MANCHESTER, England -- Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said Leroy Sane's knee injury is set to rule him out for "six or seven months."

The Germany winger suffered the injury during the Community Shield victory over Liverpool at Wembley on Sunday and will undergo surgery in Barcelona next week.

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Guardiola said he expects to be without the 23-year-old until after Christmas. Sane had been linked with a summer move to Bayern Munich throughout the transfer window, which closed for Premier League clubs on Thursday.

"Normally this kind of injury is six or seven months," Guardiola told a news conference on Friday ahead of his side's Premier League opener against West Ham.

"Hopefully in February or March he can be back with us. I didn't think about him leaving. Always I said he's our player and he didn't tell me he wanted to leave, always I thought he was ours.

"It's bad news and in three seasons we've had three ACL [injuries]. He's young and he will recover well hopefully. All the people will help him, he will feel alone and we help him to feel as comfortable as possible."

City kick off their campaign with a trip to West Ham on Saturday a week after lifting the Community Shield with a penalty shoot-out victory over Liverpool.

Riyad Mahrez missed the game at Wembley because of fears he could fail a doping test after taking an unknown sinus medication while playing for Algeria at the Africa Cup of Nations, but will return to the squad at the London Stadium.

Aymeric Laporte is also fit after recovering from a knock picked up in training.

"Last season West Ham finished well," Guardiola said. "Manuel [Pellegrini] has quality in identifying the way he plays. In the start it was not easy [for him], they lost the first three or four games but he's a calm person and the board supported him.

"He made good results at the end of the season -- [against] Tottenham, Watford. The quality in his teams and the quality of the players up front, they've got many good players. It's the first game. Playing away is tricky but we are ready."

Guardiola also confirmed that David Silva will replace Vincent Kompany as club captain after a vote among players this week. Fernandinho, Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero will act as vice-captains to Silva, who is entering his final season in Manchester after joining the club from Valencia in 2010.

"He has to be himself, David has to be himself and make decisions for the team," Guardiola said. "He will be a good captain."

Arsenal's Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac, who escaped unhurt after an attempted carjacking last month, are not in the squad for the team's Premier League opener at Newcastle United on Sunday due to "further security incidents," the club said on Friday.

"Ozil and Kolasinac will not be part of the squad for our opening match against Newcastle following further security incidents which are being investigated by the police," an Arsenal spokesman told Reuters via email.

"The welfare of our players and their families is always a top priority and we have taken this decision following discussion with the players and their representatives."

"We're liaising with the police and are providing the players and their families with ongoing support," added the Arsenal spokesman.

"We look forward to welcoming the players back to the squad as soon as possible. We will not be making any further comment on the matter."

Ozil and his wife Amine Gulse were unharmed after being the targets in the incident, a sourced had previously told ESPN FC. The incident occurred when the two were pulling up to the home of Kolasinac, according to the source, when two assailants approached the car brandishing knives.

In video of the event, Kolasinac can be seen fending off the masked aggressors, with the source saying that Ozil stayed in the car to protect his wife.

Ozil then sped off and was followed by the attackers for about five minutes before arriving at Likya, a Turkish restaurant he likes to frequent in the nearby area of Golders Green, the source said. Employees of the restaurant emerged to help Ozil and confront the attackers.

Information from Reuters was used in this report.

It's another big home date for Pity Martinez and Atlanta United against New York City FC, while red-hot Marco Fabian and the Philadelphia Union host struggling Houston, plus Seattle and New England will each try to rebound from home defeats.

Pity and de Boer turn a corner in Atlanta

Pity Martinez's rocky start to life at Atlanta United has been mentioned many times before on these pages, and just two weeks ago the Argentine looked downright incredulous when coach Frank de Boer yanked him off the field in the second half of the 4-3 loss at Los Angeles FC. That was followed by All-Star break comments from teammates and countrymen Leandro Gonzalez-Pirez and Ezequiel Barco about "the challenges" of adjusting to playing under de Boer. Needless to say, it wasn't a ringing endorsement of the Dutchman's tactics.

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Just when it looked like things were going to go scorched earth on Peachtree, Martinez summoned his best performance of the season in last Saturday's 3-0 win over the LA Galaxy, earning rave reviews from de Boer.

Atlanta has had a few false dawns this season, but this time things feel different and Sunday's clash with New York City FC (4 p.m. ET, ESPN) offers a chance to show that Martinez and de Boer are on the same page and that Atlanta's 2019 has turned the corner. Helping the cause is Josef Martinez, who has scored in nine straight, but an injury may keep the Venezuelan out of action this weekend.

