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Ruben Amorim will once again be thin on the ground when it comes to choosing his Manchester United starting lineup against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Red Devils are, of course, without their captain, Bruno Fernandes, who is still out as a result of the hamstring injury he picked up away to Aston Villa before Christmas.

There are several other key players missing, too. Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt are still not fully fit, and it seems unlikely Kobbie Mainoo will make the squad either, after missing the last two games. Bryan Mbeumo, Amad and Noussair Mazraoui are, of course, at AFCON.

So, how could United line up against the Old Gold?

Man United’s predicted lineup vs. Wolves

For the first time in over a year under Amorim, United played a back four against Newcastle United in their last game. This can lead to some guesswork when it comes to figuring out the line-up against Wolves.

However, the eleven players on the pitch are all likely to be the same regardless of the system, which, for argument’s sake, will be a back four, given they started that way against the Magpies.

Senne Lammens will, of course, start in goal, and it seems like Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez, Ayden Heaven and Diogo Dalot will make up the back four.

Moving into midfield, there are few options for Amorim without Fernandes and Mainoo. Casemiro will, of course, operate in the pivot, and if fit, Mason Mount could well start next to him. That leaves recent academy graduate Jack Fletcher to play as a number 10.

As for the front three, Patrick Dorgu is a newfound option on the right. He scored a wonderful goal against Newcastle, which won United the game.

Matheus Cunha will play off the left against his former club, and Benjamin Sesko will lead the line, despite his goal drought.

There is one notable omission from that lineup, despite this experienced player being fit.

The man Amorim must drop vs. Wolves

There are a few more options for Amorim if he wishes to change things up against Wolves. Joshua Zirkzee is the obvious candidate to start, with Sesko someone who could drop out. The Slovenian has yet to find his best form in a United shirt.

It has been yet another poor season in Red for Manuel Ugarte. He’s never looked like the right sort of fit for the 13-time Premier League champions, and has struggled to cement a place under two permanent managers and an interim.

This season, he has only played 12 times in the Premier League, notching up a total of 477 minutes across those games. Given he played under Amorim at Sporting, you may have expected the midfielder to feature more, but that has not been the case.

Perhaps one of the main reasons for Ugarte’s struggles during his time at Old Trafford so far is because of his lack of quality on the ball.

He has chipped in with some assists during his United career, six to be exact, but he doesn’t offer much in possession.

His passing numbers in the Premier League last season really were underwhelming.

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For example, the Uruguayan international averaged 3.08 progressive passes per 90 minutes, which ranked him in the 18th percentile of top-flight midfielders.

Ugarte key in possession stats in 24/2 PL

Stat (per 90)

Number

Percentile

Progressive passes

3.08

18th

Key passes

0.5

13th

Passes completed

40.34

52nd

Progressive carries

0.81

23rd

Stats from FBref

Social media personality Liam Canning said just before Christmas, when United played away to Villa, that Ugarte “doesn’t even look like a Premier League footballer.”

That, of course, is on the brutal end of criticism, but the numbers certainly don’t reflect well for the Red Devils’ number 25.

Against Wolves, Amorim may well decide to drop his former Sporting man in favour of Fletcher, looking to add more quality on the ball in midfield.

Related Bad news for Mainoo: Man Utd could sign the new Paul Scholes for £52m

This Man Utd transfer target could add to their quality in midfield

Posts ByJoe Nuttall

	Wasim Akram at last year’s camp with Umar Gul © Getty Images

Wasim Akram is set to hold another coaching camp for Pakistan’s fast bowlers at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore later this month.Akram overlooked a similar camp last year in Lahore, where he fast-tracked a number of promising young fast bowlers into national selection. Sohail Tanvir was the most prominent find from last year, though Akram also rated highly Mohammad Aamer, the left-armer who has been impressive for Pakistan U-19s recently.The camp is expected to get underway from May 26 and a PCB official told that Akram will train several young pacers who are either a part of the Pakistan team or are knocking at the doors of international cricket.Mudassar Nazar, a former Pakistan opener and head of the NCA, is currently finalising the details of the camp that is expected to last around six days. All leading pacers of the country, except for the ones currently competing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) will take part in the camp, just a few days before the Pakistan team leaves for Bangladesh for a tri-nation ODI series also involving India in June.Akram’s media commitments since he retired in 2003 have taken priority over his coaching work, though as a travelling, freelance bowling guru, he has had considerable success, especially with young Indian fast bowlers such as Irfan Pathan. Last year’s two-week camp was the first time Akram had officially worked in a coaching capacity and though he enjoyed the experience, he wasn’t sure whether it would be a full-time commitment.

