All posts by h716a5.icu

Liverpool might have ‘won’ the transfer window, but so often Premier League sides have flattered to deceive after spending liberally across the summer months.

In fairness, Liverpool lost the Community Shield against Crystal Palace last month and looked shaky in defence across their opening couple of fixtures. Florian Wirtz, £116m signing from Bayer Leverkusen, has yet to come alive.

That’s one way of looking at it. There’s also the fact that the top-flight champions have claimed nine points from nine to head into the international break at the summit, with Hugo Ekitike having scored three goals and supplied an assist across his first four appearances in Red.

Liverpool ended their incredible summer window with the record-breaking signing of Alexander Isak, who joins from Newcastle United on a £125m deal. However, some might feel that Ekitike might have already nailed down a starting berth, with three goals and an assist from four appearances.

He’s not the finished article, but Liverpool saw a chance to sign the burgeoning French forward and acted, with the view that he could soon become one of the very best in the business.

Why Liverpool signed Hugo Ekitike

After playing so confidently as Eintracht Frankfurt’s senior striker last season, talent scout Jacek Kulig remarked that Ekitike “could definitely reach world-class striker levels”.

Many feel that the jump from a division like the Bundesliga to the Premier League can be a step too far for some talented young players, but Ekitike is not part of that crowd and has indeed been one of Liverpool’s best players so far this season, scoring three goals and supplying one assist across his first four matches.

His fast start shouldn’t detract from the fact that the 23-year-old Ekitike is a work in progress, with his performance against Arsenal last weekend leaving much to be desired, failing to take a shot, blowing both attempted dribbles, completing two passes and losing six of eight contested duels, as per Sofascore.

Still, Isak’s going to have his work cut out on Merseyside this season, battling for a starting spot with this rising France striker.

Players like Isak and Wirtz are almost outliers in Liverpool’s transfer strategy, both having arrived on record-breaking deals this summer. There lies the truth of Liverpool’s new position of strength at the top of the food chain.

But Ekitike, though arriving for a hefty figure, has several years of development to undertake before he reaches the refined level of someone like Isak.

Liverpool saw an opportunity and they snatched at it. As is FSG’s way. Just look at the transformational signing of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion two years ago.

Liverpool struck gold with Alexis Mac Allister

Admittedly, Liverpool forked out a far prettier penny for Ekitike, wowing the Premier League when landing World Cup hero Mac Allister from Brighton for just £35m.

Jurgen Klopp oversaw the move, shipping off some of Liverpool’s long-standing midfielders in a clearout which sparked this new wave of success, Slot taking the wheel.

And while Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo have all played roles of differing, yet noteworthy, importance, none have exuded Mac Allister’s control, composure and quality across the full span of their time on Merseyside.

The Argentina international’s first Premier League term with the Reds, he stabilised the ship. Then, after a change in management, the £150k-per-week talent played a talismanic part in winning the top-flight title, so authoritative and dynamic in the middle of the park.

Matches (starts)

33 (31)

35 (30)

Goals

5

5

Assists

5

5

Touches*

74.2

55.8

Pass completion

88%

87%

Big chances created

3

6

Key passes*

1.4

1.3

Dribbles*

0.5

0.5

Ball recoveries*

5.9

4.2

Tackles + interceptions*

4.1

3.3

Ground duels (won)*

5.0 (50%)

4.3 (50%)

Shifting between midfield berths was never going to pose a problem for the South American, whose technical qualities and athleticism lend themselves to different roles. Pundit Joe Cole took note of this, remarking that the “superstar” is adept enough to “play anywhere” he is tasked to perform.

He might not be positionally comparable to Mac Allister, but Ekitike might be required to occupy various positions in a similar way, jockeying for a place with Isak at the front of the Liverpool ship.

However, his early foray into life in Red certainly suggests that Ekitike has both the talent levels and the adaptability to thrive under Slot’s leadership, as has been the case for Mac Allister over his two differing years at the club.

Renowned for his shooting ability and maestro-like vision in the middle of the pitch, Mac Allister has also been one of the division’s consistent tacklers over his time at Liverpool, finishing sixth with 94 won last season and sixth with 98 during the 2023/24 season.