NYCFC remain a tricky bunch to figure out. After stringing together an impressive 12-match unbeaten streak, they have won three and lost three. However, unsung midfield maestro Maxi Moralez is capable of picking the lock of any defense in MLS and no doubt he'll be keen to upstage his countrymen on the other side of the ball.

Fabian finding form in Philly

Marco Fabian was one of the biggest winter signings in MLS by joining the Philadelphia Union, but the Mexican midfielder endured a frustrating start in the league due to a combination of injuries and suspension. In all he played just eight of the first 18 games for Philadelphia, scoring two goals. Not exactly the return on investment a team looks for in a designated player.

But credit to boss Jim Curtin for keeping Philly either near or at the top of the Eastern Conference table during that span, and now the Union look poised to take advantage of Fabian finding form, and at the right time of year.

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The Mexico international has four goals in his last six games and was masterful in last week's 5-1 win at DC United with a brace and an assist. With no standout team in the East this season, an in-form Fabian gives Philly the goods to separate from the pack, and a chance to potentially pad a three-point cushion comes this Sunday against Houston (6 p.m. ET, ESPN+).

The Dynamo have lost 10 of their last 13 and became the first team to lose at home to Chicago this season in a 1-0 final last Saturday. Making things more difficult for coach Wilmer Cabrera was the 3-2 loss to NYCFC on Thursday night, meaning just two days off before playing a fully rested Fabian and Philly. Things could become very uncomfortable for the Colombian if the Dynamo return home empty-handed.

Rebound battle in Seattle

This is usually the time of year when the Seattle Sounders kick things into gear, but 2019 has presented a different story. Back-to-back home defeats are leaving folks in the Emerald City scratching their heads, including the newly bald Nicolas Lodeiro. Last week's 3-2 home loss to Sporting Kansas City was particularly surprising, given Sporting KC's struggles this season.

The positive though has been the play of Jordan Morris, who has accounted for all of Seattle's scoring in the last two weeks with three goals. An opportunity to add to that total comes on Saturday against New England (4 p.m. ET, ESPN+).

The Revs' 11-game unbeaten run came to an end last week at home to LAFC, with some woeful finishing playing a part in New England's doom. It doesn't mean that New England is reverting to its poor early season form, but a good result in the Pacific Northwest would help quell any doubts that the recent hot streak was a one-off.

The Premier League begins on Friday when Liverpool host Norwich City, the first of 380 matches between now and May 17, 2020.

ESPN FC writer Mark Ogden takes a look at the best and worst outcomes each club can expect during their 2019-20 campaign.

ARSENAL
Last season: fifth place, 70 points

BEST: Forget about a title challenge. Manager Unai Emery's rebuild at the Emirates is still in its initial stages, but the pressure will be on the Spaniard to get the club back into the Champions League. Fourth is the bare minimum -- especially given the late-summer signings of Nicolas Pepe and Kieran Tierney -- but that may also be the best Arsenal can hope for.

WORST: Arsenal are at a crossroads and if they don't kick on quickly, they could be vulnerable to being overtaken by the likes of Wolves, Everton and Leicester. It's unlikely this season, but the worst-case scenario is the Gunners finish out of the top six.

ASTON VILLA
Last season: fifth place in Championship, won promotion playoff

BEST: Back in the top flight after a three-year absence, Villa have been busy in the transfer market to ensure they remain where many believe they belong. If they gather momentum and the new signings work out -- much will be expected of new striker Wesley, loanee turned permanent transfer Anwar El-Ghazi and Man City's former starlet Douglas Luiz -- Villa could end up in the top 10.

WORST: Teams promoted via the Championship playoff often struggle to survive the first year in the Premier League and that is the doomsday scenario for Villa. If the new signings fail to succeed, Villa could slide straight back down again.

BOURNEMOUTH
Last season: 14th place, 45 points

BEST: Manager Eddie Howe has transformed Bournemouth into one of the Premier League's real success stories, with the smallest club in the top flight always doing enough to avoid a relegation battle. But with such strength at the top of the league, a top-10 finish would be real achievement this time.

WORST: How long can Bournemouth sustain themselves in the Premier League on exceedingly modest budgets -- taking Liverpool's Harry Wilson on loan feels like the most exciting incoming player on paper -- and tiny attendances at home? If they hit a bad patch or Howe gets an offer he can't refuse from a bigger club, Bournemouth could hit the skids and find themselves relegated.

