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Aizaz, Ghazanfar, Barkat help Hong Kong dismantle Nigeria

Published in Cricket
Sunday, 27 October 2019 01:49

Hong Kong 82 for 5 (Kinchit 25, 1-5) beat Nigeria 81 for 8 (Onikoyi 18, Aizaz 2-15, Ghazanfar 2-11) by five wickets

Aizaz Khan, Mohammad Ghazanfar and Waqas Barkat took two wickets each to pin down Nigeria to 81 for 8 and lift Hong Kong to fourth on the Group B points table. Hong Kong knocked off the target in 7.1 overs with five wickets to spare. They have now three wins in six games and are still in contention for the playoffs.

After opting to bat, Nigeria had a fairly decent start, reaching 27 for 0 in five overs. However, seamer Aizaz struck twice in the next over and by the tenth over they were 43 for 4. Captain Ademola Onikoyi top-scored with 18, but soaked up 35 balls before he was dismissed in the 16th over. Nigeria managed only 20 runs in their last four overs to end with an under-par 81 for 8.

In pursuit of a slim target, Hong Kong raced past fifty in the fifth over and completed the formalities soon after. Opener Nizakat Khan and No.3 Kinchit Shah both made twenties at a strike rate of over 200 to lead the chase.

In all, Nigeria scored just six boundaries in their innings. Nizakat and Kinchit alone hit nine boundaries.

After the boos, Warner returns home to love and adulation

Published in Cricket
Sunday, 27 October 2019 02:29

David Warner spent most of this year's England tour trying to ignore the verbal bile constantly directed his way. So there was not only relief but also revelation in the experience of a loud, supportive Adelaide Oval crowd on Sunday, as the exhortations of 16,268 spectators helped lift him to a first ever Twenty20 international century on his 33rd birthday.

There had been queries as to exactly how Warner could be received in his first home match since the Newlands ban. Unlike Steven Smith, his public reputation hadn't been bolstered by match-winning turns during the Ashes series. But from the moment he took to the middle, Warner was given plenty of adulation to feed off, and admitted that he had almost forgotten what it was like to get the support at home, his first appearance in more than 18 months.

"It's always fantastic to get that. You sort of sit back and watch highlights of other people's packages and stuff, you forget how much it actually drives you when you're out there," Warner said. "We love the people's support and we love the Australian crowds coming out and supporting us and we always try and put on a show for them.

"But I don't think they actually realise how much impact it has on us players while we are out there. I remember when I was supporting the [Sydney] Roosters in the Grand Final this year. When you've got that support behind the team or when you're supporting someone else, it's a massive boost, the confidence for us and for the other people out there playing."

"Emotions were great. Another year older. Another game for Australia and coming out here in front of an Adelaide crowd. There's no better place to play you know. You've always got a fantastic wicket, the curators are absolutely fantastic here. It's a batting paradise. I absolutely love it out here."

The most notable element of Warner's innings was the fact that in a T20I career dating back to 2009, he had never bettered the 89 he coshed against South Africa at the MCG on his storied international debut. More than a decade later, he was able to scamper a last ball single to go to three figures, a milestone that afforded him some light-hearted banter from Glenn Maxwell at the change of innings.

"You don't even actually realise until you get it. It wasn't even on my mind. You actually forget that you don't have one," Warner said. "Maxi reminded me and said 'welcome to the club' which is quite funny. It's just one of those things to contribute, come out and play you free-flowing game from the start. Obviously the couple of balls where a little bit here and there. You don't get to face too many deliveries back to back when someone's going off.

"For me it's about keeping a calm head and making sure that I bide my time a little bit and try and pick the gaps as much as I can and run hard. [Last over] bat on ball and I was thinking obscure field so for me you know what you're going to get. It's going to wide and pretty much, I don't lap or anything like that so whatever comes into my mind I try to get it out of my head.

"It was in my head but you've got to try and pick your gaps. I think in Australia with those fields, you only have to hit the gap hard and it can beat the fielder and then you can run two. You're always thinking at the start of the over about what do we need. Obviously we had plenty on the board so you're just trying to hit gaps."