Adrian Le Roux has resigned as South Africa’s fitness trainer. He has been with the Proteas for just over four years and before that he was involved with Free State cricket and the Indian national cricket team.He will be returning to Bloemfontein where he will take up a position with a medical company, SA Biomedical. But he will act as a consultant for Cricket South Africa (CSA) from time to time, including in the appointment of the new Proteas fitness trainer and in CSA’s high performance programme.He said: “A number of factors lead to my resignation. I’ve been touring with professional teams extensively over the last six years. This obviously affects your family life and it is now time to move closer to home and take on some new challenges.”The last six to 12 months have made me take the final decision having contemplated this step in my life over this period of time.”A big thanks must also go to the players I have worked with during my tenure, they always kept things interesting. It has also been a pleasure and a privilege working at the highest level of the sport. To the coaches and members of the support staff, I’d like to thank you too. It has been a great experience.”Gerald Majola, the board’s chief executive, said: “Adrian’s resignation is a big loss to the Proteas set-up as he is one of the best fitness trainers in world cricket. We are most grateful for his input over the past four years, and respect his decision to move into a new field close to his home base.”

Scorecard

Rikki Clarke: could be back in the England squad after an impressive day © Getty Images

Rikki Clarke had the Midas touch today and he will be sorely hoping his performance will mean a golden ticket into England’s one-day squad tomorrow. With four wickets and four sharp catches he could not have done more to help Surrey squeeze Leicestershire out for 251.Clarke’s tail was up throughout. Even in the last session he was still bouncing in like a golden labrador until, having worried Leicestershire throughout, he finished them off in his 16th over. On a picnic-perfect day, he fittingly grabbed the champagne moment, too, leaping to pluck from thin air John Maunders’ crashing thump to gully off Mohammad Akram (63 for 2).Maunders and Darren Robinson had been progressing quietly until Clarke thundered in to shatter Robinson’s stumps, and Maunders then fell on the same score. Bounding in with verve and aggression, Clarke also put paid to Dinesh Mongia, snapping up his checked drive after the batsman had been threatening to spoil Surrey’s picnic with Ackerman, adding 54 for the fourth wicket (147 for 4).But Mongia’s fall heralded a collapse: Leicestershire lost five wickets for 24 runs.Ian Salisbury spearheaded this charge from the Vauxhall End, taking three wickets, including the dangerman Ackerman for a clean-hit 58 and Paul Nixon four balls later. Both were trapped sweeping. Ackerman had threatened to cloud matters with a fast and furious fifty, and Claude Henderson was going great guns later until he was stranded on 46 not out, but this was Surrey’s day in the sun.Henderson did share a ninth-wicket stand of 60 with Stuart Broad which added some fizz. There was a bang, wallop moment, too, when Broad succumbed, swishing, to the inevitable Clarke. Showing the same spirit as his father, Chris, Broad bashed his bat down onto the ground in frustration and trudged off. He returned later with fire in his belly, bowling sharply but no wickets to show. Mohammad Asif grabbed the only Surrey wicket to go, a plumb Scott Newman.Newman is another man with England hopes, but it’s an older man, Clarke, who will be keeping a close eye out when the team is announced tomorrow.