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION
Last season: 17th place, 36 points

BEST: It will be a tough year ahead of Brighton. They just survived last season and new manager Graham Potter takes charge with no previous top-flight experience. The best they can hope for is survival and 17th might be as good as it gets.

WORST: Brighton have a state-of-the-art stadium, impressive training set-up and no rivals within a 50-mile radius, but this feels like a crucial season at the Amex and the worst-case scenario is that Potter's appointment doesn't work out and they go down.

BURNLEY
Last season: 15th place, 40 points

BEST: Burnley's seventh-place finish in the 2017-18 season was the club's best in the modern era, and repeating that feat would be extraordinary. With their budget limitations, a top-10 finish would be a great season for Sean Dyche's team.

WORST: Relegation is clearly the nightmare scenario for Burnley, but they've become an established top-flight outfit and should be safe from a fight for survival. The worst outcome for the Clarets would be an injury crisis that sends them spinning toward the bottom three.

CHELSEA
Last season: third place, 72 points

BEST: With no Eden Hazard and a transfer ban denying Frank Lampard the chance to strengthen his squad until next summer, a title challenge can be ruled out at Stamford Bridge. However, with enough quality players (Willian, NGolo Kante, Antonio Rudiger) who have delivered in the past and the newly acquired Christian Pulisic on the flank, Chelsea could end up behind Manchester City and Liverpool as the best of the rest in third.

WORST: Lampard's return to Chelsea as manager has been well received by everyone at the club, but if he proves to be a novice who is out of his depth at the highest level, failure to finish in the top four could cost him his job.

CRYSTAL PALACE
Last season: 12th place, 49 points

BEST: Under Roy Hodgson, Palace have become too good to go down but not quite good enough to challenge for the top 10. A good season, with all key players delivering, could propel them into the top half and it would be a real achievement.

WORST: Palace have kept Wilfried Zaha for now but remain vulnerable to a fight for survival, especially if clubs come calling again in January. Keep Zaha and Palace stay up. Lose him and they face a long season.

EVERTON
Last season: eighth place, 54 points

BEST: Everton want to be a top-six club -- they even have ambitions to get themselves into the Champions League -- but realistically the best they can hope for under Marco Silva this season is sixth. Manchester United and Arsenal are both within their sights if they have a strong campaign and summer signings like Moise Kean hit the ground running.

WORST: Everton can finish as high as sixth and probably no lower than ninth, but ninth would be a bad season considering their ambitions. Finishing the bottom team in the Everton-Wolves-Leicester race would be a disappointing season, but probably as bad as it can get given the amount of investment in squad improvement.

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LEICESTER CITY
Last season: ninth place, 52 points

BEST: Having won the Premier League in 2015-16, a top-six finish or better is the target for Leicester under manager Brendan Rodgers and one they can achieve. If they finish sixth and get back into Europe, it will be a huge success.

WORST: Like Everton and Wolves, Leicester are knocking on the door of the top six, so anything outside the top 10 would be well below expectations and probably cost Rodgers his job.

LIVERPOOL
Last season: second place, 97 points

BEST: It's all about one thing at Liverpool this season: winning the Premier League. The Champions League ended manager Jurgen Klopp's wait for a major trophy at Anfield last season, but having gone without the title since 1990, their season will be measured by whether they win the league. Given that Man City spent money to upgrade at full-back and in central midfield this season while Liverpool added only prospects (Harvey Elliott, Sepp van den Berg), it will be an even tougher prospect than it was last season.

WORST: Finishing second would be a blow, but with Mo Salah and Sadio Mane missing preseason because of the Africa Cup of Nations and Roberto Firmino and Alisson also playing catch-up following the Copa America, the fatigue factor this season could see the chasing pack deny them a top-two spot.

MANCHESTER CITY
Last season: first place, 98 points

BEST: How do you top a season that ended with a domestic Treble? City face football's "Mission Impossible" this season, unless they do the same again and add the Champions League, too, but Pep Guardiola's team are so strong and dominant -- especially with Joao Cancelo and Rodri added to the mix -- that they really could win all four this time.

WORST: Finishing the season empty-handed is the worst scenario for City, but that seems like an outlandish proposition right now. Winning nothing and losing Guardiola at the end of the season would be as bad as it could get.

