أحرز كيليان مبابي هدف التعادل لصالح الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد، أمام ريال مايوركا في اللقاء الذي يجمعهما بمنافسات الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم “لاليجا”.

ويواجه ريال مدريد نظيره ريال مايوركا، في الجولة 36 من الدوري الإسباني، على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو”.

اقرأ أيضاً.. فيديو | فالينت يسجل هدف ريال مايوركا الأول أمام ريال مدريد في الدوري الإسباني

ونجح مهاجم ريال مدريد، كيليان مبابي، في تسجيل الهدف الأول لفريقه في اللقاء عند الدقيقة 68 من عمر المباراة.

هدف أصحاب الأرض جاء بعدما تلقى مبابي تمريرة حاسمة من لوكا مودريتش، ليقوم المهاجم الفرنسي باستلام الكرة والتسديد بقوة داخل منطقة الجزاء، معلناً تسجيل هدف التعادل للنادي الملكي.

وافتتح مارتن فالينت التسجيل لصالح ريال مايوركا بحلول الدقيقة 11، عبر تسديدة يسارية قوية سكنت شباك تيبو كورتوا.

وفي حال فوز ريال مدريد في مواجهة اليوم سيرتفع رصيده إلى النقطة 78 ليعزز تواجده في المركز الثاني بـ ترتيب الدوري الإسباني. هدف تعادل ريال مدريد أمام ريال مايوركا بـ الدوري الإسباني

مبابي يصل لـ40 هدف هذا الموسم! 🔥#مبابي #ريال_مدريد #الدوري_الإسباني pic.twitter.com/b512CZ7kwd — beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) May 14, 2025

Newcastle United have returned to the top of their game over the past month or so, winning seven matches in a row across all competitions.

Revived mid-season form is great and all but Eddie Howe will be focused on maintaining such fluency over the business months of the campaign, with the Carabao Cup title up for grabs and Champions League qualification through the Premier League the biggest priority.

Transfer activity isn’t the be-all and end-all in January, but it wouldn’t hurt if a player capable of lifting the Magpies squad was welcomed.

Newcastle's transfer priorities this year

The interminable struggle for a right-sided forward continues, though the need for a fresh face has been tempetred by Jacob Murphy’s fine form this season.

Miguel Almiron is expected to be sold, freeing up space for such a venture, while the 35-year-old Martin Dubravka is expected to lay down the gloves in the Premier League and move to the Saudi Pro League for one last bumper paycheck.

The most pressing concern, however, remains the lack of depth at centre-back. Four bids – the last totalling £65m – were chucked at Crystal Palace last summer for Marc Guehi but Steve Parish’s resolve remained annoyingly fixed.

Fabian Schar is in talks to extend his deal at St. James’ Park but Jamal Lascelles, injured this season, will leave at the end of his contract in June. Sven Botman has recently returned from a knee injury he picked up in March.

Newcastle could do with a bit more at the back, especially when planning for a European future.

Howe interested in La Liga star

Spanish sources have revealed that Newcastle are interested in signing Sevilla centre-back Loic Bade this winter, though they will face stern competition from Liverpool.

The report suggests that both sides have ‘closely followed’ the defender in recent times, with the Premier League pair said to view his signing as a ‘priority’.

United need to bolster their backline, and, while Bade wouldn’t come cheap, he is understood to have a price tag in the region of €30m (£25m), ostensibly within Newcastle’s parameters.

What Loic Bade would bring to Newcastle

Bade is a defender in the modern vein, ranking among the top 12% of La Liga centre-backs this season for assists (0.08), the top 1% for successful take-ons (0.68) and the top 4% for tackles (2.12) per 90, as per FBref.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig has said that he “will be a world-class defender in the future,” only 24 years old but already showing high quality and an ability to overcome adversity.

Of course, he has already tasted Premier League football, in a sense, in the past, signing for Nottingham Forest from French club Rennes on loan in 2022 but failing to make a single top-flight appearance, suffering from the overload of signings as the City Ground side sought to ensconce themselves safely in the division after promotion.

He would leave on a loan deal to Sevilla in January 2023, with the rest history – as they do say. Now having chalked up 75 appearances with the Spanish side, Bade has lifted the Europa League and established himself as one of the country’s finest defneders.

