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Australia, England, Pakistan and India have the talent to make the semi-finals, but as West Indies and Sri Lanka have shown, unpredictability is always a factor

Ian Chappell23-Oct-2022T20 cricket is predicated on close finishes and stirring games. However, the brutal losses for West Indies and Sri Lanka, with the miserable failure of the former to reach the second round, are a reminder that T20 also produces upsets.There’s the likelihood of more surprises as the major section of the T20 World Cup gets underway. The unpredictable and dire weather that Australia has recently been experiencing also has to be a factor.Related

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Australia are the defending T20 World Cup champions and they, along with India, England and Pakistan, are the most likely candidates to reach the semi-finals. However, it’s worth remembering the tendency for upsets to happen in T20, and to consider the longer boundaries and bouncy Australian pitches.A successful team needs to exploit not only the extra bounce but encourage opponents to hit to the longer boundaries. In looking for a likely winner, concentrate on balanced pace attacks that contain wicket-taking spinners in a team that compiles viable totals.Australia, who are defending their crown at home, have the ingredients for success in their own country. Their batting is long and explosive and the bowling covers all bases. Nevertheless, Aaron Finch’s unreliable form as a player and how well they field will affect Australia’s progress. If those performances are acceptable then a place in the final is well within Australia’s grasp.In Group 2, the clash between India and Pakistan is not only a mouth-watering duel, it could also determine who South Africa may challenge for a semi-final place. India have a huge battle on the bouncy Perth pitch against South Africa and that is South Africa’s best chance to unsettle one of the favourites in that group. Pakistan are fortunate to play South Africa at the more spin-friendly SCG. The result of those matches could decide the balance of power in that division.While India have a strong playing group, their players also benefit from performing in a highly competitive IPL tournament. Their practice matches in Australia will have given India the opportunity to acclimate to local conditions.The loss of Jasprit Bumrah is unfortunate but his replacement, Mohammed Shami, is a good bowler. If Shami receives a reasonable share of T20 luck then Bumrah’s loss won’t be too heavily felt.

A successful team needs to exploit not only the extra bounce but encourage opponents to hit to the longer boundaries. Balanced pace attacks that contain wicket-taking spinners will be key

India’s batting fortunes are more evenly shared and the brilliant form of Suryakumar Yadav relieves them from having to rely too heavily on Virat Kohli. The success or otherwise of their spinners, and whether Hardik Pandya can clear the longer boundaries, will play an important role for India.Pakistan don’t possess many superstar names, but they have a solid squad. Their progress will depend heavily on the opening partnership of Babar Azam and the aggressive Mohammad Rizwan. They also need opening bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi to be fully fit and performing well. If Afridi is in top form, Pakistan have the bowling combination to fully test India. Their progress will come down to Pakistan’s batting consistency, fielding, and their cohesion, which can often be suspect.Despite some major injury woes, England have chosen sensibly by including a number of successful BBL players. No matter what sort of disturbance Alex Hales causes, picking him was a practical choice, considering his previous success in Australia. Fielding and the ability to cope with Australian conditions will be important, but England have the talent to sneak past New Zealand in their group and qualify for the semi-finals.The T20 formula suggests South Africa could be a surprise outfit, but their batting and previous World Cup history are dire. If Quinton de Kock has an outstanding tournament and carries the batting then South Africa’s excellent bowling will give them a chance.And therein lies one of the frailties of T20 cricket: in a short game, one individual can have an unnatural effect on the overall result. That helps make choosing a winner difficult but talent says an Australia vs India final is likely. Nevertheless, beware of the tournament-altering upset.

The India batsman recalls his dogged battle with Cummins and Hazlewood on the final day at the Gabba

Interview by Nagraj Gollapudi29-Jan-2021Do you like watching boxing?
(Laughs). Not really. I am not a big fan of boxing, but I don’t mind watching it. Once in a while I watch stories of some boxers – the amount of pain they go through, the kind of sacrifices they are prepared to make, the way they train.On the final day at the Gabba, it looked like the Australian fast bowlers were treating you like a punching bag.
If I’m a boxer, I want to see how much another player can punch me. Once he is done, that’s when I want to start punching back. That is my game plan. You can punch me as long as you can. Then I’ll show my punches. That is how I planned it.We are often told that there is no glory without pain. Tell us about the pain you went through.
The first one hit me just below my shoulder. There was one on the ribs. And one more from [Josh] Hazlewood below the shoulder again. That’s when it started hurting a bit more because it was the same place.The blows on the helmet can look scary, but because you have protection, I wouldn’t call it a major hit. You start feeling a little bit of pain, but it wasn’t very painful.Related