MANCHESTER UNITED
Last season: sixth place, 66 points

BEST: Times have been so turbulent at Old Trafford since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, that a season without sacking a manager would be a good outcome. After all, if manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer keeps his job, United will have finished in the top four and perhaps even won a trophy, which is as good as it will get. Signing Harry Maguire shows they've finally got the top-shelf defender who can steady a team known for leaking goals last season.

WORST: There is now a fear among United supporters that rather than focusing on keeping pace with their top-six rivals, the real task will be to stay ahead of Leicester, Everton and Wolves. Failing to acquire a proven striker while letting Romelu Lukaku go will make it a genuine challenge. Could United finish outside the top six? It's not outside the realm of possibility

NEWCASTLE UNITED
Last season: 13th place, 45 points

BEST: It has been a desperate summer for Newcastle. Having lost manager Rafael Benitez and forwards Ayoze Perez and Salomon Rondon, while spending £40m on replacement Joelinton, that anything but relegation under new coach Steve Bruce would be regarded as a positive outcome at St James' Park.

WORST: Newcastle look to be a club close to a meltdown, with owner Mike Ashley seemingly uninterested in spending enough to push his team up the table, which leaves their passionate fans on the brink of revolt. Relegation would be bad, but the worst outcome for Newcastle would be a repeat of what has happened to neighbours Sunderland: successive relegations and no sign of a route back to the top.

NORWICH CITY
Last season: Championship winners, promoted

BEST: Daniel Farke's team won promotion at a canter last season, so confidence will be high at Carrow Road that they can survive in the Premier League. Burnley and Bournemouth have shown that less-fancied teams can prosper and a top-10 finish would be a good outcome for Norwich.

WORST: Norwich won promotion with ease but there are no guarantees in the Premier League and it can be an unforgiving competition. They might also regret taking the less popular road of retaining the squad that got them up and making no significant summer additions to account for the extra quality in the top flight. Norwich's nightmare scenario is a struggle that sees them relegated again.

SHEFFIELD UNITED
Last season: second place in Championship, promoted

BEST: The Blades have broken their club transfer record four times this summer -- in order: midfielder Luke Freeman, winger Callum Robinson, striker Lys Mousset and forward Oliver McBurnie -- so they certainly mean business on their return to the top flight for the first time since 2007. But they are still the relegation favourites, so any finish higher than 18th would be enough to set the champagne corks popping.

WORST: Manager Chris Wilder has built a committed, unified team at Bramall Lane, but if they don't have enough quality, United could find it tough. Eclipsing Derby's record low top-flight points total of 11, set in 2007-08, would be the worst end result.

SOUTHAMPTON
Last season: 16th place, 39 points

BEST: The 2018-19 campaign was truly one to forget, but the second half of the season under Ralph Hasenhuttl showed some potential, and with a few good signings this summer up front -- the Saints managed only 45 goals last season but made Danny Ings a permanent transfer as well as snapping up Che Adams -- they should at least push for midtable comfort and a season of consolidating their status in the top flight.

WORST: If this squad doesn't fully embrace Hasenhuttl's style of play -- he was once described as the "anti Guardiola" for his preference of pressing, counterattacking football -- and if Ings and Adams don't mesh well up front, they will be a relegation contender again in 2019-20.

TOTTENHAM
Last season: fourth place, 71 points

BEST: Spurs have become a team that promises more than they deliver, but after five years in charge, Mauricio Pochettino is determined to oversee genuine success. For that to happen, Spurs have to win a trophy this season and, in the league, they can split last year's top two if they find more consistency. The additions of Tanguy Ndombele, Ryan Sessegnon and Giovani Lo Celso should provide the depth they need to remain competitive from start to finish.

WORST: With their new stadium now up and running, anything outside the top four will be a major disappointment even if they were to win silverware elsewhere.

WATFORD
Last season: 11th place, 50 points

BEST: Watford must bounce back from the humiliation of losing last season's FA Cup final 6-0 to Manchester City. A top-10 finish will be a challenge, but it is within Watford's reach.

WORST: If the FA Cup final results in a hangover that affects this season, Watford can forget about the top 10, but Javi Gracia's team are too good to go down. The worst they can expect is a season on the fringes of the relegation zone.

WEST HAM UNITED
Last season: 10th place, 52 points

BEST: Manuel Pellegrini's team have been big spenders this summer, so they have the potential to join the race to dislodge the top six. It feels a year too soon for West Ham to be serious about that, but anything higher than ninth will be a great campaign.

