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ESPNcricinfo reporter Daniel Brettig was taken to hospital in Dominica on Saturday night after being mugged by men armed with knives in the capital city Roseau

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jun-2015ESPNcricinfo reporter Daniel Brettig was taken to hospital in Dominica on Saturday night after being mugged by men armed with knives in the capital city Roseau.Brettig was attacked by two men and thrown to the ground after withdrawing cash from an ATM a short walk away from the Australian team hotel, and had his wallet and phones stolen.He was treated at hospital for a cut to the head, a bloody nose and other grazes, but said the incident would not taint his view of the Caribbean.”After nearly 10 years of touring maybe I had got too comfortable, but Dominica was certainly not particularly high on my list of dangerous places,” Brettig said. “It goes to show that we must be extremely careful wherever we are in the world, and that we must also look after each other and operate in groups.”The mugging itself was pretty awful and violent, although it could of course been so much worse. Quite early in the confrontation you realise that your valuables are meaningless without your life, and they can all be replaced.”Brettig had visited Dominica previously in 2012 to cover Australia’s Test match there, and said he had fond memories of the country.”I’m grateful to the overwhelming majority of the local population for how much they have worked to try to help me, from the two young men who helped me out of the street where I’d been attacked, to hotel staff, police and others,” he said. “They deserve better than to have their country dragged through the mud by a few thugs and thieves.”I’m also grateful for the kind words and gestures of the Australian team on tour, nearly all of whom have wished me well over the past day. The vigilance of the team security manager, Frank Dimasi, should not be underestimated. Equally, I am thankful for the supportive words I’ve received from the cricketing family back home.”I don’t want to let this episode dissuade me from travelling to the Caribbean nor touring generally, but I will certainly be doing so in more cautious ways in future.”Another Australian tourist travelling with a group of cricket fans was also mugged in Dominica on the same night in a separate incident.The first Test finished in Dominica on Friday, and the teams will move on to Jamaica for this week’s second Test.

Erik ten Hag believes Alejandro Garnacho likely scored the goal of the season against Everton but criticised Manchester United's first-half display.

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Garnacho scored awesome goal against EvertonTen Hag agrees it may be season's best strikeBut coach critical of team's performanceWHAT HAPPENED?

Garnacho gave United an early lead at Goodison Park on Sunday with a stunning overhead kick goal, drawing immediate comparisons to Wayne Rooney's iconic effort against Manchester City. The 19-year-old's wonderstrike has immediately been hailed as a goal of the season contender and while Ten Hag agrees, he was not happy with the way his team played afterwards.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT TEN HAG SAID

"Probably goal of the season. Also the build-up, not just the finish, was very good. The finish is fantastic," he told . "After the start of the game we were too easy-going. I criticised the team at half-time. They thought they were already there. You can't do that. You have to do 100 minutes on the pitch. Second half we did very well."

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Argentina international Garnacho was elated with his effort, saying: "I cannot believe it. To be honest I just turned around and thought 'oh my god'. One of the best I have scored – I am happy."

Asked if he will win the award for best goal in 2023-24, he said: "Probably! It is still November, but yes."

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DID YOU KNOW?

The overhead kick was not the only example of Garnacho emulating Rooney on Sunday. At the age of 19 years and 148 days, the winger broke the United hero's record as the youngest Red Devils star to score against Everton at Goodison Park.

Yunus Musah is eager to point out that he still has his “head held high” despite forming part of AC Milan’s frustrating defeat to Juventus.

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Rossoneri came unstuck against JuventusReduced to 10 men in that contestSlipped from the top of Serie A tableWHAT HAPPENED?

The United States international was handed another Serie A start by the Rossoneri in that contest, as he lined up against fellow countrymen Weston McKennie and Tim Weah. It was to be the visitors to San Siro that had the last laugh, with a solitary goal from Manuel Locatelli settling the tie in Juve’s favour.

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Milan endured a disappointing evening on home soil, with USMNT star Christian Pulisic having to be taken off shortly before half-time following a costly red card picked up by Malick Thiaw. Stefano Pioli’s side were unable to hold out with 10 men, leading to them slipping from the top of the Serie A table.

DID YOU KNOW?

Musah was, however, to put in another impressive performance – with his work rate in the middle of the park being noted once again – and he has posted on social media of the need for everybody in the Milan camp to stick together: “Head held high and always united.”

