Pope demotion opens door for Bethell at No.3; Mark Wood travels after missing home summer

Matt Roller23-Sep-20252:05

What does Brook’s Ashes vice-captaincy means for Pope?

Harry Brook has replaced Ollie Pope as England’s vice-captain in a move that could open the door for Jacob Bethell to bat at No. 3 in the Ashes this winter. Pope’s demotion, flagged by Brendon McCullum earlier this month, was confirmed when England announced a 16-man squad to tour Australia on Tuesday, in which Will Jacks is the surprise name.Pope has stood in for Ben Stokes five times in the past 14 months, most recently overseeing England’s six-run defeat to India in the final Test of their series this summer. He started that series with a century at Headingley but finished it with an average of 34 after his form fell away and finds his spot under mounting pressure, not least after Bethell’s recent white-ball success.Brook’s promotion comes after he took over from Jos Buttler as England’s limited-overs captain earlier this year, and his role as vice-captain is more important than usual, amid continued uncertainty around Stokes’ fitness. England said that Stokes “remains on track” to be available for the first Ashes Test on November 21 after injuring his shoulder while bowling against India.Jacks’ recall is the biggest surprise, coming nearly three years after he played his only two Tests in Pakistan. He has been picked ahead of Rehan Ahmed, Liam Dawson and Jack Leach as the reserve spinner behind Shoaib Bashir, although he will miss the preceding white-ball tour to New Zealand after breaking a finger on his left hand while fielding against South Africa earlier this month.Will Jacks and Brook, pictured at Rawalpindi in 2022, will be team-mates in Australia this winter•Getty Images

Jacks took six wickets in his two previous Tests – all in the same innings – but his return comes as a shock, not least after Dawson’s return to the fold this summer. He has only made five first-class appearances for Surrey across the last two seasons, but is about as close to Bashir as England have in terms of physical attributes and has been picked ahead of more established spinners.Matthew Potts, the Durham seamer, is recalled as the sixth frontline quick, with Chris Woakes not considered after dislocating his shoulder during the Oval Test. Potts, who last played a Test in New Zealand late last year, did not feature in any of England’s squads during the India series but is the beneficiary of Jamie Overton’s decision to put his first-class career on pause.Mark Wood, who has not played competitively since the Champions Trophy, has been named in the squad after missing the home summer with a knee injury. He is the only one of England’s six seamers to have featured in a Test in Australia previously, with Potts, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue all embarking on their first Ashes tours.Pope (left) captained England in their most recent Test, against India in July•Getty Images

However, it is the identity of England’s No. 3 that will prompt the most discussion over the next two months, with Pope’s position increasingly vulnerable. Bethell made 6 and 5 at No. 6 in his only Test of the summer, but scored his first international hundred in an ODI against South Africa this month, and will have further opportunities to stake his claim next month.Those chances will come on a white-ball tour to New Zealand, where England will play three T20Is and three ODIs on their way to Australia. Zak Crawley is in line to make his T20I debut on that tour after winning a call-up on the back of his success in the Hundred this summer, while Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith and Archer are all rested before returning for the ODIs.Dawson, Sam Curran and Luke Wood will all be retained for the 50-over leg of the New Zealand tour, with Curran’s recall particularly notable after England’s struggles to balance their ODI side against South Africa. Saqib Mahmood will miss the tour after “minor” knee surgery, while Sonny Baker has kept his spot in both white-ball squads despite expensive debuts.Jordan Cox has kept his spot in England’s T20I squad after his match-winning 55 against Ireland on Sunday, but is overlooked for the Ashes as expected. Pope’s familiar status as England’s utility man has earned him the role of back-up wicketkeeper, in the event that Smith is unavailable.There is some crossover between the squads for the New Zealand tour and for the Ashes, and some of those not picked for the white-ball squads will travel to New Zealand to acclimatise before joining up with England Lions in Australia. The Lions will provide England with their only warm-up opposition before the first Test in a three-day match at Lilac Hill from November 13-15, with a squad likely to be named later this week.Mark Wood last played for England at the Champions Trophy•ICC/Getty Images

England winter squads:T20I squad vs New Zealand: Harry Brook (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Luke Wood.ODI squad vs New Zealand: Jofra Archer, Ben Duckett, Joe Root and Jamie Smith replace Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley and Phil Salt from the T20I squad.Tests vs Australia: Ben Stokes (captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (vice-captain), Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Josh Tongue, Mark Wood.New Zealand fixtures (all D/N):T20Is: October 18, 20 (both Christchurch) and 23 (Auckland).
ODIs: October 26 (Mount Maunganui), 29 (Hamilton) and November 1 (Wellington).Ashes fixtures:1st Test: November 21-25 (Perth)
2nd Test: December 4-8 (Brisbane, D/N)
3rd Test: December 17-21 (Adelaide)
4th Test: December 26-30 (Melbourne)
5th Test: January 4-8 (Sydney)

“If he had batted through the powerplay, we would probably have scored 190”

Danyal Rasool22-Sep-20251:45

Was Fakhar Zaman out or not out?