WORST: West Ham should be a top-10 club at least but they need to get their home form working properly having won only nine of 19 league fixtures last season at London Stadium. Otherwise, they will be risking another bottom-half finish.

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
Last season: seventh place, 57 points

BEST: Wolves have become arguably the strongest contender to break into the top six and that is certainly within their reach. The Champions League places are probably a jump too far, but fifth or sixth at the expense of a traditional "Big Six" side is a possibility at Molineux.

WORST: The Europa League could become a problem for Wolves, who must play six games before the end of August if they are to even reach the group stages. If they become weighed down by Europe, it could see them crash out of the top 10.

England have dropped Moeen Ali from their squad to face Australia in the second Ashes Test at Lord's, with Somerset's left-arm spinner Jack Leach called up in his place. James Anderson and Olly Stone also miss out on the 12-man group through injury, as England attempt to fight back from 1-0 down in the series.

Moeen endured a difficult time in the opening Test at Edgbaston, taking three wickets at a cost of 172 runs to go with scores of 0 and 4; he was dismissed by Nathan Lyon in both innings, extending the offspinner's mastery over him to nine of his last 11 dismissals against Australia.

England seem set to hand a Test debut to Jofra Archer, who was included in the squad for the first Test but left out as a precaution while he continued to work back to full fitness after a side strain suffered during the World Cup. He played for Sussex 2nd XI in a three-day game this week, taking 7 for 106 and scoring a century to prove his readiness.

The other option to replace Anderson, who suffered a recurrence of his calf injury after bowling four overs at Edgbaston, is Sam Curran. The left-armer has played 10 Test, most recently for Ireland's visit to Lord's last month.

Despite coming into the Ashes as the leading Test wicket-taker in the world over the last year, Moeen's form had suffered a dip at the World Cup, where he lost his place in the starting XI after defeat to Australia in the group stage. His place is likely to be taken by Leach, who was England's spinner for the four-day Test against Ireland - winning Man of the Match for his 92 as nightwatchman, having only been required to bowl three overs.

While Moeen has been a valuable contributor for England since his debut in 2014, his career has not been without its ups and downs. He suffered a chastening Ashes in Australia two winters ago, losing his place on the New Zealand leg of England's tour - with Leach handed a debut in Christchurch.

He returned in style against India at the Ageas Bowl last summer, claiming nine wickets in the match, and was then England's leading wicket-taker on their tours of Sri Lanka and the West Indies, though his returns with the bat remained light.

However, presented with a turning Edgbaston pitch - on with Lyon claimed a nine-wicket haul - Moeen was unable to provide either control or wicket-taking threat. On the fourth day, with England hoping to limit Australia's lead, Moeen was ruthlessly milked as Steven Smith went on to record his second century in the match.

England's problems in the opening Test extended to negligible contributions with the bat from Jason Roy, Joe Deny, Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow, but the selectors, headed by Ed Smith, have shied away from making any major changes. Rory Burns did enjoy success, scoring his maiden Test ton, while Joe Root made 57 and 28 after moving up the order to No. 3.

England squad: Joe Root (capt), Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jack Leach, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes

Moeen Ali has enjoyed as many highs as he has endured lows in his Test career. After his omission from England's squad for the Ashes Test at Lord's, we track his many ups and downs over the last two years.

Ashes 2017-18

Moeen went into the 2017-18 Ashes on the back of a brilliant 2017 home summer, which included a haul of 10 for 112 at Lord's and a hat-trick at The Oval in the South Africa series, and a swashbuckling hundred against the West Indies in Bristol.

But after spending weeks in the nets and with Mark Ramprakash preparing for a barrage of bumpers from Australia's quicks, he endured an awful run against Nathan Lyon: he was dismissed seven times in nine innings by him, and his struggles spilled over into his bowling, as he returned five wickets at 115.

New Zealand 2017-18

With Jack Leach in the squad as a possible replacement, Moeen needed to prove he was England's best spinner, and that he could contribute with the bat, in the pink-ball Test at Auckland.

Instead, he made 0 and 28, and took 0 for 59 in 17 overs, as England slumped to an innings defeat. By the time the Christchurch Test had come around, Leach was in for his debut.

Pakistan 2018

While England stumbled at Lord's and then bounced back emphatically at Headingley, Moeen was playing for Worcestershire in the One-Day Cup, his Test career at a crossroads.