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WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Musah has now taken in nine appearances for the Rossoneri on the back of his summer transfer from Valencia, with the 20-year-old midfielder earning plenty of plaudits in Italy for the speed at which he has settled in new surroundings.

Lionel Scaloni says he is not worried about Lionel Messi's fitness after his starring role in Argentina's 2-0 win against Peru.

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Messi struggled with muscle issueScored twice in Argentina winScaloni not worried about attacker

WHAT HAPPENED?

Messi scored both goals as Argentina preserved their perfect record in World Cup qualifying. The reigning champions now sit five points clear of Brazil, Uruguay and Venezuela with 12 points from four matches.

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Messi's match-winning performance comes following concerns about his fitness after he missed several MLS matches for Inter Miami because of muscle problems. However, Scaloni saw no reason to be concerned about the 36-year-old based on his display in Lima.

WHAT THEY SAID

"I saw him as if he had not had an injury or a break. It is true that the team has understood him for a while now, he plays in a very marked way that benefits him," he said. "I hope he plays as long as he can, everyone is happy to see him on the pitch.

"We won’t be affected by his break because we won’t be competing again until March. I imagine he will do his preseason with his team, it is not something that really worries us. It was already seen today, without having a lot of minutes like it was said… The most important thing is that he is healthy and that’s the best thing, he is managing his minutes."

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Messi is now set to return to MLS action with Inter Miami, who will conclude their MLS campaign with a double-header against Charlotte.

Cristiano Ronaldo responded savagely to a claim made by former Sporting academy starlet Fabio Paim.

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Ronaldo's savage reply to PaimClaimed he could have been on par with Ronaldo &MessiBriefly played for ChelseaWHAT HAPPENED?

Former Sporting CP academy graduate Paim recently said on a podcast hosted by that he deserves at least one of Ronaldo's five Ballon d'Or awards, and claimed that if he had even half of the Portuguese superstar's brain, he would be on par with him and Lionel Messi in terms of career achievements.

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The words did not go down well with the 38-year-old Al-Nassr star, who posted a savage comment on the video posted on PT Clips Instagram page.

Ronaldo wrote: "Wtf. Who is this guy?"

@ptclipes/IGWHAT FABIO PAIM SAID

Speaking on the podcast, Paim said: "Cristiano Ronaldo should offer me one of his Ballon d’Ors. I went to Sporting when I was seven years old, I grew up there. They were years of glory in which I won everything I could. I didn't reach where I could have reached, but I marked a generation. If people don't forget it's because I marked them.

"I said when I was happy that I thought Cristiano Ronaldo could offer me a Ballon d'Or. But it was with humility. If I had half of Cristiano's head, it wouldn't be him and Messi. It would be me, him and Messi and maybe he wouldn't have won the Ballon d'Or that he has. Maybe one of them was mine."

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Pedro Souza / AtléticoWHAT NEXT FOR FABIO PAIM?

Paim, who played as a winger, has remained a journeyman throughout his career, playing for numerous clubs across several continents. The most memorable transfer of his career was his loan move to Chelsea under Luiz Felipe Scolari. While he did secure a temporary move, the winger never represented the Blues' senior side and only appeared in a few games for their reserve team.

The 35-year-old also represented Portugal at the youth level and retired from professional football in 2018.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has admitted that his side could be better at the back, with a move for a new defender a priority in the upcoming window

With the end of the season fast approaching, planning has begun at Manchester United for the next campaign and how Ole Gunnar Solskjaer can take his team from title challengers to real contenders.

Manchester City look set to run away with the 2020-21 Premier League trophy but United’s results – and some of their performances – this season have shown that perhaps with a couple of tweaks they could have what it takes to properly push for top spot.

There are arguments for strengthening in a number of positions but, with Covid-19 affecting finances, the club will unlikely be able to fund every single one of their targets.

One of the main priorities is a centre-back. Victor Lindelof has come under fire for his performances in recent weeks and there is not enough depth in the position. 

Solskjaer admitted ahead of his side’s clash against Chelsea this weekend that he wants to see defensive improvements from the whole team.

“We know we have scored a lot of goals and of course we need to be a better team defensively,” Solskjaer said. “We have conceded too many goals so we need to improve on that and winning tighter games.”

It is understood, therefore, that United are in the market for a central defender this summer. Here, Goal analyses the names they’ve looked at in the past, a wild card and a few candidates for the future to potentially solve their defensive dilemmas.

