Cricket’s most profitable tournament is set to start this weekend in a significantly diminished form, bereft of both a major qualifying nation and the single biggest fixture in terms of the potential viewership it can attract.
A complicated mesh of diplomatic disputes among the South Asian nations involved, including co-hosts India, mean the T20 Cricket World Cup begins on Saturday under a shadow of geopolitical turmoil.
It all began with Bangladesh’s withdrawal from the tournament, kicked out by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and replaced by the next-closest team to qualifying in Scotland. Bangladesh had refused to play any of their scheduled fixtures in India and demanded they be moved to co-hosts Sri Lanka, a request that was rejected.
Then, Pakistan announced that they would not play their group-stage match against arch-rivals India, due to take place in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo on 15 February. No reason was initially given, but Pakistan’s prime minister has since confirmed this was in solidarity with Bangladesh.
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These developments have put the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) at the centre of a dispute blending geopolitics, commercial power, and long-running grievances about how world cricket is run.
Pakistan’s players unveil ICC T20 World Cup 2026 jersey after their match against Australia at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on 1 February 2026 (Getty)
Bangladesh’s withdrawal followed a formal request to move its scheduled matches to Sri Lanka, with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) citing security concerns for its team and fans amid escalating political tensions between it and India.
Relations have dramatically deteriorated in the past 18 months since street protests brought down the Sheikh Hasina regime in 2024 and compelled the former prime minister, an ally of India, to flee to Delhi. India has ignored Dhaka’s requests for Hasina’s extradition to Bangladesh, where she has been found guilty of crimes against humanity.
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Since Hasina’s government collapsed, India and India-based rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns over the safety of members of the Hindu minority in Bangladesh. In December, a Hindu man accused of blasphemy was beaten to death by a mob, triggering protests by Hindu nationalist groups in India.
Against this political backdrop, the Indian Premier League franchise Kolkata Knight Riders released Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman in January after being instructed to do so by the BCCI.
Bangladeshi authorities responded by banning broadcasts of the IPL in their country.
The BCB then renewed its request for their team’s matches to be shifted out of India.
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Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman during the T20 World Cup match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in Grand Prairie, Texas, on 7 June 2024 (AP)
The ICC rejected the request on the grounds of an “absence of any credible security threat”, and gave Bangladesh 24 hours to confirm its participation.
The Independent understands that no efforts were made to provide proof of the security threat faced by Bangladesh’s team, and when the deadline passed, Scotland were invited to take the vacant place. The governing body said it was keen not to establish “precedents that could undermine the neutrality and fairness of ICC events”.
Pakistan initially indicated they might withdraw entirely in response to Bangladesh’s removal. They later confirmed participation but said their team would not play India. Pakistan’s government said it had granted “approval” for the team to compete in the tournament but that players “shall not take to the field” against their arch-rivals.
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The India-Pakistan fixture has historically been the most-watched and commercially valuable match in global cricket. More than 600 million people watched on the Indian streaming platform JioHotstar when the teams met in last year’s Champions Trophy.
Cricketing ties between the two neighbours have been shaped by decades of conflict. They have not played a bilateral series since 2013, and India have not toured Pakistan since 2008.
Pakistan did not host any touring nations between 2009 and 2019 following an attack on Sri Lanka’s team bus in Lahore that killed six policemen and two civilians.
Pakistani players have been barred from the IPL since the 2009 Mumbai attacks, which left 174 people dead.
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Last year, India refused to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, eventually playing their matches in the UAE.
That led to an agreement stating that when either country hosted an ICC event, matches between them would be held at neutral venues.
India celebrate their Asia Cup Final victory against Pakistan in Dubai on 28 September 2025 (Getty)
Tensions between the neighbours escalated in the wake of a four-day military conflict last April, sparked by a militant attack on tourists in the Indian-administered part of Kashmir.
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At the Asia Cup in September, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav declared that his team’s victory in the final was a “perfect reply” to Pakistan.
His team skipped post-match handshakes, later saying: “A few things in life are above sportsman’s spirit.”
Match officials later confirmed the captains had been asked to skip handshakes, prompting protests from Pakistani officials and criticism from Asian Cricket Council chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who called the episode “utterly disappointing”.
India refused to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Naqvi, who is also chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as well as the country’s interior minister. It ended with Naqvi walking away with the trophy.
