Category Uncategorized

Manchester United are in the market for reinforcements, and INEOS may now use their negotiation powers to bring a talented midfielder through the door at Old Trafford.

Ruben Amorim will be the first to acknowledge that his side are a work in progress at this moment in time. However, they are now five matches unbeaten in the Premier League after their draw at Tottenham Hotspur yesterday.

From the jaws of defeat, Matthijs De Ligt secured a deserved point for Manchester United in injury time to cap off an enthralling encounter. However, the Red Devils’ Portuguese boss did confirm that Benjamin Sesko could be absent for a period after being hauled off due to an injury.

He stated post-match: “It’s the knee, and we never know. Right now, I’m not thinking about form or selection. I’m more concerned about the injury because it’s in the knee, and I don’t know how serious it is.”

Either way, a minor blot on a credible day at the office won’t distract Manchester United fans from the fact that their side appear to be headed in the right direction, finally, something that is bound to appeal when aiming to secure signings in January.

Looking towards the future, Hertha Berlin youngster Kennet Eichhorn is someone the Red Devils are keen to land, potentially filling a hole in the engine room long-term if they can see off Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona to land his signature.

La Liga is also a market Manchester United are looking to exploit by signing Barcelona winger Raphinha if they secure Champions League qualification.

Nevertheless, he could cost over £100 million. In contrast, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have eyes on a target based in Spain that could arrive in a financially advantageous deal.

Man Utd could land Valencia star Javi Guerra in cheap deal

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United could land Valencia star Javi Guerra for £21.9 million if they can see off competition from both Atletico Madrid and AC Milan for his signature.

The Spain Under-21 international has a release clause valued at £87.8 million, creating a scenario where he could end up at Old Trafford for up to £65 million less than his asking price.

Five similar players to Javi Guerra (FBRef)

Hicham Boudaoui

Nice

Sergi Darder

Mallorca

Oscar Mingueza

Celta Vigo

Sandi Lovric

Udinese

Luis Rioja

Valencia

Starting the campaign off, he has registered two assists in 12 appearances across all competitions for Valencia. However, they view a cut-price sale as an ideal solution for all parties due to what they believe is a drop in form from Guerra over recent months.

No longer guaranteed a starting spot, Carlos Corberan could offload the Valencia-born man, and the January window is set to become a defining point when determining his future.

Man Utd could also sign a proven striker for a bargain figure

It is an open secret that Manchester United want new midfielders, especially with Casemiro coming towards the end of his career, and Guerra could be a cost-effective solution for Amorim should he enter the market in mid-season.

Sheffield Wednesday’s joint administrator has confirmed there are “already four or five interested parties that look like the real deal” as the club head toward new ownership.

The Owls, bottom of the Sky Bet Championship, went into administration on Friday and have been handed a 12-point deduction by the English Football League.

The EFL is also currently investigating further breaches of its financial regulations and has not ruled out another points deduction this season, the PA news agency understands.

Sheffield Wednesday administrator reveals buyers and criteria

Kris Wigfield, joint administrator with insolvency firm Begbies Traynor, told BBC Five Live’s Wake Up to Money programme that new owners could be in place by the end of the year.

Wigfield said: “As always, you get a lot of interested parties that probably aren’t going to meet the criteria, but within the numerous inquiries we’ve had, we certainly think that there are already four or five interested parties that look like the real deal.

“There are two criteria that new owners basically need to satisfy to then open dialogue and there to be an opportunity where they can make an offer.

“The first thing is they need to show the administrators that they could make the football club viable. So they’ve got to show that they’ve got sufficient funds to be able to fund it for the next few years.

“And secondly, we have to be satisfied that they will pass the EFL fit and proper persons test, and if they can satisfy both of those, then we’ll start talking to them seriously.”

Wigfield, a Wednesday season ticket holder since 1984, said that under EFL rules the club have to stay on the market for 28 days, adding: “I’m hopeful that by the end of November, if things go well, we might know who’s going to buy the football club.”

Wednesday’s financial problems under former owner Dejphon Chansiri, who bought the club in 2015, reached crisis point in the summer and they were placed under various embargoes amid tax debts and failing to pay players and staff on time.

The club were bottom of the Sky Bet Championship even before going into administration, with just one league win this season, and are now on minus six points, 16 from safety.

A tough battle to avoid relegation now appears to be nigh on impossible but it is understood the EFL does not think a possible further points sanction would deter potential new owners as it would also be applied this season.