Shaun Tait won’t continue at Durham next year© Getty Images

Durham have released Marcus North and Shaun Tait, their Australian overseas players, from their contracts.North had been signed as a replacement for Herschelle Gibbs, who had been in talks, but then confirmed that he would not be joining Durham’s 2004 squad, and Tait was brought in as a replacement for Shoaib Akhtar. Durham have already confirmed that Mike Hussey and Ashley Noffke, who are also both Australian, will be filling the overseas quota for the forthcoming season.Durham have also dispensed with the services of Ian Pattison and Pallav Kumar due to extreme competition for places within the squad, and Andy Blignaut, the Zimbabwean allrounder who signed a short-term contract towards the end of the season, has not been offered an extension. Vince Wells will also not be returning to the Riverside, after announcing his retirement earlier this year.”Each of these players has made a valuable contribution to the set up here at Durham,” said David Harker, the chief executive. “The commitment of these players to the club is greatly valued, and we would like to wish them the best of luck for the future.”

Thilanga Sumathipala, the president of Sri Lanka’s cricket board, has hit back at the authorities who have ordered his arrest. He has questioned the motive of the timing by the attorney-general and the solicitor-general of Sri Lanka, and has denied any involvement with Dhammika Amarasinghe, the underworld leader who he is alleged to have helped to obtain a fake passport.In a press release issued by the board, Sumathipala said, about his arrest: “There is no order from any court, but only a letter issued by the attorney-general, which is an executive action. Regrettably this is on the very eve of the commencement of the England and Sri Lanka Test series, regardless of the damage to the country, that too, by the attorney-general and solicitor-general acting in random, giving rise to the question of the real motive.”He went on to say, “I regret to state that I am aware that the attorney-general and the solicitor-general have acted in a manner of not applying the law equally to all. I am able to cite several serious instances and I will at the appropriate time and forum.””I categorically deny any involvement with the said underworld character who had supposed to have travelled to the UK,” he continued, “as published in certain newspapers to tarnish my image.”Sumathipala then also alleged that he was the real victim in this case. “My lawyers have already made representations to the attorney-general and to the inspector-general of police of the leakage of the manner and the content of the investigative process to the Sunday Leader newspaper, which has carried on a scandalous campaign and conspiracy to kill me or have me killed.”

KOLKATA, India (Reuters) – England are not fully prepared for a six-match one-day series against India, which starts on Saturday, due to lack of adequate practice, coach Duncan Fletcher has said.Fletcher had complained earlier in the week about poor facilities in this eastern Indian city, where the first match of the series will be played.”We are pretty under prepared for the one-day series. The reasons for that are obvious,” Fletcher told reporters after England played a practice match with a local team.”We got some practice today. But the opposition was not too difficult, though they did try their best,” he said.England bowled out the Cricket Association of Bengal XI, led by Rohan Gavaskar, son of Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar, for 150 in 42.3 overs and then achieved the target in the 26th over.England are expected to name their team for Saturday’s game after a nets session at the Eden Gardens stadium on Friday.Fletcher declined to comment on the likely composition of the side, which could include a three-pronged pace attack of Andrew Caddick, Darren Gough and Matthew Hoggard.But Durham medium-pacer, Paul Collingwood, 25, could have made a case for himself grabbing three wickets for 18 runs in Thursday’s game despite a stomach problem.”Collingwood bowled well. He had a good game even though he’s not feeling too good,” Fletcher said.Left-handed opener Marcus Trescothick kept wickets on Thursday and Fletcher did not rule out the possibility of him getting the nod ahead of James Foster.”Trescothick had kept wickets at the under-18 level. If needed, he will play as wicket-keeper,” Fletcher said.”That could give us more options.”Trescothick scored 240 runs at an average of 48.00 in last month’s three-Test series last month, which India won 1-0. He has scored 883 runs in 26 one-day internationals for England.The series ends in early February in Bombay, from where the England team will travel to New Zealand for a test and one-day series.