With Leach injured, England plumped for Dom Bess as their first-choice spinner, who made one half-century and a 49, as well as taking three wickets in Leeds. The path back to the Test side for Moeen was far from clear.

India 2018

After controversially selecting Adil Rashid, who hadn't played a first-class game in 11 months, England raced into a 2-0 lead before capitulating at Trent Bridge, and then found themselves facing a turning pitch at the Ageas Bowl.

Step forward Moeen, to come into the side alongside Rashid, and take nine wickets at Southampton to propel England to victory. He was even promoted to No. 3 to allow Joe Root to return to his favoured number four, digging in for a 170-ball 50 at The Oval. Following six months in the wilderness, all seemed well with the world.

Sri Lanka 2018-19

Pushed back down the order after two failures in the first Test, Moeen didn't allow his loss of form with the bat to affect his bowling, as his 18 wickets at 24.50 underpinned England's stellar efforts with the ball.

With Leach (18 wickets) and Rashid (12) to keep him company, he formed part of a spin triumvirate that led England to an improbable 3-0 whitewash.

West Indies 2018-19

Despite 14 wickets in the series, including seven in the win in St Lucia, Moeen was outbowled by West Indies' allrounder Roston Chase, and managed only 77 runs in his five innings.

Following two brilliant series, this was a note of warning, and after an underwhelming World Cup and no red-ball cricket before the Ireland Test, Moeen was under pressure.

Ireland and Ashes 2019

Scores of 0 and 9 at Lord's against Ireland, including a particularly soft dismissal to Boyd Rankin's predictable short stuff, and only 4.2 overs in the match meant Moeen went into the Edgbaston Test sweating.

And after an embarrassing duck in the first innings - bowled by, you guessed it, Lyon again, without playing a shot - Moeen found himself on a spinning pitch in Australia's second innings, and needing to make a match-turning contribution.

Instead, he returned 2 for 130 in his 29 overs, figures that were shown up horribly by Lyon's 6 for 49, and not those of a man who leads the world for Test wickets since the beginning of August 2018. To make matters worse, he made only 4 when trying to save the game, prodding his opposite number to David Warner in the gully.

By the time Lord's rolled around, the selectors decided it was time up.

Adil Rashid, England's World Cup-winning legspinner, has been ruled out for the rest of the season as his shoulder injury continues to plague him.

Rashid's shoulder injury was first made public when England's World Cup squad was announced, and was cited as a reason for the inclusion of Liam Dawson over Joe Denly.

It was not sufficiently serious that it caused him to miss any World Cup games, but Rashid revealed that he had needed an injection to manage the pain, and said that bowling his variations in particular had hurt.

He declared himself "100% fit" after the group stages, but after a brief period of rest, told Yorkshire's medical staff that the injury was "the worst it has been this summer", and withdrew from their Vitality Blast squads.

Rashid will undergo a period of rehabilitation, and hopes to bit fully fit in time for England's T20I series in New Zealand in November.

An ECB spokesman said that Rashid was suffering from "chronic pain" and added: "We believe intense rehabilitation and rest will be sufficient over the next six to seven weeks. He might need further treatment ahead of the winter if this persists. That will be decided in due course."

"The aim was to come back after the World Cup and play for Yorkshire," Rashid said. "I enjoy playing for Yorkshire, but it just wasn't meant to be. I've had a shoulder problem for a little while and I got through the World Cup with an injection. Obviously, as time has gone on the injection has worn out and, after the World Cup, I started feeling a bit of a pinch in my shoulder.

"These things can happen and fortunately it hasn't happened to me earlier than it has. I've played 13-14 years of professional cricket and this is the first time I've suffered an injury to my shoulder.

"I'm very confident, after being ruled out for the rest of the season, that I can get myself fully fit before we go away in the winter. I've got two months now to get myself fully fit and it's as simple as that."

Rashid's withdrawal from Yorkshire's squads caused eyebrows to be raised, with his contract up at the end of the season, and director of cricket Martyn Moxon telling the Yorkshire Post there was "no guarantee" Rashid would play red-ball cricket for the club this season. He had opted out of first-class cricket last year, only to change his mind after being recalled to England's Test squad.

Yorkshire have subsequently re-signed South Africa's Keshav Maharaj as cover, who will be available for the rest of the Blast, as well as Championship games against Nottinghamshire and Somerset.

