Misbah-ul-Haq is set to lead a 17-day training camp for 20 Pakistan cricketers starting next week. The pre-season camp, according to a PCB media release, has been organised with a view to an upcoming year in which most of Pakistan’s international commitments will be in the five-day format, with one eye on the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, which begins on September 12. Fourteen of the 20 Pakistan cricketers called up are centrally contracted players. Two days of fitness testing will be followed by by the conditioning camp, which runs from August 22 to September 7.Misbah, whom the PCB release has termed the “camp commandant”, will “craft the training programme and overlook of the camp until the recruitment process has concluded. During the pre-season camp, the players will undergo fielding drills and net sessions, along with fitness and other cricketing activities.”The camp has been set up to prepare the players for a competitive and challenging domestic and international cricket season, which is expected to begin with the prestigious Quaid-e-Azam Trophy from 12 September.”It is not clear whether much can be read into the PCB giving Misbah the responsibility in the absence of a coaching set-up. When the PCB decided not to renew the contracts of head coach Mickey Arthur and his entire coaching staff, there was some media speculation that Misbah could be given the top job, though it is worth noting he has yet to complete the coaching badges or acquire the necessary experience the PCB is looking for in the next head coach.It is more likely, perhaps, that Misbah’s reputation for high levels of fitness well into his 40s as a Test cricketer have resulted in the PCB hand-picking him as an ideal candidate for the job. In 2016, when Misbah was the Pakistan captain, the side underwent a rigorous training regime with the Pakistan military at an academy in Abbottabad before a tour of England. When Misbah scored a century in the first Test following that course, he famously dropped to his hands and knees and reeled off ten push-ups on the Lord’s turf, in tribute to the people who had put Pakistan through such a gruelling schedule, and as proof of his physical prowess.Azhar Ali will join the camp after concluding his stint with Somerset, while Mohammad Amir, Imad Wasim, Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman have been exempted to allow them to complete their time with their respective counties in England.Zakir Khan, Director of International Cricket at the PCB, said: “This conditioning camp is of great significance. The players will undergo strenuous training sessions to prepare for a demanding season, which will see Pakistan spend 30 of their 42 cricket-playing days in Test cricket.”Misbah-ul-Haq, who has been Pakistan’s most successful captain, understands the arduous demands of the format in this day and age. With the advent of the World Test Championship, the PCB wants Pakistan to turn up with their best red-ball game when they face Sri Lanka in the two-match Test series at home.”

Players called up

Centrally contracted: Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Haris Sohail, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz, Yasir Shah.Non-centrally contracted: Asif Ali, Bilal Asif, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mir Hamza, Rahat Ali and Zafar Gohar.

Jemima Rodrigues half-century in vain for Yorkshire Diamonds, who suffer four run-outs in making 129

