With defeat against Nottingham Forest leaving Julen Lopetegui on the verge of losing his job, West Ham United are reportedly already eyeing an impressive replacement for the Spaniard.

Lopetegui on the brink at West Ham

Sat in 14th after a summer of heavy investment, Lopetegui is now reportedly on the brink at West Ham. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Spaniard is under increasing scrutiny with forthcoming games against Everton and Newcastle United the chance to save his job.

Romano wrote in his Daily Briefing after the Hammers were brushed aside by Nottingham Forest: “Another defeat yesterday against Nottingham Forest puts Julen Lopetegui on the brink at West Ham.”

Another day to forget, West Ham’s 3-0 defeat against Forest represented a game between two sides in such contrasting positions compared to the expectations in pre-season. Some would have had Forest just above the dropzone whilst placing West Ham in contention for European qualification. After 10 games, however, it’s the latter who sit closest to the bottom three and Forest who are stealing the show in the Premier League.

It seems as though those at the London Stadium have seen enough too, with Lopetegui edging closer to the sack and a fresh candidate to replace the former Sevilla boss now emerging.

0 duels won: West Ham's "ineffective" ace was even worse than Alvarez

West Ham United were defeated by Nottingham Forest on Saturday

ByRoss Kilvington Nov 3, 2024

According to Romano in his Daily Briefing, West Ham are now eyeing a move to appoint Edin Terzic to replace Lopetegui in what would be the German’s first job since leaving Borussia Dortmund in the summer.

Taking the Bundesliga giants all the way to the Champions League final, Terzic left many impressed but still finds himself without a job in what sums up the ruthless world of football management. Now, however, West Ham could hand the 42-year-old a route back into the technical area, with Romano writing: “The Hammers could appoint former Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzic as the 58-year-old’s successor.”

West Ham can make up for regret by hiring Terzic

With the more old-fashioned David Moyes heading out of the exit door in the summer, West Ham found themselves with one of the most exciting squads outside of the Premier League’s top six and the chance to appoint an equally exciting manager. Yet, in came Lopetegui – a manager who struggled at Wolves albeit without financial backing – and one who has ultimately not become famous for applying the exhilarating football that fans were desperate to see at the London Stadium.

The appointment felt subdued because it was exactly that. Whilst Brighton & Hove Albion took a risk by appointing Fabian Hurzeler before reaping the rewards ever since West Ham stuck with the safe choice only to be full of regret ever since. Now, they should turn to Terzic.

A young manager who proved his worth at Dortmund, Terzic would help get the best out of Mohammed Kudus again in similar fashion to how his 4-3-3 attacking system got the best out of Jadon Sancho. It may be months later, but it’s not too late for West Ham to get their appointment right at the second time of asking.

Aston Villa settled back into Premier League life well after the international break with a convincing 3-1 away win at Fulham, with all attention now shifting back to Champions League action.

Villa have also picked up confident victories in Europe’s most prestigious competition, namely last time out when Jhon Duran’s late strike was the difference between the West Midlands side and the might of Bayern Munich on a famous night at Villa Park.

Still, despite Unai Emery’s men boasting some impressive recent form, the ex-Arsenal manager could be tempted to make some changes to his XI for the test of Bologna tonight.

Those potential changes could well see Leon Bailey drop out of the first-team fold, as the Spaniard contemplates two alterations…

1 GK – Emiliano Martinez

Emiliano Martinez came up trumps in that away win at Craven Cottage, saving a penalty when the game was finely poised at 1-1, and will get the nod to start in between the sticks again.

After all, the Villa ‘keeper did make a mind-blowing seven saves versus Bayern to keep Vincent Kompany’s men at bay.

2 RB – Ezri Konsa

The first change could see Matty Cash drop out of the XI for Ezri Konsa to fill in at right-back, with Cash just back from an injury layoff.

The Poland international might not be risked for the showdown with Bologna, with Konsa a capable replacement having kept a clean sheet from this spot against Bayern.