PA also understands that the government’s new Independent Football Regulator, due to formally take office this autumn, is shadowing the EFL throughout Wednesday’s administration process.

حدد اتحاد الكرة، مواعيد المباريات المؤجلة من دور الـ 32 من بطولة كأس مصر الموسم الجاري 2025-2026.

وشهدت المباريات تحديد موعد مباراة الزمالك، حامل اللقب أمام بلدية المحلة ضمن منافسات دور الـ32 حيث أوقعتهما القرعة.

طالع.. أحمد عبد الرؤوف: واجهنا كهرباء الإسماعيلية في ظروف صعبة.. وهذه حقيقة أزمة بيزيرا

وكان الزمالك، قد توج بالنسخة الماضية من بطولة كأس مصر بعد الفوز على بيراميدز في المباراة النهائية بركلات الترجيح.

وأخطر الاتحاد، الأندية المشاركة في المباريات المؤجلة من دور الـ32 والفرق المتأهلة إلى دور الستة عشر بالمواعيد المقررة. موعد مباراة الزمالك وبلدية المحلة في كأس مصر

ويلتقي الزمالك مع بلدية المحلة في دور الـ32 من بطولة كأس مصر السبت 27 ديسمبر  الساعة 2 والنصف ظهرًا بتوقيت القاهرة.

England have not savoured World Cup glory since 1966, but Wes Brown has exclusively told GOAL – ahead of the group stage draw for the 2026 event – that “nobody will want to play” the Three Lions when chasing down a global crown. Thomas Tuchel’s side will head to the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer sat among the favourites to go all the way.

Faultless Three Lions: England qualified in style

They made serene progress through qualification, with maximum points being taken from eight fixtures. England scored 22 goals across those outings, while conceding none. A winning formula has clearly been found, with the promise of more to come.

Tuchel has made it clear that he will not be bowing to pressure when it comes to big selection calls, with the former Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain boss prepared to make unpopular decisions if required.

He has enough talent at his disposal to suggest that whoever earns seats on the plane, they will be there or thereabouts when the most prestigious of prizes is handed out. The Three Lions have made back-to-back European Championship finals – coming unstuck against Italy and Spain – while reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup.

AdvertisementFear factor: England should have rivals running scared

Sir Gareth Southgate oversaw an era of near misses, with thenhot seat now being filled by no-nonsense German tactician Tuchel. He has won Ligue 1, the Champions League and Club World Cup as a coach.

With the likes of Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Marcus Rashford raring to go, there is every reason to believe that Tuchel can be the man to bring 60 years of hurt to a close.

Quizzed on whether England should fear nobody, ex-Three Lions defender Brown – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “I think we are one of the teams to fear. The only thing I would say is, we have been so close now that it’s like, we know we can but we just get to that end bit… Regardless of how we get there, we know we can. People say ‘look who we played’ or ‘these are much better’, but that’s not the point because we still got there, getting the wins in.

“You look at the quality of the squad, it doesn’t matter about age now, these are established players that have no fear. They know what they need to do, they know what the set-up is. We know we can do it because we have been there before, we have nearly done it, it’s just that extra step. Regardless of the manager changing, I still feel like there is that bond in the squad which is excellent. You can see a nice buzz going around.

“The variation of different personnel is up there. You might need somebody to come on and change something in a certain way. Have we got that? I think we have. Take all that away, I think the experience they have as a group, the majority of them, they will understand that they can do it. It just takes that little bit more when we get to that next stage, when you get to the point where ‘this is it’. Can we? A lot of the players have done that, experienced it, and now you have got to believe and stay together and try to get it done. It’s going to be hard again – look at all the teams and the quality in there – but believe me, nobody will want to play England.”

Getty Images

Underdogs tag: Tuchel tries to calm expectations

Tuchel has been doing his best to calm expectations, saying of England’s current standing: “We will arrive as underdogs in the World Cup because we haven't won it for decades, and we will play against teams who have repeatedly won it during that time, so we need to arrive as a team otherwise we have no chance.

“If you've never won Wimbledon, you may be one of the favourites but you are not the favourite. You can go and if you come close, OK, you are within the pool, but you are not the favourite. It is just how it is. There is Brazil, there is Argentina, Spain, France and they just did it recently. It doesn't mean we have no chance and we know very well.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWorld Cup draw: When & where does it take place?

England, along with their fellow World Cup hopefuls, will discover who they are set to face in the group stage when the draw for that part of the competition is made on December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.