Also considered are a couple of in-house solutions should United fail to get the deal done. 

Getty ImagesJules Kounde – Sevilla

Kounde is one of the hottest defensive prospects in Europe and it’s hardly surprising United are interested in the 22-year-old.

Manchester City tried to land him last summer but ended getting up Ruben Dias instead after being put off by the price set by Sevilla. Afterwards, sporting director Monchi admitted that their price may have been inflated.

It will be interesting to see what kind of bid might prove to be acceptable this summer. A compromise would have to be reached as United would not be willing to pay over the odds, especially in the current climate.

Although Solskjaer is after a left-footed centre-back and Kounde is right-footed, he is comfortable on the left side and also fits the profile as a young, exciting player – the kind of player that the United boss wants to fill his side with.

Another positive is that he is able to play right-back. United have been looking at right-backs to provide competition for Aaron Wan-Bissaka. If budgets become a problem and decisions have to be made over which positions to prioritise that could prove to be a benefit.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesDavid Carmo – Braga

Portuguese defender Carmo is another who fits the profile as the kind of player Solskjaer is keen to have in his squad.

The 21-year-old centre-back, who has already been likened to Virgil van Dijk, also fits the bill in terms of being left-footed. He would compliment the right-footed centre-backs Solskjaer already has at his disposal.

Real Madrid are also believed to be keeping an eye on the Braga stopper, while he was briefly linked with Liverpool in the January window.

Carmo is currently recovering from a bad ankle injury suffered two weeks ago which saw him leave the pitch in an ambulance.

Nevertheless, he remains on Solskjaer’s watchlist.

Getty ImagesIbrahima Konate – RB Leipzig

Young Frenchman Ibrahima Konate is another hot prospect when it comes to centre-backs in Europe.

The RB Leipzig defender has been linked with the majority of the big Premier League clubs and has been monitored by United.

The 21-year-old has developed a good relationship with compatriot Dayot Upamecano and their success in Julian Nagelsmann's backline has led to interest from a variety of clubs.  

With Upamecano already agreeing to join Bayern Munich in the summer, it is hard to see Leipzig letting the other key man in their defence leave in the same window.

The fact that Konate has attracted attention from a number of clubs is even more striking given that he has missed a large chunk of this season through injury and has only started four times in the Bundesliga. 

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Getty ImagesRaphael Varane – Real Madrid

Compared to the other, younger candidates, Raphael Varane is heading towards the veteran category at 27 years old. That would not be seen as a negative though with Solskjaer having such a young dressing room.

The United boss has regularly spoken about the experience of older players helping to mould the younger generations and Varane has had plenty of experience at Real Madrid and also in winning the World Cup with France.

A proven winner, he’s out of contract in the summer of 2022 and has yet to agree an extension which could see him move on in the next window.

The United hierarchy are believed to be admirers and his key attributes would compliment captain Harry Maguire at the back.

With Socios.com providing an app for fans to have their say, Goal looks back at five major decisions that formed one of Europe’s elite

Every fan has the right to make their voice heard, wherever they are in the world.

And Socios.com offers you the chance to do exactly that. A first-of-its-kind mobile app for football fans, Socios gets you closer to the team you love by allowing you – the superfan – to vote on club-specific decisions through Fan Tokens.

Fan Tokens are digital assets that give you the power to influence the decisions of your favourite teams.

One Fan Token is all a fan needs, allowing them to participate in every poll. Fans can also put their skills to the test against other fans from around the world in games, competitions and quizzes, competing in global leaderboards and earning real-life and digital club-related accolades, benefits and experiences along the way on Socios.com. 

Fans can also access exclusive content and experience Socios.com’s geo-location, augmented reality feature ‘Token Hunt’.

Paris Saint-Germain are one of over 70 massive clubs on the Socios.com app, which also features the likes of Juve, Barca, Inter, AC Milan and Atletico Madrid as well as Arsenal, City, Everton, Leeds and Villa from the Premier League.

Now that fans have the chance to make the calls at their clubs, we’ve decided to start a series looking back on the big decisions that shaped today’s footballing elite – starting with PSG.  Below, Goal looks back on the five major decisions Les Parisiens made that helped transform them into the superpower they are today.

Getty1Enlisting the help of Santiago Bernabeu to form the club

There are few more iconic names in the world of football than that of Santiago Bernabeu, whose legendary status is such that the stadium of Real Madrid – perhaps the most iconic club in the world – bears his name.

