Category Uncategorized

ESPNcricinfo’s Plays of the Day from the first day of the first Test between Sri Lanka and Australia in Galle

Daniel Brettig in Galle31-Aug-2011The good tidings
One of the most enjoyable points of a Test debutant’s day is the conversation with his family after being given the news. Trent Copeland had the added advantage of being able to tell his family in person at the team hotel outside Galle. Michael Clarke announced the final XI to a team meeting late on match eve, after which Copeland was able to walk out of the room and tell loved ones who had arrived in Galle that very day. As such he was able to enjoy the moment: a celebratory soda water at the hotel bar was followed by a laugh-filled dinner in its restaurant. The family of Nathan Lyon, Australia’s other debutant, were en route to Sri Lanka at the time. Having planned originally to announce the team on match morning, Cricket Australia chose on second thoughts to release it immediately that night to the touring press – family members have Twitter accounts, you see.The delay
Australia’s team bus and its attendant escort departed for the ground at precisely 7.45am local time to wend its way to the Galle International Stadium, about 45 minutes’ drive away. Those present puzzled over the absence of the Sri Lankan team and its bus at the same time – warm-ups would surely be truncated without sufficient time before the scheduled 10am start, they thought. However this view reckoned without the morning rain, and the home side’s knowledge of how long it might take to clear up. Having enjoyed a sleep-in, the Sri Lankans arrived at the ground shortly before 10am, just in time to limber up as the ground was cleared of its covers and prepared for an 11am start. The tourists, having waited around in the dressing rooms for an hour beforehand, must have asked themselves “why didn’t we think of that?”The photo
A new series in Sri Lanka means a new photo of the competing teams, taken with some haste in the moments before the Sri Lankan team and the Australian opening batsmen took to the middle. The sheer size of team support staff in the 21st century is noted with some bemusement by former players, who in the 1970s were commonly known to tour with the accompaniment of only a team manager and a scorer. Australia’s count for this tour is about to shrink as some members of staff return home having fulfilled their preparatory duties, which will reduce the count from the present tally of 11. This is not quite enough to outnumber the 15 players in the Test squad, but it is enough for a cricket team, and in Justin Langer, Dene Hills and Greg Chappell the support staff’s top order batting would be as notionally solid as that of the team proper.The fort
Once Adelaide Oval is turned from a cricket ground to a football stadium in 2014, Galle will be entitled to join Newlands in Cape Town in terms of renown as the most picturesque of all Test match venues. It sits under the gaze of the fort first constructed by the Portuguese in the 16th century then substantially strengthened and updated by the Dutch about a century later. Its most striking feature is a clock tower, while slightly to its right a flagpole is adorned with the Sri Lankan national colours. The views of the ground from the parapet are comparable to any that may be found within the venue itself, and being free of charge they can always be expected to attract a crowd. Good as it is, this vantage point did not appear sufficient for one adventurous young local, who chose to watch part of the first session having climbed most of the way up the aforementioned flagpole.The Not-Spot
This series is being played, in a stark reflection of the ICC’s all too malleable provisions for the use of technology to review decisions, with the use of Hawkeye but not Hot-Spot. As such it is precisely the inverse of the conditions used for India’s series in England, where Hawkeye was out but Hot-Spot was in. With Usman Khawaja on 6 the folly of such a position was made clear, as he appeared to be caught behind via an inside edge onto pad from the bowling of Suranga Lakmal. The appeal was ambiguous in nature – lbw was also a consideration if bat did not strike ball – and the lack of concrete evidence to support the strong notion of an edge, as might have been provided by heat-seeking cameras, saved Khawaja.

He bats like a divine, and sins like the rest of us. You’ve just got to love Brian Lara

BC Pires21-Jan-2008

While everyone around him collapsed, Lara racked 202 in the 1st Test at Wanderers
&copyGetty Images

