Yusei Kikuchi started the Los Angeles Angels game against the Texas Rangers on Monday night. Kikuchi pitched five innings, giving up four runs on six hits. When he left the game after the fifth inning, his team trailed, but came back to win 6-5.
Not bad considering how things started for Kikuchi. Sam Haggerty, leading off for the Rangers, hit the ball back to Kikuchi on a 3-2 count in the first at-bat of the game. Kikuchi did not field the ball cleanly and chased after it, tripping over the mound in the process. Kikuchi tumbled and ended up on his knees, sitting feet away from the ball while Haggerty stood safely on second.
The next batter to come up, Corey Saeger, also took Kikuchi to a full count before he hit a two-run home run.
That's about as rough of a start as you can have. Two batters, 14 pitches, one home run, two earned runs, one embarassing fall. Going five full innings was downright heroic considering that start.
Liverpool have now received the green light to make their move for a defensive reinforcement in the January transfer window, according to reports.
Slot: Teams "think they can get a result" against Liverpool
It wasn’t a disaster at Anfield as Liverpool came from behind to rescue a draw against Sunderland, but it was hardly an inspiring performance from the Premier League champions yet again.
Despite breaking their transfer record to sign Alexander Isak in the summer, the Swede was back to his subdued ways just days after netting his first Premier League goal for the club against West Ham United. And whilst Florian Wirtz at least played a part in the equaliser and looked bright throughout, Liverpool’s attack was a far cry from their scintillating best of past campaigns.
What should concern Arne Slot the most is his own admission that teams now believe they can “get a result” against his Liverpool side. That should never be the case at the home of the champions, but the Dutchman also denied that Anfield’s fear factor has evaporated this season.
He told reporters: “No, not Anfield. For sure. But it’s clear that teams that play us now think they can get a result. Not only think, because that has been shown this season.
“And even in the games we’ve won, they also fuelled the confidence for other teams like, ‘Hmm, something is possible’ because the wins we had at the beginning of the season weren’t easy ones as well.”
The only positive for Slot to take from the Sunderland game is that his side, whilst found wanting in attack, were harder to break down defensively. With fixtures coming thick and fast, that defensive foundation will be important but so will any depth that Liverpool add in that area in January, especially if they sign Joel Ordonez.
Liverpool receive green light to make Ordonez move
As reported by TeamTalk, Liverpool have received a green light to make their move for Ordonez after maintaining contact with the defender’s camp. Racing alongside Tottenham Hotspur in pursuit of the Club Brugge defender, the Reds could land an ideal alternative for Marc Guehi.
Fewer touches than Alisson & only 2 passes: Liverpool flop must be dropped
Arne Slot has a huge call to make about one player after his showing for Liverpool last night.
2 ByEthan Lamb Dec 4, 2025
Despite reportedly reopening talks to sign the Crystal Palace man, Liverpool may be forced to wait until next summer when his contract expires to secure his signature. If that does prove to be the case, then those at Anfield should turn to Ordonez.
Although Como scout Ben Mattinson aired caution around Ordonez’s “aggressive” nature last year, it’s the exact trait that Liverpool have been lacking this season. The Reds have been physically outmatched and the arrival of the 21-year-old would go a long way towards solving that problem.
Jamie Carragher slams £280k-p/w Liverpool star who had no "excuses" vs Sunderland
They say form goes out of the window for a derby, but Arsenal proved that to be entirely untrue on Sunday afternoon.
Mikel Arteta’s side played host to Tottenham Hotspur, and instead of wilting under the pressure, they made the most of Liverpool and Manchester City dropping points by demolishing their bitter rivals.
The gulf in class was so vast that it looked like the Gunners were playing a League One side, and summer signing Eberechi Eze, who almost moved to the white side of North London, was unplayable.
The Englishman was untouchable from the first minute to the last, and therefore, fans should be delighted that Arsenal are already brewing a homegrown version of him.
Eze's performance vs Spurs
While it was a joke, Thomas Frank must regret asking “who” when asked a question about Eze in the buildup to the game, as while the entire Arsenal team played well, the former Crystal Palace star was nothing short of spectacular.
