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It was like something out of a Hollywood movie. An ageing Cristiano Ronaldo – an icon of the game and of Manchester United – picked up possession in the centre of the park, before sliding the ball through to his heir apparent, Alejandro Garnacho.

In that moment, it appeared that a baton was passed, with the then-teenage winger emulating his footballing hero by duly surging into the box and rifling into the roof of the Real Sociedad net. Could there be a better to way score your first United goal?

Unfortunately for Garnacho, his first Premier League goal for the Red Devils away to Fulham – which came just ten days later – would be somewhat upstaged by Ronaldo’s subsequent bombshell interview with Piers Morgan, yet little can take the shine off that stunning first strike away in Spain.

Roughly two and a half years on from that 1-0 win against La Real, United return to San Sebastian facing another pivotal Europa League night, with Ruben Amorim needing to do all he can to ensure that an already dismal campaign does not end with a whimper.

Season

Round achieved

Opponent

Result – Aggregate

2022/23

Quarter-finals

Sevilla

2-5 (L)

2020/21

Final

Villarreal

1-1 (L – 11:12 on pens)

2019/20

Semi-finals

Sevilla

1-2 (L)

2016/17

Winner

Ajax

2-0 (W)

2015/16

Round of 16

Liverpool

1-3 (L)

2011/12

Round of 16

Athletic Bilbao

3-5 (L)

The Portuguese coach could certainly do with another Garnacho-esque moment this time around, yet having seen his side fall short in the FA Cup last time out, decisions need to be made all across the park.

Patrick Dorgu's availability vs Real Sociedad

One key tweak that the 40-year-old will have to consider is whether to re-introduce Patrick Dorgu to the starting lineup, with the January arrival having seen red on his last outing at home to Ipswich Town a week ago.

The former Lecce man – who signed on a £30m deal – endured a real mixed bag of a night against the Tractor Boys, with an otherwise lively showing having been bookended by a horror mistake for the away side’s opener, as well as his reckless lunge on Omari Hutchinson just before the break.

That needless dismissal ensured that the young Dane was forced to watch on against the Cottagers on Sunday, although he will be able to make his return to action later today, should Amorim deem it wise too.

The 20-year-old had previously caught the eye in the 2-2 draw with Everton down the left flank, having won eight ground duels and completed 100% of his tackles, while offering a constant outlet in an attacking sense.

That showing has illustrated the wisdom of United’s winter pursuit, yet with Dorgu having been so costly on his last appearance, it may be worth considering a possible alternative in that wing-back berth this evening.

Man Utd's internal wing-back solution

Even if Dorgu does start against the Basque outfit, there may be a desire to push him into a more advanced attacking role, with forward options currently depleted outside of Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee.

Chalkboard

That tweak could allow another potential star of the future to slot in on the left flank instead, with academy sensation, Harry Amass, seemingly long overdue a first appearance at senior level.

Signed from Watford back in 2023, the 17-year-old defender has been touted as the long-term solution at left-back, with journalist Alex Turk describing him as “Luke Shaw’s successor” last year.

Shaw himself also tipped his young compatriot as being a player to watch in the near future, with Amass having earned rave reviews for his form in the academy ranks. It is for no reason that talent scout Jacek Kulig has hailed the “exciting” teen as “one of Europe’s most talented teenage full-backs”.

The London-born starlet has chalked up four assists in 21 games this season in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt, with data analyst Ben Mattinson earmarking him as “one of England’s best left-back prospects”.

Part of the side that powered to a 3-2 victory over Arsenal in the FA Youth Cup last week, Amass also caught the eye against a senior Gunners side during pre-season, as well as against Liverpool, with journalist Samuel Luckhurst describing it as a ‘breakthrough tour’ for the youngster at the time.

Frustratingly, a first-team bow has not yet come to fruition under either Erik ten Hag or Amorim, yet with the 5 foot 11 ace – who is part of United’s Europa League squad – seemingly a perfect fit at wing-back, now could be the chance for the next academy diamond to earn a deserved promotion.