Is it any surprise that the former Seagull’s market value will have risen exponentially over these past few years? Indeed, according to Football Transfers, the 26-year-old is worth a jaw-dropping £116m fee right now, bearing testament to his progress across the past several seasons.

In fact, not only is Mac Allister worth a lot more than Ekitike, who might be hoped to follow a similar path, but the difference in value between Mac Allister’s £35m signing and his current worth exceeds the entire sum Liverpool paid Frankfurt for their Les Bleus forward just over one month ago.

That goes to show that Mac Allister made the right decision in furthering his career at Liverpool, and that Ekitike too could find himself falling into a similar ballpark, especially after his promising start to life in Red.

For now, though, Mac Allister is the man with the shiny price tag, having quietly put himself alongside the cream of Liverpool’s crop, those such as Isak and Wirtz.

Forget Leoni: Liverpool have a homegrown Guehi in 18-year-old "Rolls-Royce"

Liverpool may have to look inwards after missing out on signing Marc Guehi on deadline day.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Sep 2, 2025

Gary Neville has said one of Arsenal’s summer signings is “a lot better” than he imagined, after making an impressive start to the Premier League season.

Neville left impressed after Arsenal thrash Nottingham Forest

The Gunners sent out a message with a 3-0 victory against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, with Martin Zubimendi and Viktor Gyokeres getting on the scoresheet, while fellow summer signing Eberechi Eze grabbed his first assist since arriving from Crystal Palace.

Speaking after the game, Mikel Arteta praised the impact his summer signings made against the Tricky Trees, saying: “The new ones that started, five for them today, really impressed with them. I think you can sense and feel that there are new relationships flourishing there that are going to give us different things.”

Zubimendi stole the headlines, after finding the back of the net twice, either side of Viktor Gyokeres’ third goal of the season, with the Spaniard most notably firing home a volley from just outside the box.

However, goals and assists are not the only metrics on which players should be judged, with Neville taking the time to praise Noni Madueke, who is yet to get off the mark in an Arsenal shirt.

The Sky Sports pundit said: “Madueke is a lot better than I imagined and thought he would be. And certainly a lot better than Arsenal fans thought he would be.

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“A couple of runs that he made for England on Tuesday night were a different level, they’re runs I thought, ‘ooh’. They’re runs… Arjen Robben used to make those runs against me.

“His movement and the things that he’s doing are very, very good, and I’m talking from a full-back’s perspective playing against it.”

Madueke deserves the plaudits after fantastic performance

While the winger was unable to open his account, he undoubtedly put in a fantastic performance against Forest, winning more duels than any other player on the pitch, and making a number of important attacking contributions.

Statistic

Number completed

Successful dribbles

5

Key passes

5

Big chances created

1

Accurate crosses

4

Neville is not the only person to have been left very impressed by the £52m summer signing’s display either, with Arteta adding: “Noni – I thought he was exceptional. We played a front three that had never played [together] before. Overall I am very happy.”

Last season, Arteta was left very short on options in attacking areas at times, with Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka all spending time on the sidelines, which arguably made a major difference in the Premier League title race.

The problem this season, however, is a much nicer one to have, as Arteta may find it difficult to fit all his forwards into the side, given that Saka is expected to return later this month.

Both Pat Cummins and Nitish Reddy and fit and “very keen to go”

Shashank Kishore22-Mar-20253:14

Cricinformed – SRH’s six-hitters set for a new IPL high?