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Former PCB chairman Ehsan Mani, who also served as the ICC chief between 2003 and 2006, told the Hindustan Times the latest row about matches between India and Pakistan was likely a fallout from the Asia Cup.
“You’ve got to look at the background to this,” he said. “I don’t think the PCB chairman was happy with the Indian players’ refusal to shake hands with the Pakistani players at the Asia Cup, then their refusal to take their trophy from him. You’ve really got to look at the whole picture; it’s not a good relationship between the countries, which is sad, because we always worked very closely with the BCCI, and their attitudes have changed significantly.”
He urged the ICC chairman Jay Shah, who is the son of India’s home minister Amit Shah, to engage with the PCB and the Pakistan government over their stance.
“The PCB is simply going to say that it is following government instructions, the same as India did for refusing to come to Pakistan in the last ICC event,” he said. “And this is all very unfortunate. I do hope that the chairman of ICC, after all, he represents all the countries, including Pakistan, is talking to Pakistan to see how they can overcome Pakistan’s position. In fact, he should be engaging not only with PCB but also with the government of Pakistan.”
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Taskin Ahmed of Bangladesh celebrates the wicket of Aiden Markram of South Africa during their 2021 ICC T20 World Cup match in Abu Dhabi (Getty)
The ICC responded to Pakistan’s position by calling it “difficult to reconcile” with the premise of global competition.
“Selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions,” it said in a statement and warned of “significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country”.
While acknowledging the role of governments in national policy, it said Pakistan’s decision wasn’t in the interest of the game or fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan.
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The Independent has reached out to the ICC, BCCI, BCB, and PCB for comment.
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi accused the ICC of mishandling the situation. “It’s regrettable that Pakistan won’t play India, but I stand behind my government’s decision,” he wrote on X.
“This is the moment for the ICC to lead and prove through decisions, not statements, that it’s impartial, independent and fair to every member.”
Former PCB chairman Najam Sethi said the standoff reflected long-standing resentment over how power and revenue were distributed in world cricket. He accused the BCCI, the sport’s wealthiest board, of using its influence to dominate decision-making.
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“I’m not a spokesman for the PCB, I’m giving you my view. The PCB consulted the government and they made this decision. There are 10-15 days to go before that match. My sense is that there are negotiations that are taking place, and my hope is that those negotiations will bear fruit,” he said.
Sethi linked Pakistan’s position to wider opposition to the so-called Big Three arrangement, under which India, Australia and England receive the majority of ICC revenue.
“It’s the attitude of the BCCI, that’s the problem. At every stage, they’ve been bullying people,” he said, recalling negotiations during the tenure of former BCCI chairman N Srinivasan.
“Nine members signed on and Mr Srinivasan came to me and said, ‘Why do you want to be left alone, blah blah blah, you will be isolated’, and the rest of it,” Sethi said. He described agreeing to revised revenue terms and an India-Pakistan series that later collapsed. “The contract was fine, but a year later, on the eve of the series, the BCCI, without a word, pulls out,” he recalled. “Can you think of a bigger insult?”
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Sethi argued that Bangladesh’s removal had created the conditions for a broader challenge. “They have been treating us very badly. Now that Bangladesh have been snubbed in a sense, we feel there are 400 million people on one side. We can all stand up,” he said. “There may be temporary losses, but at the end of the day, we will get a better, reformed ICC.”
Players have largely deferred to governments and administrators. Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said the boycott was beyond the team’s control.
“Well, they are our brothers. I thank them for supporting us,” he said of Bangladesh. “And it’s really sad to see that they are not playing the World Cup.”
The India match, he said, was not in their control. “It was the government’s decision.”
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Yadav said India would travel to Colombo as scheduled. “We have not refused to play, they have. We’ve booked our flight and we are going,” he said.
Imad Wasim of Pakistan bats during a Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup match against India at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on 9 June 2024 (Getty)
While the ICC continues to hope that Pakistan will backtrack – especially with the governing body having warned of possible sanctions – former BCCI chief selector Chetan Sharma has predicted the PCB will reverse its stance after the 12 February election in Bangladesh, arguing the decision is politically driven.
