It’s time for Leeds United to move on from Tyler Roberts this summer.

Even in the absence of leading talisman Patrick Bamford, the Wales international has struggled for minutes – even academy duo Joe Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood appear to sit ahead of him in the pecking order under American boss Jesse Marsch.

But that should hardly come as a surprise, given the form of the 23-year-old since the Yorkshire giants returned to the promised land of the Premier League.

Although, overall, a record of nine goals and ten assists across 108 appearances is not good reading for a forward.

Just two of those direct contributions have come this season, where he has featured in 23 top-flight games, as per Transfermarkt. Roberts has not started a game for the Whites since the 3-1 win over Burnley back in January – a game in which he failed to score.

Leeds actually looked the better side and found the net twice after his early bath on the hour mark, which is rather telling.

He has now been absent from Marsch’s matchday squad in three straight games due to injury and has made only four substitute appearances in 2022.

According to talkSPORT and Football Insider pundit Gabby Agbonlahor, Roberts will “be in the Championship” next season as “he’s not a Premier League player.”

Also slammed by the former Villa frontman for being “shocking” and “not good enough”, the former West Bromwich Albion youth product is surely nearing the exit door in this new era at Elland Road.

Thought to be earning wages in the region of £45k-per-week, Roberts has been absolutely stealing a living from the club.

When you factor in the initial £2.5m it cost to prise him away from the Baggies in January 2018, the Welshman has cost chairman Andrea Radrizzani and the club’s coffers in excess of £12m – and that’s only going to rise as he’s under contract until the summer of 2024.

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Signed a year after the Italian’s arrival at Leeds, it’s fair to suggest that Roberts has been one of the worst signings under his leadership. He’s certainly not someone that Marsch should persist with past the summer.

Amid links to RB Salzburg midfielder Brenden Aaronson, it could only be a matter of time before the 23-year-old is moved on, justifiably so, too.

AND in other news, Forget Joffy: Leeds must seal bargain swoop for teen prodigy with 40 goals this season…

After Thomas Frank’s appointment as Tottenham Hotspur manager in the summer handed fans a new sense of optimism, but it appears such an emotion is already running thin.

The Dane has now lost four of his last seven Premier League outings in charge of the Lilywhites, which has no doubt cranked up the pressure on his shoulders.

Rumours have been swirling over the manager’s long-term future in North London, especially with the side once again sliding down the table, as seen by their 11th-place standing at present.

It remains to be seen if the hierarchy will be willing to hand the 52-year-old the benefit of the doubt over his recent form, or whether an immediate change will be made.

However, numerous managers have since been touted with taking the reins should the club decide to make a swift dismissal of the manager despite his arrival this summer.

Spurs' number one manager target revealed

Over the last couple of days, numerous outlets have been reporting about a potential change in manager, which has led to Fulham boss Marco Silva being named as a candidate to take over.

It’s been claimed that he’s just one of the options being considered by the Lilywhites, with the 48-year-old already securing a win over Frank’s side in 2025/26.

Silva is also out of contract at the Cottagers come the end of June, which could make any potential deal for his services a cheaper one – with a compensation fee still needing to be paid.

However, it appears as though other targets are ahead of him in the pecking order at present, with former boss Mauricio Pochettino another option being considered by the board.

According to CaughtOffside, the Argentine is the hierarchy’s first choice to take over from Frank should the Dane be dismissed from the role in the coming months.

The report also states ENIC see the former boss as the strongest replacement available, but it’s unclear if the 53-year-old would be open to a return to North London.

Why Pochettino would be perfect for Simons

During the recent summer transfer window, the Spurs board spent a fee in the region of £52m on the signature of attacking midfielder Xavi Simons – but such a move hasn’t been plain sailing.

The Dutchman has already racked up 21 appearances for the Lilywhites, but has only racked up a measly total of five goals and assists across all competitions.

