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Tanzid Hasan’s unbeaten half-century and record-breaking five catches helped Bangladesh beat Ireland and clinch the series 2-1 in Chattogram. The home side fought back from 1-0 down to win their fifth T20I series in 2025. After left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman and wristspinner Rishad Hossain shared six wickets between them to dismiss Ireland for 117, Bangladesh chased the target with eight wickets and 38 balls to spare.Tanzid remained unbeaten on 55 off 36 balls, with four fours and three sixes. He added an unbroken 73-run partnership with Parvez Hossain Emon, who finished unbeaten on 33 off 26 balls.After opting to bat, Ireland were 50 for 1 in five overs, but they quickly slipped to 73 for 5. The visitors never recovered and were eventually bowled out in 19.5 overs. Tanzid became the first outfielder from a Full-Member nation to take five catches in a T20I. He took the last five catches of Ireland’s innings: four at long-on and one at gully.

Ireland’s lively start

Paul Stirling was quick off the blocks, clattering Mahedi Hasan for three fours in the first over, which cost Bangladesh 13 runs. Tim Tector then got into the act in the fourth over, with two fours and a straight six off Shoriful Islam. Tim’s innings, though, was cut short on 17 by the left-arm quick in the same over. Stirling didn’t hold back, despite the loss of his opening partner, slamming Mohammad Saifuddin over midwicket for a six. Harry Tector got off the mark with a square-driven four as Ireland reached their fifty by the fifth over.Tanzid Hasan claimed the Bangladesh record for the most catches in a T20I innings•BCB

Bangladesh roar back

Mustafizur Rahman started Ireland’s slide when he bowled Harry in the sixth over. After the ball had hit the inside edge, it began rolling back onto the stumps. Harry tried to kick it away but ended up falling over it instead, as the ball hit the stumps. Mahedi then trapped Lorcan Tucker lbw for 1, when he missed with a reverse sweep, though Bangladesh had initially appealed for caught behind.Rishad strangled Ireland further with three more wickets. He bowled Curtis Campher who was backing away to play a cut shot, then removed Stirling for 38 off 27 balls. No other Ireland batter passed 20.

Tanzid’s catching record

Rishad finished his spell with Gareth Delany’s wicket, caught at gully by Tanzid. It was the first of four consecutive catches by Tanzid. He held Mark Adair’s catch at long-on, in the 18th over. Later in the same over, Matthew Humphreys also holed out to Tanzid at long-on. A delighted Tanzid then took George Dockrell’s catch, also at long-on, in the next over.Tanzid’s fifth catch, in Ireland’s last over, was probably the best of the lot as he had to move a few yards to his right to complete Ben White’s catch. Before Tanzid, Maldives’ Wedage Malinda and Sweeden’s Sedik Sahak had also taken five catches in a T20I.

Tanzid leads the chase

After sparkling in the field, Tanzid was at it with the bat too, kickstarting the chase with three fours in three overs. Saif Hassan holed out to mid-on for 19, and Litton Das fell cheaply too, caught at the deep square-leg boundary off Harry. Tanzid, however, found an able ally in Parvez, who kept finding the boundary himself.After the powerplay, Tanzid went after legspinner Delany in the eleventh over. He swept the first ball for four, before mowing him over midwicket for his first six. Tanzid slammed Delany over wide long-on for another six in an over that cost Ireland 17 runs. Tanzid hit Craig Young for a six to reach his fifty, before Parvez struck the winning runs with a four in the 14th over.

During the last couple of years, Tottenham Hotspur have started to splash the cash in the transfer market to aid them in their quest for success in the Premier League.

In the last four years alone, the hierarchy have dropped over £400m on new additions, but not all the big-money additions have made the desired effect in North London.

Tanguy Ndombele is just one of the players who cost a pretty penny, with the Frenchman costing a reported £63m in 2019 – a deal that was then a club-record.

He was only able to rack up 91 appearances for the Lilywhites over a five-year period, before leaving on a free transfer last summer to move back to his homeland.

With the January window on the horizon, the board and Thomas Frank will need to keep such a deal in mind to prevent themselves from losing a huge chunk of their investment.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new additions this January

In recent weeks, Juventus defender Gleison Bremer has been one of the latest players touted with a move to join Spurs during the upcoming transfer window.

It’s been reported that Frank’s men are willing to fork out £35m for the Brazilian centre-back, as the board aim to add key depth and quality to the backline.