Como manager and ex-Arsenal star Cesc Fàbregas has now heaped praise on Mikel Arteta following a key Gunners tactical tweak.

The Premier League frontrunners take on Sunderland at the Stadium of Light later today, pitting Arteta’s side against the surprise package of the season.

Arsenal arrive on Wearside in utterly imperious form. The north Londoners have won their last 10 matches across all competitions, with eight consecutive victories without conceding a single goal.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

They’re aiming to win five successive Premier League games without conceding for the first time since 1987, while their run of eight clean sheets in all competitions matches a club record set way back in 1903.

It’s been nearly 13 hours of football since anyone has scored against them, which is quite simply unbelievable, and they of course boast the best defensive record in Europe’s top five leagues as a result.

That being said, Regis Le Bris’ side pose a tough challenge. Sunderland enter this game having defied all pre-season expectations spectacularly. They’ve accumulated 18 points from their opening 10 fixtures – the most any promoted side has managed at this stage since Hull City’s 20 points in 2008-09.

Their remarkable home form has been key, remaining unbeaten at the Stadium of Light this campaign.

Arsenal are still favourites to win this one, though, following their imperious start to the season — which is made all the more impressive by their mountain of attacking injuries.

Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke and captain Martin Odegaard are all unavailable with knee or muscular problems — even if Jesus returned to training this week — Meanwhile, striker Viktor Gyokeres has been ruled out with a potential hamstring injury until after the international break.

This leaves Arteta pretty short of forward options, with Mikel Merino likely to continue in an emergency striker role.

Merino’s second-half brace secured a 3-0 Champions League victory over Slavia Prague in midweek, adding to his very impressive tally of 11 goals in all competitions for Arsenal this calendar year.

The midfielder has been nothing short of inspirational when called upon to play an unfamiliar role by Arteta, and Fabregas is certainly impressed by the former Real Sociedad star.

Fabregas praises "great move" by Arteta to play Merino as Arsenal striker

Speaking in an interview with Calciomercato this week, Fabregas stated it was a “great move” by Arteta to play Merino as a striker once again in the absence of Gyokeres — claiming he’s done very well in the role.

Merino had never played striker before featuring there for the first time against Leicester City back in February, where he scored both goals in Arsenal’s 2-0 victory after replacing the injured Kai Havertz.

Since then, he’s excelled in the position.

The midfielder has netted an astonishing 19 goals for club and country combined in 2025, including his midweek brace against Slavia Prague that also took his Arsenal tally to three headed goals this season. His 6 foot 2 frame makes him a major aerial threat inside the area, while on the deck he’s incredibly strong, using his muscular frame to dominate physical 50-50s.

Teams to play three T20Is and three ODIs, starting four days after the Asia Cup final

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Aug-2025Afghanistan will host Bangladesh for six white-ball matches in the UAE in October, shortly after the conclusion of the Asia Cup on September 28.The T20Is are on October 2, 3 and 5 in Sharjah while the ODIs are on October 8, 11 and 14 in Abu Dhabi.ESPNcricinfo understands the Bangladesh squad could stay back in the UAE after the Asia Cup to play the bilateral series. Both teams are part of Group B in the Asia Cup, along with Sri Lanka and Hong Kong, and play each other on September 16 in Abu Dhabi. Only the top two teams from each group will progress to the Super Fours stage of the tournament. India, Oman, Pakistan and UAE are in Group A.The Afghanistan-Bangladesh bilateral series is the second part of what was supposed to be an all-format tour in July 2024, comprising two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is. The schedule was revised to include only white-ball matches while that series, due to be played in Greater Noida in India, was postponed due to weather conditions and Bangladesh’s packed schedule.The two teams have a rivalry brewing. Bangladesh and Afghanistan have played four bilateral ODI series, with the head-to-head record level at 2-2. Bangladesh won in 2016 and 2022, while Afghanistan won the two most recent series in 2023 and 2024. It’s level in bilateral T20I series too, with Afghanistan winning in 2018, Bangladesh in 2023, and a tied series in 2022.

