Mulder explains why he declared SA’s innings when he was unbeaten on 367 at lunch on day two

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jul-2025

Wiaan Mulder brought up the second-fastest triple-century in Test cricket•Zimbabwe Cricket

Wiaan Mulder had a shot at overhauling Brian Lara’s world-record 400* when he went to lunch at 367* on day two of the second Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. Mulder, the stand-in captain, though, declared the innings at the break, and stopped short of the record because he felt “Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be”.”Well, first things first, I thought we’ve got enough, we need to bowl. And secondly, Brian Lara is a legend, let’s be real,” Mulder told Shaun Pollock during the post-day interview with SuperSport. “He got 401 [400*] or whatever it was against England. And for someone of that stature to keep that record is pretty special. I think if I get the chance again, I’d probably do the same thing. I know I was speaking to Shuks [coach Shukri Conrad].”He kind of said to me as well, like ‘listen, let the legends keep the really big scores’. You never know what’s my fate or whatever you want to call it, what’s destined for me. But I think Brian Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be.”Related

• Mulder: Lara told me I should have gone for the record

• Gayle on Mulder's 367* declaration: He 'panicked and blundered'

• Dominant South Africa wrap up 2-0 sweep inside three days

• Stats – Wiaan Mulder breaks records and Zimbabwe with 367*

• Mulder's 367* headlines SA's day of domination

Mulder, though, broke a number of other records and Zimbabwe’s attack on the day. He became only the second South Africa player after Hashim Amla to score a triple-hundred went on to surpass Amla’s 311*. And he did it while humming away to himself.”I mean, there was a lot of thoughts,” Mulder said. “In the end, it’s just singing my song between balls and trying to keep myself natural and trying to keep myself present. Kept feeling my shoes, that type of thing, to make sure I’m in the moment and not too far ahead.”And, to be honest, when I went past Hash’s score, I didn’t really notice what actually happened until I looked up. I was on 312. I was like, ‘oh, wow! I was just on 300’. I don’t know how I got there, but yeah, it was truly special.”In Bangladesh, it was an Afrikaans song that I got to my hundred with and I lost it a little bit along the way. And in this song, in this game, it was by The Cranberries. So I just sing .”Mulder had made his international debut for South Africa in an ODI in 2017, when he felt that he wasn’t well-equipped to deal with the pressure and ruthlessness of top-flight cricket. He has since evolved as an allrounder, thanks to playing three seasons of county cricket at Leicestershire.”I think when I started playing with South Africa, I was nowhere near good enough, to be honest with you,” Mulder told Pollock. “It did offer me a lot of opportunities to learn from great players who have retired now, and some guys are still playing. But going to England really gave me a chance to understand what type of batter I want to be as well and figure out some technical things.”I think I came across the ball for a very large portion of my career. And in England, if your front pad’s in the way, you kind of get exposed quickly. So those were lessons. I mean, there’s many more I can name, but those were lessons that I continuously kept learning in England as well as in South Africa.”Batting at the Wanderers is pretty difficult. So, yeah, I think it’s all put me in a good place. The head coach, Justin Sammons of Zimbabwe, played a massive role in my batting. In particular, playing the short ball. So, I mean, there’s a lot of growth that’s happened over the last couple of years.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

All of those lessons helped Mulder dictate terms against Zimbabwe in the second Test and put South Africa on the path to an innings win. In response to South Africa’s 626 for 5 declared, Zimbabwe folded for 170 in their first innings and went to stumps on 51 for 1 in their second after being asked to follow-on.”Yeah, it’s pretty special,” Mulder said. “I’ve never even dreamt of getting a double-hundred, never mind a triple hundred, but super special. The most important thing is to put the team in a good position to hopefully win this Test.”South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad was full of praise for Mulder’s knock.”Wiaan’s innings was nothing short of extraordinary,” Conrad said in a CSA statement. “Being the captain, then batting at No. 3, where he had to absorb early pressure and face the new ball, which he did with immense composure and control – it was unbelievable.”The way he constructed his innings, session by session, was a masterclass in temperament and shot selection. It’s the kind of performance that anchors a team and sets the tone for the entire match. We’re incredibly proud of what he’s achieved today.”

Sahibzada Farhan’s 63 finished Pakistan’s tour with an improved batting performance

Mohammad Isam24-Jul-2025Pakistan ended their Bangladesh tour with a 74-run win in the third T20I in Dhaka. They bowled out the home side for 104 runs, after posting 178 for 7, a marked improvement from the last two games when their batting hardly stood up.Sahibzada Farhan, who took Fakhar Zaman’s place, top scored with 63 off 41, with 54 runs coming from boundaries. He provided Pakistan with a blistering start, after which Hasan Nawaz and Mohammad Nawaz struck quick runs to take them to the highest total at the Shere Bangla National Stadium since 2021.Later it was newcomer Salman Mirza, the left-arm quick, who blew through Bangladesh’s top-order, as the home side slipped to 34 for 6. Bangladesh’s batting was in sharp contrast to that of Pakistan who finally got their groove upon being sent to bat first.