The Lilywhites have shipped 11 goals in their last three competitive outings, which could make the 28-year-old a viable option for the upcoming window.

However, the attacking department could also be subject to improvement, with Monaco star Maghnes Akliouche once again emerging on their radar after previously wanting to sign the forward in the summer.

According to Sacha Tavolieri, the Lilywhites are extremely keen on a deal to land the 23-year-old this winter, but a deal could cost the hierarchy a pretty penny.

The journalist has stated that the Ligue 1 side are currently demanding a fee in the region of €70m (£61m) for his signature, a deal that would be one of the most expensive in their history.

Why Spurs’ £61m target would be Simons 2.0

Spending big on a young attacker hasn’t been alien for Spurs in the last couple of months, with the board splashing a reported £52m on the signature of Xavi Simons last summer.

The Dutchman’s move generated huge excitement, with the hierarchy selecting the 22-year-old as the player to fill the void in the number ten role after James Maddison’s injury.

However, a couple of months on from his mammoth transfer, the youngster has struggled to hit the ground running, as seen by his tally of zero goals and just two assists to date.

Frank has also evidently been frustrated by the Dutchman’s lack of quality, with the manager leaving him on the substitutes bench in each of the last two outings.

A little ounce of leeway must be handed Simons’ way though, especially with the attacking midfielder often having to operate in a somewhat unnatural left-wing role in multiple of his starts.

However, the club could be about to land another version of the big-money talent this January, especially if they manage to complete a deal for Akliouche in the near future.

He’s been ranked as a similar player to Simons in the Champions League by FBref, with the pair even facing off against each other in the clash between the two sides in October.

When comparing the pair’s respective stats in such a campaign, the Frenchman has dominated the current Spurs star, which could hand Frank the attacking talent he’s craved in recent months.

Akliouche, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by one analyst, has achieved a higher tally of combined goals and assists in the Champions League at present.

Games played

5

5

Goals & assists

2

1

Pass accuracy

83%

81%

Progressive passes

6.3

4.7

Passes into final third

3.8

2.9

Take-ons completed

2.7

2.1

Carries into final third

2.1

1.3

Crosses completed

2.4

2.1

He’s also completed more of the passes he’s attempted, with more of his efforts going into the final third – showcasing his creative nature when in possession.

The aforementioned tallies would undoubtedly hand Frank the big-money talent he’s been craving since taking the reins in North London during the off-season.

The Monaco star has also completed more take-ons per 90 in Europe this season, whilst achieving more carries into the final third per 90 – reaffirming his incredible ability with the ball at his feet.

£61m in today’s market for a player of Akliouche’s quality would be an excellent deal, with the 23-year-old having bags of time to reach the next level in his development.

As for Simons, the Frenchman’s potential move could push him down the pecking order further, but it could also provide him with the

needed kick to ignite his career in North London.

Romero upgrade: Spurs "ready to make" £35m bid for "world-class" defender

Tottenham Hotspur look set to make a huge January move for a new centre-back.

1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 28, 2025

Eddie Howe suggested Newcastle United have lost their bite after beating Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League this week, and there’s certainly a case that the Toon’s gritty bite has been dulled since the summer.

In many ways, this is only natural. The sale of Alexander Isak to Liverpool. Yoane Wissa’s injury before he could make his debut, a recovery process he is still going through. Only Nick Woltemade’s emphatic introduction to Tyneside has eased the attacking struggles that have spilt over to the flanks.

Newcastle are in the now, and there’s no question that this is something of a transitional period for a club still set on making incremental gains under Howe’s wing.

But the hurdles that have sprung up over the past few months will be overcome, with such exciting signings as Woltemade added to the ranks, St. James’ Park is well set for the future.

Newcastle's new superstars

If Isak’s departure has told us anything, it’s that Newcastle have the capacity to rally against a storm and emerge with their core intact.

Woltemade, 23, is one of the most talented strikers in the world, and while he’s scored six goals in black and white so far, the German has so much more to offer, and that’s an exciting thought.

Against Bilbao, Dan Burn and Kieran Trippier showed off their culture and class down the flanks, but these are hardened veterans of the game, and in Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall, who impressed off the bench, the Tynesiders have a duo to be reckoned with for years to come.

So much quality, but the older average age of this group of players, starting in the Premier League, does emphasise the need for greater promotion of younger talents at the club.