“What was Bangladesh players’ fault? None. This is politics. Bangladesh has elections on the 12th. After that, you will see a U-turn. There will be a statement saying, ‘Considering public sentiment, cricket shouldn’t suffer, Pakistan will play against India.’ This stance is still about the Bangladesh election only,” he told India Today.
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“I’ve been a politician, I’ve contested elections. After the elections, maybe even the military chief will say sport should be kept free of politics and the match should go ahead.”
Former England captain Nasser Hussain questioned whether the ICC had applied its rules consistently.
“If India, a month before a tournament, said ‘our government does not want us to play in a country for a World Cup’, would the ICC have been so firm and said, ‘You know the rules, bad luck, we’re knocking you out?’” he asked on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast.
Scotland, promoted into the tournament, said preparations had been unusual. “It’s been unique circumstances for us. Preparations have been different than other teams. Every opportunity, we want to make most of,” captain Richie Berrington said.
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If Pakistan do boycott the match versus India, their opponent will receive two points. They face the Netherlands, USA, and Namibia in their remaining group games. Only the top two teams from each group progress, leaving little margin for error. It’s unclear what would happen if India and Pakistan were drawn to meet in the final.
There’s precedent for teams refusing to play. Australia and the West Indies declined to travel to Sri Lanka during the 1996 World Cup, while England refused to play Zimbabwe in 2003, citing security concerns. Those teams forfeited the matches but were not fined.
The ICC constitution, however, allows for sanctions where governments interfere in cricket administration and requires boards to operate autonomously.
Zimbabwe were suspended in 2019 on account of government intervention and Sri Lanka lost hosting rights for an Under-19 World Cup four years later following the dismissal of its board.
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Cricket analysts say the financial implications of an India-Pakistan no-show will be severe. Former ICC media head Sami Ul Hasan said: “The biggest hit, if the biggest game of the tournament doesn’t take place, will come from media rights.”
The losses will be felt by member boards.
Hasan pointed to the origin of the crisis in the removal of Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL.
“We must remember that this situation arose due to one player’s removal and one administrator’s statement,” he said, referring to comments by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, who at the time blamed “recent developments that are going on all across” – a comment widely understood to refer to the protests by Hindu nationalist groups.
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.As the T20 World Cup gets started, the ICC says its priority is the delivery of the tournament. It is calling on all members to protect its integrity.
The World Cup is due to begin on 7 February and will conclude on 8 March. Viewers in the UK can watch every game live on Sky Sports. A live stream will be available via Sky Go and NOW.
Three appliances attended the scene on Buchanan Street on Sunday afternoon.
Fire crews raced to Frasers in Glasgow city centre after receiving reports of smoke coming from the popular store.
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Emergency personnel rushed to the shop at 2.41pm on Sunday, April 19. An alarm was raised following reports of a “small fire”.
Three appliances attended the scene on Buchanan Street, and firefighters discovered a small blaze within the building. The fire was extinguished, and there were no reported injuries, reports Glasgow Live.
The cause of the fire has not been confirmed, and all crews have since left the scene.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “We received a call at 2.41pm to Buchanan Street in Glasgow.
“We sent three appliances due to reports of smoke. There was a small fire that was extinguished by the fire service.
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“We are no longer in attendance.”
Frasers has been contacted for comment by our sister title.
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NEW YORK (AP) — A refund system for businesses that paid tariffs which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled President Donald Trump imposed without the constitutional authority to do so is scheduled to launch Monday.
Importers and their brokers will be able to begin claiming refunds through an online portal beginning at 8 a.m., according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the agency administering the system.
It’s the first step in a complicated process that also might eventually lead to refunds for consumers who were billed for some or all of the tariffs on products shipped to them from outside the United States.
Companies must submit declarations listing the goods on which they collectively put billions of dollars toward the import taxes the court subsequently struck down. If CBP approves a claim, it will take 60-90 days for a refund to be issued, the agency said.
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The government expects to process refunds in phases, however, focusing first on more recent tariff payments. Any number of technical factors and procedural issues could delay an importer’s application, so any reimbursements businesses plan to make to customers likely would trickled down slowly.
In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court on Feb. 20 found that Trump usurped Congress’ tax-setting role last April when he set new import tax rates on products from almost every other country, citing the U.S. trade deficit as a national emergency that warranted his invoking of a 1977 emergency powers law. International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
Although the court majority did not address refunds in its ruling, a judge at the U.S. Court of International Trade determined last month that companies subjected to IEEPA tariffs were entitled to them.
