Jadeja attributes his success with the bat to having a set position at No. 6

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Oct-20252:08

Chopra: Jadeja’s game against fast bowling ‘has improved leaps and bounds’

Shubman Gill has hailed India’s “near-perfect game” after they kicked off their home season with an innings-and-140-run win against West Indies inside three days in Ahmedabad.”Three centurions in the game and I think we fielded really well in both the innings, so honestly don’t really have any complaints,” Gill told the host broadcaster after India’s win. “I’ve lost six tosses in a row, but as long as we keep winning the matches, it doesn’t matter for us. I’m very happy with the win.”India had bowled out West Indies for 162 on the opening day with Mohammed Siraj leading the way with 4 for 40. Then, KL Rahul (100), Dhruv Jurel (125) and Ravindra Jadeja (104*) scored centuries before India declared on 448 for 5, with a lead of 286. It took India less than two sessions on the third day to wrap up the game with Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar sharing seven wickets between them in West Indies’ second innings.Related

Jadeja, Siraj wrap up India's innings win inside three days

Gill replaces Rohit as India's ODI captain

“When you’ve got quality spinners like them, it’s difficult to be able to rotate,” Gill said. “But it’s good to have an option of too many rather than not having any. But that’s the challenge and that’s the fun of playing in India. There would always be someone who would be out there ready to get the job done.”Gill has enjoyed a productive start to his stint as Test captain. After India drew the five-match Test series in England 2-2, they started their home season with a bang.”It’s hard to pin down to one or two things that I learned, but I think over a period of two years, how we bonded as a team and how we got ourselves out from tough situations and difficult situations,” Gill said. “That was really pleasing for me to see. We are still a learning side and I think as long as we keep learning from our experiences that we have, I think we’re going to be on the positive side of the match.”Jadeja, who was named Player of the Match for his unbeaten century and his match haul of 4 for 69, has said that working on his fitness and skills during the off season at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru has paid off. Jadeja has been one of India’s premier spinners at home for a long time and has also stepped up with the bat. He was the fourth-highest run-getter in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy with 516 runs in ten innings at an average of 86 and has carried his form into the home season.”I’ve been batting at No. 9, No. 8 a few years ago, but now I’ve got my number… No. 6,” Jadeja said. “So I have time to prepare myself and I can pace my innings. I don’t need to hurry. I don’t need to rush [and play] unnecessary shots. I just, I can go out there and take my time and just pace my innings.”Jadeja was also excited about playing on a red-soil surface in Ahmedabad, which offers more bounce and grip for spinners and is equally good for the batters.”Playing on a red soil [pitch], it’s fun because as a spinner, you get more turn and bounce,” he said. “As a spinner, you always want that. I was enjoying and as I got to know that we are playing on a red soil wicket, I thought, okay, for batting as well and for bowling as well. If the wicket is flat, you can score runs. If the ball is turning, then you can enjoy bowling on the red soil [pitch].”India are currently third on the World Test Championship table and will next face West Indies in the second Test in Delhi, which gets underway on October 10.

Manchester United and Liverpool have both been linked with signing Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo, but it is Ruben Amorim’s side who are in pole position ahead of the January transfer window.

Semenyo is one of the most impressive wide players in the Premier League currently, scoring six goals and registering three assists in the competition leading into the international break.

The 25-year-old is wanted by a host of top clubs, with United among those thought to be right in the mix to snap him up, potentially even in the January transfer window.

Semenyo has a £65m release clause in his current Bournemouth contract for a certain time period, with David Ornstein reporting the Cherries will effectively be powerless to stop a departure in early January.

Liverpool look to be the most interested out of United’s Premier League adversaries, as they look for an injection of attacking quality midway through the season, with the Reds believing Semenyo can be their next Sadio Mane.

Man Utd leading Liverpool in Semenyo race with player keen on move

According to a report from Spain, Manchester United are the front-runners to acquire Semenyo’s signature from Bournemouth in January, with INEOS seeing him as a top target for the Red Devils.

The report claims it’s “hard to believe Manchester United won’t secure the signing” due to their willingness to pay the release fee and Semenyo being interested in a move to Old Trafford.

They are ahead of Liverpool in the race, which will no doubt delight the supporters, with Amorim possibly eyeing a long-term replacement for Marcus Rashford, should he leave Old Trafford for good at the end of this season.

Semenyo feels like an ideal signing for United in the mould of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, in terms of players who have proven themselves in the Premier League and are ready to make the step-up to a bigger club.

The Ghanaian provides strong end product on a consistent basis, and has scored twice in three Premier League appearances against the Red Devils, while Pep Guardiola recently hailed his ability, calling him an “extraordinary” player.