Pakistan have made their dissatisfaction over Fakhar Zaman’s dismissal against India in the sides’ Super Four game in the Asia Cup known to the match officials. Following the game, in the captain’s customary report to match referee Andy Pycroft and the Umpires and Referees manager, Pakistan shone a spotlight on the TV umpire’s decision to declare Fakhar caught by the wicketkeeper off a slower delivery from Hardik Pandya. Sanju Samson dived forward to complete a catch, one that was only confirmed after the on-field umpires sent the decision to the TV umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge.In the post match press conference, on Sunday night Pakistan captain Salman Agha also took slight issue with Fakhar’s dismissal, saying it “did look like it bounced ahead of the keeper”. Fakhar, promoted up the order to open the batting, got Pakistan off to a brisk start, scoring three boundaries in his first eight balls and speeding to 15.Hardik had rolled his fingers over the ninth delivery, and the deviation drew an outside edge from Fakhar. But with little pace on the ball, Sanju Samson had to reach forward to get his gloves underneath the ball. Feeling satisfied he had done so, India went up in appeal. The TV umpire had a couple of looks at the replay before deciding the catch was cleanly taken, and that the ball had bounced in the gloves rather than just in front.Related

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Post-match, Agha guardedly disagreed. “Umpires can make mistakes,” he said. “But it did look like it bounced ahead of the keeper to me. I might be wrong. The way [Fakhar] was batting, if he had batted through the powerplay, we would probably have scored 190. But those are calls for umpires to make. To me, it looked like it bounced before the keeper. I might be mistaken, but so might be the umpire.”At the time, the dismissal did little to halt Pakistan’s momentum. While Saim Ayub couldn’t score at the same rate, Sahibzada Farhan at the other end sped along to a 34-ball half-century as Pakistan darted to 55 in the powerplay and 91 in the first ten, both Pakistani records against India.”The batting was a lot better today, and that’s a positive,” Agha said. “The way our start was, we could have scored 15 more. But when the ball goes soft after ten overs, it’s not as easy to bat. But we didn’t bowl as well in the powerplay and got punished. But our start should have ensured we scored 180.”Ultimately, Pakistan finished with 171 after India’s bowlers came back strongly following the drinks break. The subsequent seven overs produced just one boundary and 38 runs, the lowest for any side in that phase all tournament. India made short work in pursuit, reaching 100 without loss in the ninth over, and ultimately coasting to a six-wicket win. During that time, Mohammad Nawaz put down a sharp chance Shubman Gill provided, while Farhan palmed one off Abishek over the rope for six.”Bowling or batting, we look to play the perfect game,” Agha said. “To win, you have to excel in all three facets of the game. We didn’t field well or start well with the ball. We have to forget this game because we have one the day after tomorrow. We’re looking forward to delivering a better performance there.”

Southampton return to action in the Championship this weekend as they prepare to travel to Charlton on Saturday, and they appear no closer to appointing a permanent successor to Will Still.

TalkSPORT recently claimed that Sport Republic are ‘seriously considering’ appointing current interim manager Tonda Eckert on a permanent basis, after his first two matches in the dugout.

The 32-year-old head coach is set to lead the team out for a third game against Charlton this weekend, and another win would do his chances of landing the role no harm.

Why Southampton should not appoint Tonda Eckert

Eckert deserves credit for providing the team with an instant boost after Still’s departure, as he masterminded a 2-1 win over QPR and a 3-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship.

However, it may not be the right time to appoint him as the permanent head coach because of his lack of experience in first-team management in his career so far.

Eckert had only ever been an assistant manager before his move to join the U21s as their head coach this summer, and he managed nine Premier League 2 matches before his two senior games as the current interim, per Transfermarkt.

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This means that Southampton have no evidence available to judge what an Eckert team will look like in 15, 20, or 30 games, or if he has the first-team coaching ability to lead a promotion push.

Earlier this month, Michael Carrick was named as a reported contender for the job, and hiring the former Middlesbrough boss could end the Eckert experiment at St. Mary’s.