From Centurion to Rawalpindi, the story remains the same — South Africa’s lower-order batters thrive while Pakistan’s strategy withers in the heat

Danyal Rasool22-Oct-2025″Shaheen bhai,” Shan Masood, Pakistan’s Test captain, hollered out from short midwicket to Shaheen Shah Afridi, Pakistan’s newly appointed ODI captain, stationed at long-on. He motioned for him to come up, challenging the newly arrived Kagiso Rabada, to take Sajid Khan on. The offspinner tossed it up to Rabada, who sat himself down on one knee, smiting it over Shaheen’s head over mid-on, flying well over the vacant long-on position Shaheen had been summoned up from. It was a microcosm of a madcap two hours in which South Africa’s tail toyed with Pakistan’s bowlers, laying any fielding plans – pedestrian as they increasingly began to look – to waste.Masood must be sick of the sight of South Africa’s lower order, and it’s something that clearly occupies space in his head. Moments after wrapping up a comfortable win in Lahore last week, he spoke to the press, having memorised to the run the difference between Pakistan and South Africa’s contributions from lower down. Pakistan, he said, had lost 11-33 across their two innings, referencing their batting collapses, while South Africa had found ways of adding 8-79. It is in keeping with recent trends; South Africa have the highest average contribution for their last four since the start of that Test, numbers 8-11 averaging over 28.Related

• Stats – First-class Harmer enters elite wicket-takers' club

• Babar selected for SA white-ball series and tri-series against SL, Zimbabwe

• Ball not dead, bails knocked off – Why was Mohammad Rizwan not out hit-wicket?

• Noman Ali goes second in ICC Test rankings with Lahore ten-for

• Muthusamy and Rabada's feisty stand flips the script on Pakistan

But while it was natural natural to reference where improvements needed to be made, that level of detail showed how much it worried Masood.

****

It felt that any such concern might be overblown this morning. Pakistan had laid their trap and set the template, one they followed to a tee in the first session, scything through South Africa after breaking the one stand that showed resistance overnight. Wickets may have all come to the old ball, with Shaheen, who Pakistan rate as their best exponent of reverse, among their ranks, but it was fine. Noman Ali, at 39 suddenly upstaged by the comparatively sprightly 38-year-old Asif Afridi, got rid of Marco Jansen anyway. Senuran Muthuswamy had just played a similar reverse sweep that went for four, but surely it could only mean his wicket was imminent.But Pakistan, and Masood in particular, know exactly the dangers that lie with this South African side. It’s the late October warmth of the dying days of summer in Rawalpindi, but for the way in which the afternoon unfolded, we might still have been at the height of the South African summer in December last year. At Supersport Park in the first Test last year, Pakistan had strung together an excellent morning session to rattle through South Africa’s middle. On that day, it was debutant Corbin Bosch alongside Rabada, and later Dane Paterson, who added 90 for the last two wickets to hand South Africa a 90-run lead.Kagiso Rabada and Senuran Muthusamy added 98 runs for the last wicket to frustrate Pakistan•AFP/Getty ImagesWhen Pakistan had South Africa eight down once more in the fourth innings, with South Africa still well adrift, the ever-present Rabada teamed up with Marco Jansen to breeze through an unbeaten 51-run partnership that sealed the win, as well as a berth in the World Test Championship final. Sound familiar?Yet, armed with that knowledge, Pakistan appeared to be spectators to their own disembowelment. Once Keshav Maharaj and Muthuswamy began to counterattack, Pakistan’s initial reaction was somewhat muted, as if South Africa might be throwing a temporary tantrum they would quell by default. Rizwan missed a fairly straightforward stumping and Asif missed a return catch, and all the while, the runs came thick and fast.Rizwan had the chance to make amends, knocking off the bails when Maharaj ventured out after lunch, but by now, South Africa had crossed 300, having bitten all but 27 out of Pakistan’s first innings. It was then that Pakistan appeared to have settled on Rabada as the weak link, bringing up the field for him, hoping to deprive Muthuswamy, by now past his half-century, of the strike. Until that Rabada six.It’s hard to say whether the next hour is best viewed in slow motion or on a time lapse camera. The field shifted in and out as the umpires meandered between ends. At one point, the only fielders not on the boundary to either batter were a solitary slip and one fielder either square either side. There was, even when the odd fielder came up, plenty of space for South Africa to rotate the strike, and yet, even with the field pushed back, little to hold them back from finding gaps or clearing the fence.That grand overview may be appropriately damning for an effectively passive Pakistan, but it didn’t do justice to the workshop Rabada was putting on. For all the easy grace his bowling has become associated with, it is perhaps with the blade that his glorious elegance is on full display. The gap between his Test average of 11 and the silkiness of his strokeplay is the strongest rebuttal to analysing games by numbers alone. At one point, he planted his back foot and lifted a Shaheen delivery off the bottom half of his bat straight over his head into the sightscreen. Slighted, Shaheen went inswinging yorker next, which Rabada carved through the covers with the flourish of a painter signing off his masterpiece. No camera is slow enough to appreciate that majesty.Muthuswamy, well set by then, had the best view of it from the other end. “He’s such a naturally free-flowing batter. KG was exemplary. It was an innings of the highest standard. The ball striking in those conditions was superb. I ended up playing a bit of a supporting role as the innings went on because he was just seeing it so nicely and hitting it so clean. It was a fantastic partnership and yeah, one that we’ll remember and hopefully can put us into a really strong position tomorrow to win the game.”Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam took Pakistan to stumps•Getty ImagesFor Pakistan, though, that Centurion Test offers an uncomfortable bookend to this one. Masood has consistently bemoaned lost opportunities from promising situations, with that Test a constant example to denote an experience his side has learned from. Yet today, when the momentum began to turn in those final two partnerships, the strategic stagnation from Pakistan was palpable; the only dismissal they sought was one which came off an error from a South African bat.Asif, Pakistan’s best bowler in the morning, unwittingly lay bare the tactics forlornness behind Pakistan’s approach that afternoon. Ever since the ninth wicket fell, he had not been called on to bowl for another 15 overs, by which time the partnership had added 86 more runs.”They were left-handed batters and I am a left-arm spinner, too,” Asif said. “So Shan said let’s go with offspin and it might give us a chance. They were playing in a way that it was probably easier for them to hit left-arm spin.”Three overs into Asif’s spell, Rabada finally slogged one to long-on, which had not come up against him since that six off his innings’ fifth ball. By then, his runs tally numbered 71, also exactly the amount South Africa led by. It had come 169 runs after Pakistan had left South Africa in the dust, eight wickets down and nearly 100 runs adrift. It is just 103 fewer than Pakistan’s numbers 8 to 11 have scored in six Tests since the start of that Centurion Test; they place rock bottom on that table, averaging 8.77, the only team with a single-digit average for their final four.Those runs had seemed to melt into South Africa’s total so easily, but 37 balls later, Pakistan found themselves three wickets down, the irrepressible Rabada and Harmer doing the damage. As the runs curdled, it was increasingly obvious scoring was never as easy as Rabada and Muthuswamy had made it look, and, indeed, been allowed to make it look.

