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It's a new week which means we have a new slate of MLB games to watch and bet on. The All-Star game is in the rear-view mirror so now it's time for teams to make a push to the playoffs as we enter the second half of the season.

There are 13 games set to take place today and as we always do on Rounding the Bases, I'm going to break down my best bet for every single one of them.

Let's dive into it.

Rays vs. Yankees Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Rays +145

It's hard to justify betting on the Yankees as this big of favorites with Carlos Rodon on the mound. The Yankees starter has a 7.20 ERA over his last eight starts with one of them coming against this Rays lineup on July 9. He gave up five hits, two walks, and four earned runs in 4.0 innings in that start and I expect a similar outing from him today.

I'll gladly back the Rays as underdogs in this one.

Cardinals vs. Pirates Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Pirates -130

Mitch Keller has been quietly having himself a fantastic season, rocking an ERA of 3.46 in his 19 starts. Now he gets to face a Cardinals offense that has been average at best of late. I'll back him and the Pirates to get the job done today.

Mets vs. Marlins Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Mets -145

The Mets rank second in the Majors in OPS dating back to June 1 at .811, while the Marlins rank dead last in that time frame at .631. In my opinion, this bet is a no-brainer.

Tigers vs. Guardians Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Tigers -120

It's surprising to me the Tigers are available at -120 odds when the AL Cy Young favorite, Tarik Skubal, is on the mound. Don't let the Guardians stellar record fool you, they're just 17th in the Majors in OPS dating back to June 1. I'll back Skubal and his 2.41 ERA in this AL Central showdown.

Reds vs. Braves Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Braves -150

Reynaldo Lopez may be the most underrated pitcher in the Majors and his 1.88 ERA should strike fear in the Reds lineup today. There's no doubt the Braves offense is in a bit of a slump of late, but Lopez has the ability to drag them to a win tonight.

Phillies vs. Twins Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Twins -105

The Twins lead all of Major League Baseball in OPS dating back to June 1, with an OPS of .813. The Phillies rank just seventh (.762) in that same time frame. I'll take advantage of the opportunity to wager on Minnesota as a slight home underdog.

White Sox vs. Rangers Prediction and Pick

• Pick: White Sox +150

The White Sox offense is bad, but the Rangers offense hasn't been much better. They're 26th in MLB in OPS (.678) dating back to June 1. Erick Fedde (2.99 ERA) of the White Sox has a chance to have a strong performance tonight.

Brewers vs. Cubs Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Cubs +100

Considering these two teams are 18th and 19th in OPS dating back to June 1, I'll go ahead and back the home underdog in what I feel is a coin flip matchup.

Diamondbacks vs. Royals Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Diamondbacks +135

The Royals certainly have the advantage on the mound with Cole Ragans (3.16 ERA) getting the start, but they shouldn't be this big of favorites based on how their offense has been performing. They're 23rd in OPS dating back to June 1 while the Diamondbacks are sixth. Give me Arizona in this interleague showdown.

Red Sox vs. Rockies Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Red Sox -175

The Red Sox will roll with Tanner Houck (2.54 ERA) as their starter today, which is enough to have me not even consider betting on the Rockies.

Astros vs. Athletics Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Athletics +125

The A's offense has been quietly solid lately, ranking 12th in OPS dating back to June 1. They should be able to take advantage of a matchup against Spencer Arrighetti, who has a poor 5.63 ERA on the year.

Angels vs. Mariners Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Angels +145

I will continue to fade the Mariners, whose offense has been one of the worst in baseball lately. They're batting just .212 since June 1 and now they have to face Tyler Anderson and his 2.97 ERA.

Giants vs. Dodgers Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Dodgers -130

It's crazy to say this after winning the Cy Young last season, but you simply can't bet on the Giants at this point when Blake Snell gets the start. His baffling 6.31 ERA makes them one of the most overvalued teams in baseball when he starts.