But it is not just in the Spanish capital where Bernabeu’s hand has had a profound legacy in the game. He was also involved in the formation of PSG, playing an important role simply to get the club off the ground.

Born when the newly formed Paris Football Club was merged with Stade Saint-Germain in 1970, PSG were designed to provide the French capital with a formidable footballing force.

PSG was the brainchild of Guy Crescent, Pierre-Etienne Guyot and Henri Patrelle, but the trio were concerned about the financial viability of the club. They approached Bernabeu for advice and he told them to start a crowdfunding campaign, which ultimately proved successful and formed the origins of PSG as we know the club today.

Getty2Having fashion designer Daniel Hechter design an iconic shirt

PSG has long been an iconic footballing brand. They were once instantly recognisable due to their distinctive logo, which contained the Eiffel Tower to represent Paris, and the fleur de lys and Louis XIV’s cradle, representing Saint-Germain.

More striking, though, was the club’s unique shirt. The classic PSG jersey – one to which the fans have a remarkable attachment – consists primarily of blue, with two vertical bands of white flanking one of red in the centre.

No other club in the world can boast such a shirt, making PSG tops both identifiable and stylish. 

Such a shirt is fitting for a club with its home in one of the fashion capitals of the world, and indeed it was conceived by Daniel Hechter, a French designer who took over the presidency of the club in 1973 and gave this shirt design as his welcoming gift.

The ‘Hechter shirt’ as it’s known, has become the definitive PSG look, helping to build the iconic brand that has attracted record investment in recent years.

Getty3Signing George Weah

The arrival of George Weah in 1992 from Monaco provided the trigger that saw PSG enjoy their first golden age in the mid-90s. During that spell, they reached five consecutive European semi-finals, including a first Champions League final four.

Weah was to the fore of many of their most important moments during this remarkable period in which the Parc des Princes would crackle with excitement on European evenings. 

An early highlight was bouncing back from a 3-1 first-leg deficit away to Real Madrid in the UEFA Cup by winning 4-1 after extra-time in Paris, with Weah bagging the opener. The Liberian then notched the only goal in the Bernabeu the following year as PSG again ousted Los Blancos, this time in the Cup Winners’ Cup.

In 1994-95, PSG completed the incredible achievement of winning all six games in a Champions League ‘Group of Death’ that included Bayern Munich, Spartak Moscow and a highly accomplished Dynamo Kyiv. Weah struck a historic solo goal away to Bayern during that run. Johan Cruyff’s Barcelona ‘Dream Team’ were then dispatched but AC Milan proved too good in the semi-finals.

Nevertheless, it was clear that Weah had elevated PSG and he ultimately won the Ballon d’Or in 1995, so far the only player to have played a portion of the year with the Parisian club before lifting that prize.

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Getty4Recruiting Thiago Silva and Ibra in a watershed summer

The summer of 2012 was when PSG announced themselves as a continental force in Europe once again, aided by the backing of their new owners.

QSI had taken command of the club a year earlier, adding Javier Pastore from Palermo in a much-publicised deal. However, this was quickly pushed into the shadows as PSG completed two massive signings in the form of Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, both of whom joined from AC Milan and would become icons at the club.

Thiago Silva’s composure and quality in the centre of defence over nearly a decade at the club would underpin PSG’s European rise, while the mercurial presence of Ibrahimovic offered them both more media visibility and on-field ability than they previously boasted.

Thiago Silva has gone on to be a defensive legend at Parc des Princes, while Ibrahimovic became the club’s all-time leading scorer in just four seasons – a tally since surpassed by Edinson Cavani.

Arsenal fans came up with a brutal 'half our f*cking team' scored chant to mock Burnley fans as the five-star Gunners ran riot at Turf Moor.

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Arsenal beat Burnley 5-0Gooners on a roll at Turf MoorHumiliate home fans with songGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

The Gunners looked unstoppable on Saturday afternoon as they thrashed Burnley by five goals in a Premier League encounter. It was one-way traffic right from the first whistle and the travelling fans were having a gala time at the visitor's stand as their favourite team ruthlessly put the Clarets to the sword.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPWHAT WAS THE CHANT

To add flavour to the festive spirit and mock the opposition support, the Arsenal fans debuted a new chant: "Who put the ball in the Burnley net, half our fucking team did".