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will maintain their ultra-aggressive batting approach from last season, head coach Daniel Vettori has said ahead of their IPL 2025 opener against Rajasthan Royals in Hyderabad.”Whatever ground we go to, we have an understanding that the batting team is going to be aggressive,” Vettori said. “The only thing that can mitigate that is the pitch, but most times, the pitches in IPL are very flat.”When you come to these grounds, you know exactly what to expect. You know how the batsmen are going come against you. It’s quite…..maybe not fun is the right word, it’s a good challenge for a bowling group to try and work their way through that.”That’s what Pat [Cummins, the captain] addressed the bowling group the other day. He said the expectation is on the batters to do all the work, score the runs and the bowlers can sort of feed into that. If we get those days to make it all work, it’s going go a long way in us winning games. The onus on batting group to score runs and for the bowlers to be able to mitigate that.”Vettori expressed excitement about the expectations surrounding the team and hoped they could replicate the intensity that took them to last year’s final.”Expectations bring some excitement,” he said. “Expectations are built around the performances of last year and the quality of the team we’ve been able to put together at the back end of last season and into the auction.”As a franchise, we’re really excited about the season because we have that foundation from the five players [Cummins, Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Reddy, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma] we retained and how well they performed last year, hopefully we have the squad to perform as well this year if not better.”Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, who claimed the second-highest run tally for an opening pair last year, will continue at the top for SRH. Vettori also welcomed Ishan Kishan into the side, calling him a “huge addition”.”Don’t think we’ll be changing the opening combination, Ishan complements them as well as anyone,” Vettori said. “He has a similar stye of game, left-handed, the ability to take on all types of bowlers. We’re very lucky to have him part of the squad to complement those two, then have Nitish and Klaasen and few of our younger batters to be able to come into the squad as well. We look at that as a huge addition to the team.”Vettori was pleased to see a fit-again Cummins and Nitish, with Cummins recovering from an ankle issue that forced him to miss the Champions Trophy. Meanwhile, Nitish, one of their breakout stars from IPL 2024, comes back following a rehab from a side strain that kept him out of action for a month.”They’ve come through their training sessions really well,” Vettori said. “They had injuries around January, it’s been an extended period since they played but they’ve also had time to recover. When they play as much cricket as they do, it’s sometimes nice to be able to get the chance to refresh.”Both of them are eager and excited about the season. That’s a great position to have. Sometimes when you come into the IPL, it’s the end of a very long season, players can be slightly jaded, but those two are very keen to go.”Cummins will lead a strong pace battery that has two other prolific performers in Mohammed Shami and Harshal Patel – bowlers who won the purple cap in IPL 2023 and 2024 respectively.”Shami two years ago was purple cap winner, Harshal [won it] last year – they are two big additions,” he said. “We know it is big shoes to fill from Bhuvi [Bhuvneshwar Kumar] and Nattu [T Natarajan] – stalwarts of the Sunrisers, who mean much to the franchise.”It was hard to see them go, but that’s the dynamic of the auction. You have to be as nimble as possible to take opportunities. To see Shami come to us, bowl so well in the Champions Trophy is fantastic, those two can complement what Pat brings to the table.”

Alvaro Negredo has blasted Manchester United's approach towards £74 million ($99.5m) striker Benjamin Sesko, warning them that expecting him to win games on his own is unfair and will only hinder his development. The Slovenian forward has been under the microscope since his big-money arrival from RB Leipzig this summer, but he has struggled to deliver the goals expected of him.

AFPSesko's struggles at Old Trafford

When United splashed out a massive fee to bring Sesko to Old Trafford, expectations were sky-high. Yet, the 22-year-old has found the going tough. In a dismal 3-1 defeat to Brentford, Sesko finally scored his first goal, but the match summed up his struggles at the club. Against Manchester City in the derby one week prior, Sesko’s performance was nothing short of alarming. With only eight passes completed and a measly three duels won out of nine, he seemed a world away from the striker who was supposed to lead the line for United.

AdvertisementNegredo wants Sesko to play with more freedom

Negredo, who has himself experienced the pressures of a big-money move, insists Sesko needs time to adapt. Speaking about the young striker’s struggles at the former goalscorer made it clear that United’s demands for instant success may be harming his game.

"Benjamin Sesko is a young player. When I played for Man City we were winning almost every match, so it was much easier for me to adapt," he said. "When you sometimes start and sometimes don't, it’s hard. When a striker scores, he always feels better about himself and contributes much more to the team due to the confidence he has in himself. Above all, it’s about patience. They are young players who still have a lot to contribute and cannot be asked to win games alone. 

"I think it is unfair to give so much responsibility to such a young boy. The situation is similar for Benjamin Sesko as it was for me because he's playing. He's been playing almost every game and has scored once."