3 CB – Diego Carlos

Diego Carlos will likely keep his spot even if Cash is sacrificed, as the Brazilian centre-back impressed versus Fulham.

The 31-year-old’s calm passing out from the back saw him only misplace three of his 51 passes on the day and he will be eager to follow up this top Premier League showing with a shutout in midweek.

4 CB – Pau Torres

Pau Torres also shone against Marco Silva’s men in patches, despite allowing Raul Jimenez to score early on for the hosts.

Torres is also one for these big occasions in the Champions League, having now amassed 14 games in the competition, with his last outing seeing him assist Duran’s dramatic winner.

5 LB – Lucas Digne

Yet to miss a game in the Premier League or Champions League for his side this campaign, Lucas Digne feels like a shoo-in for a start.

Digne has also picked up two assists from his ten games this season, with the potential for him to make it three against the visitors from Italy.

6 CM – Amadou Onana

Amadou Onana has been a fantastic summer buy for Emery’s men so far, having impressed with his goalscoring ability with three goals from ten clashes to date.

One of those strikes came in the Champions League up against Young Boys in Villa’s opening taste of the competition, with Onana potentially hungry for more goals when Bologna come to town.

7 CM – Youri Tielemans

Onana will also give Villa some needed grit in the holding midfield positions, with his partner in crime and fellow Belgian Youri Tielemans a creative force for the top-flight club when on his A-Game.

He certainly was playing at the peak of his powers against Fulham, amassing 92 touches of the ball with an assist coming his way courtesy of Ollie Watkins finding the back of the net for 2-1.

8 RM – John McGinn

The second alteration Emery will ponder making is dropping Bailey for a fresher right midfielder to enter the team, with Bailey poor at Craven Cottage.

The Jamaican winger would see the game pass him by, with possession squandered 17 times in total, which could open the door for John McGinn to come in down the right flank.

Jaden Philogene is also in for a shout, but after his quickfire red card at Fulham, Emery might opt to play his “relentless” Scotsman instead, as he was once labelled by football journalist Mat Kendrick.

9 CAM – Morgan Rogers

There will be no doubts in the air as to who starts in the attacking midfield spot tonight, with Morgan Rogers continuing to excel for Villa in recent games.

The ex-Middlesbrough ace fired home Villa’s first goal of the clash against Fulham and will want to leave his mark on Europe’s grandest stage tonight.

10 LM – Jacob Ramsey

Jacob Ramsey also entertained the Villa away masses in West London by putting in a top-drawer showing, with the Villa number 41 assisting Rogers’ opener among other bright moments.

The homegrown Villa prodigy will hope he can unlock Bologna tonight in a similar manner, as his boyhood employers potentially make it three victories from three.

Liverpool had a surprisingly quiet summer transfer window in 2024. In Arne Slot’s first window since taking charge of the Merseysiders, the consensus seemed to be that he might well look to add new players to a squad built under Jurgen Klopp.

However, the Reds made just two signings. One of those players will not join the club until next season. New goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili returned on loan to Valencia, the club who Liverpool paid £29m including add-ons to sign the Georgian from.

Federico Chiesa was the other signing made. The Italian reportedly cost just £12.5m from Juventus, but has only played three times due to injury.

Despite a quiet summer, Liverpool already seem to be planning for future windows and have recently been linked with someone who could add quality and depth in attacking areas.

Liverpool target Bundesliga attacker

The player in question here is Eintracht Frankfurt and Egypt attacker Omar Marmoush. According to a report from German outlet Bild, the Reds have ‘officially expressed their interest’ in the 25-year-old as they look to the future once Mohamed Salah leaves.

However, they could have to go up against Manchester United to sign the winger. Bild reports the winger is valued at just £33m at this stage and does not have a release clause in his contract, which expires in 2027.

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It adds that the Reds have made their interest known to the Bundesliga side and it now remains to be seen whether or not they are prepared to meet their valuation.