Farhan blitzkrieg in Mirpur

Farhan got Pakistan off to a flyer that lasted beyond the powerplay. He clattered Mahedi Hasan for a six in the third ball of the match, before sweetly flicking Shoriful Islam in the next over. Farhan laid into Taskin Ahmed in the sixth over, that went for 15, including a beautiful straight six.Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub put on 82 for the first wicket•AFP/Getty Images

Mehidy Hasan wasn’t spared either. Farhan smacked him for two sixes in the seventh over, one straight and slogged over midwicket. He finished the over by reaching his fifty, the second of Farhan’s career. Saim Ayub got into the act a little later, but soon after striking his first six, he fell to Nasum Ahmed. It broke the 82-run opening stand.

Haris can’t cash in on luck

Farhan fell for 63 in the twelfth over, having struck five sixes and six fours in his 41-ball stay. There was hope that Farhan’s start would help the rest of the Pakistan’s batters. However, Mohammad Haris couldn’t quite capitalize despite getting three lives in his short time at the crease. Litton Das missed a difficult stumping chance in the tenth over, before Nasum dropped Haris at fine-leg. He also survived a lbw decision, before Taskin removed him with a catch at deep third. Haris finished with 5 off 14 balls.

The Nawazes’ fine finish

Hasan Nawaz slammed three sixes in his 17-ball stay, one of them a slice over cover, but Mahedi’s tumbling catch from mid-off stopped him on 33. Hussain Talat then fell cheaply, before Mohammad Nawaz creamed two sixes and as many fours, in his 16-ball 27. Both his sixes came off Mohammad Saifuddin, one struck over deep square-leg, and the next one the cover boundary.

Mirza cuts through top order

Pakistan’s first wicket was slightly fortuitous, but all credit goes to Mirza. Tanzid swished at a wide delivery outside off-stump, but wicketkeeper Haris didn’t appeal. Mirza insisted he heard something, which convinced Pakistan captain Salman Agha. A healthy deviation was spotted upon review.Faheem Ashraf then struck twice in his next two overs, first removing Litton for 8, before Mehidy holed out to mid-on for 9. Mirza then bowled two superb deliveries in the fifth over to reduce Bangladesh to 25 for 5. Both times, he got the ball to cut through Jaker Ali and Mahedi and rattle their stumps.

Saifuddin doesn’t get support

Salman bowled Shamim Hossain with one that spun into the left-hander, as Shamim tried to play back. Mohammad Naim holed out to a simple catch at mid-off.Saifuddin’s 34-ball 35 took Bangladesh past their lowest total of 70 and while Nos 9 to 11 all got boundaries, they didn’t hold on for long. Talat removed Nasum for 9. Hasan Nawaz took a fine catch running in from backward square leg to remove Taskin Ahmed, before Saifuddin struck couple of sixes off Ahmed Daniyal. Shoriful was the last man to go with Abbas Afridi taking a superb catch at long-on.

Following the 5-0 T20I loss to Australia, the West Indies captain bemoaned his team’s consistency

Andrew McGlashan29-Jul-2025West Indies captain Shai Hope has bemoaned his side’s inability to put together a complete game with the bat after they were swept 5-0 by Australia in the T20I series.The visitors completed a three-wicket victory in the final match in St Kitts, after West Indies had been bowled out for 170 – the lowest total of the series. They reduced Australia to 60 for 4 inside the powerplay, and Akeal Hosein later took 3 for 17, but the loss of Alzarri Joseph to injury one ball into his third over removed a vital part of their attack.The first three matches of the series had been characterised by West Indies being unable to build on promising starts. In the opening match in Jamaica, they were 123 for 1 in the 13th over but managed just 189. In the second, 63 for 0 became 172 for 8. When the series moved to St Kitts, Hope and Brandon King put on 125 for the first wicket, but the middle order couldn’t flourish.Related

• Maxwell expects opening role will be short-lived

• Dwarshuis, middle-order might power Australia to 5-0 sweep

In the last two matches, they somewhat overturned their poor starts – 67 for 4 became 205 and 9 and 32 for 3 became 170 – but on all occasions, Australia were able to get home with room to spare.”I just didn’t think we put together a proper batting display,” Hope said at the post-match presentation. “We either started well and finished poorly or the other way around. When you’re playing against quality opposition like Australia, you’ve got to put things together for a more complete game.Alzarri Joseph was injured one ball into his third over•Randy Brooks/AFP via Getty Images

