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Liverpool aren’t doing so well this season. Last year’s indomitable air is a far cry from the tepid and toothless performances of the new campaign, with five defeats inflicted on Arne Slot’s side from six recent Premier League matches.

There is no way to sugarcoat it: that is so far below Anfield’s expectations that it beggars belief. Slot was so pained last season by that sole home defeat to Nottingham Forest, so frustrated by that stain on his copybook, even against the backdrop of a title-winning campaign.

But so many losses have become the norm for Liverpool this season, whose title defence is in tatters and whose focus is currently on establishing enough form and focus to recover a place in the Premier League’s top four.

Slot has got a lot to chew on before the November international break winds up and Liverpool host Forest in the top flight, a game they simply cannot afford to lose – again.

Aside from the lack of intensity and physicality in key areas and fragilities in defence, Liverpool’s widths have been well out of sorts this season, and this is something that needs fixing quickly.

Liverpool's struggles out wide

Mohamed Salah’s startling drop-off this season has been among the biggest concerns for Liverpool, but the Egyptian King has done it all before, and he will surely recover his potency in front of goal before his £400k-per-week contract expires in 2027.

More concerning, perhaps, is the form of Florian Wirtz, who joined from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m this summer but has yet to prove FSG have got bang for their buck.

The 22-year-old is clearly an incredible talent, but it hasn’t happened so far, with Liverpool’s wider tactical imbalances making it difficult for the playmaker to find a secure place in Slot’s line-up, flitting between the left flank and a creative berth from the centre.

Likewise, Cody Gakpo has struggled to impress. The left-sided forward has four goals and three assists across all competitions this term, but he’s lacked nuance in his expression.

It’s proving a tough ask for Slot to find a solution that will synergise this struggling frontline and restore Liverpool to their former level.

However, one Redman has enjoyed quite the impressive display for his nation in a World Cup qualifier this week, and in a position which could reshape his role at Liverpool over the coming months.

Slot may have his left wing solution

So much has gone wrong at Liverpool this season, but the form of Hugo Ekitike since joining from Eintracht Frankfurt for an initial £69m this summer cannot be counted among the negatives.

Ekitike is a striker, and was signed as such, but he played out on the left wing for France on Thursday evening as Didier Deschamps’ side defeated Ukraine 4-0 in their penultimate World Cup qualifier, with reporter Bence Bocsak praising his “very impressive” effort, having earlier noted that the star’s slickness and skill on the ball “reminds me of Bobby Firmino”.

Could it be that Liverpool have their left wing solution right here? This is hardly revelatory, but the dynamic forward has proved he has what it takes to produce a show-stopping performance from out wide here, and there’s a case to be made that he offers more than Gakpo does when in the role.

Indeed, were Ekitike to play from the left with regularity, it would only impede Gakpo in his hopes of stringing many minutes together across the season and beyond, especially as he will be competing with Wirtz.

But the one-time PSG prospect’s display demonstrated his potential in the position, a menace throughout after coming off the bench in the first half due to an injury to Bradley Barcola.

It was a spectacular goal, the 23-year-old collecting and driving forward from inside his own half, skating past defenders and entering the danger area before playing a neat connection with Kylian Mbappe and then striking true.

Ekitike might not have enjoyed much success by way of passing, but he demonstrated how effective he can be with limited opportunities in possession. Not only accurate when carrying the ball forward, but he was fierce in the duel and clinical besides.

This economical approach showed something that has been lacking on Merseyside this season: an ability to make chances count even when presented intermittently.

That is, of course, barring one Liverpool forward. Ekitike. The Les Bleus star has scored six goals and posted an assist since joining the club this summer.

Development is never linear for those entering the Premier League from overseas, but the way in which Ekitike has slipped into life in Liverpool is remarkable, given the circumstances around the club right now.

Should Slot take note of the striker’s performance against Ukraine and begin to hand him more chances out wide, it could help Isak settle in after his record-breaking summer move while easing the fears that Isak and Ekitke cannot cohabit in Liverpool’s starting line-up.

Slot has already followed this train of thought, suggesting several weeks ago that Ekitike’s technical and physical qualities make him apt for a prolific role on the flank, and now it can be put into practice, albeit at Gakpo’s expense.