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The most painful one was the ball that hit my finger, because I had already got hit on that finger during practice in Melbourne and had played the Sydney Test with that little bit of pain. I was a little concerned before the game started in Sydney, but things went really well. But the moment I got hit there again in Brisbane, I was in a lot of pain. I thought I had broken my finger.What exactly happened at practice in Melbourne?
I had to come out of the nets. The skin came off near the nail and there was a lot of bleeding. When I got hit in Brisbane, the ball got the same part of the index finger as in Melbourne, it was more on the bone. During the Sydney Test, the laceration on the skin was bothering me even though the impact had been on the bone. By the fourth Test, the skin had healed, but there was still little bit of pain in the bone. And that is where I got hit again.I couldn’t hold the bat and I couldn’t bat the way I wanted to after that blow. I had to hold the bat with four fingers, keeping the index finger off the handle.Girish TS/ESPNcricinfo LtdWhen you walked in to bat on day five, you had already faced 717 balls in the series and scored 215 runs. Clearly, you must have been confident about your role?
Yes, I was very confident that if we bat the entire day, we’ll end up getting the target, without any doubt. There was a possibility of a draw, but I was very confident that on that particular pitch, if we play 97 overs, we will chase it down. I knew that if we didn’t give away too many wickets in the first session, then the only team who can win from there would be India. The majority of overs will be bowled in that session, which was two-and-a-half-hours long, where you face more than 35 overs. So my game plan was very simple: I don’t want to get out in the first session.You left your second delivery and the bowler, Pat Cummins, went down on his knees, thinking it had been close to hitting off stump. The ball had moved in. When the pitch has a few cracks and the bowler is so good, how do you judge what balls to leave?
I told myself that if something happens after hitting the crack, I won’t call it an error of judgement. If I start worrying about the crack, then I’ll end up playing balls I should not be playing. So I told myself that I will just bat as if it’s a normal pitch.That pitch had decent pace and bounce throughout the game, even on the first four days, so I told myself to trust the pitch and bat accordingly.You got off the mark off the 22nd ball you faced. On average, you take half a dozen balls to get off the mark, but it’s not the first time you took a while to get going. In Jo’burg in 2017-18, you took 53 balls to get off the mark. Did not scoring play on your mind?
Not really. As a batsman, you want to get off the mark – the earlier the better. It’s just to get that rhythm, to have some runs on the board. If you are batting on 5 or 10, mentally you know you are calm. You know you have started well and now just have to move on from there. If you take too many balls, you might feel, yeah, it’s better if you get a single. But for someone like me, on day five, I won’t worry about when I’m scoring my first run, because my game plan was not to give away my wicket. As a team, we didn’t want to lose any wickets in the first session. I felt it was a very good pitch, apart from the variable bounce, and that too from one particular end. If you look at the balls that hit me, they were only from one end. I hardly remember getting hit from the other.In all, Pujara spent nearly 23 hours on the crease across eight innings in Australia•Chris Hyde/Cricket Australia/Getty Images The first major hit came on the 62nd delivery, when you were on 6. The ball hit the back of your front shoulder.
I think Cummins was looking to hit back of a length or maybe a little shorter. If the ball takes off from there, it’s good, but if it doesn’t, then he wants the batsman to play on the back foot. I just saw the ball coming at me and I had no other option but to take it on my body, because, on that pitch, it was risky to defend or to try to get on top of the ball. It could have hit my glove or it could have hit the bat and gone to short leg or gully. From the way [Steven] Smith got out in the first innings, I knew you can’t defend on the back foot.Ten balls later, it looked like you took your eye off the ball. You ducked, turned your head, and Cummins’ delivery hit the back of your helmet.
Ah, yes. Most of the times I try and look at the ball, but when it is following you, you tend to take your eyes off it. I knew it was a short-pitched delivery, but on that pitch, you don’t know how good the bounce will be. Sometimes, from the same length, balls were going above my helmet. But this ball didn’t bounce enough.In Cummins’ next over, you were hit on the chest. Michael Hussey, on commentary, thought you were taking your eye off the ball too early.