ECB Reporters Network18-Aug-2019Loughborough Lightning completed a third win in four matches to move ahead of Surrey Stars into third place in the Kia Super League, winning a low-scoring contest by six wickets with five balls to spare. South African star Mignon du Preez produced the match-winning innings for the second game running, following her 70 not out against Stars last week with an unbeaten 38 here, striking four sixes.Indian teenager Jemimah Rodrigues top-scored with 58 for the Diamonds, but a total of 129 all out from their 20 overs proved too little in the end, even though their bowlers did their best by taking the contest into the final over, England seamer Beth Langston conceding only 17 from her four overs.Lightning took the upper hand early after Yorkshire had won the toss and opted to bat, the visitors losing both openers in the Powerplay overs in making 32. Lauren Winfield drove Jenny Gunn straight to Georgia Adams at mid-off before West Indies allrounder Hayley Matthews was rewarded for two tidy overs when Alyssa Healy hit out to deep midwicket, where Lucy Higham pouched a good catch after waiting for a towering shot to come down.Hollie Armitage, who had struggled against Matthews’ offbreaks in the Powerplay, fared no better against Kirstie Gordon, the left-arm spinner, whose sixth delivery bowled her, Diamonds reaching the halfway point at 55 for 3.Rodrigues and Alice Davidson-Richards steadied the ship, adding 35 in six overs, but a breakdown in communication cost the latter her wicket after Rodrigues set off for a quick single off Gordon, Sarah Glenn’s throw from short backward square running the non-striker out comfortably.The 18-year-old Rodrigues completed her half-century off 34 balls, having struck four boundaries, but lost another partner when Bess Heath miscued Bryce to mid-off before her fine innings ended when she found the hands of Matthews at deep midwicket. She fell during a chaotic last two overs of the Diamonds innings, which saw 14 runs added but five wickets lost, three of them run out. In the midst of that, Matthews bowled Langston to finish with 2 for 19, her economy bettered only by Gordon, who took 1 for 14 from her four overs.In reply, Lightning openers Matthews and Amy Jones picked up boundaries in five of the first six overs to be comfortably ahead of the game at 40 without loss, before Matthews missed one from legspinner Katie Levick that kept low.A tight three overs by the lively left-armer Katie George put the brake on a little. Nonetheless, Lightning looked well placed at 58 for 1 at the halfway point, although they stumbled in the 13th over as Chamari Atapattu was run out and Jones caught behind off consecutive balls from Langston, leaving two new batsmen at the crease with 56 still needed.The pressure was eased somewhat when George’s final over went for 14, including a six by du Preez over the longest boundary, leaving Lightning needing 34 off the final five overs, although du Preez had been given a let-off on 7 when George could not hold on to what would have been a good return catch.Du Preez struck her second maximum off New Zealand offspinner Leigh Kasparek and a third off Levick – either side of ex-Lightning left-arm spinner Linsey Smith dismissing her former captain, Georgia Elwiss – finishing the match by clouting Smith for her fourth six from the first ball of the final over.

Head coach, as well as other support staffers Grant Flower, Azhar Mahmood and Grant Luden, to be discarded next week

Umar Farooq and Danyal Rasool07-Aug-2019

Mickey Arthur keeps an eye on Pakistan’s net session•AFP

Mickey Arthur’s time as Pakistan’s head coach will end next week with the PCB deciding against renewing his contract. The board’s decision means that nearly the entire coaching staff – batting coach Grant Flower, bowling coach Azhar Mahmood, and fitness trainer Grant Luden – will not have their contracts extended.According to a statement released by the PCB on Wednesday, the board will be “immediately undertaking a robust recruitment process” to fill these roles ahead of Pakistan’s next international commitment, a Test series against Sri Lanka in October.With the contracts of Arthur, Flower, Azhar and Luden all scheduled to end on August 15 anyway, none of the coaches has been sacked per se. But Arthur, certainly, had expressed an eagerness to continue: in an exhaustive review conducted by the PCB after the World Cup, Arthur asked for a chance to present his report, which was widely seen as a chance for him to defend his record and make a case for an extension.The decisions were arrived at following a five-hour PCB cricket committee meeting on Monday, in which Arthur was grilled about his performance with the team over the last three years. He was keen to continue, and ESPNcricinfo understands that he asked for two more years at the job.Ehsan Mani, the PCB chairman, said in a statement: “I am thankful to the PCB Cricket Committee for submitting their recommendations following an exhaustive and detailed review process. The committee comprised of individuals who possess tremendous acumen, experience and knowledge. The unanimous recommendation of the Committee was that it was time for new leadership and a fresh approach. I am happy to accept their strong recommendations.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“On behalf of the PCB, I want to sincerely thank Mickey Arthur, Grant Flower, Grant Luden and Azhar Mahmood for their hard work and unwavering commitment during their tenures with the national men’s team. We wish them every success in their future endeavors.”This means five key people will be out of the set-up following Pakistan’s fifth-place finish at the World Cup, with chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq having earlier decided against contract renewal once his stint ended in July. The only survivor from the coaching staff is fielding coach Grant Bradburn, whose contract runs until September 2021.Bradburn’s continuation underscores the PCB’s stated position that no one has been removed, their contracts just haven’t been renewed. However, with the men leaving interested in staying on, it’s really a distinction without a difference.Arthur was appointed as head coach in May 2016 after Pakistan’s disappointing performance at the World T20 in 2016 ended with Waqar Younis’ stint coming to a close. Arthur immediately adopted a tough stance on the fitness and fielding standards of the players and brought in Steve Rixon as fielding coach. Several players were cast aside – Umar Akmal, Mohammad Irfan, Wahab Riaz and Sohail Khan for example – for not being at the levels Arthur wanted, while Pakistan’s fielding numbers soared under Rixon’s watch; in the 12 months before he left in June 2018, Pakistan were a better fielding side than South Africa and Australia.Will there be changes among the players too?•Getty Images