But Rashid quashed any idea that he might not be motivated to turn out for the county. "When I can play, I'll play," he said. "I just wasn't anywhere near fit enough to play. People may have other views, but I just can't play. Any other talk is nonsense. I enjoy playing cricket and enjoy playing for Yorkshire, but this year it wasn't possible with how the shoulder was."

The ECB is considering postponing the start date of some England player central contracts, though it has denied that is because it is facing cash-flow difficulties.

In the past, central contracts have run from the start of October to the end of September to reflect the English season. While the next contracts will be announced, as usual, in late September, ESPNcricinfo understands that England players on white-ball deals will have to wait until February 1, 2020 for their new contracts to begin. As a consequence, the terms of the current white-ball central contracts will be carried over for an extra four months, with the players' counties footing the bill for that time.

The ECB has said this is to move the contracts in line with its own financial year, which begins in February, a shift that will also take place with its Test contracts. England's only white-ball cricket between now and February 1 is five T20Is in New Zealand in November.

The ECB also pointed out that the manner in which white-ball contracts are paid will change, with players no longer receiving incremental payments on top of their county deal, but having their entire salary paid by the ECB - until now white-ball contracts have been paid as increments by the ECB on top of the players' county contracts. If counties are required to supplement their players' wages during the four-month hiatus, they will be recompensed by the ECB in February.

But some in the game have suggested the move is designed to buy the board time as it battles with cash-flow issues. They point out that expenditure and costs associated with setting up The Hundred have bitten deep into the ECB's resources. It has previously been reported that those set-up costs have more than trebled from an initial expectation of £13m a year to somewhere around £40m.

As recently as 2016 the ECB declared reserves of £73.1m in its annual report, but that figure was down to £11.24m in the latest set of accounts.

The value of white-ball contracts is understood to have increased by £100,000 a player a year, to £275,000, while red-ball contracts have increased in value by £175,000 a year to £650,000. The next tranche of money from the latest broadcast deal hits the ECB accounts in February.

A spokesperson for the Professional Cricketers' Association told ESPNcricinfo that talks were continuing.

Australians 266 for 5 dec (Head 109*, Khawaja 57) and 124 for 2 (Harris 67) drew with Worcestershire 201 for 9 dec (Milton 74, Morris 53*, Hazlewood 3-34)

Australia's captain Tim Paine and his touring party ventured from Worcester to London on Friday with a fierce resolve to play to the strengths that they showcased at Edgbaston, even if it means again spelling Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood at Lord's for the second Ashes Test.

Starc and Hazlewood both had their moments in a match curtailed on the final day by rain that fell overnight and then returned in early afternoon, signalling an early end to the fixture but also a chance for the Australian tour bus to beat the heaviest of the traffic on the trip back to the British capital.

Paine, who did not keep wicket in the game, suggested that his men were intent on maintaining a sense of control on proceedings that did not give up the search for wickets but instead kept it in balance with restricting the flow of runs on fast-scoring English grounds - something Starc and Hazlewood did with mixed results against Worcestershire.

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"We're always bowling to a plan to get batsmen out, but I think sometimes perhaps we've set slightly more defensive fields than we have when we've come here in the past," Paine said. "There's a balance between doing that. We don't want to have everyone out on the fence and have no fielders in positions where we think we can get batsmen out.

"So it's about trying to find a balance between attacking their weakness and also controlling their strengths and also where they can score quickly. In England, with the grounds being a bit smaller and the outfields being a bit faster the game can get away from you a little bit quicker.

"I thought that was one of the pleasing things that we did in the first innings at Edgbaston, is that we controlled the scoreboard and if you can do that, when you do get a bit of run-on or a little change in weather when the ball starts to swing you can get well ahead of the game. So there's certainly an element of control but we still want to be making sure that we're working to get their batsmen out all the time as well."

To that end, Paine stressed that Worcester was less a selection trial for Starc, Hazlewood, Michael Neser and company than a chance for them to keep engines revving at a pitch that would see them ready if needed. That need will depend very much on the character of the Lord's pitch, which will be the source of plenty of mystery to England as much as Australia after results so far this year.

"Mitch has obviously come in off a World Cup so it was good for him to get another red-ball bowl," Paine said. "As Josh said, it seems every time he's bowled [he's improved]. He has had a pretty long layoff with his back injury, so every time he's bowled on this tour he has got better. "I thought his first spell here - both their first spells here were really, really good. So we know the high-quality bowlers they are, Michael Neser the same - we know if he gets the right conditions in England with the Dukes ball he can be a real handful.

