Derbyshire 261 (Andersson 79, Madsen 70, Balderson 4-71) and 139 for 3 need another 374 runs to beat Lancashire 367 (Green 121, Jennings 106) and 406 for 6 dec (Turner 121, Balderson 82, Jones 63) Ashton Turner scored his second century in three innings to put Lancashire on course for what would be a first Rothesay County Championship victory of the season in the Division Two match against Derbyshire at Chesterfield.The Australian made an unbeaten 121 from 135 balls and was well supported by George Balderson, 82 off 60, and 63 from Michael Jones before Lancashire declared on 406 for 6, with Ben Aitchison taking 3 for 64.That set the hosts the small matter of 513 which would be their highest-ever fourth-innings total but by the close they were 139 for 3, still 374 runs away.Lancashire began the day already well placed with a lead of 220 but Aitchison sent a tremor through the foundations with three wickets in an eight-over spell from the Lake End.Josh Bohannon was drawn into pushing at one that did enough to take the edge before Keaton Jennings aimed a big drive and was given out caught behind although his reaction suggested he did not think he made contact.When Matty Hurst was lbw to one that kept slightly low, Derbyshire sensed there might be an opening but first Turner and Jones and then Balderson emphatically reasserted Lancashire’s authority.Turner pulled Aitchison for six on his way to a 67-ball fifty while Jones was even more dominant, reaching his half-century, which contained two maximums, from only 41 balls. But it was the running between the wickets as much as the boundary count that hurt Derbyshire with the pair finding the gaps at will to cruise along at more than six an over.Jones swept Mitch Wagstaff for another six and was eying a fourth until Aitchison at deep midwicket knocked the ball up for Zak Chappell to complete a smart relay catch.But by lunch, Lancashire’s lead was 377 and that soared as Balderson engaged the turbo, racing to a 42-ball fifty before Turner drove Wagstaff for his 10th four to reach a fine hundred from 124 deliveries.The lead was over 500 when Balderson drove Martin Andersson to cover, ending a stand of 157 in 21 overs, which was the signal for Lancashire to declare leaving Derbyshire a highly improbable target.A more realistic proposition was to hold out for a draw but they lost Caleb Jewell in the fifth over when he was squared up by James Anderson and caught at third slip. It was the fourth time this season that Anderson has dismissed Jewell who, as an Australian, is in good company.That was Lancashire’s last success for 24 overs as Wagstaff and Harry Came stood firm with the latter twice stroking Anderson for two boundaries after tea.But the odd ball was keeping low and Balderson broke the stand when he squeezed one through Wagstaff’s defence and Came went in the next over, caught behind pushing at Tom Bailey.Derbyshire’s position would have been even more parlous if Wayne Madsen on eight and Brooke Guest on 14 had not been dropped in the slips but Lancashire remain strong favourites to complete the job on the final day.

Liverpool have lost three games in a row. It’s a marker of how high Anfield has risen over the past decades that this has been met with hysteria across England and dejection across the red halves of Merseyside streets.

By one point Liverpool trail Premier League pace-setters Arsenal, who have already been defeated by Arne Slot’s side this term. Liverpool have broken records with their spending across the summer transfer window, and they won the top-flight title at a canter last year.

But we can’t ignore the tactical imbalances and issues in bedding new players in. Teething problems have lingered far longer than anyone would have anticipated.

Many games have been entertaining, but Liverpool have lost the control and confidence they oozed throughout the 2024/25 campaign. Will Slot rekindle that flame? So many late goals across the past two months, flying both directions, is evidence that improvements are needed.

Defensively and in midfield, Slot’s side have left plenty to be desired. But they are also being let down up top, with the 33-year-old Mohamed Salah’s struggles telling of the need for a new right-sided forward.

Why Liverpool need to sign a Salah heir

Salah has entered his ninth campaign as a Liverpool player, but he has been part of the problem engulfing Slot’s side so far, scoring three goals and supplying three assists across all competitions but drifting through games and lacking even a small measure of his trademark vim and vigour.

Salah has seldom gone through dry spells in front of goal in the Premier League, but his last-minute penalty at Burnley is his only strike since the opening day win over Bournemouth.

Still, he’s one of the greatest forwards in the competition’s history, and the veteran will retain full confidence in his ability to return to form. He practically led Liverpool to the title last year, after all.

Premier League Record Goalscorers
Player	Apps	Goals
Alan Shearer	441	260
Harry Kane	320	213
Wayne Rooney	491	208
Mohamed Salah	308	188
Andy Cole	414	187
Data via Premier League

It’s painful to consider, but there is also the possibility that Liverpool have extended Salah’s contract by two years so that they can receive a payment from suitors in 2026. There’s a sizeable chance Saudi Arabian outfits will return for the Egyptian King at the end of the season, tempting him with a glinting late-career pay packet.