Should Newcastle forge ahead and complete a deal, Howe could find himself repeating the neat trick that saw Alexander Isak brought to the club. In 2022, Newcastle signed the Sweden striker from Real Sociedad for £63m, a fee that still stands as the club record.

Bade would be leaving the Spanish scene having begun to unlock his qualities, much like Isak after the 25-year-old forward posted 23 goals across his final two full La Liga campaigns.

Premier League – Top Scorers 2024/25
Rank	Player	Goals (per 90)
1.	Mohamed Salah	18 (0.97)
2.	Erling Haaland	16 (0.80)
3.	Alexander Isak	13 (0.80)
3=	Cole Palmer	13 (0.67)
3=	Bryan Mbeumo	13 (0.65)
Stats via Premier League

Now an absolute menace in the English top flight, Howe has shown that his talent radar is unerring when he settles on the right player, with Liverpool’s intrigue in Bade’s signature corroborating the Magpies’ hopes in the France international’s skill set.

Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher has even gone as far as to hail Isak as the “best striker in the Premier League right now” after his scoring 14 goals across 15 appearances, though in truth, the eye test makes a more convincing comment on his quality than numbers ever will.

Further similarities can be identified through Isak’s failed stint with Borussia Dortmund, preceding his transfer to Sociedad, for he scored one goal and supplied one assist across 13 appearances in Germany.

Isak’s talent was recognised but the move came at the wrong time, and you could say the same thing for Bade at Nottingham Forest.

Newcastle are a team of quality, for sure, but there is also a hive-minded drive and determination that serves as the solvent for any impressive skills and so on and so forth. Bade that the tenacious focus to succeed, and Newcastle need to get the deal done this month, ending the ruefulness that lingers after the botched Guehi bid and completing a defensive line that already stand strong despite lacking some cogs.

Whether Newcastle succeed in their efforts to shore up their backline with this talent remains to be seen, but there’s no question that he has tailor-made skills for the Premier League and could be a force to be reckoned with at the base of Howe’s system.

Partnered with Botman, United could enjoy quite the dynamic partnership at the back. Bade is hardly similar to Isak but his acquisition could be something of a repeat for Howe’s side, taking Newcastle one step closer to the summit of European football.

Newcastle chasing £50m Isak partner who's the "perfect January signing"

Newcastle need to strengthen this winter and continue their incredible run of form.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jan 11, 2025

Aston Villa advanced through to the next round of the FA Cup on Sunday evening to put their poor form in the Premier League firmly to one side.

Villa would ultimately get the better of Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur by a single goal in a 2-1 win, with Jacob Ramsey and Morgan Rogers sharing out the strikes in the slim Cup victory.

Whilst there would have been many pleasing elements from the performance for Unai Emery to latch onto when it comes to those who started the game, the main excitement from the clash came from the many star-studded substitutes the Spaniard made, which included Marcus Rashford making his hotly anticipated debut.

Marcus Rashford's Aston Villa debut in numbers

Although his time at Manchester United has turned sour – leading to this last-ditch loan switch taking place – there’s no doubt that Rashford is a top Premier League performer when at the very peak of his powers.

Indeed, the Manchester-born attacker hasn’t just amassed 201 goal contributions at Old Trafford by chance, with the 27-year-old keen to hit the ground running when substituted late on versus Spurs.

Rashford vs Spurs

Minutes played

24

Touches

22

Accurate passes

13/14 (93%)

Key passes

0

Shots

0

Successful dribbles

1/2

Ground duels won

3/5

Aerial duels won

1/1

Tackles

2

Stats via Sofascore.

Rashford was only gifted 24 minutes of action by Emery in this clash, but he still showed off his class in flashes with one successful dribble proving to be too tricky for Pedro Porro to thwart, on top of the fact the new Villa number nine also won four ground duels to show off his commitment to his loan employers.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Expand Collapse Aston Villa have a more exciting signing than Rashford

Emery will no doubt continue to use Rashford here and there as a top-quality option to boost his already entertaining attack.

However, it was another of his fresh faces in Marco Asensio who really stole the show against the visitors from North London to solidify the fact he might well be an even better capture than the Red Devils outcast.

Villa supporters wouldn’t have believed their luck come the end of the transfer window when both Asensio and Rashford arrived through the door on short-term deals, with the loan move for the ex-Real Madrid man a real coup based on first impressions.