Why Southampton should hire Michael Carrick

Unlike the German interim, Carrick would arrive on the south coast with bundles of Championship experience as a manager, which may be what the Saints need right now.

The former Manchester United midfielder, who was hailed as an “insanely talented coach” by former Boro player Lukas Engel, has been out of work since moving on from Middlesbrough at the end of last season.

Carrick also has the specific experience of taking over a team in a similar position to the one that Southampton are in now and leading them to a play-off finish, as that is what he did with Boro in the 2022/23 campaign.

Matches

16

30

Wins

4

18

Draws

5

4

Losses

7

8

Points

17

58

Points per game

1.06

1.93

League position

18th

4th

As you can see in the table above, the 4-2-3-1 tactician took over with Middlesbrough after they had a dismal start to the season, in 18th place, and led them to fourth and the play-offs.

Southampton are currently 17th after 15 matches, with 18 points on the board, which means that Carrick would arrive in an incredibly similar situation at St. Mary’s. This could make him the ideal candidate for the job, as he has very specific experience for the job that is required.

Some supporters may see that he finished 10th and eighth in his last two seasons with Boro, but the underlying numbers behind those two campaigns suggest that he was let down by his squad.

League finish

8th

10th

xPTS (Expected league finish)

73 (5th)

71 (6th)

xG

69.5

67.4

xGA

55.0

56.4

xGD

+14.5

+11.3

As you can see in the table above, Boro ranked inside the top six for xPTS in both of those seasons, suggesting that their performances were of a play-off calibre, but the players did not make the most of those performances to pick up the results needed.

This is why Southampton should not be put off by Carrick’s ‘failure’ to get Boro in the play-offs in the last two seasons, and is further evidence that he could be a major upgrade on the inexperienced Eckert.

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Therefore, the out-of-work English manager could be the perfect hire for Southampton for the position that they currently find themselves in, as he has the coaching ability and experience to drive the team back up the table to fight for the play-offs.

The step up from the Championship to the Premier League is a difficult one to make, as Leeds United have found out so far this season with 11 points from 11 games.

Joel Piroe is a player who perfectly illustrates the gap between the two divisions. He was the top goalscorer in the second tier with 19 goals last season, yet he has no goals in five Premier League games and has been an unused substitute five times, per Sofascore.

As Daniel Farke learns more and more about his players in the top-flight, other stars from the 2024/25 campaign may end up losing their place in the starting line-up, as Piroe did.

Club captain and starting defensive midfielder Ethan Ampadu has started all nine of his appearances in the Premier League this season, but he is not undroppable.

Why Ethan Ampadu is not undroppable for Leeds

The Wales international has been a fantastic player for the club since his move from Chelsea in the summer of 2023, leading the Whites to the title as captain last term.

Ampadu is not undroppable, though, as some of his performances in the number six position for Leeds in the Premier League have left a little bit to be desired from, most recently against Nottingham Forest.

Vs Forest

Ethan Ampadu

Minutes

90

Pass accuracy

76%

Possession lost

15x

Tackles won

1

Ground duels won

3/7

Aerial duels won

1/2

Fouls committed

3

Dribbled past

1x

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Welsh midfielder lost the majority of his ground duels and was dribbled past as many times as he completed a tackle, which shows that it was a bit too easy for the Forest midfielders to get the better of him.

Per FotMob, Ampadu ranks within the bottom 40% of midfielders in the division for being dribbled past (four times) and the bottom 39% for aerial duel success rate (50%). This shows that his issues against Forest were not isolated incidents.

With this in mind, Farke could improve the robustness of his midfield by ruthlessly dropping the skipper to unleash Anton Stach in a new role as the number six.

Why Leeds should play Anton Stach over Ethan Ampadu

Per Transfermarkt, all of the German midfielder’s starts in the Premier League this season have been as a central midfielder or as an attacking midfielder. That is despite the fact that he has more starts in his career (138) as a defensive midfielder than in any other role.

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AllLeedsTV presenter Oscar Marrio, who claimed Stach “was cooking” earlier in the season, recently noted that the 6 foot 4 star “excelled” for Hoffenheim as a number six, earning him a comparison to Arsenal star Declan Rice.

Stach’s defensive output as a central midfielder in the Premier League so far this term suggests that he does have the potential to offer more security in front of the defence than Ampadu has.

25/26 Premier League

Ampadu

Stach

Tackles won

23

15

Duels won

39

49

Duel success rate

57%

60%

Aerial duels won

8

17

Aerial duel success rate

50%

85%

Dribbled past

4x

1x

Fouls committed

16

14

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, the £17.4m signing from Hoffenheim has outperformed the Welshman in duels, particularly in the air, and has been harder to get past for opposition midfielders.

