Tag Futebol

Sunderland have had some of the Premier League’s most iconic strikers down the years, but one man in particular has been praised as one of the best talents of his era.

No one at the Stadium of Light will forget the name Tommy Watson in a hurry regardless of how his move to Brighton pans out, but as the dust settles on a memorable campaign and that stunning late win at Wembley, the Black Cats must now turn their attentions to building a squad capable of surviving football’s toughest task.

Sunderland's promotion season in pictures

Regis Le Bris’ side were the lowest scorers in the Championship’s top six, with 58 goals to their name in 46 games, as Wilson Isidor (13) and Eliezer Mayenda (10) were their only players to score more than five league goals.

And it’s fair to say this is a club who have lived off the backs of great number nines down the years, with the likes of Jermain Defoe, Kevin Phillips and Niall Quinn all thriving on Wearside.

1. Kevin Phillips

61

2. Jermain Defoe

34

3. Niall Quinn

29

4. Kenwyne Jones

26

5. Darren Bent

24

6. Steven Fletcher

23

7. Adam Johnson

19

8. Stéphane Sessègnon

17

9. Fabio Borini

14

10. Kieran Richardson

14

Many of the club’s most iconic moments have come from their front men, from Darren Bent’s famous ‘beach ball goal’ against Liverpool to Fabio Borini’s incredible late effort to sink Alan Pardew’s Newcastle.

But while no one comes close to “Super Kev” Phillips from a statistical standpoint, few would argue that Defoe is right up there alongside him as one of the most talented players to ever put on the red and white shirt, and England legend David Platt once revealed he may be even better than that.

Platt: Defoe was as good as Michael Owen and Luis Figo

Speaking about his time as Defoe’s manager in the England Under-21 set-up, Platt, who earned 62 caps for the Three Lions himself, once revealed a 19 year-old Defoe was one of the greatest talents he had ever seen.

Defoe scored 163 Premier League goals in total, placing him inside the division’s top ten and behind only six other Englishmen – Alan Shearer, Harry Kane, Wayne Rooney, Andrew Cole, Frank Lampard and Robbie Fowler.

While his longest spell in England’s top flight came with Tottenham Hotspur, some of his most iconic moments were produced in a Sunderland shirt, most notably that stunning strike against Newcastle at the Stadium of Light, and fans will also never forget his relationship with Bradley Lowery.

Defoe’s love for the club hasn’t waned either, as the 42 year-old was spotted at Wembley celebrating their promotion, also praising Le Bris for the impactful substitutions of Patrick Roberts and Watson: “We spoke before about the manager not panicking, and the substitution, Patrick Roberts came on and done his thing.”

Sunderland lining up centre-back signing who Van Dijk said is "outstanding"

He could be perfect for Regis Le Bris.

ByHenry Jackson Jun 3, 2025

It’s hard to imagine the likes of Isidor and Mayenda will be able to replicate the Englishman’s stunning influence in the North East, but the young Spaniard’s equalising goal against Sheffield United was certainly a good start.

Chelsea are now racing Arsenal for the signing of a £68m defender who is a “hybrid between Gabriel and Saliba”, according to a report.

Blues set sights on new defender

The Blues took a huge step towards qualification for the Champions League on Sunday afternoon, picking up a 3-1 victory against Premier League champions Liverpool. If Enzo Maresca’s side manage to seal a top-five finish, they should be in a strong position to sign some top players in the summer transfer window, and they have set their sights on bringing in a new centre-back.

AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen once again caught the eye at the weekend, scoring the equalising goal in his side’s 2-1 triumph at Arsenal, and the Spaniard is among the main targets in defence, with positive talks over a deal being held back in April.

Best signing since Palmer: Chelsea could land a £60m Gyokeres alternative

Chelsea should sign a “clinical” Premier League striker instead of Viktor Gyökeres

ByBen Gray May 4, 2025

Another option is Ajax defender Jorrel Hato, with the west Londoners now believed to be seriously considering a move for the 19-year-old, having held a long-standing interest.

Hato is not the only young centre-back on the shortlist, however, with a report from Defensa Central detailing that Chelsea are now in the race to sign Sporting CP defender Ousmane Diomande, but there could be fierce competition for his signature.

Arsenal are keen on the centre-back, who is viewed as a potential replacement for William Saliba, while Real Madrid and Newcastle United are also in the running, but a deal will not be cheap. Sporting CP have set an asking price of around €80m (£68m), so the Blues must be willing to spend big in order to get a deal over the line.

Diomande dubbed "hybrid between Gabriel and Saliba"

It is little wonder that Arsenal are also in the running for the 21-year-old, given that he could be a like-for-like replacement for Saliba, having been compared to the Frenchman and centre-back partner Gabriel by football scout Ben Mattinson.

There are also signs the youngster could be a good fit in a Maresca system, given his ability in possession of the ball, completing a total of 1581 accurate passes in the Liga Portugal last season, the fifth-highest number of any player.

There has been a heavy focus on bringing in talented youngsters under BlueCo, and Diomande certainly falls into that category, so he could be a fantastic signing for Chelsea this summer, although the £68m asking price is a little steep, considering he is unproven outside Portugal.

Glasgow Rangers need a huge summer to ensure that they can bounce back and be competitive in Scotland in the 2025/26 campaign and beyond.

There is no way to describe their current domestic campaign as anything other than disappointing, as they are on course to end the year without any trophies to show for their efforts.

The board made the decision to part ways with Philippe Clement and replaced him with the interim appointment of Barry Ferguson until the end of the season.

Rangers have lost two of their last four Scottish Premiership matches under the former Scotland international, who has not done much to suggest that he deserves the job on a permanent basis – beyond beating Fenerbahce on penalties after a 2-0 defeat at Ibrox.

