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Liverpool are believed to hold an interest in Napoli's prolific forward Victor Osimhen as they look to bounce back from a lacklustre season in the Premier League.

What's the latest on Victor Osimhen to Liverpool?

That's according to yesterday's edition of Corriere dello Sport (via Paisley Gates), who state that with a vested interest in the ace from the Reds, Manchester United, Chelsea, Newcastle United, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, the Serie A champions are demanding around €150m (£128m) for their talisman.

Osimhen has been one of Europe's most prolific forwards this season and has been instrumental in his outfit's triumphant campaign, but with just two years left on his current contract, Partenopi may be forced into considering a sale if negotiations are fruitless.

Liverpool's frontline is probably the area least desperate for reinforcements and given that the midfield holds a hole following contract conclusions this month, Osimhen's signature might be hard to obtain.

Despite this, Klopp will admire his superlative skill set and could look to test the waters by initiating negotiations.

How many goals has Victor Osimhen scored?

Since signing from Lille for £81m in 2020, Osimhen has scored 59 goals and supplied 14 assists from 101 appearances, bursting into prominence this term and plundering 31 strikes from 39 outings, now heralded as "world-class" by Matteo Bonetti.

The £90k-per-week phenom ranks among the top 1% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 1% for total shots and the top 3% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, as per FBref.

Dubbed a "goal-scoring machine" by journalist Josh Bunting, Osimhen would bring a potency only a select few in world football could rival, providing Jurgen Klopp with the dream rival to Manchester City's devastating striker Erling Haaland.

Liverpool hoped to have found their own new talisman last summer after completing a club-record transfer for Darwin Nunez, potentially reaching £85m, but a somewhat underwhelming maiden year on Merseyside has left the Uruguayan requiring an upswing in his cutting edge to truly cement a starting berth and wreak havoc as anticipated, with club legend Robbie Fowler saying he is "too wasteful".

Coincidentally, Nunez is listed as a comparable player on FBref to the 25-cap Nigerian, albeit far less convincing in his frontal prowess at present, ranking among the top 1% of peers for total shots and the top 12% for rate of non-penalty goals per 90, which is by no means unimpressive but highlights the missed opportunities that have contributed to the Reds' malaise this year.

Still only 23-years-old, Nunez has ample time to grow into his skin but Klopp will be tantalised by the prospect of signing such a first-class attacker in Osimhen and despite his exorbitant valuation, could lodge a formal offer as he looks to rebuild Liverpool's once-imperious squad.

He is the “heart and soul” – as stated by journalist Mina Rzouki – of Napoli's thriving outfit and he could emulate such an aura at Anfield and spearhead a coveted renaissance, albeit at the expense of Nunez who could well be banished from the starting XI as a result.

Allrounder Harmanpreet Kaur has been named captain of the India women’s T20 team and will lead the side in the home series against West Indies and the Asia Cup T20 tournament in Thailand next month. Mithali Raj, meanwhile, will continue to lead the side in the home ODIs against West Indies, which starts on November 10, and will play as a batsman in the Asia Cup and the T20s.Harmanpreet has captained India in three ODIs and six T20Is. Her previous stint in charge of a full series was at home against Bangladesh women in 2012-13 after Raj was rested. Harmanpreet’s last appearance as captain in a T20I was in March 2014, when she stood in for Raj in the third match of the side’s tour to Bangladesh, prior to the Women’s World T20.Allrounder Mona Meshram, legspinner Devika Vaidya and left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht were recalled to the squad for the West Indies ODIs, which also includes uncapped seamer Sukanya Parida. While Meshram last played for India in April 2013, Vaidya is uncapped in ODIs, having played one T20I for the side in November 2014. Bisht had missed the home ODIs against Sri Lanka earlier this year.The T20 squad for the West Indies matches and the Asia Cup includes uncapped seamers Sabbhineni Meghana and Mansi Joshi, and wicketkeeper-batsman Nuzhat Parween, along with Preeti Bose, who played her sole ODI in February 2016 against Sri Lanka women. The only change in the two T20 teams is the inclusion of wicketkeeper Sushma Verma for the Asia Cup at the expense of offspinner Deepti Sharma.The ODI series against West Indies will be played between November 10 and 16, followed by the T20I series from November 18. The three ODIs will be counted for points in the ICC Women’s Championship and are the last matches for the teams in the tournament. West Indies, currently placed third, will look to confirm their automatic qualification for the 2017 Women’s World Cup with a finish in the top four, while India, currently sixth, are likely to finish in the bottom half of the table.The six-team Asia Cup will be played from November 27 to December 5, and will feature Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand and Nepal.India squad for WI ODIs: Mithali Raj (capt), Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Thirush Kamini, Mona Meshram, Veda Krishnamurthy, Devika Vaidya, Sushma Verma (wk), Jhulan Goswami, Shikha Pandey, Sukanya Parida, Poonam Yadav, Ekta Bisht, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Deepti SharmaSquad for WI T20Is: Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana, Mithali Raj, Sabbhineni Meghana, Vellaswamy Vanitha, Anuja Patil, Deepti Sharma, Nuzhat Parween (wk), Ekta Bisht, Poonam Yadav, Preeti Bose, Veda Krishnamurthy, Jhulan Goswami, Shikha Pandey, Mansi JoshiSquad for Asia Cup: Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana, Mithali Raj, Sabbhineni Meghana, Vellaswamy Vanitha, Anuja Patil, Veda Krishnamurthy, Sushma Verma (wk), Nuzhat Parween, Poonam Yadav, Ekta Bisht, Preeti Bose, Jhulan Goswami, Shikha Pandey, Mansi Joshi

Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic this summer and his arrival could help Jurgen Klopp to once again rival Pep Guardiola and Manchester City.

Could Liverpool sign Milinkovic-Savic this summer?

It seems clear that the Reds need to recruit in the middle of the park after James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita were all confirmed to be leaving Anfield when their contracts expire at the end of June.

Journalist Rudy Galetti confirmed in a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT that Milinkovic-Savic is one of the names that Klopp will consider this summer.

He said: “Yes it's true, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is among the names in the list. His contract will expire in 2024 and Lazio, to avoid losing him as a free agent next year, will have to sell him in the summer.”

As the 28-year-old is now entering the final year of his contract at the Stadio Olimpico, reports have suggested that he could be available for as little as €40m (£35m), which could represent a bargain for the Reds as they look to reestablish themselves alongside the Premier League's elite next season.

Would Milinkovic-Savic be a good signing for Liverpool?

This season alone would be enough to justify the Reds spending more than £30m on the Serbia international, as he boasts nine goals and eight assists in Serie A, with a superb 7.24 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Given this is a better average rating than anyone in Liverpool's squad would muster, while only Mohamed Salah managed more goal contributions, it is clear the quality that Milinkovic-Savic could add at Anfield.

A lack of quality in the middle of the park has certainly cost the Reds this season, with none of the central options in Klopp's squad contributing more than four goal contributions, with Fabinho agreed to be 'out of gas' and on 'the decline' – as per Sachin Nakrani – and Thiago struggling with injury throughout the campaign.

Such was Milinkovic-Savic's level of performance earlier in the campaign that teammate Ciro Immobile dubbed him magic and suggested that he was even "on the same level as Kevin De Bruyne."

If the 28-year-old proved to be even half as good as Manchester City's talismanic Belgian, who has contributed 96 goals and 149 assists during his time at the Etihad, and won five Premier League titles, it would quite the signing.

While perhaps not the most elegant of footballers, they boast ruthless efficiency from central areas in the final third.

Klopp will be desperate to try and rival the Citizens once again in 2023/24 after pushing them so close last season, and the signing of Milinkovic-Savic could definitely take his midfield to a new level and get them back to their best.

West Bromwich Albion ended the 2022/23 campaign just shy of the play-offs in the Championship as Carlos Corberan's side finished three points off the top six.

The Baggies missed out on a play-off place to Sunderland and the club should use the upcoming summer transfer window to bolster their side with a view to making a better fist of a promotion push in 2023/24.

One area in which they could improve is centre-forward as their top scorers – Brandon Thomas-Asante and Daryl Dike – ended the season with just seven goals in the division.

West Brom were recently linked with a possible £4m swoop to sign Blackpool striker Jerry Yates and the Englishman could come in as a big upgrade on current forward Thomas-Asante.

How did Jerry Yates perform this season?

The 26-year-old forward enjoyed a strong campaign with the Tangerines in spite of their relegation down to League One and he could be the club's missing link at the top end of the pitch.

Indeed, Yates plundered 14 goals and missed eight 'big chances' in 41 appearances for Blackpool in the Championship proving himself to be a serious threat in the final third.

The attacker, who averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.87, also scored eight goals in 23 starts in the league in 2021/22, indicating that he is a reliable scorer at that level.