These statistics suggest that Stach, who has scored one goal in the Premier League this season, could be well-suited to sitting in as the number six in Farke’s 4-3-3 system to provide a physical presence in front of the back four.

Ampadu’s struggles aerially and in allowing players to dribble past him as the number six have been evident, which is why dropping him from the line-up to unleash Stach in a new role, albeit one he has played a lot elsewhere in his career, could be a good move.

That also does not mean that the captain has to completely lose his place in the team. Farke could play the former Chelsea man as one of the two midfielders ahead of Stach, to see if that is a more successful dynamic.

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Italian national team coach Gennaro Gattuso has apologised to fans after Italy’s heavy 4-1 defeat to Norway. The coach believes the match was split into two distinct halves, with Italy performing well in the first but collapsing in the second due to fear and fragility. Italy now wait for the draw to learn who they will face in the play off in March.

• Norway's historic qualification to the World Cup finals

  Italy entered their decisive qualifier against Norway needing a near-impossible 9-0 victory to secure automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup. Despite the daunting task, they made a promising start when Pio Esposito opened the scoring, giving Italy a 1-0 lead that they held until half-time. However, the match dramatically shifted after the break.

  Norway responded with authority as Antonio Nusa equalised, before Erling Haaland struck twice to put the visitors firmly in control. Jorgen Strand Larsen added a fourth, sealing a dominant 4-1 win for Norway at the San Siro. The result confirmed Norway’s return to the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998.

  The match also saw a tense incident involving Italian defender Gianluca Mancini, who provoked Haaland, prompting the Norwegian striker to react angrily. Haaland had to be restrained by his club teammate Gianluigi Donnarumma before the situation escalated.

  Manchester City goalkeeper Donnarumma commented on the loss, believing that Italy switched off in the second half when he said “the big problem was that we stopped playing in the second half.” 

  He added: “It was a totally different match in the first half, we never let them out of their own half. We’ve got to do that for 95 minutes rather than 45, that is for sure.”

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Gattuso's apology to the fans

  Earlier, Gattuso criticised the travelling supporters who protested against the Italian team after their late 2-0 win over Moldova. However, following Italy’s 4-1 loss to Norway, Gattuso apologised in the post-match press conference. He said: “We must apologise to our fans because 4-1 is a heavy defeat. It's a shame because we had a very good first half, where we played as a real team.

  “There were two games. In the first half, the team played very well, We lacked distance, we were more compact in the first half, we never gave them any space.

  “In the second half, we struggled enormously. We gave our opponents space, we let them into our area.

  “There is a lot of disappointment. The lads deserved a different evening, but instead we got everything wrong and they hurt us.”

  Gattuso also pointed to the turning point of the match, noting that Norway’s goal immediately after  the restart created fear. He said: “The game changed when they had their first shot on goal in the first 30 seconds of the second half.

  “In the second half we conceded a goal after 30 seconds [two goals within 30 seconds] and then our fragility came to the fore.”

  He then outlined how Italy must improve ahead of the play off in March 2026. He said “Matches last 95 minutes, and in this one our flaws came to the fore. If we concede a few goals, we start to panic. We'll face up to it, take responsibility, and in March we'll need 95 minutes like the first half. There's not much time between now and March, we need to work on our weaknesses.”

• Italy's qualification scenario

  For Italy, the defeat means they must once again face the pressure of the play offs. The Azzurri will learn their path to the 2026 World Cup when the European play off draw takes place on Thursday, and they are assured of being one of the top seeds. Despite this advantage, the stakes remain high. Italy have not appeared in a World Cup since 2014, suffering painful play off exits to Sweden in 2018 and North Macedonia in 2022. The upcoming play offs therefore represent a crucial opportunity for the national team to finally return to the sport’s biggest stage and end over a decade of absence.

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• Getty
  

  Gattuso prepares for the playoffs

  Gattuso will use the coming months to carefully assess the team’s strengths and weaknesses, aiming to develop tactical solutions that give the Azzurri the best chance of returning to the World Cup.

Arsenal are prepared to entertain offers for four players in January provided the right offers comes in. The Gunners spent big over the summer, splashing the cash to land the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke and Martin Zubimendi. In a bid to balance the books, the Premier League leaders are prepared to trim their squad in the New Year despite battling on a number of fronts.

Arsenal have enjoyed a flying start to the season

Arsenal enjoyed a memorable summer window as they spent big to bolster the squad. Having earned three successive second-placed finishes, the Gunners backed Mikel Arteta in the market to assemble a squad capable of challenging for major domestic and continental honours.

