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Fabrizio Romano has now dropped a key injury update on Arsenal star Riccardo Calafiori, after the defender was forced to leave the Italy squad.

The Gunners have already had to deal with their fair share of injuries this season, and Mikel Arteta now has more problems to contend with, as two of the manager’s most important players have recently suffered setbacks on international duty.

Indeed, there are now doubts over the fitness of Gabriel, which will be a major concern for Arteta, given that the Brazilian has started every Premier League match this season, and Carlo Ancelotti has now issued an apology.

When asked about the extent of the injury, the Brazil manager said: “Bad? I don’t know, he had a problem on his adductor the medical staff have to check tomorrow. We are really sorry for this, really disappointed, when players have an injury I hope they can recover well and soon.”

Fabrizio Romano drops update on Riccardo Calafiori's injury

It recently emerged that Calafiori has also dropped out of the Italy squad due to a hip injury, and Romano has now taken to X to provide an update, stating Arsenal staff are informed and “not anticipating a big problem or issue”, which will be a relief for Arteta.

The Italian has returned to London to be assessed by the medical team, but it is promising news that the injury is not expected to be a major issue, with the North London Derby against Tottenham Hotspur penciled in for next weekend.

With Gabriel also suffering an injury blow, it is of increased importance that the 23-year-old is available, as Arteta is unlikely to want to re-jig his defence too much heading into such an important game.

Much like the centre-back, the £120k-a-week defender has been one of Arteta’s most important players so far this season, featuring in all 11 Premier League games, and the Arsenal boss singled him out for high praise after the 2-0 win at Burnley earlier this month.

The Spaniard said: “Very good. He’s been really stable, some big performances. He’s a big contributor to what we’re doing defensively as well. He gives us a lot in attack with his position and his threat. He continues to create chaos for the opposition.”

As such, it will be a relief that the recent injury is seemingly unlikely to keep Calafiori out of action for too long, as the Gunners look to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table next weekend, with Manchester City making the difficult trip to St. James’ Park.

The closest title races in Premier League history The closest title races in Premier League history

Manchester City and Arsenal have delivered a Premier League title race for the ages – here are some of the tightest from years gone by…

ByStephan Georgiou May 20, 2024

The Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago Cubs 6-1 on Sunday to avoid a post-All-Star sweep at Wrigley Field. Leadoff hitter and possible trade chip Jarren Duran went 0-for-3 at the plate during the game, but was clearly willing to leave it all on the field to get the win.

With two outs in the bottom of the fourth a fly ball was hit to left-center where Masataka Yoshida settled under it. As Yoshida caught the ball Duran ran into him at full-speed. In Duran's defense, he timed the hit perfectly, led with his shoulder and did not hit his teammate in the head or neck area so no flag was thrown.

A few innings later, after walking, Duran tried to advance to third on a ball hit by teammate Roman Anthony. As Duran rounded second he collided with Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner. Duran threw out a little stiff-arm to make sure the umpire, who he also had to try to avoid, saw the illegal contact.

Duran was thrown out at third, but thanks to the interference call, he was safe.

Let this be a lesson to anyone who might be on a baseball field at the same time as Jarren Duran. Get out of his way because he will run into you. It doesn't matter if you're trying to get him out or yelled "got it!"Keep your head on a swivel.

The effect of the return of saliva and reverse-swing is there to see: fuller lengths have been more economical than shorter lengths for the first time in this decade this IPL

Karthik Krishnaswamy17-Apr-20251:38

Bishop: We saw the best of Starc tonight

“Why don’t they just bowl yorkers?”It’s a refrain you might hear from a disgruntled uncle watching fast bowlers get walloped in the end overs of a T20 game. You even hear it from TV commentators sometimes.The yorker remains the hardest ball for most batters to hit, but it’s one with a low margin for error. Err with your length a little bit, and you’re delivering two of the easier lengths for batters to hit: full-tosses and half-volleys.And over the years, events around white-ball cricket have made it harder and harder for bowlers to trust their yorkers. With the use of two new balls in ODIs, and the ban on the use of saliva to shine the ball brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, reverse-swing began to go out of the game.Related

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Samson on Starc: 'One of the best guys around in the world'

It’s coming back now, though, at least in the IPL, where saliva is legal again. Mohit Sharma believes it’s contributing to the ball reversing in 70% of games in IPL 2025, and Delhi Capitals’ (DC) match against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Wednesday night was certainly one of them.The ball showed signs of reversing as early as the fifth over of RR’s innings, when Mohit swerved two yorkers into Sanju Samson, with replays suggesting that the ball swung against the orientation of the seam, which was canted towards slip. This early reverse has happened in other games too – for example, in Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on April 12, when Eshan Malinga got the ball to reverse consistently, starting from the seventh over.Wednesday’s most dramatic moments of reverse came late in the game, though, when Mitchell Starc swung the contest in DC’s direction over the course of three overs. First, with RR needing 31 off 18, the left-arm quick conceded just eight runs in the 18th over and dismissed half-centurion Nitish Rana with a wickedly tailing yorker; an inside edge off the next ball saved Shimron Hetmyer from being bowled by a similar delivery. Then, with RR needing nine off the last over, Starc forced the game into a Super Over, curtailing Hetmyer and Dhruv Jurel with ball after ball speared into the base of the stumps and landing there or thereabouts with late bend in its path.Quite naturally, DC entrusted Starc with the Super Over, and once again he showed an unwavering faith in the yorker. Despite bowling a no-ball when he cut the return crease while going round the wicket to the right-handed Riyan Parag, he kept RR to 11 runs, and induced enough panic for them to lose both their wickets to run-outs with a ball left unused. DC chased down their target in just four balls, and a match that had seemed lost was theirs, moving them back to the top of the IPL table with five wins from six games.Mitchell Starc induced enough panic for Rajasthan Royals to lose both their Super Over wickets to run-outs with a ball left unused•BCCIHere’s how much Starc swung the old ball: 1.2 degrees on average across the 18th and 20th overs, and 1.8 degrees in his Super Over (old balls are used for Super Overs, with the fielding captain allowed to choose from a box of used balls). He had bowled the first and third overs of RR’s innings and swung the new ball just 0.8 degrees.When you’re as quick as Starc and as good at executing the yorker as he is, the decision of what option to go for at the death becomes far easier to make when the ball is reversing.”I’ve played long enough that everyone pretty much knows what I’m going to do,” Starc said while receiving the Player-of-the-Match award. “If I can execute more often than not, it’s going to be okay.”I mean, you could play that [20th] over ten more times and do ten different things and it might be ten different results, so as I said, a bit of luck goes a long way, and fortunately I executed well enough to get us to a Super Over and then, yeah, we were on the right end of it.”It also helped Starc that left-hand batters Rana and Hetmyer were on strike for eight of his 12 balls across the 18th and 20th overs, which made his stock ball, swinging into the batter from over the wicket, an easier one to execute and set a field to.1:16

Pujara surprised by RR’s Super Over line-up

Starc was surprised, then, that RR chose to send out Hetmyer as one of their openers in the Super Over, and had another left-hand batter, Yashasvi Jaiswal, at No. 3.Starc’s problems came when the right-handed Riyan Parag came on strike. He went around the wicket and bowled that back-foot no-ball – he also erred in line with that ball, bowling wide of off stump with four of his five boundary fielders out on the leg side. Having given away five runs without bowling a ball, he overcompensated with his line off the next ball, with a brush off Parag’s pad stopping it from becoming a leg-side wide. An attempt to steal a leg bye, however, resulted in the first of two run-outs off successive balls.”Yeah, I was probably a little surprised they had left-handers with the ball tailing in and my angle,” Starc said. “Probably got two [balls] wrong there and obviously stepped on the wide line a bit, so yeah, I may even have got away with a couple there, but we obviously had the batting depth to chase the runs, so yeah, solid win in the end.”In his press conference after the match, Rana spoke of the difference that the return of saliva had made to the game.”The difference that comes from applying saliva, the reverse-swing that we got to see from Starc – obviously the credit goes to Starc, but the saliva makes a lot of difference,” he said. “We didn’t use saliva at all in the last two-three years, and we didn’t do this type of batting even in the nets, because reverse-swing had completely gone away from cricket, whether it was red ball or white ball. Suddenly, if someone can execute 11 yorkers in 12 balls at a 145 [kph] pace, then you have to give Starc the credit.”

“Getting reverse-swing is one thing, but executing it is very important. It was reversing, but at that time, under pressure, he [Starc] was executing it. I was just reminding him to be clear with his plans, and trust himself. I was getting the same response: ‘Don’t worry, skip. I’ll do it’Axar Patel

While acknowledging the role of saliva in the return of reverse, DC captain Axar Patel also highlighted the lack of grass on the pitches used in the IPL, which accelerates wear and tear on the ball.”Because we can use saliva this season, and since there isn’t much grass on the surface, you can get the ball to reverse,” Axar said in his post-match press conference. “I feel it’s fair for bowlers, given how the grounds are, and how batsmen’s bats are, and how runs keep flowing.”We’re getting 180-190 scores, and it’s fun when that happens, because it’s competitive cricket, and it’s not as if there’s nothing in it for the bowlers. So I feel we’re able to get reverse-swing because of the use of saliva.”And getting reverse-swing is one thing, but executing it is very important. It was reversing, but at that time, under pressure, he [Starc] was executing it. I was just reminding him to be clear with his plans, and trust himself. I was getting the same response: ‘Don’t worry, skip. I’ll do it’.”ESPNcricinfo’s data bears out the effect that the return of saliva and reverse-swing have had on the end-overs yorker in the IPL. While the overall economy rate of fast bowlers in the death overs has continued its season-by-season increase, the fuller lengths (full-toss, yorker, full) have become more economical than the shorter lengths (length, short-of-good length, short) for the first time in this decade.This could mean that batters are getting better at handling shorter lengths at the death; it could also, of course, just be the effect of reverse-swing encouraging bowlers to attempt yorkers more often and set fields accordingly, leading to shorter lengths suffering greater punishment. Or it could be a combination of the two.In any case, successive matches in Delhi have shown the value of the newly re-weaponised yorker, swinging games away from chasing teams in dramatic fashion. First it was Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah for Mumbai Indians (MI) against DC; now it’s Starc for DC against RR. Given that batters are still getting used to all this, we could yet see a few more end-overs heists before the pendulum swings back.

Germany sealed their place at the 2026 World Cup with a dominant 6-0 win over Slovakia, and former captain Lothar Matthaus believes the team can challenge the likes of England, France and Portugal for the title despite a shaky qualifying campaign and recent tournament struggles. The 1990 World Cup winner insists there is no reason for fear if the team maintains the intensity shown in Monday's win.

A positive finish after a bumpy qualifying campaign

Germany will make their 21st appearance at the tournament. It was a much-needed statement performance after what has been a shaky road through Group A. They opened qualifying with a disappointing 2-0 loss to Slovakia in September before recovering with wins against Northern Ireland and Luxembourg. They then rounded off the campaign with a resounding win against Slovakia this week.

The 2014 world champions have failed to advance past the group stage in the last two editions, and recent tournaments have raised doubts about whether the team is still among the elite. They lost to Spain in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 and fell 2-1 to Portugal in the Nations League semi-final in Munich. The progress under Julian Nagelsmann has been steady rather than spectacular, and he is yet to win a major trophy since taking charge in 2023.

Earlier, national team legend Toni Kroos said the team was lucky to have been handed a relatively easy World Cup qualifying group.

Still, the dominant performance on Monday was enough to bring optimism back into the conversation. Matthaus called the win 'a satisfying end to an overall satisfactory year' and believes the team is moving in the right direction.

AdvertisementMatthaus insists Germany shouldn't fear Europe's top teams

Despite recent setbacks, the former Germany captain believes the team still belongs among the contenders. In his column for , the 64-year-old argued that qualifying form should not be overanalysed, pointing out that even successful German teams in the past had difficult campaigns.

"With all due respect to these opponents, Germany wants to compete against the best, and those are the other group winners such as England, Portugal or France," he said.

"If we can replicate what we showed in Leipzig, we're on par with these teams. We saw that in the summer. In the Nations League defeats against Portugal and France, Germany wasn't any worse than their opponents.

"If the German team shows the same attitude and passion and plays together like they did against Slovakia, they have nothing to fear.

"You shouldn't underestimate yourself. Germany isn't small. I've always said that our team belongs among the favorites for the World Cup, even if they've had a poor run of form. Our World Cup qualifying campaigns were also sometimes bumpy in the past. 

"The German team might even be under less pressure at the World Cup. The team will be even more focused next year, especially because the whole world will be watching."

Getty ImagesInjuries remain a concern despite strong squad depth

Matthaus also spoke about the squad heading into 2026. Several key players like Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz, Antonio Rudiger and Marc-Andre ter Stegen are still working their way back to full fitness and may not be ready right away.

"Rudiger needs to get fit first, just like Ter Stegen. Oliver Baumann will remain in goal for the time being, and then we'll see what happens next," he said.

He mentioned that no one in the squad has a guaranteed starting spot, adding: "Even in the current national team, there are hardly any irreplaceable players; no one has a guaranteed spot. This keeps the focus high until the World Cup, and everyone will give their all to impress the coach.."

The World Cup winner believes this gives the German coach more flexibility as the tournament approaches. "The great thing for Nagelsmann is that he'll have a wide selection next year. For a coach, it's the most wonderful thing when he can bring quality after quality player into the team."

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Getty ImagesWhat's next for Germany?

Germany now shift their attention to preparations for 2026, with Nagelsmann hoping to have key players return from injury soon. Ter Stegen is nearing a comeback from knee surgery after missing most of last season, and the Barcelona captain could even consider a loan move in January to get more playing time before the tournament.

Defender Rudiger has also said he is in the final phase of his recovery after being sidelined with a thigh injury. Meanwhile, Musiala has returned to Bayern Munich training after suffering a ligament dislocation during a heavy collision in the Club World Cup against PSG.

Barcelona have received a major boost ahead of their blockbuster Champions League trip to Chelsea, with Marcus Rashford returning to full training after a spell on the sidelines against Athletic Club. But Pedri is set to miss the decisive clash as his hamstring recovery stalls, leaving Hansi Flick without one of his most influential midfielders for Tuesday’s showdown at Stamford Bridge.

Rashford fit for Chelsea clash — Pedri to miss out

Barcelona’s preparations for their crucial Champions League meeting with Chelsea took a dramatic turn as Rashford returned to full training on Sunday after several days away from the squad. The England international had missed Thursday and Friday’s sessions and was not present at Camp Nou on Saturday, with shifting explanations from personal problems to minor physical issues and eventually the flu, creating confusion over his condition. His reappearance at the Ciutat Esportiva, however, has eased concerns, and he now looks set to be included in the travelling squad.

Meanwhile, Pedri has been definitively ruled out of the trip to London after failing to train with the group on Sunday, ending any lingering hopes of an early return. The midfielder has been sidelined since suffering a left hamstring injury in El Clasico on October 26, and despite optimism in recent weeks, Barcelona have opted for caution. With his recovery still incomplete, the club now expects him to return at the weekend against Deportivo Alaves or, at the latest, Atletico Madrid on December 2. 

Frenkie de Jong remains available in the Champions League after missing the clash with Athletic Club, serving a suspension on Saturday, providing a timely boost for Flick as he prepares to face Chelsea’s aggressive midfield. Alejandro Balde is also expected to feature despite hobbling off in the 4-0 win over Athletic Club, while several first-team regulars underwent recovery sessions following Saturday’s match.

AdvertisementBarcelona slowly recovering from injury crisis

Rashford’s availability comes at a pivotal moment for Barcelona, who remain determined to build on an encouraging start to their European campaign under Flick. The English forward has become one of the team’s most dynamic attacking outlets this season, and his return ensures the club retains a key source of directness and creativity on the left wing. With Ferran Torres returning to form against Athletic Club and Raphinha returning, Flick now faces a healthy but challenging selection dilemma.  

Pedri’s absence, however, highlights a recurring issue for Barcelona as they prepare for the intense winter stretch. The midfielder endured multiple muscular problems between 2022 and 2024 before an injury-free last season; as such, Barcelona remain intent on protecting him from further long-term setbacks. His unavailability for such a high-profile match underlines the need to manage his workload carefully despite the temptation to accelerate his comeback.

Getty Images SportRashford's re-emergence at Barcelona

Rashford’s renaissance at Barcelona has been one of the stories of the season, with the loanee delivering 15 goal involvements in 16 matches across all competitions. He has rediscovered his confidence under Flick, thriving in a system that encourages aggressive wide play and fast breaks. His Champions League form has been particularly impressive, making his return ahead of Stamford Bridge a significant tactical advantage.

Barcelona’s broader injury landscape has improved recently, with Alejandro Balde, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski available and several players regaining fitness at the right time. Nonetheless, major fixtures like the Chelsea clash magnify the impact of any missing key player, especially one with Pedri’s influence. However, Fermin Lopez's dictation of play during Camp Nou's reinauguration will likely mean that the Spaniard will play alongside Frenkie De Jong at Stamford Bridge.

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Barcelona prepare for Chelsea showdown at Stamford Bridge

Barcelona now prepare for Tuesday night’s heavyweight meeting with Chelsea, where Rashford could feature from the start depending on his condition on matchday. Flick will assess his forward options closely, balancing Rashford’s explosiveness with Torres’ form and Raphinha’s return as he aims to craft a cohesive frontline for the biggest match of the month. Whatever his decision, the Englishman’s recovery offers a major tactical boost.

The focus then shifts to Pedri’s imminent return, with the club hopeful he will be fit for Saturday’s match against Deportivo Alaves. Should he need additional time, the following fixture against Atletico Madrid is expected to mark his comeback, allowing him to reintegrate gradually before the December schedule intensifies. Barcelona’s medical team believe he has shaved around ten days off the original prognosis, but insist the priority is ensuring he avoids further setbacks. 

The left-hand batter from Bihar heads a list of teenage debutants, some of whom have had successful careers while others faded away

Varun Shetty19-Apr-20251 Vaibhav Suryavanshi – 14 years, 23 days (vs Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025)On Saturday, the left-hand opener came into the Rajasthan Royals (RR) XI to replace the injured captain Sanju Samson. He first made national headlines at 13 with a 58-ball century against Australia Under-19. That knock made Suryavanshi the youngest player – at 13 years and 187 days – to score a century in youth cricket. Suryavanshi was picked up by RR for INR 1.1 crore after impressing at their high-performance center in Nagpur.For India Under-19, he cracked a 58-ball century in a four-day game against Australia Under-19, while his 176 runs at an average of 44 took India to the final of the Under-19 Asia Cup in 2024. He also has a triple-century to his name – an unbeaten 332 – in the Randhir Verma Tournament, an U-19 competition in Bihar.2 Prayas Ray Barman – 16 years, 157 days (vs Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2019)He was picked by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for INR 1.5 crore after topping Bengal’s wicket charts in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Just minutes before the toss against Sunrisers Hyderabad, head coach Gary Kirsten told him he was playing. At 16 years and 157 days, he became the youngest IPL debutant at the time. Bowling to Jonny Bairstow and David Warner on a flat pitch in the afternoon sun, he conceded 56 in four overs. It remains the only IPL game of his career, and since 2022 he has played only three domestic games.ESPNcricinfo Ltd3 Mujeeb Ur Rahman – 17 years, 11 days (vs Delhi Daredevils in IPL 2018)The Afghan mystery spinner made history when he debuted for Kings XI Punjab in 2018. He made an instant impact after being introduced in the powerplay, trapping Colin Munro lbw with his first ball . His unorthodox bowling had already earned him global attention before this game, and he repaid the faith, bowling a full four-over spell for figures of 2 for 28. This season, he was a late replacement addition to the Mumbai Indians squad.4 Riyan Parag – 17 years, 152 days (vs Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2019)The first IPL appearance for the allrounder from Assam was a thriller remembered for Mitchell Santner’s last-ball six and MS Dhoni’s infamous outburst against the umpires. In his debut season, Parag also became the youngest to hit an IPL fifty. Since then, he has become a regular for RR, retained continuously over the years, and is the squad’s current vice-captain.5 Pradeep Sangwan – 17 years, 179 days (vs Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2008)Pradeep Sangwan was considered a prize catch during the inaugural season, was an U-19 World Cup winner not long before, and held the tag of the youngest debutant for nearly a decade. He went for 40 and took no wickets on his debut against CSK and had only one real season of meaningful cricket (13 games in 2009). He last played in IPL 2022 representing Gujarat Titans and has not played any cricket since the start of 2024.6 Sarfaraz Khan – 17 years, 182 days (vs Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2015)The batter from Mumbai debuted for RCB in 2015 and seemed to be someone they were willing to invest in, long-term. He was, a few years later, one of their retentions, but was let go in 2018. Fast forward to 2025 at the peak of his red-ball form – and ten years since his IPL debut – he found no takers in the auction for a second season in a row.

Devine and Amin have also moved up, to No. 8 and joint No. 10, after their exploits with the bat at the World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Oct-2025

Tazmin Brits goes rough-and-tumble to hit the ball fine during her century•Getty Images

Tazmin Brits’ match-winning 89-ball 101 against New Zealand in the women’s ODI World Cup on Monday night has placed her in the top five of the ODI rankings for women batters, where she is joined by Ash Gardner, who scored a century of her own, 115 in 83 balls, also against New Zealand at the World Cup, last week. Gardner is at No. 5.For Brits, it was a jump of two spots, while for Gardner, there was a seven-spot gain. Smriti Mandhana, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Beth Mooney remain the top three, but the rise of Brits and Gardner has pushed down Ellyse Perry, Laura Wolvaardt, Amy Jones, Hayley Matthews, Alyssa Healy and Marizanne Kapp.Also on the rise are Sophie Devine, up seven places to No. 8, and Sidra Amin, who has moved up three positions to joint No. 10 with Chamari Athapaththu. Amin is in sixth place on the World Cup run-scorers’ table following her 81 against India.ESPNcricinfo LtdFor the record, Brits, Gardner and Devine are the only century-makers at the World Cup so far, and Devine is currently the leading run-scorer, despite New Zealand losing both their games in the tournament, with 197 runs in two innings. Gardner is a distant second with 115 runs.It was the fifth century in 2025 and fourth in five innings for Brits. Her prolific run-scoring form took shape in April when, in her first ODI of the year, she scored 109 against India in Colombo.Five games followed without a three-figure score, though there was a 57 against West Indies in Cave Hill in June, but then came the magical sequence of 101, 101*, 171*, 5 and 101, the blip coming against England in South Africa’s World Cup opener. No woman has scored five centuries in ODIs in a calendar year before Brits.

Celtic are keen to appoint a permanent successor to Martin O’Neill and now look to be well down the road in that regard, as fresh details over Wilfried Nancy’s arrival and potential backroom team emerge.

The Bhoys enjoyed a productive weekend of Scottish Premiership action, even if it was a little fortuitous, claiming a dramatic last-gasp victory over St Mirren before Heart of Midlothian lost out at Aberdeen to narrow the gap at the top of the table.

Four points separate the top two heading into a busy schedule, with Celtic holding the advantage of a crucial game in hand against Dundee United days after they collide with the Edinburgh side in a blockbuster clash at Parkhead in a couple of weeks.

From a position of real uncertainty, the Bhoys have edged their way back into title contention and will hope to capitalise as Hearts continue to falter, albeit O’Neill made it clear after their win in Paisley that he isn’t sure how much longer he will be in interim charge alongside Shaun Maloney.

He said: “There’s relief as much as anything else, but you enjoy winning football matches – that’s what it’s about. It keeps confidence alive as much as anything else and keeps momentum going.

“At this minute, I haven’t heard anything more. I would reckon I would probably be on the plane for Rotterdam and maybe not much longer. If the board announce a new manager in the couple of days, I will walk into the sunset.”

O’Neill looks likely to be in charge for Celtic’s trip to face Feyenoord on Thursday in the Europa League and could be in situ for their match against Hibernian on Sunday. However, it doesn’t look like he will be sticking around for long after that.

Viduka 2.0: Leeds plotting move for £21m star who's "built like a brick"

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing a star who could be Mark Viduka 2.0 for the club.

ByDan Emery Nov 22, 2025 Wilfried Nancy set to add four new faces to Celtic backroom staff

Previously, it became clear that Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy is set to take over at Celtic after his side bowed out of the MLS Cup playoffs, though there has since been quiet over the details of his arrival.

Now, PLZ Soccer report that Nancy is set to begin his journey at Parkhead from the start of December, if not before then, with the Bhoys’ home clash against Dundee on the third day of the month likely to be his first game in charge.

Four of Nancy’s own staff are set to take on new roles in Glasgow over the next week, should their contracts be signed off, with Dermot Desmond sparing no expense making the new boss feel at home in the face of recent fan pressure. Kwame Ampadu is likely to be one of the new faces following his work alongside the 48-year-old in the United States.

Wilfried Nancy’s record at Columbus Crew

Matches

136

Wins

71

Draws

32

Losses

33

Trophies

MLS Cup (2024)

It remains to be seen whether Maloney will form part of the Frenchman’s backroom team after his sterling efforts during his period as interim assistant.

Celtic fans have had to wait nearly a month to find out the identity of their new permanent manager, though they will be relieved to see that the hunt for a new boss is finally nearing an end.

New white-ball captain prepares to turn team’s results around in first assignment at the helm

Vithushan Ehantharajah28-May-2025During last year’s men’s Hundred, Harry Brook received a light-hearted but necessary reprimand from Sky Sports commentator Mel Jones.Brook, in his first season as captain of Northern Superchargers – his first leadership role in professional cricket – had made a habit of forgetting team news. On one occasion, Jones offered some polite advice: “Come on Harry, you need to get better at this – you’re going to do a lot more of them!”On Wednesday in Birmingham, in Brook’s first pre-match press conference as white-ball captain, he flexed his improvement, running through the XI for Thursday’s series opener against West Indies. Barring a momentary hesitation when moving from the middle order into the tail – “Bethell six… Jacks seven… ermmm… Overton eight” – a full team, in order, was read off the dome.Granted, this is the least you’d expect from an England captain in a sport so beholden to detail. But the bar is on the floor as far as English white-ball cricket goes. Every win, no matter how menial, should be savoured.Related

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Harry Brook to shelve franchise cricket as England captain

Jofra Archer ruled out of West Indies ODIs due to thumb injury

Even more so on the field. Three poor global outings, an ODI record of 13 lost out of the last 17 – seven of them in a row – and the loose threat of not qualifying for the 2027 ODI World Cup mean the issues of the last era hang over this group. The first job of any new leadership team is to fix previous mistakes.And yet, arguably the biggest part of the last regime remains integral to this revamp. Jos Buttler’s part in the solutions to the problems he failed to avoid has him back in his most comfortable position behind the stumps. He has not kept in ODIs since 2023’s tour of West Indies, though he did marshal from that position during last summer’s T20 World Cup.”I think Jos is the best white-ball batter in the world,” crowed Brook. Whether that remains true, the fact is his numbers bear out that he is a better player with the gloves and without the captaincy, in every metric. His work with Gujarat Titans – “he’s been banging it in the IPL,” – is further testament to this particular combination of keeping without wider responsibility.Buttler was not at Edgbaston on Wednesday, another perk of being unburden by captaincy meaning he can lean on the fact sessions are optional. Having trained on Tuesday, Buttler opted for an extra night at home having only just arrived back from India at the start of the week.Both Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks got back to the UK in the last 48 hours, which is far from ideal but with them comes the variation in the slow-bowling department which was absent during the Champions Trophy and high on the wish list when Brook had his initial conversations with managing director Rob Key. Bethell’s return comes after injury, and as such is as you were. But Jacks’ – high-class and under-utilised – is a nod to doing things differently.Jamie Smith as an opener that straddles both camps, as a newer take on an old thought. An inkling head coach Brendon McCullum had during the Champions Trophy – where Smith averaged 8 at No.3 – that moving further up the order might suit him better. Pushing Smith towards the danger which, in this case, seems to be the new ball.”He [McCullum] actually said it in Pakistan to me, and a few lads… he just had this burning desire (sic) that Smudge could be an amazing opening batter in one-day cricket. So, we’re giving it a crack and see how he goes, hopefully he does well.”The travails at first drop against the white ball highlight the punt being taken. Smith’s professional opening experience amounts to 22 T20 and three first-class innings. Set against his success down at No.7 in Test cricket, and the fact a swap with Jacks, who is actually an opener, puts players in more familiar roles – it seems a peculiar move. But, crucially, a positive one in the minds of a captain, coach and management set-up who cannot quite fathom why a bunch of undoubtedly talented players have been in such a funk.The group will be challenged early on under Brook, as is his wont, and the loose promise to England’s new skipper at this juncture he will be afforded his full wares for each series. And while that is clearly at odds with the lay of the land, notably limited overs tours of New Zealand and Sri Lanka that sandwich the Ashes, patient improvement is the name of the game. Returning to those glory days set in motion by Eoin Morgan will take time.Nevertheless, West Indies arrive respectfully wary of their hosts for that recent history. Shai Hope had no problem lauding England as trend-buckers while also reiterating they are not here simply to be a character in someone else’s story. Indeed, they have their own redemption having missed 2023s ODI World Cup altogether. Now ninth in the ICC rankings, three points behind England, automatic passage to 2027’s edition is far from guaranteed.”As a opposition coming in to play against them, you certainly want to showcase your best skills because they kind of set the benchmark of one-day cricket,” Hope said.”But again, I’m not going to focus too much on what they’ve done in the past. I know they’re going to be looking at us as trying to start their new winning streak. It’s within our power to make sure that we don’t let it happen.”

Bayern Munich honorary president Uli Hoeness has launched a blistering attack on Liverpool’s disastrous season, claiming that new arrival Florian Wirtz has been left to suffer because Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and others “want to play with their own ball”. With Liverpool in crisis after spending £450 million ($595m) on summer transfers, Hoeness insists the squad is full of “chiefs and no workers”.

Liverpool struggling while Wirtz fails to find his feet

Liverpool’s 2025-26 season has spiralled into turmoil despite a record-breaking summer outlay of almost £450m, leaving the Premier League giants sitting eighth and already nine points off leaders Arsenal. A humiliating 4-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League deepened the crisis, with fans labelling the performance one of the club’s worst in Europe in recent memory. Head coach Arne Slot now finds himself under intense scrutiny as pressure mounts and rumours of a potential exit swirl.

The high-profile arrivals of Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike were intended to launch a new era of dominance, yet the Reds have instead struggled with cohesion, balance and consistency. Defensive frailties, disjointed pressing and ineffective attacking patterns have contributed to repeated lapses, with six defeats in seven matches across all competitions representing an alarming collapse. These shortcomings have allowed critics to accuse the squad of lacking structure and leadership, prompting scrutiny from figures across European football.

Wirtz, signed to be the new creative heartbeat of the team, has endured an especially difficult adaptation to the Premier League, failing to score or assist in his first 12 league matches. As the Reds sink deeper into an early-season crisis, frustrations have intensified and external voices have begun to lay blame squarely at the feet of Liverpool’s expensive signings.

AdvertisementAFPBayern chief Hoeness defends Wirtz but takes shots at Liverpool

Hoeness delivered one of the most scathing assessments yet, arguing that Liverpool’s fundamental problem is a squad overloaded with individualists rather than functional team players. He said: “They have spent 500 million euros and are playing a catastrophic season… In my opinion, that’s because you only have superstars. You only have chiefs and no workers.”

Hoeness went further by accusing Liverpool’s attackers of refusing to share the ball and undermining their own playmaking unity. He claimed: “I always say: at Liverpool, they’ll soon have to play with five balls because the stars don’t want to give up a ball.”

In what has become the most headline-grabbing portion of his outburst, Hoeness expressed sympathy for Wirtz while placing blame squarely on Salah and Szoboszlai. He added: “Poor Florian Wirtz, he doesn’t get the ball at all because Salah and Szoboszlai and what they’re all called want to play with their own ball.”

Slot under pressure as failures pile up

Liverpool’s slump has unfolded across multiple tactical and structural elements, creating a fractured team unable to execute Slot’s high-intensity principles. Their once-feared press is now inconsistent, leaving spaces for opponents to exploit while simultaneously limiting their ability to counter quickly and effectively. As a result, matches have been dominated statistically but lost through decisive moments, poor finishing and lapses in defensive concentration.

The summer departure of wide man Luis Diaz have left a noticeable drop in pace and directness, stripping Liverpool of the explosiveness required to break low blocks. Even though players like Cody Gakpo remain influential in carries and build-up play, the final ball has repeatedly fallen short, preventing the team from converting favourable attacking positions. These deficiencies have fostered an overreliance on individual flashes rather than coordinated patterns, intensifying the pressure on midfield creators.

Wirtz’s struggles mirror the wider issues, as his skillset relies on rapid combinations, synchronised movements and team-mates who recognise early passing triggers. At Bayer Leverkusen, he thrived in a system built around habit-forming repetitions. At Liverpool, he often drops deep only to find passes arriving too late or not at all.

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Getty ImagesSlot fighting for his job as Wirtz looks to find form

Liverpool now face the task of stabilising their season before it drifts into an outright collapse, beginning with the need to rebuild confidence and restore structure in possession and transition. Slot must find immediate solutions within the squad, especially in creating a functional environment for Wirtz while reducing the reliance on isolated star moments. Should results fail to turn quickly, continued pressure could force Liverpool into major January decisions – both in personnel and potentially in the dugout.

After getting somewhat back on track by beating West Ham on Sunday, the Reds will be up against Sunderland and Leeds United before taking on Inter in the Champions League.