As such, he could well be an upgrade on Thomas-Asante who averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.66 across 33 appearances in the division. He only scored seven goals and missed a whopping 12 'big chances', demonstrating that the 24-year-old was poor in front of goal, failing to make the most of the opportunities provided to him.

The misfiring marksman also failed to offer much in the way of creativity as he averaged 0.5 key passes per game and created three 'big chances' for his teammates in the Championship. Whereas, Yates produced nine 'big chances' in total and 0.8 key passes per game for Blackpool.

These statistics indicate that the 26-year-old would come in and provide more quality in the build-up than Thomas-Asante as the ex-Rotherham man has the ability to set up opportunities for others as well as being able to finish off his own.

As a result, the "immense" Yates – as dubbed by reporter Sean McGinlay – could be a big upgrade on the current West Brom number nine as his form for Blackpool proves that he could offer more in the way of goals, chance creation, and general standard of performance.

Corberan must now swoop for the Englishman and take advantage of his team's relegation from the Championship to find the Bagges' new prolific marksman for next season.

Alastair Cook has backed Chris Woakes and Nick Compton to deliver in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Durham, but admitted that both players need a performance to retain their places beyond the series.Woakes comes into the team in place of the injured local hero Ben Stokes. But while Cook has confirmed that Woakes is likely, fitness permitting, to play in both the remaining Tests of the series, he also admitted that he had yet to settle in Test cricket.Woakes’ current Test record – he has taken eight wickets in six Tests at an average of 63.75 and he averages 21.50 with the bat – is modest. But, over the last two rounds of Championship matches, Woakes has taken career-best bowling figures of 9 for 36 against Durham and scored the ninth first-class century of his career against Nottinghamshire. Cook hopes, therefore, that he enters this Test with confidence soaring and insisted that he was highly rated by his colleagues.”He is another one of those guys we have not seen the best of in international cricket,” Cook said. “There is no doubt in my mind that facing him in the nets, seeing him bowl for Warwickshire or knowing his character that he has a lot going for him. He is really respected.”He just needs that performance to make him feel settled in the side and help him feel he belongs in international cricket. I have no doubt about that. I am really excited about him playing and he has the next couple of games with Ben out. He can make future selection really hard.”Cook admitted there had been a temptation to select Jake Ball, the in-form Nottinghamshire seamer who has taken 21 Championship wickets at a cost of 22.28 this season. But England enjoy the depth that fielding an extra allrounder gives them and feel that Woakes is a closer like-for-like replacement for Stokes.”We enjoy playing with this balance of the side,” Cook said. “We know Ben balances the side really well, but he could get injured [again] and obviously we need the competition in that all-rounder place.”Ben is going to be a big loss for us. But injuries are part and parcel of a side and we need to know we can play without him. Chris has that opportunity to fill the all-rounder role and Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow go up a spot in the batting, so it gives them more of an opportunity.”While Cook said Stokes’ operation had “gone well” he also cautioned against rushing him back into action and suggested it was too early to say whether he would be fit for the start of the Test series against Pakistan.Compton, meanwhile, has averaged 27.22 in the five Tests he has played since coming back into the side in South Africa. In that time, he has scored one half-century from nine innings with most recent six innings bringing 15, 26, 0, 19, 6 and 0. He admitted on Wednesday that he was playing for his international future.Cook agreed with that view, but offered encouragement over his ability to perform under pressure.”It’s quite refreshing he has come out and said it in one way,” Cook said. “You are always under pressure playing for England because of the competition for places. People want to take his place. That is the nature of the beast.”We know he is a good player,” he added. “There’s no doubt about that, you see his record in first-class cricket over the past five years, he is right up there in the run-scorer’s chart. He made an important 80-odd in South Africa in tough conditions, he battled hard and set up that win, and he scored two hundreds already so he can play at this level.”He knows, like all of us, he is a score away and he will need a score. But this is a good place to do that.”Cook also said that the team management had discussed batting Moeen at No. 6 in the hope of coaxing more out of his batting. In the end, though, they decided to keep Bairstow one place ahead of him, with both moving up one position.”We did discuss leaving Jonny at seven,” Cook said. “I just thought that was a bit complicated; a bit funky.”I imagine it is hard for Mo, a guy who has batted at the top of the order ,to bat lower down and I don’t think we have seen the best of Mo’s batting. It’s an area where we can unlock a bit more. He has played some brilliant innings for us, those partnerships with Stuart Broad against Australia were devastating against high-quality bowling. He is a brilliant cricketer and I think he will get better and better.”