Who knows, he could even have his Garnacho moment at Reale Arena…

INEOS need to sell Man Utd ace who had been their "best player this season"

Man Utd need to make some tough decision ahead of the summer window

1 ByRobbie Walls Mar 5, 2025

Bayern Munich chief Herbert Hainer has admitted that Florian Wirtz is likely to join Liverpool this summer.

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Bayern president admitted Wirtz will join LiverpoolConceded defeat in transfer raceLeverkusen looking to complete the transfer soonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Bayern were actively pursuing a move for Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz and were ready to compete in a three-way transfer race along with Manchester City and Liverpool. However, the club have now conceded that they are no longer a contender as club president Hainer admitted that the midfielder is likely to join Liverpool.

AdvertisementWHAT HAS BEEN SAID

Speaking to , the Bayern chief said: "Max Eberl has informed me that Florian Wirtz is probably leaning towards Liverpool. I can't say how things will continue with Leverkusen."

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Earlier on Saturday, Sky Sports' Florian Plettenberg reported that Leverkusen are now working to complete the player's transfer swiftly and are waiting for the Reds' first offer. The former German champions reportedly want a transfer fee and a player from the English club, as they are looking to add a new goalkeeper, a defender, a striker and a potential replacement for Wirtz.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

Arne Slot's side will play their final game of the 2024-25 campaign on Sunday as they host FA Cup champions Crystal Palace at Anfield.

A round-up of the third week of the Bangladesh Premier League

Mohammad Isam28-Jan-2023Sylhet Strikers see both extremesWinning a game despite losing three wickets in the second over against Fortune Barishal, but then losing their first home game. This was Sylhet’s week to forget (or remember). Mohammad Wasim’s three-wicket over should have seen Sylhet slide down the points table but Najmul Hossain Shanto and Rejaur Rahman Raja ensured that they won by two runs. But three days later, they crashed to 18 for 7 in their first game at home, against Rangpur Riders. Mashrafe Mortaza and Tanzim Hasan Sakib rescued them but 92 for 9 was never going to threaten Rangpur. Barishal’s win over Chattogram Challengers on Friday evening took them above Sylhet to the top of the points table.Bowlers rule the week, feat. Haris Rauf, Mohammad WasimThe week started with Haris Rauf bowling the fastest recorded delivery of the tournament, a 154kph thunderbolt at the chest of Darwish Rasooli against Chattogram. The batter fended it off to give a simple catch and Rauf took a three-wicket haul in the game. The following day, Wasim took his three-wicket over, before Nahidul Islam and Taskin Ahmed had their bowl-off in a clash between Dhaka Dominators and Khulna Tigers. Both took frugal four-wicket hauls but Taskin ended up winning the game for Dhaka. Afghanistan allrounder Azmatullah Omarzai and left-arm spinner Nihaduzzaman also had their bowling moments to cap off a fine week for bowlers in the BPL.Batter of the week: Najmul Hossain ShantoShanto is now among the top three run-scorers in this season’s BPL. He has given Sylhet the top-order strength, while also getting a hang of anchoring in T20s. Shanto has a wide range of shots but like Litton Das he needs to know when to use those shots. So far in this season, he has looked like a batter who understands his game slightly better than 12 months ago.Bowler of the week: Taskin AhmedWith his on-field performance, Taskin is creating a gap between himself and the rest of the pace pack in terms of impact. He isn’t playing for the best team in the competition but ensured that Dhaka at least won a memorable low-scoring thriller with his four-wicket haul. Bowling short, full or length, Taskin’s drive towards becoming a better bowler is always evident in his energy on the field.

Wolves now find themselves six points above the relegation zone in the Premier League after 28 games played, following their most recent point earned against Everton, drawing 1-1 with the Toffees at Molineux.