Quinton de Kock reversed his white-ball retirement earlier this year, and scored 239 runs at 119.5 during three ODIs in Pakistan

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Nov-2025Quinton de Kock has had a little bit of fun already in his second stint as an ODI cricketer. Having initially retired after the World Cup in 2023, he made himself available for South Africa again earlier this year and had a good run in Pakistan, scoring 239 runs in three matches at an average of 119.5.”I think he’s big, he’s massive,” South Africa batting coach Ashwell Prince said. “With Rohit [Sharma] and Virat [Kohli] coming to the Indian team, I think Quinny probably has a similar effect coming into our team with his experience, with his quality that we saw in Pakistan.”His presence definitely boosted the dressing room and we got quite a few young left-handers and just quite a few young players in the team. For them to sit around and have a few conversations with him and also be out with him in the middle and bat with him, I think that does a lot for their growth – being able to bat with him out in the middle. So he is a big influence for us.”Related

Tests lost, India look to feel at home as ODIs against South Africa begin

'Look forward to enjoying responsibility' – Rahul steps into the hot seat

South Africa are also looking forward to seeing the heights Marco Jansen can reach after the allrounder played a starring role in helping them beat India 2-0 in the Test series. Prince broke down key elements of Jansen’s contributions in Guwahati – 93 off 91 with the bat, and 6 for 48 with the ball.”I think what’s important for Marco is clarity about how he bats. When you’re batting at No. 8, No. 9, generally you don’t have a lot of partners. So for him… once he gets in, he needs to score quickly, because he’s only got one or two partners to come. So playing an aggressive role is something that we discussed.And then to follow that up with the ball in the way that he did. Again, we talk about assessing the conditions. When we come to India, we don’t expect the pitches to bounce as much as that one did. So we assess this communication between our batters and our bowlers. And our batter’s feedback was that the bounce is quite steep. Maybe we should look to use the bounce more than what we anticipated. And the bounce was quite steep and it was difficult to handle… Therefore, we say adapting to what is in front of us is the most important thing.”

كشف محمد رضا بلال طبيب منتخب المغرب الثاني، عن آخر المستجدات الخاصة بـ إصابة أشرف بن شرقي وموقفه من المشاركة ببطولة كأس العرب.

وتواجد أشرف بن شرقي مع منتخب المغرب المشارك في بطولة كأس العرب الحالية، والتي تقام في قطر.

وقال محمد رضا بلال في تصريحات صحفية: “أشرف بن شرقي، فقد تعرّض لإصابة في المباراة التي خاضها فريقه الأهلي أمام فريق الجيش الملكي في المغرب، وكما لاحظتم، فإنه لم يُكمل المباراة”.

وأكمل: “كان هناك تواصل بيننا؛ فقد أجريتُ اتصالاً مع طبيب فريق الأهلي قبل وصول اللاعب، وذلك لكي نستوضح حالته، وتبيّن أنه لم يكن لديهم الوقت الكافي لإجراء الفحوصات الطبية له، ونحن من تكفلنا بذلك”.

وواصل: “عندما التحق اللاعب بالمنتخب المغربي، كان مصاباً بطبيعة الحال، وبعد إجراء بعض الفحوصات الأولية معنا، ومن ثم الفحوصات الإشعاعية، تبيّن أن لديه إصابة على مستوى الفخذ”.

وأردف: “وهذا النوع من الإصابات، يمنعه للأسف من المشاركة في هذه البطولة؛ ولهذا فهو خارج القائمة”.

طالع | شوبير: الأهلي يتمم الاتفاق مع لاعبه على التجديد.. وريبيرو كان لا يحب هذا اللاعب

وواصل: “تتراوح مدة غيابه ما بين أسبوعين وثلاثة أسابيع، وهي مدة لن تسمح لنا بإشراكه في هذه البطولة، ومع كامل الأسف على ذلك”.

وأتم: “نحن نأمل ونتمنى إن شاء الله ألا نتعرض لإصابات أخرى بين اللاعبين خلال هذه الدورة، وندعو الله أن تكون النتيجة في صالحنا ونفوز بهذا الكأس بإذن الله”.