Anyone looking for reasons to declare Brian Lara their favourite cricketer could, without any footwork, find 876: the total of 375 plus 501, the scores he posted in his world record single Test and first-class innings. Lara is one of history’s most successful cricketers; but does that mean we have to like him? You could recognise Adolf Hitler’s accomplishment in stabilising the German currency without calling him your favourite politician.For the six weeks between the 375 and the 501, Brian Lara was the cricket world’s darling. He answered his mobile phone while fielding during a Warwickshire match and a delighted English media praised his charming innocence; the same act a few months later would probably have been pilloried as all-consuming arrogance. Less than a year after the 375, many commentators had decided Lara played the role of international playboy better than that of international cricketer; and they had some, perhaps a great deal of, justification: Lara did not handle the stresses of instant fame well.Some would say he became a complete doofus; others that he never was anything but, and only his accomplishments could disguise his true personality for a little while. I met him before he acquired the defensive scowl, while he was still the polite young man from the little village of Santa Cruz; and I have watched his descent from the stars – some would call it a plummet – and feel sure he will come back down to earth in the same Santa Cruz.Few people are in a position to appreciate the exquisite torture Lara survived. He was cricket’s first international superstar, his fame surpassing overnight and overseas, the kind of adulation that, normally, only Indian cricketers enjoy, and that only at home. It changes your attitude to everything when, everywhere you go, everyone knows who you are. And this happened at precisely the age when Lara was most susceptible and least equipped to handle its negative aspects. There is no pressure on you to remain a nice guy when beautiful women will line up – indeed, try to jump the queue – to go home with you just because you are you.In 1994, at the height of his fame, I spent a couple of weeks with Lara in London and Birmingham. I learned to walk at snail’s pace, placing one foot ahead of the other and pausing before the next step because, wherever we went, there was always at least one television camera crew walking backwards just ahead of us, filming. If Brian Lara farted or took a blonde to lunch, the BBC got the story. He had two or three mobile phones and two lines at his Birmingham flat, and all of them rang all the time. At 1 am, he ‘d be on two phones, talking to South Africa and Miami at the same time, with me keeping London and Port-of-Spain chatting until he could get to them. He was a good-looking young black man at the top of his game and everyone wanted a piece of him for themselves or their charity.

Lara after yet another low score in Australia: a far cry from the heady years of 1994-95
&copyGetty Images

We should be slow to judge what that kind of pressure can do to you after you’ve lived with it day and night for a year. But we weren’t. We attacked him like Baghdad. He defended himself from the world with passive aggression and we in the media actively turned it into great copy. He scowled, we grinned; and ran the hatchet-job story. Newspapers savaged Lara for not being Michael Jordan but the wonder is he didn’t become Diego Maradona. It is because Lara, despite his superhuman gifts, was frail that he is my favourite cricketer, ahead of even Courtney Walsh, Curtly Ambrose, Jonty Rhodes, Steve Waugh, Viv Richards and Ian Botham. None of these men ever wavered like Brian, it is true; but none ever had the very foundation of themselves shaken the way he had.The West Indian captaincy, handed to him almost as easily as the honour of many a woman from Kingston to Kashmir, was his undoing. He, who should have led West Indies cricket to dizzying heights, piloted it to its worst moment, the dread 51 all out. You or I would have been crushed. Brian Lara rebounded to beat Steve Waugh’s mighty Australia almost single-handed in the next two Test matches.When he gave up the captaincy and hid himself away, many hoped his mansion on the hill overlooking Port-of-Spain would become his mausoleum. But he rose again and is back wearing the captain’s cap; and it fits better this time. Only Carl Hooper might argue he does not deserve it. For all the majesty of his performances in the middle, Lara’s greatest battles were fought in an even more dangerous battleground: within himself.And, though no one can ever be sure what lies in the heart of another, it seems to me that Brian Lara triumphed over his own dark side and emerged into the light of understanding and adult responsibility. And he did it without his bat. And this is why Brian Lara is my favourite cricketer. Yes, he bats like a god; but he struggles like the rest of us flawed mortals to be a decent human being.

Tahlia McGrath would lead Australia if Healy was unavailable in Canberra

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jan-2024Australia could be without Alyssa Healy for the opening T20I against South Africa in Canberra on Saturday as she battles an illnessHealy was expected to train with the side on Friday afternoon before a final decision was made on Saturday morning, but vice-captain Tahlia McGrath said the team wouldn’t let performance standards drop if Healy couldn’t get up for the contest.Related

• King remains sidelined from Australia's T20I plans

• Tryon returns to SA white-ball squads for tour of Australia

• Perry: Looking to expand on our T20I gains during 'landmark' tour by South Africa