Not all taxed imports immediately eligible
Customs and Border Protection said in court filings that over 330,000 importers paid a total of about $166 billion on over 53 million shipments.
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Not all of those orders quality for the first phase of the refund system’s rollout, which is limited to cases in which tariffs were estimated but not finalized or within 80 days of receiving a final accounting.
To receive refunds, importers have to register for the CPB’s electronic payment system. As of April 14, 56,497 importers had completed registration and were eligible for refunds totaling $127 billion, including interest, the agency said.
System requires accuracy
Meghann Supino, a partner at Ice Miller, said the law firm has advised clients to carefully list in their declarations all of the document numbers for forms that went to CBP to describe imported goods and their value.
“If there is an entry on that file that does not qualify, it may cause the entire entry to be rejected or that line item might be rejected by Customs,” she said.
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Supino thinks the portal going live will require composure as well as diligence.
“Like any electronic online program that goes live with a lot of interest, I would expect that there might be some hiccups with the program on Monday,” she said. “So we continue to ask everyone to be patient, because we think that patience will pay off.”
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Nghi Huynh, the partner-in-charge of transfer pricing at accounting and consulting firm Armanino, said most companies claiming refunds will have imported a mix of items, and not all will qualify right away.
“It’s about having a clear process in place and keeping track of what’s been submitted and what’s been paid, so nothing falls through the cracks,” she said. “Each file can include thousands of entries, but accuracy is critical, as submissions can be rejected if formatting or data is incorrect.”
Patience with the process
Small businesses have eagerly awaited the chance to apply for refunds. Brad Jackson, co-founder of After Action Cigars in Rochester, Minnesota, said he starting compiling records and preparing to enter information into the system the minute CPB announced the launch date.
The company imports cigars and accessories from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Last year, it paid $34,000 in tariffs and absorbed much of the cost instead of raising customer prices, Jackson said.
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Last spring, he had a two-week delay in a shipment due to a missing document, so he is being more careful with refund documents, he said.
“My main concern is the turnaround time,” Jackson said. “A refund process that takes several months to complete doesn’t solve the cash flow problem that it is supposed to fix.”
Will consumers see refunds?
Tariffs are paid by importers, and some companies pass on the tax costs to consumers via higher prices.
The system starting up Monday will refund tariffs directly to the businesses that paid them, which are not obligated to share the proceeds with customers. However, class-action lawsuits that aim to force companies, ranging from Costco to Ray-Ban maker Essilor Luxottica, to reimburse shoppers are winding their way through the U.S. legal system.
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Individuals may be more likely to receive refunds from delivery companies like FedEx and UPS, which collected tariffs on imports directly from consumers. FedEx has said it would return tariff refunds to customers when it receives them from the CPB.
“Supporting our customers as they navigate regulatory changes remains our top priority,” FedEx said in a statement. “We are working with our customers as CBP begins processing refunds and plan to begin filing claims on April 20.”
They are appealing for information about the man, whom they believe is the owner of the dog and was last seen wearing dark clothes and a black cap.
The incident happened on New Lane, Huntington, close to New Lane Cemetery, at 11.50am.
The boy did not need hospital treatment and suffered no lasting injuries, say police.
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If you have information that can help police investigate the incident or locate the man, email rebecca.james@northyorkshire.police.uk, or, you can call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and ask for Rebecca James, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their website.
Please quote reference 12260064394 when passing on information.
It was billed as a Premier League title decider and Arsenal must now hope that is not the case.
A win for City in midweek against Burnley and Arsenal will be second by the time they host Newcastle next weekend.
This was a significant improvement on Arsenal’s recent form in terms of overall performance but missed chances undermined that.
Kai Havertz wasted two huge opportunities. Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland were ruthless when their moments came. City now look certain to pull alongside the Gunners on the home straight.
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Mikel Arteta and his squad were applauded by their own fans at the full-time whistle
Getty
There was a defiance to the Arsenal away end at full-time.
They had just watched the Gunners fall to a painful defeat, a fourth in six matches in the latest instalment of the annual April stumble.
The Arsenal fans, though, gave the players a big ovation. This was a rallying cry of sorts, an insistence that the title race has not yet slipped away. How true that is will play out in Arsenal’s final five matches.