“As a batting group, we didn’t really give ourselves the best chance to put a big score on the board consistently. And that’s probably where we fell short… We’ve always been one step behind the eight ball.”Hope wore a rueful smile when asked about the fact that his team didn’t get the chance to chase once in the series as Mitchell Marsh won all five tosses.”I think here in the Caribbean, we all know the stats show chasing is always the better thing to do,” he said. “Whether it’s the dew factor, wind factor, you always have that scoreboard in front of you, so you have an idea of how to go about the chase. But it’s something that I can’t control. Unfortunately, I didn’t win any [tosses]… It’s just one of those things for us.”However, despite the scoreline, Hope did see signs of encouragement from his bowling attack as the series developed: Jediah Blades, the young left-arm seamer, took three wickets in the fourth match. Alzarri Joseph’s pace made an impact in the final game too, before he was forced off the field. Hosein impressed after a belated entry with the ball on Monday.Jediah Blades struck crucial blows in the final match•Randy Brooks/AFP via Getty Images

“We understood the struggles of bowling spin here on this ground and surface,” he said. “But [Hosein] is a quality bowler and we just backed him to come and do the job, and he did exceptionally well for that four-over spell. Just unfortunate that, again, we didn’t have as many runs on the board as we would have liked.”I still must commend the guys for the effort that they showed in the back end, to give ourselves a chance to win the game. But once you don’t have that many runs on the board, then you [have] got to hope everything goes perfectly in the field. It just didn’t happen for us.”There is not much time for Hope and his team to reflect. West Indies face a quick turnaround before they play Pakistan in the first of the three T20Is in Florida on Thursday.”I think that we’re a little bit clearer in the bowling unit,” Hope said of what can be taken from this series. “We certainly executed a lot better than we did in the first few games. We’ve got to put this one behind us, and look ahead for the Pakistan series, and see where we can get that combination and that success going.”

The trio will tour Bangladesh for the three T20Is because of injuries to Ryan Klein and Fred Klaassen, and the withdrawal of Saqib Zulfiqar

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Aug-2025Netherlands have handed a maiden call-up to 17-year-old batter Cedric de Lange and recalled right-arm quick Sebastiaan Braat and allrounder Sikander Zulfiqar for the upcoming T20I series in Bangladesh starting August 30. The changes had to be made after Ryan Klein and Fred Klaassen were ruled out with injuries, while Saqib Zulfiqar withdrew due to personal reasons.De Lange has been a consistent performer at the Under-19 level as well as for his club and in the recent Pro Series, the domestic T20s in the Netherlands which concluded on August 20.”It’s always exciting to bring a youngster into the squad,” captain Scott Edwards said. “Cedric has been impressive all summer and he’s really earned this call-up. We’re looking forward to seeing what he can offer us on this tour and, hopefully, across a long career ahead of him.”Related

• Vikramjit back in Netherlands squad for Bangladesh T20Is

Braat returns to the Netherlands side for the first time since 2021, when he played T20Is against Nepal, after solid numbers in domestic cricket as well as club cricket.Sikander Zulfiqar’s absence from international cricket was even longer, having last turned out in T20Is in 2019.”It’s also great to welcome Sebastiaan Braat back into the side,” Edwards said. “It’s been a couple of years since he last played for us, but he’s had a very strong summer at club and domestic level, and we’re looking forward to having his experience back in the group as well.”Sikander has been a valuable member of our national team before and I’m glad to see him back in orange. He’s got phenomenal ability to clear the fence late in the game and I can’t wait to see him back and amongst the group.”Netherlands have only played five T20Is against Bangladesh and this will be their first time touring Bangladesh. The series acts as a preparation ground for Netherlands, ahead of the T20 World Cup early next year, while Bangladesh will use the series as an opportunity to finalise their line-up for the Asia Cup starting September 11.Netherlands train in Sylhet for three days before their first T20I on August 30, the second on September 1, and the third on September 3.