Under Arthur, Pakistan reached the top spot in the T20I rankings and, following a 2-2 series draw in England in 2016 – his first assignment as head coach – they rose to the top of the Test rankings. That didn’t last long, though, as Pakistan endured a disappointing run in the format after that, losing nine of the following 11 matches they played, including a 2-0 loss at home to Sri Lanka. It was Pakistan’s first Test series loss in the UAE since it became their home away from home. Overall, Pakistan won 10 and lost 17 of the Test matches played under Arthur, by far the most disappointing aspect of his coaching record with the side.But there were also concerns that his robust, high-intensity methods, and no-nonsense headmasterly style of coaching was beginning to wear out his players. There was a high-profile falling out with Umar Akmal in 2017, following which the player was sidelined for over a year, only to play in a five-match ODI series where Pakistan rested half-a-dozen frontline players. Then, in South Africa last year, Arthur had a go at several players following a second-innings collapse in Centurion, and also had tough words for Babar Azam following a loss against England in a five-match ODI series in May this year. Babar had scored a hundred in the game, but Arthur felt his strike rate was a contributing factor to the defeat.Flower’s departure, meanwhile, means Pakistan have let go of the longest-serving member of the coaching staff. Flower, who ESPNcricinfo understands was also willing to continue, was appointed in May 2014, and it was during this time that Sarfaraz Ahmed emerged as Pakistan’s No. 1 wicketkeeper-batsman in Test cricket, and players like Babar, Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman all broke through.The highest point for the team, of course, was winning the Champions Trophy in 2017, when everything came together brilliantly. Arthur was the motivator as Pakistan turned a thumping early loss to India around with four wins on the trot. The top-order batting clicked in semi-final and final thrashings of England and India, while the pace bowling in those two games was exquisite. The fielding still hadn’t touched the heights it would in the 12 months to follow, but there were signs that a corner was being turned.Now, they have chosen to try and turn another corner and they will have to do it with a whole new group of people for company and guidance.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have reached an agreement to make their first January signing under Gary O’Neil, according to David Ornstein.

Wolves January window so far

O’Neil has done a solid job since arriving at Molineux days before the campaign got underway and has Wolves clear of any relegation worries in the Premier League.

In fact, Wolves could go into the top half of the league standings with a win over Manchester United on Thursday evening, but behind the scenes, sporting director Matt Hobbs and co could be working on some deadline day deals.

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So far this month, the focus has been on outgoings, with the likes of Fabio Silva and Sasa Kalajdzic joining Rangers and Eintracht Frankfurt respectively until the end of the season. Hobbs said at the beginning of the month that replacements could be brought in for any players leaving on loan.

“We dealt with the most pressing profit and sustainability issues during the summer in a positive and proactive way, so while Gary knows we’ll support him if we can, we’re also not going to put ourselves in any danger whatsoever.

“If players have gone out on loan, we can look to replace them, but they’ve got to be better than what we’ve got. The boys have done unbelievably well, and we have some talented young players coming through who want more minutes off the bench, but if we can improve what we’ve got, and help Gary and the squad be more competitive, then we will, within the financial position."

It has been quiet regarding incomings so far, but that now looks about to change on the penultimate day of the window.

Wolves reach agreement for Lemina

According to reliable reporter Ornstein, Wolves have now reached an agreement to sign Noha Lemina, younger brother of Mario Lemina, from Paris Saint-Germain following initial rumours at the beginning of the month. A move looks set to be a loan but will include an option to make it permanent in the summer.

Lemina, just 18 years of age, has impressed in France with PSG’s youth sides, contributing to 17 goals in 36 games for the U19s. He’s currently on loan with Serie B side Sampdoria, but that looks set to come to an end following the agreement with Wolves.