Tottenham Hotspur were hammered 4-1 by their arch-rivals in the North London derby on Sunday in the Premier League, as they were beaten 4-1 by Arsenal at The Emirates.

Thomas Frank started with a back five and two holding midfielders in an attempt to shut the Gunners out, yet it was still far too easy for the hosts to slice through their defence.

Whilst their overly-cautious approach did not prevent Arsenal from creating chances, it did prevent Spurs from creating chances. They only had three shots in 90 minutes, and one of them was Richarlison’s long-range goal from around 45 yards out.

Creating chances and playing forward-thinking football has been a problem for the Lilywhites in the Premier League since Frank came through the door from Brentford in the summer, as shown in the statistics below.

xG

11.0

17th

Non-penalty xG

11.0

16th

Progressive passes

413

12th

Shots

110

19th

Shots on target

40

15th

Average shot distance

15.6 yards

17th

The defeat to Arsenal will be even harder to take because Tottenham were chasing a deal to sign Eberechi Eze in the summer before the Gunners swooped in and hijacked the move, and he was the star of the show on Sunday.

Meanwhile, it has been a struggle for a few of the players whom the Lilywhites were able to get in the building in an attempt to bolster Frank’s squad in the summer transfer window.

Ranking Tottenham's summer signings for Thomas Frank

Looking at the positive additions first, it is hard to look past Bayern Munich loanee Joao Palhinha as the best signing of the summer, as the Portugal international has delivered four goals and three assists whilst also averaging 5.6 tackles and interceptions per game, per Sofascore.

Mohammed Kudus, who was signed from West Ham for £55m, is deserving of second-place after a return of one goal and four assists in 11 Premier League appearances so far this season.

As you can see in the table below, Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso then rank in the middle of the pack, which is because they were brought in as squad additions and have filled that role without any major issues so far this term.

1

Joao Palhinha

2

Mohammed Kudus

3

Luka Vuskovic

4

Mathys Tel

5

Kevin Danso

6

Koto Takai

7

Randal Kolo Muani

8

Xavi Simons

Koto Takai has yet to play a game for Spurs, due to injury, since his move in the summer, which makes it hard to rank him any higher or lower, whilst Kolo Muani is in seventh place with no goals and one assist in nine appearances for the club, per Sofascore.