The investment is reaping early rewards as Arsenal top the Premier League, four points clear of Manchester City and eight ahead of defending champions Liverpool. Arteta's side, meanwhile, are one of three sides, along with German giants Bayern Munich and Italian powerhouse Inter Milan, to have won all four Champions League matches to date.

Yet after investing heavily in the squad in the off-season, Arsenal are prepared to listen to offers for a number of out-of-favour stars. Additionally, in a World Cup year, playing time is key, with fringe players eager to chance their luck elsewhere in order to force their way into their respective national teams.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportAttacking trio up for grabs in January

And the Gunners are willing to listen to offers for Brazilian pair Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus in the New Year. Martinelli has recently lost his starting spot on the left flank to Leandro Trossard, and it means the 24-year-old has been restricted to just two league starts this season. If a significant offer for the Brazilian comes in, with a move to Saudi Arabia mooted, then the Gunners will be prepared to cash in on the wideman, according to the Daily Mail.

Additionally, compatriot Gabriel Jesus is another who could be on the move in the New Year. Jesus has been sidelined since January owing to an ACL injury sustained in the FA Cup third round tie against Manchester United with the club for the former Manchester City man to garner some minutes between now and the New Year in order to offload the striker, either in January or the summer.

Jesus has dropped behind Kai Havertz and summer signing Gyokeres, so playing time will be hard to come by for the Brazilian forward. Additionally, the club are prepared to sanction Ethan Nwaneri's exit, provided a suitable loan offer comes in for the teenager. Nwaneri penned a new long-term deal with the club earlier this year but he's found consistent playing time hard to come by, with all five league appearances coming from the bench. The Gunners are also described as "open to offers" for Ben White.

Lewis-Skelly going nowhere

The same report also highlights one player who won't be leaving in January. Myles Lewis-Skelly has struggled for regular game time for Arsenal this season, despite establishing himself as first choice left-back under Arteta last season.

However, the 19-year-old has dropped behind Riccardo Calafiori in the pecking order, with the teenager restricted to cup starts this season. Indeed, all seven league appearances have come from the bench.

It had been suggested that Lewis-Skelly would seek a move away from the Emirates in the New Year having lost his spot in the England squad. The youngster was previously first choice at left-back for the national team, but has lost his spot to Manchester City's Nico O'Reilly.

A lack of playing time at club level meant Lewis-Skelly didn't even make the England squad for November meetings with Serbia and Albania. Even so, Arsenal are keen to retain his services, particularly as Calafiori returned to Arsenal from international duty with Italy sooner than expected with an injury scare.

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Getty Images SportArsenal have injury issues ahead of North London Derby

Arsenal will hope to bounce back from a disappointing 2-2 draw with Sunderland prior to the international break when they resume domestic duties this weekend. Brian Brobbey's late strike at the Stadium of Light meant the spoils were shared last weekend but the Gunners have a great chance to get back to winning ways when they welcome rivals Tottenham to the Emirates on Sunday afternoon.

The Gunners then take on Bayern in the Champions League and end the month with a trip to rivals Chelsea. Arteta is expected to make do without key centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes after the Brazilian suffered a thigh injury on international duty against Senegal at the Emirates on Saturday.

"Arsenal player Gabriel Magalhaes was re-evaluated this Sunday and underwent imaging tests that revealed a muscle injury in his right thigh," a statement by the Brazilian Football Confederation said on Sunday.

The defender isn't the only player in danger of missing Sunday's North London Derby, with striker Gyokeres and captain Martin Odegaard both fitness concerns for the Gunners. However, Calafiori, Havertz, Martinelli and Noni Madueke are all expected to be fit for the game against Spurs.

He had missed IPL 2024 and was a late addition to the 2025 auction list. And his return was forgettable

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Mar-20252:03

Hayden on Archer: ‘Not sure I’ve seen a poorer IPL bowling performance’

Jofra Archer broke the record of leaking the most runs in an IPL spell of four overs when he was smashed for 76 runs while representing Rajasthan Royals (RR) against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on the second day of IPL 2025. Here are some of the most expensive spells in the IPL:

Jofra Archer 0 for 76 vs SRH, 2025

Having entered the 2025 auction as a last-minute addition after some back and forth with the ECB and a paycut in his central contact with them, Archer had the most inauspicious start to a new IPL season with his old side RR. He came on as first change after SRH had already racked up 55 in four overs and he was taken apart immediately by his Ashes rival Travis Head for a 23-run over which also included a wide. Head’s dismissal didn’t change Archer’s fortunes though as Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen carted him around for six more fours and three sixes to make him top this list.