Right winger

Left winger

Attacking midfielder

As can be seen, Lemina has the ability to play in a variety of attacking positions, so it’ll be interesting to see how O’Neil uses him over the coming months. Lemina now looks set to be alongside his older brother in the Midlands, and who knows, Wolves may have found themselves an attacking gem, should the teenager keep going from strength to strength at Molineux.

Sunderland will be aiming to make it four games without defeat in the Championship when travelling to Huddersfield Town tonight, hoping their hearts aren't left broken by a defeat on Valentine's Day to end a positive sequence of results.

A sensational second-half showing allowed the Black Cats to stroll to victory against Plymouth Argyle last time out, coming out on top as 3-1 victors courtesy of a mad 15-minute flurry of goals.

Although many of the Black Cats players would have walked off at the final whistle overjoyed at their individual displays, one or two might be fearful of the axe by Michael Beale tonight regardless.

One of those could well be Abdoullah Ba, with the tricky 20-year-old midfielder upstaged by Jobe Bellingham coming on in his place and stealing the limelight with a wonderful strike to seal the three points.

Abdoullah Ba's performance vs Plymouth in numbers

Played in an unorthodox central midfield spot versus Plymouth – owing to Patrick Roberts coming back into the first-team picture down the right wing – Ba struggled throughout the game against the Pilgrims before being taken off.

Only managing 24 touches of the ball from a forgettable 65 minutes of the pitch, with Bellingham amassing just six less from far less time on the Stadium of Light turf, Ba also lacked a goalscoring threat throughout with zero shots registered in total at Conor Hazard's goal.

Unsuccessful with his only dribble attempt of the afternoon too, it wasn't a big surprise to see Beale haul the sub-par Sunderland 17 off when he did.

It would prove to be an ingenious switch from Beale, who could look now to start Bellingham ahead of the 20-year-old Frenchman tonight.

The Black Cats manager could also look to surprisingly drop January buy Leo Hjelde from his starting eleven for the trip to West Yorkshire, the ex-Leeds United man struggling at points against Ian Foster's Argyle despite the Wearside outfit eventually coming away with a straightforward win.

Leo Hjelde's performance vs Plymouth in numbers

Slotting straight into the Sunderland first-team mix after signing late on in January, Hjelde could well be sacrificed for tonight's game at the John Smith's Stadium regardless of early good first impressions.

The new Black Cats number 33 was unsure when launching himself into duels in the contest, not using his 6 foot 2 frame to his advantage by only winning a pitiful two duels out of seven attempted.

Minutes played

90

Duels won

2/7

Possession lost

20x

Accurate passes

46/60 (77%)

Accurate long balls

2/9

Successful dribbles

0/1

Stats by Sofascore

Moreover, Hjelde's assuredness on the ball was also lacking as can be seen in the table above – losing possession a grand total of 20 times to the possible detriment of his side, with Hjelde's teammates thankfully picking up the 20-year-old's slack.

It was no surprise, therefore, to see football journalist Andy Tomlinson describe Hjelde's passing on the day as 'erratic' when writing for the Roker Report – despite awarding him a 7/10 match rating – with his position in the first-team potentially up for grabs as a result.

The former Leeds defender could see his spot taken for the Terriers away game by Jenson Seelt, who Beale has relied on to fill in at full-back on occasion this campaign despite being a natural centre-back.

Sunderland will aim to make it two wins on the trot against Huddersfield tonight in the Championship, hoping to lay down a marker as a result that they won't fade away and are serious about staying put in and around the playoffs.

Argentina star Angel Di Maria is yet to agree on a deal to reunite with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami this summer.

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• Di Maria yet to agree on a deal to join Inter Miami
• The MLS side approached the player weeks ago
• Will be in action for Argentina at Copa America 2024

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The winger has been linked with a sensational move to Major League Soccer, however, according to , Di Maria is yet to agree on a deal to join Inter Miami. The journalist further claimed that The Herons did approach the player a few weeks ago but they are yet to come up with a formal proposal.