Why Marmoush would be a good signing for Liverpool

Few players have been in better form across Europe this season than Frankfurt’s number seven. He has scored 11 goals and has provided seven assists in just 13 games in all competitions. That includes an eye-catching 13 goal involvements in eight Bundesliga games.

Impressively, the 25-year-old is one of just ten players across Europe’s big five leagues who has 10 or more goal involvements in their domestic league so far this term, as per FBref. In fact, there are only two players who have more than him; Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski and Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, who have 16 and 14 goals and assists respectively.

Players with 10+ G/A in Europe’s big 5 leagues 2024/25

Player

Club

Goals

Assists

Robert Lewandowski

Barcelona

14

2

Harry Kane

Bayern Munich

9

5

Omar Marmoush

Eintracht Frankfurt

9

4

Mateo Retegui

Atalanta

10

3

Cole Palmer

Chelsea

7

5

Raphinha

Barcelona

6

6

Erling Haaland

Man City

11

0

Mohamed Salah

Liverpool

6

5

Lamine Yamal

Barcelona

5

6

Bukayo Saka

Arsenal

3

7

Stats from FBref

Should the Reds get this deal done, it could be a repeat of when they signed Roberto Firmino. Liverpool’s former number nine signed from the Bundesliga, costing £29m from Hoffenheim. That, in itself, is similar to Marmoush, who would also make the move to Merseyside from the German top flight.

Firmino is a modern-day legend at Anfield, forming a deadly partnership with Salah and Sadio Mane. He scored 111 goals and grabbed 75 assists in 362 games for the club, helping to win a Premier League and Champions League title during his time at the club.

The similarities between the Frankfurt forward and the former Brazilian international extend further than the fact they have both spent time playing in Germany. The pair are versatile, and whilst they both excel at centre-forward, can play just off the striker or even out wide.

Marmoush, an “electric” player, as football presenter Dougie Critchley described him, has showcased his versatility this season. He has started the majority of games leading the line, just as Firmino did at Liverpool. However, he has also played on the left wing and even as a number 10, a position in which the Brazilian ace excelled when called upon.

There are certainly several comparisons to be made between Liverpool’s legendary centre-forward and their reported transfer target Marmoush, even down to the fact both are right-footed attackers. He is a player that Klopp never really managed to replace, but it could well be Slot who finds the perfect player to do so.

Given the fact the Egyptian forward would move from the Bundesliga and the versatility he possesses, there are clear similarities between Firmino and the Frankfurt number seven. It is a signing that would surely excite the Anfield faithful and someone who could potentially replicate the success of the legendary Brazilian in that famous Red shirt, given his incredible form so far this season.

Related Sky Sports: Liverpool keen to sign Viktor Gyokeres in cut-price £50m deal

He’s one of the most in-form strikers in Europe…

Posts ByTom Cunningham Oct 30, 2024

لا يزال مستقبل محمد صلاح مع ليفربول يزداد غموضًا، مع اقتراب نهاية عقده في صيف 2025 دون أي بوادر واضحة من الإدارة بشأن التجديد، مما يفتح المجال أمام التكهنات حول إمكانية رحيله مع نهاية الموسم الجاري.

وفي ظل استمرار صمت ليفربول، بدأت الأحاديث تتزايد عن البديل المحتمل لصلاح، وسط ترشيحات عديدة، أبرزها أديمولا لوكمان، الذي خطف الأنظار مؤخرًا وتألق مع أتالانتا في الدوري الإيطالي، ما يجعله أحد الأسماء المرشحة لخلافة الفرعون المصري كذلك هناك جناح بورنموث، أنطوان سيمينو.

اقرأ أيضًا.. رسميًا | لاعب ليفربول يغادر معسكر هولندا مصابًا قبل مواجهة إسبانيا

الغياب التام لأي تصريحات رسمية من إدارة ليفربول حول مستقبل محمد صلاح يثير التساؤلات، فهل هناك خطة بديلة؟ أم أن النادي يراهن على صبر اللاعب في ظل تزايد الشائعات عن اهتمام أندية كبرى بضمه؟.