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola was asked earlier this week about the situation, saying he isn’t worried about losing his star player in January.

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Despite this, it is easy to envisage Semenyo’s head being turned by a move to United, especially if they continue their recent improved form under Amorim, and he would be a fabulous addition to the attack.

Man Utd have their own version of Semenyo & he's Amorim's "best player"

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.

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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.

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.

The Blue Jays are one win away from their first trip to the American League championship series since 2016.

After hammering the Yankees 10–1 in Game 1 of the AL division series on Saturday, the Blue Jays were back at it on Sunday, racing to a 12–0 lead before holding on for a 13–7 win. Toronto’s bats were a big part of the story in Game 2, but rookie righty Trey Yesavage stole headlines with an incredible performance on the mound.

The Yankees failed to show up in either game north of the border and now find themselves with their backs against the wall, trailing 2–0 in the best-of-five series. Here’s a look at three takeaways from Toronto's big win on Sunday.

The Blue Jays Aren’t Intimidated

Toronto came out firing in Game 1, and that continued in Game 2. A 10–1 victory on Saturday led to a 13-run outburst that included a 12–0 lead by the fifth inning. The Blue Jays are not scared of what the Yankees have thrown at them, even with Bo Bichette sidelined.

After scoring eight runs on New York’s bullpen in Game 1, Toronto lit up Yankees ace Max Fried, scoring seven runs on eight hits in three-plus innings. Perhaps most importantly, the Blue Jays’ big bats came to play. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a monster grand slam to drive in four. Daulton Varsho had two bombs, George Springer also went deep and Alejandro Kirk drove in a run after hitting two home runs in Game 1.

The Blue Jays had one of MLB’s best offenses all season. Even with Bichette watching from the dugout, Toronto hasn’t missed a beat.

Trey Yesavage Earned His Spot

A lot was made about Toronto’s decision to give top prospect Trey Yesavage the start in a critical spot on Sunday. It turned out to be a phenomenal call. The rookie righty showed he’s the team’s top prospect for a reason.

In 5 1/3 electric, shutout innings, Yesavage held the Yankees without a hit, walked one and struck out 11, which was a Blue Jays postseason record. He sat in the mid-90s and garnered a ridiculous 18 whiffs, 11 of which came on his devastating splitter. He was excellent all afternoon and fed off the raucous crowd at Rogers Centre.

The 22-year-old is Toronto’s No. 1 prospect, and MLB Pipeline ranks him at No. 26 overall. The 20th pick in the 2024 MLB draft, Yesavage rose quickly through the minor league ranks this season, earning a call-up in mid-September after 25 outings.

Yesavage went 1–0 with a 3.21 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in three big league starts before the playoffs. He struck out 16 and walked seven in 14 innings. It was a gamble to give him a start in such a big spot, but he stepped into the spotlight and owned the moment.

Toronto’s starting rotation ranked 23rd in baseball with just 8.5 fWAR, and it was 24th in FIP (4.46), so there was plenty of room to add another piece. Yesavage is an elite talent that elevates the rotation when he’s locked in. He’s earned that rotation spot after Sunday’s immaculate performance.

It’s Getting Late Early for the Yankees

The Yankees entered the 2025 season looking to finish what they started in 2024 when they fell short against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. They got past the Boston Red Sox in the wild-card round after losing Game 1 and winning the next two, but now find themselves on the brink again.

In two games against Toronto, New York has been outscored 23–8. At one point, it was 22–1 before the Yankees got two runs in the sixth inning on Sunday, then followed that with five more in the seventh. That only came against the back of the Blue Jays’ bullpen after the Yanks dug themselves an insurmountable deficit.

New York’s staff has allowed 23 runs in 16 innings so far in this series, which works out to a brutal ERA of 12.94. Part of that has been Toronto’s relentless offense, but it’s also the Yankees’ pitchers not executing. The franchise didn’t give Fried $218 million to watch him allow seven runs in three-plus innings during a key playoff game. The lefty delivered 6 1/3 shutout innings in Game 1 of the wild-card series but now has a 9.64 ERA in his last five playoff starts dating back to 2022.

Now the series heads to Yankee Stadium, where Carlos Rodón will face Shane Bieber on Tuesday night. The 32-year-old lefty allowed three runs in six innings against the Red Sox in Game 2 of the wild-card series, so he’s already pitched in an elimination game this postseason.

Rodon will need to be at his best because the Yankees already find themselves on the verge of a very long vacation.