Without question, Liverpool’s head coach will have been attentive to Ekitike’s performance on the world stage, perhaps more inclined forward to trial Ekitike in a wider role going forward, thus opening the door to a partnership with Isak and a new dimension that could help restore the side’s attacking strength.

If this proves an effective and long-term solution, it may well come at the expense of Gakpo’s stay at Liverpool for the long run, but, as the opening months of the campaign have told us, it is crucial that Slot identifies a way of playing that matches the incredible amount of quality teeming across Anfield.

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The 8-time Ballon d'Or winner had a hand in all three goals as Inter Miami saw off Vancouver Whitecaps to win its first MLS Cup

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla – There it is. 

That is what the footballing world wanted, and what MLS perhaps needed. Messi has his first MLS Cup. If there was ever a shred of doubt about Messi’s MLS legacy – if the records, the MVP award (with another likely on the way), and the résumé weren’t convincing enough – then Saturday offered the definitive answer.

The biggest trophy this league can give now sits in his hands, and soon after, above his head. Florida has its first MLS champion. 

And it was deserved. The Argentine provided three decisive moments of magic in a 3-1 win over a resilient Vancouver Whitecaps side.

Give Vancouver some credit here. They are a good football team that plays the game in the right way. But this was Miami’s day. There are such things as narratives in soccer. They seldom pan out. But this was one that came together handsomely. Miami steadily improved over the course of the season. They lost, sometimes embarrassingly, and learned from those defeats. And when it came to it, an otherwise flawed and inexperienced manager in Javier Mascherano, made some gutsy and correct decisions. For that, he deserves immense credit. Still, in the final game at a strange skeletal stadium that they have called home for three years, Miami claimed the thing that they have coveted since the second Messi stepped his foot in the United States. 

This was also about Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, who ended their careers, appropriately, with trophies. It might also be the end for Luis Suarez – at least in Miami, who proved in omission that he may not be needed here anymore. Yet the lasting image will be of Leo, lifting that trophy, a beaming smile across his face. Legacy secured.

GOAL breaks down the Winners & Losers from Chase Stadium…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WINNER: Lionel Messi

  Sometimes the narrative just has to win. Messi had one of those late-career Messi games. 

  For long stretches, you barely noticed him, and he was rarely involved. He spent most of his time strolling around and shielding passing lanes as Vancouver controlled possession. However, there were two decisive moments in the game, and Messi set up both. He was instrumental in the first goal with his shuffle and through ball to Allende. He set up the second with a silly feed. And he provided the pass for the killer third, too. It was his 63rd goal contribution for Miami this season. This was major trophy number 48, and it wasn't the easiest. Vancouver made it tough. But it is the Argentine's prerogative to decide games. And he managed to make that happen yet again. 

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  LOSER: Edier Ocampo

  Football can be so, so cruel. Ocampo has been the model of consistency for the Whitecaps this season, playing almost every game and being just about as solid a full back as MLS can offer. He keeps it tidy, seldom makes mistakes, and offers stability for a well-balanced side. But finals are decided in moments, and Ocampo was on the wrong end of two of them. The obvious slip-up was his ill-timed dart across the box to cover Allende's pass. Instead of cutting it off, he deflected the ball into his own net. He was also slightly culpable on the Miami third, failing to hold the defensive line and allowing Allende to run in behind and seal the game for good. One to forget, on the biggest of stages. 

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  WINNER: Rodrigo De Paul

  He's always been far more than just "Messi's bodyguard." De Paul has far more attacking quality and soccer smarts than he gets credit for. That is partially, of course, because his role is so distilled to the idea of simply protecting Miami's main man. Yet De Paul showed off all sides of his game here. This was a scrappy one, full of hard tackles that didn't get called, and cheeky shoves that did. De Paul was up for both. He kept his composure on the ball, sprayed it around when needed, and, crucially, scored the winning goal.

  But more valuable than all of that, perhaps, were the seconds squeezed out of the game in between. He stayed down for a few extra moments after every heavy challenge. He took his time on throw-ins. He picked up – and then miraculously recovered from – a series of injuries over the course of the 90 minutes. De Paul is always the unsung hero. Today felt more like main character energy. 