Asensio’s career G/A numbers by position

Position

Games played

Goals scored

Assists

RW

148

30

15

LW

132

22

22

AM

90

19

22

CF

18

5

5

CM

4

0

0

SS

1

0

1

LM

1

0

0

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Across his far more memorable spell on the pitch, the versatile midfielder amazingly completed all 15 of his passes, alongside also bamboozling many a Spurs defender with his repertoire of skills.

One of those stylish bits of play nearly resulted in a debut assist coming the well-travelled 29-year-old’s way, with a sublime flick moments after his introduction seeing Rogers then fire over a subsequent effort.

Whilst Rashford does know the English game inside and out, it’s safe to say his damaging experiences at Old Trafford as of late might well have left some lasting bruises that will have dented his confidence, whilst Asensio already looks confident and assured mere minutes into his first taster of his new surroundings.

Asensio vs Spurs

Minutes played

24

Touches

20

Accurate passes

15/15

Key passes

1

Dribbles

1

Crosses

2

Duels won

2/3

Possession lost

2

Interceptions

1

Tackles

1

Stats via Sofascore.

Alongside that, Emery will also feel comfortable chucking Asensio into his starting lineups moving forward in a whole plethora of different positions, with the 38-time senior Spain international capable of playing all across the attack, notably featuring on either flank on over 100 occasions.

His efforts as an adaptable presence playing at the Santiago Bernabeu resulted in three illustrious Champions League titles heading Madrid’s way, on top of three La Liga title successes also being achieved, meaning Asensio won’t be fazed whatsoever playing on Europe’s biggest stage for Emery’s men either.

The 29-year-old has even been labelled as “world-class” in the past by one of his former Spain managers in Vicente del Bosque, with this signing one that might take Villa to the next level on its own, away from the other statement deal of Rashford.

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Tributes had been paid to the late allrounder during the Australia-Zimbabwe series

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Sep-2022

Andrew Symonds’ family and friends honoured him in Townsville during the Zimbabwe series•Getty Images

The grandstand at Riverway Stadium in Townsville has been officially named after Andrew Symonds.The Andrew ‘Roy’ Symonds Grandstand was unveiled by his children, Chloe and Will, and his mother Barbara on Friday.”It just feels like he’s going to be loved from every direction, like he’s going to be loved from everyone,” Chloe, 10, told reporters. “I know he didn’t like anything big, and it’s not a big grandstand…so he would probably have loved that.”Symonds, who played 238 times for Australia and was a huge figure in Queensland cricket, died aged 46 in a car accident near Townsville on March 14.Related

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Roy 388: Townsville pays tribute to Andrew Symonds

When Australia played Zimbabwe in Townsville last month there were tributes paid to Symonds but the process to name the stand hadn’t quite been completed.At the innings interval of the opening match in the series his family, along with best friend Jimmy Maher, walked to the pitch where they laid his baggy green, bat, his Akubra hat, a fishing rod and a crab pot at the wickets. Symonds two dogs, Buzz and Woody, were also part of the occasion.On Friday, Symonds’ mother Barbara said: “He was just my boy who loved playing cricket. But to know that he was loved so much by so many people, it makes you very proud.”Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said that Symonds had a huge impact on the local community.”Roy was a proud North Queenslander who gave back to the Townsville community through charity and his involvement in junior sports,” she told the . “He was also a great friend to many people and would light up any room he was in. Roy’s passing has been a tragic loss to our community, and I know his absence is felt far and wide across the country.”The temporary sign will be replaced by a permanent version after further community consultation.

The last couple of years have been a real roller coaster for Tottenham Hotspur.

The North Londoners have seen Ange Postecoglou take the reins and turn the club from one of the more boring teams to watch in the Premier League to arguably the most entertaining, and as things stand, they’re the third-highest scoring team in the competition this year.

What makes that fact even more remarkable is that they are so dangerous in attack despite being down in 15th place and are in the midst of an injury crisis that has seen them lose their starting number nine and second top-scorer in Dominic Solanke.

The former Bournemouth star doesn’t have much competition for a starting place in the squad, as while Richarlison is back fit, his overall record of 18 goals and nine assists in 77 games is simply not good enough.

Fortunately, recent reports have touted a forward who’d be the perfect rival for the Englishman for a move to N17 this month, a forward who has previously been compared to Harry Kane of all people.