Liverpool have been offered the chance to bring PSV Eindhoven midfielder Ibrahim Sangare to the Premier League, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Reinforcements needed

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Arthur Melo will be returning to Juventus upon the expiration of his loan and Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are also out of contract at the end of the season so central reinforcements will be required in the summer.

The Ivory Coast international’s deal at the Philips Stadion isn’t set to expire until 2027, but being Ruud van Nistelrooy’s top-performing defensive player, feels like he’s ready to embark on a bigger challenge in England which has been confirmed by his boss himself.

Speaking to Voetbal International, he said:

“Obviously he can handle [the Premier League]. I have challenged him because I think Ibrahim can go to the top in England. He would also be great in Italy or Spain.

“I see players in his position there now and I think Ibrahim is definitely going to take a shot at that level.”

The Latest: Liverpool offered Sangare

According to 90min, Sangare is ‘ready’ to complete a move to the Premier League and it’s reported that PSV are ‘open’ to cashing in this summer whilst his value is high, with his contract having a €37m (£32m) release clause.

Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham have been ‘offered’ a chance to sign him and all are ‘admirers’ of the 25-year-old.

They’ve apparently been ‘alerted’ by Sangare’s agents that he is set to be available for transfer during the upcoming window.

The Eindhoven star’s representatives have ‘spoken’ with Jurgen Klopp and the hierarchy as well as the rest of his potential suitors to make them aware of his decision.

West Ham have also been ‘touted’ as a possible destination, but it’s claimed that he’s ideally looking to join a ‘bigger side’.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Sangare has been dubbed a ‘top talent’ by football scout Jacek Kulig and Liverpool should definitely act fast to get this deal over the line ahead of their fellow competitors.

The 6 foot 3 colossus currently ranks in the 92nd percentile for most tackles and successful take-ons per game, showing that he’s not afraid to get stuck in, win back possession and dribble past his man.

The Cote d’Ivoire native’s desire to consistently contribute to his side’s efforts in the final third hasn’t gone unnoticed either having scored seven goals and provided three assists across all competitions this season (Transfermarkt).

Finally, Sangare can operate in defensive, central and attacking midfield so would add plenty of versatility to the squad, making this deal even more of a no-brainer to complete.

West Bromwich Albion forward Grady Diangana is set to be ruled out for the ‘remainder’ of the Championship season, according to journalist Lewis Cox.

The Lowdown: Injury concerns

The Baggies winger was forced off the pitch with a serious foot injury during the 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough at the Hawthorns on February 25, which saw him miss the following defeat to Hull.

Carlos Corberan had confirmed that the Midlands outfit were awaiting news from a specialist to discover the exact extent of the damage, but it sounds like supporters shouldn’t be hoping to see him again anytime soon.

The Latest: Diangana update

Taking to Twitter, Cox revealed that Diangana is expected to be ruled out for the rest of the 2022/23 campaign. He wrote:

“Looks like bad news on Grady Diangana. Set to miss remainder of season due to surgery on ligament damage in foot. #wba waiting for second opinion but surgery likely.”

The Verdict: Blow for Corberan

Diangana has been a regular feature for Corberan since being appointed at West Brom, starring in 19 of his 21 games in charge, so it’ll be a massive blow to lose one of his most trusted players.

The Congo-born talent has netted four goals and provided three assists in the second tier this season, where he was averaging 1.3 shots and the same number of key passes prior to his absence (WhoScored).

The 24-year-old is also strong in the defensive aspect of his game, ranking in the 99th percentile for most blocks made per 90 minutes by players in his position.

Diangana is a valuable player to have in the building having operated in four different positions this term, so it’s vital that he begins his road to recovery to get back on the pitch as soon as possible.

Pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor has told Tottenham Hotspur and Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou exactly who they need to replace Richarlison.

Who have Tottenham signed 2023?

Chairman Daniel Levy brought in goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, young centre-back Ashley Phillips, defender Micky van de Ven, midfielder James Maddison, winger Manor Solomon, striker Alejo Veliz and forward Brennan Johnson over the 2023 summer transfer window.

In their place, former superstar striker Harry Kane, Sergio Reguilon, Joe Rodon, Djed Spence, Harry Winks, Alfie Devine, Troy Parrott, Dane Scarlett, Davinson Sanchez and Tanguy Ndombele all moved elsewhere either on loan or permanently.