There’s no doubt the 22-year-old has shown glimpses of his quality, as seen against Brentford, but he’s been unable to demonstrate his talents on a consistent basis.

However, Frank has often utilised the youngster in a somewhat unnatural left-wing role in numerous matches, which he no doubt had an effect on his lack of success to date.

Pochettino’s potential return to North London could allow Simons to become the next version of Dele, with the Englishman reaching some incredible heights in North London under his guidance.

The Argentine, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by Todd Boehly, gave the attacking midfielder the best years of his career during his time in charge of the Lilywhites, as seen by some of the remarkable feats achieved in the Premier League.

Dele originally joined from MK Dons for a reported £5m back in the summer of 2015, subsequently having an immediate impact in the first-team despite arriving as a teenager.

His first three years at the club saw him register 146 appearances, which led to the Englishman scoring on 46 occasions whilst also laying on 35 assists for his teammates.

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During such a period, he managed to win the PFA Premier League Young Player of the Year award on two separate occasions, even becoming a consistent performer at international level.

Dele – Spurs record across all competitions

Statistics

Tally

Appearances

269

Minutes played

19162

Goals

67

Assists

58

Goal Involvements per Match

0.46

Minutes per goal

286

Minutes per assist

330

Stats via Transfermarkt

After Pochettino’s departure from Spurs in November 2019, Dele’s career has never been the same, with the midfielder now currently without a club after leaving Como in September.

His form under the former Lilywhites boss is evidence that he’s able to get the best out of the players at his disposal, something which could happen with Simons should he be reappointed.

There’s no denying the Dutchman has shown glimpses but Pochettino could well work his magic and help the youngster reach the same heights achieved by Dele at the club.

As for Frank, there’s little denying he’s struggled to live up to expectations in the role, which could result in an early departure from his position in the coming months.

Related Dream for Simons: Spurs want to hire 4-3-3 manager who's "up there with Pep"

Tottenham’s new manager is already under intense pressure.

Posts 2 ByAngus Sinclair

Northamptonshire has moved back to the top of Division Two of the CountyChampionship after completing a resounding home victory over Worcestershiretoday with more than two sessions still remaining.For the second week in a row, it was off spinners Jason Brown (5/55) andGraeme Swann (4/88) who proved the matchwinners. After taking seventeenwickets together in the last round, the tandem slow bowling combinationadded another sixteen to their rapidly swelling collective tally withanother superb exhibition.Worcestershire had entered the final day at a score of 102/6 in its secondinnings – and still facing a massive overall deficit of 168 runs. Matterssoon became even worse as Brown tempted Steve Rhodes (4) into drivingextravagantly at, but alas over the top of, a conventional off break.Stuart Lampitt (56*) and, to a lesser extent, Paul Pollard (9), summonedenough defiance to see out eighteen overs together before the latter’swicket fell but, from there, the end came quickly.There was both good and bad news for the visitors in Lampitt’s attainmentof a well-deserved half century – for he gained appropriate reward for apositive innings and yet illustrated, in scoring it, the thoroughinadequacy of his team’s match totals of 249 and 198 on what was by nomeans an awkward pitch on which to bat.Following this result, the rampant Northamptonshire now finds itself threepoints clear of Sussex at the head of the divisional standings. It seemslikely that its fate will be determined in its two meetings with thatparticular rival over the course of the next fortnight – the first of whichbegins at Northampton on Wednesday.