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• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Di Maria plays alongside Messi at La Albiceleste and shared the dressing room with the superstar for a season at Paris Saint-Germain before he moved to Juventus and then Benfica last summer. His current deal with the Portuguese giants expires on June 30.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The 36-year-old former Real Madrid and Manchester United player had announced last year that Copa America 2024 would be his last dance with the national team. He won the continental competition in 2021 and then bagged the World Cup trophy in Qatar a year later.

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• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR ANGEL DI MARIA?

  The attacker will be next seen in action for Lionel Scaloni's side as they begin their Copa America 2024 journey on June 21 against Canada.

The ‘Ben Stokes Effect’ was there for all to see at a packed Canterbury on Thursday night as the crowd to see Kent play Gloucestershire far exceeded the number of seats available, leaving standing room only. None were let down as veteran Michael Klinger put on a masterclass in T20 batting as Gloucestershire beat Kent to seal their place in the quarter-finals.Before this fixture, Gloucestershire and Kent sat second and third respectively in the South Group, equal on 14 points, five points behind group winners Sussex. A win for either side here would guarantee them a quarter-finals berth. However, lose this game and their qualification would come down to a thrilling final Group Stage round on Friday night.The stakes were high for both teams, but most of all for Gloucestershire, who haven’t been to T20 Finals Day since 2007. Incidentally, they lost to Kent in the final of that year’s competition. They will have fancied their chances this time around against Kent, who haven’t beaten Gloucestershire in a T20 match since 2016.Keenly aware of the opportunity to break his side’s T20 curse, captain Klinger – who is set to call time on his 21-year career at the end of the tournament – produced a display that even the home fans could appreciate. The opener’s innings was perfectly paced. The first of his four sixes came in the second over, and he pushed on from there offering no chances as he completed his century off the final ball of Gloucestershire’s 20 overs. The Australian finished 102 not out off 65 balls, hitting nine fours to go with his haul of maximums, as his side lost only three wickets on their way to a total of 180.After Kent lost overseas T20 specialist and off spinner Mohammad Nabi to international duty and overseas quick Adam Milne to injury this week, someone had to step up with the ball. Nobody would have thought that person would be Alex Blake. Blake opened the bowling for Kent, despite the 30-year old never having bowled in a T20 before, and finished with 1 for 17 off his four overs. Gloucestershire were happy to play his flighted off spin for singles, and instead pick apart more established bowlers like Mitchell Clayden, Fred Klaassen and Daniel Bell-Drummond.Kent’s response started badly as they lost both openers within four overs needing some serious rebuilding at 18 for 2. Enter captain Sam Billings and Nabi’s replacement signing, South Africa captain Faf du Plessis. Both were going to have to bat well for their side to reach their 181-run target, but instead Gloucestershire fielded badly. Both hit fifties and treated the crowd to some sumptuous strokeplay.During the middle overs, when Kent should have been restricted, Gloucestershire gave away runs unnecessarily. Overthrows, drops, fumbles onto the boundary rope, the fielding performance had them all. The louder and more frequently the crowd jeered, the more Gloucestershire seemed to misfield. Finally they held a catch to dismiss Billings for 55 – taken by Miles Hammond off the bowling of Ryan Higgins – who claimed 3 for 36. The free-flowing scoring continued, however, and the game had become a nail-biter when it needn’t have.Needing 12 off nine, Blake holed out to long off, and du Plessis fell the exact same way. Kent still needed 12 needed off the final over and it was always going to be difficult against David Payne. The hosts managed only six and must now win at Essex as part of a five-way battle to be decided on Friday night for the remaining two places in the quarter-finals.

Jude Bellingham admitted he was "absolutely dead" against Slovenia, sparking fears the England star is suffering burnout at Euro 2024.

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Bellingham starred for Real MadridImpressed for England against SerbiaSays he was "dead" against SloveniaWHAT HAPPENED?