It wasn't just Warner who enjoyed his place in the sun. Aaron Finch, Maxwell and Australia's bowlers all responded with a combination of skill and flair that completely confounded a modest Sri Lanka, suggesting that if the Australians stay focused, they can set-up more pageants of adulation in Brisbane and Melbourne this week.

"Very good from us. We all set out to come out and try be positive with the bat," Warner said. "I think the way forward is exactly that, where we try and set the tone at the top and then Maxi coming in and doing what he does. For once the plan actually came off. Obviously starting well and then Maxi coming in and doing what he does. And yeah, someone batting through. That was all in all a great batting performance and obviously the bowlers finished it off there."

Papua New Guinea 118 all out (Vanua 54, Bundi 4-18) beat Kenya 73 all out (Karim 29, Vala 3-7, Pokana 3-21) by 45 runs

Norman Vanua had one of his finest days in a PNG uniform, scoring a T20I career-best 54 off 48 balls, including a 77-run seventh-wicket stand with Sese Bau to lift PNG out of a perilous situation at 19 for 6 in four overs, before taking 2 for 19 to help skittle Kenya out for 73 in an eventual 45-run win at Dubai International Stadium.

The result eliminated Kenya from playoff contention and clinched a spot for Scotland in the knockout phase. PNG must wait for the result between Scotland and Netherlands to see who will top the group for the automatic World Cup berth in Australia but a Scotland win over Netherlands win be enough for PNG.

Kenya made three changes to their XI, bringing in Emmanuel Bundi for his first match of the tournament and the medium pacer almost single-handedly kept Kenya in the tournament with a four-for that began with a triple-wicket burst in the second over. Tony Ura drove to mid-off, Assad Vala was trapped in front with an inswinger and Charles Amini drove away from his body for an edge behind to make it 12 for 3. Lucas Oluoch struck twice in the third as Lega Siaka edged to slip before Riley Hekure fended another edge behind. Kiplin Doriga then chased a wide ball in the fourth to make it 19 for 6.

Vanua joined Bau as PNG's last two recognized batsmen and settled in thanks in part to some passive tactics from Kenya. Rather than bowling out Bundi immediately as he had done with Oluoch, captain Shem Ngoche held one over back for the 14th, by which time the ball stopped moving. Bundi bowled back of a length throughout, offering little challenge in his last six balls. Collins Obuya, who entered the match as Kenya's leading wicket-taker, bowled just one over in the first 16.

Instead, Ngoche persisted with part-time medium pace to little effect. Sachin Bhudia was pulled for four by Vanua in the 10th and when Ngoche brought himself on to bowl left-arm spin, Vanua drove him over long-on for six in the 13th. Pushpak Kerai's part-time legspin was preferred over Obuya in the 15th, and a half-tracker was smashed over midwicket for six again by Vanua. Bhudia was then pulled and cut for a pair of boundaries that took Vanua to his maiden T20I fifty off 45 balls in the 16th.

Obuya's second over of the match in the 17th finally accounted for both Vanua and Bau. Jasraj Kundi took a catch at deep midwicket to claim Bau before Vanua slogged to long-on two balls later making it 96 for 8. But PNG had been let off the hook and the tail added another 22 before being bowled out with three balls to spare.

Kenya's approach in the chase was no less confounding. Needing to chase in roughly 12 overs to give themselves the best chance of getting above Scotland in case of a Scotland loss to Netherlands in the afternoon, only Irfan Karim scored at better than a run a ball. Vanua struck in the first over of the reply, getting Dhiren Gondaria to fend an edge to Doriga. Karim struck his fourth boundary in the sixth but fell on the last ball of the Powerplay, pulling Damien Ravu to Amini at midwicket in the ring.

Kenya didn't score another boundary the rest of the match as their middle order showed zero intent. Vala capitalized on the timid approach trapping Rushab Patel prodding down the wrong line for a seven-ball duck, Obuya slogged to long-on and Bhudia hit the PNG captain to Siaka at deep midwicket making it 51 for 5 in the 12th. Ravu, Vanua and Nosaina Pokana then cleaned up the tail, cementing PNG's best ever record in the group stage of the T20 World Cup Qualifier.

Chris Jordan hopes that England's fringe players can give the selectors as many "headaches" as possible during their five-match T20I series against New Zealand.