“We’re pretty lucky, we’re spoilt for choice in the fact we’re not reliant on any one player, and if anyone goes down we’ve got numerous options  to cover,” she said.”Lots of players play different roles for their Big Bash franchise, and we’re a very team-first side, so whatever the team requires on the day, we feel as though we’ve got all options covered.”Australia were expected to take in an almost unchanged team from the side that beat India 2-1 on the subcontinent this month, although they’ll have to finalise their pace line-up after Kim Garth and Darcie Brown alternated in that series.Spin star Alana King has been left out of the T20I squad, although she will join the side for the ODI portion of the tour.South Africa, beaten by 19 runs against Australia in the final of last year’s major tournament, didn’t enjoy a great start to their tour, suffering a four-wicket loss against the Governor-General’s XI on Wednesday.Captain Laura Wolvaardt admitted the task of battling the world’s best side away from home was daunting, but suggested it was part of her  team’s journey to going one better at the 2024 T20 tournament in Bangladesh.”It will be a big challenge, they are the world champions and it’s their own backyard,” she said. “They’ve just been very consistent for a long period of time.”Getting to play in the [WBBL], I see how they work, and they work very hard at their skills. It’s well deserved, they do work very hard and they are very good cricketers…it’ll just be about us playing our best cricket on the day.”The teams are competing across all three formats of the game over the next month, beginning with three T20s in what is a rematch of the decider from last year’s 20-over tournament.

MatériaMais Notícias

O técnico Abel Ferreira já deixou claro mais de uma vez: a força do grupo é o principal talento do Palmeiras. De toda forma, o treinador palmeirense admite a necessidade do clube ir ao mercado para, pelo menos, repor as saídas de Danilo e Gustavo Scarpa, que deixaram o clube após a conquista do Brasileirão no ano passado. Para essas chegadas acontecerem, no entanto, elas precisam atender a alguns padrões desejados pelo comandante português.

Sempre que o Verdão pretende ir ao mercado, a comissão técnica é consultada. Dificilmente eles apresentam nomes de jogadores, mas, sim, o perfil desejado para determinada função. Então, o departamento responsável por analisar as opções aponta nomes em potencial e ali se estabelece ordem de prioridade nas procuras. E é nesse ponto o ‘pulo do gato’ que talvez explique o motivo do Palmeiras não ter contratado atleta algum, até aqui na temporada: o critério.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasDestaque do Palmeiras, Veiga tem Europa como ‘objetivo’ e revela ligas preferidasPalmeiras21/03/2023PalmeirasRival do Palmeiras na final do Paulistão, Água Santa já goleou o VerdãoPalmeiras20/03/2023PalmeirasEm dois meses, Palmeiras dobra número de sócios-torcedores e passa dos 150 milPalmeiras20/03/2023

+Jota Júnior abriu o jogo! Veja o seu time de coração e de outros jornalistas esportivos

Se o Palmeiras não conseguir chegar a um acordo com as duas primeiras opções estabelecidas, dificilmente vai atrás de uma terceira. O entendimento de Abel Ferreira é que o ‘plano C e D’ geralmente não atendem ao nível técnico desejado e que ele encontraria dentro do próprio elenco, recuperando atletas em baixa ou garimpando nas categorias inferiores.

+ Acompanhe as movimentações do mercado da bola no vaivém do LANCE!

Foi assim, por exemplo, que Gabriel Menino foi ‘recuperado’ após a saída de Danilo. Abel fez testes com Jaílson e Atuesta antes, mas foi Menino que melhor se saiu e hoje é um dos donos do meio-campo palmeirense, ainda que chegue um reforço para a posição. Além disso, o garoto Fabinho passou a ganhar mais destaque, entrando com mais frequência no segundo tempo das partidas.

Outra situação é quando alguns jogadores são oferecidos ao Palmeiras. Isso é algo constante em todos os clubes, mas como o Verdão é um dos clubes mais vencedores nos últimos anos naturalmente será uma vitrine mais atrativa para que os agentes coloquem os seus atletas.

Uma parcela pequena de profissionais oferecidos são contratados, seja no Palestra ou em qualquer outra instituição pelo Brasil. Porém, recentemente, o empresário Giuliano Bertolucci assumiu o compromisso de que auxiliaria o clube alviverde a encontrar um substituto para o volante Danilo, que deixou o Palestra no início de janeiro. O nome de Allan, do Atlético-MG, foi ventilado. O jogador agrada muito Abel Ferreira, e a partir dali a direção palmeirense trabalhou forte na contratação do atleta do Galo, que faz jogo duro e até mesmo ofereceu uma renovação contratual com valorização salarial.