Vitor Pereira’s side held 66% possession against David Moyes’ Everton, taking 11 shots in the match, creating one big chance and generating 0.77 xG.

Wolves have been looking to control games much more in recent weeks, something we haven’t really seen since their big losses in central midfield areas.

However, they may have finally found their next Vitinha or next Ruben Neves in the middle of the park.

Vitinha & Ruben Neves at Wolves

Neves left Wolves in the 2023/24 summer transfer window, joining Al Hilal for a club-record transfer fee of £47m.

The Portuguese midfielder made 253 appearances in his six years at the club, scoring 30 goals, providing 13 assists and totalling 20,558 minutes played.

The 27-year-old was an ever-present figure in their midfield, often taking the captain’s armband in the absence of Conor Coady, before taking the mantle on a full-time basis in the 2022/23 season, when Coady departed to join Everton on loan.

Vitinha is another midfielder who spent some time on loan with Wolves in the 2020/21 season, making 22 appearances for the club, scoring one goal, providing one assist and totalling 711 minutes played.

The club had a buy option for the Portugal international, but decided not to activate it, which in hindsight was a huge mistake seeing the quality he is now showing at PSG. Such has been the midfielder’s rise to stardom that he was among the Ballon d’Or nominees for 2024.

Luckily for Wolves, it looks like they have found their Neves and Vitinha replacement, with a midfielder they signed in the most recent summer transfer window, who is beginning to make a name for himself in the heart of the pitch.

Chalkboard

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

Wolves new irreplaceable star who's shades of Neves

Wolves signed Fluminense midfielder, Andre, for a fee of around £21m in the 2024/25 summer transfer window, and whilst it took a few months to settle, the 23-year-old is now becoming a key fixture in the team under Pereira.

Since joining the club, Andre has made 26 appearances, totalling 1,828 minutes so far. His impact has already led to high praise, with former Molineux man Andy Thompson describing his performances as “outstanding.”

So, what do the numbers say? Well, when you compare Andre’s underlying metrics from this season to those of Neves and Vitinha in their final seasons at the club (Vitinha’s only season), you can see what he brings that they had been missing

Goals

0.00

0.14

0.13

Assists

0.00

0.02

0.13

Progressive Carries

0.33

0.84

1.90

Progressive Passes

3.91

6.51

3.45

Pass Completion %

92.7%

82.1%

87.3%

Key Passes

0.60

0.96

2.07

Passes into Final Third

4.24

6.03

4.48

Tackles

3.10

2.36

1.21

Interceptions

1.24

1.54

0.38

Ball Recoveries

6.63

7.07

5.52

He possesses quality on the ball to progress play mixed with the tenacity and duel-winning capabilities to regain possession in the middle of the park, bringing out the best qualities both Neves and Vitinha possess.

Andre averages the most tackles of the trio with 3.10 tackles per 90, whilst also having the highest pass completion percentage at 92.7%, keeping things ticking in midfield, progressing play and providing steel in the middle when they do lose possession.

It’s these qualities that have led to Andre becoming an irreplaceable figure in recent weeks, and alongside Matheus Cunha when he returns from his suspension, the Brazilian will be key to Wolves staying up and finishing the season in a strong fashion.

Wolves hit the jackpot by selling a player who Gary O'Neil "really liked"

Wolves hit the jackpot on a player last summer who has failed to shine at his new club.

ByRoss Kilvington Mar 10, 2025

Tom Brady-backed Birmingham City are being tipped to "bounce again", allowing them to beat Ryan Reynolds and Wrexham into the Premier League.

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Blues claimed League One title in 2024-25Posted record-breaking points tallyAmbitious owners continue to chase the dreamFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Blues competed with Reynolds, Rob McElhenney and the Red Dragons throughout the 2024-25 campaign. Birmingham claimed the League One title in record-breaking style, with 111 points, but Wrexham will be joining them in the Championship next season after securing a historic third successive promotion.

