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Stats highlights from India’s thrilling victory against England at The Oval

Sampath Bandarupalli04-Aug-2025

Mohammed Siraj was named Player of the Match•Associated Press

6 – India’s margin of victory in the fifth Test against England at The Oval, is their narrowest in Tests in terms of runs. The previous record was 13 runs while defending 107 against Australia in Mumbai in 2004.The six-run margin is also the joint-third-narrowest defeat for England in Tests.332 – England’s score at the fall of their fifth wicket in their chase of 374. Only once before has a team scored so many runs for their first five partnerships and still lost. England were 346 for 5 in a 463-run chase against Australia at the MCG in 1977, but lost by 45 runs.Related

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2 – Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna are the second India pair to take four or more wickets in both innings of a Test. Bishan Bedi and Erapalli Prasanna did it against Australia in Delhi in 1969.Siraj and Prasidh’s performance at The Oval was the 15th instance of two bowlers taking four-fors in both innings for a team, and the first since Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann for England against India in Mumbai in 2012-13.23 – Wickets for Siraj in the series against England, the joint-highest for an India bowler in a Test series in England, level with Jasprit Bumrah’s 23 wickets in 2021-22.Harry Brook walks back after making his maiden fourth-innings hundred•Getty Images195 – The partnership between Joe Root and Harry Brook is the second-highest in the fourth innings of a Test to end in a defeat. The highest is 204, between KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant against England in 2018, also at The Oval.Root and Brook are only the seventh pair to score hundreds in the fourth innings of a Test and end on the losing side. Rahul and Pant in 2018 were the last of the previous six.4 – Consecutive Test series that England have failed to win against India. Their previous series win against India came in 2018, when they won 4-1 at home. England’s longest streak without a series win against India is five, between 1996 and 2011.1-10 – India’s win-loss record in the fifth and sixth matches of an away Test series. Before the six-run win at The Oval, India had lost ten of 17 such matches, while seven ended in draws. At home, India have a 7-4 record in 27 such Tests.

A Swiss journalist has delivered a brutal verdict on Leeds United star Noah Okafor, claiming that the forward is “not a team player” and that he “prioritises his own interests”.

The £3.7m-a-year man arrived at Elland Road in the summer and has since settled in well, but couldn’t avoid the criticism from media in his home country. Daniel Farke will be hoping that Okafor is able to quiet any of the noise this Sunday when Leeds square off against Nottingham Forest in a crucial relegation six-pointer.

Speaking to the media in his pre-match press conference, Farke urged his players to “enjoy this challenge” at the City Ground this weekend.

It’s the type of challenge that Leeds have already overcome more than once this season. Since returning to the Premier League, those in Yorkshire have picked up 11 points and have done enough to avoid the bottom three at this stage.

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Having been eased aside by Brighton & Hove Albion last time out, however, the pressure is likely to increase with a similar defeat against a struggling Forest side. It’s an early relegation six-pointer and another chance for Okafor to prove any doubters wrong.

Swiss journalist slams selfish Noah Okafor

After the forward was left out of the latest Switzerland squad, Swiss journalist Tobias Wedermann has claimed that Okafor is “not a team player” and “prioritises his own interests” in a shock rant.

The Leeds star has been in an ongoing dispute with Switzerland manager Murat Yakin since Euro 2024 and was once again snubbed for an international call ahead of the November break.

With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, Okafor hasn’t been called up since last November and recently had his say on the situation, saying: “Since then, I never spoke with the coach, not even a phone call or a message, also with the (Swiss Football Association’s) sporting director Pierluigi Tami.

“They don’t even call me or ask me. For me, it makes no sense. I can say it makes me sad because they don’t even text me or call me to see how I am. For example, when I moved to Leeds, ‘Congrats’ or something like that, because I play now in the best league in the world.”

With two goals in seven Premier League games as one of Farke’s starting attackers, Okafor’s absence for Switzerland continues to become more baffling, and he now faces the prospect of missing the World Cup.

Farke already has his answer to Gibbs-White in "underrated" Leeds star

Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has expressed his frustration after seeing his side held to a stalemate by Athletic Club at San Mames. The Spaniard claimed the French champions "deserved the victory" but were denied by an "incredible" Man of the Match performance from goalkeeper Unai Simon.

• PSG frustrated in Bilbao

  The Parisians arrived in Bilbao knowing that three points were crucial to their ambitions of securing automatic qualification for the round of 16. In the hostile cauldron of San Mames, the Ligue 1 giants produced a dominant attacking display, carving out numerous clear-cut opportunities against the Basque outfit. However, they found an impenetrable object in their path in the form of Spanish international goalkeeper Simon.

  The Athletic Club shot-stopper produced a string of world-class saves to keep the visitors at bay, frustrating the likes of Bradley Barcola and Senny Mayulu throughout a frantic 90 minutes as the French side made 18 attempts on goal though only five hit the target. The result leaves PSG still searching for the points required to cement their status in the top eight of the league phase standings, a reality that somewhat irked their manager during his post-match media duties.

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  Denied by the Man of the Match

  Speaking to the press after the whistle, Luis Enrique was quick to point out the statistical anomaly of the match. For the PSG boss, the fact that the opposing goalkeeper was named the standout performer was irrefutable proof that his tactical plan had worked, even if the scoreboard did not reflect it.

  "It happened like that because goalkeeper Unai Simon was incredible, he was designated man of the match and that means we deserved the victory, I think," Luis Enrique stated. "Without a doubt, Athletic's game was of a very high level. They could have won because they had a few chances too. But on the balance, we deserved to win it.