Getty Images SportAmorim's big spending not yielding results yet

Amorim threw big money into the summer transfer market, bringing in three attacking players to try and bolster the squad, in the likes of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, alongside Sesko. But the Slovenian's failure to hit the ground running has put more pressure on Amorim, especially after the £74m price tag. With the expectations mounting, the striker must be given space to improve without bearing the weight of United’s attacking hopes on his shoulders. 

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Time for Sesko to prove himself

With United’s next match against Sunderland on October 4, the spotlight is now firmly on Sesko to prove his worth. He’ll be desperate to silence the critics with a strong performance and help his team secure an important win. However, the pressure doesn’t end there. After the domestic clash, Sesko will turn his attention to international duty, with Slovenia set to face Kosovo and Switzerland in World Cup qualifiers on October 10 and 13. It’s a chance for him to get back to scoring ways, away from the intense spotlight of Old Trafford.

Everton have come on leaps and bounds under David Moyes’ leadership (again), but Tuesday evening’s defeat at Molineux was a tough one to take.

Yet again, the Toffees have fallen from the League Cup at an early stage. Four times in five seasons have they exited in the third round, and Moyes will very much plan to revive the outfit’s trophy-winning ambitions after so many years without silverware.

However, there’s ample reason to be excited as the Merseysiders continue to make headway in the Premier League and shape back into an outfit of a higher station.

And it’s rousing to note that Jarrad Branthwaite has yet to kick a ball this season, injured but preparing for a comeback that could take Everton to the next level.

The latest on Branthwaite's fitness

For the second season running, Everton have kicked things off with Branthwaite in the infirmary. This year, though, the Blues have avoided an early-season slump, sat in tenth place with seven points after five fixtures.

The 23-year-old’s return will work wonders, though, with Branthwaite recognised as one of the most talented and valuable centre-backs in the country.

Solid, strong and deceptively dynamic on the ball, Branthwaite will calm a backline hardly in need of placation, and he will improve the overall fluency of an Everton side transitioning to a more modern-tailored form.

A look at the England international’s past two Premier League campaigns tells you all you need to know about his prowess.

Matches (starts)

35 (35)

30 (28)

Goals

3

0

Assists

0

1

Clean sheets

12

8

Touches*

52.2

51.9

Accurate passes*

31.4 (80%)

32.7 (83%)

Ball recoveries*

5.2

3.1

Tackles*

1.9

1.2

Interceptions*

1.4

0.9

Clearances*

4.5

6.3

Ground duels won*

2.5 (67%)

1.9 (69%)

Aerial duels won*

2.7 (68%)

2.1 (59%)

The defenders are doing well, but Everton still need a bit more solidity and dynamism in midfield. Branthwaite’s return will help in that regard, but certain stars, such as Tim Iroegbunam, have left plenty to be desired over the opening weeks of the term.

Iroegbunam is still young, but he’s not been at the races so far, branded a “passenger” against Aston Villa by Everton writer Lyndon Lloyd, and then looking unconvincing against Wolves on Tuesday.

Everton could do with an upgrade, and instead of breaking the bank in next year’s transfer market, they might fancy repeating a trick that worked well with Branthwaite and promoting Harrison Armstrong to Moyes’ first team.

Armstrong could become an Everton starter

Armstrong, 18, is widely regarded as one of Everton’s most talented players within the academy system, and on transfer deadline day, he joined Preston North End in the Championship on loan until the end of the season.

Everton view this as a campaign of significance for the teenager, who is considered a potential superstar and who is anticipated to dovetail into Moyes’ senior set-up in the coming years.

Already he has featured eight times for Everton’s senior side, claiming three assists. Against Mansfield Town in the second round of the Carabao Cup this term, he started and played the full 90, registering two assists, winning four duels and completing 91% of his passes (data via Sofascore).

During a previous loan spell with Derby County, John Eustace described the prospect as one of “phenomenal” potential, and there has been little since to have dissuaded the Toffees hierarchy from maintaining this stance.

His tenacity in the duel and flowering quality on the ball, creating chances, has already seen him win over the Everton fanbase, with some no doubt hankering for his presence ahead of Iroegbunam’s in the Toffees centre.

There are more who will be frustrated with the decision to loan him out, but Everton are well-stocked, and a short-term stint in the Championship could work wonders in the long run.

After all, Armstrong may well be looking to take a leaf out of Branthwaite’s book

Branthwaite cut his teeth over in Holland with PSV Eindhoven during the 2022/23 campaign, and he returned to the Premier League a more refined and robust defender, hailed by pundit Ian Wright as a “monster” who has “got everything” needed to be an elite centre-half.

Still young and with much to learn, Branthwaite is already regarded as one of the Premier League’s best defenders, and Moyes’ side are only going to improve when he returns to full fitness.

The club’s Young Player of the Year across each of the past two terms, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Armstrong emulate him there, slotting into the middle of the park with ease, providing new levels of technical support while shielding the backline too.

Branthwaite came back a better player after his year abroad, and now, Armstrong has opted to develop his talents away from Everton before returning the full package.

When he does return to his parent club, it feels likely that Moyes will look to hand the youngster plenty of opportunities to prove himself, and that may well come at Iroegbunam’s expense.

The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland remarked toward the end of pre-season that there is an “awful lot to like” about Armstrong, and if he completes another successful term in the second tier, there is every belief among The Friedkin Group officials and Moyes and Everton that he will grow into a leading light at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

His rise may indeed hinder Iroegbunam’s own prospects of thriving at the club, but if that is for the greater good of Moyes’ Everton project, it’s something of a no-brainer.

Everton must rue losing homegrown Dibling with "unbelievably high ceiling"

Everton once released a star for nothing when he could have been a homegrown Tyler Dibling.

ByDan Emery Sep 25, 2025

Dele Alli is taking inspiration from the "I want what's coming to me" mentality adopted by Tony Montana in the iconic Al Pacino film 'Scarface', with the former Tottenham, Everton and Como midfielder working through his latest comeback bid. The 29-year-old finds himself without a club and back in the free agent pool after seeing a forgettable stint in Italian football cut surprisingly short.

Dele sent off on only appearance since February 2023

Ex-England international Dele only agreed a move to Como late in December 2024, with his contract having run down at Goodison Park. Injuries blighted his spell on Merseyside, with the Toffees unable to see the best of a man that was once considered to be one of the finest young talents on the planet.

A sorry loan spell in Turkey with Besiktas failed to see Dele reignite a lost spark, and he has made just one competitive appearance since February 2023. That solitary outing lasted less than 10 minutes after picking up a red card on debut for Como – with his bow off the bench against AC Milan being cut short.

Cesc Fabregas appeared to be willing to give Dele time to find his feet in Serie A, but his contract was terminated in September. Inevitable questions have been asked of what happens next for the one-time Spurs star. He cannot live on past reputation forever, with current ability needing to be showcased in order to earn another opportunity.

AdvertisementDele headed to Asia for training in tropical surroundings

For now, that means working through an individual training programme. Dele has decided to escape Europe in a bid to get himself back on track, with the call made to head for tropical conditions in Bali. Picturesque surroundings there should help to provide inspiration.

Dele has shared videos and pictures from his time in Indonesia on social media. He is looking to work and play hard, with plenty of effort being put in on the grass before relaxing away from it. A man with 37 international caps to his name has lost none of his shooting prowess, with some impressive strikes being recorded during finishing drills.

Dele’s latest video starts by running over the top of a memorable clip from the movie Scarface in which Pacino’s character says: "I want what’s coming to me." After being asked what that is, Montana responds with: "The world and everything in it." Dele clearly believes that he has what it takes to get back to the very highest level.

Those working alongside him are also buying into that belief, with individual coach Jazzi – who is aiding Dele’s cause in Asia – saying in a social post of his own: "Silent grind – working hard in the background, unseen, then stepping back into the spotlight better prepared."

Is Dele capable of getting his career back on track?

When asked if Dele is capable of starring again, former Leeds and Chelsea defender Tony Dorigo – who spent time in Italy with Torino during his playing days – told GOAL: "It’s all up to his appetite, simple as that. When you have played at a certain level and suddenly you can’t get anywhere near that, can you keep going? Can you keep putting yourself through those pre-seasons? Do you still love the game? Only he can decide that."