When you are looking on TV, you feel like I’m taking my eyes off the ball, but I’m actually seeing where he is trying to pitch it, what length it is – so I’m seeing the ball till it pitches. He was trying to bowl the inswinging bouncer repeatedly. After it pitches, I don’t know whether it was because of the crack or the pitch, whatever it was, the ball was following me, and it was very difficult for me to keep my eye on it.Sometimes, if I keep seeing the ball, I feel I end up playing it. If you see the ball well, you end up playing it and then you might glove it or you might try to get on top of it, which shouldn’t happen. So I was prepared to get hit because I knew that the moment it hits that length, even if it is following me, I have to keep my hands down.It was sustained short-pitched and high-pace bowling from the best fast bowler in Test cricket currently. Just before lunch, Cummins pitched it fuller. This time you were hit in the box and then the ribs.
The first one was pitched back of a length. It was little fuller than the other balls and just took off and nipped back in. I was looking to play and suddenly it bounced a bit more and hit the box. That was the ball where I had to be a little careful because there was a leg slip. If you are looking to get on top of the ball, there is a chance of hitting the glove, so I didn’t want to take my hands away from my body. If it’s hitting my ribs, that’s fine, because I’m not going to get caught at leg gully. I just made sure that I kept my hands close to my body.On getting hit on his injured finger: “I had to hold the bat with four fingers, keeping the index finger off the handle”•Tertius Pickard/Associated PressWhat did you do during the lunch break?
I was happy I was still at the crease. I knew that they bowled their heart out and now it will be my time. I was charged up. I knew this is now my session and I will start giving some punches back. That is how we started after lunch.You went to lunch with 8 off 90 balls. That did not bother you?
Not at all.Shortly after lunch, a Hazlewood delivery that didn’t rise much hit you above your left elbow. You walked away, grimacing. Did you call the physio, Nitin Patel?
I was expecting it to bounce a bit more, and usually Hazlewood gets that bounce. If you see a spell from the other end, when he was trying to bowl the same length, it was bouncing. My strategy was the same. I was very confident that as long as it is hitting my body, I’m fine. But this hit was more painful. I had to call the physio because I had already got hit there in the first session. I just needed a break to reduce the pain.And then after Shubman Gill’s dismissal, you got that painful blow on your finger. What conversation did you have with the physio?
As soon as he [Patel] walked in, I told him it feels like the finger is broken. He told me, see, if you want you can take a painkiller, but you have handled this pain pretty well even in the last Test, so don’t worry. You will still be able to bat because you have handled this pain. The only thing he wanted to check was if I wanted a painkiller or a strap.It was a drinks break, luckily, so there was a little bit of extra time to take a decision on how I wanted to approach the injury.Sometimes when I take a painkiller, I am not the same, like I don’t understand how I want to play further. It doesn’t suit me much. So I told Nitin, I’ll bear the pain and carry on playing, because my body was warm. Although there was pain, overall I was charged up.I knew it was an important time in the game, so there was no way I could back out from that situation. Even if it was a fracture, I didn’t want to get bothered about it or think about it. I just wanted to carry on batting. I have played with a fracture in the past. In fact, it happened against Australia in the home series in 2012-13, in Delhi. In Brisbane, we were not yet sure if it was a fracture or not, but I didn’t want to be bothered about it.”If I start worrying about the crack, then I’ll end up playing balls I should not be playing. So I told myself that I will just bat as if it’s a normal pitch”•David Kapernick/AFP/Getty ImagesTell us about that ball.
It was on a fuller length but it hit a crack before it hit my finger. This was the only ball that climbed from a slightly fuller length and I had to play it. I couldn’t control it at all.At one point, while Hazlewood was running in to bowl, you stopped him mid-stride as a butterfly distracted you. Some fans on Twitter said they heard Hazlewood ask you if your vision was impaired.
I don’t know what he said.He then bowled a 140.2kph delivery straight at your face. You lined up to duck it, but the ball hit your grill and the stem guard attached to the back of your helmet flew off. Hazlewood said: “Did ya see that one?” And you stared back at him.
Yeah, I heard that. I just wanted to make sure I make that eye contact [with Hazlewood]. I mean, most of the time, bowlers know the batsman is not rattled. And I wasn’t. I had got hit so many times before. This was maybe a little harder than the other balls, but getting hit on the body is not going to disturb me. That was the body language I wanted to communicate. I’m sure he saw that.Read part two of the interview with Cheteshwar Pujara