MatériaMais Notícias

Depois de uma sequência negativa nos últimos jogos, o Ceará caiu para a Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro. João Paulo Silva, presidente do clube, falou sobre o rebaixamento e disse o que faltou para o Vovô permanecer na elite.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Vovô agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Ceará

— Acho que faltou um pouco de equilíbrio. Um pouco de equilíbrio emocional para a gente tentar segurar os resultados. Lógico que tivemos uma sequência muito difícil, onde estávamos com nossa classificação praticamente na mão. O Ceará tinha uma gordura tão grande que, nos últimos cinco jogos, a gente precisava de dois pontos. E a gente só fez um – revelou o dirigente em entrevista ao “Esportes O Povo”.

— Aquele jogo do Internacional foi uma virada de chave, porque as outras sequências seriam mais difíceis. Faltou um pouco de emocional nosso, para a gente segurar o resultado. No jogo do Internacional, estávamos com um a menos desde o começo e conseguimos empatar. Era um jogo de seis pontos. A gente não poderia ter perdido aquele jogo – acrescentou o presidente.

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➡️ Quando começa a Série B de 2026? Veja participantes

O Ceará dependia apenas de seus esforços para alcançar a permanência, mas foi rebaixado após a derrota para o Palmeiras e os demais resultados da rodada.

Sem competições internacionais e sem Série A, o 2026 do Alvinegro terá quatro torneios: Campeonato Cearense, Copa do Nordeste, Série B e Copa do Brasil.

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➡️ Ceará amarga rebaixamento e descumpre duas metas no ano

Ceará descumpre duas metas de 2025

Com o rebaixamento, o Ceará descumpriu a última meta esportiva que restava para a temporada 2025. Anteriormente, os objetivos foram alcançados em duas das outras três.

Nas metas, anunciadas no fim do ano passado, a previsão era de título no Campeonato Cearense. Tal fato se concretizou, visto que a equipe superou o rival Fortaleza na decisão e ficou com o bicampeonato.

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Thursday night's Game 4 of the ALCS was as close to must-win as a non-elimination game could get for the Blue Jays.

After all, the Jays lost both home games to start the series, and traveled to Seattle with a 2–0 deficit and the tide up against them. But Toronto took Game 3 in decisive fashion, and Game 4 put the Blue Jays in a position to tie the series up.

Toronto gave the ball to 41-year-old Max Scherzer, a career bulldog whose production has tapered off over the last few seasons while he has battled various injuries. But Scherzer had his stuff on Thursday night, and as he pitched into the fifth inning with a 5–1 lead, a runner reached first base when Jays manager John Schneider paid the veteran a mound visit.

There was no way Scherzer was going to let his skipper take him out of the game.

Scherzer won the debate with Schneider, and proved his manager's decision to leave him in the game to be the right one. Scherzer struck out Randy Arozarena on an off-speed pitch to get out of the inning, and celebrated emphatically as he exited the field toward the dugout.

Scherzer would ultimately pitch into the sixth inning before being pulled with two outs in the frame, exiting with a 5–2 lead and in line to earn the win. He picked up the playoff W later when Toronto secured the 8–2 victory to even the ALCS against Seattle at two games apiece.

What a night for the 41-year-old when the Jays needed him most.

Game 5 of the series is Friday at 6:08 p.m. ET.

Returning to the SA fold for the first time since March, he says the time away has left him clearer about the next phase of his career

Firdose Moonda08-Dec-2025

David Miller last played for South Africa in the Champions Trophy semi-final in March•Associated Press

South Africa’s serious stuff, in the form of back-to-back Test series in the subcontinent, is over. Their experimental stuff, over the course of an ODI series that began preparations for the home World Cup in 2027, is also over. Now, it’s time for the fun stuff, with a T20 carnival that will last for the next three months.There’s five against India, a month of the SA20 over the holiday season, three against West Indies and then the big one: the T20 World Cup, where South Africa are aiming to go one better than they did in 2024. There, they went on a magnificent eight-match unbeaten run to reach the final and had one hand on the trophy before a spectacular collapse saw India claim a sensational win. David Miller, who was dismissed as the final over began with 16 runs to get, was among the most distraught as South Africa watched another trophy slip away.Post-tournament, he has only played 10 white-ball internationals out of a possible 54. His last appearance for South Africa was in the Champions Trophy semi-final in March, where he scored a hundred in a losing cause. Since then, South Africa have had a change of white-ball coach, gone on to win the World Test Championship final and have played in some entertaining series everywhere from Zimbabwe to India.Miller, who is halfway to 37, may have raised questions about his future through his absence but it’s explainable. He was given special dispensation to miss the Australia series to play in the Hundred. He then picked up a hamstring injury that sidelined him for several months. Now, he is fully fit and raring to go as South Africa begin the quest to complete unfinished business.Related