وعلى الرغم من ذلك، تشير بعض التقارير إلى أن النادي لا يزال يأمل في الإبقاء على نجمه الأول، لكن الشروط المالية تبقى حجر الأساس في أي اتفاق جديد، مما يجعل مستقبل صلاح معلقًا حتى يتم حسم الأمور بشكل رسمي.

وفي هذا السياق، كشف الصحفي الموثوق ديفيد أورنستين عبر صحيفة “ذا أثلتيك” عن موقف النادي من المفاوضات قائلًا: “كل ما أعرفه هو أن ليفربول متفائل منذ فترة بشأن التوصل إلى اتفاق، لأنهم في النهاية يريدون بقاء محمد صلاح، وهناك اعتقاد بأنه سعيد ويرغب في الأمر ذاته”.

وأضاف أورنستين: “بالطبع، يجب أن تكون الأرقام المقدمة من ليفربول مناسبة إذا كان يرغب في حسم الأمر”، مما يشير إلى أن العقبة الوحيدة أمام التجديد قد تكون مالية، وهو ما يترك الباب مفتوحًا لجميع السيناريوهات، سواء بتجديد العقد أو رحيل مفاجئ خلال الفترة القادمة.

Arne Slot addressed Virgil van Dijk's future at Liverpool and insisted that he looks forward to a long partnership with the "outstanding" defender.

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Van Dijk's contract ends in less than six monthsDefender recently refused to commit his future at AnfieldHowever, Slot hinted that the Dutchman could pen an extensionFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Van Dijk, alongside fellow key players Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, is currently in the final months of his contract at Anfield. However, there is still a strong belief within Liverpool that the Dutch international will extend his stay, especially given that his performances continue to be at an elite level.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT SLOT SAID

Speaking in a pre-match press conference on Friday ahead of an FA Cup tie, Slot did not hold back in his praise for Van Dijk’s influence at the club.

"Virgil deserves every compliment he gets," Slot told reporters.

"He's been outstanding for this club for so many years and, since I've been here, he's been outstanding for me as well. Yesterday [in the 4-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur] was an example of that. He was, in a good way, aggressive, led the team with and without the ball, he was sharp and ready. It was no coincidence it took 80 mins for Tottenham's first shot on target. Virgil, just like many others, has had a good season but he wants to make it a great season."

When asked about Van Dijk’s future at Anfield, Slot belted out an optimistic response and said: "Good health is the first thing I wish him, and I hope to continue working with him for a long time, although I don't think that will surprise you."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Despite the positive outlook from Slot, Van Dijk himself has been more reserved when discussing his future. Following Liverpool’s recent Carabao Cup semi-final win, the Dutch international was questioned about his next move but offered little clarity.

Speaking to Sky Sports, he stated: "I am feeling good, what the future brings I have no idea. Anyone who says they know, they are absolutely wrong."

This lack of certainty has left some Liverpool fans anxious, especially given his previous hints about wanting to continue competing at the highest level for several more years.

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

After a commanding performance against Tottenham to secure a place in the Carabao Cup final, Liverpool will now shift their focus to the FA Cup. Their next challenge comes in the form of a fourth-round clash against Championship side Plymouth Argyle this weekend, as they continue their pursuit of silverware under Slot’s leadership.

Mohamed Salah's former team-mate Dejan Lovren believes Liverpool do not "respect him enough" and that he's "closer to leaving than staying".

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• Salah in last months of Liverpool contract
• Told Reds "don't respect him enough"
• Ex-team-mate says he's closer to "leaving than staying"

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren played alongside Salah for three seasons and says he still keeps in touch with the Egyptian. He added, "I know a lot of things" when speaking about Salah's ongoing contract situation, that an Anfield transfer exit beckons this summer, and that Liverpool should satisfy his wage demands as he is delivering on the pitch.