On a day when his side produced a fightback brimming with spirit and courage, New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming suffered the bitter disappointment of failing to convert his 26th Test fifty to a third hundred.Fleming was given out, caught in the gully off Allan Donald, for 99. So close and yet so far as New Zealand doggedly kept South Africa waiting for victory. At stumps on the fourth day of the first Castle Lager/MTN Test match the tourists were 260 for five in their follow-on innings, 18 ahead with a day to play.Fleming’s innings – and its conclusion – was the centrepiece of an absorbing, if not quite thrilling day. He made 57 in the first innings before getting himself out a little softly, going down the wicket to left-arm spinner Nicky Boje.The circumstances of his dismissal in the second innings were far more dramatic. With the Goodyear Park pitch apparently having long since given up the ghost, Allan Donald produced a snorter of a ball that reared viciously up at Fleming. The batsmen fended it away from his throat, but only to Gary Kirsten, and umpire Arani Jayaprakash gave Fleming out.From the umpire’s perspective, the decision must have seemed straightforward, but repeated television replays cast doubt on the dismissal as it became less and less clear whether the ball had struck Fleming’s glove, bat handle or forearm.Fleming himself was unable to comment on the decision, but he did say how disappointing it had been. “You feel the excitement building up and I guess there’s just a feeling of being flat,” he said. “You don’t get the opportunity to experience the magic feeling of getting the hundred.”His view of the delivery was “a bit quicker than the slo-mo and I didn’t see too much of it. You can’t really comment on it. It’s just disappointing to get 99″.Especially so in the context of the match. New Zealand started the day one down for 82 and were quickly 93 for two when Lance Klusener took a stunning catch in the gully off Donald to get rid of Mathew Sinclair for 24.Fleming and Mark Richardson then added 52 for the third before Donald had Richardson LBW for 77 with a toe-cruncher and Nathan Astle did not last long before chopping Makhaya Ntini on for 8 with a poor shot.But Fleming and Craig McMillan kept South Africa at bay for a further 141 minutes as they added 72 for the fifth wicket. Fleming’s dismissal was a double cruel blow for both the man and his captain, and although the odds always favoured a South African victory, this wicket will make their task that much easier.New Zealand, though, still believe they can save the game.”We think so,” said Fleming. “We’re going to make it damn hard for them to win it and while we don’t like playing this type of cricket – we’d much rather be pushing for positive cricket and winning ourselves – I think we’re in a situation where we didn’t play well enough for the first two days. The thing about this team is we want to play quality cricket whatever we do.”But with Fleming gone, and only Adam Parore as a recognised batsman to come, it now seems that only the weather can save New Zealand. And that, given unsettled conditions around the country, is not entirely out of the question.

Federal Areas made a solid start in their reply to Baluchistan’s 353 on a curtailed second day at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground. Only 39.2 overs were possible in the day, and Federal Areas finished 135 for 2, leaving them 218 runs behind Baluchistan’s first-innings score. Baluchistan’s No. 10 Zulfiqar Babar added some quick runs at the start of the day to increase his side’s overnight total of 320 for 9. Federal Areas then lost a couple of wickets early, with fast bowlers Abdur Rauf and Nazar Hussain taking a scalp each. Opener Raheel Majeed stayed steady at one end to finish on 67 not out, and he put together an unbroken 79-run partnership with Umar Amin.Not much play was possible at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore either, where Punjab’s batsmen continued to dominate the Sind bowlers. Starting on 347 for 3, Punjab added another 124 runs in the 37 overs bowled on the second day, to finish at 471 for 4. Overnight centurion Mohammad Ayub went on to make 140 before he was bowled by Sohail Khan. That dismissal did not stop the runs however, as Usman Salahuddin helped himself to an unbeaten half-century, and Kamran Sajid scored 42 not out. Punjab may have to consider declaring early on the third day if they want to force a result from the game.

ScorecardVarun Chopra helped secure a first victory for the 2014 beaten finalists•Getty Images