Levy and Postecoglou's off-field decisions have paid dividends so far with the likes of Maddison and van de Ven seriously proving their worth as part of an exciting, new-look Tottenham team.

Maddison's two goals and two assists highlight exactly why Spurs paid £45 million to prise him away from Leicester City and the Englishman has dazzled under Postecoglou.

Tottenham currently sit second in the top flight table with three wins from their opening four Premier League matches; scoring 11 goals in the process and matching Man City's imperiousness going forward.

What happened to Richarlison?

However, one player who has been under-fire throughout last term and now is Richarlison.

The Brazil international, who was spotted "in tears" after being hauled off for his country during internationals, has scored just four goals in all competitions since signing for Tottenham in the summer of 2022.

Richarlison isn't exactly justifying his £60 million price tag so far and there have been concerns over just how much he can contribute for Postecoglou going forward.

Agbonlahor, who regularly features for talkSPORT, has suggested that the former Watford star just isn't the answser and a top striker is Tottenham's "missing" piece of the jigsaw.

The former Aston Villa striker, explaining who Spurs should go for in this regard, believes Brentford striker Ivan Toney would be a brilliant choice.

“I think Toney is an upgrade on Jackson at Chelsea, who’s a bit raw still. But he goes into most teams, apart from Man City," said Agbonlahor to Football Insider on his links to Stamford Bridge at first.

“Chelsea will want to make it happen, and they’ll give him the 20-year deal to do that. But I think Spurs should look at him as well. They’ve got Maddison, Son, Kulusevski – but they’re missing a top striker.

“Richarlison isn’t the answer. Toney could give a team like Tottenham a huge push for the second half of the season.

“I think he will have his pick of clubs. Strikers like him are rare, and they’re sought-after.”

How good is Ivan Toney?

The Bees star scored 20 goals in 33 starts for Brentford in the top flight last season; showcasing his ability as a truly prolific marksman when available.

Toney has also been praised by their manager Thomas Frank for having the mindset of a "lion".

Ivan is very intelligent, because he’s reflecting, and he deserves a lot of praise himself for also coming into a well-run club and listening to all the small bits and adding extra layers to his development and performance," Brentford manager Frank said in 2021.

"If you want to be a top player you need to work hard, constantly reflect and want to learn and then of course you need to have that confidence that he’s got so naturally.

"He’s coming across so fantastically: he’s humble, calm, but with a mindset of a lion."

Glasgow Rangers star Kieran Dowell is ruled out of tonight’s Champions League qualifier vs PSV Eindhoven, and Michael Beale has also delivered a fitness update on the rest of the squad.

What's the latest on Kieran Dowell's injury?

At Ibrox last week, Rangers secured a 2-2 draw in the European first leg against Peter Bosz’ side and they will now be hoping to secure a victory when they take on the Dutch outfit once again tonight at the Philips Stadium, with kick-off being at 8pm UK time.

The Light Blues’ attacking midfielder was absent during Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Ross County, and when the boss was asked after the game what caused the 25-year-old’s absence, he claimed that he’d sustained a knock but failed to specify what the actual problem was.

Since putting pen to paper on a free transfer from Norwich City last month, England’s former youth international has already made six appearances for the Scottish Premiership club, but if the following update is to be believed, he won’t be involved in the action this evening, meaning that the rest of the team will have to try and get the win over the line without him.

How long is Kieran Dowell out for?

Speaking during his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Beale confirmed that Dowell will be missing from Rangers’ matchday squad vs PSV and revealed that it’s his knee which is the area that he’s sustained the injury in. As quoted by the club’s official website, he said:

“The only [player] that is missing is Kieran Dowell, who has still got this slight problem with his knee. It's not a big problem, this game is just too soon for him. The team selection won’t be too far from last week, there won’t be too many surprises. Across our squad we do have a variety of options in the final third and we need to be better with the ball this week."

According to journalist Josh Bunting, Dowell was “unplayable” during his time at Wigan and he’s already shown plenty of promising signs following his arrival at Rangers, so the fact that he won’t be available for selection this evening will come as a huge blow to Beale.

The Ormskirk-born talent currently ranks in the 97th percentile for blocks and is averaging 1.5 interceptions per league match, so is extremely strong in the defensive aspect of his game, but having already hit the back of the net once, he’s clearly capable of making a positive impact at both ends of the pitch which is why he was brought to the club in the first place.