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• Getty
  

  WHAT DEJAN LOVREN SAID

  He said, via The Mirror: “We are still in touch. We talk every now and then, yes. I have to be careful what I say now, because I know a lot of things. Honestly, I don’t know the exact numbers, but whatever he’s asking for, I think he deserves it. It’s simple, this guy is doing his job on the pitch.

  “Don’t look at his age, some will say he’ll be 33, but look at Ronaldo, he’s 40 and still playing. Mohamed Salah is still scoring goals, he’s in great physical and mental shape. He’s still playing for the national team, so what’s the problem? He’s seven or eight years younger [than Ronaldo]. So what’s the problem with Salah? Nobody can find an answer, that’s why I find it difficult.

  “I can talk in more detail. Salah believes that there are things missing from the club side, and I hope they’ll be resolved soon. But the current reality is that he’s closer to leaving than staying. Everyone wants him to stay, and I personally want him to stay. I called him one day and said: 'Mo, you have to think about yourself. Look at everything you've given this club and what you can still give.'

  “In the end, I came to the conclusion that the club doesn't respect him enough, or at least not as much as they think they deserve, but that's another side of the story, it's all about what goes on behind the scenes. Everyone can agree when they look at the numbers, there is no player who has the statistics like Mohamed Salah, not only this season, but over the last 5-6 seasons in a row, they are not just amazing numbers, they are crazy.

  “I think he does not get enough attention despite these numbers, because if it was Messi or Ronaldo, we would see talk every day about why his contract was not renewed and why the right offer was not made to him, but unfortunately, I think Mohamed Salah does not get this attention.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Salah said last month that he and Liverpool were "far away" from a contract extension, with the 32-year-old's deal expiring this summer. The ex-Roma star has scored a whopping 26 goals and bagged 18 assists in 34 appearances and is, arguably, playing some of the best football of his career. But there is a real chance this could be his last season at the Reds.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  While contract talks between Liverpool and Salah continue, he has a Merseyside derby to look forward to in a Premier League clash at Everton on Wednesday.

Nine-day tournament starts in Edgbaston on July 29 2022 with the gold medal match scheduled for August 7

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Nov-2021Women’s cricket will debut at next year’s Commonwealth Games with a re-match of the 2020 T20 World Cup final. Australia and India are set to lock horns again on July 29 as a nine-day tournament kicks off in Edgbaston with the gold medal match scheduled for August 7.Seven of the eight teams in this competition were confirmed in April earlier this year. The final one will be determined through a qualifying tournament that will be taking place in January 2022. Their first match of the Games will be against England on July 30. The next day will feature a match that brings the entire cricket world to a standstill. India vs Pakistan.The teams have been split into two groups of four and the top two from each group will qualify for the semi-finals which take place on August 6.Save the date: It’s Australia vs India at the Commonwealth games on July 29 2022•Getty ImagesEngland were an automatic pick into the Games as a result of their being the hosts. The other six teams were chosen based on their place in the ICC T20 rankings as of April 1 last year. Barbados became the West Indian representative on the basis that they won the domestic title in 2020. The 2021 competition had to be postponed.”We have seen tremendous growth of the women’s game over the past few years and the Commonwealth Games will undoubtedly be another major moment on that journey,” ICC acting chief executive Geoff Allardice said.This is only the second time that cricket finds a place in the Commonwealth Games, and it will be kicking off the 22nd edition of the event along with Netball.

Manchester United fan/pundit Mark Goldbridge has been left confused by one of the club’s summer signings after an Erik ten Hag decision in the game against West Ham United. It was another disappointing weekend for the Red Devils, as their lack of finishing and a controversial refereeing decision cost them all three points in London.

Ten Hag must axe 5/10 Man Utd star after losing the ball 16 times

The Man Utd star struggled on Sunday against West Ham United.