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“It’s just great to be back. It’s been great watching the guys back at home even though I always feel I want to be there, but the guys have been doing so well, and it’s been lovely to watch,” Miller said from Cuttack, where the series against India will begin on Tuesday. “It’s been an interesting couple of months for me, just being at home and reflecting on a few things was really cool. I moved into a different space by trying out different things with my body and tapping into a few different training regimes. It was actually a really good time away. I enjoyed it. You’ve got to take the positives from what’s negative so it was really good. I’m feeling strong. I’m feeling fit and I’m feeling ready to go.”Is the possibility of trying for another World Cup title what keeps Miller going? Maybe, because he seems to suggest South Africa are getting closer. “I’ve spoken to a lot of different people and teams that have been very successful over the years with league trophies and World Cups and I don’t think there’s really one recipe to win a World Cup. It takes a team effort, it takes a group effort, management and players included. And it’s about standing up when the moments matter,” he said.”Looking back on that previous World Cup where we got to the final, there were some very, very close games throughout that World Cup and we got over the line, so you build confidence as you go along. We’re going to need some of that moving forward. In terms of players, there’s a huge group and pool of players that are putting up their hands so it’s going to be tough for the selectors. We’re really in a good space.”In personnel terms, South Africa have welcomed back two of their standout performers from the last T20 World Cup in Quinton de Kock and Anrich Nortje. Though Heinrich Klaasen has retired from international cricket, and Bjorn Fortuin and Gerald Coetzee were not chosen, they have Dewald Brevis, Corbin Bosch and George Linde while only Kagiso Rabada (who has a rib injury) is missing from a first-choice squad. They also have a different support staff to the one that oversaw the last T20 World Cup after Rob Walter’s resignation. Shukri Conrad has taken over the all-format coaching duties, with a support staff that includes batting coach Ashwell Prince, bowling coach Piet Botha and fielding coach Kruger van Wyk.It will be Miller’s first time working closely with Conrad. With the success Conrad has had with the Test, Miller is looking forward to the interaction. “I’ve dealt with Shukri very briefly in the past, in the one-off series against England a couple of years ago (January-February 2023) in South Africa where he was an interim coach and then a couple of A-side games in the past quite a few years ago. I’ve not had a lot of dealing with Shukri, but obviously over the years you always see each other and we get on really well,” Miller said. “He’s done superbly well, so it’s good to be on the train.”Along the way, Miller will also begin to have discussions with Conrad about his ODI role, as South Africa build to the home World Cup in 2027. “I haven’t had good chats yet with Shukri but now that I am back in the mix, we’ll be opening up those conversations and seeing where we’re at,” Miller said. “The ODI World Cup is just under two years away, there’s a lot of new players that have come through and a big pool of players now that are doing really well. I feel like I can add something with my experience. In terms of selection, you’re never guaranteed with certain things in life so it’s a conversation that will unfold as the months go on and see where we’re at.”Given the choice, Miller would opt in as South Africa’s stocks seem to keep rising and the fun, just beginning. “Obviously, I would love to play a part for South Africa as long as I can, but it’s just being real with certain conversations and time,” he said. “I’m 36 now and I’m feeling that I do have to step up off the field. I’m being a lot more diligent and a lot more consistent in training and being as fit as I can is something that I’m going to focus on a lot. I’m also a lot more in control with my emotions and pressure. I’m a lot clearer in my thinking, making better decisions under pressure and understanding the match situation.”

They might not have won, but Chelsea put in an incredible performance against Arsenal on Sunday evening.

Enzo Maresca’s side were comfortably on top for most of the first half, and even when Moises Caicedo got himself sent off, they remained competitive.

Moreover, there were sensational displays from across the pitch for the hosts, including, of course, Reece James.

However, there was another starter, someone who was previously lambasted by Gary Neville, who was just as crucial to the result.

James' performance vs Arsenal

James has undoubtedly been one of the best right-backs in the Premier League for some time now, but Maresca has taken to playing him in midfield more often this season.

The Italian opted to start his captain there again on Sunday, and while there was plenty of talk around the battle between Declan Rice and Caicedo, it was the Cobham graduate who stole the show.

For example, while Trevoh Chalobah was the one who headed home the Blues’ goal, it was the versatile James who delivered it with pinpoint accuracy from the corner.

However, the academy graduate did far more than just provide an assist.

In his 94 minutes of action, he played two key passes, won 100% of his tackles, won 11 of 12 duels, didn’t get dribbled past at all, recovered the ball twice, completed three of his four crosses, took one shot and completed 100% of his dribbles.