It almost felt as if the Englishman was on a mission to make the Spurs boss eat his words, as just three minutes in, he played an exceptional ball over the top that Declan Rice should have finished.
Then, 39 minutes later, with the Gunners already a goal to the good, he added a second thanks to some tidy footwork and a low-driven shot.
Just 30 seconds into the second half, the 27-year-old scored his second goal, once again driving the ball into the bottom corner, only this time with his weaker foot.
Now, for most players, a derby-day brace is more than they could even dream of, but the Greenwich-born maestro is not like most players, and in the 76th minute, he scored a third to make it 4-1.
It’s the first time a player has scored a hat-trick in the North London derby since Alan Sunderland in December 1978.
Overall, it would be fair to say Sunday’s game will always be remembered as the Eze derby, and should act as a springboard for the midfielder to really kick on this season.
And in more good news, the club might already have another homegrown version of the international ace brewing.
Arsenal's homegrown Eze
Arsenal have long been a team that prioritise and promote youth from within, with the greatest example of this in recent years being, of course, Bukayo Saka.
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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
The club now have another group of incredible youngsters coming through, including one who could develop into a homegrown Eze: Ethan Nwaneri.
Yes, while the 18-year-old might not develop to be just like the former Crystal Palace star, there are some unmistakable similarities.
For example, the Hale End gem is an incredibly skilful player who can and has played out wide, but is ultimately seen as someone who will develop into a sensational number ten.
Moreover, while he hasn’t been getting the minutes that so many expected or hoped he would this year, he’s still very young with plenty of time to develop and even then, he proved how talented he is last season.
For example, the “phenomenal” prospect, as dubbed by former professional Stephen Warnock, scored nine goals and provided two assists in 37 appearances, totalling 1378 minutes.
That works out to a goal involvement every 3.36 games, or more crucially, one every 125.27 minutes, which would be incredibly impressive if he were a seasoned professional and helps to justify Joe Cole’s claim that “he’s the most exciting footballer in England and maybe Europe.”
Appearances
37
Minutes
1378′
Goals
9
Assists
2
Goal Involvements per Match
0.29
Minutes per Goal Involvement
125.27′
Finally, on top of his output, the Enfield-born gem put up some sensational underlying numbers last year.
According to FBref, he ranked in the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League for successful take-ons, the top 6% for total carrying distance, the top 8% for crosses and more, all per 90.
Ultimately, while he is still so young, Nwaneri’s ability to play out wide and as a ten, combined with his output and technical ability, means he could be Arsenal’s next Eze.
Forget Eze: £32m Arsenal star looked like prime Ozil and Odegaard vs Spurs
Eberechi Eze is not the only Arsenal star who deserves his flowers after north London derby win.
Arsenal’s incredible unbeaten run that saw them keep eight clean sheets on the bounce had to come to an end at some point, but few would have predicted Sunderland would be the ones to end it.
However, that’s precisely what happened on Saturday afternoon, as the Black Cats scored two goals to hold the Gunners to a hard-fought draw.
However, there is no need to panic for Mikel Arteta and Co, as they remain four points clear of Manchester City atop the Premier League table, and still played some brilliant football in the second half.
Moreover, one of the Gunners’ stars who looked to be on the way out in the summer could now feasibly start for any team in the league, and his uptick in form has helped the club deal with a massive injury list.
How Arsenal have overcome their injury crisis so far
Now, most Arsenal fans and the players themselves would likely admit that the team simply weren’t good enough to seriously compete with Liverpool last season.
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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
However, what is equally true is that the team had very little chance of competing with the Reds, as, unlike their competition, they were drowning in injuries.
Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhães, and Ben White were just some of the vital first-team players to spend time on the sidelines last year, and with a much thinner squad, there was very little Arteta could do to mitigate the impact.
Therefore, it makes a lot more sense why the club took the approach they did in the summer, forgoing the mega-money signings to bring in a larger number of players to bulk out the squad.
The decision to do it this way has already paid off massively this season, as the club has already been as unlucky, if not more so, than last year when it comes to injuries, but has had the backups to deal with it.