Howe understands the need for a blend, though, but someone like Sandro Tonali is really stepping up and proving he can be an all-inspiring leader for the club. The Italian is 25, and he is “the best midfielder in the Premier League”, according to division great Paul Scholes.

This is all to say that Newcastle have hit the jackpot more often than not in the transfer market since that fateful PIF takeover, and it is for this reason they will continue to fight against the big six hegemony in the Premier League while pressing for European glory each and every year.

There’s another man we haven’t yet mentioned, and who perhaps deserves a big handful of praise. After all, this shrewd summer signing has been described as Newcastle’s future.

The Newcastle signing who is the future of the club

Newcastle have completed a wave of business in recent years, and while it is the attacking additions who often take the spotlight, we must pay credit to Malick Thiaw’s stunning start to life in England’s north east.

The German centre-half was signed from AC Milan in August for a fee just shy of £35m. It helped push United forward during a difficult summer transfer window, and he has repaid the faith over the past few months.

Howe eased the 24-year-old into the Premier League, benching him four times in a row to start things off, but he has since started the outfit’s past nine fixtures across the top flight and the Champions League, thriving alongside Sven Botman or Fabian Schar and perhaps even outshining the pair of them.

He has even been described as “the future of this club” by Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes, and if that doesn’t make a conclusive comment on the skillset Howe has added to his ranks, what will?

His success rate in the duel is absurdly high, especially having just stepped into the English game. What’s more, Thiaw is a confident distributor and he boasts awareness and intelligence to rival the mightiest defenders across England the the wider European scene.

As per data-led platform FBref, Thiaw ranks among the top 11% of central defenders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 13% for progressive passes per 90, illustrating his quality on the ball.

Given that Howe enforces a system rooted in transitional fluency, Thiaw’s presence will only enrich the tactical flow. He has, after all, been hailed as an “absolute steal” of a signing by one Magpies content creator, who went on to marvel at his “Saliba-esque” qualities.

To think that Newcastle are only just beginning to enjoy the fruits of this signing is to understand the calibre of player still yet to develop and grow at St. James’ Park.

Thiaw is a sensational defender, and he will form the bedrock of Howe’s Newcastle for many years to come, perhaps even establishing himself as one of the continent’s finest down the line and leading the side to even more illustrious heights than have been reached over the past four years.

Woltemade and Tonali are sensational players, and will define Newcastle’s central and offensive thirds throughout this new chapter, but Thiaw is on a level with such stars, and he is very much shining.

Newcastle have "one of the best teen prospects" & he can surpass Woltemade

Newcastle’s youthful underbelly is as talented as it’s ever been right now.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 8, 2025

Fulham are now planning to make a move for Brendan Rodgers, amid a new update on Marco Silva’s future at Craven Cottage.

Silva is going through a tricky period in the Premier League, suffering a 2-0 defeat against Everton prior to the international break, which leaves his side in 15th place, just one point above the relegation zone.

With the 48-year-old’s contract coming to an end in the summer, there has been speculation about his future, but it seems as though the club hierarchy is keen to keep hold of him, having recently tabled a new contract offer.

However, with the former Everton boss still yet to put pen to paper, there could still be a twist in the tale, and it has now been revealed that an ex-Premier League manager is set to be approached, having recently resigned from his previous role.

Fulham set to sound out Brendan Rodgers amid Marco Silva uncertainty

According to a report from Football Insider, Silva’s future in west London is still in major doubt, which means Fulham are now set to sound out Rodgers over a move to Craven Cottage, with the Northern Irishman still out of work after leaving Celtic last month.

The Cottagers are planning to hold talks with the 52-year-old, who is vastly experienced in the top flight, having managed Swansea City, Leicester City and Liverpool in the past.

Having offered Silva a new deal, there is still a chance he remains in west London, but there are some issues to iron out, with the manager eager to be backed in the transfer window, following a quiet summer, during which Kevin was the only major addition.

It would be a shame to see the Portuguese manager move on, given the fantastic job he has done at Craven Cottage, stabilising Fulham as a top-flight club after guiding them to promotion from the Championship.

Games

198

Wins

90

Draws

37

Losses

71

Points per game

1.55

That said, should Silva decide to leave, Rodgers could be a fantastic replacement, having been lauded as an “unbelievable” manager by Jamie O’Hara as a result of the work he did during his time at Leicester.

The ex-Foxes boss won the FA Cup and the Community Shield during his time at the King Power Stadium, two of 13 trophies he has lifted as a manager, having also been extremely successful at Celtic.