Manchester United moved up to ninth in the Premier League table and within two points of the Champions League places with a 2-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

The Red Devils claimed all three points at Anfield for the first time since January 2016 after a late header from Harry Maguire sealed the victory for the away side.

Bruno Fernandes volleyed a brilliant ball to the back stick for the England international to nod the ball back the other way into the far corner, just six minutes after Cody Gakpo’s equaliser.

Whilst it was Maguire who scored the winning goal, United had Senne Lammens to thank for the three points because of his performance in goal.

Why Senne Lammens won Man Utd the game against Liverpool

United have had their fair share of troubles with goalkeepers in recent seasons. Altay Bayindir conceded 0.84 more than expected and made one error that led to a goal in the first six matches of the Premier League season, per Sofascore.

Lammens, however, has come in from Royal Antwerp and looks to be a safe pair of hands. After a clean sheet against Sunderland, the Belgian giant made four saves and prevented 1.25 goals, per Sofascore, against Liverpool.

The pick of the saves came in the first half when he prevented British-record signing Alexander Isak from scoring by smartly sticking a foot out to keep the shot out of his net.

Chalkboard

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

Without his shot-stopping and calmness behind the defence, Man United may have only come away from Anfield with a point, or none, given how poorly Altay performed at the start of the season.

Whilst Lammens was a shining light in goal and should be considered undroppable, Mason Mount should be ditched from the starting XI by Ruben Amorim.

Why Man Utd should drop Mason Mount

The England international, who scored against Sunderland before the break, started as part of a fluid front three alongside Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, with Benjamin Sesko dropped to the bench.

It was a tactic that worked, to a point, as the movement across the front confused the Liverpool defence and created some promising moments, including Mbeumo’s goal.

Mount’s individual performance, though, suggests that the £66.4m signing from RB Leipzig should be brought back in to lead the line against Brighton next weekend.

Minutes

61

29

Shots

2

1

Big chances missed

1

0

Touches

19

19

Pass accuracy

58%

62%

Key passes

0

1

Big chances created

0

0

Successful dribbles

0

1

Duels won

1/3

4/6

As you can see in the table above, Sesko created more chances, completed more dribbles, and won four times as many duels, in roughly half as much time on the pitch.

The Slovenia international, who has scored two Premier League goals this season, offers a physical presence at the top end of the pitch that allows Mbeumo and Cunha to play off him, which they did not have when Mount and Cunha were rotating in the number nine role.

Mount played the role that was asked of him by Amorim and provided energy in the win over Liverpool, but his end product in and out possession was simply not good enough, as he had even fewer touches of the ball (19) than Lammens in goal (55), per Sofascore.

This is why the head coach should ruthlessly drop him from the starting XI in order to bring Sesko back in to lead the line against Brighton next time out, as the former Leipzig man is a natural number nine who can offer a greater threat in front of goal.

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2 ByEthan Lamb Oct 18, 2025

Liverpool and Arsenal are now both reportedly eyeing the chance to sign a Paris Saint-Germain attacker in 2026.

Salah's rant compiles Liverpool misery

Ao Tanaka’s late equaliser was the last thing that Liverpool needed. The Reds only had themselves to blame after going from comfortable 2-0 leaders to level at 2-2 then throwing their 3-2 lead away at the death. In 99 minutes of action, the Premier League champions had their problems laid bare for all to see.

For a third-consecutive game, meanwhile, Mohamed Salah watched on from the bench. And for the second time in those three games, the Egyptian didn’t even get on the pitch. When Liverpool needed a goal, last year’s Golden Boot winner and top playmaker was forced to watch on and to say he wasn’t happy would be an understatement.

The Anfield icon went rogue at full-time, unleashing an explosive rant about Arne Slot’s recent decisions, saying: “After what I have done for the club it really hurts. You can imagine, really.

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“After going from home to the club and you don’t know if you are starting. I know the club too well, I have been here many years. Tomorrow [Jamie] Carragher is going to go for me again and again and that’s fine.

“I have been at this club, scoring more than anyone in this generation since I came to the Premier League, I don’t think anyone has scored more goals and made more assists than me. In the whole Premier League. If I am somewhere else, everybody would go to the media and defend the players. I am the only one in this situation.”

It doesn’t get much more damning than that for Liverpool, who could now have a decision to make. Do they back Salah or do they back Slot? That’s the question and if the manager wins the war then they must find a replacement for one of their best-ever players.

Liverpool battling Arsenal in Barcola race

According to Le10 Sport in France, as relayed by Sport Witness, Liverpool are now a very active contender to sign Bradley Barcola alongside Arsenal, as the PSG winger continues to deliberate over signing a new deal in Ligue 1.

As things stand, his deal doesn’t run out until 2028 but PSG have been attempting to secure new terms to avoid any potential exit in the coming years. Barcola, however, is still hesitating to put pen to paper on a new contract – potentially leaving the door ajar for Liverpool.

Minutes

760

1,118

Goals

5

4

Assists

0

2

Key Passes

18

27

If Liverpool’s search for a Salah replacement has just become more urgent then Barcola should be on their list of candidates. The Frenchman has outscored the Egyptian in less minutes so far this season and is destined to get even better at just 23 years old.