Should Salah leave, Liverpool will need a high-level replacement, and the English giants appear to have focused their sights on Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise.

Well, if Spanish sources are correct, Liverpool have been informed by Bayern Munich that a bid worth €150m (£131m) could be enough to sign the 23-year-old next year. The Anfield side would rather pay closer to €100m (£86m) for Olise’s signature.

Olise was widely regarded as one of the best attacking midfielders in the Premier League when at Selhurst Park, and he has only improved since moving to the Bundesliga.

Though Bayern are looking to bank a pretty penny for the France international’s sale, FSG and Reds sporting director Richard Hughes has shown they are willing to break the bank for the right signing.

What Michael Olise would bring to Liverpool

Olise, crucially, is a proven Premier League star. He left Crystal Palace and signed for Bayern Munich during the summer of 2024 for about £50m, and that looks a real coup for the German giants.

Pundit Micah Richard remarked while Olise was an Eagle that he “is going to be a superstar”. Richards was right. Awe and adoration in south London has been transported and developed over in Germany, with Olise having hit 54 goal involvements from 65 matches with Die Roten, including five goals and six assists from just ten fixtures in 2025/26.

He doesn’t boast the same devastating goalscoring ability as Salah, but Liverpool’s summer investments in Isak and Hugo Ekitike tell of a goalscoring shift back to the centre. In other words, this is the perfect profile to replace the ageing winger at Liverpool, whose underlying metrics are not at the same level as Olise.

Mohamed Salah vs Michael Olise (past 12 months)
Stats (per 90)	Salah	Olise
Goals scored	0.65	0.39
Assists	0.43	0.50
Shots taken	2.98	3.47
Shot-creating actions	3.85	6.56
Touches (att pen)	8.43	6.32
Pass completion (%)	70.2	80.7
Progressive passes	3.80	7.50
Progressive carries	4.00	5.02
Successful take-ons	1.15	2.48
Ball recoveries	3.00	3.81
Data via FBref

Salah has not been at the races this season, but scaling it back across 12 months, the depth of Olise’s top form in Germany is emphasised.

Across all competitions, Liverpool’s star forward scored 34 goals and assisted 23 more, after all.

Olise hasn’t cracked the same clinical heights, but he is “one of the best talents in the world”, in the eyes of Palace manager Oliver Glasner, who helped take the ace’s game to the next level.

With Salah having completed only 13% of his dribbles in the Premier League this season, as per Sofascore, averaging a measly 0.9 successful ground duels per match too, there’s been little to write home about, and Slot’s hesitance to deploy Federico Chiesa or Jeremie Frimpong on the right during Liverpool’s big matches makes a telling comment on his thoughts about a big-money signing in the shape of Olise.

Might it be that Liverpool part with their club legend at the end of the season? The news that Hughes is already sounding out a move for an elite talent such as Olise highlights the desire to sign such a player.

And given that he knows the Premier League well, with 36 direct contributions in the competition, the young and ever-improving Olise may well be the perfect addition to ease the fateful day when Salah hangs up his Liverpool boots.

Klopp sold Liverpool star for £9.5m, now he's outperforming Salah & Wirtz

Liverpool must rue selling a star who is outplaying Florian Wirtz and playing like Mo Salah.

By
Dan Emery

Oct 6, 2025

He has been ruled out of keeping wicket in the ongoing Test match, and will bat only if required

Nagraj Gollapudi24-Jul-2025

Rishabh Pant winces in pain after hurting his foot•Getty Images

Rishabh Pant is set to miss the remainder of the Test series against England with the right-foot injury he suffered on the opening day of the fourth Test now confirmed to be a fracture. The BCCI said that Pant will not keep wicket in the rest of the Test and will bat “as per team requirements”.* Dhruv Jurel will keep wicket for India for the rest of the Test.The fracture is understood to be of the metatarsal bone in the right foot. The initial diagnosis is that Pant would need six-to-eight weeks’ rest. Clips captured by fans outside the India team hotel in Manchester showed Pant’s right foot in a moonboot.The injury took place during the second session of play when Pant tried to reverse-sweep a delivery from Chris Woakes, which he ended up inside-edging onto his foot. He was in visible pain, and the affected spot swelled up immediately. Pant had to retire hurt – he was on 37 at the time – and went off the ground on a golf buggy. ESPNcricinfo has learned that Pant underwent scans soon after, which revealed the fracture.Related