With Jofra Archer, Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali among the bowling options rested from the series, there are opportunities for young seamers Saqib Mahmood, Pat Brown and Sam Curran, as well as legspinner Matt Parkinson, to prove their worth in international colours.

Anything that makes English cricket stronger makes the team stronger and it keeps everyone on top of their game," Jordan told PA. "The more guys that we can have pushing for selection, the more headaches we can give selectors.

"We've added a wealth of young talent to the squad which brings in some good energy. It's an opportunity for everyone. I'll have to continue to improve myself and stay on top of my game."

Jordan has underwhelmed in T20s this year, conceding more than nine runs per over in the Pakistan Super League, the Blast and the Caribbean Premier League, and insisted he is not getting ahead of himself.

"I might be considered a senior player with my experience," he said, "but I'm always looking to learn off any player whether they're old or young.

"I try to keep my standards as high as possible and try to give my all every day, whether it be in training or a game, so that won't change.

"It's nice [to be in the squad] but nothing that's taken for granted at all."

The upcoming series is the first step for England on the road towards the T20 World Cup in Australia next year, but Jordan said the tournament was far enough away that it was not in his thoughts.

"Obviously the World Cup is a nice, little carrot at the end of that few months but it will be one game at a time," he said.

"If you get too far ahead of yourself, you're not actually concentrating on what's in front of you on the day. You can't build those good habits and that momentum."

Jordan took 1 for 22 from his three overs in England's first warm-up game on Sunday, though found himself in an unfamiliar role. While Jordan is generally used as a death bowler, captain Eoin Morgan preferred Mahmood, Brown and Adil Rashid in the final four overs.

Sabalenka beats Bertens to win WTA Elite Trophy

Published in Tennis
Sunday, 27 October 2019 01:27

Aryna Sabalenka has secured her third title of the year with a straight-set win over Kiki Bertens in the WTA Elite Trophy final in Zhuhai.

The 21-year-old world number 14 from Belarus cruised to a 6-4 6-2 victory over the Dutch top seed to win the second-tier version of the season-ending WTA Finals.

All three of Sabalenka's titles in 2019 have been won in China.

She also won the Wuhan Open in September and Shenzhen Open in January.

The WTA Finals, for the top-ranked players, begin on Sunday in Shenzhen. Sabalenka will be competing in doubles there, where she and Elise Mertens are the top-seeded pairing.

England are into the World Cup final for the first time in 12 years after seeing off New Zealand in Yokohama.

Eddie Jones' side produced an outstanding display in the 19-7 victory to inflict the All Blacks' first loss at the tournament since 2007.

But who were the standout performers from England's impressive semi-final victory?

Former England fly-half and BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Paul Grayson has rated each player's performance below.

Backs

Elliot Daly: (8) His ghosting outside break created the first try. Coped well with the move to the wing after Jonny May went off.

Anthony Watson: (8) Flashing feet and a constant menace. Got the better of George Bridge and shut down the Kiwi winger in defence.

Jonny May: (8) Dominated Sevu Reece and exposed New Zealand's weak link in the back three. A master of his craft in the air.

Manu Tuilagi: (9) His best game for England, a constant threat in attack and stifled New Zealand's wide play with his clever defence. A world-class performance.

Owen Farrell: (8) Ran some great lines in the opening quarter and helped George Ford put width on the attack. Gave up the goal-kicking duties after a bang to his leg.

George Ford: (9) The man of the moment. When the questions were asked George Ford stood up. Took over kicking duties to put England out of sight and orchestrated a masterful kicking display to squeeze the life out of the All Blacks. Seized the day.

Ben Youngs: (8) Fantastic all-round display, maintained tempo when England were on attack, and unlucky to have his try disallowed. The best he's been for a while.

Forwards

Mako Vunipola: (9) Passed, carried, hit, scrummaged and lifted with equal aplomb. He is essential to England's attacking plan.

Jamie George (8): England found space for their jumpers and George found them with a superb throwing display. Dynamism in the loose in attack and a defensive organiser.

Kyle Sinckler: (8) A dynamic display from the barnstorming tight-head, re-writing the rule book on what's capable from that side of the scrum. Hobbled off with injury.