A deal with US investors Andrew Cavenagh and San Francisco 49ers Paraag Marathe has reportedly been agreed in principle ahead of a takeover this summer, which means that there could be plenty of change on and off the pitch ahead of next season.

There could be turnover in the playing staff, as Rangers look to build a team that can compete for the title, but one player who should remain at Ibrox is central midfielder Nicolas Raskin.

Why Rangers must keep hold of Nicolas Raskin

TEAMtalk reported earlier this year that several teams are keeping tabs on the Belgium international ahead of the summer transfer window, having been impressed by his form this season.

The outlet claimed that English sides Aston Villa, who are in the Champions League this term, and Leeds United are both keen on the former Standard Liege star, who is said to be valued at £20m by the Gers.

When the takeover is finalised, Rangers must do everything in their power to fend off interest from down south to convince the Belgian dynamo to remain at Ibrox, because he is a key player for the team moving forward.

Raskin has delivered consistently impressive performances in the middle of the park as a box-to-box midfield player, starring for both Clement and Ferguson in the Premiership this term.

24/25 Premiership

Nicolas Raskin

Appearances

28

Big chances created

6

Assists

6

Pass accuracy

88%

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.6

Ground duel success rate

58%

Aerial duel success rate

59%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 24-year-old star, who was signed by Michael Beale at the start of 2023, has been a defensive monster for the Gers, winning the majority of his duels and almost making four tackles and interceptions per game.

The Belgian talent has also provided quality in possession, assisting six goals, and been a metronomic figure on the ball with his high pass success rate.

Despite all of this, Raskin is not one of the very top earners at Rangers in the 2024/25 campaign, placing tenth on the wage bill at £19k-per-week.

The top ten earners at Rangers

The former Pro League starlet only just makes the top ten, earning £2k less per week than Ianis Hagi in ninth and £11k less per week than captain James Tavernier at the top of the wage bill.

This is despite Raskin being more integral to the Rangers team in the Premiership than many of the players who currently earn more than him at Ibrox.

Top ten Rangers earners

24/25

Weekly wage

Premiership starts

James Tavernier

£30k

25

Vaclav Cerny

£27k

26

Cyriel Dessers

£27k

19

Danilo

£26k

6

Jack Butland

£25k

26

Rabbi Matondo

£23k

2

Dujon Sterling

£22k

11

Tom Lawrence

£22k

8

Ianis Hagi

£21k

16

Nicolas Raskin

£19k

24

Wages via Salary Sport & stats via WhoScored

As you can see in the table above, only three of the nine players above Raskin on the wage bill have started more games than him in the Premiership – one being a goalkeeper, one being the captain, and the other being a loanee.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast’s Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

Expand Collapse

The new ownership should look to ruthlessly ditch some of the duds who are among the top earners at the club despite not contributing much on the pitch, and that is why Rangers must move on from Danilo this summer.

Why Rangers should sell Danilo

The Light Blues swooped to sign the Brazilian forward from Feyenoord in the summer of 2023 for a reported fee of £6m in an attempt to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

To date, Danilo has racked up 12 goals and nine assists in 42 matches in all competitions, which is far from a horrendous return in front of goal, but he has failed to establish himself as a regular starter at Ibrox.

Part of that has been down to his consistent injury issues. The 26-year-old forward has missed a staggering 53 matches through injury since the start of the 2023/24 campaign.

This has hampered his Rangers career so far and played a part in him only starting 11 games in the Premiership during his time at Ibrox, which suggests that the club have not got value for money out of the £6m they paid for his services, as well as his reported £26k-per-week.

His lack of minutes, and contributions, on the pitch in almost two years in Glasgow has led to his market value plummeting by millions over the past 18 months or so.

Danilo’s plummeting market value

Date

Market value

July 2023

£6m (reported fee)

December 2023

£6m

March 2024

£5.1m

October 2024

£4.3m

December 2024

£3.8m

March 2025 – present

£3.4m

Valuations via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, the Brazilian centre-forward is currently worth £2.6m less than the £6m fee that the Gers paid Feyenoord for him back in the summer of 2023.

He is a depreciating asset who is not offering much in return on the pitch for the wages that he is earning at Ibrox, which is why the club must ruthlessly ditch him from the squad in the summer transfer window.

Related Ferguson must finally drop Rangers flop who was worse than Diomande

Rangers must finally drop the flop who was even worse than Mohamed Diomande.

Posts 1 ByDan Emery Apr 6, 2025

The Light Blues must explore their options to see if there is any interest in him in an attempt to recoup some of the money that has been drained by the former Ajax starlet.

There was no question of the significance this innings had for his England career

Matt Roller21-Jun-2025

Ollie Pope’s ton led England’s strong response•Getty Images

Ollie Pope has celebrated eight previous Test hundreds but never with such fervour. Pope scampered through for a single after inside-edging Jasprit Bumrah to the leg side, roaring “come on!” with fists clenched, and then punched the air with the jab of a welterweight boxer. There was no question of the significance this innings had for his England career.Marquee Test series demand substance over style, and Pope showed his mettle; this was not a chanceless hundred, with two significant let-offs, but it was a timely one under huge pressure. He looked drained – mentally, physically, emotionally – as he walked off unbeaten at the close, after spending a single over off the field across the first two days’ play.Athletes try to ignore the “outside noise” created by the media but only deafness could have blocked out the scrutiny on Pope. Jacob Bethell’s emergence as a potential superstar left his place at No. 3 under genuine pressure, and an unusually sparse schedule – with no Tests for five months at the start of this year – left him powerless to respond to speculation.Related