Dowell, who is naturally left-footed, is also a versatile operator having been deployed in seven different positions since the start of his career, including four roles in the midfield and even three in the final third, so he’s a great option for the manager to have at his disposal, though that won’t be the case tonight, therefore, the player will be hoping to stage his comeback as soon as possible.

Big Picture

Neither of these teams hit their straps during the T20 tri-series, clinching a win apiece, with New Zealand edging into the final then underwhelming with the bat. But this series is a meeting between two confident 50-over outfits. England have had a week to dust themselves down from the T20 setbacks – which has included a couple of days off – and readjust their sights back to the format which is becoming their calling card, while New Zealand have eight victories on the bounce this season.Whenever these sides meet the conversation quickly turns to England’s humiliation at the 2015 World Cup – particularly the shredding in Wellington – and the conversation that ensued between Eoin Morgan and Brendon McCullum, which persuaded the England captain there was only one way to go in 50-over cricket. There was no saving that tournament, but since then England have blazed a trail. It’s a narrative that is likely to be revisited over the next couple of weeks.Thoughts are now turning towards the next World Cup, starting in 15 months in England. There is still time for some tinkering if it’s required, but teams will want to start having a firm idea of the 15 they will use at the tournament. Both teams are probably not far from that position already.There is one notable addition to the England squad from last month with the return of Ben Stokes. Away from the debate about whether he should be on the tour or not, who makes way for his return will be one of the intriguing aspects of the series.West Indies and Pakistan were disappointing opposition earlier in New Zealand’s season, while Australia hit a post-Ashes wall (and picked the wrong side) against England last month. This series promises a more compelling tussle.Ben Stokes bowls in the nets•Getty Images

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand WWWWW
England WLWWW

In the spotlight

Apart from Ben Stokes, okay? Jason Roy started the one-day series in Australia with a bang, his 180 in Melbourne setting a new record for England, but since then his top score has been 49 including three single-figure scores in the T20 tri-series. Yes, mixing formats when looking at statistics is not really the done thing, but it’s all a little hit-or-miss for Roy at the moment. He appears safe despite Stokes’ return and the top-order rejig required, but a significant score early in the series wouldn’t go amiss.This is an important series for Tom Latham who has yet to nail down the wicketkeeper-batsman role, a position New Zealand are struggling to fill in both white-ball formats since the retirement of Luke Ronchi. This season his top score is 37 in seven ODI innings – off the back of a very productive series in India – but he has been given the backing of selector Gavin Larsen (his wicketkeeping has been tidy) and this New Zealand set-up likes to give players an extended run. Still, they won’t want uncertainty over a key position leading into the World Cup.

Team news

Quick bowler Lockie Ferguson has been released from the squad to play in Saturday’s Ford Trophy final for Auckland. Mitchell Santner (knee) and Todd Astle (side) have carried recent injuries with Astle’s still providing the more pressing concern. If he isn’t fit then Ish Sodhi would slot into the side.New Zealand 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Colin Munro, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Tom Latham (wk), 6 Henry Nicholls, 7 Colin de Grandhomme, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Todd Astle, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Trent BoultBarring a late reaction to his workload, Stokes will return. That means a batsman making way, as England revert to six main bowlers, with Alex Hales seemingly the most vulnerable. Tom Curran and David Willey are likely to contest the final pace-bowling slot with Craig Overton having to wait for his chance.England 1 Jason Roy, 2 Jonny Bairstow, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Tom Curran, 11 Mark Wood

Pitch and conditions

It will be a used surface and is expected to get slower as the match progresses. Seddon Park is a venue where spin can come to the fore, although that can be countered by evening dew making the toss a tricky decision. Last year, Martin Guptill plundered 180 off 138 balls to chase down 280 against South Africa with five overs to spare. The forecast for the afternoon and evening is good.

Stats and trivia

• England have won eight of their last nine bilateral ODI series
• Ross Taylor needs 37 runs to reach 7000 in ODIs; Kane Williamson needs 23 to reach 5000 – if he does it in this match the New Zealand captain will be joint fourth-fastest to 5000 runs equal with Brian Lara
• England have lost both their ODIs at this venue: a 10-wicket trouncing in 2008 and a much tighter three-wicket loss in 2013.

Quotes

“They went a long stretch of winning one-day international cricket so they are a strong side particularly at home and we are going to have reproduce similar performances or better than we produced in Australia to win the series.”
“I think we park the T20 for now and focus on a lot of the good one-day cricket we’ve been playing. The plans are fairly different so it’s important we go back to that. We know it’s a tough challenge in England.”