Ex-Italy international Roberto Di Matteo – who was MK Dons manager at a time when Dele was working through their academy system – went on to tell GOAL after seeing Como part company with the two-time PFA Young Player of the Year: "From the outside it’s difficult to make an assessment. I don’t know what’s going on with him personally.

"He was at such a high and somehow, something changed with him in his personal life. It’s difficult. It’s just a shame that we have lost one of the young, bright, English talents. I don’t know what he needs to climb up the ladder again. It’s difficult. I just wish he finds it as soon as possible so he can enjoy his football, his life again, and have a good time."

Instagram

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Wrexham and Swansea links but no contract offer for Dele

It has previously been claimed that Dele may have to step back into the EFL ranks in order to move on to the Premier League again. There was talk of Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac showing interest at Wrexham, with Swansea – who now count Snoop Dogg and Luka Modric among their investors – also said to be mulling over an approach. No deal has been done, with Dele having to be patient in pursuit of another fresh start.

Brevis, Mhatre’s contributions were not enough for CSK to avoid their fourth loss at home this season

Sidharth Monga25-Apr-20251:29

Will this win make SRH rethink their approach?

A three-pronged performance from Kamindu Mendis and Harshal Patel’s use of the middle of the pitch led Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to win their first-ever match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Chennai, a win SRH will hope revives a faltering campaign.Dewald Brevis, on his CSK debut, and Ayush Mhatre, the youngest CSK player ever in only his second innings, threatened to inject some freshness into a stale CSK campaign, but the 154 they took CSK to was not enough to avoid their fourth loss at home in IPL 2025 even though they did give SRH a scare on the dry pitch.In the kind of slugfest you expect of lowly-placed sides on a tricky surface, the batters overcame the conditions only in small pockets despite heavy dew for considerable duration of the game.Brevis looked every bit the player that earned the nickname ‘Baby AB’, but his threatening innings was cut short on 42 off 25 balls by arguably the catch of this IPL by Kamindu, who had earlier wowed us again with his ambidextrous spin. CSK mounted a spirited defence, but Kamindu calmed SRH with his unbeaten 32 off 22 to see them home.Clever bowling thwarts early intentDespite a first-ball wicket for Mohammed Shami, the 17-year-old Mhatre continued to display his quality through good intent and efficient hitting through the off side. He hit six fours in the first four overs to take CSK to 37 for 1, but now SRH began to dig the ball in and started to make both him and Sam Curran hit into the leg side.Harshal was the bowler to kickstart the plan. Mhatre nearly holed out to deep midwicket before Curran actually did so. In the next over, Mhatre drilled Pat Cummins straight into the lap of mid-off. At 50 for 3, CSK edged past only their fourth powerplay of 50 or more in nine games.Brevis checks in1:47

Finch: CSK needed a player like Brevis in middle order

Brought in in place of Rachin Ravindra, Brevis immediately looked a notch above the other batters in the match. Even as the placeholder No. 4 Ravindra Jadeja struggled to get any fluency, Brevis took down Kamindu, who had bowled the first two overs for no boundaries and took the wicket of Jadeja. On a dry pitch with enough grip in it, Kamindu made no mistake but Brevis still hit three sixes in his one over, the 12th. He then cut a slower bouncer from Harshal for a six off extra cover.Kamindu flies, brings down CSKThis is when Brevis looked to hit a second six off Harshal. The ball was in the slot too. He got a good part of it but not quite the elevation. Kamindu, however, was too far in off the long-off fence, so it looked like he would be beaten but he flew to his left, went with two hands at this missile, and came up with the ball in his right hand.After Brevis’ wicket, SRH turned the screws right in. Cummins bowled overs 16 and 18 for no boundary, hitting a Test-match hard length and beating the bat with some away movement. SRH kept chipping at the wickets, including MS Dhoni caressing Harshal to backward point. There was no finishing kick.CSK mount a spirited defenceIf Shami took a wicket first ball, Khaleel Ahmed took one second ball, reaching eight powerplay wickets this IPL, joint-highest along with Mohammed Siraj. Anshul Kamboj, preferred to R Ashwin for this match, then bowled successfully to a difficult plan: a 6-3 off-side field with two mid-offs. He had Travis Head repeatedly playing across the line to straight balls, hitting the pad twice and then the top of off.2:32

Rapid Fire: What will SRH’s biggest learning be?