Netherlands squad for Bangladesh T20Is

Scott Edwards (capt & wk), Noah Croes, Max O’Dowd, Vikramjit Singh, Teja Nidamanuru, Sikander Zulfiqar, Cedric de Lange, Kyle Klein, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren, Shariz Ahmad, Ben Fletcher, Daniel Doram, Sebastiaan Braat, Tim Pringle

On managing workloads of Jasprit Bumrah & Co: “We’re going to take a call on a match-to-match basis,” Shubman Gill says

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Oct-20252:50

‘Nothing is pre-decided’ – Gill on Bumrah’s workload

It’s “very important” for India to do well in the two-Test series against West Indies after they were blanked 3-0 in their previous home Test series by New Zealand, Shubman Gill said on the eve of the first Test in Ahmedabad.”We are looking to play some hard, grinding cricket. Over the past few years, if you see the Test matches, they haven’t got to five days. So what we are looking to do is play some good, hard cricket,” Gill said at a press conference. “All the Test matches that we played in England went pretty deep [all five Tests went into the fifth day]. And I think what you can expect from us is good, hard, grinding cricket and we won’t be looking for any easy options.”And I think we have the skills to dominate in any kind of situation and the kind of talent we have got in the team, we can turn around from any situation, so that’s what we will be looking to play.”Related

• Between formats and futures: Shubman Gill's most unprecedented test yet

• From invincibles to uncertain: India begin home season with everything to prove yet again

• One of the greenest Indian pitches likely for Ahmedabad Test

• India's selection headache: Two slots, multiple contenders

• With patience and old-school grit, Chanderpaul gets ready

In recent years, when India have hosted teams for Test cricket, spin-friendly pitches have been prepared more often than not. Seeing how well India competed in the 2-2 series in England earlier this year, what sort of pitch should we expect?”I can’t speak about the conversations before I came, but we would be looking to play on wickets that offer [something] to both the batsmen and to the bowlers,” Gill said. “But, having said that, any team that comes to India, the challenge is the spin and reverse swing. These are the two things that, if teams can play spin well and if they can challenge the reverse swing, they are going to get good success.”So keeping these challenges in mind, you’d be looking to play on wickets that offer [something] to the batsmen and the bowlers.”In England, India picked a pace-heavy bowling attack, and the only spinners in the mix were the allrounders, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, with Kuldeep Yadav sitting out all five Tests. Two days out from the Test, the Ahmedabad pitch appeared to be greener than anticipated.”The weather and wickets we have in India, it will be difficult to follow that template [employed in England],” Gill said. “We have such quality in our team. Someone like Kuldeep, such a wicket-taker for us in all formats, didn’t get a chance to play in England, which was very unfortunate. Here, I think, playing four spinners, and spinners of such quality, you are always tempted to look at the batting depth, you have to just weigh in your options, what can give you a bit more.”6:18

Aaron on Bumrah: India not taking any chances after NZ drubbing

Will Jasprit Bumrah play both Tests?

It was a constant talking point in England after it had been announced before the series that Jasprit Bumrah would play only three of the five Tests to manage his fitness. What happens now?”We’re going to take a call on a match-to-match basis depending on how long a Test match goes on and how many overs our fast bowlers bowl,” Gill said. “Nothing is pre-decided. We’re going to take the call once the Test match is over and how our fast bowlers feel and how their bodies feel after the match.”And what about Gill himself? Going from red-ball cricket in England to white-ball cricket in the UAE and back to red-ball cricket, on a red-soil pitch this time, just three days after winning the T20 Asia Cup?”For a batsman, I don’t think it’s physical fatigue. It’s more mental for a batsman. That’s a little different for a bowler,” he said. “As of now, I feel fresh and my body is ready. I am just looking at what I have to do this week and next week and that’s how I will be taking my decisions.”

For Fantasy Premier League managers, the Champions League and Europa League games can come as a mixed bag, as a player can gain good form or sustain an injury that could force you to quickly find a replacement. And however obvious that may be, no one could have predicted the horrific injury to Manchester United star Luke Shaw.

The defender will be out for the majority if not the entire season, and we wish him the best of luck on the road to full recovery.

But now we have the unfortunate duty of replacing the consistent left-back in our crowd-sourced Fantasy Football Team, and we will be giving you five options that you can vote for below!

Here are FIVE Defenders that can replace Luke Shaw in our Fantasy Football Team with an extra £1.0m in the bank!

Matteo Darmian

The most obvious choice would be an almost like-for-like swap for Manchester United team-mate Matteo Darmian. The Italy international costs the same as Shaw (5.7m) and operates in a similar manner on the opposite flank.

Darmian does however have the tendency to pick up more yellow cards (with three already) than the English full-back, yet he is a guaranteed starter in Louis van Gaal’s back-line.

But with United’s fixtures set to get trickier, it may be best to avoid bringing in a Red Devils defender for now with games against Southampton (Away), Sunderland (Home), Arsenal (Away), Everton (Away), and Man City (Home), coming up in the next five. Only the home game against the Black Cats offers a great chance of a clean sheet.

Aleksandar Kolarov

If you do not have a Manchester City defender already in your squad, then it’s almost impossible to not consider Aleksandar Kolorav despite his hefty 5.9 price tag.