Tottenham target Premier League striker

According to a recent report from the Daily Mail, Tottenham are one of multiple clubs interested in signing Brighton & Hove Albion’s Evan Ferguson this month.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Alongside the Lilywhites, the report has revealed that Bournemouth, Everton, Fulham, Celtic and West Ham have all asked about signing the Irish ace on loan. The Hammers are said to hold an advantage thanks to Graham Potter managing the youngster during his time on the south coast.

While this level of competition is far from ideal, the good news, for Daniel Levy and Co at least, is that the Seagulls are reportedly happy to let the exciting striker leave the club on loan, meaning that there is minimal financial downside to securing his services for the North Londoners.

It looks like it could be a challenging deal to get over the line, but given Ferguson’s raw ability and sky-high potential, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he’d be an ideal rival for Solanke and has been compared to Kane in the past.

Why Ferguson would be a dream Solanke rival

Okay, so there are several reasons why having Ferguson in the squad would be good for the team as well as Solanke, and the first is that it would give Postecoglou the chance to rest the latter.

So far this season, the former Bournemouth star has played 29 games for the Australian, 24 of which have been starts, and while he hasn’t traditionally suffered from too many major injuries in the past, he’s also not got the cleanest of records, with nine injuries keeping him out of 40 games since the start of the 18/19 campaign.

So, if the manager knows that he has a young hungry striker who was previously tipped to reach the very top in his squad, then he can start him in some of the less important matches and allow his star poacher to rest more often, which in turn should hopefully minimise the chance of him being forced to sit out.

The second reason the Irish international would be a great rival is that he’s still the same player who was blowing people away a couple of seasons ago, and in the right environment, with the right coaching, there is no reason to suspect he couldn’t get back to that sort of form.

For example, it was only in March 2023 that former Liverpool and Ireland striker John Aldridge described the then 18-year-old centre-forward as “an Irish version of Harry Kane” and then just four months later, former Spurs star Gary Lineker mooted the idea that the club should sign the young phenom “as Kane’s replacement.”

Now, that all might sound a little hyperbolic today, but at the time, it really did look like the Bettystown-born gem was going to be the next superstar striker, as in just 25 first-team appearances across the 22/23 season, totalling 1345 minutes, the “phenomenal” striker, as dubbed by teammate James Milner, scored ten goals and provided three assists.

That means he averaged a goal involvement every 1.92 games, or every 103.46 minutes as an 18-year-old, which is unbelievably impressive, and were it not for a number of unfortunate injuries, then he might well have carried that form into the following seasons.

Appearances

25

Starts

15

Minutes

1345′

Goals

10

Assists

3

Goal Involvements per Match

0.52

Minutes per Goal Involvement

103.46′

Ultimately, Spurs need another centre-forward to genuinely rival Solanke once he’s back from his injury, and while there is an element of risk around how good Ferguson still is, it’s a risk well worth taking, as if he can recreate anything close to his form of a couple of years ago, then Postecoglou will have another extraordinary striker in his squad.

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Arsenal may have already struck a deal to sign an “exceptional” £70m striker in the summer, after missing out in the winter transfer window, according to a report.

No new arrivals at the Emirates this winter

The Gunners have taken a gamble in the Premier League title race by opting not to bring in any reinforcements during the January transfer window, despite widespread demand for a new striker.

Mikel Arteta’s side were ruthless in front of goal in the 5-1 victory against Manchester City on Sunday, but Thierry Henry expressed concern that the manner of the victory may indicate a new striker is not necessary.

The club legend said: “There’s one thing I wanted to mention as an Arsenal man. Always, Arsenal fans say to me, we need a nine. Nobody is going to ask for a nine after this game. Yeah, they should still ask. It’s not because you won 5-1 that you don’t need a nine.”

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The north Londoners had a number of options in mind this winter, submitting a bid in the region of £45m for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, who was desperate to complete a deadline day move to north London.

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, who is valued at £70m by some reports, has also been linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium for quite some time, and there has not been an exciting new update involving the striker.

According to a report from Football London, the Gunners have continued to watch Sesko closely after their failed pursuit last summer, retaining an interest in getting a deal done.

Despite the 21-year-old agreeing a new contract with the German club last year, there is a feeling he could move on in the summer, and it is even possible Arsenal have already struck a deal, such is expected to be the case with midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

Doubt over Kai Havertz continues

After the emphatic 5-1 victory against Manchester City, the Gunners are six points behind Liverpool, but their failure to bring in a top striker could cost them in the race for the Premier League title.