Described as “one of the best wingers in Europe” by European football expert Zach Lowy, Barcola’s contract situation is one to watch, especially if Liverpool come calling next year.

"Annoying" Liverpool star showed why FSG have to sign Semenyo

Liverpool have been so vulnerable this season, with Arne Slot having struggled to come up with solutions to opposition set-ups and his own squad’s staggering capitulation, having dominated and cantered toward the Premier League title last season.

To say Virgil van Dijk’s backline has been leaky would be an understatement, and that is the crux of the Reds’ troubles, their form the stuff of relegation, two wins from ten in the top flight.

However, the defenders aren’t solely to blame, with Liverpool lacking creativity and sparkle in the final third.

The form of Alexander Isak has been a particular concern, with the Sweden international having endured a slow and stodgy start to the season, months into a British-record £125m transfer that secured for the club “the best striker in the centre-forward” in England last season “by a country mile”, as had been said by pundit Ally McCoist.

The latest on Alexander Isak's fitness

It’s not been plain sailing for Isak since forcing a record-breaking move to Merseyside on transfer deadline day. In fact, the 26-year-old has only scored twice across all competitions, and once in the Premier League.

Injuries and missing out on pre-season have stunted his seasonal development, and Slot issued an unwelcome update on Friday morning: Isak picked up a knock at the San Siro, and he may be sidelined for the Anfield clash against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday afternoon.

This is just the latest in a growing line of setbacks. Liverpool signed Isak for six years, but the fact remains that more would have been expected from such a world-class talent at this stage.

Indeed, few would have expected Isak to have flattered to deceive as he has so far this season. Regardless of Liverpool’s crisis, this is a proven and world-class striker; he tore defences apart last season, including Liverpool’s, and on multiple occasions at that.

Isak only had four goals for Newcastle at this stage last season. Food for thought. And he’s not the only one who’s struggled since making his summer move to Merseyside, with a fellow recruit having left everything to be desired so far.

Liverpool signed a bigger problem than Isak

Like Isak, Jeremie Frimpong has been plagued by injury problems since joining Liverpool this summer, but unlike Isak, he has been sidelined for a longer spell, and there is less optimism that he will pick himself up and become a major player for the Anfield side.

Sporting director Richard Hughes activated Frimpong’s £29.5m release clause at Bayer Leverkusen at the start of the summer, bringing to Merseyside one of the fastest right-siders in the game, hailed as “a monster” in the attacking third by The United Stand’s Beth Tucker.

However, the Netherlands man, 25, has only started once in the Premier League this season due to injury, and this is a concern given he had navigated through his years in Germany without any detrimental fitness setbacks.

Isak has been a worry for Slot’s side, but he has also proven himself in the harsh English climate, one of the best in the world. Frimpong, however, is more of an unknown, and the £100k-per-week star’s first few months at Liverpool have hardly been propitious.

Moreover, Frimpong’s preference to play in a wing-back role could see him struggle to find his feet in his best position.

Right wing-back

140

26 + 35

Right-back

133

7 + 20

Left-back

18

1 + 2

Right wing

5

3 + 0

Attacking midfield

4

0 + 0

The issue: Liverpool do not use a system which employs wing-backs, and Frimpong perhaps lacks the economy of strength and the awareness to nail down a starting berth as Liverpool’s right-back in the Premier League.

For example, he only won 44% of his duels in the Bundesliga last year. Liverpool correspondent Dominic King noted this week that the Dutchman “has not had a great start” to life back in England, and with Conor Bradley and even Dominik Szoboszlai as his positional rivals, Frimpong might have a tough time establishing himself at the club, even when back to full fitness.

Could it be that he is simply not a stylistic fit? Liverpool have a host of problems they need to fix, and with Mohamed Salah’s future uncertain, the signing of a new right-sided forward would deepen Frimpong’s struggles, leaving him struggling to show FSG that they have got bang for their buck.

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Tottenham Hotspur’s defeat against PSG in the Champions League last night was the second time in a matter of months in which Thomas Frank’s men have been bettered by the French side.

The UEFA Super Cup final back in August was the Dane’s first competitive match in charge of the Lilywhites, but he was unable to get one over Luis Enrique’s side.

Such a result once again appeared at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night, with the host’s 5-3 win inflicting the club’s first loss of the current European campaign.

Both fixtures could have fallen in Spurs’ favour, especially after taking the lead in both contests, but ultimately the defensive frailties have cost Frank’s men in each of the meetings.

The inability to keep one player out in Paris last night ultimately contributed to their downfall, with one opposition star constantly tormenting Frank’s men in the defeat.