However, while the Cottagers’ current league position is concerning, their current manager has proven time and time again that he is capable of keeping them in the top flight, so it would be a risk to replace him.

Every manager currently working in the Premier League has been ranked Every current manager in the 2025/26 Premier League ranked

Every current Premier League boss ranked from best to worst.

ByCharlie Smith Nov 8, 2025

For the first time this season, Rangers have won a home Premiership match; Danny Röhl working wonders already!

On Sunday, the Gers beat Kilmarnock 3-1 at Ibrox, with Derek Cornelius breaking the deadlock, only for Killie to equalise on the cusp of half time, but goals from Danilo and Youssef Chermiti after the interval cemented the victory.

This is just the Gers second league victory of the season, beating Livingston at Almondvale in the last minute in September, thereby moving them up to fifth, just five points behind Celtic, albeit still 13 adrift run-away league-leaders Hearts.

New manager Röhl may only have been in situ for a week, but now faces a crucial seven days, with a tricky trip to Hibernian to come on Wednesday, before the small matter of a Glasgow derby at Hampden in the League Cup semi-finals next Sunday.

Ahead of these massive games, has Röhl unearthed an “exciting” talent who could replicate, arguably, the Premiership’s best striker?

Why Rangers should have signed Lawrence Shankland

During the summer, Rangers were heavily linked with a move for Scotland international striker Lawrence Shankland, given that his contract at Heart of Midlothian expired on 30 June.

After only a few days unemployed, Shankland decided to stay at Hearts, signing a new contract on 3 July, and he certainly showed Rangers what they could have had last month, scoring both as the Jambos won 2-0 at Ibrox.

Well, Heart of Midlothian are certainly the talk of Scottish football at this moment in time.

On Sunday, Derek McInnes’ side beat Celtic 3-1 at a raucous Tynecastle, going in front thanks to an early own goal, before quick-fire strikes from Alexandros Kyziridis and then Shankland from the penalty spot cemented a 3-1 victory.

This leaves Hearts eight points clear at the top, looking to become the first non-Old Firm champions of Scotland since Aberdeen 41 years ago, not facing one of the Glasgow giants again until they travel to Celtic Park on 7 December.

Shankland himself has now scored eight goals this season, five of which have come in the Premiership.

In contrast, right-back James Tavernier is the only Rangers player to have scored more than one league goal across their nine fixtures to date.

Thus, the Hearts captain, a boyhood Rangers fan, spotted at Ibrox for April’s Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Club, would unquestionably improve the Gers’ current team, but did Röhl discover his answer to Shankland during Sunday’s match, a forgotten star who could propel Rangers up the table?

Rangers have their own answer to Shankland

Sunday was certainly a memorable afternoon for new signing Youssef Chermiti, scoring his first senior goal since May 2023, but Danilo was the striker who caught the eye.

When he joined the club from Feyenoord for a reported fee of £6m in the summer of 2023, then-manager Michael Beale labelled him an “exciting player who likes to create and score goals”.

Meantime, Melvin Dupper of the Rangers Review described him as ‘quick’ and an ‘amazing instinctive finisher’, praising his work rate and pressing ability, but supporters have seen very little of any of that in the two and a bit years since.

Chalkboard

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

The Brazilian has scored just 14 goals in 61 outings for the club, sitting out 65 matches due to injury.

Sunday’s header was just his second goal since netting during the 3-0 demolition of Celtic in January.

Overall, as the table below outlines, Danilo had a very productive afternoon against Kilmarnock, despite limited involvement.

As the table documents, Danilo was not often involved in build-up play, emphasised by the fact he touched the ball just 18 times in 69 minutes on the park, three touches fewer than goalkeeper Jack Butland.

Nevertheless, when his sole opportunity of the afternoon came, he took it, heading past Killie keeper Eddie Beach.

It may be stating the obvious, but having a reliable goalscorer could transform this team, with new manager Röhl attempting to rebuild a sinking ship that has hit rock bottom, following Russell Martin’s catastrophic if only brief reign.

Hearts would not be clear at the top if it wasn’t for the goals scored by Shankland and summer signing Cláudio Braga, with Rangers still searching for their own talisman in attack, following a scattergun summer of recruitment.

New signings Youssef Chermiti and Bojan Miovski look substandard when compared to the pair they are supposed to be replacing, namely Cyriel Dessers and Hamza Igamane, so could Danilo, a player they already had, but many had written off, prove to be the centre-forward Röhl can hang his hat on?