Arsenal’s summer signings
Player
From
Kepa Arrizabalaga
Chelsea
Eberechi Eze
Crystal Palace
Viktor Gyokeres
Sporting
Piero Hincapie
Leverkusen
Noni Madueke
Chelsea
Cristhian Mosquera
Valencia
Christian Norgaard
Brentford
Martin Zubimendi
Sociedad
For example, Saka was covered by Noni Madueke and then vice versa; Eberechi Eze is covering for Odegaard, Viktor Gyokeres came straight into the side for Havertz, and Cristhian Mosquera has already filled in for William Saliba and Gabriel.
The North Londoners’ improved squad depth has been the number one reason they’ve been able to survive and thrive during their current injury crisis.
However, the international break might have come at the right time, as with Gyokeres now out, the team were threadbare in attack against Sunderland, even if a player who looked destined to leave in the summer but is now playing out of his skin once again found himself on the scoresheet.
The Arsenal player who could get into any side in the Premier League
There are a few Arsenal players who could realistically get into any side in the league this year, from most of the defence to Saka, who scored a sensational goal on Saturday.
However, it’s no surprise that these stars are playing out of their skin, unlike Leandro Trossard.
Now, there is no denying that the Belgian is a hugely talented footballer, as in his first full season for the Gunners, he produced 20 goal involvements in 46 games.
However, what is equally true is that he took a significant step backwards last season, producing as many goal involvements, but in ten more appearances.
Moreover, he also appeared far less influential on a moment-to-moment basis during games, and so it wasn’t too much of a surprise to see him linked with an exit over the summer.
However, that exit never came, and he was instead handed a pay rise, which looked pointless at the time, but has since been more than justified.
For example, in just 14 appearances, totalling 832 minutes, the “little magician,” as dubbed by Arteta, has scored four goals and provided four assists.
That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.75 games, or every 104 minutes, which is the sort of output that could surely see him start for any team in the league at the moment.
Moreover, it’s not as if he’s scoring meaningless goals either, as his strike against Sunderland put the Gunners ahead and ensured they left with at least a point.
Likewise, he scored the only goal in the win over Fulham and got the assist for the second in the win over Burnley.
Finally, his brilliant form has not been limited to these shores either, as he scored and assisted in the 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao to ensure the North Londoners got their Champions League campaign off to a flier.
Ultimately, while he underwhelmed last season, Arsenal fans should be delighted that Trossard was never sold in the summer.
Arsenal leading race to sign "explosive" gem ahead of interest from Barcelona
Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim has been warned by Patrice Evra that missing out on Champions League football would be regarded as a failure. United failed to qualify for Europe's elite competition for successive seasons for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 and Evra highlighted the importance of getting back into it, both financially and in terms of prestige.
United counting the cost of not being in Champions League
A record six English teams are participating in this season's Champions League although United are not among them, having lost the Europa League final to Tottenham and finishing in 15th in the Premier League. United missed out on an estimated £100m ($133m) in lost earnings by failing to reach the Champions League while the players also saw their salaries reduced due to not participating in the lucrative competition.
United have a massive advantage on their competitors as they have no European football to distract them while their early exit from the Carabao Cup has given them a week's rest between league matches. They have not made the most of that advantage, having won seven of their 15 matches this season. In the words of Amorim, they should have more points than the 25 they have picked up so far.
Despite their inconsistent results, United are sixth in the Premier League table, just one point behind fourth-placed Crystal Palace in fourth. And there is a strong possibility that finishing fifth in the English top flight will be enough to qualify for the Champions League again.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportEvra: United 'losing a lot' by not being in UCL
"Under the previous manager, we won the FA Cup and EFL Cup, but you lose a lot by not being in the Champions League," Evra told GOAL via . "It’s going to be tough. You’ve got Arsenal, City, Chelsea and Aston Villa giving it a real go. If United do not finish in the top four then it'll be a massive disappointment – a failure.
"When I played for United, the goal was winning four trophies per season and now we’re talking about qualifying for the Champions League. Our wages went down by 30 per cent if we didn’t qualify for the Champions League, but we never had that issue."