The Serbia international left-back is the highest scoring defender in the Fantasy Premier League game, scoring one goal and keeping five clean sheets while amassing an incredible 10 bonus points for his attacking forays, meaning he can produce on both ends of the pitch.

Many may consider Bacary Sagna as a cheaper and adequate alternative (5.1m), but with first-choice Pablo Zabaleta (5.9m) set to recover from injury soon, the Frenchman’s position may be under threat.

Aaron Cresswell

West Ham United seem to have finally stabled their inconsistent ship after their 2-0 home win over Newcastle United on Monday, and although Dimitri Payet took the plaudits with two goals, the Hammers also recorded a nice clean sheet for their defenders.

The pick of the bunch is undoubtedly attacking left-back Aaron Cresswell (5.5m), who has amassed 28 points in five games and has the potential to give you attacking returns with two assists already to his name.

Cresswell will come in 0.2m points cheaper than Shaw and apart from their next game against Manchester City at the Etihad, the schedule is set to get kinder for the marauding left-back and the Irons, with Norwich (Home), Sunderland (Away), Crystal Palace (Away) coming after the City clash.

Craig Dawson

Craig Dawson (5.0m) is an option based purely on the fact that West Bromwich Albion are being managed by defensive master Tony Pulis, who has already guided his side to three clean sheets in the space of five games (with the two games they’ve leaked goals against Manchester City and Chelsea).

And it looks like there will be more shut-outs in the upcoming gameweeks as the Baggies face Aston Villa (away), Everton (Home), Crystal Palace (Away), Sunderland (Home), and Norwich (Away) in their next five games.  

We could very well also pick Gareth McAuley (5.0m) at the same price as Dawson, but although we want Jonny Evans (4.8), the former Manchester United ace is currently carrying a knock and we have no intention of risking it.

Eric Dier

Tottenham Hotspur’s Eric Dier (5.0m) is an interesting proposition to replace Luke Shaw in our Fantasy Team after the youngster already collected 23 points in his first five games.

What makes Dier an attractive option is that the 21-year-old is currently being deployed in an out-of-position defensive midfield role for manager Mauricio Pochettino, increasing his chances of attacking returns.

Dier also had a man-of-the-match performance against Sunderland that earned him three bonus points, and Spurs don’t concede many goals after shipping just four in their first five games. The Lilywhites have three home games in their next four, although Manchester City visit them in gameweek seven.

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Charlie Austin’s breakthrough season in the top flight was a surprise to everyone.

The former non-league man nearly saved a pretty woeful QPR side from relegation and won many admirers along the way.

His no nonsense approach and eye for goal caught the eye of many potential suitors throughout the summer but, for some unknown reason, no club followed through on their admiration and brought the star back to the Premier League.

Austin has started his season well in the Championship and there are bound to be a few Premier League managers wondering what on earth they have done come January.

Here are five clubs who should have broken the bank to sign Austin…

Crystal Palace

Pardew’s side had a summer to remember as Yohan Cabaye arrived from Paris, but the centre forward position still doesn’t look quite in line with the quality of the rest of the Palace squad.

Connor Wickham still has potential, but the ex-Sunderland man has consistently failed to prove his goal scoring touch and Patrick Bamford is unproven at this level. Charlie Austin’s signing as a focal point for the energy and pace around him would have made Palace a guaranteed top 8 side.

Newcastle

This summer was not the usual car crash for Newcastle, but their striking options still seem a tad limited. Mitrovic has already made a fool of himself in the league and, although he could become the real deal, is a gamble at this point.

The added quality of Wijnaldum means the number 9 at Newcastle will no longer be wasting his time in the final third and Austin is the kind of player who could rejuvenate the toon army.

Tottenham Hotspur

With Adebayor finally out of the door and Roberto Soldado back in Spain, Harry Kane has a lot of goal scoring expectation on his shoulders in the white half of North London now.

N’Jie and Son are likely to fill in on occasion, but Kane (who is in dire form) will need to produce another season like last year if Spurs are to even consider breaching the top four barrier. Austin could have worked as foil for Kane and would’ve had the chance to gain European experience.

Chelsea

When Chelsea decided to sign Radamel Falcao and his obscene wages this summer, eyebrows were raised. Diego Costa has been injured a lot, as has Loic Remy, but Falcao’s form since his own serious injury makes his addition seem bizarre.

If Chelsea are looking for a proven goalscorer as cover, Austin would surely have been a far more reliable and sensible option. Austin would provide something different from Remy or Costa and, most importantly, be another for the English quota.

Aston Villa

Tim Sherwood had quite a transfer kitty this summer. After Benteke and Delph left, Sherwood went on a spending spree that saw players appearing at the club from all over the place, but he magically overlooked Charlie Austin.