0 passes made: Rohl must drop Rangers flop who was worse than Aasgaard

Danny Rohl must drop this Glasgow Rangers flop who was even worse than Thelo Aasgaard against Kilmarnock.

1

By
Dan Emery

Oct 27, 2025

Max Holden stole the limelight from Lhuan-dre Pretorius’s exhilarating debut as Hampshire Hawks and Middlesex tied a DLS thriller in the Men’s Vitality Blast.South African wunderkind Pretorius hammered a 22-ball 44 as Hawks struck 63 either side of the rain delays.Middlesex needed 76 to win after DLS recalculated the score, and after Chris Wood began with a maiden, Hawks were heavy favourites. But Holden whacked 38 in 18, before Kane Williamson’s 23 and Ben Geddes’ 10 took Middlesex to the brink but both sides had to share two points.It was Hampshire’s eighth T20 tie, and Middlesex’s fourth.Pretorius only arrived in the UK on Thursday having finished an unofficial Test for South Africa A in Saint Lucia on Wednesday. Jetlag seemingly didn’t have any impact on Pretorius as he rocketed a front-foot pull to the boundary off the first ball of the match, after Middlesex had chosen to bowl first.He continued with a well-timed clip off the pads and a wristy thrash through the covers to take two further boundaries off the opening over.Hawks fans had been made to wait for Pretorius – who arrived with high expectations after leading the scoring charts in the SA20 in his homeland over the winter, including a debut unbeaten 97.Dewald Brevis’ immediate impact only whetted the appetite for the second gun Proteas’ entrance, although it was somewhat dampened by the revelation that the pair would only be available until June 20 after being called up to the Test squad to face Zimbabwe.After striking 15 off the first over, runs continued to flow off Pretorius’ bat to reach 29 off 14 balls – although James Vince was caught at cover point off Zafar Gohar.Persistent rain hit after four overs and begun a two hour and 20-minute delay. Play was almost restarted for an 11 over-a-side match but another shower forced another delay. Eventually, a six-over-a-side game was started and Pretorius got going again.In two overs, Pretorius whizzed to 44 not out from 22 deliveries, including a bullet six over deep midwicket, with Toby Albert happy to just rotate the strike. It took Hampshire to 63 for 1, with DLS turning that into a 76-run target for the visitors.Their hopes of chasing that were dented as Wood begun with a maiden over – with just a leg bye on the total.James Fuller started with another dot and leg bye before Middlesex finally kicked into gear. Holden got away with an inside edge before carting over extra cover for four, over square for six and another inside edge for four boundaries in a row to take 19 off the second over.Another 18 runs off the following over got Middlesex closer to the rate but just as Holden reached 38 off 18 balls he skied straight up in the air.A Williamson blast for six made sure the DLS par was level going into the final over, with 13 required. Scott Currie went one, two, two with a dropped catch, two, a Ben Geddes four down the ground before a final ball bye to the wicketkeeper meant the game was tied.

Per a new report from The Sun, Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight could involve himself in Birmingham City's plans to build a sparkling new stadium in the middle of the city. The Championship club want to build a 62,000-seater ground, which could cost in excess of £3 billion ($4bn), under the stewardship of NFL legend Tom Brady.

• St Andrews plans

  Birmingham have unveiled plans to build a new, 62,000-seater stadium in the centre of Birmingham. The club announced their expansion project while they were still in League One but they have since won promotion to the Championship and are now targeting a spot in the Premier League. The new stadium is designed to be the centrepiece of a Birmingham Sports Quarter, and rival Aston Villa's Villa Park. Now, Knight has outlined his own plans to get involved.

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• Getty Images Entertainment
  

  Knight to lend his ideas

  Knight, the mastermind behind Peaky Blinders and SAS: Rogue Heroes, said during a regional investment summit at Edgsbaston Stadium: “I wanted to offer the architects some words of advice about what supporters will like and won’t like.“This stadium is a reflection of the past 150 years and hopefully it will be something that’s still around in 150 years from now.

  “I think we’re going to do something internationally special.”

  Tom Wagner, the club's owner, added: “We don’t have designs on becoming a national stadium. But we would certainly want it to be a place that hosts national level and international level events. 

   “The design will be worthy of that. It will be one of the most talked about stadium designs ever when we reveal it in about a month’s time.”