Hopes were high for Bellingham after an outstanding season for Real Madrid and putting in a virtuoso goalscoring display in England's 1-0 win over Serbia in their Euro 2024 opener. However, the 20-year-old struggled in the subsequent match against Denmark and that continued versus Slovenia, too. Now, the former Borussia Dortmund man has admitted to being physically spent in that 0-0 draw on Tuesday.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT JUDE BELLINGHAM SAID

He said on the Football Association’s show: “You definitely draw on them [the England fans] for energy towards the end of games. I felt like in the last game [against Slovenia], I was absolutely dead. But you hear them singing, hear them chanting and you can play at a level that's not our best, it's normal, it can happen. But I think the important thing is, when you're wearing this badge and you're representing those fans, is that you don't give up and I think they're a constant reminder of that.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Bellingham proved to be one of the best players in the world in 2023-24 after scoring 23 goals, bagging 13 assists and leading Madrid to La Liga and Champions League glory. However, it is clear the ex-Birmingham City star is not having the impact he and many others would have hoped in recent games and after this admission, England boss Gareth Southgate may have a selection decision on his hands.

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WHAT NEXT?

Southgate and England fans will hope Bellingham – who joined Madrid from Dortmund last summer for a fee that could rise to £108 million ($133m) – is back to his best for their crunch Euro 2024 clash against Slovakia on Sunday in the last 16 of the competition.

Derby County might well have won their last League One encounter 1-0 away at Charlton Athletic, but injury news in the direct aftermath of the narrow win at the Valley could still hinder their automatic promotion aspirations.

Already losing Tyreece John-Jules to injury in attack recently, the goalscorer in the away win versus the Addicks in Nathaniel Mendez-Laing could also face a lengthy spell in the treatment room after hobbling off 38 minutes in.

The piling injury concerns become even more of a sore topic when you consider new Rams recruit Corey Blackett-Taylor wasn't fit enough for a reunion trip to Charlton either, with Paul Warne potentially having to look towards the current crop of youth talent at the League One club to help mend the nightmare situation unfolding.

A young star who could benefit from Derby's injuries

Although Mendez-Laing started as a makeshift striker in the slim victory, the accomplished Derby man is usually chosen by Warne to start at right wing.

This is where 21-year-old Alex Gibson-Hammond could come to the rescue, the ex-Nottingham Forest youngster excelling when switching over to Forest's arch-rivals in Derby from down the channels.

Whilst still at the City Ground, Gibson-Hammond would contribute to 12 goals from 40 appearances in the U21 set-up which saw Derby swoop in to land him as a free agent rather surprisingly.

Forest U23s head coach Andy Reid labelled the progress Gibson-Hammond was making at the time as "fantastic", only for him to leave for pastures new in Derbyshire.

Adept at playing down the left wing also, alongside even competently putting a shift in at right back and in central midfield, Warne could rely upon Gibson-Hammond to be a valuable utility option further with Blackett-Taylor's own fitness concerns.

This season in the Premier League 2 for the youthful Rams, the 20-year-old has scored two goals and managed one assist from ten games overall.

Both of those strikes would come in just one contest against Brighton, despite the youngster only being on the pitch for a meagre 17 minutes.

It could well be too much of a step-up for Gibson-Hammond at this moment in time – only having his first taster of senior football this season courtesy of a short-term loan switch to non-league Buxton – but Warne might feel that an injection of youth could add something to his experienced and injury-ridden squad anyway.

Alex Gibson-Hammond could become a key Derby player

It could be argued that Warne is overly reliant on ageing members of his squad to come up trumps, with James Collins the main Rams talisman in attack at 33 years of age.

Adding in something fresh to proceedings via Gibson-Hammond's introduction into the first-team fold could work wonders for the promotion-chasing Rams, by helping to give these veterans a rest when they're showing signs of lethargy.

As a result, the 21-year-old could then burst into life as an aggressive presence in attack from off the bench in place of the likes of Mendez-Laing.

This could well mean the Rams aren't further picking up niggles involving key individuals and adding to their ever-extended injury list as a direct consequence, helping them out in the run-in towards potential automatic promotion glory.

Gibson-Hammond won't come into the first team and leave his mark instantly, but Warne will need to start looking towards the future talents at Pride Park soon and could well pull off a masterstroke by giving the former Forest youth player more minutes.

The job Gary O’Neil is doing at Wolverhampton Wanderers this season is nothing short of remarkable, especially after losing his two best midfielders last summer.

Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes both departed Molineux, yet O’Neil adapted and has managed to bring out the best of the players he has at his disposal.