Courtney Lawes: (8) A constant menace in defence and carried the ball strongly in the opening period. Reliable as ever and called a superb line-out.

Maro Itoje: (9) Back to his brilliant best - disciplined, influential, accurate and leads from the front. A top-class performer.

Tom Curry: (9) Relentless doesn't even get close. In attack and defence he seemed to be everywhere. Control of the blindside out of the top drawer. Not seen a performance like that since Richard Hill graced the field.

Sam Underhill: (9) Carved out of granite, Underhill's thunderous tackling and strangulation of the breakdown were vital to England's success. The modern day open-side machine.

Billy Vunipola: (8) Devastating ball carrier, disciplined and accurate in defence. His two flankers afford him the space to do some damage carrying the ball and his big brother keeps him happy.

Replacements

Henry Slade: (8) Comfortable in more than one position - settled in at full-back and made a try-saving hit on Sevu Reece. An influential player in England's 23.

Willi Heinz: (7) An easy 20 minutes for scrum-half Heinz because England were so dominant. He was accurate, kept the machine ticking on.

Dan Cole: (7) Veteran tight-head prop, called into action earlier than expected. A rock in the scrum, solid in defence, even had a couple of trundles. Nice cameo.

George Kruis: (7) Added to England's total dominance up front. England's pack finished with total domination.

Luke Cowan-Dickie: (7) Watched Jamie George put in a massive performance, must have enjoyed riding the chariot home.

Joe Marler: (7) Prop gave George Ford a big hug before the game and Ford had the game of his life. Well done, Joe.

Mark Wilson: (8) Gritty doesn't cover it. A key turnover when the game was in the balance maintained England's superiority. Mental strength as well as physical.

Jonathan Joseph: (7) A good day to make sure everybody got on the field. Joseph adds a lot but didn't have time to do much.

TT Postscript: Hey, Sam, get ready for some company at the top

Published in Golf
Saturday, 26 October 2019 21:25

CHIBA, Japan – Tiger Woods made the most of a marathon day at the Zozo Championship, playing 29 holes in 6 under par to move to within seven holes of tying Sam Snead for the all-time PGA Tour victories record of 82.

Some news and notes from Sunday in Japan:

• With just seven holes to play Monday, history is on Tiger’s side. He’s 24-for-24 when taking at least a three-stroke lead into the final round of a Tour event (which was his margin at the Zozo) and 43-of-45 with a 54-hole outright lead.

• Following off-season knee surgery, the prospect of playing 29 holes in a single day was always going to be challenging for Tiger, but he seemed to withstand the rigors of a difficult day. “It was a long day in the saddle,” Woods said. “I felt like I played well, left a few out there.”

Scorecard for player 11111 during event 18467. Round pinned: 4

• Tiger continued a curious trend Sunday when he played the par 5s in 1 under par, including a bogey at the 14th hole during his third round. By comparison, he played the par 3s Sunday in 3 under par thanks to near flawless iron play.

• This week’s Zozo Championship is Tiger’s first start in a wraparound season fall event and if he goes on to victory it would be the first time he’s won his season debut since 2013 (Farmers Insurance Open).

• Tiger played his first three holes this week bogey-bogey-bogey. He played his next 62 holes in 21 under par.

• Following record crowds Sunday at Narashino Country Club officials elected for something more intimate for Monday’s conclusion. Only fans with all-week tickets or VIP ticket holders will be allowed on the course for the conclusion of the final round, which will cut the gallery from 20,000 on Sunday to about 3,000.

Programming note: Golf Channel will air the conclusion of the final round of the Zozo Championship live at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Chasing 82: Complete list of Tiger's and Snead's PGA Tour wins

Published in Golf
Saturday, 26 October 2019 20:13

A look at the official PGA Tour wins for Tiger Woods and Sam Snead, the two most triumphant players in Tour history. Major victories in bold and tournament names courtesy the PGA Tour.