The bravery and the outrageousness of Rishabh Pant

The England players, having missed the edge, went up in appeal for lbw, even as Pant reacted to the pain. He survived the lbw shout and the subsequent review, but the swelling and his inability to put any weight on the foot were visible.Pant, India’s wicketkeeper and vice-captain, was taken to the medical facility at the ground first, and captain Shubman Gill went to enquire about his well-being there. Pant was taken to a hospital after that.Liam Dawson, the England spinner, said at the end of the day’s play that he “can’t see him [Pant] playing much more part in this game”. B Sai Sudharsan, who was the non-striker at the time, said later, “Oh, he was in a lot of pain definitely.”This is the second injury he has sustained in as many Test matches, following a blow on his left index finger while keeping in England’s first innings at Lord’s. Jurel had substituted as India’s wicketkeeper for the rest of that Test as well.Pant’s innings of 37 off 48 balls was largely restrained but featured several characteristically outrageous shots, including a slog sweep for four off Jofra Archer, followed by an unsuccessful reverse sweep off the next ball.BCCI are yet to officially confirm Pant’s fracture and name a replacement for Pant for the fifth Test. During the two unofficial Tests between England Lions and India A, which preceded the England series, Ishan Kishan was the second wicketkeeper behind Jurel.*GMT 1100 Updated after the BCCI statement

أكد کرونوسلاف يورتشيتش المدير الفني لنادي بيراميدز، أن فريقه جاهز لمواجهة سيراميكا كليوباترا، والمنافسة على المركز الثالث في بطولة كأس السوبر المصري.

ويلعب بيراميدز ضد سيراميكا كليوباترا، غدًا الأحد، للمنافسة على لقب كأس السوبر المصري 2025، المقام في الإمارات.

وقال يورتشيتش خلال المؤتمر الصحفي للمباراة: “سنلعب بروح الفوز رغم أن المواجهة ليست على اللقب، لابد أن يكون هناك حافز للاعبين”.

وأضاف: “كنا نريد اللعب على اللقب لكننا الآن مطالبون بالتركيز لتحقيق المركز الثالث، وسنخوض المباراة بكل جدية”.

طالع | عمرو السولية: سنواجه بيراميدز من أجل الفوز.. ورسالة للاعب منتخب مصر الجديد

ومن جانبه، قال دودو الجباس لاعب بيراميدز: “الفريق معتاد على اللعب من أجل الانتصار في كل المباريات حتى وإن كانت المباراة لتحديد المراكز سنلعب على المكسب، نعلم أن سيراميكا يضم لاعبين جيدين وأعتقد أن اللقاء سيكون قويا وممتعًا”.

وكان بيراميدز خسر أمام الزمالك، في لقاء نصف النهائي من بطولة كأس السوبر المصري، بركلات الترجيح 5-4، بعد انتهاء الوقت الأصلي للمباراة بالتعادل السلبي.

بينما فريق سيراميكا كليوباترا، خسر أمام الأهلي في مباراة دور نصف النهائي أمام النادي الأهلي بنتيجة 2-1.

​Folding your grandmother’s chaise lounge on a breezy day at the beach. Closing an umbrella in the teeth of a windstorm. Madly checking all your pockets when you’ve misplaced your keys. The swing of Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman has no comparison among major league hitters, so you are left to find endeavors in everyday life with such mechanical quirks.

The Freeman swing is no oil painting, unless you had a Jackson Pollock in mind. Freeman starts with his bat off the shoulder and parallel to the ground. His back elbow is raised. As the pitcher winds up, Freeman snaps the bat to attention, upright, as if a predator put on alert by the sudden scent of prey. Then he pulls his hands close to his body and throws the barrel at the ball with what looks like a flick of the wrists. He finishes with two hands high, the wrists having completely turned over, in the manner of someone who has striped a 300-yard drive down the center of the fairway.

This is the swing that has launched 2,329 hits, postseason included, including the one that salted away World Series Game 3 on Monday, a spoiler alert though it came just three batters into the game. Freeman ripped a two-run homer off a shaky Clarke Schmidt to send the Los Angeles Dodgers on their way to a 4–2 victory over the New York Yankees in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicated. The Dodgers and Freeman, the presumptive MVP, are one win away from ending the World Series in a rout.

Freeman is on one of the greatest hitting heaters the World Series has ever seen. So hobbled by a sprained ankle a week ago that he did not play in the Dodgers’ NLCS clincher, Freeman joined Hank Bauer (1958) and Barry Bonds (2002) as the only players to homer in the first three games of a World Series. Amazingly, Freeman hit his three World Series homers in a span of just 10 swings.

