed, Henderson unsurprisingly spoke of his desire to draw a line under his controversial Saudi transfer, also hinting at his hope that he could fade into the background at Ajax and focus solely on his on-field performances.

"If any people from that [LGBT+] community feel let down or hurt I apologise. If anyone was offended or feel as though I upset them, that's on me, that was my decision and I apologise for that. It was never my intention. I just want to look forward now and concentrate on being the best player I can for Ajax. My beliefs have never changed and never will. Again I can only apologise if people feel let down," he said at his unveiling.

And while Henderson has found himself on the back pages on UK newspapers far less frequently since his arrival in Amsterdam, it's been far from plain sailing at Ajax so far.

• Getty Images
  

  Excitement sky-high

  There were few signs that Henderson's Ajax spell would be rocky when he arrived in the Netherlands. Prior to the ex-Liverpool captain's signing, the Eredivisie giants were enduring a quite miserable campaign, with off-field scandal being twinned with staggering underperformance on the pitch.

  Henderson, with his plentiful experience at the top level, was viewed as a potentially-calming head, capable of using his leadership skills to marshal the club through the remainder of a chaotic season. After his signing was announced, his No.6 jersey became the fastest-selling shirt in the club's history, and this clear excitement among the fans was matched by manager John van 't Schip.

  Following Henderson's Ajax's debut – a 1-1 draw with champions-in-waiting PSV Eindhoven – Van 't Schip beamed: "He has shown that he is fit and important for the team. He helps and coaches the boys, before the game, at half-time and on the field. He also tries to keep calm when he can. Sometimes you have to keep possession of the ball a little longer, he also told [Borna] Sosa at one point…. If you take all that into account, he played a good game."

  His coach's enthusiasm was mirrored in the Dutch football media early on, with Wesley Sneijder also praising Henderson after that PSV game. "That boy comes in, brings his experience with him and immediately ensures that everything is back in order," he said.

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• Getty Images
  

  Results have nosedived

  But since that positive result, Ajax's form has nosedived dramatically. Indeed, in the six games that have followed the PSV encounter, Ajax have won just once. Henderson has featured in all of those, barring a 2-0 defeat to AZ Alkmaar.

  Swerving that loss has done little to improve the midfielder's alarming seasonal record. At the time of writing, Henderson has been on the victorious side on just seven occasions at club level for Ajax and Al-Ettifaq this campaign. That averages out at a winning percentage of just 27%, in what has been a season to forget.

  Henderson can hardly blame the fixture list for his inability to win in the Dutch capital, either. Aside from the aforementioned PSV fixture and a Europa Conference League meeting with Premier League side Aston Villa, his club side have had a spell of favourable games.

  That Ajax failed to win just two of the nine games that preceded his arrival will only make this recent run even tougher to take. As will the fact that Al-Ettifaq have won three of their four fixtures since Henderson skulked away in January.

• Getty Images
  

  Criticism for playing it safe

  Amid this underwhelming collective form, Henderson has also received some personal criticism. A lot of this will be familiar to onlookers on the United Kingdom. Throughout his career, the 33-year-old has been derided – sometimes unfairly – for being overly safe in his passing and not influencing games enough from midfield.

  Rafael van der Vaart, who is never afraid to speak his mind, especially when it comes to Ajax, has continued this tradition since Henderson's return to Europe.

  "They signed players with zero quality; you may have to sit this season out. They have brought in Jordan Henderson, who passes sideways and backwards all the time. That doesn't make anyone happy," the television pundit said after Ajax's underwhelming 2-2 home draw with Bodo-Glimt in the Europa Conference League play-offs last month.

  In keeping with the doomed vibe of Henderson's season, he would not be able to prove Van de Vaart wrong in the return leg either, missing Ajax's 2-1 victory in Norway with a knock.

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  Henderson bites back

  Henderson has not taken this criticism lying down, though. Speaking to at the beginning of the month, he responded: "That's football, right? There are always different opinions. I've experienced that so much, it doesn't bother me. You have to deal with it as a player and keep your focus on what you want to achieve."

  There may be reasons beyond his control why Henderson is being perceived as an overly-safe operator. His ability to spot team-mates' runs beyond the opposition defence has always been a strength – with his success in finding Moussa Dembele with this type of pass one of the only bright spots of his time at Al-Ettifaq.

  But recent injuries to Steven Berghuis and Steven Bergwijn have forced Van t' Schip to reshape his side into a 5-4-1 recently, with Brian Brobbey the only remaining forward capable of darting in behind the other team's backline consistently. And this lack of off-ball running might be forcing Henderson into these 'boring' passes.

  analyst Kees Kwakman certainly thinks so, explaining this month: "Henderson needs boys who he can send deep. That is of course a bit of the story, that he only gives balls sideways. But that is not entirely true, because he also did this at Liverpool with [Mohamed] Salah and [Sadio] Mane.