Vitinha’s stats against Spurs in the Champions League

PSG’s success in the Champions League last season was no doubt down to the quality side Enrique has built over recent years, with Vitinha central to the Parisians’ European triumph.

The Portuguese international has continued his phenomenal form in the current campaign, as seen by his performance against Spurs on Wednesday night.

He featured for the entirety of the contest at the Parc des Princes, scoring a hat-trick during the triumph – achieving such a feat for the first time in his professional career.

The 25-year-old’s first strike was undoubtedly the pick of the bunch, with the midfielder firing Quentin Ndjantou’s perfectly weighted pass into the top corner via the crossbar.

His underlying stats from the contest also reflect his impressive display, with Vitinha completing 87 passes – the most of any player – whilst also completing 100% of his attempted dribbles.

Such a performance led to Spurs boss Frank heaping huge praise on the midfielder, labelling him as the “best midfielder in the world” and that he’ll be the “next Ballon d’Or winner”.

The Spurs star who could be Frank’s answer to Vitinha

After the North London Derby defeat against Arsenal, it was imperative that manager Frank switched up his midfield department for the Champions League clash.

The Dane started with a two-man pivot of Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur at the Emirates, with such a partnership far too negative – which no doubt contributed to the 4-1 hammering.

For the defeat against PSG, the 52-year-old opted for a younger base of the side, with Pape Sarr and Lucas Bergvall just two of the youngsters who featured in the middle of the park.

The duo were unable to produce a winning display, but they did offer a reason to be positive despite falling to a third consecutive defeat under Frank’s guidance.

However, the shining light in the middle of the park was certainly Archie Gray, with the 19-year-old taking full advantage of the rare start handed his direction.

The Englishman joined in a £40m deal from Leeds United last summer but has often had to bide his time for a regular run of first-team appearances since Frank’s arrival.

Yesterday was just his fourth start of the 2025/26 campaign, but he did manage to thrive, even against the defending European champions last night.

Gray featured for 76 minutes before being withdrawn, even linking up excellently with Bergavll in the first half as the Lilywhites took a one-goal lead.

He also won 100% of the tackles he attempted, whilst making two clearances and two recoveries – in what was an exceptional defensive performance at the Parc des Princes.

Archie Gray – stats against PSG

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

76

Touches

20

Passes completed

7

Passes into final third

2

Tackles won

100%

Clearances made

2

Recoveries made

2

Aerials won

100%

Stats via FotMob

Other stats, such as 100% aerials won and two passes into the final third, also showcase his all-round quality – backing up Ben Mattinson’s claim that he’s a “future £100m” star.

However, if he is to reach such levels and become the club’s very own Vitinha, it’s crucial that Frank hands him the needed game time to help him continue his development.

The player will no doubt be immensely proud of such a showing in Paris, with his efforts no doubt giving the manager a selection headache against Fulham this weekend.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Nov 27, 2025

The Kansas City Royals and Cincinnati Reds swung a big trade Friday night in the early stages of the MLB offseason.

The Reds officially announced they acquired right-handed pitcher Brady Singer from the Royals in exchange for infielder Jonathan India and outfielder Joey Wiemer.

Singer, 28, has spent all five of his big league seasons with the Royals. Over 127 appearances (124 starts), Singer has registered a 4.28 ERA and 8.5 strikeouts per nine innings. He's coming off one of his best seasons in '24, logging a 9–13 record with 3.71 ERA and 8.5 K/9 over 32 starts.

Singer will join the Reds' young rotation in 2025, a group that consists of Hunter Green, Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo—all 26 years old or younger—and veteran Nick Martinez.

The 27-year-old India never quite lived up to the expectations he set by winning the 2021 NL Rookie of the Year award, as his .269/.376/.459 slash line, 21 homers and 69 RBIs all stand as his career highs. In 151 games last year, India batted .248/.357/.392 with 15 homers and 28 doubles.

As it stands now, India will likely split time at second base with Michael Massey, who is coming off a career-best offensive season. India has never played another position in the big leagues besides second.

Wiemer, a fourth-round pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2020, owns a career .201/.279/.349 slash line with 13 homers and 11 stolen bases. He never solidified a role in Milwaukee's crowded outfield and was sent to the Reds as part of the Frankie Montas deal at the trade deadline in July.

It is the end of an era for Celtic and Brendan Rodgers after a string of disappointing results across all competitions led to the manager tendering his resignation this week.

The Hoops did beat Sturm Graz in the Europa League last week, to their credit, but they have also lost three of their last five matches, including their last two in the Scottish Premiership.