• 'Super exciting' future

  Birmingham CEO Jeremy Dale said upon the announcement of their plans: "The centrepiece of this £3billion project is a 60,000-seat multi-purpose stadium, the like of which will not have been seen before.

  “The world’s leading architects are competing for the contract to design the stadium, which will include a retractable pitch, to allow non-sporting events like concerts to take place.

  “The vision is that it will become an iconic ‘sporting coliseum’, respectful of local heritage, and provide an all-year location for sport, culture, leisure, entertainment, retail and education.

  “We have been on this for a year, with 75 consultants working on the project already, the master plan and business plan. It is super exciting.”

  Heatherwick Studio has been appointed to design the new stadium, with Thomas Heatherwick, the company's founder, saying: “This is going to be an incredible piece of city built around the passions of the Blues fans and the community. Not another spaceship dropped in a car park which feels dead when there’s not a match, but somewhere that’s alive, connected, grown from the site and from the history of Birmingham itself. We couldn’t be prouder.”  

  David Manica, president and owner of Manica Architecture, added:  “We’re thrilled to partner with Heatherwick Studio to design an extraordinary new home for
  Birmingham City Football Club. This new stadium will not only usher in a new era for Birmingham fans
  but will honour the Club’s passionate supporters and storied history.” 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  What comes next?

  Birmingham are currently 12th in the Championship and take on Bristol City this weekend. They come into the game on the back of a 1-0 victory over Preston North End, and are just three points off the play-off spots, while also sitting 10 points behind early pace-setters Coventry City.

  At the start of the season, they were given just a "15 per cent" chance of winning promotion by pundit Don Goodman. 

  He said: “What we do know, is that Birmingham are a super ambitious club, the recruitment certainly reflects that ambition. They very much remind me of Ipswich, the project. With every passing signing, I find myself giving them a slightly better chance of a top-six finish, but I couldn't give them more than a 15 to 20% chance of promotion at this stage.

  “The main reason for that would be the style of play that they had last season, which was complete domination of teams in League One. They won't be able to average 66% of the ball – they're simply not going to be having that in the Championship."

It wasn’t the start to their Champions League campaign Chelsea would’ve been looking for last night.

The Blues travelled to the scene of their greatest European achievement, but instead of getting another one over Bayern Munich, they were comfortably beaten.

Now, there were several starters who put in a good showing, like Cole Palmer and Robert Sanchez, but there were more who let themselves down.

One of those was Enzo Fernández, and since he’s not really been at it this season, Enzo Maresca should look to drop him for the Premier League clash against Manchester United in two days.

Fernandez's slow start to the season

Now, there is no doubting Fernandez’s quality; he’s a World Cup winner after all and played a pivotal role in Chelsea’s success last year.

Chalkboard

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

However, as was the case at the beginning of last season, the former Benfica gem has not started the campaign in particularly impressive form.

For example, while he managed to bag a goal and assist in the win over Fulham, he’s only created one big chance in five appearances.

Moreover, in the Premier League, he has averaged just 1.5 key passes per game, been accurate in 20% of his crosses, completed 41% of his long balls, and been accurate in just 76% of his passes when in the opposition’s half.

Last night was probably the Argentine’s most underwhelming display yet, as even though he was moved further up the pitch, he offered practically nothing in attack while also lacking off the ball.

In fact, he amassed an expected assists figure of just 0.01, failed in 100% of his crosses and long balls, failed to have a single shot on target and missed a huge chance created by Palmer.

It was a performance that saw the Standard’s Simon Collings award him a 5/10 match rating at full-time, which was probably rather generous.

In all, it feels like Maresca should do what he did last season and take Fernandez out of the team for a little while, especially when he already has a player who could be the ideal replacement.

The player Maresca should start in place of Fernandez

While there are a few options Maresca could pick from, the player we think he should start against United is Andrey Santos.

Now, there is certainly an argument to be made that handing the 21-year-old his first Premier League start at Old Trafford, a ground Chelsea haven’t won at for over a decade, is a little foolish.

However, the young Brazilian does not seem like the sort of player to be overawed by that sort of thing, and his overall play from last season warrants him getting this chance.

He’s more than comfortable playing in a couple of midfield roles and has shown himself to be just as effective at breaking up play as he is at scoring and creating goals.

For example, in 34 appearances for Strasnourg last year, totalling 3024 minutes, the Rio de Janeiro-born ace scored 11 goals and provided five assists.