  "So [Henderson] benefits from having Bergwijn in this team, who he can then send away with these kinds of balls. And that's what he's really looking for. And he doesn't do that like [Andrea] Pirlo or [Joey] Veerman, 25 times per game, but he is looking for it."

Manchester United’s recent 2-1 victory over Brentford was reminiscent of the comeback wins and late, late goals scored when Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge of the club.

Indeed, ‘Fergie time’ was often the moniker used when the Red Devils were deep into the game and required a goal to secure a positive result and nothing is more famous than the two dramatic goals in the final moments of the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich.

This never-say-die attitude has been missed at Old Trafford over the previous decade with a succession of managers failing to carry on the legacy of the great man and the club are a shadow of what they were.

His longevity will likely never be surpassed, and the Scot continued to build great teams across all four decades he was in charge of the Red Devils, yet might he have won more had he signed everyone that he wanted?

Who did Man United miss out on under Alex Ferguson?

The legendary gaffer managed to lure some incredible names to Old Trafford during his reign, including the likes of Ruud van Nistelrooy, Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Robin van Persie among others.

They all played a significant part in their success, yet there may have been another couple of Premier League crowns or European titles added to the collection had Fergie managed to sign some of the names United were linked with throughout the years.

Icons such as Alan Shearer, Gabriel Batistuta, Gareth Bale and even Spaniard Raul were once linked with a move to Manchester as Fergie sought to bolster his starting XI and these are just a few of the many glamorous figures that were touted for big money moves to Old Trafford.

They all forged legacies at other clubs but one name that the club were linked with went on to become a legend at a club very close to home – Manchester City.

Remarkably, Ferguson tried to lure David Silva to the red half of the city before he eventually joined Man City, and it might well be one of his few regrets in the transfer window given Silva’s impact in the Premier League.

Did Man United come close to signing David Silva?

It appeared that United were keen on the attacking midfielder, yet Fergie wasn’t convinced by his defensive skills which scuppered a move.

“We watched Silva a lot when he was at Valencia,” said the wily Scot. “And the other player they had, the same type, years before it, played in that No.10 role.

“My problem with that was you have to be very, very good to play in that position, because there's no defensive duties for them.

“So if you're wanting to be really successful, everyone has to do their turn, has to work, you know?

“So I had a difficulty with that. But, in the end, of course, there's the greats. You could say Lionel Messi was a No.10 type, Maradona, some fantastic players, and I don't dispute that.”

His attacking prowess surely would’ve made up for his lack of defensive contributions had United signed him, and it proved to be a massive mistake, as he eventually joined City from the Spanish side for a fee of £24m in 2010 and gave Fergie a first-hand account of exactly what he missed out on.

What did David Silva achieve in his career?

Following 168 appearances for Valencia – scoring 32 goals and grabbing 36 assists – the time for Silva to test himself in the Premier League had come, and he joined the City revolution two years after their takeover.

The signing proved to be one of the greatest value-for-money buys in their history as he flaunted his creative talents in England.

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Silva played a prominent role in City’s first league title since 1968 during the 2011/12 season, registering a staggering 23 goal contributions from an attacking midfield role, and he was also a factor for their second Premier League crown in 2014, managing 18 contributions from just 27 games.

He flourished under Pep Guardiola, becoming the main link between midfield and attack and during the title-winning season of 2017/18, Silva averaged a mammoth 97.7 touches per game while holding an 89% pass success rate as he controlled games on a regular basis.

His talents in the final third were still outstanding under his enigmatic compatriot, however. He created 16 big chances and averaged 2.3 key passes during the 2018/19 season and these statistics ranked him fourth and fifth across the whole league, indicating that he was still one of the better performers in the top-flight despite his advancing years.

He enjoyed one more season at City before bowing out having won four league titles among a handful of other honours and his creative talents have certainly been missed, despite the club securing a wonderful treble last season.

Jonathan Liew heaped praise on him following his departure from City back in 2020, saying: “Genius. Magician. Best City player ever. One of the greatest-ever Premier League imports. After 10 years, David Silva finally has his due. Maybe in time, Yaya Toure will get his too. This week’s column.”

There is no disputing any of those when describing the Spaniard and might United’s recent history been radically altered had Ferguson looked over his supposed defensive fragilities?

The former Valencia starlet emerged as one of the finest ever Premier League imports during his decade in Manchester, but there is no doubt the recent history of the competition would’ve changed had United lured him to Old Trafford.

£24m may have seemed a lot in 2010 for a player who hadn’t played in England, yet it turned into a wonderful bargain for City and he only got better.

Ferguson didn’t have that many transfer mishaps over the course of his 27 years at the Red Devils, but missing out on Silva might be one which stung rather hard, especially as he got to see his talents up close during his final three seasons in charge of United.

Would the Old Trafford side be in their current predicament had Silva joined them instead of City? Who knows, but they may have been a far better team to watch during their first few years after Fergie’s retirement, that’s for sure.