Despite scoring against City, Kai Havertz was subjected to criticism from Jamie Carragher after squandering a good chance, with the Sky Sports pundit saying: “That has to be the game, he [Havertz] has to score that. That’s a lack of confidence but also a lack of quality,

“Almost every centre forward in the Premier League would look at a situation like that and fancy themselves to score.”

As such, Arteta may be disappointed Sesko was unavailable this winter, given that the Slovenian has been lauded for his finishing by freelance scout Ben Mattinson.

However, there will also be hope that Havertz’s goal at the weekend gives the German renewed confidence after going through a tricky spell.

Mason Greenwood shared his thoughts after equalling Didier Drogba's Marseille record with a goal against Brest.

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Greenwood equalled Drogba's recordScored his 19th Ligue 1 goal Marseille thrashed Brest 4-1Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty/GOALWHAT HAPPENED?

The ex-Manchester United star contributed with a goal and an assist as Marseille destroyed Brest 4-1 in a crucial Ligue 1 fixture on Sunday. With the strike, Greenwood matched Marseille legend Didier Drogba's club record of scoring 19 league goals in his debut season in the French league.

AdvertisementWHAT MASON GREENWOOD SAID

After the historic night at Stade Velodrome, Greenwood took to Instagram to share his thoughts on the performance, as he wrote: "Great team performance from start to finish, important win and always a special feeling to score at the Velodrome."

AFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Greenwood received a backhanded compliment from Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi about his work rate in the game as the Italian coach told : "The players are happy… have you ever seen Mason Greenwood work like today? It was the first time. You have to give the players credit. Sometimes you lose points because of bad attitudes, but not because they're not good guys."

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR MARSEILLE?

The French giants will be next seen in action on May 4 as they take on Lille in a crucial Ligue 1 fixture.

The former USMNT star has made bold claims about the LAFC star, suggesting the forward has the quality to improve any team in the world

• Lalas highlights Bouanga's consistent goal-scoring prowess in MLS
• Fox analyst believes he should be a transfer target for clubs
• Bouanga has contributed to 55 goals across his previous two seasons

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games now

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED

  After Denis Bouanga ended his cold streak with a goal against the San Jose Earthquakes on April 12 – and followed it up with a strong all-around performance in LAFC’s 3-3 draw with the Portland Timbers – many fans believe the Gabonese LAFC forward is returning to top form. Like many of his teammates, Bouanga had a slow and inconsistent start to the season, but he’s shown signs of resurgence with two goals in his last two games. His uptick in form has coincided with LAFC’s overall improvement, fueling optimism that he’s back to his best.

  That belief is shared by former USMNT star Alexi Lalas, who made a bold statement about Bouanga's talent on his podcast.

  “Denis Bouanga, by the way, was everywhere,” Lalas said. “That man. If I’m any team in the world, I am looking at him. I’m thinking, ‘Hey, this is somebody who can make our team better.’ And I mean any team in the world – I think he can play for them.”

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• WHAT ALEXI LALAS SAID

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Bouanga has been a standout star for LAFC, even though he initially struggled when he first signed, but things soon kicked off for both parties. The now 30-year-old ended his first full regular season in the MLS (2023) with 20 goals and five assists, which won him the Golden Boot. He continued in the same vein of form in the 2024 season, netting 20 goals again and 10 assists, with only Christian Benteke outdoing him by three goals to the Golden Boot.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT’S NEXT?

  The summer transfer window approaches with Bouanga continuing to showcase his abilities for LAFC in league and continental competition. However, before that, both Bouanga and LAFC have a tough run as they look to fight their way back up the Western Conference and into Supporters' Shield contention. They currently sit in seventh place with 13 points and face St. Louis next on April 27 before hosting the Houston Dynamo on May 3.

MatériaMais Notícias

Desde a sua chegada ao Internacional, Mano Menezes apresenta um desempenho abaixo do esperado nos jogos dentro do Beira-Rio.

– VEJA A TABELA DO BRASILEIRÃO

Ainda sem vencer no Campeonato Brasileiro como mandante, o treinador espera que a torcida lote as dependências do estádio e empurre o time contra o Flamengo.

Na última coletiva de imprensa, Mano Menezes pediu um ‘ambiente favorável’ para conseguir a vitória.