Ranking in last place, then, is £52m summer signing Xavi Simons. He arrived at Spurs after a return of 21 goals and 21 assists in the last two seasons with RB Leipzig in Germany, yet has failed to live up to the hype that his form in the Bundesliga created.

The Dutchman was brought in as Tottenham’s alternative to Eze, after they failed to sign the England international, and has only managed two assists and no goals in 15 appearances for the club.

Meanwhile, the former Crystal Palace attacking midfielder has delivered five goals and three assists in 16 outings for Arsenal, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has been far more influential for his side than Xavi has.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Spurs, though, may already be brewing their own homegrown version of Eze in their academy in the form of exciting teenage attacking midfielder Luca Williams-Barnett.

Why Luca Williams-Barnett could be Tottenham's own Eberechi Eze

The 17-year-old starlet’s form for club and country suggests that he is a player to watch for the future, as the Tottenham youngster has shown incredible promise as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

He has been with England’s U17s at the U17 World Cup in recent weeks, knocked out by Austria in the quarter-finals last week, and caught the eye with his performances at the tournament.

Appearances

5

Sofascore rating

7.38

Goals

2

Big chances missed

0

Key passes per game

1.4

Big chances created

3

Assists

1

Dribbles completed per game

3.4

As you can see in the table above, Williams-Barnett provided regular quality as a goalscorer, a creator, and a dribbler across his five appearances in the competition for his country.

One of his two goals, which came against Haiti’s U17 side, was also an incredible solo goal that showcased his composure, creativity, and quality, as shown in the clip below.

On top of his impressive form for England at youth level, the 17-year-old playmaker has also proven himself to be an incredibly prolific attacker for Tottenham’s academy.

Williams-Barnett, who U23 scout Antonio Mango described as an “underrated” player, has racked up 22 goals and 13 assists in 30 games for the club’s U18 side, per Transfermarkt, to go along with seven goals and five assists in eight U21 games.

These statistics show that the attacking midfielder has delivered goals and assists on a regular basis for both club and country, which is why he could be Tottenham’s own Eberechi Eze, who has scored five goals for Arsenal and two goals for England this season.

Como scout Ben Mattinson claimed that the Spurs youngster “scores bangers” and it is hard to disagree with that assessment, particularly when you see goals such as the ones in the clip above.

Like Eze, Williams-Barnett is a number ten with incredible footwork, finishing, creativity, and dribbling skills, but it is now down to him to make the step to senior level and prove that he can deliver consistent performances in the first-team.

Fewer touches than Vicario: Frank must drop 3/10 Spurs dud after Arsenal

Thomas Frank has numerous glaring errors he needs to address at Tottenham Hotspur after the Arsenal defeat.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 24, 2025

If he can handle that step up, Frank could have his own version of Eberechi Eze and a possible upgrade on Xavi in the number ten position moving forward.

In 15 games this season, RCB have had nine different Player-of-the-Match winners. Here’s how each of them has helped the team’s cause

Shashank Kishore02-Jun-20252:24

Aaron: Different players have stepped up for RCB

Krunal PandyaBefore joining RCB, Krunal’s best haul in a season was 12 (both in 2018 and 2019). This season, he has picked up 11 alone in RCB’s flawless away run of seven wins, and 15 overall. Krunal has largely held his own against left-hand batters by making the most of his different lengths, trajectory, and a mean bouncer, the last most notably against MI, when he outsmarted Mitchell Santner and sealed victory with a triple-wicket final over in which he had to defend 18. Krunal’s first IPL fifty since 2016 came in a crucial away win against Delhi Capitals (DC).Rajat PatidarPatidar’s twin half-centuries early in his maiden season as captain powered RCB to landmark wins: their first over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Chepauk since 2008 and over MI at Wankhede since 2015. In both matches, he forced opposing captains to hold back spin. Against MI, he also targeted Hardik Pandya to avoid the pressure of having to take down Jasprit Bumrah at the death, finishing with 64 off 32 in RCB’s 221 for 5 – his season’s best yet.2:10