In other words, he maintained an average of a goal involvement every 2.12 games, or every 189 minutes.

Moreover, according to FBref, he ranks in the top 2% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for tackles won, the top 4% for goals per shot and tackles in the middle third, the top 10 for tackles plus interceptions and more, all per 90.

These numbers help to back up the claim made by analyst Ben Mattinson that the youngster is a “duel monster” who is “brilliant at screening the backline.”

Going even further than that, talent scout Jacek Kulig called him a “one-man war machine in midfield” due to his ability to seemingly do it all and constantly dash from one box to another.

Ultimately, there would be an element of risk in starting Santos over Fernadez on Saturday, but the Argentine hasn’t looked anywhere near his best this season, and based on his performances last year, the Brazilian could be just what Chelsea need.

Maresca must drop Chelsea dud who was as bad as Chalobah vs Bayern

Chelsea lost to Bayern Munich in their first Champions League game of the season.

1

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 18, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

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GRÊMIO X BAHIA – quarta-feira, 12/7, às 19h – Arena do Grêmio. Onde assistir: Premiere e SporTV
ATHLETICO X FLAMENGO- quarta-feira – 12/7, às 21h30 – Arena da Baixada. Onde assistir: Amazon Prime, Globo, Premiere, SporTV
PALMEIRAS X SÃO PAULO – quinta-feira – 13/7, às 20h. Allianz Parque. Onde assistir: Amazon Prime
CORINTHIANS X AMÉRICA-MG- sábado, 15/7, às 16h30. Neo Química Arena. Onde assistir: Amazon Prime, Globo, Premiere e SporTV

+ Confira a tabela completa da Copa do Brasil

CHAVEAMENTO

O vencedor de América-MG x Corinthians encara quem passar de São Paulo x Palmeiras. Já o vencedor de Bahia x Grêmio enfrenta quem avançar em Flamengo x Athletico.

RESULTADOS DOS JOGOS DE IDA

BAHIA 1 X 1 GRÊMIO- terça-feira, 4/7, às 21h. Arena Fonte Nova.
SÃO PAULO 1 x 0 PALMEIRAS- quarta-feira, 5/7, às 19h30. Morumbi. Onde assistir: Amazon Prime
AMÉRICA-MG 1 x 0 CORINTHIANS- quarta-feira, 5/7, às 21h30. Independência. Onde assistir: Amazon Prime, Globo, Premiere e SporTV
FLAMENGO 2 X 1 ATHLETICO- quarta-feira, 5/7, às 21h30. Maracanã. Onde assistir: Amazon Prime, Globo, Premiere e SporTV

Two weeks ahead of the Champions Trophy, both teams have an air of vulnerability

Karthik Krishnaswamy05-Feb-20250:52

What will India’s playing XI for the first ODI be?

Big picture: An air of vulnerability in both campsThere are two Indias.There’s the India of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, an India that is, for the moment, scarred and uncertain.There’s also, at the same time, another India, an India of an assuredly post-Rohit, post-Kohli era, an India that has flown to dizzying heights over recent months.There are two Indias, but there are three formats. So where exactly do they stand, as the awkward middle format gets this rare chance in the spotlight? India in ODIs are still the India of Rohit and Kohli, but what does that mean for India, Rohit, and Kohli? There are several questions hanging over India ahead of these three ODIs against England and the Champions Trophy that will follow, but this one, for now, seems the most urgent.Related