+ Confira a tabela do Paulistão e simule as finais entre Palmeiras e Água Santa

Allan é um exemplo de ‘plano A’ do Palmeiras. Após a saída de Danilo, o Palmeiras chegou a demonstrar interesse em alguns jogadores, como Jean Lucas, do Mônaco (FRA), Matheus Henrique, do Sassuolo (ITA) e Wallace, da Udinese (ITA), mas em todas as situações de propostas ou até mesmo acenos, o Verdão não se mostrou disposto a investir um valor tão alto quando demonstrou no atleta do Galo.

O Palmeiras tem menos de duas semanas para apresentar reforços que poderiam jogar ainda no primeiro semestre. Isso porque a janela de transferências nacional fecha no dia 4 de abril. A tendência é que o Verdão não anuncie atleta algum no período, mas se esforce em reforçar o elenco no meio do ano, quando abre o espaço para contratações vindas da Europa.

continua após a publicidade

Manchester United are weighing up a move which they believe will improve the atmosphere at Old Trafford after listening to fans' opinions.

• Red Devils want to raise noise levels at stadium
• Supporters stress importance of generating atmosphere
• Fan survey will dictate whether measure is adopted

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Devils have written to season ticket holders to inform them of a proposal to play no music in the 15 minutes before the players come out of the tunnel at home games and after full-time. The club have been conducting post-match surveys and done research as part of the move towards building a new 100,000-seater stadium, hoping to understand attitudes on different aspects of the matchday experience. 

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Their research showed that creating an atmosphere to inspire the players was of utmost importance, which is why fan group The Red Army (TRA) has requested that music is turned off for a period in order to make the stadium as loud as possible. United currently play music during and after the players warm-up, while 'Glory Glory Man United' is played after victories. The club still plan to play unofficial anthem 'This is the One' by the Stone Roses when the players walk out of the tunnel, followed by the Premier League's official anthem – as is standard at all stadiums across the English top-flight – and then 'Take Me Home Country Roads' before kick off.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Roy Keane complained about the declining atmosphere at Old Trafford in 2000 by saying: "Away from home our fans are fantastic, I'd call them the hardcore fans. But at home they have a few drinks and probably the prawn sandwiches, and they don't realise what's going on out on the pitch. I don't think some of the people who come to Old Trafford can spell football, never mind understand it." Since then, Old Trafford has been known for its poor atmosphere, with Keane's comments leading to rival fans mocking United supporters by calling them 'the prawn sandwich brigade'. 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

  Fans have been asked to respond to a two-minute survey on the proposal by Friday afternoon. If the measure is backed then it could be implemented as soon as Sunday's Premier League match against Arsenal, giving Bruno Fernandes and Co extra encouragement for their blockbuster season opener with the Gunners. And if the move is a success then Old Trafford's previously flat atmosphere could be replaced by a cauldron of noise, as has happened at Arsenal under Mikel Arteta. 

After enduring a difficult start to their Euro 2025 campaign, Sarina Wiegman's England bounced back strongly and are now preparing for a blockbuster quarter-final clash against Sweden. The Lionesses boss remains confident in her squad’s trajectory and believes the team is ready to take on the Group C winners.

England gearing up to face SwedenLionesses wary of the Swedish threatWiegman confident ahead of last-eight clashFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Following a 2-1 loss to France in their opening Group D match, the Lionesses responded with emphatic victories over the Netherlands and Wales, securing second place in the group and a ticket to the knockout rounds. Sweden sailed through the group stage with three straight victories, as the Scandinavians triumphed over Poland, Denmark, and, most notably, against a resurgent German side.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

With established stars like Stina Blackstenius and Kosovare Asllani leading the charge, Sweden now turn their focus to dethroning the current European champions. The fixture also offers them a chance to right the wrongs of their 2022 semi-final exit at the hands of the Lionesses.

WHAT WIEGMAN SAID

Wiegman, who guided England to their historic Euro 2022 title and a World Cup final in 2023, knows the magnitude of the challenge ahead. While Sweden’s consistent group-stage performances have caught attention, she believes England’s recent turnaround has created crucial momentum.

"I expect a very competitive game where it is hard to predict the outcome," she said. "They have had a very good group stage with the three wins they had. But I think we are in a very good place and we are ready to go, so I hope we can show that tomorrow."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

Defender Lucy Bronze, a veteran of England’s backline, believes the squad has grown stronger and insisted that the loss to France served as a wake-up call, sparking unity and improved performances.