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The challenge now is to reach the top tier, with an ambitious ownership team that includes minority stakeholder Brady ready to push the club forward – with plans already being drawn up for a stunning new 62,000-seater stadium.

WHAT DAVID DUNN SAID

Quizzed on what NFL legend Brady brings to the table and what the immediate future holds for Birmingham, ex-Blues star David Dunn – speaking in association with – told GOAL: "One of the biggest things in football now is the financial clout that people like that bring. I think he gives you a much better chance than someone with no budget. Even looking at my short reigns as a manager, it is very difficult when the budgets aren’t great.

"I was fortunate enough to be down at Birmingham against Mansfield, the last home game of the season, and the place is just bouncing. It helps when you are winning games, at the top of the league and record points scorers, but even around the ground – it was a lovely day, the fan zones were packed, they had bands on, it was such a good vibe around the place. I think they could be a team that go and crack on again. I think they could bounce again."

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Pressed on whether he expects Birmingham to return to the big time before Wrexham get there, Dunn added: "Yes, I think they will. I think they stand a really good chance of going up. The feel-good factor is there. If they can carry the momentum on into next season and if you have got the financial backing as well…

"I think Chris Davies has done a brilliant job – really like the way he plays. In interviews he comes across really well, so I think they have got a really good chance of double promotions – without putting too much pressure on them!"

Royals lose their fourth game in five outings, leaving them in a mid-table muddle

Hemant Brar05-May-20232:09

‘Noor and Rashid didn’t allow batters time to adjust’

Clinical. That’s what Gujarat Titans were against Rajasthan Royals on Friday night in Jaipur. After bowling out Royals for a mere 118, they chased the target down in just 13.5 overs with nine wickets still in hand.The win helped Titans stretch their lead at the top of the points table and put one foot in the playoffs. Royals, meanwhile, have now lost four of their last five games, and are still stuck in the ten-point cluster in the middle.Royals, though, had a decent start after winning the toss. They were 50 for 2 in six overs, but Yashasvi Jaiswal’s run-out triggered a collapse they could never recover from. Rashid Khan picked up three wickets and Noor Ahmad bagged two as the innings lasted just 17.5 overs.In response, Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill added 71 in 9.4 overs to make the target look even smaller. Hardik Pandya then belted an unbeaten 39 off 15 balls, striking at 260, to give everyone an early finish.The powerplay battleComing into this game, the Titans had the best economy powerplay economy rate in IPL 2023. Royals, meanwhile, had the best scoring rate in that phase. And Jaipur got to witness a bit of both. Mohammed Shami got the new ball to move in the opening over, and despite using their feet to counter the movement, Jaiswal and Jos Buttler could manage only one run off the bat.From the other end, Hardik got Buttler caught at short third after being hit for two successive fours. But Royals stuck with their attacking template. Jaiswal hit Shami for six and four in the third over and Samson did the same to Hardik in the fourth.Royals seemed to be winning the powerplay battle before a misunderstanding between Jaiswal and Samson resulted in the former being run out. Samson cut Rashid towards backward point where Manohar dived to his left to make a partial stop. Jaiswal was more than three-fourths down when he realised Samson had hardly moved. Unfortunately for him, Manohar’s deflection went towards Mohit Sharma at short third whose throw to Rashid found Jaiswal well short.Rajasthan Royals slump•ESPNcricinfo LtdThe Afghan magicR Ashwin entered at No. 5 to try to arrest the collapse. But he lasted only six balls as Rashid pinged his off stump with a legbreak, forcing Royals to bring in Riyan Parag as their Impact Player. That meant Royals would have only five specialist bowlers in the second innings; the original plan might have been to bring in left-arm seamer Kuldip Yadav. The move didn’t work. Rashid’s googly trapped him lbw for 4.Rashid was taken off after his third over. But there was no respite for the Royals. Noor struck with his third ball, uprooting Devdutt Padikkal’s off stump for a run-a-ball 12. In his next over, he had Dhruv Jurel lbw. From the other end, Rashid returned to send back Shimron Hetmyer, leaving Royals 96 for 8. The last two wickets took Royals to 118, which was never going to be enough.Wriddhiman Saha finally found some form•Associated PressSaha off to a flierIt’s not often when a team is all out and the opposition’s wicketkeeper isn’t involved in any of the dismissals. Still, Saha showed his class behind the stumps with a diving one-handed save when Noor sprayed one way down the leg side to Hetmyer.Saha wasn’t done, though. With Gill taking his time in the chase, he smashed five fours in the first 13 balls he faced. Four of them came off Trent Boult, the Royals’ powerplay weapon.Hardik in a hurryAfter Titans’ defeat to Delhi Capitals, Hardik had taken “full ownership” for not closing out the chase as he struggled to find any rhythm despite scoring an unbeaten half-century. He corrected that here.After Yuzvendra Chahal broke the opening stand by having Gill stumped for 36 off 35 balls, Hardik teed off straightaway. He had faced just two balls before smashing Adam Zampa for 6, 4, 6, 6 off successive deliveries. Despite Saha slowing down after the powerplay, Hardik’s assault meant Titans crossed the line with 37 balls left.