Ishan Kishan fought his way past 17 for the first time since the hundred in SRH’s first match, but it was an innings that hovered around a run a ball for a long time. Heinrich Klaasen, promoted ahead of Nitish Kumar Reddy who would eventually bat at No. 7, felt obliged to take a risk and got out to Jadeja to make it 54 for 3 in 8.1 overs.With enough in the pitch for them, the CSK spinners continued to stifle Kishan and Aniket Verma. Just when Kishan looked like he could break free, Curran took a special catch at deep midwicket to send him back for 44 off 34. Verma swung a lot, hit two sixes, but became Noor Ahmad’s second wicket for 19 off 19, leaving 49 required in 6.1 overs.Kamindu, Reddy see SRH homeThe two overseas bowlers of CSK, Matheesha Pathirana and Noor, were generous with extras but it was more Kamindu’s assured sweeping that sent signals of calm to the SRH camp. It was actually a credit to the CSK bowling that they took the game so deep because even the changed ball was now wet and flying across the outfield.Kamindu and Reddy didn’t have to do anything fancy in their unbeaten 49-run stand in under five overs. They didn’t try to hit a single six. Extras helped but they also timed the ball well. They got to their first away win of this season with eight balls to spare.

Trinity Rodman was injured during the Washington Spirit's CONCACAF W Champions Cup group stage win over Monterrey Wednesday night and had to be removed from the game. The USWNT star couldn't put any weight on her right leg as she departed. Rodman was in distress after attempting a tackle, and left the field on crutches at half time.

A tense moment

Rodman took an awkward step onto her right leg while attempting to challenge an opponent shortly before half time. She was able to walk off the pitch with support, but was in tears on the bench. She limped off the pitch on crutches a bag of ice on her knee at the break. 

AdvertisementGetty ImagesInjury problems of late

The injury comes at an unfortunate time for Rodman, who has struggled with a litany of back problems of late. She missed nearly 4 months of action after the back injury, and was just starting to rediscover her best. The gold medal-winning forward has tallied seven goal contributions in an injury-shortened campaign. She was named to the 2024 NWSL best XI.

'Had to play without her for more than a year'

Emma Hayes will likely be concerned. The USWNT coach called Rodman into her squad for the first time since April, as they face Portugal and New Zealand over the next two weeks.

The former Chelsea boss backed her star winger to make an impact in her return, dubbing her "one of the best players in the world" in a news conference Wednesday afternoon after the roster announcement. She was expected to feature as the USWNT gear up for 2027 World Cup qualification. 

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IMAGNNo immediate update

The Spirit didn't offer any news on Rodman's injury immediately after the game. Rodman is expected to undergo scans on Thursday. It was an otherwise successful evening for Washington, who are currently second in the NWSL standings. They  strolled to a 4-0 win over Monterrey, and are currently top of Group B after four matches.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has a point to prove in what is a crucial week for the tactician, amid reports surrounding his future.

Enzo Maresca under some pressure at Chelsea

The Blues’ 3-1 loss to Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday, thanks largely to Trevoh Chalobah’s sending off just after half-time, has put more pressure on Maresca after a winless last few weeks in the top flight.

Chelsea haven’t picked up three points in the league since their 2-0 London derby win over Fulham in late August, with Maresca’s side just edging past Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup and losing convincingly to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

Maresca hasn’t been helped by their lack of defensive options, and you can make a serious case that Chelsea really should’ve brought in a star centre-back in the summer as one of their top priorities.

Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill are all injured right now, with Chalobah also suspended for their crucial next league game against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge this weekend.

Chelsea spent £285 million in the summer window, and were the division’s second-biggest spenders behind this weekend’s opponents. However, not a penny of that outlay went on a senior defender, and Maresca will undoubtedly be frustrated by that.