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  LOSER: Vancouver

  How things can change in a year. This time in 2024, the Whitecaps had fired a popular coach in Vanni Sartini and were in the process of selling the team. This was a broken side dealing with rumors of a potential relocation. Yet the Whitecaps rallied, generated a real energy behind a city that seemed to have forgotten, at times, that it has a soccer team. They made it to multiple finals and the fanbase was reinvigorated once again. Then the club was buoyed by the arrival of a global star in Thomas Muller. 

  This is, in fact, a bit cruel. The Whitecaps gave pretty much everything for their city. Canadian soccer still deserves its third MLS club. Yet the team is for sale; their lease at BC Place is up. Vancouver certainly has enough passion to embrace a team. This one just might not be around for much longer. 

Eddie Howe has now reportedly told Newcastle United to go and sign a Serie A midfielder who Tyneside scouts have already watched in action.

Eddie Howe delivers Nick Pope verdict after Marseille mistake

It’s been one step forward and two steps back for Newcastle this season. The Magpies defeated Manchester City in an excellent display last weekend, before picking up where they left off to take the lead against Marseille. It looked as though they were finally back on track. But that’s when it all fell apart.

Nick Pope’s moment of madness allowed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to equalise from wide, before the former Arsenal man was at it again to score what proved to be the eventual winner for the French hosts.

It’s not the first time that Pope has come under fire in a Newcastle shirt this season, but Howe decided to back his shot-stopper in his post-match interview, saying: “I think it’s a concern when we concede goals, regardless of who’s at fault. I think we have to look at everything with a balanced head.

“He (Pope) saved us many times. He made some really good saves against Manchester City just two days ago. That’s the life of a goalkeeper. But I’ll certainly back him.”

With Aaron Ramsdale waiting in the wings, however, it remains to be seen just how many more chances Pope will receive. Up next, Newcastle travel to the Hill Dickinson stadium for the first time to face an Everton side who just defeated Manchester United at Old Trafford.

It’s a game that the Magpies will be desperate to win to at least make it back-to-back victories in the Premier League. Alas, it’s also one that may expose their lack of depth in midfield once again.

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It’s a fairly open secret that Howe’s targeting reinforcements in that area ahead of 2026 and reports are now claiming that he’s told the club to go and sign Serie A star Manu Kone.

Howe tells Newcastle to sign Manu Kone

According to Tuttomercatoweb, Howe has now told Newcastle to sign Kone after sending his scouts to watch the impressive AS Roma midfielder.

The midfielder would instantly add depth to the Magpies’ midfield, but Roma have already reportedly dealt those at St James’ Park a frustrating blow in pursuit of his signature. Unsurprisingly, Roma are keen to keep hold of Kone and have told Newcastle that he is not for sale in 2026.

Whether Newcastle test the waters despite Roma’s stance is the big question. Kone would certainly be worth the chase. The Frenchman was dubbed “composed” by Como scout Ben Mattinson ahead of arriving in Serie A in the summer and could yet be on his way to the Premier League.

As bad as Pope: Howe must drop 4/10 Newcastle dud who made just 14 passes

Tickets for the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup have gone on sale with less than a month to go for the start of the tournament on September 30 in Guwahati.On Thursday, the ICC announced that tickets for all the group matches in India and Sri Lanka were available on pre-sale on tickets.cricketworldcup.com for four days from 1900 IST and SLST on September 4 via the Google Pay platform. The second phase of ticket sales will begin on September 9 at 2000 IST and SLST (1430 GMT) on tickets.cricketworldcup.com.According to the ICC, ticket prices will start at INR 100 (USD 1.14 approx.) in the first pre-sale phase – “the most affordable pricing for any ICC global event in history.”Related

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• Navi Mumbai replaces Bengaluru as fourth Indian venue

• India Women to begin World Cup preparation with Visakhapatnam training camp

• USD 13.88 million prize money for Women's ODI World Cup

The Women’s ODI World Cup will be contested by eight teams – India, Sri Lanka, England, Australia, Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand and Bangladesh – across five venues: Colombo, Guwahati, Indore, Visakhapatnam, and Navi Mumbai. India and Sri Lanka open the tournament on September 30 in Guwahati, and the final is on November 2 at a yet-to-be-decided venue.The ICC recently announced that the total prize money for the tournament is USD $13.88 million, nearly a fourfold increase from the USD 3.5 million for the previous women’s ODI World Cup in New Zealand in 2022.