A badly inconvenienced Darren Lehmann produced an astonishing counter-attacking innings but Queensland continues to hold most of the aces over South Australiaafter day two of the Pura Cup clash between the sides at the ‘Gabba in Brisbane today.There was the spectacular clatter of wickets today that a green-tinged pitch had failed to produce after the Queenslanders were invited to bat first yesterday. But notbefore the Bulls had established a position of command on the back of a 145 run partnership for the fourth wicket between Stuart Law (87) and Andrew Symonds(85). Both players were at their authoritative best this morning as they took their team from the overnight mark of 3/229 to 3/322 shortly before lunch.It was probably a measure of Queensland’s dominance of the South Australian pace attack again this morning that it took the unlikely figure of Shane Deitz (2/17) to finallyinspire a Redback recovery in this match. Deitz is an emerging batsman, and part-time wicketkeeper. But he is not highly regarded, it is fair to say, as a leg spinbowler. So when the twenty-five year old snared the wickets of both Law and Symonds inside the space of eight deliveries to disrupt their association and thentrigger a collapse, it had an ironic touch about it.The last five wickets tumbled for twenty-nine runs as Brett Swain (4/96), Paul Wilson (1/46) and Mick Miller (1/62) finally crashed through a tame Queenslandlower order. Swain was, in fact, on a hat-trick at one stage after claiming Lee Carseldine (5) and Brendan Creevey (0) with successive deliveries.But, having reached a score of 378, the Bulls were already in a sound position. And it didn’t take long for them to thoroughly consolidate their advantage.By stumps, the visitors had collapsed to the grisly predicament of 8/110 – still 268 runs behind and holding little hope of avoiding the ignominy of following-ontomorrow. In spite of a debilitating hamstring injury that left him severely incapacitated, Lehmann (56*) smashed the attack late in the day to provide some glimmerof a recovery. But not before Adam Dale (3/33), Joe Dawes (2/34) and Creevey (3/42) had ripped through the Redbacks’ line-up in an astonishing display.The pace bowling trio reduced the visitors to a mark at 8/57 at one point in late afternoon, inviting thoughts that the South Australians might not even exceed themark of 66 that represented their previous all-time worst in first-class meetings with Queensland.Dale and Dawes snared the first half of the line-up in a shade more than twenty overs before Creevey produced a spell in which he fired out Miller (9),Graham Manou (1) and Swain (2) for the cost of only three runs. Other than for Lehmann and for number ten Wilson (6*), who played the most junior of partners ina swashbuckling fifty-three run stand at the end of the day, the Redback batting was a shambles.Openers David Fitzgerald (0) and Deitz (3) disappeared within eight balls of each other in the second session; Greg Blewett (18) and Ben Johnson (10) failedto build on remotely promising starts; and the in-form Jeff Vaughan (2) never got going.By the necessity of the injury he sustained yesterday, Lehmann demoted himself to as low as number six in the batting order, and spent a long period simply trying tosurvive. He barely even bothered to run singles such was the crippling extent of the problem. But, once the eighth wicket fell, he changed the focus of his inningscompletely. No bowler was spared his considerable wrath. Creevey endured particular punishment when he was belted for four pummelling boundaries in successionat one point. The sad part for South Australia is that not even their captain’s courageous effort seems likely to help them out of the messy overall situation in thematch into which they plunged so rapidly today.

To widespread frustration, Cricket Kenya has postponed the three-day part of its Elite League on the eve of the first round of matches.Originally, the three rounds of three-day matches were to have started earlier, but the whole event had to be delayed because of the domestic upheaval which followed December’s presidential elections. The one-dayers, which should have been played over two weekends, then had to be extended to a third because of a conflict with Nairobi’s 45-over competition.In a media release, CK said that onset of the Long Rains had led to the tournament being postponed until June. The first round will now take place between June 6 and 9 with the second and third rounds starting on the following Fridays.”The rains which have pounded the city heavily over the last one week have left most of the grounds waterlogged and the groundsmen have found it difficult to prepare for these matches,” Tom Tikolo, the board’s CEO explained.

Sanath Jayasuriya has signed a short-term contract with Lancashire as cover forthe absence of Muttiah Muralitharan, who will be involved in a three-match Test series against Bangladesh.Jayasuriya will play in Lancashire Twenty20 Cup group matches and will be available to play until Muralitharan returns on July 20.”I’m extremely happy to have been called to participate in the forthcoming season,” Jayasuriya said from his Colombo home. “It’s a privilege after having played almost two decades of cricket all around the world and I look forward very much to be playing for Lancashire.””Sanath and Twenty20 cricket is an exciting prospect,” Mike Watkinson, the county’s cricket manager, said. “He has a tremendous record in one-day cricket and we are delighted he will be joining us.”