Tiger Woods Win NO. Sam Snead
1996 Las Vegas Invitational 1 1936 West Virginia Closed Pro
1996 Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic 2 1937 Oakland Open
1997 Mercedes Championships 3 1937 Bing Crosby Pro-Am
1997 Masters Tournament 4 1937 St. Paul Open
1997 GTE Byron Nelson Golf Classic 5 1937 Nassau Open
1997 Motorola Western Open 6 1937 Miami Open
1998 BellSouth Classic 7 1938 Bing Crosby Pro-Am
1999 Buick Invitational 8 1938 Greater Greensboro Open
1999 Memorial Tournament 9 1938 Inverness Invitational
1999 Motorola Western Open 10 1938 Palm Beach Round Robin
1999 PGA Championship 11 1938 Chicago Open
1999 WGC-NEC Invitational 12 1938 Canadian Open
1999 National Car Rental Golf Classic/Disney 13 1938 Westchester 108 Hole Open
1999 Tour Championship 14 1938 White Sulphur Springs Open
1999 WGC-American Express Championship 15 1939 St. Petersburg Open
2000 Mercedes Championships 16 1939 Miami-Biltmore Four-Ball
2000 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am 17 1939 Miami Open
2000 Bay Hill Invitational 18 1940 Inverness Invitational Four-Ball
2000 Memorial Tournament 19 1940 Canadian Open
2000 U.S. Open 20 1940 Anthracite Open
2000 Open Championship 21 1941 Bing Crosby Pro-Am
2000 PGA Championship 22 1941 St. Petersburg Open
2000 WGC-NEC Invitational 23 1941 North & South Open Championship
2000 Bell Canadian Open 24 1941 Canadian Open
2001 Bay Hill Invitational 25 1941 Rochester Times Union Open
2001 Players Championship 26 1941 Henry Hurst Invitational
2001 Masters Tournament 27 1942 St. Petersburg Open
2001 Memorial Tournament 28 1942 PGA Championship
2001 WGC-NEC Invitational 29 1944 Portland Open
2002 Bay Hill Invitational 30 1944 Richmond Open
2002 Masters Tournament 31 1945 Los Angeles Open
2002 U.S. Open 32 1945 Gulfport Open
2002 Buick Open 33 1945 Pensacola Open Invitational
2002 WGC-American Express Championship 34 1945 Jacksonville Open
2003 Buick Invitational 35 1945 Dallas Open
2003 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship 36 1945 Tulsa Open
2003 Bay Hill Invitational 37 1946 Virginia Open
2003 Western Open 38 1946 Jacksonville Open
2003 WGC-American Express Championship 39 1946 Greater Greensboro Open
2004 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship 40 1946 Open Championship
2005 Buick Invitational 41 1946 World Championship of Golf
2005 Ford Championship at Doral 42 1946 Miami Open
2005 Masters Tournament 43 1948 Texas Open
2005 Open Championship 44 1949 Greater Greensboro Open
2005 WGC-NEC Invitational 45 1949 Masters Tournament
2005 WGC-American Express Championship 46 1949 PGA Championship
2006 Buick Invitational 47 1949 Washington Star Open
2006 Ford Championship at Doral 48 1949 Dapper Don Open
2006 Open Championship 49 1949 Western Open
2006 Buick Open 50 1950 Los Angeles Open
2006 PGA Championship 51 1950 Bing Crosby Pro-Am
2006 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational 52 1950 Texas Open
2006 Deutsche Bank Championship 53 1950 Miami Beach Open
2006 WGC-American Express Championship 54 1950 Greater Greensboro Open
2007 Buick Invitational 55 1950 Western Open
2007 WGC-CA Championship 56 1950 Colonial Invitational
2007 Wachovia Championship 57 1950 Inverness Four-Ball Invitational
2007 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational 58 1950 Reading Open
2007 PGA Championship 59 1950 North & South Open Championship
2007 BMW Championship 60 1950 Miami Open
2007 Tour Championship 61 1951 PGA Championship
2008 Buick Invitational 62 1951 Miami Open
2008 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship 63 1952 Masters Tournament
2008 Arnold Palmer Invitational 64 1952 Palm Beach Round Robin
2008 U.S. Open 65 1952 Inverness Round Robin Invitational
2009 Arnold Palmer Invitational 66 1952 All American Open
2009 Memorial Tournament 67 1952 Eastern Open
2009 AT&T National 68 1953 Baton Rouge Open
2009 Buick Open 69 1954 Masters Tournament
2009 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational 70 1954 Palm Beach Round Robin
2009 BMW Championship 71 1955 Greater Greensboro Open
2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational 72 1955 Palm Beach Round Robin
2012 Memorial Tournament 73 1955 Insurance City Open
2012 AT&T National 74 1955 Miami Open
2013 Farmers Insurance Open 75 1956 Greater Greensboro Open
2013 WGC-Cadillac Championship 76 1957 Palm Beach Round Robin
2013 Arnold Palmer Invitational 77 1957 Dallas Open Invitational
2013 Players Championship 78 1958 Dallas Open Invitational
2013 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational 79 1960 De Soto Open Invitational
2018 Tour Championship 80 1960 Greater Greensboro Open
2019 Masters Tournament 81 1961 Tournament of Champions
  82 1965 Greater Greensboro Open