Raza scored 151 runs and took a wicket in two ODIs against Sri Lanka

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Sep-2025Zimbabwe allrounder Sikandar Raza is the new No. 1 allrounder in the ICC’s ODI rankings, achieving the feat for the first time. He had scored 92 and an unbeaten 59 in the two-match series against Sri Lanka in Harare, and also picked up a wicket. He went past Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi, who are now second and third, respectively.There’s a new No. 1 among ODI bowlers too. South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj has broken the deadlock at the top with Sri Lanka’s Maheesh Theekshana, claiming the No. 1 position outright. Maharaj moved up after taking 4 for 22 in a big win in the first ODI against England in Leeds.

Full rankings tables

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• Click here for the player rankings

Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka, named Player of the Series against Zimbabwe after topping the charts with 198 runs, has climbed seven places to 13th among ODI batters. Janith Liyanage is up 13 places to 29th, while Zimbabwe’s Sean Williams has risen three places to 47th.In the T20I rankings, Afghanistan batters Ibrahim Zadran (up 12 spots to 20th) and Sediqullah Atal (up a remarkable 346 places to 127th) have risen following back-to-back wins against UAE and Pakistan in the ongoing tri-series.Others to improve in the T20I rankings are Pakistan’s Hasan Nawaz (joint-31st) among batters, while Sufiyan Muqeem (22nd), Shaheen Shah Afridi (26th) and Mohammad Nawaz (43rd) made strides among bowlers.

Liverpool’s disastrous run in the Premier League this season has shown no signs of coming to an end in recent weeks, with the showing against Sunderland once again highlighting their frailties.

Arne Slot’s men were only able to secure a point against the newly promoted outfit at Anfield, something which would have been a crazy statement during the title-winning season.

The drop-off has been astronomical from this time last season, with the Reds now already sitting 11 points off the summit despite playing just 14 league matches.

Wednesday’s clash against the Black Cats further showcased the creative struggles within Slot’s side, with Florian Wirtz’s deflected effort just one of four shots on target during the 90-minute display.

The performances of numerous Reds players no doubt contributed to the failure to secure all three points on Merseyside for the third straight home league outing.

Liverpool’s poor performers against Sunderland

During Wednesday’s draw with the Black Cats, winger Cody Gakpo had yet another performance to forget, with his lack of impact resulting in a half-time withdrawal.

The Dutchman only managed to complete a total of seven passes against Regis Le Bris’ men, with none of his being made into the final third – subsequently highlighting his lack of creativity in attacking areas.

The 26-year-old was also only able to register a singular effort on goal, but it didn’t trouble the opposition goalkeeper – with his substitution at the break certainly warranted.

Joe Gomez was once again asked to operate in an unnatural right-back role due to the injuries to Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong, but he was massively dominated by the visitors prior to his substitution.

The Englishman entered nine duels during his 65-minute showing, but only managed to come out on top in one of them, resulting in a measly 11% success rate.

He also got dribbled past twice whilst also only completing 20% of the crosses he attempted, highlighting how lacklustre at both ends of the pitch on Merseyside.

Liverpool star is becoming a big problem

The decline of Liverpool in 2025/26 is certainly something to behold, especially after winning the Premier League title under Slot not even seven months ago.

After securing the club’s Premier League title, the Dutchman spent £440m within the transfer market during the summer, but numerous of the big-money additions have so far failed to deliver.

Wirtz’s effort eventually went down as a Nordi Mukiele own goal, which has extended his goalless run, with the German now without a goal in any of his 13 league outings this campaign.

Milos Kerkez has struggled to dislodge Andy Robertson from the starting left-back role, while Frimpong has struggled with injuries and has subsequently been restricted to just four league outings.

Alexander Isak was the most expensive of the summer arrivals, as the Swedish international joined the club in an English-record £125m transfer from Newcastle United.