Warwickshire notched up their first victory of this season’s Royal London Cup after a thrilling last-gasp three-wicket win against Lancashire at Old Trafford.Varun Chopra’s 88, plus Tim Ambrose’ half-century at better than a run a ball laid the foundations for Warwickshire to reach their target of 266, but they still needed three fours in the final over from Ateeq Javid to seal victory with a solitary ball to spare.Last year’s finalists had lost twice and gained a point from an abandonment in their other fixtures and managed to restrict their hosts to 265 for 7, Ashwell Prince and Alex Davies starring for Lancashire, who were put into bat. Lancashire were quickly on the back foot when Keith Barker tempted Karl Brown to edge behind in just the fifth over as the Lightning struggled for a foothold in the opening exchanges.Salvation came in the usual shape of South Africa’s Prince, who brought his stunning first-class form into the shorter format with a typically belligerent innings that found its feet in the 10th over when the veteran opener pulled successive balls from Rikki Clarke to the leg side boundary for four then six.Prince and fellow countryman Alviro Petersen put on 62 for the second wicket before the latter skied an on drive to the back-pedalling Keith Barker at mid-on for 22. The setback made little difference to Prince who continued unheeded as he and Paul Horton proceeded to compile another crucial partnership of 75 until Horton was strangled down the leg side for 37 by Boyd Rankin.Rankin had struggled early on but his second spell proved far more fruitful as Horton’s departure triggered a mini collapse. Prince was the next to go, missing out on his century after edging the big Irishman behind for 82, and when skipper Steven Croft quickly followed in the same manner, Lancashire had lost three wickets for seven runs.It was left to 20-year-old wicketkeeper Davies to restore some momentum into the innings with a knock full of improvisation which included one boundary off a one-handed backhand smash.Davies and James Faulkner added a valuable 79 before the close, but it was a target that looked well within Warwickshire’s reach, especially when Chopra and William Porterfield put on 64 for the opening wicket.The introduction of left arm spinner Steven Parry proved vital as he removed Porterfield for 38 before former England Test player Jonathan Trott quickly departed following a poor shot off Faulkner.Chopra and Ambrose, compiled a third wicket partnership of 102 to bring the visitors back into contention. Ambrose fell lbw to Jarvis for 59 off 57 balls before the accurate Parry removed Clarke for five and then Croft bowled Laurie Evans for 11.Chopra was finally dismissed in the 44th over, 60 runs short of the target, but in a nail biting last over Javid and Jeetan Patel kept their nerve as the former hit Tom Bailey for the winning boundary from the penultimate delivery of the match.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has, in a letter to the BCCI, sought clarity on the mooted bilateral series this December, pointing out that it was part of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed last year by the two boards. The letter, written on Tuesday by PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan to BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur, comes in the wake of a growing sentiment in India – and echoed by the BCCI – that bilateral cricket ties should be suspended given the current political tensions between the two countries.The MOU, for a total of six series between 2015 and 2023, had been agreed to during the ICC meeting last year and was the basis of Pakistan’s conditional support – after initial opposition – to the ICC’s organisational revamp.However political events in the recent past have cast doubts over the revival of the India-Pakistan series as planned. Thakur himself scotched the possibility of cricket resuming till political equations had stabilised. In his letter today, Shaharyar called Thakur’s statement a “negative shadow” on the PCB-BCCI relationship.”I am much hopeful that the Indian government will give its go-ahead to our series regardless of any routine border tension,” Shaharyar wrote. He said the series would help both countries reduce the tension, referring to the series in 1999 when Pakistan toured India despite issues caused by fringe political activists, as well as the return tour by India to Pakistan in 2003-04 despite security concerns.The letter also addressed the issues surrounding Ten Sports’ deal with the PCB. The PCB had recently signed a five-year deal with the broadcaster, but its ties to the Essel Group, which has threatened to form a breakaway international league, had caused issues.ESPNcricinfo understands that some cricket boards had been reluctant to play any series in which Ten Sports is the host broadcaster, leading to a delay in firming up the plans for a series between England and Pakistan.Shaharyar said in the letter that the issues had been resolved and ICC and Ten Sports had agreed on an MOU in which the broadcaster stated that it has no intention of being part of any rival league. Shaharyar met Subhash Chandra (the owner of Ten Sports) in London last month to clear any doubts on the matter. The MOU between the ICC and Ten Sports is, however, reportedly yet to be reviewed by the BCCI.India have not played a bilateral Test series against Pakistan since 2007, though they did host them for two T20Is and three ODIs between December 2012 and January 2013.