Jang denies Kang back-to-back wins, captures BMW Ladies playoff

Published in Golf
Saturday, 26 October 2019 21:33

BUSAN, South Korea – Ha Na Jang birdied the third playoff hole Sunday to beat Danielle Kang for the LPGA's BMW Ladies Championship.

Both players parred the par-4 18th twice in the playoff before moving to the 10th hole at the LPGA Busan International course, where Jang's three clinched it.

Kang, who birdied eight of her first 13 holes for a 64, and Jang, 65, finished with 19-under 269 totals. Kang won last week's Shanghai tournament, the first of four LPGA events in Asia.

Jang had an eagle and three birdies on the back nine, including on the par-4 17th which moved her into a tie for the lead.

Amy Yang had a 67 and was three strokes behind in third.

Charley Hull finished with a 69 and was at 8 under, 11 strokes behind. Nelly Korda shot 71 and finished 5 under while Brooke Henderson had a 74 and finished at 3-under. Paula Creamer's 74 left her at 2 over while Morgan Pressel was another stroke behind after a 76.

The LPGA tour's Asian swing moves to Taiwan next week followed by a fourth stop in Japan.

When Jurgen Klopp was sizing up his first opponent as Liverpool manager -- Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham -- in October 2015, he was in awe of their continuity and clear on-pitch identity. "They've worked together for some time and are fine-tuned," he said. "They have a style they are convinced about, and they give it everything."

The German was expected to deliver those very elements at Anfield by Liverpool's owners, Fenway Sports Group. They didn't set him targets based on league position or European football, recognising the reconstruction job stretched far wider than those remits. Klopp needed to change more than results. He was required to create a unique culture at the club that observers could immediately tie to the Merseysiders, making it easy to distinguish their hallmarks as was the case with Pochettino's young, high-pressing Spurs.

It is poetic, then, that Klopp's crowning moment thus far as Liverpool manager, when his side lifted the European Cup on the back of a 97-point league season having lost the Champions League final a year earlier, came against Tottenham in June.

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That showpiece game in Madrid, decided by goals from Mohamed Salah and Divock Origi, felt like a springboard for Liverpool but a full stop for their opponents. Ahead of this Sunday's clash at Anfield, there's a real sense that as one era is just getting started, the other might be coming to an end.


It was a miracle born out of masterful coaching that took Spurs to the final; they had a net spend of just £29 million since Pochettino's appointment in 2014 through the start of the January transfer window. For perspective, the comparison for the same period: Manchester City £518m, Manchester United £466m, Arsenal £225m, Chelsea £200m and Liverpool £183m.

Tottenham have the lowest wage bill of the "big six" clubs and became the first Premier League team to not make a signing for an entire season (2019-20). Pochettino was massively overperforming in relation to his spending power and naturally began to wonder how he was going to continue trying to compete with City and Liverpool when Pep Guardiola and Klopp have surgically moulded their squads as Tottenham cry out for a much-needed refresh.

Ahead of the Champions League final, Pochettino issued a warning about this very scenario.

"In the five years we have achieved a lot of things, and I think like I explained before, it was an amazing period. But now it's what's next. I think of course we are all excited now and it's difficult to see the future, but the future arrives quick. If you are not focused and if you don't start to work and if you do not make a plan, if you don't anticipate the things, when you crash, you crash.