Mohit Sharma 0 for 73 vs DC, 2024

Mohit Sharma was introduced in the 12th over of DC’s innings. Rishabh Pant welcomed him with a boundary and continued his assault in the subsequent overs. When Mohit returned to bowl the final over of the innings, Pant unleashed a flurry of sixes. He smashed the GT pace bowler for 6, 4, 6, 6, and 6, resulting in the most expensive spell in IPL history at the time.

Basil Thampi 0 for 70 vs RCB, 2018

A brutal night in Bengaluru saw SRH’s Basil Thampi have a torrid time. When Moeen Ali welcomed him into the attack with back-to-back sixes, it set the tone for the RCB batting unit to pile on the runs. AB de Villiers, Colin de Grandhomme, and Sarfaraz Khan joined in, hitting Thampi for five fours and six sixes, resulting in a forgettable spell.

Yash Dayal 0 for 69 vs KKR, 2023

Rinku Singh stunned everyone by smashing five sixes in the final over to pull off an astonishing chase against Gujarat Titans. And it was GT’s Yash Dayal who bore the brunt. Dayal was tasked with defending 29 runs in the last over, with his figures already being 0 for 38. However, he couldn’t find an answer to Rinku’s barrage of sixes, ending with 0 for 69.

Luke Wood 1 for 68 vs Delhi Capitals, 2024

Gerald Coetzee had a stomach bug in the MI side, and Luke Wood probably felt a bit queasy himself after his first three balls went for 14 thanks to the baseball-style hitting of James Fraser-McGurk. After conceding just eight in the second over, Wood was taken for two sixes by Shai Hope in his third. In his fourth, Tristan Stubbs decided Wood had been hit in front of the wicket enough and hit four consecutive boundaries with scoops & reverse-scoops. The over ended up going for 26.

Reece Topley 1 for 68 vs SRH, 2024

RCB were hammered for the highest team total in IPL history at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, and it was Reece Topley who felt the heat. Despite taking the wicket of Abhishek Sharma, Topley’s figures were 1 for 43 after three overs. His final over turned into a nightmare when Abdul Samad hit 4, 4, 6, 6, and 4, helping SRH surpass the record team total of 263 runs.

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O Corinthians observa o Flamengo buscando a contratação do volante Maycon e, teoricamente, possui uma chance de melar a negociação.

➡️ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

➡️ Tudo sobre o Mengão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Flamengo

O Shakhtar Donetsk, da Ucrânia, detém os direitos econômicos do volante e teria aceitado a oferta do Rubro-Negro. Agora, o Timão tem até 48 horas para exercer sua preferência e igualar a proposta para adquirir o meio-campista em definitivo.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Os dois dias que o Corinthians possui como prazo são justamente os maiores aliados do clube nas tratativas entre Maycon e Flamengo. Isso porque na quinta-feira (7) a janela de transferências brasileira fecha, e os clubes do país poderão registrar novos jogadores apenas na metade do ano. Em teoria, o tempo hábil para regularizar o atleta seria curto, o que dificultaria a tratativa.

O caso do volante não se aplica à “janela extra” disponibilizada pela CBF, que disponibiliza um prazo até o dia 1 de abril para atletas que seguirem na disputa dos estaduais possam acertar com outros clubes ao fim dos torneios. Como o Corinthians não é dono dos direitos de Maycon, e sim o Shakhtar, o prazo para transferência ao Flamengo seria até quinta-feira.

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Revelado nas categorias de base do Timão, o meio-campista está em seu terceiro ano de empréstimo no clube. Titular absoluto, ele soma 11 partidas na temporada, marcou dois gols e deu duas assistências.

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It might go against everything you’d expect to see from a right wing-back, although the decision to deploy Amad in that role is currently working wonders for Ruben Amorim and Manchester United, with the Ivorian striking up a devastating partnership with Bryan Mbeumo in recent weeks.

The presence of two left-footers both seeking to cut inside had caused problems in the early knockings of the campaign, not least when they collided in the area in the opening day defeat to Arsenal, with doubts creeping in over whether the duo were simply too similar to thrive together in tandem.

Since the win over Sunderland, however, in which the pair showed shades of Yorke and Cole with their interchanges, this right-wing pairing has simply taken off, with the two men combining at Anfield and at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

For all the question marks over Amad’s defensive prowess, having been caught out for Morgan Gibbs-White’s header at the City Ground, the 23-year-old is certainly making up for those shortcomings by dominating proceedings at the top end of the pitch.