Evra still backing Amorim
Evra, a five-time Premier League and one-time Champions League winner during his nine-year spell at United, is still supportive of Amorim despite the team's unconvincing results. He believes the Portuguese has made personal sacrifices in the team's best interests and he thinks he should remain in charge.
The Frenchman said: "Even in the bad times, I trust him. He's someone right now who will die for the club. That's my feeling with Amorin. This is someone who really puts the club first before himself and compared to some previous managers, I feel like he is different, but he needs maybe more players.
"Watching United, I have to be honest, it's like playing roulette. You never know what you're going to get. One moment you're going to win, the next time you're going to lose. So you can never predict a result when United play. I need more consistency from United. I want to see a more consistent starting 11. This is getting a little bit better and the players maybe understand his philosophy, his system more. I feel Amorim has the full support of the board and that’s really important. It could be a surprise end to the season with a top four finish."
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United will be hoping to follow up their win over Wolves with another victory when they welcome Bournemouth to Old Trafford on Monday. The Red Devils have fared badly against the Cherries in recent years. They were thrashed 3-0 by Andoni Iraola's side at Old Trafford in December 2024 and 2023, while they have drawn their last two visits to the Vitality Stadium. Bournemouth made a strong start to the season but are in the midst of a miserable patch of results, losing four and drawing two of their last six games to sink to 13th in the standings ahead of their trip to Manchester.
England batter believes striving to be the very best will help her keep improving
Valkerie Baynes11-Jul-2025Alice Capsey’s development as an international cricketer mirrors the evolution of her England team as a work in progress.Capsey burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old with a Player-of-the-Match-winning 59 for Oval Invincibles in just her second appearance in the Women’s Hundred. Another half-century in just her third T20I innings before her 18th birthday fuelled the excitement around her talent.Almost three years on, much has changed for Capsey and England, particularly over the past 12 months.Related
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“For me it’s been a year of a lot of learning,” Capsey said. “Last year, I’ll be the first one to say it, I didn’t perform how I would have liked. Getting dropped from that T20 squad in South Africa was the best thing for me. To reflect, to take that step back and go, ‘okay, well, I know I want to be in that T20 team, what do I need to do to get there?'”Capsey became a casualty of England’s failed T20 World Cup campaign when she was dropped for the tour of South Africa in December. Having held her place in the ODI squad for that trip, she was ultimately called up as injury cover for the T20s but didn’t play a game.After England’s dire showing at the Women’s Ashes in January – where Capsey played one T20I, scoring 6 and taking 1 for 25 with her offbreaks, and three ODIs yielding 18 runs and three wickets – she returned to Australia as part of the England A tour. There, she was England A’s second-highest run-scorer across formats with 207 runs at 41.41, including a hundred and a half-century in the four-day match.”A lot of work went on during the winter and, along with a lot of communication with the ECB, decided to play in that A-series and that was probably one of the best things for me, to still be playing highly competitive games but it also not be in the complete spotlight of an international game of cricket,” Capsey said.
“It is difficult at some points. Every time you go onto the cricket pitch, for the last three or four years, there’s always been eyes on. But at the same time, that’s an amazing place to be”Alice Capsey
“Over the past three or four years, other than domestic games where you’re still that international, you need to stand up, I probably haven’t played in any games where I can just go out and bat and work on a few different things.”Capsey played just one match for Delhi Capitals during this year’s WPL but said training with the franchise in Indian conditions “was a really great experience” and she saw the benefits of facing bowlers in the nets for hours on end there when she returned for the start of the domestic season.By that time, Charlotte Edwards had replaced Jon Lewis as England Women’s head coach and mandated that all centrally contracted players be available for the first seven rounds of the one-day cup. Capsey scored 317 runs across seven innings at 45.28 with a highest score of 125 and two fifties.During Edwards’ first international series in charge, England swept both white-ball legs of West Indies’ visit but they have been comprehensively outplayed by India in three of their four T20Is so far with one to play before a three-match ODI series.Capsey was only required to bat once in the T20s against West Indies (she scored 4). She scored 60 runs and took four wickets across the three ODIs, where the first two matches were dominated by