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India last played ODIs in August, when they lost 2-0 to Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. It seemed like an anomalous result then, but events that followed it have cast it in a different light. As India return to the 50-over format, then, they find themselves in an odd position. They are still more or less the same team that looked like one of the greatest of all time during their run to the World Cup final in 2023. But even if the players are largely the same, they no longer play together day in and day out, so are they still the same team? And so many of them carry wounds from other battles, bringing to this group a distinct air of vulnerability.But airs of vulnerability – and invincibility – come and go depending on results. India – the other India, admittedly – are fresh off a 4-1 T20I series win, and should count themselves as heavy favourites against an England side that’s coming off that T20I result, and is still trying to find its feet in ODIs after a poor 2023 World Cup.And England, too, are fighting the awkwardness of this middle format. This is still the England of Jos Buttler and Joe Root, but neither played a single ODI in 2024.So here we are, then. The India of Rohit and Kohli versus the England of Buttler and Root, both unsure of where exactly they stand in ODIs, with a major ODI tournament starting in two weeks’ time.Form guideIndia LLTWL (last five completed ODIs, most recent first)
England LWLLWJoe Root has been out of England’s ODI side since their league-stage exit from the 2023 World Cup•Michael Steele/Getty ImagesIn the spotlight: Hardik Pandya and Joe RootRohit and Kohli may be under more scrutiny at the moment, but arguably, no player is as important to India’s Champions Trophy hopes as Hardik Pandya is. Until his premature departure from the 2023 World Cup with an ankle injury, Hardik’s presence allowed India to have six bowling options, and gave them the luxury of playing a third frontline seamer or spinner depending on conditions. Hardik hasn’t played an ODI since that tournament, and as the next big one looms, India will hope his body can take a genuine allrounder’s workload once again.He has been out of England’s ODI side since their league-stage exit from the 2023 World Cup, but Joe Root is back, and will bat at No. 3. “He’s one of the great players of the game, in all the formats,” England’s captain Buttler said of Root in his pre-match press conference. “I’m excited to see him in this sort of phase of his career where I look at what he’s done in the Test stuff, where he’s not had the captaincy. He’s sort of back with that cheeky smile on his face, and really enjoying his cricket. I expect him to do exactly the same in this environment.” Apart from the smile, Root will also be expected to bring backbone to a line-up that has sometimes struggled to find the right tempo for 50-over cricket, as England have lost eight or more wickets in seven of their 11 ODIs since the World Cup.KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant? India have a choice to make against England•Getty ImagesTeam news: England rest Mark WoodIndia are expected to line up with their first-choice top six from the 2023 World Cup, with only the wicketkeeper’s slot under debate. Rishabh Pant could potentially come in ahead of KL Rahul thanks to his left-handedness. Meanwhile, Nagpur, with its large outfield and tendency for slow turners, is likely a three-spinner venue, which leaves India to choose two out of their three spin-bowling allrounders to partner Kuldeep Yadav, who returns for the first time since his hernia surgery.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 KL Rahul/Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 and 8 two of Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Mohammed ShamiEngland have named their XI for the series-opener, with Mark Wood rested and Saqib Mahmood partnering Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse in the pace attack. With only four frontline bowlers, part-time spinners Liam Livingstone, Root and Jacob Bethell are expected to shoulder a considerable bowling workload.England: 1 Ben Duckett, 2 Phil Salt (wk), 3 Joe Root, 4 Harry Brook, 5 Jos Buttler (capt), 6 Liam Livingstone, 7 Jacob Bethell, 8 Brydon Carse, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Saqib MahmoodPitch and conditionsA clear, sunny day is expected in Nagpur with daytime temperatures in the low 30s. The pitch at the VCA Stadium over recent years has tended to offer a good amount of help to spinners, who also appreciate the long boundaries at this ground. The last three ODIs in Nagpur were all India-Australia contests won by the hosts: a memorable chase of 351 in 2013 powered by one of Kohli’s great hundreds, followed by significantly lower-scoring matches in 2017 and 2019.Stats and trivia: Virat Kohli on cusp of 14,000 Both India (2-3) and England (4-7) have negative win-loss records in ODIs since the end of the 2023 World Cup. Kohli is 94 runs away from the 14,000-mark in ODIs. Only Sachin Tendulkar (18,426) and Kumar Sangakkara (14,234) have more runs in the format. Mohammed Shami is five wickets away from becoming the eighth India bowler to take 200 in ODIs. Since the last time they played together, which was at the 2023 World Cup, Buttler has played 23 games for England (three ODIs and 20 T20Is) and Root 17 (all Tests).Quotes”World Cup was one and a half years back, so clearly we need to regroup as a group now and think about what we need to do here […] It’s just about coming together now – because it’s been a while since we’ve played this format – it’s just about coming together and trying to [carry on from] where we left [off] during the World Cup. If it takes a little bit of time, so be it. It’s not easy to start what we did in the World Cup.”
“I look back on [the 2023] World Cup, and the two teams in the final were playing a really positive and aggressive brand of cricket. You think of the way Travis Head took that final on with the bat, you see it can be successful. This can be a great part of the world to play that fashion of cricket. Obviously Rohit [Sharma] takes a lot of credit for the way he’s come out and played himself as a captain and pushed India more towards that style of cricket. So, absolutely, we want to do exactly the same. We believe that’s the way that’ll give us the best chance of getting positive results.”