The Old Gold have recorded a Premier League double over Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, while also defeating Manchester City during the early stages of the campaign, and their recent form has been solid.

A home tie against Sheffield United awaits the Midlands side tomorrow afternoon and considering the Blades are propping up the rest of the league, it represents an ideal opportunity for O’Neil to claim another three points.

With that in mind, here's a look at the potential Wolves starting XI that will take to the Molineux pitch tomorrow…

1 GK – Jose Sa

There won't be a change to the goalkeeper as Sa will retain his place in the starting XI.

The Portuguese shot-stopper has missed only two league matches this season and was even named as the captain against Spurs in the 2-1 win last weekend.

Across his 23 matches thus far, however, Sa has kept just three clean sheets and if it were not for the wonderful form of their attacking options, the club may be in a slightly more precarious situation.

2 CB – Max Kilman

The captain has played every minute of every league match so far this season and has been a rock at the back for the club.

The 26-year-old is contracted to the Old Gold until 2028, but if he continues this current rich vein of form, then he may just start attracting attention from potential suitors, that’s for sure.

3 CB – Craig Dawson

The veteran centre-back has played 23 of the 25 league ties Wolves have played this term and against Spurs, he was in fine form.

Not only did he make ten clearances and block three shots, but Dawson won seven of his nine contested duels during the victory and this display was key to Wolves securing all three points.

4 CB – Toti

Like Dawson, Toti was also extremely solid against Spurs last week. He made ten clearances, four interceptions, two tackles and was not dribbled past once, showcasing his physical strength in one-on-one battles.

Toti has already made more league appearances this season than he did during the whole of the 2022/23 campaign, and he is slowly emerging as a key member of O’Neil’s side.

5 RM – Nelson Semedo

The 30-year-old had spent the previous few months playing in an unfamiliar role on the right-hand side of the midfield due to O’Neil utilising either a 3-5-2 or 3-4-2-1 formation.

His attacking talents have not exactly been on show, however, as he has registered just one goal and one assist in all competitions.

6 CM – Joao Gomes

The Brazilian enjoyed one of his finest games for the club last week as he scored a brace which proved to be decisive in the victory over Spurs.

He also made six tackles and four clearances as his defensive abilities were also on show, and he will retain his place against the Blades tomorrow afternoon.

7 CM – Tommy Doyle

Mario Lemina enjoyed a decent game last weekend, yet he may have to make way in order for Tommy Doyle to start against Sheffield United.

The on-loan Manchester City starlet was hailed as “exceptional” by talent scout Jacek Kulig back in 2021 as he discussed the wealth of talent that City possessed in their youth sides.

The youngster has started just five Premier League matches this season, yet when he has featured, the 22-year-old has showcased his talents.

He holds an 86% pass success rate, while winning 56% of his total duels and losing possession just 5.6 per game and a tie against the bottom side in the league could be an ideal opportunity for him to come into the starting XI.

8 LM – Rayan Ait-Nouri

The Algerian did not enjoy the best of games against Spurs last week. He won only three of his ten contested ground duels during the encounter, along with succeeding with just one dribble attempt and losing possession a staggering 17 times.

Due to a lack of options on the left side of the midfield, however, Ait-Nouri will retain his spot in the starting XI and O’Neil will be hoping a tie against the Blades will allow him to perform better.

9 AM – Pedro Neto

In front of the four-man midfield, O’Neil will deploy two attacking midfielders and one will be Neto, who has registered an impressive nine assists in the top flight already, despite playing only 16 games.

The 23-year-old grabbed an assist against Spurs and with the Blades’ defence conceding 65 goals in just 25 matches, he will certainly have his eye on scoring a goal or two tomorrow.

10 AM – Pablo Sarabia

Alongside Neto, Sarabia will be deployed, and the duo have the ability to cause plenty of chaos on Sunday afternoon.

The Spaniard has scored twice and chipped in with nine assists in all competitions, but he didn’t play in the reverse clash against the Blades back in November – although he must be unleashed tomorrow.

The 31-year-old made three key passes last week and missed a big chance, suggesting that with a bit better finishing, he may have added to his goal tally for the season.