ByJoe Nuttall Oct 28, 2024 Pressure mounting on Erik ten Hag

Defeat to the Hammers means it is now four losses in the Premier League for United this season, and it was another game that showed their poor finishing at the top end of the pitch is costing them week in and week out.

However, Ten Hag was left upset and feels his side have felt injustice three times this season after questionable refereeing decisions: “Three times this season we feel injustice. We have to score; we created so many chances, we should have been two or three goals up.

“In the second half, we were forcing it, but we allowed them into the game. When you are losing 1-0, you need big personality and character in the team, and we showed resilience to get back into it. It is unfair and unjust the way we conceded the penalty.”

Meanwhile, Gary Neville believes the pressure on Ten Hag will become “unbearable” if United lose to Chelsea next Sunday: “I don’t think there can be another defeat next Sunday at Old Trafford. I genuinely don’t.

“I think it’s getting to that point now where there is a real worry. I’m worried because the results, the lack of goals, the lack of performances, it’s stacking up week after week after week, and there will be some sort of reasons given [on Sunday] – I’m not going to say excuses – but reasons given around missing chances. But they keep missing chances. These are the players that have been recruited over the last couple of seasons mainly.

“It’s a sobering time because the feeling was after winning the FA Cup final and investing well, having a more smooth transfer window, that now it’s looking like here we are again at that moment where it’s going badly wrong. It’s getting to that point where it’ll become unbearable.”

After the game against West Ham, Goldbridge was left baffled by one of the club’s latest additions, as he didn’t feature against the Hammers.

Goldbridge stunned by what Ten Hag has done with Manuel Ugarte

Mark Goldbridge was left confused by the signing of Manuel Ugarte after he didn’t feature for Manchester United in their game against West Ham on Sunday. Ten Hag decided to go with a midfield of Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, and Bruno Fernandes for the game against the Hammers, despite Ugarte performing very well on Thursday night in the Europa League against Fenerbahçe.

Ugarte, who is on a weekly wage of £120,000 at Old Trafford, was named amongst the substitutes, but he failed to add to his four appearances in the Premier League already. United made three substitutes in the game, and given the situation, as towards the end of the match they were chasing a result, Ten Hag opted against using the Uruguayan, and the fact Casemiro scored their only goal also may have played a part.

Apps

7

Starts

4

Minutes played

348

Goals

0

Assists

0

However, Goldbridge has been left confused by Ugarte’s signing after he failed to appear against West Ham. He took to X after the game and labelled Ugarte’s addition as a “baffling signing”, as United are struggling for form and they are not using their biggest signing of the summer, ending by describing the situation as “weird”.

MatériaMais Notícias

A molecada comandada por Fabio Matias já encerrou a preparação, nesta terça-feira, e está pronta para representar o Flamengo na estreia do Carioca, cuja adversária será a Portuguesa, às 21h35 de amanhã, no Estádio Luso-Brasileiro. E os relacionados já foram divulgados pelo Rubro-Negro.

RelacionadasFlamengoGramado, banco de reservas e mais: os últimos preparos de Flamengo e Portuguesa para o Luso-BrasileiroFlamengo24/01/2022Futebol NacionalGALERIA: veja imagens do Luso-Brasileiro, casa de Flamengo e Fluminense em jogos do CariocãoFutebol Nacional24/01/2022FlamengoPontos de troca de ingresso, preços e mais: todas as informações para ver a estreia do Flamengo no CariocaFlamengo24/01/2022

Os destaques vão para as badaladas joias Lázaro, Matheus França e Mateusão.

>GALERIA: veja imagens do Luso-Brasileiro, casa do Flamengo no Carioca

Ainda não é assinante do Cariocão-2022? Acesse www.cariocaoplay.com.br, preencha o cadastro e ganhe 5% de desconto com o cupom especial do LANCE!: GE-JK-FF-ZSW

Na preparação para o Carioca, o grupo de Fabio Matias, que é treinador do time sub-20, disputou dois jogos-treino no Ninho do Urubu (contra Nova Iguaçu e Boavista), que indicam que uma escalação próxima a: Matheus Cunha; Wesley, Gabriel Noga, Cleiton e Marcos Paulo; Igor Jesus, Yuri de Oliveira e Matheus França; Thiaguinho, Lázaro e André.