He no doubt arrived at Anfield with high expectations given such a transfer fee, but also due to his goal tally, which saw him net 23 league goals last campaign.

The striker’s spell on Merseyside to date has been nothing short of a disaster, with the 26-year-old scoring his first league goal at West Ham United last weekend at the sixth time of asking.

As a result, Isak was handed another start against Sunderland last night, but he was once again unable to deliver despite the faith shown in him by the manager.

He featured for 86 minutes of the contest, but could only complete a measly tally of two passes, whilst also losing possession of the ball on three separate occasions.

Minutes played

86

Touches

14

Passes completed

2

Possession lost

3x

Duels won

1

Shots on target

0

Touches in opposition box

2

Chances created

0

The Swede was largely dominated by the opposition at Anfield, as shown by his duels won tally, with the forward winning just one out of a possible six battles that he entered.

He was once again unable to register a shot on target, whilst managing just two touches in the opposition box – subsequently unable to get on the scoresheet once again.

To top off his disappointing display, Isak only registered a total of 14 touches on Merseyside, a tally fewer than goalkeeper Alisson, who managed to notch a total of 34.

As a result of his showing against the Black Cats, the striker was handed a measly 5/10 match rating by the Liverpool Echo, further showcasing his struggles after his big-money move.

After such a showing, there’s no doubt that Slot must drop the forward at the weekend, with Hugo Ekitiké needing the chance to start at the top end of the pitch again.

Just one goal in his first seven league games is nothing short of embarrassing, with the record addition desperately needing to find form to kickstart his Reds career.

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Manchester United and INEOS are now reportedly stalling on a new contract for Kobbie Mainoo, as doubts over his Old Trafford future continue.

Mainoo’s fall from grace has been sad to see of late, considering the midfielder emerged has one of the most emerging youth products in years with the Red Devils, even starting for England at Euro 2024 last year.

The 20-year-old has been limited to just 138 minutes of Premier League action across seven cameo appearances this season, with Ruben Amorim not considering him a key man.

It remains to be seen what will happen with Mainoo, but journalist Simon Stone gave his thoughts earlier this week, suggesting his time at Old Trafford may still have legs.

Mainoo contract talks stall with transfer ruled out

Now, speaking to Football Insider, journalist Pete O’Rourke provided an update on Mainoo’s Manchester United future, claiming talks over a new deal have stalled with INEOS, but that they won’t let him leave.

“I’m sure it’s (handing Mainoo a new contract) something that Man United would definitely be interested in doing. They’ve been in talks with Mainoo for a while now over a new contract. Suggestions are now that contract talks have been put on hold because of his uncertain future at Old Trafford.

“We know Mainoo was interested in a move away in the summer window as he knew he wasn’t going to be playing in Ruben Amorim’s side. I don’t think he’s started a Premier League game so far this season.

“For United, on their part, they don’t really want to lose Kobbie Mainoo, and that’s why they blocked the move in the summer window and obviously I think they’d be reluctant to let him go in January as well because United want to be competing in that top four, if they can.”

To lose Mainoo so early in his career would be a negative for United, given his vast potential, so the hope is that Amorim and INEOS’ stance on him changes.

Granted, he has endured a year of struggles, not helped by injury problems, but he is a special young footballer with the natural ability to be a star, as he has already shown in his career.

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Hopefully, a contract extension is agreed, but ultimately, if the manager and the club don’t value Mainoo enough, a move away could be best for everyone, sad as it would be.

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The current international break came at the worst time for West Ham United.

After weeks of poor performances, Nuno Espírito Santo had finally got a tune out of the East Londoners.

First, they blew away a talented Newcastle United side 3-1, and then a week later picked up another three points by beating Burnley 3-2.

These back-to-back Premier League wins have given the fanbase genuine reasons to be optimistic, as they were not lucky victories, but hard-fought and thoroughly deserved.

It finally feels like Nuno has his feet under the table at the London Stadium, and as a result, fears of a possible relegation are starting to dissipate.

However, the Premier League can be unforgiving, so West Ham must maintain their upward trajectory and the board need to back the manager in the winter window. If they do, this could be Nuno’s dream lineup at the end of January.