Bronze said: "Coming from the French game, it has brought the team a lot closer together and you saw that in the two performances that came from that. We are not focused on the noises around other teams or us, we are only focused on what we do on the training pitch and what we do in-game."

The former Pakistan quick is particularly concerned about the form of Shaheen Shah Afridi

Andrew McGlashan23-Dec-2023Waqar Younis has voiced his alarm at the lack of pace in Pakistan’s Test attack as they search for a way back into their Test series against Australia.During the first Test in Perth, Pakistan’s pace bowlers – Shaheen Shah Afridi, Khurram Shahzad, Aamer Jamal and Faheem Ashraf – rarely broke the 140kph mark although they did give the Australia batters some uneasy moments in the second innings as cracks emerged on the Optus Stadium surface.Pakistan were comprehensively beaten by 360 runs, bowled out for 89 in their second innings, and to compound their woes have lost Shahzad, who impressed on debut, to a series-ending rib injury. It will mean an enforced change at the MCG with either Hasan Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jr or Mir Hamza coming into the attack, but Waqar remains unconvinced.Related

PCB terminates Haris Rauf's central contract for not committing to Australia tour

Pakistan change tack as Rizwan replaces Sarfaraz for Boxing Day

Pakistan go to Boxing Day looking for a Christmas miracle

Mitchell Starc 'surprised at the lower pace of Pakistan bowlers'

For Aamer Jamal, dark alleys will always lead to high streets

“Another thing that I’m worried about is that always when we come to Australia, one thing that excites is the fast bowling and this time around I’m not seeing that,” he said on ESPN’s show. “I’m seeing medium-pacers or slow-medium-pacers, allrounders, there’s no real pace. People used to come and watch Pakistan pace bowlers really running in hard and bowling 150 clicks [kph], and that’s what I’m not seeing there.”That’s my worry and issue because I have not seen it at the domestic level also. There are a few injured, I can understand, but in the past you would always see a battery of fast bowlers that they could always bring on, but unfortunately that is not there and I’m really worried about that.”Shaheen Afridi was below his best in Perth•Getty Images

Naseem Shah, who was also ruled out of the World Cup with injury, was a big loss while Haris Rauf opted to play the BBL for Melbourne Stars instead of the Test series. Pakistan will need much more from Afridi, who claimed 2 for 172 in Perth, if they are to challenge Australia but Waqar had particular concerns about his loss of pace.”I’m not really sure what’s wrong with him,” he said. “If he’s not fit, if he’s got some issues, he needs to go away from the game and fix that because if you are going to carry on like that you are going to become a medium-pacer. He used to bowl 145-150kph and used to swing that ball. What I’m seeing now, yes there’s a little bit of swing but his pace is way down… and that is not going to get him wickets.”Watching the first Test match was painful. We had moments, we had opportunities where we could have pulled the game back a bit but we didn’t take the opportunities. When Pakistan come to Australia they have to make sure their fielding is spotless… because Australia batsmen, if you give them opportunities, they’ll take it with both hands and make it big and that’s what we saw in Perth.”

Darwin Nunez appears to be edging closer to a move away from Liverpool, with Napoli leading the chase to secure the forward’s services. TalkSPORT have revealed that the Uruguayan international is actively pushing for a transfer to the newly crowned Serie A champions with Napoli boss Antonio Conte also making the 26-year-old his primary target this summer.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Liverpool eager to offload NunezNapoli are eager to get his servicesReds have set a £59 million price tagFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Liverpool, fresh off their 2024/25 Premier League triumph, are understood to be open to offloading Nunez in order to reinvest in a new frontman. While no formal bid has been received from Napoli as of yet, Anfield officials expect an official offer to arrive in the coming days.

AdvertisementGOAL/GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The Reds have set their valuation of the striker at approximately £59 million (€70 million). Should the Italian side meet that asking price, Liverpool are prepared to part ways with Nunez before the close of the transfer window, as they are lining up a move for Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres.

DID YOU KNOW?

Nunez arrived on Merseyside in 2022 from Benfica for a club-record fee that could rise to £85 million. Since then, he has registered 40 goals and 26 assists in 143 appearances across all competitions. While many Liverpool fans have admired Nunez for his physicality, work rate, and ability to trouble defenders, frustration has grown over his erratic finishing. During the most recent campaign under new manager Arne Slot, he started only eight league matches and managed just seven goals, hardly the return expected from a marquee centre-forward.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR NUNEZ?