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Mikel Arteta‘s side were not outplayed. They did not collapse in the face of a huge occasion, but they were poor in front of goal.
That proved the difference. In a title race that could now come down to goal difference, it must change.
If it comes down to a straight shootout between Arsenal and City, it is hard to see the trophy not returning to Manchester.
In a strange way, though, some momentum has been restored for Arsenal. This was the best they have played in weeks and provides something to build on after a more adventurous display.
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The title is still there to be won, even if City now have to be the favourites.
Kai Havertz had a tough day at the office
Getty
What does Arteta do up front now?
In a game that Arsenal needed to hold the ball up in, Havertz started. He was a much more effective focal point leading the line than Viktor Gyokeres and linked the ball well.
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He also pressed superbly and forced the equaliser, harrying Gianluigi Donnarumma and charging down a clearance into the net.
The German was played clean through by Martin Odegaard on the hour mark and should have put Arsenal in front. That shot was saved. Five minutes later, Haaland scored the winner.
It would not have been the winner, though, had Havertz converted a free header deep in stoppage-time, but he powered that over the bar.
Those were two huge moments in the match and in Arsenal’s season. They could look even more costly come the end of May.
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Arteta does not have a striker than can do it all. Gyokeres is a better finisher but is lacking elsewhere. Havertz fell short when he was most needed.
Gabriel lucky to avoid a red card
Getty
Gabriel loses Haaland battle
Gabriel barely saw Haaland in the early stages of the match.
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The Brazilian instead followed Cherki around the pitch, while Saliba went man-to-man with Haaland.
That changed with one clash before half-time, Haaland winning a header and Gabriel then wrestling with him on the floor as neither let the other up.
Gabriel was well off his best. He was beaten too easily by Cherki for the first goal and then let Haaland get in front of him at the back post for what proved to be the winner.
Arsenal’s centre-back was very fortunate to even make the full-time whistle.
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Another duel with Haaland led to the City striker shoving Gabriel off the ball and the Brazilian took the bait.
Gabriel has been superb this season, one of Arsenal’s players of the campaign, but this was an off-day at the wrong time.
Armed police have swarmed a tower block in north Manchester following an incident.
Emergency services are at the scene on Broadmoss Drive in Blackley, where the entrance to Somerton Court has been cordoned off. The road is partially blocked in both directions, according to traffic monitoring site Inrix.
A forensics unit has also been called to the incident. Greater Manchester Police has been contacted for comment.
They say the victim was walking on The Mount in Malton at about 8.20am on Wednesday when the driver confronted him and assaulted him, causing minor injuries.
Police are appealing for information about the suspect and any potential witnesses, particularly two women, who may have witnessed the incident.
Alternatively, you can call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and ask for Brooke Clark , or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their website.
Please quote reference 12260067019 when passing on information.
That’s exactly that and when you don’t do it and they have individual quality to deliver in those moments, you risk losing the game because I don’t think there was any difference between the teams.
On if loss came down to bad luck:
“There are a few elements. There is an element of luck with whether the ball goes in or not. The second one the ball deflects, it goes to Haaland.
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“There is individual quality as well and there is, in that moment, to be so cool, precise and ruthless. You have to be that.”
On Arsenal’s performance:
“You could see at the end of the game, and right from the beginning, the attitude of the team. We could have been a bit more composed in certain moments but we certainly took the game to where we wanted and we had big chances to win.
“We went very close but not close enough and now we have to accept we lost an opportunity today, a big one, but there are still five games to go. We need to reset and go again because there are a lot of positives to take from the game.”
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On the approach:
“With the ball we had the same [intent] and we generated the situations that we believed we could generate.
“There is even one where Kai [Havertz] is totally free on the halfway to go one-on-one. We are in the level that we are in because this team has taken us there. That’s the level you need to be to win it.
“Today there are certainly elements, in front of goal which is the most important one, and big chances – you have to put them away to come away from the Etihad with three points.”
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On quality of the match:
“Yes, there was moments but it was a battle as well, and intensity, because you expect that.
“There were big parts of the game that had similarities with the first 28 minutes of the cup final because we had two massive chances to go ahead – and we didn’t. That changes the course of the game.
“We take it game by game, we had some very good moments a few days ago in the Champions League against Sporting.