1

GK – Alphonse Areola

While it would have been a surprise at the start of the season, it should come as no surprise now that, keeping his place between the sticks is Alphonse Areola.

Unlike the Dane signed to replace him in the summer, the Frenchman has been pretty reliable since coming back into the team, and while he might not be the long-term answer, he’s more than good enough to spend another season in goal for the Hammers.

After all, he’s already made 108 appearances for the club, what’s another 27?

2

RB – Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Keeping his place at right-back, so long as he’s fit, is Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Now, Kyle Walker-Peters has done reasonably well since joining the club in the summer, but at his best, the former Manchester United ace is a more competent defender and has become more adept at getting forward over the last few years.

He was also the club’s Hammer of the Year just last season.

3

CB – Axel Disasi

Now, moving on to the first new face in the team, and before the pitchforks and torches come out, Axel Disasi, who has previously been touted for a £25m move to the London Stadium, could be an excellent signing for the Hammers.

Yes, he has failed to establish himself at Chelsea, but before that, he was one of Ligue 1’s best centre-backs and was even compared to Virgil van Dijk by respected talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Moreover, under a manager like Nuno, who doesn’t like to leave his defenders isolated, the Frenchman might be able to rediscover some of the form that first earned him his move to the Premier League.

4

CB – Charlie Cresswell

Alongside Disasi is the second signing: Charlie Cresswell.

He might not be a familiar name to English fans at the moment, but he certainly will be in a few years from now, as not only is he doing incredibly well for Toulouse in Ligue 1, but he was also a key part of the England u21 side that won the Euros this summer.

Described as a “proper leader at the back” by analyst Ben Mattinson, the former Leeds United gem has also been described as being a bit “like a Thiago Silva” by European football expert Andy Brassell, who highlighted the fact that he “got real smarts about him.”

Unsurprisingly, the 23-year-old is gaining plenty of attention at the moment, and while it won’t be easy to sign him, reports suggest the Hammers could get the job done for around £15m.

5

LB – El Hadji Malick Diouf

Back to a familiar face and keeping his place at left-back is, of course, El Hadji Malick Diouf.

The all-action full-back joined the Hammers from Slavia Prague in the summer, and while he can be a little frustrating defensively, he is unreal when it comes to the offensive side of the game.

For example, he has already racked up three assists in just 12 appearances, and really could have more if his teammates were able to finish better earlier in the campaign.

6

CM – Freddie Potts

Moving into the middle of the park and onto someone who has to now be one of the first names on the team sheet: Freddie Potts.

The academy graduate was finally handed his first competitive start for West Ham against Newcastle United, and to say he delivered would be a massive understatement.

He put in a man-of-the-match performance that saw him cover practically every blade of grass, snuff out Toon attacks and kickstart ones for his own side.

It was more of the same a week later against Burnley, and while it is still early on, it feels like the Hammers have themselves a future superstar in Potts.

7

CM – Mateus Fernandes

There are a few options Nuno could go with for the position alongside Potts, but based on the last two games, it really has to be Mateus Fernandes.The Portuguese midfielder had a bit of a slow start to life in East London following his £40m move from Southampton in the summer, but over the last few weeks, he has started showing the fans just what he can do.Capable of helping out with the defensive side of the game, but just as able to play defence-splitting”KDB-type passes,”in the words of Mattinson, the 21-year-old could be a real game-changer for the Hammers as the season goes on.

8

CAM – Lucas Paqueta

To nobody’s surprise, Lucas Paqueta keeps his place as the most advanced of the midfielders.

Despite talk around his future, the former Lyon ace has looked back to his best in recent games and scored his fourth goal of the campaign against Newcastle.

He might be frustrating at times, but West Ham are undeniably a weaker team without him in it.

9

RW – Jarrod Bowen

The sky is blue, the grass is green, and Jarrod Bowen starts for West Ham United.

The former Hull City star is the club’s talisman, the most beloved player to wear the shirt in a very long time, and, most importantly, a sensational goalscoring, game-changing winger.

Despite the team’s poor form last season, the Englishman was still able to rack up an incredible tally of 14 goals and ten assists in 36 appearances across all competitions, totalling 3148 minutes.