New Zealand coach Mike Hesson has said his team will take plenty of positives from their tour of Africa, despite losing the one-day series to South Africa 2-1. The tour finished with New Zealand’s loss in the final ODI in Durban on Wednesday, but they had beaten Zimbabwe in the ODI series that began the trip, beat Zimbabwe in a T20 and shared the T20 series with South Africa.New Zealand entered the tour without some of their key players, with Brendon McCullum and Tim Southee rested, and Trent Boult and Corey Anderson missing due to injuries. Kane Williamson captained the squad in McCullum’s absence and Hesson said he was pleased with the way several newer faces took to international cricket.”It was a pretty fair reflection of the performance,” Hesson said. “I think we were a little bit off song in all three departments. South Africa were on song, they adapted to conditions better than we did and they put us under pressure.”Overall I’m still delighted with the tour in terms of what we wanted to achieve. Sure, it’s a disappointing way to finish but it doesn’t take the gloss off what’s been an excellent tour for us moving forward as a cricket side. We’ve unleashed a number of new players and a few other players have come back into the fold as well.”Tom Latham was New Zealand’s third-leading run scorer across the whole tour and scored his maiden ODI century against Zimbabwe, and Doug Bracewell enjoyed the South African bowling conditions in his first one-day internationals for more than two years. Legspinner Ish Sodhi was another who was given a chance and claimed six wickets in the first six ODIs of his career.”Ish played a lot of cricket and I thought he got better and better as the tour went on and grew in confidence,” Hesson said. “He didn’t pick up the wickets I thought he deserved at times but I thought he was excellent. The South Africans looked to go after him and I thought he held his composure nicely.”We couldn’t ask any more of Tom. He and Martin were outstanding at the top throughout both the one-day series. He scored at a good rate, playing good quality cricket shots. Delighted to be able to give Tom some consistent opportunities and then for him to take it adds to our depth nicely.”We had a very strong seam bowling attack over here even without Trent and Corey. We had a lot of competition for places. Doug certainly forced his hand through performances and earned the opportunities that he got. Really pleased with the consistent areas he bowled and the way he adapted to different conditions.”

Tharindu Kaushal’s indifferent outing at Galle raised concerns over whether he could become Rangana Herath’s spin-bowling successor, but Herath himself could still play for some time yet, Angelo Mathews said. Herath played a leading role in a second successive Galle victory for Sri Lanka, this time claiming match figures of 10 for 147.Herath is now 37 (five years older than Dhammika Prasad, who was Sri Lanka’s second-oldest player in this XI) and has said he would assess his future and retirement following next year’s World T20. Mathews had also suggested that Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene had more international cricket in them, but both batsmen have now retired, leaving Mathews with a green Test top order.”I believe, Rangana can play few more years because he is also working very hard with our trainer and now he has reduced lot of weight,” Mathews said. “We mustn’t look at his age but at his performance. That said, I accept the fact that other bowlers also should come up. If they want to achieve what Rangana has achieved, they need to work hard.”Among those needing work is Kaushal, who returned figures of 1 for 94 in this Test match. He had been particularly disappointing in the first innings, where he failed to find a consistent length, and proved expensive. He also overstepped six times.Kaushal was recently banned from bowling the doosra, following biomechanical Tests in Chennai. Both Mathews and the Sri Lanka team’s coaches believe he can be penetrative even without that delivery, particularly as he turns the offbreak substantially. However, his lack of control and subtlety appear to be frustrating his career.”Tharindu Kaushal was pretty disappointing – he was not bowling at his best,” Mathews said. “We wanted to go with Kaushal, especially on this wicket. It was a tactical move. We wanted someone who can really give it a rip on this wicket. Unfortunately, he was pretty poor in this game.”He’s still working very hard with spin coach Piyal Wijetunge. We just wanted him to bowl his offspinners on the spot. If he does that, he’s going to get lot more wickets than with his doosra. But he didn’t do that well. He can keep improving.Mathews suggested the team was wary of asking Kaushal to make too many changes so early in his career. “When it comes to pace, he doesn’t change his pace that much. We didn’t want to change him upside down, because the way he bowls, he’s going to get lot of wickets.”Mathews issued glowing praise to the top-order batsmen that formed the bedrock of Sri Lanka’s first innings 484. The top four had had a particularly lean series against India, against whom Sri Lanka did not cross 400. Opener Dimuth Karunaratne made a career-best 186, and for much of that innings batted in the company of Dinesh Chandimal, who hit 151. The pair put on 238 for the third wicket.”We had some individual brilliance to lead us to victory,” Mathews said. “To start off with, Dimuth and Chandimal were brilliant. They batted us to a position where we could hardly lose. After getting 480-odd, it gives the bowlers some cushioning to go out there and enjoy themselves. We haven’t put up a total like that for quite some time.”We can’t keep talking of the past all the time, so we’ve decided to take up the challenge and responsibility. After Sangakkara and Mahela left the team, we needed those guys to stand up and take the responsibility. I’m glad that they did it.”