Minutes

94′

Assists

1

Big Chances Created

1

Key Passes

2

Crosses (Accurate)

4 (3)

Shots

1

Touches

50

Dribbles (Successful)

1 (1)

Fouls Won

4

Interception

1

Clearances

1

Recoveries

2

Ground Duels (Won)

6 (6)

Aerial Duels (Won)

6 (5)

In addition to all the measurable metrics, the 25-year-old also showed his leadership skills, helping to marshal the team in the moments the Gunners exerted pressure of their own.

Described as “absolutely ridiculous” by one analyst and “gargantuan” by presenter Olivia Buzaglo, the Redbridge-born international was unsurprisingly, and deservedly, named as the man of the match.

Without him in the middle of the park, there is a good chance that Chelsea would not have won that game, which is what could be said about another starter who has been heavily criticised over the last few seasons.

The Chelsea star on a par with James

The excellent news for Maresca and the Stamford Bridge faithful is that there were more than a few starters who truly shone last night.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Be it Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Enzo Fernández or even Pedro Neto, who carried the ball up the pitch and into dangerous areas again and again.

However, when it comes to someone who was previously lambasted but exceptional against Arsenal, it’s impossible to look past Robert Sanchez.

Prior to this season, the Spanish goalkeeper was seen as something of a blunder waiting to happen between the sticks, and to some extent, that is what he’s been for much of his time in West London.

In fact, just last season, after a loss against Manchester City in which he was at fault for one of Erling Haaland’s goals, Gary Neville claimed “he’s not good enough.”

However, since the start of this season, the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace has been far more impressive, and on Sunday evening, he was as important as James for the Blues’ win.

On top of stopping a number of good efforts, like Gabriel Martinelli’s in the first half, the 28-year-old was effective in possession and confident in collecting crosses.

In fact, football.london’s Bobby Vincent awarded the keeper an 8/10 match rating at full time, writing that it was a ‘top performance.’

Minutes

94′

Total Saves

3

Saves in the Box

2

Goals Prevented

1.18

High Claims

2

Key Passes

1

Touches

60

Recoveries

11

Unsurprisingly, the statistics back up this appraisal: in his 94 minutes of action, the shot-stopper made three saves, two of which came inside the box, prevented 1.18 goals, made two high claims, played one key pass, took 60 touches and recovered the ball 11 times.

Ultimately, while it will take some time to shift his old reputation, Sanchez is well on his way to doing so, and was as important as James in Chelsea’s draw on Sunday.

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Sunderland are now reportedly in pole position to sign a midfield star who Regis Le Bris already knows well ahead of rivals Newcastle United.

Le Bris eyes Sunderland reaction vs Bournemouth

It’s not often that Sunderland have been handed setbacks this season, but defeat against Fulham last time out was exactly that for Le Bris’ side.

Whilst it was just their third loss of the season and there’s no reason to think that last week’s result could derail their strong start, the Black Cats will be eyeing a reaction against Bournemouth.

Three points could take the Black Cats to as high as third if other results also go their way and after 13 games that would simply be remarkable. In many ways, those at the Stadium of Light are replicating the impressive work that Bournemouth have gradually enjoyed since their own promotion.

Le Bris admitted his admiration for the Cherries, saying: “Bournemouth are a good model for us. They way they have built in the last four seasons in the league is really interesting for us.”

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It must be said, however, that Sunderland’s model has so featured more investment and the type of investment that could see them land Matteo Guendouzi ahead of Newcastle in January.

Sunderland leading Newcastle in Guendouzi race

According to TeamTalk, Sunderland are now ahead of Newcastle in the race to sign Guendouzi in 2026 in a deal that could be worth up to £26m. Le Bris knows the Lazio midfielder well from their time together at Lorient and admitted that he’s still in contact with his former midfielder a few weeks ago.

It would be a statement move if the Black Cats landed a transfer target ahead of their rivals, who are backed by the extensive riches of PIF. But that’s the position they find themselves in after such an impressive start to the Premier League campaign.

Minutes

888

1,080

Progressive Passes

45

66

Tackles Won

5

13

Ball Recoveries

43

55

It’s easy to see why Sunderland are chasing a reunion between Le Bris and Guendouzi, given how the Frenchman has compared to star man Granit Xhaka so far this season. The transfer report even states that the Black Cats view Guendouzi ‘as the perfect midfield partner for Xhaka, adding experience and bite to their engine room’.

Previously dubbed a “great professional” by former Hertha Berlin sporting director Arne Friedrich, Guendouzi also has unfinished business in the Premier League after leaving Arsenal under a dark cloud in 2021 and could earn redemption at Sunderland.

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