Martin Odegaard opened the scoring as early as the fourth minute and then Bukayo Saka added two more each side of half-time. Leandro Trossard got in on the action and then in the final quarter, Kai Havertz added the icing on the cake with the fifth of the night to cap off a relentless performance.

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Arsenal have scored 11 goals on the road in their last two league games. They seem to have hit top gear at the right time as they continue to challenge Liverpool and Manchester City for the title.

Tevin Robertson, a member of the Trinidad &Tobago Under-19 team, has died in a car crash

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Mar-2014Tevin Robertson, a member of the Trinidad &Tobago Under-19 team, has died in a car crash. Robertson, 19, was driving on a highway near Gasparillo, a town in southern Trinidad, at about 5am on Saturday, when his car crashed into a fence. He died on the spot.Robertson was a left-arm fast bowler who had played for the T&T U-19s at the regional tournament in Barbados last year. Prior to the accident, he was part of a training camp for the T&T squad.His mother, Rhea St John, told West Indies papers that he was a keen cricketer from an early age. “He had a passion for cricket,” she said. “Since he was three years old he told me he was going to play with the West Indies team and that he would build a big house for me with a swimming pool.”West Indies ODI captain Dwayne Bravo said: “I knew him as a young boy around the Trinidad & Tobago national team. He was very friendly, very polite, and had a good work ethic and it is just sad to hear he is gone. When I got the news I was stunned. He had a bright future ahead of him. He was a talented young bowler and we all had high hopes for him.”Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) president Azim Bassarath said Robertson was a “disciplined and talented young man, who had a bright future in the game”.Team manager Manohar Ramsaran also mourned Robertson’s loss. “The loss of Tevin Robertson will be felt by the local cricket community. He played an important role coming up the ranks and was called by the national selectors for trials. Tevin was a consistent performer who had a bright future ahead.”

Andrew Flintoff is hoping that his professional comeback with Lancashire is not just a brief career revival

ESPNcricinfo staff31-May-2014Andrew Flintoff is hoping that his professional comeback with Lancashire is not just a brief career revival but Ian Botham has said Flintoff’s plans are a “massive mistake.”Flintoff, who last played in 2009, signed a T20 deal with his county on Friday and will play for his original club, St Annes, on Saturday as he puts the final pieces in place to make a return to the Lancashire side, which could come in the Roses clash against Yorkshire next Friday.However, Botham fears that Flintoff may not have fully appreciated the gamble he is taking after the knee injury which previously curtailed his career.”While I wish him all the very best, I think he is making a massive mistake,” Botham wrote in his column the . “We’ve not seen Fred on a cricket field since those memorable days in 2009 – and five years is a long time out of the game.”For those that can’t remember that far back, Fred had no choice but to quit cricket because of a chronic knee injury that had made walking difficult let alone bowling at 90 miles an hour. Unless he’s managed to swap knees with someone, I don’t know how it has suddenly got better, allowing him to tear in and play the game properly.”To come back after five years out of the game and with that injury still in the background is a huge risk. I just hope he does not let himself down too badly.”When the comeback was first rumoured a few weeks ago it was soon being reported that Flintoff was gaining interest from Big Bash League franchises in Australia and the Caribbean Premier League, which begins in late July, could be another option for him to expand his T20 portfolio if his Lancashire return does not hit problems.After putting pen to paper at Old Trafford, Flintoff had no designs on this being a short-lived return to the cricket limelight and instead looked at those players still performing regularly into their late 30s and early 40s.”I don’t want it to be one year,” he said an interview with the BBC. “You see Brad Hogg playing in the Big Bash, Brad Hodge is playing for Australia at 39, Glen Chapple’s 40 and still charging in in four-dayers.”When I’m bowling it still hurts a bit, but I’m loving running in to bowl and if I can take that into a game I might be quite dangerous.”I’d sooner try and have it not come off than sit at home for the rest of my days thinking, ‘I should have tried this, I should have had a go.’ I don’t live like that.”On Friday evening, having trained with Lancashire before their T20 Blast match against Warwickshire, Flintoff was expressing his excitement over Twitter.”What a day, like starting school again if Carlsberg made schools!” he posted, before adding, “Off to bed for a sleepless night, playing Penrith tomorrow! Must Remember to bite my lip if they sledge , too old for that nonsense I hope!”He also joked that he may find it difficult to get into the Lancashire side after they secured their fourth win in a row by beating Warwickshire. “Should have come back a couple of years ago when we weren’t as good @LancsCCC !! Going to be tough to get in this side.”