India opener did not come out to begin the chase with Smriti Mandhana

Sruthi Ravindranath26-Oct-2025

Pratika Rawal walks off the field after hurting her ankle•Getty Images

Pratika Rawal did not open India’s chase against Bangladesh after hurting her knee and ankle while fielding during the first innings of their final league game of the Women’s World Cup in Navi Mumbai.”The BCCI Medical Team is closely monitoring her progress,” the board said in a statement.The injury occurred off the final ball of the 21st over in a rain-hit game in Navi Mumbai, when Bangladesh batter Sharmin Akter swiped Deepti Sharma across the line. As Rawal ran towards her left from cow corner, her foot appeared to get stuck in the turf and her ankle twisted as she fell to the ground. While the ball went to the boundary, Rawal winced in pain and held her ankle. Though a stretcher was sent out for her, she got up with the physio’s help and hobbled off the field. Amanjot Kaur filled in as Smriti Mandhana’s opening partner in Rawal’s absence.The match between India and Bangladesh began two hours after the scheduled time due to rain and was initially reduced to 43 overs a side. But another spell of rain delayed play for two more hours with Bangladesh on 39 for 2 in 12.2 overs. The match eventually resumed at 8.05 pm local time as a 27-overs-a-side contest. However, there was a drizzle even minutes before the restart.Bangladesh dragged themselves to 119 for 9 in their 27, and India – with a revised target of 126 – were cruising at 57 for no loss when another spell of rain forced a washout.Rawal, 25, is the second highest run-scorer at the World Cup, behind Mandhana, with 308 runs at an average of 51.33 in six innings. She had scored a century in the previous game against New Zealand, which India won by 53 runs to seal their spot in the semi-finals.Shortly after the Rawal injury, her team-mate Radha Yadav also seemed to get her foot stuck trying to stop the ball at point in the 25th over. But she gathered herself up and bowled the next over.India were going to finish fourth in the league stage irrespective of the result against Bangladesh and will play table toppers Australia in the second semi-final on Thursday in Navi Mumbai.

MatériaMais Notícias

Considerado um ícone do futebol brasileiro, Zagallo fez história principalmente pelas suas conquistas, mas também pelo seu carisma, pelo amor à Seleção Brasileira e até pelas frases curiosas. E como todo personagem marcante do nosso esporte, o Velho Lobo também foi destaque em algumas das saudosas capas do Lance!.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFora de CampoGalvão Bueno se emociona ao se despedir de Zagallo: ‘Fez um bem para o futebol’Fora de Campo06/01/2024Fora de CampoGoverno brasileiro decreta luto de três dias pela morte de ZagalloFora de Campo06/01/2024Fora de CampoParreira se emociona ao relembrar relação com Zagallo: ‘Meu melhor amigo’Fora de Campo06/01/2024

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

A seguir, contamos a história de duas dessas capas nos primeiros anos do jornal, nos anos de 1997 e 1998, quando o então técnico da Seleção Brasileira fazia os últimos ajustes na equipe em busca pelo pentacampeonato mundial. É mais uma das nossas singelas homenagens a este ícone do futebol brasileiro.

📰 NA COLA DO BAIXINHO – 26 de outubro de 1997

Faltando menos de um ano para a disputa da Copa do Mundo, a torcida brasileira vivia a expectativa por ver nos campos da França uma dupla de ataque formada por Ronaldo e Romário. O Fenômeno vivia seu auge no futebol europeu, vestindo a camisa do Barcelona (Espanha), e o Baixinho já estava consagrado pela conquista do Mundial de 1994. Com esta dupla, o Brasil conquistou a Copa América e a Copa das Confederações de 1997.

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Para aumentar a empolgação, no dia 25 de outubro, o Lance! publicou uma entrevista exclusiva com Romário, na qual o atacante afirmava que estaria na Copa de qualquer maneira. O jogador ainda afirmava que o período de testes do treinador já havia acabado e, por isso, estaria garantido no Mundial. Detalhe: tudo isso na PRIMEIRA EDIÇÃO do jornal!

Zagallo, no entanto, fez questão de conter todo esse ânimo, também em entrevista exclusiva ao Lance!, em outubro de 1997. Na conversa, o então técnico do Brasil afirma que o Baixinho só jogaria a Copa da França se estivesse 100% fisicamente. Por trás da declaração, um dos episódios mais polêmicos da conturbada relação entre treinador e jogador: uma lesão forjada (segundo Zagallo) por Romário antes da semifinal da Copa América daquele ano, diante do Peru.

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Seja a lesão forjada ou não, o episódio serviu de prenúncio para o corte de Romário às vésperas da Copa de 1998. O atacante afirmava que se recuperaria a tempo de disputar o Mundial, mas o treinador não quis arriscar e tirou o Baixinho da competição. A relação entre Romário e Zagallo nunca mais foi a mesma depois deste episódio.

📰 LOURÕES, CUIDADO – 18 de junho de 1998

Na primeira Copa do Mundo do Lance!, mais uma das capas que retrata um pouco do amor que Zagallo sentia pela Seleção Brasileira. Na ocasião, o técnico preparava sua equipe para a partida diante da Noruega, pela terceira rodada da fase de grupos do torneio.

Zagallo estava incomodado com uma derrota pesada por 4 a 2 sofrida em amistoso no ano anterior, diante do mesmo adversário. Além disso, o treinador da Noruega à época, Egil Olsen, afirmava que sua seleção era muito melhor que o Brasil.