That impact has no doubt been highlighted even further by the issues on the other flank, with Amorim still yet to find a permanent solution at left wing-back.

Man Utd's solutions at left wing-back

Heading into the January window, this might be an area that Jason Wilcox and co look to strengthen again, amid links to the likes of Inter’s Federico Dimarco, despite having seemingly solved that problem almost 12 months ago.

Indeed, the addition of Lecce’s Patrick Dorgu looked to have handed Amorim a perfect fit for this system, with the versatile Dane having previously featured as a winger, as well as at full-back, making him ideal for a rampaging left-sided role.

Perhaps as to be expected for a player who only recently turned 21, however, Dorgu is undoubtedly still a work in progress, a fact heightened most notably at the Etihad, where he had the most touches in the opposition box for United (12), yet had little to show for it.

An improved display did follow last time out against Spurs, having won nine duels in total, although that rawness to his game was seen in the final third, as he lost possession 24 times, as per Sofascore.

That is perhaps why Amorim had turned to Diogo Dalot as an unorthodox option prior to that, albeit with the Portuguese full-back not exactly shining in that role either, having been caught out for Nicolo Savona’s goal against Nottingham Forest.

The 26-year-old, as is to be expected for a right-footer, looks distinctly uncomfortable on that flank, forced to cut in repeatedly, rather than burst into potential space ahead of him down the left.

There is something of a wildcard option in the form of summer arrival, Diego Leon, although the 18-year-old – who did score a stunning solo goal for the U21s against Spurs – is still finding his feet in the youth ranks, having yet to make a competitive senior appearance.

The Paraguayan, thankfully, isn’t the only teenage sensation that Amorim can turn to in the near future.

How Man Utd can replace Dorgu

It will take more than one transfer window to get this squad where both Amorim and INEOS want it to be, although the Old Trafford side can’t simply rely on incomings and investment – the academy set-up also needs to be utilised.

Perhaps in midfield, the Portuguese coach could look to a player like 17-year-old sensation, Jim Thwaites, while at wing-back, a future star is brewing in the form of 18-year-old, Harry Amass.

The ex-Watford starlet – who made his senior debut last season against Leicester City – ended 2024/25 with seven senior appearances to his name under Amorim, having most notably come off the bench in the 5-4 thriller against Lyon in the Europa League.

Tipped to be “Luke Shaw’s successor” by journalist Alex Turk – with Shaw himself singling out his compatriot as one to watch – Amass has long been tipped for a starring role in the first-team, a fact only heightened by his displays out on loan at Sheffield Wednesday.

The teenager joined the struggling side on loan over the summer, having since gone on to make a real impression for the Owls, notably netting a delightful strike from range in the recent defeat to Southampton.

That effort showcased everything Amorim would surely want from a wing-back, as Amass took it upon himself to drive into the centre of the pitch, before providing a real quality end product.

Lauded as “one of the most exciting teenage full-backs in Europe” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the diminutive talent has started all 11 games since moving to Hillsborough, with ten of those seeing him play the full 90 minutes.

Games (starts)

11 (11)

Goals

1

Assists

0

Big chances created

2

Key passes*

0.7

Pass accuracy*

79%

Successful dribbles*

1.4

Total duels won*

50%

Tackles & interceptions

3.2

Such is the success of that loan spell so far, in which he has featured in a left midfield or left wing-back berth, there is already talk of further moves between the clubs, with United academy stars such as Victor Musa and Gabriele Biancheri in line to potentially follow him to Sheffield.

Whether Amass does actually see out the season in his temporary home remains to be seen, however, with recent reports revealing that there is the presence of a break clause in January, ensuring he could return to United in the New Year.

Should that occur, it would likely be with another loan in mind, although with neither Dorgu nor Dalot nailing down that left-sided role this season, Amorim should certainly consider bringing Amass back into the fold.

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Who is going to be the new Celtic manager? Well, who knows!

Martin O’Neill remains in caretaker charge for now, having been parachuted in following Brendan Rodgers’ shock resignation, winning three of four matches in charge to date, that Europa League hammering at the hands of Midtjylland the only blot on his copybook.

With no obvious front-runner for the job, and given that we’re in the middle of the season, could a left-field appointment be required?

Well, this was the case back in the summer of 2021 when, after seeing their Premiership streak of nine in a row come to an end, Ange Postecoglou was appointed completely out of nowhere, having only ever worked in his native Australia and Japan beforehand.

Despite this, and the widespread ridicule when he arrived in Glasgow, Postecoglou would go on to win five trophies across his two seasons in charge, thereby remaining, possibly, the most popular Celtic manager of modern times.