• Pope determined to deliver 'runs after runs after runs' following Headingley ton

• Duckett had 'goosebumps' watching Pope celebrate crucial ton

• Stokes blames media 'agenda' for pressure on Pope

• India's gaffes overshadow Bumrah's jaffas, Pope ton makes it England's day

Even his 171 against Zimbabwe last month was easily discounted, not least after Ben Stokes created an inadvertent media storm. England are at the start of a defining ten-Test run against India and Australia; Pope had reached 50 only twice in his previous 35 innings against those opponents, his 196 in Hyderabad resembling a freak outlier.But this was vital supporting evidence. “He probably couldn’t walk out in tougher conditions, with Jasprit running down the hill with the lights on,” Ben Duckett said. Pope flicked his first ball, from Mohammed Siraj, off his pads for four; so often a nervous starter, he had a calm poise when punishing width off India’s seamers.Pope scored heavily – 48 of his round 100 – behind square on the off side, thanks to the steep bounce that Headingley offers and occasional fortunate moments: a Bumrah misfield at deep point, and two chancy steers through gaps in the slip cordon. His best shot – a perfectly placed pull off Prasidh Krishna over leg gully which beat long leg to his right – took him to 90.Ollie Pope played some delectable drives•Getty ImagesHe also had an umpiring decision and a drop to thank. When Pope had 34, Chris Gaffaney turned down an lbw appeal from Siraj; if he had given it out, it would not have been overturned; when he had 60, Yashasvi Jaiswal put him down at third slip off the relentless Bumrah, whose first few spells of the series were irresistible.Yet, those reprieves are merely details in Pope’s bigger picture. Stokes has consistently reassured him of his place over the past month and Duckett insisted there was never any doubt in the dressing room that Pope would bat at No. 3, but his response to reaching three figures confirmed the extent to which he had felt Bethell breathing down his neck.”The way Popey’s dealt with it has been superb and just sums up and proves why he’s England’s No. 3,” Duckett said. “Scoring a hundred against that attack, coming out in the first over at 4 for 1, you could just see it in the way that he celebrated. It didn’t just mean a lot to him; it meant a huge amount in the dressing room as well.”It is almost inevitable that Bethell will win another chance in England’s batting line-up before long. Cricket obsesses over selection debates more than any other sport, but injuries and other absences have invariably deprived England of at least one member of their first-choice top seven for at least one Test in seven of their last eight Test series.2:22

Duckett: Bumrah the best in the world

But Pope ensured on Saturday that he will not be left out any time soon; it is the sign of a strong batting line-up that a player of Bethell’s evident quality cannot get into the side. Pope has bought himself the rest of the summer at No. 3 and must now prove he is a far better, hungrier player than a Test average in the mid-30s might suggest; aged 27, he should be approaching his prime.It was Pope’s tempo that was most impressive: his early boundaries in partnership with Duckett prompted Shubman Gill to set defensive fields to stem the flow of runs, at one stage five boundary-riders to Ravindra Jadeja. With the field spread, Pope slipped down a gear: his second fifty (61 balls) was quicker than his first (65) but contained only five fours compared to eight.That manipulation of oppositions’ plans has been a central tenet of England’s aggression with the bat over the last three years: Duckett has embodied their strategy, going hard against the new ball and then milking singles when captains feel forced to react, and Pope’s release shot – a dab past gully – built on the same premise.Pope’s challenge now is to back his century up, and to dispel the notion that he is a feast-or-famine player; he spoke before the series about his desire to emulate Joe Root by scoring “hundred, hundred, hundred” and proving his consistency. But such thoughts can wait for next week, as he basks in the satisfaction of his most determined innings yet.

There’s a reason why Icarus is remembered, not the dreary dad who warned him about flying too close to the sun

Matt Roller29-Jul-2023If one shot encapsulated the state of this Ashes series, it came in the 75th over of England’s second innings on a heady evening in south London. Mitchell Starc, the leading-wicket taker on either side, charged in with three men out on the hook; he dug the ball in short at 88mph.Moeen Ali, a 36-year-old with a groin strain who was retired from Test cricket two months ago, swivelled on a pull shot, fully extending his arms. Steven Smith ran around to his right, sprawling at full stretch as he attempted to flick the ball back into play on the bounce. He couldn’t reach it, and thudded into the LED advertising boards as he landed.Smith briefly lay prone, resting his arm on the hoardings as the crowd revelled in another England boundary, their 48th of the day. It had taken England six balls to wipe out the 12-run lead that Australia had painstakingly accumulated across 103.1 overs; now, they were 357 ahead.England cannot win this series but that might now be incidental. They have scored at 4.74 runs per over, averaged 36.58 runs per wicket, and most importantly, have been utterly compelling to watch. “Can Bazball really work against Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood?” They have unequivocally won the argument.This was England at their best, forcing the field back with early aggression before cruising along with singles to boundary-riders as though they were batting in the middle overs of an ODI. Six of their batters will end the series with at least 300 runs at an average above 35; Ben Stokes’ strike rate of 64.69 was the slowest among them.Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett led the charge, their final partnership tally of 79 in 17 overs reflecting a slow-down once Cummins finally pushed the field back. England have not always found batting in the third innings easy in the last 14 months, without the lucidity of a run-chase; as if to dispel any doubts, Crawley crashed the first ball of the day through cover for four.Joe Root nails a reverse-scoop for six over deep third•Getty ImagesBut it was Joe Root who best personified England’s dominance, settling into fifth gear after a jittery start. His best shot, a crisp whip through midwicket while wandering down the pitch against Hazlewood, was soon followed by his most outlandish: a now-characteristic reverse-scoop for six over the slips off Mitchell Marsh.It is a mark of Root’s transcendence in this series that his run aggregate – 412 at 51.50 – feels lower than it should, given the ease with which he has scored whenever he has been set. Root mastered the art of middle-overs batting during the 2015-19 World Cup cycle, and Cummins has generally posted 50-over fields as soon as Root has reached 20.Twice in his last three innings, he has been denied a century after being bowled by balls that have hardly got off the pitch after bouncing: the first from Hazlewood in Manchester, the second from Todd Murphy at The Oval on Saturday. Yet by the time he walked off with England 320 ahead, he had reasserted his status among the world’s elite batters.There has been plenty of scoffing about England’s perceived superiority complex in recent days – much of it justified. The inescapable facts are that they are 2-1 down, having let multiple chances slip in both of their defeats, and cannot now regain the urn until 2025-26.Related