Os desavisados podem até achar exagero, mas a irritação do Velho Lobo com o adversário tinha motivo: a Noruega é uma das poucas equipes no mundo que nunca foram derrotadas pela Seleção Brasileira até hoje (em quatro jogos, são duas vitórias para os europeus e dois empates). E a escrita se manteve no Mundial daquele ano: o Brasil foi derrotado por 2 a 1. Ainda assim, se classificou para as oitavas de final da competição, e o resto da história todos nós conhecemos: a Seleção de Zagaloo chegou à final, mas acabou sendo derrotada por 3 a 0 para os franceses, donos da casa.

Tudo sobre

Lance!Zagallo

Former Southampton manager Russell Martin is “still in contention” for what would be a stunning return to St Mary’s.

Though Southampton endured a dismal 2024/25 Premier League campaign, they were still expected to be strong contenders for an immediate promotion from the Championship. Having established himself with Reims and Lens in Ligue 1, Will Still was appointed as Saints manager in the summer.

Despite his obvious potential as a coach, Still was unable to make things click during what was his first job in English football. After winning just two matches out of 13 in the second tier, Still was sacked by the club who, at the time, were 21st in the league following three successive defeats.

Working as interim boss of the Saints, Tonda Eckert won his first game in charge against Queens Park Rangers. Having been called up temporarily from the Under-21s, Eckert has made a good start to his time in charge as Southampton pursue a permanent successor to Still.

Now, reports have indicated that Southampton, who are eight points adrift of the top six, could look to bring a former manager back to the club.

Martin to return to Southampton?

According to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Martin is “still held in high regard at Southampton and has admirers in the boardroom”.

Taking over the Saints in 2023 after managing MK Dons and Swansea City, Martin guided Southampton to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs.

Wedded to his patient, possession-based brand of football, Martin was sacked by the club in December 2024, in a season that saw the club become the first Premier League side to be condemned to relegation with as many as seven games remaining.

Martin was, in turn, hired by Rangers in the summer of 2025, going onto endure a terrible tenure in charge that lasted for just 123 days. Amongst other reported options, including Frank Lampard and Mark Robins, Martin’s current status as a free agent may mean he is more inclined to take the job.

Football Insider have reported that, whilst Martin being hired by Southampton would be “a surprise, his return has not been ruled out,” as the club do not blame him for the season that they endured in the top flight.

Having been called “unbelievable” by Flynn Downes, who Martin brought to Southampton, the 39-year-old has certainly proven himself at Southampton in the past. Given their current predicament and how badly Martin’s tenure at Rangers went, though, it remains to be seen whether Southampton push further for a reunion.

"Very intelligent" coach interested in Southampton job

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.

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.

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

Tottenham Hotspur are among the main contenders to sign a “tremendous” attacking midfielder, who has now been identified as a priority target.

Spurs looking to sign new attacking midfielder

It has been a solid start to the season for Tottenham, with Thomas Frank being left very impressed by his side’s performance in the 2-2 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, despite the fact they were unable to take all three points.

Frank said: “I think this is our best performance of the season. I actually think that overall, if there should have been a winner, it should have been us.

“So many crosses into the box, near chances, missed opportunities. We were physically strong and mentally strong, and that is so important if you want to achieve something.”

Tottenham plan "irresistible" offer for £68m midfielder amid Thomas Frank belief

The Dane thinks he could be a game-changing signing.

ByEmilio Galantini Sep 21, 2025

Summer signing Mohammed Kudus played a key role in Spurs clawing their way back into the game, with the Ghanaian grabbing two assists, having made a flying start to life in north London.

However, the Lilywhites remain keen on bolstering their attacking ranks even further, having now joined the race for Athletic Bilbao attacking midfielder Oihan Sancet, who has been identified as a priority target for the upcoming transfer window.

That is according to a report from Spain, which states Tottenham have emerged as one of the main contenders for Sancet’s signature. However, there could be rival interest from a number of other Premier League clubs.

Arsenal, Manchester United and Aston Villa are also named as potential suitors for the attacking midfielder, who could be an expensive addition to the squad, given that there is a €80m (£70m) release clause included in his contract.

Sancet could be "tremendous" signing for Spurs

There are some doubts over whether the 25-year-old would be a necessary signing, given that a deal would be very costly, and Frank is already relatively well-stocked in attacking midfield, having signed Xavi Simons in the summer.