That came out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.5 games, or every 131.16 minutes.

So far this year, the 28-year-old has already scored three goals and provided two assists in just 12 games, and now that the team seem to have turned a corner, he’ll probably become even more productive.

10

ST – Lucas Stassin

The final signing in the team is Saint-Étienne’s Belgian goal machine, Lucas Stassin.

According to one report, the Hammers might be able to sign the 20-year-old for a fee of €30m, which is about £27m, and while that is a lot, it would almost certainly be worth it.

For example, despite being so young, he racked up an impressive tally of 14 goals and eight assists in just 34 appearances last year, and has already produced seven goal involvements in 13 games this year.

That sort of return would make him an instant upgrade on the still useful but injury-prone Callum Wilson and the ideal replacement for Niclas Füllkrug, who has made it clear he wants out in January.

Surrey 147 and 226 for 6 (Albert 61*, Abbott 4-51) lead Hampshire 248 (Washington 56) by 124 runsSurrey lost their grasp on the Rothesay County Championship trophy for the first time in 1100 days, but saw a glimpse into their future as Ralphie Albert took centre stage against Hampshire.Nottinghamshire confirmed themselves as champions midway through the evening to end Surrey’s three-season dynasty as red-ball kings. But Albert, the 17-year-old grandson of snooker icon Jimmy White, celebrated his first two first-class wickets before picking up a maiden fifty to give Surrey a chance of sending Hampshire to Division Two.The England Under 19 allrounder bowled Scott Currie and caught and bowled Kyle Abbott in the morning as Hampshire claimed a 101 first-innings lead. He then struck 61 not out during a 97-run stand with Dan Lawrence in the evening – Surrey ended the day with a 124 lead, with Hampshire needing to at least match Durham’s result to avoid relegation.After 13 wickets had fallen on the first day, on a pitch sympathetic but not overwhelmingly so for the bowlers, the second day began with a similar tone. Toby Albert couldn’t be blamed for edging a Matt Fisher in-ducker to first slip, before fellow overnight batter Ben Brown was plumb lbw three balls later.Fisher had immediately swung the momentum of the match, and gave Hampshire the relegation jitters again. Those weren’t helped when Liam Dawson swished outside his off stump three overs later but Washington Sundar and James Fuller corrected things with patience and runs.The pair put on 62 to flesh out Hampshire’s lead, but it proved the last resistance as spin went through the tail. Indian legspinner Rahul Chahar picked up his first Championship wicket when Fuller slog-swept to deep square, before Albert thudded one into Currie’s off stump.Washington waved his bat on an 89-ball fifty, but Abbott was caught and bowled before the India allrounder picked out deep midwicket off his compatriot, with Hampshire two runs shy of a batting bonus point.That near miss shouldn’t impact Hampshire’s chances of staying in Division One, with Durham also narrowly failing to get to 350, meaning that as long as Hampshire match Durham’s result they will stay up.A victory would be the most straightforward method of securing their status, and Brad Wheal appeared to be fast-forwarding his side there with two quick wickets. Rory Burns’ batting for the season was ended when he edged a good ball to first slip, before Ryan Patel hooked straight to the deep square fielder.Abbott then took over with one of his incredible spells, taking three wickets in four overs. The South African had Dom Sibley and Ben Foakes caught behind before keeping one low to castle Ollie Sykes.But Ralphie Albert and Lawrence ground out runs on the slow pitch and made the most of a ragged Hampshire session, to head towards a position from which they could win the game. Albert largely made use of space behind the wicket, but also drove through the covers beautifully, to take himself to a second professional half-century in 68 balls.Lawrence became Abbott’s fourth notch of the innings when he was bowled, but Surrey remained six down at close, while Hampshire suffered a blow as Washington damaged his hand while fielding a ball off his own bowling.

And was India’s successful chase of 341 against Australia the highest in a Women’s World Cup?