Kevin Pietersen’s second ton in as many games ensured Dolphins made short work of a target of 168 as they cruised past Knights to notch a nine-wicket win with 20 balls to spare. On Wednesday in a win over Lions, Pietersen took 63 balls to reach triple-figures but only needed 45 balls on Friday as Dolphins sprinted toward victory with Pietersen’s unbeaten 100.Pietersen added 135 for the second wicket with Morne van Wyk with the wicketkeeper-batsman finishing on 34 not out. This came after an opening stand of 35 between van Wyk and Cameron Delport in which Delport scored 34 of the 35 runs, the other coming courtesy of a wide, before being dismissed by Ryan McLaren. A first-innings ton by Theunis de Bruyn was in vain as Pietersen’s opposite number on the Knights struck 100 off 55 balls before he was one of two wickets for Kyle Abbott. Opener Reeza Hendricks had given Knights a steady start with a run-a-ball 42 after they were asked to bat.Titans emerged with a four-wicket win over Lions in a tricky chase of 116. Quinton de Kock top-scored for Titans with 34 but the victory was secured thanks to a 33-run seventh-wicket stand between Graeme van Buuren and Chris Morris after their side was left in trouble at 84 for 6 in the 14th over.Aaron Phangiso took 3 for 19 to give Lions hope after a poor batting performance in which just two players reached double-figures. Captain Thami Tsolekile made 58 off 41 balls at No. 5, but received no support from the rest of the line-up and was eventually ninth man out. Chinaman bowler Tabraiz Shamsi finished with 3 for 20 while Morris and Lungi Ngidi took two wickets each.Cape Cobras fought back with a strong rally in the field to hold on for a five-run win over Warriors in Paarl. Opener Richard Levi top-scored with 52 off 37 to lay a platform for a total of 140 for 6 after Cobras were sent in. Andrew Birch and JJ Smuts took two wickets each as Warriors used nine bowlers.In reply, Warriors were 100 for 1 thanks to a 79-run second-wicket stand between Colin Ackermann and Colin Ingram but the wicket of Ingram unsettled the chase. Still, Warriors looked to be headed toward a win at the start of the 19th over with Ackermann at the crease on 58 and the score 124 for 2 with 17 needed for victory.Dane Paterson then took two in two balls to start the over before a four by Ackermann off the final ball meant Warriors needed 10 off six balls. Wayne Parnell came to the rescue for Cobras, taking two wickets in three balls – the second of which was Ackermann’s for 64 – with another dot in between to leave Warriors needing 10 off three with two new batsmen at the crease. A run-out followed on the next ball before the final two deliveries resulted in a two and a single by Jerry Nqolo and they fell short by five runs.