The stars align for Stuart Broad's farewell … before the sky starts to fall in

Under fire: How did Australia's attack fare during extraordinary Ashes?

What Stuart Broad said after announcing his retirement

England play their hits once again in bid for 'well actually' bragging rights

Stuart Broad to retire from cricket at end of Oval Test

Yet it has become increasingly clear as this series has worn on that Australia are rattled by England’s approach. Since arriving in the UK they have thrashed India to become World Test Champions, and gone 2-0 up in the series; barring an improbable run-chase, they will fly home next week ruing a missed opportunity to secure their legacy.And yes, there have been times in this series when England’s batters have flown too close to the sun. If they had the chance again, they would surely have reined themselves in just a fraction during the third innings at Edgbaston, and similarly on the third morning at Lord’s, when they lost 6 for 47 while repeatedly taking on the short ball on a sluggish surface.But there’s a reason you remember the name of Icarus, and not the dreary dad who warned him about the consequences. Two years ago, England were a drab, dull side who were best to follow via wicket notifications and social media low-lights; now, a similar group of players are arrestingly watchable, and their supporters want to watch every ball.Two days of rain in Manchester denied this series the finale it deserved, and the type of showpiece event that cricket in England so desperately cherishes as it battles for mainstream attention amid constant existential crises. Even so, for all the hand-wringing about the schedule, the Ashes has been the main event of the sporting summer.Australia have played some brilliant cricket, and nobody is disputing their right to return home having retained the urn. But England have undeniably been the protagonists of this series, exuding relentless main-character energy; it was only fitting that Stuart Broad, the hero of this drama, would steal the show late on Saturday evening.

The star of England’s last T20I series in India has fallen off their radar, but he doesn’t think he’s out of it just yet

Interview by Matt Roller11-Mar-2021When England last played a T20I series in India, in early 2017, Tymal Mills was a breakout star. While his figures – 3 for 94 in 12 overs across three games – were not immediately eye-catching, he conceded only 46 runs in his six overs within the final five of an innings while hitting speeds in excess of 145kph against a strong batting line-up. It brought attention from several IPL franchises, culminating in a Rs 12 crore (US$ 1.8m or £1.4 million approximately at the time) bid from the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the following month’s IPL auction.But Mills has not played for England since, with regular injuries preventing him from sealing a spot. Four years on, he looks back at his best for Sussex in the T20 Blast, and has his sights set on an international recall.I’m sure you look back on that 2017 series fondly. How do you reflect on that period in your career?

Looking back on it, I wouldn’t have thought at the time that it would have been the last time I’d play for England. That was a real high point in my career – that whole winter, really. It was my first winter on the T20 circuit and everything was going pretty well for me. I was loving it.Related

• Tymal Mills times his rise as Jofra Archer injury leaves hole in England's T20 World Cup plans

• 'Don't enter IPL auction if you're afraid of being embarrassed'

• Tymal Mills picks a T20 XI

• How did being million-dollar IPL buys affect Unadkat and Mills?

And then from the IPL onwards, it’s just unfortunately been a case of injury after injury. I haven’t had too many long stints without one, so I haven’t really been able to push forwards and get back into the England side, which is where I want to be. It is frustrating, and it wouldn’t be how I thought the next four years would have gone at that time.When you made your England debut against Sri Lanka in 2016, you were seen as a poster boy for the T20 circuit, given you’d retired from other forms of cricket aged 22 due to your back condition. Was the prospect of playing against India in India daunting, given the extra scrutiny and the fact you were still only 24?

I didn’t put too much pressure on myself but I did identify it as the biggest test of my career. Up until that point I’d played in the Blast, the BPL, the Super Smash, and a couple of games in the Big Bash. When you’re playing against India in India, that’s pretty much as tough as it gets. It was a test that I really looked forward to: I backed myself to do well.In his only season of the IPL, 2017. “It’s definitely something I want to go back to because they haven’t seen the best of me”•BCCIIt was my first time playing out there, but one thing I’ve always been good at is never really feeling overawed by an occasion. If you ask my team-mates at Sussex, they’ll say I often perform better when the TV cameras are in and there’s a full house – I’m a bit of a show pony like that.Were you happy with how you did?
I just enjoyed it, first and foremost. I was still very young and probably naïve to the situation, but I tried to focus on myself and what I knew I could do well. I was given that role by Morgs [Eoin Morgan] to open the bowling and then bowl two at the death in every game. If you look at the figures, I think I only took one wicket in each game, going for 25 or 30-odd but there were a few high-scoring games in there, and bowling at Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina is as tough as it gets. I was really pleased.Going into that series, a few weeks before an IPL auction, you must have realised that you were 12 good overs away from a contract?