Jurgen Klopp has been left “shocked and devastated” by the events at Liverpool’s title parade, with LeBron James also posting an emotional message.

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Reds celebrating Premier League title winCar driven into crowd of supportersMan arrested after causing multiple injuriesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty/GOALWHAT HAPPENED?

The Reds have been celebrating their coronation as the kings of English football in 2024-25. Arne Slot’s first season as manager, having inherited reins at Anfield from Klopp last summer, has seen Liverpool crowned Premier League champions.

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A mass celebration took place in the city on May 26, as thousands of fans from across the country made their way to Merseyside. A joyous occasion turned sour when a car was driven into the crowd of people packing busy streets.

DID YOU KNOW?

A 53-year-old man has been arrested, with 47 people left injured. Per the , four of those are considered to be in serious condition, with four children among the 27 casualties that required hospital treatment.

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WHAT JURGEN KLOPP SAID

Former Liverpool boss Klopp, who is back in England to take in the title-winning celebrations, has posted on social media: “My family and I are shocked and devastated. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who are injured and affected. You'll never walk alone.”

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly made a £29m offer to sign a new defender who has been likened to Micky van de Ven.

Tottenham manager rumours with pressure on Ange after Fulham defeat

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou is coming under more scrutiny in the media following the club’s latest Premier League defeat to Fulham.

In fact, Cottagers boss Marco Silva is thought to be a leading candidate to replace the Australian at Tottenham, should those in north London decide to part ways with Postecoglou.

Ange replacement: Spurs now eyeing "outstanding" 4-3-3 coach who Pep loves

Tottenham have now shortlisted another manager as a potential replacement for Ange Postecoglou.

ByDominic Lund Mar 19, 2025

Speaking after the loss at Craven Cottage, Postecoglou said: “I said to the players, I’m not going to let anyone just think about Europa and nothing else. We can’t let this league season go the way it has. We’ve lost way too many games, unacceptable.

“I understand the supporters’ frustrations with that. It was another day where we let a game get away from us when we shouldn’t. We had chances to go 1-0 up which would have put pressure on them, then they scored a really soft goal. Today the opposition haven’t blown us off the park. For 75 minutes we were where we wanted to be, the fact we came out of that game with nothing is disappointing.”

Alongside Silva, Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is on Spurs’ radar, with contact already made with his agents. Elsewhere, ex-Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has also said he’s open to returning to north London in the future.

However, with Postecoglou still in charge, transfer chiefs behind the scenes at Tottenham appear to be working hard and have reportedly tabled an offer to sign a new defender.