BACCELLIERI: World Series Game 3 Takeaways: Buehler, Dodgers Bullpen Keep Yankees’ Bats Quiet

Including the 2021 World Series playing for the Braves, Freeman has homered in five straight series games, tying George Springer for the World Series record.

“There are points throughout the course of the season when the swing is actually good,” Freeman said, “but it felt like it was a constant battle all season long with my swing. It kind of happens like that. It seems hard: hit a round ball with a round bat. There’s a lot of different ways to do it. I’m thankful that it’s in a good spot right now when we need it the most. I’m just seeing the ball very well. You know, I'm swinging at the strikes, taking the balls … what you're trying to do every game. And thankfully I've been able to do it.”

​Freeman has had a Hall of Fame career. He is one of only 33 players who have played 2,000 games with an OPS+ of at least 142. Thirty of those players have been on a Hall of Fame ballot and all of them have been voted in except for PED-tainted sluggers Manny Ramirez and Bonds. This World Series is burnishing Freeman’s reputation as one of his generation’s greatest pure hitters. This is his magnum opus. His career postseason OPS is .890, 17th all-time (min. 200 plate appearances) and just ahead of Reggie Jackson.

​Those are the numbers. How Freeman gets it done, line drive after line drive, year after year, is worthy not just of admiration but peer review.

APSTEIN: Walker Buehler Burnishes Big-Game Reputation in Dodgers’ Game 3 Win

​About eight miles south of Yankee Stadium, on the fourth floor of the Museum of Modern Art, hangs an Abstract Impressionism painting by Jackson Pollock titled . Pollock created it by flinging and pouring ropes of paint across a huge canvas stretched over the floor. You can stand back from it and, though there is no discernible pattern or point of focus, see what you will. Order, chance, chaos, rhythm, nature … all of it or some of it. It’s what great art does: It stimulates the mind.

​With Pollock’s work in mind, I asked the Dodgers to stand back and look at , otherwise known as the Freeman Swing, and tell me what they see.

​Walker Buehler: “The swing isn’t fun for me facing him. I felt like he was on time all the time for everything that I threw. And you look at the simplicity of his approach and his setup and it makes a lot of sense why you can hit any pitch anywhere.

“He hit a homer off me in the ‘20 playoffs that I think there’s very few people in the world that can hit the pitch that I threw in for a homer. And it was the hardest ball he's ever hit in the big leagues.

“It was a heater up in. I think he hit it about 118 [mph]. Mookie almost jumped for it. He's a special player, and somehow gets a little bit lost between Mookie and Shohei. You got two elite players and we have a third one who happens to be one of the top 20 baseball players in the world that we don’t talk a ton about. He certainly showed up in the past three games.”

Tommy Edman: “He's probably one of the most consistent hitters I’ve ever seen. I remember, I think it was two years ago when I was with St. Louis, we had a four-game series, and he got out once the whole series. He went like 14-for-15 or something like that. I was like, ‘This guy is the best hitter in baseball right now.’ And obviously it's clicking right now in the World Series on the biggest stage. It's been fun to watch.

“He does such a good job of keeping his hands inside the ball better than just about anybody. And you go out there and watch his batting practice and he just is hitting everything the other way, low line drives and, not trying to hit bombs and drive the ball out of the ballpark, even though he's done that in the first three games of this World Series.

“But I think it's probably a good lesson to a lot of young players out there is that you don't necessarily need to hit homers in batting practice in order to hit homers in the game.”

Jack Flaherty: “His swing works for him. Everybody's swing is different. That's all that matters. It's much more fun watching him on this side than just trying to get him out. He's one of those guys you look at the numbers and it's like, ‘I don't know, let's hope he hits at someone,’ because he's tough to punch out and it’s tough to get him to chase.”

Teoscar Hernández: “It just hard to describe because that's … that's how Freddie is. Freddie is not a guy that swings and misses a lot. He’s always putting the ball in play. It was a matter of time that he got his swing back. His health is a huge factor. And he's showing it. It was huge for us that he’s feeling better.”

Gavin Lux: “He’s one of the game’s best hitters. He’s going to be a first ballot Hall of Famer for a reason. It’s fun to watch him compete and take at-bats because he just doesn’t give anything away.

“Oh, man, I saw a video of his swing from high school and it hasn’t changed a bit. He’s got a really good bat path. He doesn’t swing and miss much. He doesn’t chase. He’s old school. He takes the ball the other way and he’s stubborn as hell. He’s not going to change. It’s fun to watch him do the same thing every day. He’s the ultimate consistency guy.”