Austin would surely have been an ideal replacement for Christian Benteke and, unlike his signings, has a proven record in the league.

New managerial appointments always generate a feeling of excitement, a feeling that something new is about to kick off. But, few have rivalled the past week and the ‘Kloppomania’ that has engulfed the city of Liverpool and spread out across the rest of the county.

For football fans it’s been impossible to avoid the name Jurgen Klopp through the past five days, with the 48-year-old German’s move to Anfield to replace Brendan Rodgers having been front page, back page and every page in between news.

Now with the ink on the contract having dried and the first press conference – which was a corker – done, it’s time to focus on what the charismatic tactician can bring to Merseyside.

High-tempo, exciting football is largely expected given his Dortmund team, but up until January Klopp will have to work with the squad Rodgers has left him… yet in said squad there is a player flying under the radar that he may be able to transform: Roberto Firmino.

The £29m Brazilian only arrived over the summer, but his Anfield career has, so far, been pretty quiet. Can Klopp get the best from him? We think so, and here are FIVE reasons why!

Perfectly suited to the ‘gegenpressing’ set-up

Liverpool fans, get used to the term ‘gegenpressing’, you’ll be hearing it a lot from now on. In case you’re not sure what it is yet, the term translates as ‘counter pressing’, which manifests itself in winning the ball as high up the pitch as possible so as to take advantage of the opposing team when they’re in the transition between defence and attack by forcing them into mistakes through intelligent team pressing. It sounds simple, but in reality the style requires players able to run hard, work effectively in tandem with team-mates and be skilled enough technically to take full advantage of space that opens up. Firmino is well suited, it would seem.

Although Reds fans haven’t seen the best of the 24-year-old yet, in German football with Hoffenheim he developed a reputation for being rather ‘un-Brazilian’ in his approach. Firmino does have the technical prowess associated with the yellow shirt, but having moved to Europe at a young age and been coached in a different manner, his game is as much about tracking back and pressing as it is about goals and assists – of which he’s got a tally of over 20 apiece in his last two full seasons.

Don’t believe us? Well boss of international relations at Hoffenheim Lutz Pfannensteil is sure that Klopp can get the best from Firmino. Speaking to The Anfield Wrap, he said: “I think Jurgen Klopp knows exactly how to handle Roberto Firmino because Firmino gave him lots of trouble as Dortmund manager. He always spoke really highly of him and what he can do. I think that he can actually bring Firmino to a level where Brendan [Rodgers] was, unfortunately, not able to. I think it will be a great fit, they know each other and they speak the same language. I think he can really push him onto the next level.”

‘Nuff said.

A player Klopp wanted…

Klopp spoke of his “respect” of Firmino while in charge of Dortmund, while transfer rumours surrounding a move to lure him from Hoffenheim to the Westfalenstadion have been plentiful in the German press over the course of the past few years. So, it would appear that Klopp has been keen on working with the 24-year-old for some time, which bodes well for the player and Liverpool.

In truth it’s pretty easy to see why Klopp has been keen on Firmino, with the attacking midfielder having long been thought of as one of the Bundesliga’s top talents thanks to his performances with a midtable team.

Signed for Klopp?

A little bit of a conspiracy theory here, but did Liverpool sign Firmino to boost their chances of getting Klopp? This is mere speculation, but Brendan Rodgers didn’t seem entirely convinced by the Brazilian during the opening months of his Reds career, and the fact he picked up his current back injury playing against League Two opposition in the Capital One Cup somewhat illustrates his position in the squad – the likes of Philippe Coutinho were rested.

Further to that, Liverpool had plenty of attacking midfield and wing options before paying £29m for his signature, with Adam Lallana known to be a player Rodgers trusted and admired. Did Liverpool approach Klopp over the summer, find out he had reservations about the job and react by snapping up a player they believed he would like to work with? It’s possible.

Suits ‘wild’ football

During the 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons Firmino netted 23 goals and registered 21 assists in Bundesliga action… Wow! Even some of Bayern Munich’s stars struggled to match such an output, and the Brazilian was performing in a team stuck in midtable alongside, bar Kevin Volland, some pretty average team-mates.

It seems then that he’s suited to the “wild” football Klopp has talked up in his first interview with Liverpool’s official site, which relies heavily upon pace, movement and tenacity in the final third. Could Firmino be Klopp’s new Marco Reus?

Versatility

Although Klopp has not often deviated from his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation, having players able to function across the attacking midfield three is vital for him. The German’s sides have been characterised by the trio behind the main striker, with the majority of the front-foot pressing and creativity (as well as goals) coming from this area of the pitch.