Cricinformed: Virat Kohli – RCB’s backbone

Virat KohliHis eight half-centuries, all in wins this season, is a record. His strike rate this season isn’t far off the 152.03 he recorded during his iconic, chart-topping 973-run campaign in 2016. Kohli has been less an anchor and more a storm at the top, in many ways a continuation of his avatar from the second half of 2024, where RCB recorded six wins on the bounce to make a dash into the playoffs. He averages an impressive 88.50 in chases this season.Tim DavidRCB’s plan for David has been clear: minimum time, maximum impact. His only fifty came in a shortened match against Punjab Kings (PBKS), where a 26-ball 50 not out helped lift RCB out of trouble. While it wasn’t enough for a win, it showcased RCB’s batting depth and made it a rare instance of the Player-of-the-Match award going to a player from a losing team. Heading into the final, only Shreyas Iyer has hit more sixes than David in the death overs this season.1:39

How Josh Hazlewood has become a death overs expert

Josh HazlewoodHis shoulder niggle had fans anxiously researching rotator cuffs, but in his first game back after over three weeks, Hazlewood dismantled PBKS in the powerplay with the key wickets of Josh Inglis and Shreyas Iyer, to set RCB on the road to the final. His mastery at the death has been just as vital, never more so than against Rajasthan Royals (RR). Tasked with defending 17 off 12, he gave away just one run and took two wickets, including that of the in-form Dhruv Jurel, who had just smashed Bhuvneshwar Kumar for 21 in the 18th over. That spell helped overturn RCB’s three-match losing streak at home.Phil SaltSalt has stepped into Faf du Plessis’ shoes seamlessly to play a high-impact role in the powerplay. His early salvo, like when he took Mitchell Starc for 24 runs in a 30-run over, has taken a lot of the pressure off Kohli. The pair is within touching distance of being the second-most prolific opening pair this season, behind B Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill. Among those playing in the final, Salt is joint-second with Priyansh Arya (14) for most sixes in the powerplay this IPL. His four half-centuries are second-most behind Kohli’s eight for RCB this season.2:04

Moody: ‘Jitesh’s innings was wow!’

Jitesh SharmaJitesh’s lone half-century of the season may have been his most important one yet – it came in a must-win game to secure a top-two finish. His unbeaten 85 off just 33 balls against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) is the third-highest IPL score from No. 6 or lower and it powered RCB to their highest successful chase. Earlier in the season, his impactful 40* off 19 against MI stood out for the assault on Bumrah and Trent Boult at the death. He also briefly stepped in as captain when Patidar was sidelined with a finger injury.Suyash SharmaAfter nearly two years playing through a hernia problem, Suyash wasn’t a starter this season as he recovered from surgery in London that was sponsored by RCB. He returned lighter, fitter, and has delivered key performances despite a modest tally of eight wickets. He turned games with spells like his six-run 18th over against CSK while defending 34 off 18, and his season-best 3 for 17 in Qualifier 1, where a flurry of wrong’uns ripped through PBKS’ lower order. His spin combine with Krunal isn’t the most formidable on paper, but they have punched above their weight this season.Romario ShepherdInitially overlooked in favour of Liam Livingstone, Shepherd seized his chance in a crucial home game against CSK. Coming in during the 18th over, he smashed 10 of his 14 balls to the boundary to record the second-fastest IPL fifty. His knock gave RCB vital momentum in a tight win that took them closer to the playoffs spot. RCB’s 54 runs – Shepherd made 53 of those – in the last two overs remain their most in the final 12 balls, with 32 of those coming in a single over off Khaleel Ahmed.

With less than two months to go before the January transfer window opens for business, there is already speculation about what Leeds United are going to do to their squad.

The Whites have picked up 11 points in 11 Premier League matches and sit one point above the relegation zone as a newly-promoted team, which is a respectable, but not ideal, position to be in.

Daniel Farke may want to bolster his squad with more quality in the offensive areas, because the team has only scored 11 goals in their 11 top-flight matches so far this season.

The lack of goals for the Championship champions has not been because of a lack of creativity, though, as they have missed too many high-quality opportunities in the final third.

Leeds United’s biggest xG underperformers
25/26 Premier League	xG	Goals	xG differential
Dominic Calvert-Lewin	2.89	1	-1.89
Jayden Bogle	0.88	0	-0.88
Brenden Aaronson	1.79	1	-0.79
Joel Piroe	0.73	0	-0.73
Pascal Struijk	0.65	0	-0.65
Dan James	0.47	0	-0.47
Jack Harrison	0.41	0	-0.41
Stats via WhoScored

As you can see in the table above, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been particularly wasteful with the chances that have been created for him in the Premier League.