Miguel Rojas: “You watch him work and it’s the same every day. Every swing he wants to hit the ball softly to shortstop starting out and then eventually line drives over the shortstop’s head. He never, ever changes. And what’s so special about him are his hands. His hands are amazing.”

Having canvassed enough patrons, I figured it was time to hear from the artist himself. Freeman on Freeman.

I told Freeman about my conversation the other day with Kirk Gibson, his brother in Dodgers walk-off World Series home runs. Gibson had told me he always admired Freeman, but never could come up with a similar comp to how Freeman swings the bat. I asked Freeman to describe the uniqueness of his swing.

“I don't know,” Freeman said. “I slow it down [on tape] and it looks weird. But, I just … I’ve always just tried to be short to it and inside the baseball. And I played a lot of golf as a kid, and I think that’s why I follow through like I do.

“But I don’t have a way to explain it. It works and I don't really want to figure it out. Because when you try and figure something out, then it may be gone. You have got to let that thing ride.”

A week ago, Freeman was hitting on one good leg. Because of a badly sprained right ankle, he could not get weight to his front side. The best he could do was flick those wrists without support from his lower half. During the four days between the NLCS and World Series, he did not run at all, staying away from the activity that most aggravated his ankle. In a hitting session last Tuesday with Dodgers coach Robert Van Scoyoc, he developed a key mental cue. Freeman always has taken his stride with his front foot landing closer to the plate than his back foot. But to compensate for his weak ankle, he thought about stepping outward, with the front foot farther. He wasn’t actually stepping that far away, but the mental cue of doing so allowed him to stay on his back side longer. Immediately his practice liners over the shortstop’s head returned in familiar cadence. His ankle felt better and better.

Freeman burned Nestor Cortes in Game 1 and Carlos Rodón in Game 2. He had never faced Schmidt before Game 3. Freeman fell behind, 1-and-2 without taking a swing.

“Well, thankfully he threw all three pitches in those three pitches,” Freeman said. “So he went slider on the first pitch, and then he went cutter up, and then he threw the knuckle curve. So, I saw all three pitches. And you know, I was okay with being down two strikes because I got to see everything he had.”

Schmidt tried to throw a back door cutter. He missed on the other side of the plate, toward Freeman’s hands. Freeman crushed it into the right field seats.

“It changes the whole game,” said Buehler, who had a 2–0 lead before he threw a pitch. “The whole complexion of the game, not just for me for sure but for our team for sure. I think if you look at the numbers in terms of playoff baseball, whoever scores first … I talked kind of about grabbing momentum or keeping momentum and how important that is for playoff baseball. And there's not anything much bigger you can do on the road than hit a big home run for us.”

Like Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays in 1962, when the two best players in baseball went 10-for-53 (.189) in the World Series without an RBI, Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge are 2-for-23 (.087) without an RBI. Instead, in a galaxy of stars, it is the old soul with the old school approach and the Abstract Impressionism swing that has owned the World Series.

“Technique,” Pollock once said, “is just a means of arriving at a statement … It doesn’t matter how the paint is put on, as long as something is said.”

Seventy-four years after Pollock painted , the work still makes a statement. In the same way, 74 years on, people will recall the 2024 World Series for the statement Freeman made, if not how he did it. 

Everton were the latest victims of Erling Haaland’s goalscoring wrath when the Toffees travelled to Manchester City on Saturday.

Premier League action is back after the international break, which means the Nordic monster that is Haaland is also back to terrifying top-flight defences, with the lethal 25-year-old finishing off another fine day at the office with a brace against David Moyes’ men.

While the Citizens continue to love life, knowing they have the robotic finishing ability of the Norwegian to hand, Everton continue to feel frustrated by their own striker options.

Beto – once again – fired blanks from minimal opportunities at the Etihad, with Moyes surely at the end of his tether when it comes to his goal-shy number nine.

Beto's poor performances

Before Haaland inevitably broke the deadlock, Everton had several chances of their own to cause an upset on the road.

Wth just 14 minutes on the clock, Beto had a glorious chance to gift Moyes and Co the lead, with Iliman Ndiaye’s quick feet initially getting the better of the City defence, before the Portuguese attacker then couldn’t get a meaningful connection on the ex-Sheffield United winger’s inviting delivery into the box.

Beto’s PL numbers this season

Stat

Beto

Games played

8

Goals scored

1

Scoring frequency

Every 501 mins

Assists

0

Big chances missed

3

Stats by Sofascore

That horrible miss by the former Udinese man is the tale of a season that’s worryingly unravelling for the 27-year-old, who has bounced back from similar barren patches of form before.