Dane Murray scored an own goal and conceded a penalty in a rare start against league-leaders Hearts on Sunday, taking their opponents eight points clear at the top of the table.

The Hoops are in a position they do not often find themselves in, chasing the team at the top of the table, and Rodgers has decided that he is not the man to take the club forward.

Celtic have already confirmed that incredibly experienced manager Martin O’Neill will lead the team in the interim period until a permanent head coach can be unveiled.

The former Hoops boss will have some big calls to make for the team selection against Falkirk, with Arne Engels one of the players whose future at the club is in some doubt because of his performances.

Why Arne Engels' future at Celtic may be in doubt

The Scottish giants broke their transfer record to sign the Belgium international from Augsburg for a fee of £11m in the summer of 2024 to bolster their options in the middle of the park.

For a 21-year-old playing in Scotland for the first time, with the pressure of his transfer fee, a return of ten goals and 13 assists in 52 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, was an impressive haul.

Unfortunately, Engels has failed to kick on in the current Scottish Premiership campaign, as he has only been named in the starting line-up in four of his eight appearances.

25/26 Premiership

Arne Engels

Percentile rank vs CMs

xG

0.42

Top 33%

Goals

0

Bottom 3%

xA

0.48

Top 49%

Assists

0

Bottom 3%

Duels won

16

Bottom 31%

Duel success rate

29%

Bottom 4%

Interceptions

2

Bottom 18%

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, the Belgian central midfielder has failed to provide much quality in possession, whilst he has struggled badly off the ball in midfield.

His dismal form in the Premiership, and lack of starts, may put his future up in the air ahead of the January transfer window, because he is an £11m asset who will not increase in value if his performances are poor.

However, there were positive signs against Sturm Graz last week. He assisted the winning goal, as shown in the clip above, and ended the game with five key passes and three ‘big chances’ created, per Sofascore.

That performance was a step in the right direction for Engels and shows that he can still deliver quality in the middle of the park for the Hoops, which is why O’Neill should not drop him from the XI.

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However, one player who should be instantly ditched by the interim manager, though, is Reo Hatate, whose performance levels have dropped significantly this season.

Why Reo Hatate should be dropped

Like Engels, the Japan international was an influential figure in the middle of the park for the Hoops in the 2024/25 campaign with his attacking contributions.

Hatate scored ten goals and created 14 ‘big chances’ in 37 appearances in the Scottish Premiership last season, which shows that he provided a regular threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Bhoys.

The Japanese star was even linked with a move to Serie A side Udinese off the back of his impressive performances for the club, but he remained at Parkhead until the close of the summer transfer window.

Unfortunately, Hatate has one goal and no assists in 13 appearances in all competitions so far this season, and was recenty criticised by a former Celtic manager in the win over Sturm Graz.

Speaking on TNT Sports’ coverage of the game, Neil Lennon was unimpressed by the midfielder, saying that his play on the ball was “so sloppy” throughout the first half.

Reo Hatate

Vs Sturm Graz

Vs Hearts

Minutes

90

60

Key passes

3

1

Assists

0

0

Possession lost

16x

5x

Ground duels won

1/5

0/1

Aerial duels won

0/1

1/3

Tackles won

0

0

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Hatate gave the ball away 16 times against the Austrian outfit, whilst also losing five of his six duels, before going on to lose 75% of his duels against Hearts on Sunday.

The Japan international has, now, scored one goal and failed to provide any assists, with just 0.7 key passes per game, across seven starts in the Premiership this season, on top of his struggles in duels.

With Luke McCowan and Paulo Bernardo both waiting in the wings, and Lennon criticising his play on the ball last week, it looks like Hatate is finished in midfield unless his performances drastically improve.

Engels, at least, showed signs of life with his impressive display against Sturm Graz, creating as many ‘big chances’ (three) as Hatate has managed all season in all competitions (three), per Sofascore.

Whilst it remains to be seen who the next permanent manager of the club will be, it also remains to be seen whether or not Hatate has much of a future left in Glasgow, if his performances do not improve.

Unlike Engels, he is not currently showing signs of revival and that could mean that a transfer is considered in January, particularly given the interest from Udinese in the summer, as it may be the best option for all parties involved if Hatate cannot recapture his best form.

