Several England-based Zimbabwean stars will begin their 2022/23 football season today.
Tendayi Darikwa will lead his Wigan Athletic team when they play Preston North End on Matchday 1 of the Championship campaign.
Darikwa’s club won promotion after finishing as champions in the League One last season.
The right-back is expected to retain his place in the Latics’ starting XI, having earned more minutes in the pre-season.
Striker Admiral Muskwe is available for selection this afternoon as Luton Town face Birmingham City.
The 23-year-old will be looking to make an impact in the new campaign after settling in at the Kenilworth Road. He had several injury setbacks in his debut season and featured mainly as a substitute.
Coach Nathan Jones’ 4-3-3 playing formation also affected Muskwe’s performance.
The formation meant the Warriors international was pushed wide but Jones promised to work on that to allow the striker to improve.
Elsewhere in the Championship, Macauley Bonne is also available for selection as QPR face Blackburn Rovers, while Andy Rinomhota could make his Cardiff City debut against Norwich City.
Rinomhota moved to Cardiff early in the month after leaving Reading.
Swansea’s Tivonge Rushesha won’t be in action today due to an ACL injury sustained towards the end of the previous season.
In League One, Brendan Galloway will be looking to get some minutes in Plymouth Argyle’s opening match versus Barnsley after recovering from a long term injury.
The Harare-born left-back suffered a severe knee injury in November 2021 and was out of action for the rest of the season.
In the FA Community Shield final, the unavailability of Calvin Ramsay could offer 17-year-old Isaac Mabaya a chance to be in the Liverpool matchday squad against Manchester City as a cover in the right-back position.
The Zimbabwean youngster has been part of the Reds’ senior squad for pre-season camp and featured in Manchester United and Crystal Palace friendlies.
The UK-born Warriors hopeful had an hour of on-pitch minutes in Wednesday’s 1-0 friendly defeat by Red Bull Salzburg.