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“We are playing so many games, we are the only team that is playing and playing and playing, that’s a difference as well.
“But the positive is that today we have seen the level and there are five games to go. We are going to give it a real go.”
On effect of losing this match:
“We have full belief that we can do it. Today we showed again the team that we are. It’s in our hands and it’s there for the taking.”
Arsenal’s lead at the top was cut to just three points with defeat away to Manchester City (Picture: Getty)
Patrick Vieira was ‘disappointed’ to see Eberechi Eze taken off in Arsenal’s 2-1 loss to Manchester City, claiming the forward was just beginning to ‘get into the game’ when he was substituted.
Erling Haaland scored his 23rd league goal of the season to steer City to within three points of Arsenal, with Pep Guardiola’s men boasting a game in hand over the leaders.
The Gunners produced a spirited display after their recent dip in form, with Kai Havertz making it all square just moments after Rayan Cherki’s solo piece of brilliance to open the scoring in the 16th minute.
The visitors had chances to draw level in an entertaining second half, with Eze striking against the woodwork and Havertz squandering a huge chance after being put through by Martin Odegaard.
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But Haaland’s 65th-minute effort ultimately proved the difference and City can leapfrog Mikel Arteta’s men in the Premier League table with victory over lowly Burnley on Wednesday night.
And after the final whistle, the ex-Arsenal captain suggested Arteta had made another possible mistake removing Eze from the field of play when he was beginning to make inroads in the final third.
Eze was taken off for Trossard in the 74th minute (Picture: Getty)
Haaland scored the decisive goal at the Etihad (Picture: Getty)
Asked if Arteta was wrong to move Eze out to the left, Vieira said on Sky Sports: ‘No because he didn’t stay on the left-hand side, he came inside and created the overload and that was, I think, the tactical plan.
‘It was really interesting because he touched the ball a lot.
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‘I was a bit disappointed, to be honest, that he came off because I think he was getting into the game and he could create chances for scoring goals because he’s got that quality.
‘Taking him off, I think I was disappointed to see him off.’
Guardiola’s side can leapfrog Arsenal with victory at Burnley on Wednesday (Picture: Getty)
The result means Arsenal have won just one of their last six matches in all competitions and Arteta’s side must quickly regroup ahead of their clash with Newcastle in a week’s time.
Roy Keane was encouraged by the Gunners’ display against City – but argued the visitors ultimately failed to deliver when it came to ‘the hardest part of football’.
‘The criticism with Arsenal over the last few months is maybe that lack of creativity,’ the ex-Manchester United captain explained.
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‘There was plenty of it today but the hardest part of football is putting the ball in the back of the net.’
Vieira felt Arteta got it wrong replacing Eze (Picture: Getty)
Keane’s Sky Sports colleague, Micah Richards, felt the result could be the beginning of the end for Arsenal’s title charge, with City wrestling the ‘momentum’ in their favour at a crucial stage of the campaign.
‘I’ve always said whoever wins this game will have the momentum,’ ex-City and England defender Richards declared shortly after the final whistle.
‘Obviously City got to go to Burnley and win that but Arsenal have still got two games before Manchester City play again, they’ve got Newcastle and Fulham.
‘I just thought this was the game. If they could get over the line in this game and stay within three points of Arsenal, I just think with the experience, the big players, the big moments…
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‘I thought Arsenal were very good in all honesty today, but Manchester City just get over the line and Rayan Cherki, what a player he is.
‘Bernardo Silva, the energy that he puts in, the way he gets on the ball, being an older guy. Leaving at the end of the season. But they just have that momentum going into the end of the season.’
In a season to forget, those Liverpool fans situated in the corner of the Hill Dickinson Stadium will never forget this afternoon on the banks of the River Mersey.
As Virgil van Dijk headed in a 100th-minute winner, the 3,000 Liverpool supporters went wild.
Yet again, Liverpool had snatched an injury-time winner against their local rivals. For the sixth time in Premier League history to be precise.
In this fixture last season, it was Everton celebrating an added-time equaliser when James Tarkowski scored in the last ever Merseyside derby held at Goodison Park.
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Now, no matter what happens, Liverpool will always have the bragging rights of the first derby at the Hill Dickinson.