He top-scored from No. 5, with seven fours and one six, and left too much for the Central Districts batters to do

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jul-2025

Shakib Al Hasan top-scored for Dubai Capitals with an unbeaten 58•Ashley Allen/GSL T20

Shakib Al Hasan starred with both bat and ball for Dubai Capitals to give the ILT20 champions a winning start in the Global Super League over New Zealand’s Central Districts.Shakib first held fort in the middle order, striking seven fours and a six in his unbeaten 37-ball 58 from No. 5 to help Capitals post 165 for 7 in their 20 overs. Then he dismissed four of the top-six batters in the Central Districts line-up to derail their chase, finishing with figures of 4 for 13 at an economy rate of 3.25.In their batting innings, Capitals had their base set courtesy opener Sediqullah Atal’s 25-ball 41, but Angus Schaw’s three-wicket burst through the middle overs brought Central Districts back. Despite the middle-overs wobble, Shakib combined with No. 7 Jesse Bootan (20) and No. 8 Dominic Drakes (11) to lift them to a respectable total.Central Districts made a promising start to the chase as Will Young (19) and Dane Cleaver (21) added 30 for the first wicket. But Shakib’s two powerplay wickets – of Young and Dean Foxcroft – brought Capitals back into the contest.Shakib then bowled both Josh Clarkson and William Clark, before UAE’s Khuzaima Tanveer cleaned up the tail. Central Districts captain Tom Bruce top-scored with 34.

AC Milan midfielder Ardon Jashari is aiming to return from injury in the first week of November, ahead of the international break. The Swiss international suffered a fibula injury following a collision with Santiago Gimenez in training, causing a massive setback shortly after Jashari's arrival from Club Brugge after a prolonged transfer saga.

• Jashari's injury return date a relief for Milan

  According to Italian outlet , Jashari is targeting a return on the bench for AC Milan’s clash against Parma on November 8, ahead of the international break. The Swiss midfielder had sustained a compound fracture to his right fibula, keeping him sidelined for an estimated eight weeks. The injury occurred when he accidentally collided with Mexican striker Gimenez in training.

  Jashari’s rehabilitation has involved alternating between physiotherapy sessions at home and running in zero-gravity conditions at the Milanello gym. A final X-ray will be conducted by the club’s medical team to confirm the healing of the fracture before he is cleared to train again.

  Jashari’s recovery should come as a relief to Milan management and fans, with star forward and USMNT striker Christian Pulisic expected to be out for a month after sustaining a hamstring injury. France midfielder Adrien Rabiot, English midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Ecuadorian fullback Pervis Estupinan are also sidelined, while Christopher Nkunku, who missed the game against Fiorentina, is deemed fit for Milan’s clash against Pisa.

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  Jashari's transfer sage and his love for Pirlo

  The 23-year-old joined AC Milan this summer in a €39 million (£34m/$46m) deal after drawn-out negotiations lasting over a month, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic playing a key role in facilitating the move. Jashari even went on strike to force the transfer, vowing never to play for Club Brugge again. Despite interest from Borussia Dortmund and Manchester United, he was determined to join Milan. His resolve was so strong that even when Brugge accepted a bid from Milan’s rivals Inter, Jashari refused to move.

  His former manager Mario Frick praised him, calling him “from another planet,” but noted that Jashari must add goals to his game to continue growing. At his unveiling, the Swiss midfielder admitted he had been a lifelong Milan fan, citing Andrea Pirlo as his idol. He compared his own career path to Pirlo’s, starting out as a number 10 before moving into a deeper playmaker role. Jashari also pledged to learn from veteran teammate Luka Modric as he adapts to Serie A.

• Milan's rise to the top of the table

  Milan’s 2-1 win over Fiorentina, courtesy of a brace from Rafael Leao, saw them climb to the top of the Serie A table. Milan took the lead through a controversial penalty after Fiorentina defender Fabian Parisi was judged to have brought down Gimenez inside the box. Fiorentina manager Stefano Pioli was furious at the decision, insisting that VAR encourages players to dive, as he claimed Gimenez had gone down to win the penalty.

  After starting the league campaign with a 2-1 loss to Cremonese, Milan have fought their way back under coach Massimiliano Allegri, who has emphasised a solid defensive approach. They now have the second-best defence in the league, conceding just four goals, behind only Roma, who have let in three.

  Milan’s fortunes have also been boosted by the signing of Croatian legend Modric, whose leadership qualities have been praised by Milan icon Alessandro Costacurta. While Costacurta believes Milan were never technically lacking, they previously lacked leadership, which Modric has now provided. Leao also highlighted Modric’s impact in training, noting that the midfielder encouraged him and promised to help make him a better player.

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  What comes next?

  While Milan hope for a swift recovery for Jashari, they plan to be cautious and gradually ease the midfielder back into the team to avoid another injury. Milan face Pisa on Friday, aiming to open a gap over second-placed Inter and third-placed Napoli, who will meet each other on Sunday.