Liverpool

£415,000,000

£187,000,000

£228,000,000

Chelsea

£285,000,000

£288,000,000

-£3,000,000

Arsenal

£255,000,000

£9,000,000

£246,000,000

Newcastle

£250,000,000

£152,000,000

£98,000,000

Man Utd

£216,000,000

£68,000,000

£148,000,000

Nottm Forest

£205,000,000

£107,000,000

£98,000,000

Tottenham

£181,000,000

£36,000,000

£145,000,000

Sunderland

£162,000,000

£44,000,000

£118,000,000

Man City

£152,000,000

£53,000,000

£99,000,000

West Ham

£124,000,000

£55,000,000

£69,000,000

via BBC

Reports suggest that Chelsea are backing Maresca for the time being, and this is echoed by the likes of Fabrizio Romano, who say that the Blues don’t plan to make any immediate changes.

However, while this is their public standing, another reliable journalist, Simon Phillips, has revealed that there is “definite tension” between Maresca and Chelsea’s board — so he is far from bulletproof.

What’s more, it is believed that two big-name Chelsea stars are not fully buying into Maresca’s philosophies.

Cole Palmer and Reece James not fully behind Enzo Maresca at Chelsea

Writing via his Substack, Phillips has named Cole Palmer and Reece James as the players who are not entirely convinced by Maresca, with the former sidelined after Chelsea’s decision to play him through a groin injury.

Phillips adds that sources close to Palmer are annoyed by the circumstances surrounding his groin problem, while the £130,000-per-week star himself is frustrated too, as he wants to be fit and firing in the build up to next year’s World Cup.

While Chelsea aren’t planning on sacking Maresca, Phillips suggests that the tactician could decide to walk of his own accord if things escalate any further, as it’s reported that he’s “not entirely happy” at Cobham about a “number of things”.

That being said, despite “many clubs lining up for him”, Maresca would seriously lose out financially if he did do that, so that scenario remains unlikely for now.

Just a few months ago, Pep Guardiola’s former pupil was celebrating back-to-back trophy wins with their triumphs in the Conference League and Club World Cup. We believe he should be given more time yet to turn things around, and Chelsea are planning to back Maresca with a much-needed centre-back signing in January.

That should go some way to alleviating the relationship between Maresca and Chelsea’s hierarchy, while a good run of games would also do wonders to change the mood.

England quick could be ruled out of a potential red-ball return for England Lions against India

ESPNcricinfo staff21-May-2025Jofra Archer has been ruled out of England’s Metro Bank ODI series against West Indies next week, and could be in doubt for a proposed return to red-ball action for England Lions next month, after sustaining a right-thumb injury during his IPL stint with Rajasthan Royals.Archer first sustained the injury while fielding during Rajasthan’s one-run defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on May 4. Although it initially appeared to be a minor issue, further assessments revealed ligament damage, and following the suspension of the tournament earlier this month, he did not return to India for this week’s resumption.He had initially been named in England’s 16-man squad for the ODI series that begins at Edgbaston on May 29, but will now be reassessed by the England medical team over the coming fortnight to determine when he may return to action.Lancashire’s left-arm seamer Luke Wood, who had already been named instead of Archer for the T20I series that follows in June, has been added to the squad in his place. Wood has played two previous ODIs in 2022-23, but has yet to take a wicket in the format.Archer’s omission from the T20I series had pointed to his probable inclusion in the second of England Lions’ two four-day matches against India that serve as warm-up matches next month’s five-Test series.The first, at Canterbury from May 30-June 2, runs concurrently with the ODI series, but the second, at Northampton from June 6-9, had been a realistic target for Archer, and could have constituted a first first-class appearance in more than four years, since a one-off appearance for Sussex versus Kent in May 2021.England’s selectors have subsequently named an initial 15-man squad for the two Lions matches, to be captained by Somerset’s James Rew and with the notable inclusion of Chris Woakes for his first matches of the season. There is scope to add further names to the mix, including Archer and Ben Stokes, who may seek further game-time in his return from hamstring surgery.Since 2021, Archer has been battling with a series of long-term injuries, including an elbow problem that required multiple operations, and a stress fracture of the back. He made his England comeback in May last year, in time for the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean, and also featured in the Champions Trophy earlier this year, prior to the IPL.