Indeed, the 6-foot-4 centre-forward would fire home an electric five strikes across Moyes’ first seven games back in the Merseyside hot-seat, after only managing a weak seven goals across 50 games under Sean Dyche.

Now, though, he is right back in the mire, with his last Premier League goal falling all the way back in August in a 3-2 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Pundit Pat Nevin, after the City loss, even stated that Beto’s no-show would no doubt “infuriate” Toffees supporters watching on, with Everton-based writer Ell Bretland going as far as to also openly state that the number nine’s wastefulness is beginning to have a “really negative effect” way before the 2-0 defeat.

Moyes will have been left with a lot to ponder about his upcoming team selections; therefore, with Beto not the only noticeable underperformer who might be axed for Everton’s next match against Tottenham Hotspur.

Alongside Beto: Another Everton star must be dropped

The former West Ham United boss would have been cursing Jack Grealish’s ineligibility for this tie at the Etihad, with the skilful attacker not allowed to line up against his parent employers.

In his place, the Glaswegian would throw Carlos Alcaraz out to the left channel, and based on his lacklustre afternoon, he is unlikely to be retained in this position moving forward.

Alcaraz’s numbers for Everton

Position

Games

Goals + Assists

AM

5

3 + 1

LM

5

0 + 2

CM

4

0

RM

1

0

Sourced by Transfermarkt

In the Argentine’s defence, it’s clear from the table above that he excels more from a central spot in the Everton XI, with four of his six overall goal contributions to date in Merseyside coming from a number ten role. For Southampton as well, Alcaraz only ever made one outright appearance down the left flank.

Moyes’ decision to shoehorn the South American into this spot didn’t work whatsoever, with the forgettable number 24 only managing one tame effort at Gianluigi Donnarumma’s goal from his poor 70 minutes on the pitch.

Moreover, he only amassed a meagre 26 touches with zero dribbles attempted, with Jordan Pickford in between the sticks for the away side, even managing to reach 43 touches come the full-time whistle.

When Spurs do come to the Hill Dickinson Stadium, it looks very unlikely that Alcaraz will remain on the left wing, with his tally of no goals and assists over the entire season to date also making it look rather slim that he will usurp the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in his more familiar number ten position.

Liverpool Echo journalist Chris Beesley dished out a low 5/10 rating to Alcaraz subsequently, with the reporter stating that the ex-Saints man is “far less effective” when moved out to the wing.

Moyes will, hopefully, have learnt his lesson in this regard, with the Scotsman also perhaps ready to ditch Beto as a refreshed Toffees attack potentially takes to the field against Thomas Frank’s challengers.

Related Pat Nevin slams Everton star who will "infuriate" Toffees fans in Man City defeat

He struggled again…

Posts ByTom Cunningham Oct 18, 2025

Freddie Freeman willed the Los Angeles Dodgers to an important victory in Game 1 of the World Series against the New York Yankees. In the bottom of the 10th inning with two outs, Freeman hit a walk-off grand slam to win the game 6–3 for Los Angeles.

Freeman, limited by an injured ankle which has required hours of pregame work, lifted his bat knowing he had gotten a hold of the home run. Then, he put a few more steps on his ankle, rounding the bases to get to home.

"That's a dream come true, but that's only one, we got three more," he reminded himself and his team after the game speaking to Fox's Ken Rosenthal. He refused to be a prisoner of the moment, just saying he didn't know where it ranked all-time on his personal list of moments.

It was not his only contribution, Freeman had another hit earlier in the game, a triple off a bobbled ball in the outfield, proving he and the Dodgers medical team have kept the ankle from being a complete limiting factor.

Freeman went on to tell Rosenthal in the postgame interview that he was hoping to time Nestor Cortes's four-seam fastball. The pitch he hit was just one of Cortes's two pitches in the game.

Just before pitching to Freeman, the Yankees intentionally walked Mookie Betts.

Manchester United now hold an advantage in the race to sign Sporting CP star Morten Hjulmand, with the midfielder being targeted as a replacement for Casemiro.

Casemiro has repaid Ruben Amorim’s faith in him with some fantastic performances this season, most recently picking up a goal and an assist in the 4-2 victory against Brighton & Hove Albion, while also making a number of other important contributions.

Statistic

Number completed

Tackles

3

Interceptions

2

Ground duels (won)

6 (4)

The Brazilian was lauded by Amorim after the match, with the 40-year-old suggesting he should be a role model for the other United players, saying: “I think he gives a lot of experience,

“He’s so important for us. Today he run a lot. He had to press so high and then return, and he’s doing that. So, I’m really pleased with him. And the other guys need to look at Casemiro.”