I could never have expected what ended up happening, but you know that recency bias is a very real thing, especially in T20 leagues. Playing a series in India a couple of weeks before the auction was as good a shop window as there could be. You’re not thinking about that when you’re training or in the middle, but it’s definitely a by-product.And then the big bid came in from RCB. You took five wickets in five games and went at 8.57 runs an over – not terrible numbers, but not what they’d have hoped for given the price they’d paid.
I played the first few games and I didn’t do terribly… maybe I’d say I held my own. Then I had a small hamstring tear which knocked me out for a while, and I couldn’t quite get back to full fitness. The rest of the tournament fizzled out and I’ve not been able to get back out there since. Some of that has been deserved because I haven’t been in form, and there have also been times where I’ve felt really good and been bowling well but then not been picked up in the auction or as a replacement player. [The IPL] is definitely something I want to go back to because they haven’t seen the best of me: I still think it’s a level I can perform at and succeed at so I’m working hard to try and get back there.That hamstring injury you mentioned kept you out for a while, and when you did get back to fitness, you struggled in the 2017-18 Big Bash, and England haven’t come calling since.
I had the problem with my hamstring, which started at the IPL and then it lingered into the Blast season in England that summer. I tore it again properly and didn’t play until I went out to play for Hobart in the Big Bash. I hadn’t played leading into that Big Bash for about five months. The hamstring was fine by that point, but I had no rhythm and I definitely didn’t give a good account of myself. I had a really poor tournament.Mills adds another string to his bow, trying his hand at commentary during last year’s England-Australia T20I series•AFPYou’ve been in much better form over the last two years. When did things turn around for you?

It was when I went and played the second half of the PSL for Peshawar Zalmi in 2019 that I felt like I was back to my best. I had played the Blast in 2018 and then the T10 and the Afghan league, and was still kind of getting back to form, but in that tournament with Zalmi, I felt really good. We got to the final, and I had some good feedback from Kieron Pollard and the coaches. I was pretty confident of kicking on from there, and my agent was texting me about my name being in the hat when a couple of seamers got injured in the IPL but those calls just didn’t come.Unfortunately injuries have just kept coming back. It’s been frustrating, but the one thing that has kept me going is that I keep bouncing back: I’m not losing pace and I still feel like I’m performing at the level I want to. Last summer I was happy with how I bowled in the Blast – I was still hitting good speeds in the games we played on TV, so I’m confident that my skills haven’t waned. If I’m fit and on the pitch, I’ll always back myself to do well.Heading into this summer, you’ll have the opportunity to play more games than usual, with the introduction of a second short-format competition in England: the Hundred. It looks like a big season for you.

It’s a huge summer for me in the context of my career. I’ve been working my way back to fitness after an injury at the end of last season, and working on my business, Pace Journal, and I know that it’s a massive season coming up. I really want to perform for Sussex: they’ve invested a lot of time and effort in me – me and the physio are a bit closer than I would like! – so I want to have a good Blast and help pay them back. Then hopefully I can have a really strong Hundred and restore faith in people who think I might not have it anymore. It’s a huge competition, one that I’m really looking forward to: our squad at Southern Brave looks pretty stacked.With some of the names involved, both players and coaches, there will be opportunities to make relationships that help you win contracts in franchise tournaments down the line too. Mahela Jayawardene is your head coach at the Brave, with Shane Bond as his assistant.

You can’t ignore those things. It’s very easy to say, “Oh yeah, I’m just focusing on myself and X, Y and Z will take care of themselves” but those things are very real: stuff like recency bias, and guys seeing you with their own eyes. I know Mahela a little bit from when he was our overseas player at Sussex. He’s head coach at Mumbai Indians with Shane Bond as his No. 2. Bondy is the head coach at Sydney Thunder. So within our own camp you’ve got guys at two of the bigger franchises within world cricket, and then there are similar stories all around the traps as well.Mills shone in his brief stint for Peshwar Zalmi in the PSL in 2019. He regards it as the start of his current upswing•Asif Hassan/AFP/Getty ImagesOne of the main benefits from a player’s point of view is that every game is going to be televised. With the Blast, so many brilliant performances get missed: there are so many games that you can’t play them all in front of the cameras and guys scoring hundreds, taking wickets, taking amazing catches – they’re relegated to stationary cameras on a Twitter feed.You’ve mentioned your skill set, and how you feel you offer something different than most bowlers. Of course you’re a left-arm quick, but you also have quite an unusual method at the death too, in that you rarely try to bowl yorkers. Why is that?
It’s just a case of me playing to my strengths. Commentators, pundits, journalists will all say that you have to bowl yorkers at the death. It the best ball – if you execute it, it is the hardest ball to hit. But it can also go wrong just as easily. You’ll often see a guy have one game where he executes his yorkers really well and he’s suddenly hailed as a brilliant death bowler, but you look at the numbers and the naked facts and he’s not – he’s just had a brilliant game.I go about it in a different way: I use my angle, coming round the wicket [to right-handers] or over to the left-handers, and try to bowl fast and heavy. I try and reduce width, and with the pace that I’ve got, I try to skid it into the box-thigh-pad region. I think that’s the hardest length to hit for six: it’s not full enough to drive or get under the ball, but not quite short enough to hook and to pull. You’re going to get it wrong sometimes, but in my opinion, if you get it right, they’re the hardest balls to hit. The numbers back that up in terms of my economy rate at the death and if you can mix that in with slower balls as well at varying lengths, you’re keeping the batsman guessing.ESPNcricinfo LtdSo do you ever try to bowl yorkers anymore?