With Napoli ready to offer him a fresh start under a proven manager, all signs now point toward an imminent exit for the Uruguayan. Though clubs from the Saudi Pro League have reportedly shown interest in luring Nunez away from Anfield, the striker is said to prefer continuing his career in Europe.

“Playing Pakistan, in Sri Lanka, will help our squad further prepare for the Asia Cup,” the ACB chairman said

Danyal Rasool31-Jul-2023

Just before the Asia Cup, Afghanistan will host Pakistan for a series of three ODIs across five days in Sri Lanka. The first two games will be played in Hambantota on August 22 and 24, with the third taking place in Colombo on August 26.Both sides will travel to Pakistan after the series, with the Asia Cup opener in Multan between Pakistan and Nepal taking place on August 30.”Our previous ODI assignment was a 2-1 series victory in our away tour to Bangladesh, which has boosted the team’s morale for the Pakistan series,” Afghanistan Cricket Board chairman Mirwais Ashraf said. “We are satisfied with our preparations for the Asia Cup as we have featured in multiple ODI commitments in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh recently, and playing Pakistan, in Sri Lanka, will help our squad read the conditions and further prepare for the event.”Afghanistan were the official hosts when the two sides played a three-match T20I series in Sharjah in March, which Afghanistan won 2-1. Pakistan have never lost an ODI to Afghanistan, winning all four they have played to date.Pakistan completed a two-Test series in Sri Lanka last week. A number of players, including captain Babar Azam, have remained in Sri Lanka to take part in the Lankan Premier League, which began on July 30 and ends on August 20.

Manchester United fan and presenter Mark Goldbridge has been left “devastated” at an update that has emerged from Old Trafford.

Man Utd announce new 100,000 stadium plan

It has been a busy few days for co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who sat down with the media on Monday to talk all things United.

From managers to players and finances, Ratcliffe, who has injected £300m into the club since coming in last year, worryingly claimed that the money was due to run out at Old Trafford by the end of the year.

“If you think about Manchester United as a business, it’s gone off the rails. It’s gone off the rails a long way, really. If you look at the numbers, the numbers were fairly scary, really. Because they’d sort of lost control, I think, of where the ship was headed. And the costs had got out of control.

“If you think of it in really simple terms, you’ve got the operating costs, which are all the staff and the fixed costs of running the business. And then you’ve got all the squad costs, player salaries and player purchases.

“In super-simple terms, the club has been spending more money than it’s been earning now for the last seven years, and it ends in a very difficult place. And for Manchester United, that place ended at the end of this year, the end of 2025, with the club running out of cash.”

Since then, United have confirmed plans for a new 100,000-seater stadium, which will see the current Old Trafford knocked down. Plans were revealed on Tuesday and the new stadium is set to cost around £2bn.

Referred to as “New Trafford Stadium”

New Stretford End will have a capacity of 23,500

Stadium will be visible from the Peak District

5-10 years to build

Second largest stadium in Europe behind Nou Camp

Will be tallest building in Manchester

Talking on Tuesday, Ratcliffe said: “Today marks the start of an incredibly exciting journey to the delivery of what will be the world’s greatest football stadium, at the centre of a regenerated Old Trafford.

“Our current stadium has served us brilliantly for the past 115 years, but it has fallen behind the best arenas in world sport. By building next to the existing site, we will be able to preserve the essence of Old Trafford, while creating a truly state-of-the-art stadium that transforms the fan experience only footsteps from our historic home.”

Goldbridge “devastated” at Old Trafford update

On Monday evening, Goldbridge took to X to react to the news he heard of Old Trafford being knocked down and replaced, an update which was confirmed by INEOS the next day.

Then, on Tuesday, Goldbridge had this to say on the images of the new stadium. “I’ve just seen the images of the new stadium… Some will like it, some won’t. Reminds me of the old Olympic stadium in Munich. Spiders web.

“I think it works well. Looks like a circus tent and we’re run like one.”

The largest sports stadiums in the world as Man Utd plan 100k-seater arena

With Manchester United planning to leave Old Trafford soon, which sports stadiums will their new home look to emulate?

ByStephan Georgiou Mar 11, 2025

All being well and if United get government backing, it will take around five years to build the new stadium, but it doesn’t look as if Goldbridge is best pleased.