England’s openers, Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones.Against India, she is averaging 7.50 from four innings with a highest sore of 18 batting at No. 3 having played at No. 6 in the first two games.”Deep down I know how much I’ve still got to learn, I’m nowhere near where I want to be,” Capsey said. “I want to be the best batter in the world, no doubt about it. Every player who plays international cricket will want to strive to be the best.Alice Capsey scored 317 runs from seven innings in the One-day Cup•Getty Images for Surrey CCC”If you don’t have a goal to strive for, it makes putting in the work a little bit harder. Whether it’s realistic or unrealistic, at this point it probably doesn’t really matter because if you’re striving to get better, more often than not, you’re going to get better.”With the 50-over World Cup in India just two-and-a-half months away, England have plenty of work to do. The fielding woes which let them down when West Indies knocked them out in the group stage of the T20 World Cup appeared to be improving earlier in the summer but have let them down again against India.They have one match to put that right, on Saturday at Edgbaston with India having already clinched the series, before starting afresh in the ODIs, where captain Nat Sciver-Brunt is expected to return from injury.”Our fielding has been a big talking point and we haven’t been good enough over the last 12 months and we haven’t been good enough again this series,” Capsey said. “But we are working so hard on it and no one means to drop a catch, no one means to miss a run out.”There’s no hiding away from the fact that it’s been a really tough 12 months for us and our fielding hasn’t been up to standard. We all know that. Stats don’t lie. We’ve dropped a lot of catches in really pivotal points in important games.”England are still learning how to perform on the biggest stages, but Capsey has no qualms about having grown up in the spotlight.”That’s just what I’ve known,” she said. “It’s not like I can compare. It is difficult at some points. Every time you go onto the cricket pitch, for the last three or four years, there’s always been eyes on. But at the same time, that’s an amazing place to be.””For me, it is about, being a young player, how do I manage myself through that? And how do I continue to improve? How do I continue to manage that noise? That’s half of the battle with not just being an international cricketer, but you speak to any international athlete, I think that is half the battle. It’s something that I’m learning.”If the spotlight isn’t already burning brightly on England, it will amp up in October when they face South Africa in their World Cup opener and, come this time next year at a home T20 World Cup, it will be positively blazing. They’d best get used to the heat now, and play like they don’t know any different.
Real Madrid's iconic Bernabeu stadium is gearing up to host its first-ever NFL match as Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders are set to lock horns in the Spanish capital on Sunday. The event marks a major step in the NFL's expansion into Europe as the Bernabeu follows in the footsteps of Wembley Stadium, which first held an NFL encounter in 2007.
Real Madrid set to host NFL game after €1.6b makeover
The Bernabeu underwent a major transformation earlier this decade as the club spent a whopping €1.6 billion (£1.4b/$1.8b) to add new features to the venue, including a retractable roof, retractable pitch and lots of new commercial space, as well as VIP and hospitality facilities. Ahead of the NFL clash between Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders, Madrid shared a glimpse of the transformation.
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Why is Real Madrid hosting NFL match?
Following the massive spending to upgrade the venue, Madrid now plans to maximise their revenue from the new facilities. The club get paid for renting their stadium to the NFL, while they also get a small share of the ticket sales.
From the NFL's point of view, this is another step to increase the game's popularity internationally. This is the final NFL game that will be hosted outside the United States of America. Earlier NFL had hosted matches in Sao Paulo, Dublin, London (which hosted three games) and Berlin.
For the Dolphins, Miami has 66 percent Spanish-speaking residents and thus, culturally, it made sense to play a match at the Spanish capital. Dolphins' vice president of international development, Felipe Formiga told : "A fantastic opportunity to grow the sport and do so in a city that has so many similarities to Miami."
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NFL game sparked tensions between Real Madrid and Atletico
While Los Blancos hoped that the entire event would revolve around Bernabeu and the club, their city rivals, Atletico Madrid, silently struck a deal with the Dolphins to host them at their Metropolitano Stadium throughout the week, building up to the game. The NFL side reached Atletico's set-up earlier this week and then trained at their facilities, taking advantage of the international break. Several representatives of Atletico, including manager Diego Simeone, went to meet the Dolphins squad and the Argentine manager even gifted a jersey to the NFL coach.