Former Leeds striker Patrick Bamford signed for Sheffield United earlier this week, and the Whites need to be looking for their next version of the English forward.

Why Leeds need to find their next Patrick Bamford

The experienced marksman left Elland Road on a free transfer in the summer after he failed to score a single goal in 18 appearances in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore.

It is not last season’s Bamford that Leeds need to find a new version of, though. Instead, the 49ers need to find Farke’s own version of Bamford from the 2020/21 campaign under Marcelo Bielsa.

After Leeds were last promoted to the Premier League, in the summer of 2020, the former Chelsea and Middlesbrough attacker played a pivotal role in the club’s survival and eventual top-half finish in their first season back in the big time.

The left-footed centre-forward scored 17 goals, including a hat-trick against Aston Villa in the highlights above, and provided seven assists in 38 appearances in the division in that term.

Since that impressive season from the former England international, no Leeds player has scored more than 13 goals in a single Premier League campaign.

Leeds United’s top Premier League scorers since 20/21
Season	Top goalscorer	Goals
25/26	Noah Okafor Joe Rodon Lukas Nmecha	2
22/23	Rodrigo	13
21/22	Raphinha	11
20/21	Patrick Bamford	17
Stats via WhoScored

As you can see in the table above, the club’s top three scorers in the current term have all managed just two goals, which speaks to the lack of outstanding goalscorers within the squad.

This illustrates how badly the Whites need to find their next version of 2020/21 Bamford, due to their lack of goalscorers, and they are reportedly interested in a star who could be exactly that.

Leeds chasing move for Eredivisie star

According to LeedsUnitedNews, the Premier League new boys are eyeing up a swoop for AZ Alkmaar centre-forward Troy Parrott in the upcoming January transfer window.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The report claims that the Whites are now looking at signing the Ireland international to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch, as they chase a winter deal for the marksman.

It adds that Leeds had scouts in attendance to watch his performance for the Republic of Ireland against Portugal earlier this week, when he netted twice against Roberto Martinez’s side.

The same outlet has posted an update on Farke’s future at Elland Road, explaining that the 49ers are not ready to pull the plug on him yet, but that they could be forced to make a decision if results do not improve.

With this in mind, Leeds could save themselves from having to remove the German head coach from his role by signing Parrott to save his job in January.

Why Leeds should sign Troy Parrott

The Whites should swoop for the Irish centre-forward because his performances in the Netherlands this season suggest that he has the quality to be Bamford 2.0, which would help to push the club up the table.

Per FotMob, Leeds are 10th in the Premier League for xPTS (15) and have underperformed their xG of 13.2 by 2.2, as they have only scored 11 goals. This suggests that Farke and his coaching staff have not been rewarded for the performances that they have coached, due to poor finishing.

These statistics indicate that it is not the German boss who should be under fire for where the team are in the division, and that signing a clinical striker could change the perception of the job that he is doing in the dugout.

Parrott, as shown in the graphic above, enjoyed an incredibly prolific first season with AZ Alkmaar in the 2024/25 campaign, netting 20 goals in 47 appearances in all competitions.

The former Tottenham Hotspur youngster, once dubbed “phenomenal” by former boss Ryan Lowe, has proven that his form last term was not a flash in the pan, as he has carried his exceptional goalscoring exploits into the current season.

Troy Parrott – 25/26	Eredivisie	Conference League
Appearances	7	7
xG	5.56	N/A
Goals	6	7
Minutes per goal	87	59
Conversion rate	25%	N/A
Big chances created	2	3
Assists	0	1
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Parrott has scored 13 goals in 14 appearances in all competitions for AZ Alkmaar, on top of the two goals that he scored for Ireland against Portugal.

This means that the striker has already scored an eye-catching 15 goals for club and country in the 2025/26 campaign, whilst no Leeds player has scored more than twice in all competitions.

Parrott, per Sofascore, has scored 37 goals from 30.67 xG in the Eredivisie since the start of the 2023/24 season, which suggests that he is the clinical striker that Leeds are crying out for at the moment.

Therefore, the Ireland international could be the next Bamford to fire the Whites to safety with his prolific goalscoring, whilst saving Farke’s job in the process by making the most of his coaching to improve the results picked up by the team.

Leeds have "standout" teen who could end Aaronson's career & it's not Gray

Leeds United have a promising young attacking midfielder who could end Brenden Aaronson’s career at the club.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 15, 2025