Tottenham make £29m bid to sign Premier League defender

According to Africa Foot, Tottenham have made a bid to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Rayan Ait-Nouri.

The report claims that Spurs have tabled a bid in the region of €35m (£29m) for the 23-year-old, who is also wanted by Liverpool and West Ham.

However, it is Tottenham who are leading the race and are ‘the most likely candidates to sign’ Ait-Nouri this summer.

A left-back at the top of his game with a career-high €35m Transfermarkt valuation, Ait-Nouri has been compared to a number of defenders by Football Transfers, including van de Ven.

Micky van de Ven

Tottenham

Javi Galan

Atletico Madrid

Valentino Livramento

Newcastle

Kieran Tierney

Arsenal

Luke Shaw

Man Utd

Ferdi Kadioglu

Brighton

He’s under contract at Molineux until 2026, although Wolves have the option to extend that by 12 months, however, following this update, it looks as if a move to Tottenham could be on the cards for the Algeria international.

Chelsea have failed to agree a deal with Borussia Dortmud for Jamie Gittens before the end of this summer's first transfer window.

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Chelsea's Gittens deal collapsesDortmund want more than €55mBlues could revive negotiations later in summerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Chelsea have failed in their bid to sign Borussia Dortmund winger Gittens before the Club World Cup, according to . The Blues were keen to get the deal wrapped up before the end of the first summer transfer window but the German side have knocked back their latest bid of €55m (£46.6m) and it is thought there is not enough time left to get the move finalised before Tuesday's deadline.

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Gittens had impressed Blues scouts during a breakout year in Germany which saw the 20-year-old contribute 12 goals and three assists in 48 appearances in all competitions. However, his Dortmund contract still has another three years left to run and the German side clearly don't feel the need to be pressured into accepting an offer below their valuation.

Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream nowDID YOU KNOW?

While they'll be disappointed by this transfer failure, Chelsea have still wrapped up deals for both Liam Delap and Mamadou Sarr from Ipswich and Strasbourg respectively. Both new signings are available to play in the Club World Cup, with Enzo Maresca's side beginning their campaign against LAFC next Monday.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR GITTENS AND CHELSEA?

Chelsea may well return with an improved offer for Dortmund, but that deal will have to wait until later in the summer for official completion. In the meantime, both the Blues and Dortmund will be targeting glory in the Club World Cup.

Bopara late arrival undermines visitors as Hampshire stroll to ten-wicket success