Madrid chief Florentino Perez's camp made every effort to block the arrangement, but he strong relationship between Atletico and the Dolphins prevailed.
Dasun Shanaka will be leading Sri Lanka in the tri-series after Charith Asalanka had to be withdrawn due to illness
Andrew Fidel Fernando17-Nov-2025Big picture: Teams tuning up ahead of World CupTwo-and-a-half months out from the Men’s T20 World Cup, it’s time to get serious. There are squads that need finalising, strategies that need trialing, and players that need tuning into the rhythm and tempo of T20 cricket.For Pakistan, this tri-series series is a chance to build on some T20 advances this year. They have won 17 T20Is to the 12 they’ve lost in 2025. That run includes making it to the final of the Asia Cup, and beating South Africa 2-1 in their most-recent T20I series. Under the leadership of Salman Agha, the batting has had a little more purpose, even if it is the bowling that has tended to win Pakistan games.In that series against South Africa, for example, the bowlers had restricted the visitors to feeble scores twice. Still, the chases were largely smooth, and Pakistan’s two victories were comfortable. The generally-preferred strategy seems to be to put the opposition in, and try to blow them away cheaply.Related
SL call up Vijayakanth Viyaskanth as cover for injured Hasaranga
Injured Muzarabani out of tri-series, Nyamhuri named replacement
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have not been having an especially good time in this format either. Longstanding firepower issues in the batting order persist, although this is less apparent when Pathum Nissanka fires at the top of the order. They are also trying to figure out their combinations – frequently seeming either a bowler or batter short against top opposition.Ahead of a home World Cup, Sri Lanka are desperate to find a working formula. Dasun Shanaka being named acting captain of the side after Charith Asalanka was withdrawn due to illness suggests the selectors want him locked in, in the lower order, at least until the end of the World Cup. And Wanindu Hasaranga’s decent batting form will also help add some depth, provided Hasaranga recovers for the tri-series. Sri Lanka have drafted in legspinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth as cover on the eve of the tournament, but hope Hasaranga recovers to feature in the competition.Zimbabwe haven’t had quite so hot a year. But at least, unlike for the 2024 World Cup, they have bossed the Africa qualifier, and earned themselves a spot in the big show. And it was in that qualifier – played entirely in Harare – that they made their most impressive run of 2025, picking up five successive victories, including in the final against Namibia, who have also qualified for the World Cup.Zimbabwe recently beat Sri Lanka in a T20I•Zimbabwe CricketPakistan and Sri Lanka will likely pose a much sterner challenge than the lower-ranked teams Zimbabwe played in Harare, though, and they are just coming off a 3-0 loss to Afghanistan. They have, however, also beaten Sri Lanka in a T20I recently; Sri Lanka lost the second T20I in a three-match series in Zimbabwe in September.Although the tri-series between Pakistan, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka was originally scheduled to move to Lahore after two matches in Rawalpindi, security concerns following last week’s bombing in Islamabad has prompted a change. The tournament will be played entirely in Rawalpindi now.Form guidePakistan: WWLLW Sri Lanka: LLLWW Zimbabwe: LLLWWIn the spotlight: Babar, Nissanka, and BennettIs Babar Azam back? There have been recent signs he is returning to a fuller version of himself, particularly when, on Friday, he struck his first international ton since 2023 even if that was in ODIs. Having been dropped from the T20I side for most of this year, Babar also struck a match-winning 68 off 47 balls against South Africa in Lahore less than three weeks ago. If he can have a successful tri-series, Pakistan will feel a much more menacing unit.Pathum Nissanka got a T20I hundred against India in September•AFP/Getty ImagesSri Lanka may already be over-reliant on Pathum Nissanka, their most improved white-ball batter of the past three years, and owner of a T20I hundred (against India no less), in September. His first week in Pakistan could have gone better. Nissanka got three starts in the ODIs, but could not even breach 30. On what are expected to be flatter tracks in Rawalpindi, he will likely come good at some point. Sri Lanka’s batting feels like a transformed unit on the days in which Nissanka scores heavily.Zimabwe’s run through the T20 World Cup qualifier had partly been fuelled by the form of their opening batters, and Brian Bennett in particular. Bennett crashed 314 runs at a strike rate of 181.50, making three fifties and a hundred in the space of five innings. At age 22, he has never played in Pakistan, but perhaps the greater challenge will be to counter attacks which will now, given his recent success, have spent much more time analysing his game, and devising plans against him.Pitch and conditionsAs we’re heading into winter, expect cold nights in Rawalpindi, where evening temperatures are forecast to drop into the low teens at times. This generally means fielding errors. The surface is expected to be batting friendly, though there is frequently something for the seamers there.SquadsPakistan made a late change to their squad, releasing Hasan Nawaz and bringing Fakhar Zaman, who was in excellent ODI form, in.Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (capt), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wk), Usman TariqFakhar Zaman replaced Hasan Nawaz in Pakistan’s squad•AFP/Getty ImagesWith Hasaranga’s hamstring tightness a concern, after he sustained a minor hamstring strain in the second ODI against Pakistan, Viyaskanth could get a look-in. Captain Charith Asalanka and Asitha Fernando are returning home due to illness. Top-order batter Pavan Rathnayake has now been brought into the T20I squad. Rathnayake made his international debut in the third ODI of the Pakistan tour.Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (capt.), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Kamil Mishara, Dasun Shanaka (vice-capt), Kamindu Mendis, Pavan Rathnayake, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranaga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Eshan MalingaZimbabwe’s one change to the squad that played Afghanistan at home is to add a seamer. The is helpfully named Newman Nyamhuri, who’s a 19-year-old left-arm quick. He’s yet to play an international, and is in the squad because one of their senior bowlers, Blessing Muzarabani, is ruled out with a back injury.Zimbabwe: Sikandar Raza (capt), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Graeme Cremer, Bradley Evans, Clive Madande, Tinotenda Maposa, Wellington Masakadza, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri, Brendan TaylorSince October 2022, Zimbabwe and Pakistan have won two games apiece against each other•ICC via Getty ImagesStats and trivia Zimbabwe have played five T20Is in Pakistan – most recently in 2020 – and have lost all five. Zimbabwe have a decent recent record against Pakistan, however. Since October 2022, these teams have faced each other four times and won two apiece. Although he has been playing T20Is only since 2021, Nissanka is Sri Lanka’s second-highest run-scorer in the format, with 2211 runs from 73 innings. Kusal Perera, who sits at the top, and is part of Sri Lanka’s squad for this tri-series, is only 65 runs ahead of Nissanka.
Pela segunda rodada consecutiva, a Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF) deve adiar as partidas de Grêmio, Internacional e Juventude no Brasileirão. A medida ocorre pela situação emergencial em diversas cidades no Rio Grande do Sul, que estão sofrendo com inundações e deslizamentos pelos temporais no estado. A informação foi divulgada pela ESPN.
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O Grêmio jogaria contra o Atlético-MG, no Mineirão, pela 6ª rodada do Brasileirão, no sábado (11). Já Internacional e Juventude se enfrentariam na segunda-feira (11), no Beira-Rio. A decisão ainda não foi oficializada pela CBF. Por ora, o órgão não cogita paralisar o Brasileirão pela situação no Rio Grande do Sul.
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Nesta segunda-feira (6), o Aeroporto Internacional Salgado Filho, em Porto Alegre, suspendeu suas operações até o final de maio, devido às chuvas e alagamentos no Rio Grande do Sul. Pela situação no estado, Grêmio, Internacional e Juventude estão impossibilitados de utilizarem seus respectivos centros de treinamento, e o trio está com um jogo atrasado no Brasileirão.
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As partidas do Colorado e do Imortal, válidas pela Sul-Americana e Libertadores, respectivamente, foram adiadas pela Conmebol.
➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários de todos os jogos da Libertadores
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe will be chewing on his pencil over the November international break as he works toward solutions that are so badly needed.
Fortunes have gone somewhat askew at St. James’ Park this season, with the club’s away form laying waste to Howe’s hopes of progress after a testing summer transfer window.
But it may be that the ramifications of that Alexander Isak-dominated summer are still being felt. However, tactically, things aren’t right, and the wider struggle of the summer market has led to the current issues which must be overcome if the Magpies hope to make it another positive campaign.