> Confira a tabela do Cariocão

Pressionado pela “cultura da vitória”, o Flamengo busca o tetracampeonato na competição. Enquanto um time alternativo de jovens representa o clube, o grupo principal, de Paulo Sousa, segue treinando e só deve estrear na quarta rodada, que será o clássico contra o Fluminense, no dia 6 de fevereiro.

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Roger Hutton resigns in racism probe fallout

Former Yorkshire player Rana Naved-ul-Hasan says he heard Vaughan's alleged racist comments

Morgan said that his squad was “very serious” in its desire to bring about “meaningful change” and said that the ECB’s decision to strip Yorkshire of hosting rights for international fixtures showed “how seriously the ECB are taking how this has been handled”.”In matters of an extreme or serious nature like these are, they need to be met head on,” Morgan said. “For us as a team, that’s exactly what we want to see. The investigation’s ongoing and live at the moment so only time will tell what happens, but I think the actions by the board have demonstrated how seriously the ECB are taking how this has been handled. Yes, we want to see the sport in a great light but equally if there’s an issue as serious as this we want it dealt with as well.”First and foremost, probably more so for the last two to three years, our culture has been built around inclusivity and diversity. It’s actually been quite a strong part of our game. For that period of time we have been active about talking and actioning things that show meaningful change.”We are very serious about it. We firmly believe that there is no place in our sport for any type of discrimination, and I think the actions of the ECB board to Yorkshire have indicated how serious they are about dealing with issues like this.”England have taken a knee before games throughout their World Cup campaign and wore anti-discrimination t-shirts during a “moment of unity” at various points during their home summer. Morgan said that “continuing to give that strong message” was important and that England were “making good ground” towards meaningful change.”There is only so much we can do as a team,” he said. “I think having had a lot of chats with the team, being a part of the significant change [is something] that we feel will lead to something that will be bigger than any of our careers, or any of the trophies that we win. What we do at the moment to try and achieve that, it’s not perfect, but we are making good ground towards change that we want implemented.”Outside of that, we are actually limited to what we can achieve. Continuing to give that strong message, particularly in our moment of unity, and opportunities to speak to you guys [the media], and I suppose ultimately to be ourselves. In teams you have to be yourself. It should feel a little bit like being at home. Obviously it won’t feel like being at home, being around your family, but it should be relaxed, and give you that freedom to feel comfortable in your own skin.”We want to do things that make a difference, and I believe we’ve made strides forwards as a group in doing that in various parts of our game”•Getty Images

“From our point of view as a team, we can only do so much in role-modelling what we believe is right. Yes, we talk about it, but equally we want to do things that make a difference, and I believe we’ve made strides forwards as a group in doing that in various parts of our game. We have found things that are not only pushing things forward, or taking the cap forward, but also feel very authentic to individuals and where they have come from, the journeys they have been on.”Adil Rashid, England joint-highest wicket-taker at the World Cup to date, played with Azeem for a number of years and has been directly involved in the case, having been named in Yorkshire’s report as a victim of an alleged racist remark from Michael Vaughan, the former England captain. Morgan insisted that Rashid was “travelling okay” and that he was “not concerned at all” that it would affect his performances.”Adil is one of our players that, in the normal scheme of things, doesn’t require a lot of support,” he said. “Given what’s happened so close to home for him, I think it’s great that he does have a great support network around him. The team is here, his family are here, which is fantastic but there is no indication at the moment that anything out of the ordinary is happening.”Being away in a different country detaches you slightly from things as opposed to being at home but certainly he’s a guy that has been very close with Azeem Rafiq growing up at Yorkshire. But he’s travelling okay at the moment. I’m not concerned at all.”