Firmino is comfortable on either flank, as a ‘No’10’ or even as a striker, which bodes well for Klopp, who will be able to rely on him to slot well into his system and make runs beyond a centre-forward.

From the moment Jurgen Klopp was officially announced as Liverpool manager in October, it always seemed inevitable that virtually every Borussia Dortmund player would be linked with a move to Merseyside by the tabloids.

Klopp had a special relationship with many of his players at Westfalenstadion, the vast majority of whom he had plucked from smaller clubs at a very young age with the promise of regular first team football, and Dortmund stars are always seen as somewhat more available than counterparts of similar talent – the club filling the gap between the rest of Europe’s best and the continent’s bona fide elite.

Some of the rumours have been borderline absurd. Without meaning to sound disrespectful, Liverpool’s chances of signing Mats Hummels, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang or Marco Reus – all of whom encroach upon the world’s best in their respective positions – are somewhere between slim and none.

But other Dortmund stars might be more intrigued by the notion of following Klopp to Anfield and with that in mind, Football Fancast have identified FIVE players who could be tempted.

SVEN BENDER

Defensive dynamo Sven Bender was a mainstay in the Borussia Dortmund starting Xi under Jurgen Klopp, registering 181 appearances across all competitions with the German at the Westfalenstadion helm.

But he’s not found such luck under successor Thomas Tuchel, who has issued the German international just three starts in the Bundesliga and preferred 20-year-old Julian Weigl at the base of midfield. Bender’s had to make do with heavy involvement in Dortmund’s Europa League campaign instead.

Lucas Leiva’s impressive performances under Klopp have demonstrated how important a defensive midfielder is to the German gaffer’s philosophy and Bender represents a player who already knows it like the back of his hand.

With the 26-year-old’s contract set to expire at the end of next season, a bid within the next two transfer windows could convince Dortmund to cash-in.

ROMAN WEIDENFELLER

Another Klopp favourite who has suffered from the change in regime. Roman Weidenfeller served as Dortmund’s No.1 for over a decade, making 431 appearances across all competitions, but now finds himself understudy to summer signing Roman Burki.

Now 35 years of age, the German international is by no means the scintillating shot-stopper he once was – something that has become increasingly evident over the last few years.

But with Simon Mignolet’s individual errors still costing Liverpool dearly and Adam Bogdan hardly representing formidable competition for the No.1 jersey, Weidenfeller would inject some much-needed dependability into Liverpool’s goalkeeping options.

His experience would make a difference in the short-term, but most would prefer to see the Reds invest in a relatively young goalkeeper if they’re to replace Mignolet.

JAKUB BLASZCZYKOWSKI

Currently on loan at Fiorentina, any move for Jakub Blaszczykowski would have to wait until the end of the season.

But the Poland international represents the one kind of attacking threat Liverpool’s squad currently lacks; an old-fashioned, touchline-hugging winger who can stretch games with penetrative pace and power.

Blaszczykowski was an integral part of the Dortmund side that claimed back-to-back Bundesliga titles and reached a Champions League final under Klopp, recording a career-best 14 goals in 41 appearances during the 2012/13 campaign.

His influence has admittedly waned since – hence the loan to Fiorentina – and at 29 years of age, the 75-cap international may struggle to get past Liverpool’s youth-preferring ‘transfer committee’.

But Dortmund are prepared to sell to Fiorentina permanently for just €6million and in that regard, he represents a very cheap yet very experienced solution to Liverpool’s lack of variety in attack.

NEVEN SUBOTIC

Whilst the aforementioned Dortmund stars would certainly add to Liverpool’s squad, Neven Subotic has the potential to make a huge difference to their starting Xi.

He’s spent much of his Westfalenstadion career as the understated partner to World Cup winner Mats Hummels, but the Serbian international is a supremely talented centre-half in his own right and particularly on the deck, through his turn of pace, penchant for last-ditch tackles and quality on the ball.

Furthermore, although the 26-year-old signed a contract extension during the summer, he’s now working under a new manager and fighting against Greek international Sokratis for his role in the first team following a lengthy injury layoff.

Having accompanied Klopp to Dortmund from Mainz in summer 2008, the 6 foot 3 centre-half would be the ideal signing to kick off the Klopp era at Anfield, as a tried and trusted on-pitch general for the German gaffer.

But Subotic’s injury problems, managing just one Bundesliga outing so far this season, could stand in the way of a move to Merseyside.

ILKAY GUNDOGAN

Whilst the likes of Mats Hummels, Marco Reus and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang seem somewhat beyond Liverpool’s reach without the added incentive of Champions League football, midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is on the peripheries of being a realistic transfer target.