However, the Athletic Bilbao star clearly has the talent to be a success in north London, having received very high praise from sporting director Rafa Alkorta, who said: “Oihan is at a tremendous level. I’m very happy for him. I’ve known him for years, I’ve followed his career, and I think he’s a very important player, probably more important than he thinks, and what he needs is continuity and luck with injuries.”

The Pamplona-born attacker has shown a very good eye for finding the back of the net in recent times, bagging 15 La Liga goals last season, while also impressing with his passing ability over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90 (past year)

Non-penalty goals

0.50 (96th percentile)

Pass completion %

82.6% (88th percentile)

Progressive passes

5.22 (80th percentile)

Sancet could be a fantastic acquisition for Tottenham, but when James Maddison returns, Frank will be blessed with a number of attacking midfield options, so it may be best to invest the money into other areas of the squad.

Arsenal have had a testing and trialling start to the new season. They’ve already visited Old Trafford, Anfield and St James’ Park. They’ve also faced Manchester City. Therefore, to come away with 13 points from their opening six matches isn’t bad at all.

They’ve spent most of the campaign watching Liverpool come up with late goals. The Reds have galloped to the top of the Premier League by scoring late goals aplenty. It was in the 83rd minute that they scored the winner against Arsenal while against Burnley and Newcastle, they left it until injury time.

Well, in response, Mikel Arteta’s men have delivered late drama themselves. They needed Gabriel Martinelli’s injury-time equaliser a week ago and against Newcastle on Tyneside, it required an 84th-minute header from Mikel Merino and another header from Gabriel Magalhaes in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

It was dramatic, it was chaotic, but for Arsenal, it was oh so lovely.

Merino and Gabriel were the heroes but a special mention must go Declan Rice’s way for the manner in which he helped power the away side to victory.

Declan Rice's performance vs Newcastle in numbers

Towards the end of last season, Rice firmly established himself as one of the finest midfielders in Europe.

That stunning pair of free-kicks against Real Madrid put him on the map, with Rio Ferdinand remarking that the England star was one of the finest players on the park.

In comparison, the former West Ham star has had a slower start to 2025/26 but he’s beginning to motor now, really proving that in Sunday’s win over Newcastle.

Truth be told, Rice was playing far too deep in the opening 45 minutes of the game but as he began to move further forward in the second period, he came alive.

It was Rice’s perfectly weighted delivery from the left-hand side that led to the Gunners’ equaliser, playing the ball into Merino who glanced home.

The club-record signing’s display was much more than just that assist, however.

Indeed, it was a display in which he showcased why he is “one of the best midfielders in world football” in the words of analyst Raj Chohan.

Throughout his 90 minutes on the field, the 26-year-old did it all, completing 88% of his passes and amassing 104 touches. He also completed three key passes and won seven of his nine duels.

It was an imperious performance from Rice, a player who is perhaps proving to be the club’s most complete midfielder since the days of Patrick Vieira.

He’s not the only one evoking memories of the great Frenchman, though.

Arsenal's "colossal" star is showing shades of Patrick Vieira

Rice has continued to prove that he’s one of the most important players in the squad. He’s also demonstrated why he’s one of the most clutch players at Arteta’s disposal. He simply comes alive in the big moments and in the big games.

Another player who embodies that is Gabriel. The Brazilian has been an enormous part of Arsenal’s rise during Arteta’s reign and nothing summed up his time at the club more than Sunday’s win against Newcastle.

It actually didn’t start particularly well for the central defender, who was certainly at blame for the game’s opening goal.

The ball was swung in toward the Toon’s towering striker, Nick Woltemade. The German gently leaned on Gabriel who, instead of challenging for the ball, threw himself to the floor in a wildly embarrassing moment.

However, Gabriel responded emphatically with a phenomenal second-half performance, in particular, that culminated in the game’s winning goal.

While the centre-back’s late header sparked pandemonium among the Arsenal players and staff, it was certainly no surprise that he popped up when he did.

After all, like Rice, like Vieira 20 odd years ago, Gabriel is one of the most clutch players we’ve seen at the club. He’s scored 18 Premier League goals, at least six more than any other defender since he made his English top-flight debut back in September 2020.

Like Vieira he’s a warrior, a leader, a titan and a gladiator amongst men. In the words of Statman Dave, via X, his display against Newcastle was “colossal”.

Minutes played

90

Touches

81

Accurate passes

51/60 (85%)

Clearances

9

Blocks

2

Interceptions

3

Tackles

3

Ground duels won

4/4

Aerial duels won

7/11

Woltemade goal aside, it certainly was sublime. Gabriel won more duels (11), made more clearances (9) and won more aerial battles (7) than any other Arsenal player at St James’ Park.