David Hopps03-Jun-2023Ravi Bopara’s failure to reach the Ageas Bowl in time to lead Sussex in their Vitality Blast tie against Hampshire was followed by a chaotic, and at times utterly doltish, batting display that ultimately cost them a 10-wicket defeat as their inoperative captain watched a little sheepishly from the bench.Sussex’s 144 had been made on a dry, grippy hybrid surface which encouraged imaginings that they were not quite out of the match but Hampshire, the defending champions, strutted to victory with 31 balls to spare – their first-ever 10-wicket victory in this competition. Hampshire go third, but Sussex are second bottom and have lost their last two matches heavily at the start of a period of six games in eight days.Hampshire’s experience is coming to the fore again. Ben McDermott was in robust mood as he made his first half-century in 14 innings and James Vince, who this season has already become the highest career run-scorer in the Blast, was once again in imperious form. is His unbeaten 71 took 31 balls, the highlights a couple of immense slog-sweeps, and he now level with Derbyshire’s Wayne Madsen in the Blast run-scoring table with 351 runs at an average of 175.50. “I didn’t think I played all that well,” he said, further berating himself for almost running out McDermott with a handful of runs needed.McDermott, who dominated the strike early on, imposed himself with a towering six down the ground off George Garton and then ramped the next ball over the ropes. The pair’s first fifty stand of the season came off the last ball of the powerplay, but they ended the match with Hampshire’s highest first-wicket stand in T20.In a record-breaking week, Vince now has 20,000 runs for Hampshire across all formats. Samit Patel and Madsen are the only other current players to have as many runs in county cricket. Typically, his beauty of stroke was achieved in remarkably undemonstrative fashion, as if his sheer elegance animates those who watch him more than it delights himself.Bopara was caught in a traffic jam on the M27, caused by a serious accident around 4pm which caused the eastbound carriageway to be closed throughout the evening. As Sussex’s captain, he might have been expected to get there earlier than most, but he was the only player or official not to make it in time for the game, although there were many late arrivals in the crowd. He passed on the captaincy to Tom Alsop as he sat motionless in traffic.Paul Farbrace, Sussex’s head coach, restricted his comments to Sussex’s on-field shortcomings. “There is a lot of inexperience and it is showing,” he said. “It is showing in our shot selection and reading of the game. We had glimpses of good cricket and then we had some unbelievably dozy cricket.”We had an education tonight from the best T20 team in county cricket. They taught us a lesson in so many ways. Their professionalism, the way they set their fields, the way they threw the ball in, ran between the wickets, struck boundaries and attacked our bowlers. The ones who are sharp enough in our team will learn from what they saw tonight.”Few county careers have been observed so fondly as Bopara’s over the past two decades. His laidback nature has been part of his popularity, even as it has occasionally driven his coaches to distraction. Somehow, he managed to play 171 times for England in all formats without ever quite feeling a permanent member of the side, which was quite an achievement.Much has been made of his disorganised and forgetful nature. A memorable article about him in 2011, after he promised to be more reliable, listed four aims and ambitions to cement that England place, of which No. 3 was “remember passport” and No. 4 was “buy a louder alarm clock”.But as England celebrate a new, attacking era, he deserves more recognition for being a progressive, too, because no England player was more outspoken in the dressing room about how the game was changing. It was Bopara who dared to speak out with feeling after England’s timorous 2015 World Cup campaign and said they must “develop braver players and stop fearing”. He was 29 and didn’t play for England again, but he was right. Bazball? Perhaps it should have been coined Raviball.For the second match in a row, Farbrace despaired at Sussex’s self-destructive batting display. First Essex, now this. Three run-outs, a frozen innings of 1 in 11 balls from Pakistan’s Shadab Khan (back in the side after his on-field collision with Nathan McAndrew, who remains absent) and Garton’s determination to get out on the reverse sweep were all contenders when it came to raising Farbrace’s blood pressure.Sussex were handily placed at 60 for 2 in 7.1 overs, driven forward by Tom Clark’s 36 from 25 balls. Then Clark cut Liam Dawson through the hands of backward point, pushed Dan Ibrahim for a second run he didn’t fancy and the batter was well short as Ross Whiteley sprinted off the cover boundary and flung in to the bowler’s end.When Scott Currie outdid Clark in the following over, squared up as he turned to leg and edging to short third, Sussex’s decline was set in motion: Currie is shaping up for a breakthrough season. Shadab, who had a poor season at Yorkshire last summer, never fashioned a response and eventually swept Dawson straight up in the air. Two balls later, Dawson slipped one through the gate as Michael Burgess came down the pitch and McDermott grabbed and missed, but inadvertently thighed the ball into the stumps to complete the dismissal. Dawson’s 2 for 14 revealed the left-arm spinner at his best.Sussex’s misadventure worsened. Garton was fortunate to escape when his reverse sweep against Mason Crane was almost palmed between two fielders at backward square. Astonishingly, he repeated the shot next ball, was undone by the legspinner, and James Fuller held the catch without the assistance of a team-mate.Two calamitous run-outs followed. James Coles fell attempting an impossible run to backward point (Fynn Hudson-Prentice, the striker, was ball watching, so he was not much better) and Ari Karvelas was sent back as he envisaged an equally crackpot second run to Vince’s misfield. Even Vince’s errors are turning out well in a magnificent run of form.