"If we believe that if we operate in the same way that we have operated in the last five years we are going to be every season in the final of the Champions League, and we are going to be every season in the top four and competing against projects like Liverpool or Manchester City, I think we are very naive. If you want to expect the same from Liverpool, from Manchester City or Manchester United and Chelsea, and you put the same expectation on Tottenham, and the people expect the same, of course, give me different tools to work [with]."

Spurs, who travel to Anfield on Sunday with Pochettino now the one envious of the house Klopp has built, have been shambolic this season. They were dumped from the League Cup by Colchester on penalties, decimated in a 7-2 drubbing at home to Bayern Munich in the Champions League and have suffered top-flight defeats to Newcastle and Brighton, the latter coming by a three-goal margin.

There is an argument that the Spurs boss was backed with funds this summer given the additions of Tanguy Ndombele, Giovani Lo Celso and Ryan Sessegnon and should be taking the team to elevated levels. Yet it ignores the reality that the recruitments, part of the manager's wish list submitted after defeat in the Champions League final, only arrived late in the window. They were not afforded a pre-season to acclimatise to the 47-year-old's demands and have struggled with injuries. Equally, the kind of "reset" Pochettino had hoped for is as much about outgoings as it is about new faces.

Take the matchday squads when Klopp's Liverpool and Pochettino's Spurs collided four years ago. Only four players of Liverpool's matchday 18 remain at Anfield: James Milner, Adam Lallana, Divock Origi and Nathaniel Clyne, who would have moved on in search of greater game time had he not suffered an ACL injury in July. By contrast, 11 are still at Tottenham: Hugo Lloris, Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen, Danny Rose, Dele Alli, Erik Lamela, Christian Eriksen, Harry Kane, Michel Vorm, Harry Winks and Ben Davies. Their roster is not only stale, but it contains too many players who have been open about testing themselves elsewhere and have actively sought moves away.

Another issue is the familiarity with disappointment. Spurs have lost two FA Cup semifinals, to Chelsea and United, as well as the League Cup final to the Blues when Mourinho was in charge at Stamford Bridge in March 2015. In January, their depleted side was beaten on penalties by Chelsea again -- this time under Maurizio Sarri's watch -- in the last four of the same competition. Then came the loss to Liverpool in Madrid, and when you throw in a second-place finish in the league in 2016-17, it is hard to imagine how a group of players that have had so many nearly moments can go again without a real shake-up.

Why would they believe they can do any better than they have already done?

When Klopp's charges surrendered the League Cup and Europa League to Manchester City on penalties and Sevilla, respectively, in 2016, Sadio Mane, Georginio Wijnaldum, Joel Matip and goalkeeper Loris Karius were brought in that summer. Liverpool subsequently qualified for the Champions League and brought in Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, with Virgil van Dijk joining in the winter as Philippe Coutinho left for Barcelona. The Reds reached the final of the continental tournament in 2018 and responded to that 3-1 loss to Real by upgrading from Karius with Alisson, while Fabinho and Naby Keita bolstered their midfield options and Xherdan Shaqiri offered attacking depth.

While Klopp has had the power to reshape Liverpool, Pochettino has been at war with stasis.

Tottenham have exceptional facilities: their stadium is arguably the best in Europe in terms of design and function, while their training complex is also on the cutting edge. Chairman Daniel Levy has made them sustainable and has helped Spurs develop into much more than a mere nuisance to rivals Arsenal. In doing so, his side have claimed a seat at the top table, but they have also reached a comfort zone, and that is largely due to the structure, which is designed to try to keep pace rather than set it.

Pochettino has persistently demonstrated his ability to unearth solutions, but how do you remedy the end of a cycle under constant constraints?

Following Spurs' 5-0 Champions League victory over Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday, a win at Anfield, where Liverpool have not lost in 44 top-flight fixtures, could provide a short-term tonic. However, Tottenham have not picked up maximum points on their last 10 Premier League trips and really should have paid attention to Pochettino's "when you crash, you crash" caution.

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White Sox end skid of 20 straight series losses

White Sox end skid of 20 straight series losses

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsCHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox won back-to-back games for the fir...

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