The German international’s performance levels were up there with the best centre-mids in the world when Dortmund honed in on the 2013 Champions League title and he’s back to somewhere near his best following two years of injury problems, this season averaging 1.5 tackles, 2.5 interceptions, 1.1 created chances and 2.7 successful dribbles per match.

The 25-year-old wanted a move to a Champions League club during the summer but nothing materialised, paving the way for him to sign a one-year contract extension at Westfalenstadion instead.

But now due to expire at the end of next season instead of the current one, the Black-Yellows will still have little option than to sell the midfielder if they’re approached with a decent offer within the next two transfer windows.

Although Gundogan’s performances have certainly been impressive this term, top-end suitors still aren’t exactly forthcoming, so a move to Liverpool, where he can work under Klopp and prove himself in the Premier League, might just take his fancy instead.

Aston Villa are in a truly perilous position at the bottom of the Premier League, though there has been an ever so slight improvement under Remi Garde. While he’s not lifted them off the foot of the table, the club have at least recorded a win under the Frenchman.

There had previously been encouraging draws against Manchester City and Newcastle, so perhaps the otherwise utterly dismal Wycombe Wanderers result in the FA Cup has served as the kick up the backside the players needed.

Their recruitment drive over the summer has largely backfired and this month’s transfer window is, perhaps, Garde’s best chance of prepping the squad for at least making a fight out of it. A club the stature of Aston Villa should not capitulate in the manner they have been for large parts of this season.

Can the former Lyon boss pull off the greatest escape in Premier League history? That remains to be seen, though signing any of this lot might help.

Here are FOUR player Aston Villa can sign to fight relegation.

LOIC REMY

Chelsea forward Loic Remy could not breach Diego Costa’s starting berth when the fiery Spaniard wasn’t scoring, so he’s got little chance now he’s back in the goals. Garde has previously spoken of his admiration for the Frenchman, who would add much needed goals to his side.

Rudy Gestede is a decent option for long balls, but that’s not the way Villa have been playing since Tim Sherwood was axed, rendering the £7m summer arrival all but useless. Jordan Ayew has shown glimpses of what he can do, but can’t be relied upon to frequently lead the line.

Remy is a mobile mover, able to sniff out chances in and around the penalty area where others might miss them. His clever movement at times looks lazy, but the ex-QPR star tends to conserve energy rather than running about like a headless chicken.

With Jack Grealish or Carles Gil providing the through balls, surely goals would come. Why would he even entertain the idea of going to Villa Park? Well, perhaps a loan deal until the end of the season could help him stake a claim in French squad for Euro 2016.

ASHLEY COLE

The 107 cap England international is free to leave Roma after a nightmare spell in the Italian capital. With Jordan Amavi ruled out for more or less the rest of the season, Garde could use a left-back.

Despite his age, the former Arsenal and Chelsea star would be an excellent signing. He’s probably the best left-back to ever play in the Premier League, and while old Father Time is bound to have somewhat of an impact, he could call on his vast experience should he come back.

Perhaps he wouldn’t surge up the left flank as often as he would a decade ago, but as a defender he remains nigh on impossible to breach. A wise head, the 35-year old is the perfect short-term option available.

GOKHAN INLER

Switzerland skipper Gokhan Inler can’t breach the Leicester midfield. That’s the kind of world we live in now. The 31-year old has struggled for game time since moving to the Foxes this summer and is (via Blick) a target for Villa on loan this winter.

Garde’s midfield can knock the ball around quite nicely, but have largely looked like mere bystanders for large parts of the season. When the opposition breaks, the likes of Carlos Sanchez may as well not even be there.

Inler would sort problems like that out. The former Napoli ace is a commanding defensive presence, adept at breaking up play in the middle of the park. His arrival would at least relieve some of the pressure on the Villa backline, who are prone to their fair share of lapses in concentration.

Like the previously mentioned Remy, the Swiss star may be eager to secure as much first-team football between now and the summer as he bids to prepare for Euro 2016.

JEREMY TOULALAN

Jeremy Toulalan is currently the captain of Monaco, so a move to Villa may not instantly strike you as the most likely option for him. However, manager Remi Garde is reportedly keen on landing the Frenchman in order to stamp his mark at Villa Park.

At 32, he may be a short-term option, but he possesses elements of the class currently severely lacking in the Midlands. The former France international is an excellent holding midfielder, able to ease some of the burden on the defence that could potentially be lining up behind him.

Comfortable in possession, the former Malaga man might also help the side retain the ball for large parts of the game, preventing the opposition from running his side ragged. Interestingly, he could even be deployed as a ball playing centre-half should Garde see fit to replace his current options.