Where PIF have gone wrong in the transfer window
Newcastle have fallen by the wayside, but it’s hardly too late for them to pick themselves back up. But there’s no question that PIF have to learn from their recent transfer struggles, with those brilliant windows of Howe’s early reign something of a distant memory.
In 2024, Newcastle failed to sign a right-sided forward, a glaring gap in the squad. That has now been amended through the £55m addition of Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest, but Elanga has blanked across 16 matches for the club, and with concerns over his form, questions must be raised over the extensive scouting that led to his signature being obtained.
Interestingly, Nick Woltemade’s fine form at centre-forward has eased the Isak blow, and before the season, that would have been viewed as the biggest issue. Newcastle’s attacking problems stretch more toward the creative side, with Anthony Gordon joining Elanga in having failed to register a goal contribution in the Premier League this season.
For a team whose 97 big chances created were bettered only by Liverpool in 2023/24, this is a real concern. This year, United have only created 14 from 11 matches, placing them 12th for that statistic. Gordon and Elanga must be doing a lot more, with the recruitment having felt they had hit the jackpot when shaping this wide duo.
While Newcastle have added exciting talents to their ranks this summer, Malick Thiaw and Jacob Ramsey among those with plenty of scope for growth, this is frankly an ageing squad and one whose freshen-up needs to go a lot further.
Tactical issues this season have been suggestive of this, and considering the company Newcastle are keeping in regard to the average age of their starting 11, it wouldn’t be unfair to suggest that younger profiles are needed for balance and continuity.
Everton
13th
28.0
Aston Villa
6th
27.9
Newcastle
14th
27.6
Fulham
15th
27.6
Burnley
17th
27.1
The need for depth and quality on the defensive flanks is alarming. Kieran Trippier at right-back is 35 years old and out of contract at the end of the season, and Tino Livramento has been unfit at times and deployed as a makeshift left-back at others.
This is largely because of Lewis Hall’s own unavailability this season. But with the 22-year-old drawing strength and fitness once again, we are turned toward the situation of one of Howe’s mainstays.
The Newcastle star now on borrowed time
Newcastle comprise players of myriads shapes and sizes and skills. Some are renowned as being among the best in the world, but some are of a shrewder nature, like Dan Burn, who returned home from Brighton for around £12m at the start of the manager’s reign and has since become one of his mainstays.
After all, it is only the skipper, Bruno Guimaraes, who has featured more prominently for Howe’s Newcastle than him.
1
Bruno Guimaraes
170
2
Dan Burn
165
3
Fabian Schar
163
4
Jacob Murphy
150
5
Joelinton
145
The 32-year-old has done more than endear himself to the Toon fanbase since arriving, but he’s getting on a bit and has been guilty of some suspect performances at left-back this season.
Naturally a central defender, Burn ranks against Premier League full-backs this term among the bottom 6% for shot-creating actions, the bottom 29% for progressive passes and the bottom 4% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.
In the first five matches of the season, he was in the centre. Six appearances since have seen the England international deployed as a left-back, and this is inhibiting Newcastle’s flow and overarching connectivity.
Quite simply, Burn is not a natural left-back, even though he has played ample football in the moonlit role. He is a centre-back. 6 foot 6 and cool and composed.
Hall is far more dynamic and energetic in his role, and this will not only widen and add a dimension to Newcastle’s backline, but it could revive the likes of Gordon up ahead.
The boy from Blyth has been a revelation at Newcastle, and, pound for pound, “one of Newcastle’s best signings” since Howe arrived, as has been said by reporter Andy Sixsmith. A small fee and an immortalising contribution at Wembley last season have made sure of that.
But Howe will be putting a spoke in his own wheel if he continues to persist with Burn on the flank, limiting his side’s progression and mobility and dynamism at the back.
With this in mind, the modern legend might find himself slipping into his obscurity over the coming months, and perhaps that will lead to a departure to make way for this new chapter on Tyneside.
Newcastle must regret signing £100k-per-week flop who's cost £3.2m per game
Newcastle United must already rue signing this expensive flop, who is draining them dry.