However, the 33-year-old’s long-term future at Old Trafford remains up in the air, given that his contract is set to expire next summer, and the Red Devils are now lining up moves for new midfielders, with Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson emerging as a target.

A deal for Anderson could be on the expensive side, however, with it being reported Forest could hold out for £120m, and the England international is not the only target on the shortlist…

Man Utd hold advantage in race for Hjulmand

According to a report from Football Insider, Man United hold an advantage in the race for Sporting CP midfielder Hjulmand, given his links with Amorim, with the Portuguese manager signing the Dane from Lecce back in 2023.

The central midfielder has a £70m release clause in his contract, but there is now a feeling he could be available for the cut-price fee of £50m, which will also be welcome news for the Red Devils.

Amorim is known to be a big fan of the 26-year-old, but there may be competition for his signature, with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City also in the race.

With it also being revealed that United don’t plan to trigger the extension clause in Casemiro’s contract, the Sporting star could be brought in as a replacement, and he may be a solid option, having impressed for club and country.

The Denmark international displayed his ball-striking ability with a fantastic goal against England at Euro 2024, and there are signs he could have a positive influence in the Man United dressing room, having been dubbed a “leader” by sporting boss Rui Borges.

It would be a shame to see Casemiro depart, but the 33-year-old is on massive wages, raking in £350k-a-week, so it could make sense to sign a younger midfielder this summer, and Hjulmand, who’s made 12 Champions League appearances, may now be ready to test himself at a top club.

Find out the latest on Man Utd's move for Conor Gallagher Man Utd set to push for "amazing" English signing, £52m bid in the works

The Red Devils have identified a new top target in midfield, and they could make a move in the January transfer window.

ByDominic Lund Oct 28, 2025

South Africa needed a little over two sessions to bundle Zimbabwe out and win by an innings

Himanshu Agrawal08-Jul-2025A complete mismatch of a Test in Bulawayo ended within two sessions on the third day, as Wiaan Mulder alone scored only 23 runs lesser than what Zimbabwe’s entire line-up managed across two innings. But even that happened when, at nine wickets down after being asked to follow-on, an outside edge off Wellington Masakadza dribbled away for four wide of the slips.The tenth-wicket stand between Masakadza and Tanaka Chivanga frustrated South Africa for nearly nine overs, but couldn’t prevent an innings defeat. South Africa comprehensively won by an innings and 236 runs to wrap the series 2-0 after confining Zimbabwe to their heaviest defeat by runs in the first Test of the series. It was South Africa’s tenth Test win on the trot, including their victory over Australia in the WTC 2025 final last month.Related

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Mulder makes 367*, the fifth-highest individual Test score of all time

Zimbabwe started day three of the Bulawayo Test trailing by a massive 405 runs, with nine wickets in hand. While an innings defeat was inevitable given the deficit and the time remaining in the Test, a middle- and lower-order collapse of 6 for 31 after lunch hastened the eventual result.But before that, overnight batters Takudzwanashe Kaitano and Nick Welch negotiated the seven overs from Codi Yusuf and Corbin Bosch to start play by mostly blocking and leaving the deliveries. The first over of spin, though, got South Africa the breakthrough. Off his second ball, Senuran Muthusamy had Kaitano chipping to cover for 40 in the 24th over.Welch, at the other end, struggled to tick along. His first 45 balls fetched him only 14 runs, and one of his two boundaries came earlier in the day when he outside-edged Yusuf between third slip and gully. In the 26th over, however, Welch swung Muthusamy for a huge six down the ground. Next ball, he went for a hoick across the line, and the ball missed both the bat and the leg stump.But that didn’t prevent Welch from keeping his counterattack going. He punched Mulder wide of gully for four, had a difficult chance dropped by David Bedingham at backward point off Muthusamy, was beaten and nearly stumped next ball, and repeated his massive hit for six off Muthusamy – all these in the space of facing nine balls.It was Mulder’s Test, though, and come the 29th over, his heel was just within permissible limits as he cleaned Sean Williams up for 11. Welch slowed down after that wicket, looking content to push for singles and bat time. He raised his fifty just before lunch when he flicked Prenelan Subrayen for two to fine leg , before both Welch and Craig Ervine went unbeaten at the interval. At the time, Zimbabwe were still another 313 runs behind South Africa.However, Welch and Ervine didn’t last long enough. Muthusamy got a leading edge from Welch, who was caught by Mulder at slip for 55 in the third over after lunch. That began the slide, as 153 for 3 soon turned out to be 184 for 9. Yusuf got among the wickets when he trapped Wessly Madhevere in front for 5 in the 53rd over. Ervine and Tafadzwa Tsiga strung together plenty of dots as the scoring stalled, before Yusuf had Tsiga chipping to short midwicket to end his stay on 1 off 20 balls.At six down, Masakadza joined Ervine, and kept South Africa waiting for more. Masakadza edged one just short of second slip off his first ball, and had a tight stumping decision go his way. It was Bosch who ended the five-run union in almost six overs when he had Ervine edging behind for 49 to start the 65th over. Three balls later, Bosch bowled Kundai Matigimu for a duck to bag his third wicket. In the 69th, Bosch had Blessing Muzarabani edging to third slip without scoring, with Zimbabwe trailing by 272 runs.It was a matter of time before South Africa wrapped up victory, but while last man Tanaka Chivanga had some fun, Masakadza too hung around to annoy South Africa. Chivanga scored 22 off 26 balls, with three boundaries and a six, but was the last man to fall when Muthusamy had him top-edging to slip. Fittingly, it was Mulder who took the winning catch, having stood in as captain for this Test, and being named Player of the Match for his marathon 367* and Player of the Series for scoring 531 runs overall and bagging seven wickets.