"So as we've said all tour, it'll be conditions based. They'll play a part in the Ashes if and when the conditions suit. We weren't looking at Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc thinking 'gee I hope they bowl well'. We know how good they are. We know what they can do."

Having spent most of the tour match observing things from mid-off or the team viewing area - he did not bat - Paine mounted a cogent counter-argument to the long held view that wicketkeeper captains had it tougher than their batting contemporaries.

"I didn't really enjoy it, it was a bit boring," Paine said. "It's different because you don't see what the ball is doing. People have said in the past that being a wicketkeeper and a captain might be a disadvantage. Now that I've done it a bit more, I see it as more of an advantage. I can see ball movement, I can see or feel when a bowler's getting tired from the way he's hitting my gloves.

"And I can see exactly where a batsman is moving to, or what mark he's batting on and stuff like that. So I found it a little bit harder in this game, when you can't see exactly what's happening. You're relying on other people's information a lot, I found. It was nice to have a bit of a spell from wicketkeeping but I'm looking forward to getting back behind them."

In London, the Australians will reconnect with their most indispensable batsman, Steve Smith, refreshed by a few days away and doubtless eager for a few thousand more throwdowns to regroove his game for Lord's. Paine received talk of fresh English plans for Smith with precious little discomfort.

"Steve Smith averages over 60 in Test cricket, so I think the beauty of Steve is you can come up with a plan but he's good enough to adapt really quickly," Paine said. "I've seen him do it between balls, I've seen him do it when guys have targeted him from one end a certain way and a completely different way from the other end. I think that's what makes him the best player in the world, his ability to adapt to any plan that is thrown at him. I think he processes it quicker than other players and adapts on the spot."

Resuming at 92 for 1, the tourists played out only another 13 overs before the rain returned. Marcus Harris got as far as 67 before his exit, but Cameron Bancroft is expected to retain his opening spot alongside David Warner for Lord's.

The heavyweight world title rematch between three-belt titleholder Andy Ruiz Jr. and former titlist Anthony Joshua will take place on Dec. 7 in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing announced on Friday.

Hearn was mum on any other details about the event -- dubbed "Clash on the Dunes" -- for which there will be a news conference on Monday in London that will include Omar Khalil, the managing partner of Skill Challenge Entertainment, the group putting up tens of millions of dollars to bring the fight to Saudi Arabia.

Diriyah is a city on the outskirts of Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. The bout will take place at a temporary outdoor stadium that will be erected solely to host the fight, multiple sources with knowledge of the plans told ESPN.

The decision to take the fight to Saudi Arabia comes as a surprise. Days after Ruiz's massive upset of Joshua to take his world titles, Joshua exercised his right to an immediate rematch, and Hearn said the bout would take place at either Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, or at New York's Madison Square Garden, the same site as the fight on June 1.

England's Joshua (22-1, 21 KOs), 29, was torn between having the rematch on his turf in the United Kingdom or returning to New York to seek revenge in the same ring where he got knocked down four times and suffered his first loss by seventh-round knockout in his United States debut.

Hearn expected the decision on the date and location to be set by the first few days of July, but it dragged out for weeks as groups from other locations began offering deals to bring the fight elsewhere.

In the end, the group from Saudi Arabia agreed to put up more far more money than could be generated in either Cardiff or New York. Also, by going to a neutral location, it soothes Ruiz (33-1, 22 KOs), 29, of Imperial, California, and the first fighter of Mexican descent to win a heavyweight world title.

Ruiz, who had no input into the site selection, has said he was uncomfortable having the rematch on Joshua's turf.

The fight will be televised on Sky Box Office pay-per-view in the United Kingdom, which is only two hours earlier than it is in Diriyah, meaning likely massive business for the fight compared to if it was in New York, which is five hours behind London, meaning the bout would take place in the wee hours of the London morning.

The fight likely will be streamed on DAZN in the United States, although that deal has not yet been finalized, a source told ESPN. DAZN, which carried the first fight, pressed for the rematch to be in New York but would pay eight figures less with the fight in Saudi Arabia than New York because of the seven-hour time difference, the source said.

While Saudi Arabia is not a usual place for a major fight, it has hosted two notable bouts in the past year, luring them there with large site fees.

In September, Callum Smith knocked out George Groves in the seventh round to win a super middleweight world title in the final of the first season of the World Boxing Super Series at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.

On July 12, popular welterweight Amir Khan knocked out Billy Dib in the fourth round at the same site.