‘Precisamos fazer da nossa casa um ambiente favorável para a gente. Um ambiente ruim para o adversário’, afirmou.

Com 15 pontos conquistados, o Internacional aparece na 7ª posição do Brasileirão.

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It is the last week of the season and suddenly it seemed so at New Road this morning. Full daylight came late to the city and Middlesex’s players seemed to be wearing an extra layer each as they strolled across the Worcester Bridge to the cricket ground. Travelling in the other direction, lines of commuter traffic took people to other, surely very different, occupations. One wondered how many earlier generations of visiting players, hairstyles different but concerns similar, had also walked from the nearby hotel and thought themselves fortunate indeed to be paid for playing the game they loved. It would have been easy at such autumnal moments to surrender to melancholy had not the Severn lay lacquered and still in the morning light, the swans cruised as though in formation and the cathedral been shadowed before a reluctant sun. “The doctrine of despair was never taught by such as shared the serenity of nature,” wrote Henry David Thoreau.Some farewells are more final – and more poignant. Nick Cook was given a guard of honour to mark his retirement from the first-class umpire’s list after this match and it is also Ed Barnard’s last game for Worcestershire before he joins Warwickshire. That, though, brought an end to the good fellowship. Important points are at stake around the country over these four days and for no one more so than Middlesex, who could be hailed as champions, congratulated as runners-up or dismissed as also-rans.That latter judgement would be savagely hard on Tim Murtagh’s team, who have won six and lost two of their 13 games, but if Glamorgan beat Sussex and Middlesex fail to win at New Road, there is a chance Lord’s will be the home of second-tier cricket in 2023. Murtagh and his players will be reminding them that matters are still in their hands. Beat Worcestershire and they will be promoted, perhaps even as champions depending on Nottinghamshire’s result against Durham. It would be a lovely conclusion to the season, particularly so for Toby Roland-Jones, who took three wickets on a rain-scarred day, one on which Worcestershire’s 167 for 8 was a disarmingly decent effort.Ed Pollock, on the other hand, might be rather pleased to see the end of the season. After making a 12-ball nought against Nottinghamshire last week, Pollock lasted 11 deliveries fewer on the final morning, his blameless forward defensive to Murtagh’s first nut of the game edging a catch to John Simpson. Five overs later Jake Libby was gone as well, lbw to a ball from Roland-Jones that nipped back a little.After an hour’s play the essential shape of this day seemed clear. This is a not a poor pitch but it was used for the game against Sussex in April and Middlesex’s exclusively seam attack clearly enjoyed bowling on it, especially as a couple of showers allowed them useful recovery time. On such days and on bowlers’ wickets like this, even modest contributions assume greater value and careless dismissals greater censure. Jack Haynes batted as calmly as anyone for his 20 runs but then fished at a wideish ball from Roland-Jones and Sam Robson grabbed the resulting chance.Azhar Ali committed no such indiscretions. Instead he laboured an hour and a half longer than Haynes for seven runs more than his young colleague before being pinned on the crease by Ryan Higgins. Barnard arrived to play his penultimate innings on a field he has always regarded as his home ground and immediately made batting seem simpler than anyone else. But each of Barnard’s six fours were scored either square or backward of square on the off side and he perished a little as he had lived when he edged Roland-Jones to Steve Eskinazi at slip. Gareth Roderick, last week’s centurion, arrived and left almost immediately when he clipped his fifth delivery off his toes and short leg Mark Stoneman clutched a ball that had been trapped somewhere near his armpit.That gave Murtagh his second victim of a day on which Roland-Jones’ three wickets had taken him to a career-best tally of 66 with power to add a few more in the rest of this match. But Middlesex’s captain will know that the game is probably evenly poised. For while wickets were falling at the other end, Brett D’Oliveira, Worcestershire’s skipper, was attacking the bowling where possible and putting his many play-and-misses behind him.D’Oliveira was one of his side’s best batsmen in the first half of the season and his dismissal, caught by Robson off Ethan Bamber for 44 a few minutes before the close, might yet be seen as vital in the outcome of this game. A few moments after his departure Cook, aided by his colleague Rob Bailey, took the players off the field. Cook has three days left in his career as a top-level umpire. Middlesex’s cricketers, by contrast, have three days left in which to realise the ambitions they have nursed for nearly a year.