For one afternoon in the Merseyside sunshine, they will not have cared one jot about the struggles they have endured this season.
Everton came into this game with real belief but it was Liverpool who defied the early storm to take a surprise lead through Mohamed Salah and they deserve credit for their work on set-pieces in training, which came to fruition when Van Dijk got on the end of Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner to exploit an Everton weakness that had been identified in the days leading up to the game.
Crucially, Arne Slot’s side now look set to secure Champions League football for next season and the Dutchman had two of his most senior players to thank for one of Liverpool‘s biggest victories this season.
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“At the end of the day, it’s the players who have been brilliant for such a long time for Liverpool Football Club that have come up with the goods. It’s Virgil van Dijk again, it’s Mohamed Salah who has managed to do it again and break Everton hearts,” said Pat Nevin on 5 Live.
“That goal has probably given Liverpool what they need – and what they need is Champions League football. They’re going to bring in a lot of players next season – yes, the name of Liverpool Football Club means a lot and that will drag a lot of players to them, but the Champions League helps. It really helps and I think they’ll get that after that moment from Virgil van Dijk,” Nevin added.
When it comes to days like this, the result trumps everything but Slot and Liverpool will be aware of the scale of the task that lies ahead.
That they look to set to secure Champions League football is primarily because Chelsea have lost their last four Premier League games and none of the chasing pack are likely to catch up with Liverpool, who have lost 10 league games this season.
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If the hierarchy choose to stick with Slot, then there are clear questions. Can this Liverpool team adopt an actual identity? What needs to be done defensively? How do you get the best out of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak? And perhaps above all, how do Liverpool live without Salah?
Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy told BBC Sport: “Not being in a Champions League spot is a catastrophe for Liverpool and that win today goes a long way to putting them in it.
“I think every win for Liverpool is important at the moment, by hook or by crook – it doesn’t matter how they do it because the pressure is on.
“They are not playing well and they do look disjointed. They gave up chances today and they were second best in the first half.”
Haaland and Gabriel were involved in a long-running battle at the Etihad but tensions spilled over in the 83rd minute. It was sparked when Haaland gave Gabriel a push from the side after he had been fouled from behind by the Arsenal defender.
Gabriel reacted by putting his head towards Haaland’s and they stood for a moment with their foreheads touching. But Gabriel then made a another movement and pushed his head towards Haaland’s for a second time.
Haaland did not respond, as team-mates from both sides then broke them up. Anthony Taylor then showed both Haaland and Gabriel a yellow card for their involvement in the altercation, while the incident was checked by VAR.
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Speaking to Sky Sports, Haaland said: “If I fell on the floor there, which I will not do unless someone really attacks me, then it would be red card. I’m not sure, I haven’t seen the situation. It is what it is, I will not fall on the floor. For me I don’t know why he comes up to my face.”
What did the VAR say?
Referee John Brooks was the VAR. He decided that Gabriel’s contact towards Haaland’s head was not “deemed not to be excessively aggressive or violent”. He agreed with Taylor’s on-field assessment. Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, received his seventh booking of the season protesting the lack of punishment. Guardiola could be seen acting out a ‘headbutt’ on the touchline.
It may raise some eyebrows, however, that Manchester United centre-back Lisandro Martinez was sent off for pulling Leeds United striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair in a 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford on Monday, while Gabriel avoided harsher punishment. Gabriel also avoided an earlier yellow card after ripping Haaland’s undershirt in an earlier grapple.
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Could Gabriel be sanctioned?
As referee Taylor saw the incident, and it wasn’t missed by VAR, it means Gabriel will be available for Arsenal’s next three games. Arsenal will host Newcastle and Fulham before going to West Ham in their next three Premier League fixtures, with just five games of the season remaining.
What did Erling Haaland say?
The striker told Sky Sports: “If I fell on the floor there, which I will not do unless someone really attacks me, then it would maybe be red card. I’m not sure, I haven’t seen the situation. It is what it is, I will not fall on the floor. For me I don’t know why he comes up to my face.”
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Haaland was also praised by Manchester City captain Bernando Silva, who called the striker an “animal” for how he competed against Gabriel and William Saliba.
“Erling was fantastic today, fighting for every ball,” Silva told Sky Sports. “It’s not easy with two centre-backs that strong. Apart from the goal that he always scores, today he fought like an animal.”
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