I definitely have been working on yorkers, and wide yorkers in particular, because you can’t just rely on one or two tricks, and I’m still looking to evolve. But I’m a big believer in the fact that you need to play to your strengths as much as possible. T20 cricket is all about executing, particularly in high-pressure situations like bowling at the death. There’s no use putting someone under pressure to bowl a yorker if they’re not confident that they’re going to execute it. That’s obviously different to what many others might think, but it’s served me well enough so far.How do you rate your chances of playing for England again?

Rightly or wrongly, I think I’m good enough to be in that conversation. There are a lot of good bowlers around at the moment, but like I said, I feel as though I have skills that aren’t replicated in English cricket. It’s been a long time and I have to prove that I’m reliable enough to perform and stay fit. I’m not really a goal-orientated person when it comes to cricket but I definitely want to play for England again. It’s something that I’ve had a little taste of and I want more of: I want to prove myself against the best in the world.Have you had any conversations with people in the set-up? Do you feel like it’s a realistic prospect?

I was playing in the Ultimate Kricket Challenge in Dubai at the start of the winter and I spoke with Morgs just to see where I am. I haven’t really had much contact with anybody at the ECB with regards to selection because I’ve either not been fit or not quite in good enough form, so it was nice to have a chat with him over a beer at dinner one night. He said I’m still on the radar, I just have to put good performances in. I guess I wanted a little bit of feedback: does my name still come up when talking about selection? He didn’t shut me down, which was positive. I don’t think the door is closed.

حلل أحد خبراء لغة الجسد تصرفات النجم المصري محمد صلاح بعد مباراة ليفربول وبرايتون، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، مشيرًا إلى أن الأمر بدا كمشهد وداع.

وشارك محمد صلاح كبديل في مباراة ليفربول وبرايتون أمس السبت، بعد تصريحاته المثيرة للجدل التي أعقبت مباراة فريقه أمام ليدز يونايتد في الجولة الماضية للدوري الإنجليزي.

صلاح أثار الضجة خلال الأسبوع الماضي حين صرح أن ليفربول يبدو وكأنه تخلى عنه، وأن علاقته بالمدرب سلوت منقطعة، وذلك بسبب جلوسه بديلاً لثلاث مباريات متتالية في البريميرليج، وعلى إثر ذلك تم استبعاده من المباراة أمام إنتر ميلان.

ويعتقد دارين ستانتون، خبير لغة الجسد، أن هذه التصرفات تشير إلى أن محمد صلاح قد يغادر ليفربول قريبًا، وفقًا لتقرير صحيفة “ميرور”.

وفي المباراة أمام برايتون، ساهم صلاح بتمريرة حاسمة في الفوز 2-0، وبدا متأثرًا في نهاية المباراة، حيث حيّا الجماهير في جميع أنحاء ملعب آنفيلد، وكان من آخر اللاعبين الذين غادروا أرض الملعب.

اقرأ أيضًا | كيف برر محمد صلاح تصريحاته النارية في غرفة ملابس ليفربول؟

ويعتقد دارين ستانتون، خبير لغة الجسد، أن هذه التصرفات تشير إلى احتمال رحيل صلاح عن ليفربول قريبًا، وفقًا لتقرير صحيفة “ميرور”.

وقال ستانتون: “بدا محمد صلاح متأثرًا للغاية بعد مباراة برايتون، أعتقد أن الأمر كان أشبه برثاء له، بصراحة، لا أعتقد أننا سنراه مجددًا”.

وتابع ستانتون: “كانت الدموع تملأ عينيه وهو يصفق مع الجماهير، لذا أعتقد أن هذه كانت أغنيته الأخيرة، وداعه الأخير”.

وأردف: “أعتقد أنه رغم عدم وجود إجراءات رسمية، إلا أنه يعلم في قرارة نفسه أنه لن يكون في ذلك الموقف ولن يمشي على تلك الأرضية مرة أخرى، لذا أعتقد أنه سيرحل ولن يعود”.

وأشار: “كانت تعابير صلاح حزينة ومحبطة، لأنه من الواضح أن الأمور لم تسر على ما يرام، كان حزينًا للغاية، متأثرًا بشدة، والدموع تملأ عينيه، وظهرت على وجهه تعابير حزن دقيقة”.

Liverpool’s disastrous run in the Premier League this season has shown no signs of coming to an end in recent weeks, with the showing against Sunderland once again highlighting their frailties.

Arne Slot’s men were only able to secure a point against the newly promoted outfit at Anfield, something which would have been a crazy statement during the title-winning season.

The drop-off has been astronomical from this time last season, with the Reds now already sitting 11 points off the summit despite playing just 14 league matches.

Wednesday’s clash against the Black Cats further showcased the creative struggles within Slot’s side, with Florian Wirtz’s deflected effort just one of four shots on target during the 90-minute display.

The performances of numerous Reds players no doubt contributed to the failure to secure all three points on Merseyside for the third straight home league outing.

Liverpool’s poor performers against Sunderland

During Wednesday’s draw with the Black Cats, winger Cody Gakpo had yet another performance to forget, with his lack of impact resulting in a half-time withdrawal.

The Dutchman only managed to complete a total of seven passes against Regis Le Bris’ men, with none of his being made into the final third – subsequently highlighting his lack of creativity in attacking areas.

The 26-year-old was also only able to register a singular effort on goal, but it didn’t trouble the opposition goalkeeper – with his substitution at the break certainly warranted.

Joe Gomez was once again asked to operate in an unnatural right-back role due to the injuries to Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong, but he was massively dominated by the visitors prior to his substitution.

The Englishman entered nine duels during his 65-minute showing, but only managed to come out on top in one of them, resulting in a measly 11% success rate.

He also got dribbled past twice whilst also only completing 20% of the crosses he attempted, highlighting how lacklustre at both ends of the pitch on Merseyside.