So, could another lesser-known name become the next Postecoglou, emphasising that he is the outstanding candidate for the vacancy, as opposed to the other front-runners?

Kieran McKenna to Celtic latest

Ever since Rodgers resigned, Kieran McKenna has been one of the names most frequently mentioned in terms of becoming the new Celtic manager.

As reported by Ewan Murray of the Guardian, he is a ‘leading candidate’ with the Ipswich Town boss boasting ‘longtime admirers’ on the Celtic board, while Sky Sports add that he is one of the names near the top of the club’s shortlist.

However, any approach would not be straightforward.

The 39-year-old is under contract in Suffolk until 2028 and Ipswich would surely demand a sizable compensation fee if they’re going to allow their most prized asset to depart.

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McKenna, in his first-ever head coach role, worked miracles at Portman Road, guiding the Tractor Boys to back-to-back promotions, going from EFL League One to the Premier League in double quick time, the first time Ipswich had competed in England’s top-tier since 2002.

However, his team did really struggle to compete at the top level, winning just four Premier League matches all season, relegated with a whimper.

Right now, Ipswich are seventh in the EFL Championship, hammering Swansea 4-1 on Saturday, thereby sat just outside the play-off positions,

Before moving to Suffolk, McKenna worked as an assistant manager to José Mourinho and then Ole Gunnar Solskjær at Manchester United, so has some experience at an elite level, but many supporters remain unconvinced, so should the Celtic hierarchy target a more left-field coach who could be their new Postecoglou?

Celtic should appoint the new Postecoglou

According to a report by TEAMtalk on Wednesday evening, Wilfried Nancy, a man supporters may be very unfamiliar with, has been ‘officially invited’ for talks with the Hoops over the Parkhead vacancy.

It’s further reported that the Celtic board are ‘very keen’ to interview Nancy and could complete a deal by January should compensation be agreed, with the season in America, where he manages Columbus Crew, set to end this month.

So, who is he? Well, the Frenchman was named 2024 MLS coach of the year, but that does not begin to tell his story.

His first head coach role was with CF Montréal, staying in Québec for two seasons, before spending the last three years at Columbus Crew, enjoyed huge success in charge of both, as the table below documents.

2021

18th

Canadian Champ

2022

3rd

2023

3rd

MLS Cup

2024

2nd

Leagues Cup

2025

7th

First and foremost, if you’re not dialled into MLS, we’re guessing you’re probably not, it’s really difficult to properly put into words how impressive an achievement it is to finish 3rd in the overall standings, and second in the Eastern Conference, with Club de Foot Montréal.

Owner Joey Saputo essentially does not care about the team, meaning Montréal have one of the lowest budgets in Major League Soccer, finishing 28th, out of 30, this year, showing that Nancy can seriously elevate an underperforming side.

In Canada, Nancy succeeded Thierry Henry, after he resigned, and the Arsenal legend spoke glowingly about his former assistant during CBS’ Champions League coverage.

Nevertheless, Nancy’s true success has come since moving to Columbus Crew, winning MLS Cup at the end of his first year and then Leagues Cup last season, also leading the Black and Gold to the club’s first-ever CONCACAF Champions Cup Final, ousting two Mexican heavyweights along the way, before defeat to Pachuca.

The Crew’s 2025 season is now over, dumped out of the MLS play-offs by local rivals FC Cincinnati at the weekend, which may make him available, so could he soon swap Ohio for Glasgow?

Well, he has certainly earned rave reviews, with Joe Lowery praising his “patient possession” style of play which he believes is “so much fun to watch”, while Tom Bogert describes the Crew as “attractive” to watch and “courageous” on the ball.

Meantime, former USA striker Herculez Gomez notes that Nancy is “immensely respected”, adding that his style of play is “so pleasing to the eye”, boasting a clear philosophy featuring both possession and high pressing, comparing him to Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique.

Well, another high-profile manager that sounds reminiscent of is, well, Postecoglou and his now infamous, certainly in Premier League circles, Ange-ball.

As already mentioned, Postecoglou was a lesser-known name in British and European football prior to his arrival in Glasgow but, as he likes to remind everyone, he wins everywhere he goes, joining with a J League, multiple A-League titles and an AFC Asia Cup to his name, among other honours.

Well, the same can be said of Nancy, who created something of a dynasty in MLS, something that is so tough to do in a league that is so parity-focused.

Thus, just like Postecoglou, Nancy has the personality, the playing style and the will to win to succeed at Celtic, seemingly making him the ideal candidate to come in and lead the Hoops to a fifth successive Premiership title.

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