Steven Lynch04-Nov-2025Simon Harmer recently played his 11th Test – in Pakistan, the sixth country in which he has appeared. Has anyone played in more countries over the course of their first 11 Tests? asked George Garrett from England

That’s an interesting area to explore. There are five men whose first five Tests all came in different countries: Eric Russell (England), Hasibul Hossain (Bangladesh), Avishka Gunawardene (Sri Lanka), Robin Peterson (South Africa) and Andy Balbirnie (Ireland). Of these, Eric Russell is perhaps the most notable as there were only seven teams playing Test cricket during his career in the 1960s. Hasibul only played five Tests.Nobody has played all their first six Tests in different countries, but six men have appeared in six by their seventh Test, undercutting Simon Harmer by four: Peterson and Farveez Maharoof (Sri Lanka), plus four Ireland players in Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Lorcan Tucker and Harry Tector. Another Irishman, Andy McBrine, played his first nine Tests in seven different countries. Kasun Rajitha of Sri Lanka and Pakistan’s Faheem Ashraf had played in eight countries by their 12th Tests. (Note that we have treated West Indies as a single country for these answers.)Was India’s total in the semi-final the highest ever made to win a World Cup match batting second? asked MS Chandrakant from India

India’s 341 for 5 to overhaul Australia’s 338 in the semi-final in Navi Mumbai last week was not only the highest score to win a women’s World Cup match batting second, but the highest in all women’s one-day internationals. The previous records were both set by Australia earlier in the tournament, when they made 331 for 7 to surpass India’s 330 in Visakhapatnam.The only higher score by a team batting second in a women’s one-day international is India’s 369 in a floodlit game in Delhi shortly before this World Cup started. It wasn’t enough, as Australia had earlier run up 412. The match aggregate of 781 runs was easily the most in a women’s ODI: the record at the time was 678 runs, by England (373 for 5) and South Africa (305) in Bristol during the 2017 World Cup; the recent semi-final beat that by one to go second.We quite often hear about batsmen having centuries in all three international formats, but what about bowlers with five-wicket hauls in all three? asked Haseeb Ahmad from Pakistan

You’re right that there seems to be less publicity for bowlers who have taken five-fors in all three international formats than for those who have scored centuries in each (31 men and five women as I write). Just 13 men have achieved this feat: the first to complete the set was Pakistan’s Umar Gul in 2009.He’s since been joined by Lasith Malinga and Ajantha Mendis of Sri Lanka, the South Africans Imran Tahir and Lungi Ngidi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Kuldeep Yadav of India, the West Indians Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph, New Zealand’s Tim Southee, Rashid Khan of Afghanistan, Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan and, most recently, Hasan Ali of Pakistan in May 2025. Three women have also done it: Jhulan Goswami of India, England’s Jenny Gunn and Australia’s Ash Gardner.Umar Gul is the first bowler to take a five-for in all three formats, in 2009•Tom Shaw/Getty ImagesWhat’s the highest partnership in which one of the batters failed to reach 100? asked Dennis Armstrong from England

The highest first-class stand in which one of the partners failed to reach 100 was one of 373, between Bert Sutcliffe (275) and Les Watt (96) for Otago’s first wicket in Auckland in Auckland in December 1950. Next comes the 358 of Darren Lehmann (339) and Michael Lumb (98) for Yorkshire’s fourth wicket against Durham at Headingley in September 2006. At Brisbane in November 1968 Western Australia’s Derek Chadwick, who died recently, ended up with 91 after an opening stand of 328 with Colin Milburn, whose 243 included an astonishing 181 runs between lunch and tea.The Test record is a fifth-wicket stand of 322 between Brian Lara (213) and Jimmy Adams (94) for West Indies against Australia at Kingston in March 1999.The highest team total in a Test is 952 runs, the lowest is zero. What is the lowest score not yet scored? asked Barrie Henton from England

Surprisingly perhaps, no Test innings so far has ended at a total of 18. Apart from that, the lowest score at which an innings has never ended in a Test is 597 (there’s a 596 and two 598s). No side has ever been bowled out for 525, but South Africa made 525 for 8 declared against New Zealand at Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha) in January 2013. The highest team total not yet made in men’s ODIs is 379, while in T20 internationals it’s 249 (250 and 251 are also blank). No T20I innings, whether complete or not, has yet ended at 22 (or 1, 3, 5, 8, 9 or 20).Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions