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Amazingly, Leeds United’s record at this early stage in the Premier League season lines up well to their positive start out of the blocks under Marcelo Bielsa during the 2020/21 season.

Directly after sealing promotion up to the big-time, the much-loved South American would steer the Whites to an unbelievable ninth final position, having initially picked up two wins from his side’s opening five clashes in the league.

Daniel Farke already has two victories under his belt, too, with the 3-1 success away at Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out further mirroring Leeds sides of old when it came to the clinical nature of their first-half display.

Of course, there is still a long way to go, but the German will be hoping he can pull off a similarly high finish down the line.

Leeds will no doubt feel a boost knowing Ao Tanaka is also slowly but surely returning to full fitness, with the Japanese midfielder going down as an instant revelation in the Championship.

The shrewd capture of Tanaka

The Whites really did win in the summer transfer market before embarking on their promotion adventure, as the likes of Jayden Bogle and Joe Rodon joined to enhance the defence, while Manor Solomon added more quality up top on loan from Tottenham Hotspur.

Yet, snapping up the services of Tanaka for just £2.9m from Fortuna Düsseldorf managed to slip under the initial radar.

However, it’s safe to say that Tanaka is now a well-known and much-loved presence at Elland Road, with the silky 27-year-old going on to collect five goals and two assists last campaign on the way to Farke and Co. returning to the Premier League.

He made such a blistering impact to proceedings that Farke would even label him as “unbelievable” for what he can offer, with those glowing words backed up by his well-rounded game when averaging both a 90% pass accuracy last season, while also getting stuck in with 4.3 duels per second-tier clash, as per Sofascore.

Further noted as being “difficult to dislodge” from the starting XI by Paul Robinson last season, it is testament to Leeds’ collective strengths so far this campaign that they haven’t been derailed by Tanaka’s injury issues.

While Tanaka has been sidelined, another astute capture achieved this summer has stood out, with the cost-effective buy perhaps going down as Leeds’ best foray in the market since the £2.9m deal to bring the number 22 to English shores.

Leeds have made their best signing since Tanaka

After all, Leeds have managed to bolster their midfield positions this summer, away from solely relying on more of Tanaka’s magic up a division.

Indeed, Anton Stach is also in the running to be considered Leeds’ smartest purchase since landing the Japan international last year, with the versatile 26-year-old costing £20m and proving to be worth all that cash alone just based on this fierce free-kick being hammered home at Molineux.

Wth an assist also next to his name, it’s clear that Leeds have struck gold already with another standout buy from the Bundesliga.

Yet, it could well be argued that Gabriel Gudmundsson is actually a better buy than Stach, despite his electric start to life in West Yorkshire, with the arrival of the Swede making the Whites feel far more assured about their problematic left-back spot.

While Leeds did recruit well when making the step-up, it was a clear body blow when Junior Firpo exited the building this summer, with the former Whites hero amassing ten assists last season from the left-back position.

This left Farke and Co. in a considerable spot of bother as Sam Byram was now the only recognised option on the left. Thankfully, Leeds would seal a deal to bring Gudmundsson for just £10m to fill the Firpo-shaped hole, with this looking to be a worthwhile bargain already.

Minus his own-goal horror show away at Fulham, Gudmundsson has been a solid addition, with his calming influence on the ball different to that of a gung-ho Firpo, but more effective in the Premier League.

Moreover, with 4.2 duels won on average, he has more than helped Leeds to pick up those two invaluable victories, with three duels successfully won on the road at the Old Gold. He was arguably the club’s “best player” in that latest victory.

Heralded as a “fantastic” addition to the camp already by ex-Leeds defender Tony Dorigo, it could well be that the Malmo-born star goes on to be viewed as another Tanaka-like bargain, particularly if his efforts steer the Whites to immediate survival and, potentially, even more.

Leeds star spotted "limping" and may now be injured alongside Jayden Bogle

One of Leeds’ replacement players has had his own injury concerns.

By
Callum Kemp

Sep 21, 2025

Barcelona say they "accept and respect" La Liga's decision to cancel their proposed fixture against Villarreal in Miami. The game was set to be the first-ever La Liga match played outside Spain, but growing backlash from players, clubs and officials has forced organisers to scrap the plan just weeks before tickets were due to go on sale.

• Barcelona respond to cancelled Miami showdown

  Barcelona acknowledged La Liga and Relevent Sports’ decision to cancel the league fixture planned for December 20 in Miami. The Catalan club expressed its disappointment but also made it clear that it respects the decision made by the competition organisers following weeks of uncertainty and controversy surrounding the plan.

  "FC Barcelona respects and accepts the decision to cancel the game against Villarreal in Miami corresponding to the week 17 of La Liga, in the same way that the Club accepted and respected the decision taken in the past to play the game in the US," the club said in a statement.

  "FC Barcelona regret the missed opportunity to expand the competition's image in a strategic market with a great capacity for growth and generation of resources for everyone.

  "The Club is grateful for the unconditional support and affection of our fans in the USA and regrets deeply that they are denied the opportunity to see an official game in their country," Barca statement reads.

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  La Liga doubles down on global ambition despite backlash

  La Liga released a detailed statement confirming the cancellation and emphasising its disappointment over the lost opportunity to expand Spanish football internationally. Organisers Relevent had advised against proceeding, citing growing unrest in Spain and insufficient planning time.

  La Liga said the decision to scrap the event was down to "the uncertainty that has arisen in Spain over the past few weeks", and expressed its regret at missing an "unparalleled opportunity for the international expansion of Spanish soccer", that will now not be able to advance.

  "Holding an official match outside our borders would have been a decisive step in the global growth of the competition, strengthening the international presence of clubs, the positioning of players, and the visibility of Spanish soccer in a strategic market such as the United States," a statement read. "The project fully complied with all federative regulations and did not affect the integrity of the competition, as confirmed by the competent institutions responsible for ensuring compliance, which opposed it for other reasons.

  "In an increasingly competitive global landscape, where leagues such as the Premier League or competitions like the UEFA Champions League continue to expand their reach and ability to generate revenue, initiatives like this are essential to ensure the sustainability and growth of Spanish soccer. Renouncing such opportunities hinders the generation of new income, limits clubs’ capacity to invest and compete, and reduces the international projection of the entire Spanish soccer ecosystem."

• Player protests, club complaints and global football debate intensify

  The fallout reached new heights when players across every La Liga game staged a coordinated 15-second silent protest at kick-off last weekend. Organised by players’ union AFE, the gesture was aimed at criticising the lack of transparency and consultation over the Miami fixture. Broadcasters initially avoided showing the protests, which only fuelled the controversy further.

  Real Madrid also stepped in formally, filing two complaints to Spain’s Sports Ministry. Their stance was clear: moving a domestic fixture abroad mid-season would compromise the league’s competitive integrity. Thibaut Courtois echoed this view, saying it would “totally affect the competition,” while Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong insisted the plan was “not good for the players” due to travel demands and fairness concerns. Hansi Flick added that his squad were “not happy” with how the announcement was handled.

  As La Liga’s plan crumbled, attention turned to others in Europe. Italy’s Serie A confirmed that AC Milan will face Como in Perth, Australia, in February becoming the first major European league to officially take a competitive fixture abroad. The contrast has reopened the debate over whether leagues should prioritise global expansion or protect domestic traditions and player welfare.

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  Villarreal left frustrated by timing and communication

  Villarreal, who were set to face Barcelona in Miami, criticised the league’s handling of the situation. Coach Marcelino Garcia Toral was left stunned after La Liga made the cancellation public after their 2-0 defeat against Manchester City in the Champions League.

  "For me, it shows an absolute lack of respect to put out a statement at half-time of our game about something that was planned but will not happen," Marcelino told reporters. "It's a lack of respect to the directors of this club, the club itself, the professionals and the fans. Tomorrow the club will make a statement about what they think, but those are my thoughts right now."

  Following the cancellation, Villarreal will now host Barcelona at the Estadio de la Ceramica on December 21 instead of travelling to the United States. The club is expected to release its own official statement shortly, while internally, frustration remains over commercial decisions being announced without proper coordination with sporting schedules.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin will have been delighted that his side picked up their first win of the Scottish Premiership season last weekend.

The Gers had failed to win any of their opening five matches in the division, their worst start to a league campaign in 47 years, but picked up a last-gasp winner on Sunday thanks to Max Aarons.

His excellent finish, as shown in the clip above, won the match for the Ibrox giants after they found themselves drawing 1-1 heading into stoppage time.

It was Aarons’ first minutes on the pitch for Rangers since he was shown a straight red card against Club Brugge in the 6-0 loss in Belgium back in August, and what a return to action it was for the full-back.

Whilst the Bournemouth loanee was finally brought back into the fold after being an unused substitute for three successive matches, there was another player who was suffering a similar fate on the bench.

Mohamed Diomande was an unused substitute against Livingston after he was shown a straight red card in the 1-0 defeat to Genk in the Europa League at Ibrox last week.

Why Mohamed Diomande was rightfully dropped

Even taking the red card out of the equation, the Ivorian midfielder was rightfully dropped from the starting line-up for that Premiership clash because his performances in the league have not been up to scratch this season.

The left-footed star may have been punished against Livingston because of his red card in Europe, but his league form overall this season warranted him being left out of the side regardless of what happened against Genk.

Diomande had caught the eye in the Premiership last season with a return of four goals and seven assists, per Sofascore, which led to a bid from Besiktas in the summer transfer window.

The central midfielder put in impressive performances on a consistent basis, delivering quality in the final third, which is why he had interest from elsewhere.

Unfortunately, Diomande’s form since Martin came through the door at Ibrox has nosedived to the point where it was justified to leave him out on Sunday.

As you can see in the table above, the Ivorian lightweight has been dominated in duels on the deck and in the air in the Premiership this season, without making up for it with any goals or assists for the team.

Given his dismal start to the season in the Premiership and in the Europa League, Diomande should now be worried that the club are reportedly looking at a free agent midfielder.

Rangers considering free agent swoop

According to journalist Mark Hendry, via his Substack, Glasgow Rangers have been offered the chance to sign free agent central midfielder Pierre Ekwah after his exit from Saint-Etienne.

The former West Ham United and Sunderland midfield whiz ripped up his contract with the Ligue 2 club on deadline day at the start of September, which means that he is now free to discuss a move elsewhere and can be registered before the January window.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Hendry’s report adds that Ekwah has been offered to both Celtic and Rangers in a bid to find a new club after his ext from the French team, but it remains to be seen whether either of the Scottish giants are willing to take a punt on him.

The Gers are considering whether or not to make a move for the midfield star, but they were linked with a move for the Frenchman towards the end of the summer transfer window.

This suggests that the recruitment team at Ibrox and Martin are well aware of the 23-year-old and his talents, which is why they should push to get a deal done for him as a free agent in the coming days or weeks.

Why Rangers should sign Pierre Ekwah

The Ibrox giants should swoop to sign Ekwah ahead of Celtic to bolster their options in the middle of the park because he could come in as an immediate and instant upgrade on Diomande.

As aforementioned, the Rangers central midfielder’s levels have dropped off this season, which has left a gap to fill in midfield for Martin because the Ivorian was such an important player for Philippe Clement and Barry Ferguson in the 2024/25 campaign.

Ekwah’s performances in Ligue 1, one of Europe’s major leagues, last season suggest that he has the quality to come in and hit the ground running as a key player for the Gers if he is fit and ready to go.

The left-footed central midfielder left Saint-Etienne after they were relegated to Ligue 2, but his displays in their relegation campaign showed that he was good enough to play at the top level.

As you can see in the table above, the 23-year-old star was one of the most effective defensive midfielders in Ligue 1, as he ranked very highly among his positional peers in a host of statistics.

Ekwah, who former manager Tony Mowbray claimed could do “amazing” things with his feet, is a powerful and combative central midfielder who has shown that he can compete physically in a major European league, whilst Diomande has struggled badly with the physicality in the Premiership this season.

Along with his defensive attributes, the former Saint-Etienne star also completed 88% of his passes in Ligue 1 last season, per Sofascore, whilst Diomande has completed 84% of his attempted passes in the Premiership this term.

Therefore, Rangers and Martin could land an instant upgrade on the struggling Ivorian midfielder by swooping to sign a free agent star who excelled in Ligue 1 in the 2024/25 campaign.

Rangers star was "like the best of Zidane", now he's worse than Barron

This Rangers star who was once compared to Zinedine Zidane is now even worse than Connor Barron.

1

By
Dan Emery

Sep 30, 2025

Mohamed Salah has been left out of Liverpool's starting line-up to face Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Wednesday, as Arne Slot has taken action following the Premier League defeat at home to Manchester United last Sunday. Hugo Ekitike has replaced the Egyptian winger in the Reds' XI after starting on the bench against the Red Devils.

• Salah dropped amid poor form

  Salah has finally been dropped from the Liverpool team after a series of poor performances in the 2025-26 campaign. Since the start of the new season, the Egyptian goal-machine has scored only three goals across all competitions and provided as many assists. The loss against United at Anfield after nine years last Sunday was the final straw for Slot, who took the tough call of starting Salah on the bench in the crucial Champions League fixture against Frankfurt.

  Ekitike returned to the line-up, replacing Salah in the attack, while another underperforming star Florian Wirtz also made it into the team. Defenders Jeremie Frimpong and Andy Robertson have also been drafted into the 11 in Germany

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  Carragher wanted Salah to be dropped after United defeat

  After going seven games in the English top flight without registering a non-penalty goal – his longest barren run in that department since joining Liverpool in 2017 – Reds legend Jamie Carragher had urged Slot to drop Salah from his starting line-up.

  Following the loss at Anfield at the weekend, Carragher said on : “I think we're at that stage now where Mo Salah shouldn't be a guaranteed starter every week. I do think this is a real conundrum for the manager going forward."

  The former defender then said on the : "I don't think Salah should be like a Virgil van Dijk where it's like 'first name on the team sheet'. Liverpool have got two away games – in the Champions League at Frankfurt and then they go to Brentford. I don't think Salah should start both of those games. He should always start at Anfield because Liverpool will be on top, around the edge of the box and more often than not he scores in those situations today.

  "But I do think in the away games and helping your full-back, I don't think Salah should be starting every game right now, certainly away from home, with the form he's in. Would he be OK with that? Probably not. But when you get to a certain age you have to understand that, especially when you're not playing well, where's your argument? It's different if you're banging in the goals and your manager makes a tactical decision and you're frustrated. I don't think Mo Salah's in any position to complain if he was left out of one of the next two away games."

• Slot isn't bothered about slump in form

  After winning their first seven matches across all competitions, the reigning English champions have experienced a sudden slump in form as they have now lost four successive matches, including three in the Premier League. However, despite the poor run, Slot isn't too worried, as he insisted to "It should not matter if we win or lose a game of football for the next one. The aim is if you play for Liverpool if you wear this shirt, the aim is to win every single game. So if we win seven in a row, how we started this season, then we want to win the next three. And we didn’t, now we’ve lost the last four, so now of course we want to see Liverpool winning again. But like I said, that is not different than when you’ve lost four in a row or won four in a row."

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  Wirtz under the scanner

  After failing to make the Reds' starting line-up in their last two Premier League outings against Chelsea and United, Wirtz has finally made a comeback. The German midfielder has made a slow start to his journey in the Premier League, having just one assist across all competitions. The former Bayer Leverkusen star will be eager to start delivering for the English champions, starting with the Champions League fixture against an opposition from the Bundesliga. 

Wednesday, June 26 is a massive sports day with the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft, but there is also plenty of afternoon baseball to dive into, starting with the Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays at 12:10 p.m. EST. 

Every day at SI Betting, we break down our favorite props, best bets, straight up picks and home run picks in Major League Baseball. 

With a loaded Wednesday slate, I’ve narrowed down two plays – one prop and one side – for June 26. 

MLB Best Bets Today

• New York Yankees Moneyline (-148) vs. New York Mets
• Brady Singer UNDER 2.5 Earned Runs Allowed (-160)

New York Yankees Moneyline (-148) vs. New York Mets

The New York Yankees have been struggling as of late, losing Tuesday’s matchup with the New York Mets to fall to just 3-7 in their last 10 games. 

However, New York is in a prime bounce-back spot with rookie Luis Gil on the mound on Wednesday. 

Gil has a 2.77 ERA on the season, and while he was rocked in his last outing against the Baltimore Orioles, he has led the Yanks to a 12-3 record in 15 starts. Plus, the youngster has allowed three or fewer earned runs in 13 of his 15 outings.

The Mets are countering with Sean Manaea (4-3, 4.16 ERA), but I’m concerned about him as of late. The lefty has a 6.75 ERA in June, with the Mets going just 1-3 in his four starts. His season-long ERA has jumped from 3.63 to 4.16 in the process.

The Yankees are still one of the better offensive teams in baseball, and they scored seven runs in Tuesday’s loss. Don’t be shocked if they ride a Gil start to a win on Wednesday. 

Brady Singer UNDER 2.5 Earned Runs Allowed (-160)

Kansas City Royals righty Brady Singer has pitched well in 2024, posting a 3.29 ERA across 15 starts. 

He’s in a prime spot to build on that on Wednesday, as the Royals take on the Miami Marlins, who rank 29th in the league in OPS and runs scored this season. 

Singer has just four starts all season where he’s allowed more than two earned runs, and since a rough outing on June 11 against the Yankees, he’s rebounded to allow just four runs over 11 innings of work against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Texas Rangers.

Miami is easily the best matchup Singer has had this month, and I expect him to find his early season form where he posted a 2.63 ERA through the first two months.

It’s hard to think of another point in recent memory when Arsenal have had such a strong squad.

Rival sides might have spent hundreds of millions of pounds on individual superstars, but Mikel Arteta and Co have built a group with few if any real weaknesses.

With that said, even though there are talented players in every position, it is still quite easy to proclaim Bukayo Saka the pick of the bunch and the Gunners’ most important star.

Moreover, should they get up to speed, one of Arteta’s summer signings could help the Hale Ender reach the level of Thierry Henry as a creator.

Thierry Henry's creative genius

When most people think of Henry, the first thing that usually comes to mind is his incredible goalscoring ability.

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After all, during his time with Arsenal, the Frenchman racked up an astounding haul of 228 goals in 377 games, and if that wasn’t enough, he also chalked up a tally of 51 goals in 123 senior caps for France across his career.

However, what is sometimes overlooked by non-Arsenal fans is just how creative a player he could be, for the simple fact that assists and chances created are generally less memorable than a goal.

Yet, during his time with the Gunners, the Les Ulis-born legend managed to rack up an impressive tally of 104 assists, which works out to one every 3.62 games, and if that wasn’t enough, he also managed 20 goals and 20 assists in the 02/03 league season.

But what made the Frenchman such a creative force? Well, playing with a host of world-class attackers and under the management of Arsène Wenger certainly helps, but it was more than that.

It was in part down to the same reason he could so wonderfully place a shot into the corner of the net, but also his general attitude to trying risky things.

For example, he said that, “I know it sounds stupid, don’t be scared to make mistakes. That stops a lot of players.”

In all, Henry was an extraordinary creator as well as a world-class goalscorer, and while Saka might not ever quite reach his level when it comes to the former, a recent signing could help him do that for the latter.

The Arsenal player who could help Saka reach Henry levels

While Eberechi Eze and Martin Zubimendi could help Saka get closer to Henry’s goalscoring levels through the chances they end up creating, it’s Viktor Gyokeres who could help the Englishman reach his creative level.

Now, it has to be said, that with the current goalscoring form of the Swede, such an idea may seem absurd. After all, he’s been so hit or miss that Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville described him as a “misfit”.

However, it’s important to remember the league season is just eight games old, he’s already put the ball in the back of the net three times and his form over the last two years was nothing short of world-class.

For example, during his two seasons with Sporting CP, the 27-year-old “monster” as he was desribed by journalist Alex Turk, scored a staggering 97 goals and provided 28 assists in 102 appearances, totalling 8417 minutes.

That works out to an average of 1.22 goal involvements every single game, or one every 67.33 minutes, so while he won’t get those numbers in England, he hasn’t just lost the ability to get shots off and find space in the penalty area.

In fact, this was something fans finally saw in the game against Fulham, as while he failed to score, there was a moment in the first half that his smart movement gave him the chance to, and who did the pass come from? Saka, of course.

The second reason the former Coventry City star could help the 24-year-old’s creative numbers explode this season is down to this movement, his physicality and the fact he, as Mattinson says, plays with “real venom.”

This bulldozing approach to centre-forward play is already freeing up more space for Saka to operate in, and once again fans saw the fruits of this at Craven Cottage.

In his 99 minutes of action, he amassed an expected assists figure of 0.55, took two shots, took 86 touches, completed six of seven dribbles, created one big chance, played seven key passes – yes, seven – and was named the man of the match.

Ultimately, while he is firing yet, Gyokeres’ innate finishing ability and the fact he drags opposition defenders away from Saka so often could help the Hale Ender reach Henry-esque creative numbers by the end of the season.

Hale End's "Saka regen" left for £0, now he's outscoring Arsenal's starboy

Arsenal had a Bukayo Saka regen in Hale End that Edu allowed to leave.

By
Ben Gray

Oct 20, 2025

Thomas Tuchel has reportedly decided to draft Jude Bellingham back into his England squad for the November internationals. The Real Madrid superstar was surprisingly left out of the Three Lions’ ranks in October after recovering from shoulder surgery and returning to action at club level. The expectation is that he will figure in 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania.

• Bellingham's last England appearance: Recovered from shoulder surgery

  Eyebrows were raised when Tuchel chose to overlook Bellingham for fixtures that saw England book their tickets to next summer’s global gathering in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The German tactician stuck with those that performed admirably in September.

  Tuchel claimed that Bellingham was left out as he was lacking “rhythm” after several weeks on the sidelines. The 22-year-old midfielder has not represented his country since June, with his international coach going on to reveal that his mother finds some of Bellingham’s on-field behaviour “repulsive”.

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  Tuchel's England warning to 'most talented players'

  Questions were asked of Bellingham’s character on the back of those comments, with Tuchel eager to establish squad harmony ahead of a bid for World Cup glory. He has said: “We are not collecting the most talented players, we are trying to build a team. Teams win trophies, no-one else.

  “That’s how it is in international football. But the thing you are playing [back to me] is not what I am saying. You are playing the game that says: ‘He [Tuchel] is saying the others who aren’t in the team, you cannot build a team with them’. It’s not like this. We built a team with the players who were available and they did so well so we go again with them. Nobody said we can’t do the same with them. Or even better, or maybe the same level, with the others.

  “For this moment we stick with our choice and the radical statement is that we don’t collect the most talented players. We collect the guys who have the glue and cohesion to be the best team. Because we need to arrive as the best team. We will arrive as underdogs at the World Cup because we haven’t won it for decades and we will play against teams who have repeatedly won it during that time. So we have to arrive as a team or we will have no chance.”

• Ex-England star reacts to questions of Bellingham's character

  reports that Bellingham will be given a chance to prove his worth when Tuchel names his latest England squad on Friday. He has been catching the eye for Real Madrid of late, netting three goals through his last four appearances, and will get the chance to add to his collection of 43 senior international caps.

  Danny Murphy will be among those pleased to see Bellingham welcomed back into the fold, with the ex-England midfielder having told GOAL in the wake of October’s snub: “I find the narrative around his character and any problems a little bit strange because when I have watched England – I have watched them a lot at tournaments and watched him closely, he is, by far, the best character on the football pitch when England play, in terms of producing big moments, grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck, leaving everything out there.

  “If you could have 11 Jude Bellinghams, you would win most tournaments. The element of not talking to the press or not doing interviews or the odd swear word or rant or a little bit of what some people would call arrogance, that is what creates the player on the pitch. They are just rumours because a lot of the feedback from the players – Jordan Henderson recently said how much he likes him and how great a character he is – I think some of it has been exaggerated.

  “From a footballing perspective, we have a much better chance of winning the World Cup if he is in the team. I don’t mean just in the squad, I mean in the team. He is a phenomenal talent. We should be – as pundits, fans, press – building him up, applauding him and being thankful that we have got him, not trying to pull him down because he is the best one we have got. He is the game-changer in our side. He is the one that can make things happen. He’s just a phenomenal player.

  “I don’t blame Tuchel for not bringing him back on this particular occasion because he has only played a few minutes for Real Madrid. I understand that and don’t see that as a drama. I don’t see that as a big statement. We are playing two games we should win comfortably – let him get on with his fitness, let him get on with building himself back up. I would be absolutely gobsmacked and amazed if he is, if fit, not in Tuchel’s first XI come the World Cup.”

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  England fixtures: World Cup qualification secured

  England, who have already topped their World Cup qualification group after taking maximum points from six fixtures that have all delivered clean sheets, will be back in action on November 13 when playing host to Serbia. They will then travel to Albania three days later as their 2025 schedule is wrapped up.

Tyler Glasnow isn't with the Los Angeles Dodgers anymore.

Glasnow suffered a sprained right elbow and is likely to miss the rest of the season. He had been out since August 11 with elbow tendinitis but suffered a setback while warming up for a simulated game. He was diagnosed with a sprained elbow and is almost certain to be shut down for the year.

On Sunday, reports surfaced that Glasnow's locker had been cleared out and he was no longer with the team in Atlanta. When asked about his ace pitcher's whereabouts Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Glasnow "flew out" today, then said, "I don't know where he flew to. But he's not with the team, no."

That feels weird. If Glasnow was going somewhere for medical treatment, Roberts would certainly have been informed. The fact that he's out of the loop is really strange.

The Dodgers traded for Glasnow in the offseason, sending Ryan Pepiot and Jonny DeLuca to the Tampa Bay Rays to acquire the power righty and Manuel Margot. They quickly signed him to a five-year, $136.5 million contract. The Southern California native has been dominant at times this season but, as with much of his career, he has also dealt with injuries.

If Glasnow is done for the season, the 31-year-old will finish 9-6 with a 3.49 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 168 strikeouts in 134 innings.

Harry Kane has admitted he wants to win the Ballon d'Or and compared himself to Manchester City hitman Erling Haaland as the strikers battle for glory. Kane is one goal off matching Pele's international haul and will hope to match or better the Brazilian when England face Albania in their final World Cup qualifier on Sunday night as the Three Lions look to maintain their 100% record.

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  Kane expected to start against Albania

  England have won all seven 2026 World Cup qualifiers following their 2-0 victory over Serbia on Thursday night. Arsenal pair Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze netted either side of half time to wrap up another three points at Wembley, as the Three Lions eased to next summer's showpiece.

  Thomas Tuchel's men have scored 20 goals in qualifying, of which Kane has netted six, and have the chance to make it eight wins from eight when they face off against Albania on Sunday evening. And with no other out-and-out striker in the squad, the 32-year-old has a great opportunity to add to that haul and go level with Pele for international goals.

  Pele scored 77 times for Brazil during a legendary career, while Kane sits on 76 for the Three Lions. The England skipper netted in the reverse fixture, a 2-0 win at Wembley back in March, and will feel confident about his chances of scoring against the Red and Blacks, who are guaranteed a play-off spot following their 1-0 victory at Andorra on Thursday.

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• 'To be around a name like Pele speaks for itself'

  Kane has confessed that he relishes reaching such milestones, stating: "To be around a name like Pele speaks for itself. Sometimes when you're in it, it's hard to process some of the names you're around or the things you're achieving. You just want to go onto the next one.

  "Hopefully to score tomorrow and go level with Pele, who had such an inspirational international career, just shows how far I've come through my career."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Kane makes Ballon d'Or claim with '100 goals' warning

  Kane doesn't just have Pele's international goal record in his sights, but the Ballon d'Or, too. Ousmane Dembele won the 2025 accolade, pipping Barcelona star Lamine Yamal to the award after the Frenchman's role in PSG's Champions League triumph over Inter last season.

  The Bayern forward, who is England's leading marksman in history, insists he won't win the individual accolade, even if he scores '100 goals this season'. "I could score 100 goals this season but if I don't win the Champions League or the World Cup, you're probably not going to win the Ballon d'Or," Kane said.

  "It's the same with Erling Haaland, it's the same with any player. You have to be winning those major trophies. With the way the season is going as a team with Bayern Munich, it looks like we're in great shape.

  "It looks like we're one of the favourites for the Champions League, for sure. So that maybe makes the odds a little bit more in my favour. Same with England. I think we're going to go into the tournament as one of the favourites.

  "Whenever you are going into a year, like a World Cup year, there is a lot of excitement, a lot of talk, a lot of noise around everything. You have to try and stay focused on the now.

  "From my point of view, I've got six more weeks before I get a nice break. I am feeling good. And that break will help for us but hopefully if things go my way for club and country then I'm definitely going to be in the conversation for a trophy like the Ballon d'Or."

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• Haaland instrumental in Norway's qualifying campaign

  Haaland himself has been in sensational scoring form for both club and country this season. The 25-year-old has scored in all but two games for Manchester City and Norway in the 2025-26 campaign, failing to net in defeats to Tottenham and Aston Villa.

  The City star has been rampant for Stale Solbakken's side in qualifying having scored 14 goals with Norway on the cusp of reaching their first World Cup since 1998.

  Norway have won all seven matches so far and face Italy in their final round of qualifiers on Sunday night. The Azzurri have won six of their seven games, but would need to win 9-0 in Milan to pip Norway to top spot in Group I.

As if things were not bad enough at Celtic right now – amid Brendan Rodgers’ shock resignation on Monday night – they’re enduring a major injury crisis.

During last Thursday’s Europa League victory over Sturm Graz, both Kelechi Ịheanachọ and Alistair Johnston hobbled off in the first half, before Cameron Carter-Vickers departed the scene on a stretcher, with Rodgers later revealing that the United States international had suffered an achilles injury that’ll see him sidelined for five months.

Meantime, Jota remains in the treatment room due to a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament and Daizen Maeda is also a doubt for next Sunday’s Old Firm in the League Cup semi-finals.

On top of this, Sebastian Tounekti, one of the few attackers who has looked dangerous this season, will miss matches over Christmas, including the New Years’ Glasgow derby, due to the Africa Cup of Nations.

Thus, in summary, the Hoops are not in a good place right now, eight points adrift run-away Premiership leaders Hearts, after the Jambos’ 3-1 victory over the Celts at Tynecastle on Sunday.

So, with Falkirk visiting Parkhead on Wednesday, before that aforementioned massive clash with Rangers at Hampden on Sunday, should interim boss Martin O’Neill give one summer signing an opportunity to stake a claim?

Is Johnny Kenny good enough for Celtic?

Earlier this year, Celtic had both Kyōgo Furuhashi and Adam Idah as centre-forward options, but the pair have been sold without being replaced.

Chalkboard

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

So, with Ịheanachọ and Maeda currently unavailable, Johnny Kenny was the man tasked with leading the line in Edinburgh for Sunday’s top of the table clash.

Well, the Irishman made little impression on proceedings, touching the ball only 17 times during an hour on the field, losing possession on nine occasions and failing to muster a single shot.

During his loan spell at Shamrock Rovers, Kenny showed genuine promise, scoring 26 goals for the other green and white hoops, of which seven came in European competition, on target against Víkingur Reykjavík, Larne, The New Saints, Rapid Wien and Borac Banja Luka, an eclectic list of clubs.

Since returning to Celtic though, in limited minutes, he has so far scored just twice in 17 outings, on target during a 5-1 demolition of Aberdeen at Pittodrie in May, as well as in August’s 3-0 win over Livingston.

Following Sunday’s defeat to Heart of Midlothian, Mark Atkinson of the Scotsman asserts that he ‘lacks the proper gravitas of a Celtic number nine’, while Ben Banks of Glasgow World believes it is a ‘big ask for him to be the leading man with the team in its current guise’.

So, while Kenny may be the best centre-forward option at the minute, a damning indictment on Celtic’s summer squad build, should O’Neill give an alternative the opportunity to showcase what he can do against Falkirk?

Celtic's new Daizen Maeda

Celtic signed 11 new senior players this summer, including four during the final few hours of the deadline, so the arrival of Shin Yamada in mid-July for around £1.5m has rather been forgotten.

He has seen just 177 minutes of action in hoops so far, his sole start coming when Rodgers heavily rotated against Livingston in August, with the half an hour he saw off the bench at the weekend actually his second-longest appearance.

Nevertheless, at previous club Kawasaki Frontale, he was certainly a key figure, helping the Sky Blue and Blacks reach their first-ever AFC Champions League Final earlier this year, dumping out Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr in the semi-finals, before a 2-0 defeat to Al-Ahli in the final, a match in which Yamada was introduced off the bench at half time.

The striker was at his best during the 2024 J League season, as the table below documents.

As the table notes, only two players, namely Brazilian duo Anderson Lopes and Léo Ceará, scored more J League goals than Yamada last season.

This is despite limited minutes, as well as the fact he attempted just 80 shots, leading to an impressive goals-per-shot ratio, the best of anyone to score 12 or more goals.

Upon his arrival in Glasgow, manager Rodgers labelled him a “strong player who can score goals and create goals for others”, impressed by his “power, athleticism and intensity”.

Meantime, a report by Target Scouting described him as a ‘pure goal poacher’ while, despite his small stature, he relishes a ‘physical battle’, concluding that his primary attribute is his ‘exciting… off-the-ball movement’.

These all sound similar characteristics to those of a certain Daizen Maeda, who hit the ground running when he arrived in January 2022 under Ange Postecoglou, scoring four minutes into his debut against Hibs, having bagged 23 goals during his final J League season with Yokohama F. Marinos, four more than Yamada last year, but in 800 more minutes.

Yamada has very much not had a similar instantaneous impact but, due to limited options, definitely deserves a chance to stake a claim.

When compared to Kenny, the Japanese forward has proven himself in the J League which, according to Global Football Rankings, is the 15th strongest league in the world, while the League of Ireland, where Kenny impressed, is outside the top 75.

For context, that places Ireland’s top division below the SPFL Championship, while the Scottish Premiership is 32nd, just above the Saudi Pro League.

Thus, with O’Neill back in the dugout on a temporary basis, he should give Yamada a chance when Falkirk travel to Glasgow this week and, who knows, if he impresses he could earn a starting spot against Rangers on Sunday.

Rodgers could unearth his new Daizen Maeda in Celtic's rarely-seen "animal"

With Daizen Maeda and Kelechi Ịheanachọ injured for Sunday’s top of the table clash with Hearts, Brendan Rodgers should unleash Celtic’s “animal”.

By
Ben Gray

Oct 25, 2025