Meanwhile, no player in red or white made more than the defender’s three tackles and three interceptions.

While it would have been easy for the 27-year-old to get carried away after being bundled over easily for the opener, the way in which he bounced back was characteristic of the way he plays his football.

Like Rice, he’s Vieira-esque, a warrior with the heart of a lion, somebody you can never write off. If Arsenal win the league come May, then Gabriel will have had a huge say in that triumph.

Arteta must drop Arsenal star who's been their "Player of the Season"

Arsenal sealed a remarkable late win over Newcastle United at St James’ Park.

ByMatt Dawson Sep 28, 2025

“Once we realised that the surface wasn’t what we had anticipated, then we needed to build towards that 180 score,” says SRH head coach Daniel Vettori

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Apr-20252:14

Knight: At the moment, SRH are all or nothing

Not for the first time in IPL 2025, the “where’s plan B” question has been asked of the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) batting.”At the moment, it’s all or nothing,” Nick Knight said after SRH’s latest loss, to Mumbai Indians (MI) at home. The margin was seven wickets with 26 balls in hand, but the outcome was evident by the ninth over of the match when SRH, asked to bat first, were 35 for 5. Despite the situation, plan B came later when Heinrich Klaasen and Abhinav Manohar added 99 runs for the sixth wicket.”If you see the way some batters have batted, they are just following the same pattern,” Varun Aaron said on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show. “Yes, you can hit a few shots along the ground, you don’t have to hit everything in the air; a four is a good shot, but if you’re going to hit everything in the air, you’re going to get out more often than not. Especially when the wickets are like this, when they are slowing down towards the back end.”But that’s the formula that worked for SRH the previous season, when they broke existing IPL batting records and went all the way to the final, where they lost to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).Related

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Knight: 'Klaasen is batting far too low. Six overs or a tick over, get him out there'

Knight attempted to provide that perspective. “These discussions have got to be a little bit careful. It’s not like you can put [a] one-size-fits-all [answer] here. You can’t say Gujarat Titans [GT] are the best, they are doing it this way and everyone’s got to follow,” Knight said. “What Gujarat Titans are doing best is that they are using their resources the best. Their type of players play like that. It suits their style. When you look at Abhishek [Sharma] and Travis Head, I don’t want to see them hitting [along] the ground. I am more than happy to see them hitting aerially. Because that’s what they do, that’s what they do well.”What I am slightly concerned with about SRH is when that doesn’t work and you find yourself two-down quickly, that’s when you’ve got to move it back for a little while. That’s when you’ve got to reassess it a little bit, you’ve got to say, ‘okay, that’s perhaps not working, we will try plan B for a bit and then go back to plan A’. It’s got to be a bit [balanced]. At the moment, it’s all or nothing. There are times when you have to rejig your attitude, the approach a little bit, and then get back on it.”Daniel Vettori, the SRH coach, acknowledged that, and also said that plan B was exactly what SRH had attempted to turn to once the early wicket fell.”We wanted to bowl first,” he said at the press conference after the game, but, after losing two wickets inside three overs, “the assessment was that it was not the 250-260 wicket it has been the last couple of games”. “Once we realised that the surface wasn’t what we had anticipated, then we needed to build towards that 180 score. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to do when you’re 24 for 4 after the powerplay.”0:42

Knight: Klaasen batting far too low for SRH

Knight agreed. “If you’re four down for 13, it’s game over. I wonder if when you’re two down, whether you can just hold it back a little bit, have a partnership there with Klaasen or someone, then you don’t need Abhinav [Manohar] as your Impact Sub, then you can use an extra bowler, then you might be able to get an earlier partnership. Those sorts of little things can play out in important moments in your game.”As things stand, SRH are down at No. 9, only above Chennai Super Kings (CSK), with six games left to play in the league stage. They aren’t out of contention yet, but it’s not looking bright.”There’s been a lot of teams that find themselves in this situation, and there’s been a few teams that were able to resurrect their seasons [in the past],” Vettori said, holding out hope. “You look back to RCB last year after a difficult start. So if we can take inspiration from a team like them, and Mumbai’s done it on a few occasions, but ultimately, it’s just going to take one performance, and we haven’t been able to put a collective performance bar the two games we’ve won. We’ve got to improve dramatically in all three facets.”The next opportunity to do that will come on Friday night, when they play the only team that’s worse off than them, CSK, in Chennai.