Liverpool star is becoming a big problem

The decline of Liverpool in 2025/26 is certainly something to behold, especially after winning the Premier League title under Slot not even seven months ago.

After securing the club’s Premier League title, the Dutchman spent £440m within the transfer market during the summer, but numerous of the big-money additions have so far failed to deliver.

Wirtz’s effort eventually went down as a Nordi Mukiele own goal, which has extended his goalless run, with the German now without a goal in any of his 13 league outings this campaign.

Milos Kerkez has struggled to dislodge Andy Robertson from the starting left-back role, while Frimpong has struggled with injuries and has subsequently been restricted to just four league outings.

Alexander Isak was the most expensive of the summer arrivals, as the Swedish international joined the club in an English-record £125m transfer from Newcastle United.

He no doubt arrived at Anfield with high expectations given such a transfer fee, but also due to his goal tally, which saw him net 23 league goals last campaign.

The striker’s spell on Merseyside to date has been nothing short of a disaster, with the 26-year-old scoring his first league goal at West Ham United last weekend at the sixth time of asking.

As a result, Isak was handed another start against Sunderland last night, but he was once again unable to deliver despite the faith shown in him by the manager.

He featured for 86 minutes of the contest, but could only complete a measly tally of two passes, whilst also losing possession of the ball on three separate occasions.

Alexander Isak – stats against Sunderland
Statistics	Tally
Minutes played	86
Touches	14
Passes completed	2
Possession lost	3x
Duels won	1
Shots on target	0
Touches in opposition box	2
Chances created	0
Stats via FotMob

The Swede was largely dominated by the opposition at Anfield, as shown by his duels won tally, with the forward winning just one out of a possible six battles that he entered.

He was once again unable to register a shot on target, whilst managing just two touches in the opposition box – subsequently unable to get on the scoresheet once again.

To top off his disappointing display, Isak only registered a total of 14 touches on Merseyside, a tally fewer than goalkeeper Alisson, who managed to notch a total of 34.

As a result of his showing against the Black Cats, the striker was handed a measly 5/10 match rating by the Liverpool Echo, further showcasing his struggles after his big-money move.

After such a showing, there’s no doubt that Slot must drop the forward at the weekend, with Hugo Ekitiké needing the chance to start at the top end of the pitch again.

Just one goal in his first seven league games is nothing short of embarrassing, with the record addition desperately needing to find form to kickstart his Reds career.

Fabinho 2.0: Liverpool in pole position to sign £35m midfield "machine"

Liverpool look set to be making a move for one star during the upcoming January transfer window.

By
Ethan Lamb

Dec 3, 2025

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl only has to wait a few weeks before he can start to bring in his first signings in the January transfer window.

The former Sheffield Wednesday tactician will be looking to bolster his squad in key areas, despite all of the work that was done by former sporting director Kevin Thelwell in the summer.

Thelwell, along with CEO Patrick Stewart, was recently let go by the Gers and is yet to be replaced, which could mean that Rohl is given a large say in what happens in January.

The key areas Rangers need to strengthen in January

A new centre-forward should be on the agenda for Rangers, despite Bojan Miovski’s brace against Kilmarnock on Saturday, because their strikers have not offered enough in front of goal this season.

Per Transfermarkt, no Rangers number nine has scored more than Miovski’s four goals, with Danilo on three goals, and Youssef Chermiti on one goal, which is why Rohl may want a new marksman to provide goals on a regular basis.

The caveat to this, of course, is that things could change in the next few weeks and if Chermiti, Miovski, or Danilo hit a hot streak and look primed to be the main man up front, then a new striker could fall down the list of priorities.

A creative midfielder should also be on their list. No attacking midfielder or winger in the squad has provided more than one assist or created more than two ‘big chances’ in the Scottish Premiership, per FotMob, which points to a lack of creativity in those areas.

Along with a striker and a creative midfielder or winger, Rohl also needs to push the Light Blues to bring a senior and experienced left-back to Ibrox to replace Jayden Meghoma.

Why Rangers need to sign a left-back.

The Brentford loanee, 19, is the only natural left-back at the club at this moment in time, after Thelwell sold Ridvan Yilmaz and Jefte in the summer window.

He has shown some positive signs in possession in recent weeks, though, with a stunning goal against Dundee United and an assist for Mikey Moore against Kilmarnock in the last two league games.

In quotes sourced by PA Media prior to the clash with Kilmarnock, Meghoma reviewed his time at Ibrox so far and said: “The expectation here is really, really high.

“To be honest, I don’t blame the fans either because of the history. We know that as a team, we have to improve. That’s why we were chasing the game so hard. We know that we need to get more positive results. The loan has been amazing. Every experience you have is another learning curve. That’s what I always say. For me, it’s all an experience and I’m learning new things as I’ve been here. For me, it’s a fantastic experience.

“I think you mould quite well here as a player. Every experience I get here, I wouldn’t gain anywhere else. The experience alone is invaluable and it’s one of the best places to play in football at my age, especially.”

As the full-back said himself, he is gaining vital experience in his development by playing regular football at Ibrox, but Rangers have suffered at times as a result of his learning process, and it is Brentford who will benefit from it in the long run, not the Gers.

Appearances

12

5

Goals

1

0

Key passes per game

0.8

0.4

Assists

2

0

Ground duel success rate

61%

64%

Aerial duel success rate

19%

40%

Error led to shot

2

0

As you can see in the table above, Meghoma has particularly struggled in the air as a defender, which is a problem for Rangers when defending set-pieces and crosses into the back post from open play.