Thomas Frank attempted to assuage concerns over Tottenham defenders Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence by saying their decision to snub him after the dire derby defeat against Chelsea was only a “small issue”. Both players headed straight down the tunnel following their side’s poor performance on Saturday evening, bypassing their manager in the process.

• Video shows Frank's anger as Spurs duo ignore him

  After an insipid display which produced just one shot on target, the home supporters made their feelings clear as boos rang around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium following the conclusion of the match. As is custom, Spurs boss Frank went onto the pitch as he and the rest of the players planned to show their appreciation for their fans' support during the game, despite the disappointing loss.

  However, in a video which has been widely shared across social media, Tottenham duo Van de Ven and Spence opted to leave the pitch instead of greeting supporters, to the anger of head coach Frank. The Dane was rooted to the spot as he glared towards his departing charges, who quickly made their way to the tunnel.

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  Tottenham head coach opts against criticising the pair

  But when asked about the incident after the game, Frank refused to criticise Van de Ven and Spence, saying: “All the players are, of course, frustrated. They would like to do well, they would like to win, they would like to perform. I understand that. 

  “I think it’s difficult to be consistent in good times and bad times, that’s why I went around to the fans as I did, it’s more fun when we win, I can tell you that.”

  And when pressed on whether it was “acceptable” for both players to give him the cold shoulder, Frank added: “I understand why you ask the question. But I think that’s one of, how you can say, small issues. 

  “We have Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence doing everything they can. They’ve performed very well so far this season. Everyone is frustrated. We do things in a different way, I don’t think it’s a big problem.”

• Spurs midfielder Simons has struggled since summer move

  While Frank has steered Tottenham to fourth in the Premier League following his appointment in the summer, their home form has been disappointing so far. Spurs have won just one home game in the league under Frank, against Burnley on the opening weekend of the season, having suffered defeats against Bournemouth, Aston Villa and now Chelsea. The north Londoners also drew against winless Wolves on home soil on 27 September.

  Tottenham’s performances have also been met with criticism, recording their lowest-ever expected goals figure (0.05xG) in the league against Chelsea. One man who was signed with a view to helping Spurs excel in the final third this season was Xavi Simons, but the Netherlands international has struggled since his summer switch from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig.

  The 22-year-old, who has registered one assist in seven league appearances in 2025-26, was double-substituted against Chelsea, having been brought on in the first half before being withdrawn after 73 minutes.

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  Frank explains decision to double-substitute Netherlands star

  However, when asked by GOAL if he was worried over Simons' confidence and whether double-substituting him would make matters worse, Frank said: "No, it's part of the reason we didn't start him because he's played two starts in a short turnaround. It’s that energy and freshness I talked about. He played 90 minutes on Wednesday night [against Newcastle], so that’s why we decided that [to bench him]. He played 70 minutes here. So I think it was nothing, it's just it looks different that he comes on after a few minutes then gets subbed off."

  When pressed on whether Simons’ inability to muster up enough chances has frustrated him, Frank added: “I think when players make mistakes on the pitch, if they lose a ball or miss a pass, of course I can get irritated in general in a specific situation. But that's part of football. How many times have you seen a player miss a pass or do something that happens, that can be flow or confidence or everything. Whatever it is, mistakes are part of football.”