It was most evident for Jacob Lungi Sorensen’s goal for Brann in Rohl’s first match. TNT Sports commentator and former Rangers striker Ally McCoist said it was “remarkable” that the teenage defender allowed the Dane to get his head to the ball almost completely unchallenged to score.

Max Aarons has played at left-back, but is a natural right-sider and stunts the progression down that flank, which is why it is so important for the Gers to bring in a natural left-back in January.

The Light Blues need an experienced defender who can be relied upon to deliver consistent performances, without being a defensive liability, so that Rohl has some stability in his backline in the second half of the season.

Signing a proven performer at left-back would also provide Meghoma with a mentor who can help him to continue his development, even if this proposed signing could severely restrict his minutes on the pitch moving forward.

The Brentford loanee may be having an “amazing” time at Ibrox so far, but Rohl must be ruthless to build a squad that can compete for trophies, which is why he must brutally replace the teenager as a starter when the January transfer window opens for business.

Bid already submitted: Rangers could sign a "very pacy" Gassama replacement

Rangers could replace Djeidi Gassama on the wing by signing this reported target in the January window.

ByDan Emery 6 days ago

It’s remarkable just how quickly the pendulum can swing at Manchester United.

From the optimism of a five-game unbeaten run, including three successive wins in October, the Red Devils can now be viewed through the lens of three games without a win, following Monday’s dismal defeat to Everton.

Results like that are perhaps to be expected for a side still enduring a hangover from last season’s 15th-place Premier League finish, although with AFCON looming, Ruben Amorim and co can’t afford to keep slipping up.

Sunday’s clash with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park thus provides a perfect opportunity for the Old Trafford side to bounce back, albeit with Amorim’s options again set to be somewhat limited.

Latest Man Utd team news

To borrow the old cliché, Selhurst Park has not been a happy hunting ground for United in recent times, having last tasted victory in south London back in July 2020.

Home or way, in truth, the Eagles have provided a stern test for the Manchester side, with United failing to win any of the last four meetings between the two teams, a run that includes the infamous 4-0 thrashing in May 2024, and the subsequent criticism of Casemiro from Jamie Carragher.

Hopes of ending that recent run will have been dented by the news that Matheus Cunha will once again be absent, with the Brazilian having missed the loss to the Toffees after sustaining a head knock in training.

That is a particular blow considering that fellow summer signing Benjamin Sesko is also still set to be missing until mid-December, with the £74m Slovenian having been sidelined since hobbling off in the 2-2 draw at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Amorim doesn’t even have his makeshift marksman, Harry Maguire, to call upon either, with the 32-year-old also not set to be involved on Sunday due to injury.

Thankfully, the sight of Lisandro Martinez back on the bench last time out will spark hope that the Argentine cult hero can be involved again sooner rather than later, although it is likely that the 27-year-old will be eased back into the action gradually.

There is an intrigue at potentially seeing the ex-Ajax man deployed at left centre-back, with Luke Shaw at left wing-back, although in the meantime, Amorim might have a wildcard solution down that left flank.

Man Utd's new Evra could start at Palace

That Shaw-Martinez combination could be the answer later down the line, with Amorim certainly in need of genuine competition or an upgrade on Patrick Dorgu at wing-back, with the Dane again struggling against the Toffees.

Chalkboard

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

The former Lecce starlet notably flashed an effort wide at the backpost, prior to being hooked on the hour mark, having failed to provide a single successful cross, while losing possession 11 times from just 40 touches, as per Sofascore.

Whether the 21-year-old has been parachuted in too soon or not, he doesn’t look like the answer right now, with Amorim himself admitting that “you can feel the anxiety every time Patrick touches the ball”.

Equally, the decision to deploy a right-footed Diogo Dalot on that flank continues to leave supporters scratching their heads.

With that in mind, Amorim could surely do worse than hand a chance to the previously exiled Tyrell Malacia, with the forgotten Dutchman having been brought in from the cold in recent months.

Previously – and perhaps unfairly – included in United’s summer ‘bomb squad’, the injury-hit full-back might be a wildcard option, representing one of few genuine options on the left wing.

Games (starts)

22 (14)

Goals

0

Assists

0

Big chances created

1

Pass accuracy

87%

Tackles

2.1

Interceptions

1.1

Dribbled past

0.5

Total duels won

50%

Part of the matchday squad in two of the last four games, including against Everton, albeit while yet to make an appearance this season, Malacia hasn’t featured for United since January, having made only eight appearances in the first half of 2024/25 following his belated return from injury.

A 17-month horror stint on the sidelines had come after an initially positive start to life at United back in his debut 2022/23 campaign, with the ex-Feyenoord man having usurped Shaw at left-back following the debacle at Brentford.

The diminutive talent was even likened to a legendary figure of United’s past in the form of Patrice Evra, with Rio Ferdinand making that comparison in August 2022:

So cruelly ravaged by injury since then, the 26-year-old – to his credit – has fought his way back into contention, even after looking off the pace following his eventual return last November, with Amorim stating that it is hard for him as he is “not so offensive”.

After six months at PSV Eindhoven, and a summer exile, Malacia is now back in favour, with Amorim seemingly offering a route back into the side late last month:

Of course, those concerns over his attacking quality might still ring true, having yet to score or assist for the club, yet at a time when Dorgu is struggling, Malacia might well be able to provide a sense of balance off the left.

It would be a bold call to thrust the nine-cap Netherlands international into the mix against Palace’s Daniel Munoz, but Amorim needs to find a solution – the diminutive full-back might just be it.

Best January deal since Bruno: INEOS make PL "warrior" Man Utd's top target

Manchester United have a new top target ahead of the January transfer window.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 29, 2025