  "It's a shame because we have to win because Unai Simon was incredible, we need more points to finish in the top eight." 

  Despite the irritation regarding the result, Luis Enrique remained complimentary about the spectacle. The intensity of the match, driven by the ferocious pressing of Ernesto Valverde's side and the raucous Basque crowd, provided a true Champions League test.

  "No frustration, I think it was a very intense match, we did the job, they pressed a lot," Luis Enrique said. "We created a lot of chances but Unai Simon was on the pitch and the atmosphere was incredible."

  He also refused to criticise his forward line, despite their inability to find the back of the net.

  "All the forwards showed a good level, they created a lot of chances to score a goal."

• Eyes on the January window

  With the Champions League group phase reaching its climax and the domestic season intensifying, attention is also turning to the upcoming January transfer window. While the immediate focus was on the dropped points in Bilbao, Luis Enrique was asked about potential reinforcements to help convert these dominant displays into victories.

  According to reports from RMC Sport, the manager remains open to strengthening his squad, provided the right opportunities arise. While he maintained that his current squad is of a very high standard—making it difficult to find players who can genuinely improve the starting XI—he did not rule out activity if the market presents a solution to their occasional lack of ruthlessness.

  "We are always open to improving the team," he noted.

• AFP
  

  What comes next?

  For now, PSG must regroup. The performance in Bilbao proved they can create chances against top-tier opposition in hostile environments, but as Luis Enrique bluntly noted, as long as goalkeepers like Unai Simon are in "incredible" form, playing well is not always enough to secure the points needed for European glory. The chase for the top eight goes down to the wire.

  PSG have 13 points with two games left to play, which come against Sporting CP and Newcastle in January. They are already sure of a play-off spot, at least, but the Spanish coach will be determined to ensure his side avoid the extra two matches by picking up the required points next month.

Paul Scholes has shared details on how Manchester United have treated club legends at Old Trafford in what he described as a “very different” club under INEOS.

The Old Trafford legend retired in 2013 and has since watched on as both a pundit and fan as the Red Devils continue to struggle. Whilst his generation stole headline after headline by winning Premier League title after Premier League title, current stars are simply hoping to take United back into the top four.

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There’s no doubt that Ruben Amorim would love to have a player of Scholes’ calibre these days. Where there was a big occasion, there was so often a big moment from the legendary midfielder.

Legends don’t get much bigger than Scholes at Old Trafford, but as Nicky Butt revealed, the Red Devils haven’t always treated their former players well in recent years.

Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football, Butt revealed: “I’ve had an email saying ‘you’re having your ticket taken off you’. So I rang them up and said can I speak to somebody about this please? And they go ‘who am I speaking to please?’, and I go Nicky Butt and they go, ‘OK, well who’s that?’”

It’s not the first time that Man United have cut former players off, either. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS reportedly cut an annual £40,000 charity donation to the Association of Former Manchester United Players last December in a controversial decision.

INEOS then went and spent over £120m on reinforcements in the summer transfer window to add insult to injury for those former players.

Now, Scholes has shared a problem that he’s had with the club to follow on from Butt’s admission and INEOS’ decision to end United’s charity donation.

Scholes shares disappointment at "very different" Man Utd

Also speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football, Scholes admitted that he has to use ticket touts for some Man United games after running out of season tickets to use.

Some would argue that the midfielder’s goal against Barcelona should have been enough to ensure free entry for life, let alone his 11 Premier League titles and two Champions League wins, but his struggles beg a greater question.

If a club legend is struggling to attend games, then how much are the fans struggling? The last thing that INEOS need is to potentially shut their own fans out, and that includes the likes of Scholes and Butt.

Man Utd surge into race against Liverpool and Arsenal to sign £123m superstar

Kai Rooney is being tipped to emulate the achievements of his record-breaking father Wayne by making a major impact at Manchester United. Former Red Devils striker Fraizer Campbell has told GOAL, during an exclusive interview, that it would be “fantastic for the club” to see another Rooney leading the line at some point in the not too distant future.

• Yamal & Dowman prove to Rooney that anything is possible

  Rooney junior is only 15 years of age, but the hottest of prospects have been making senior breakthroughs at that stage of their respective careers. Lamine Yamal earned his big break at Barcelona while in his mid-teens, while Max Dowman has done likewise at Arsenal.

  There is no suggestion that Kai is knocking on Ruben Amorim’s door at Old Trafford just yet, but he continues to make positive progress down that path. He has been promoted through the age groups in United’s academy system, allowing him to prove his worth to club bosses.

  Big pressure is being lumped onto his young shoulders, with Wayne Rooney still United’s all-time leading scorer with 253 efforts to his name. He won Premier League and Champions League titles with the Red Devils.

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  Will Kai Rooney follow Wayne into the Man Utd team?

  Kai is eager to follow in illustrious footsteps, and has been catching the eye in a fabled academy. Many are suggesting that he is capable of matching his famous father by becoming a talismanic forward for Premier League heavyweights.

  Quizzed on whether that could happen, ex-United star Campbell – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “That would be fantastic. He’s played up for the 18s and the 23s this season, I think. He’s doing really, really well. If he’s anything like his dad, it would be fantastic for the club because Rooney was unbelievable in his playing days – still now, he played in the legends game and he’s still got the technique, that drive and hunger. It would be great for Wayne, Coleen and the family to see another Rooney pulling on the Man United shirt. It would be great for the fans as well.”

• Hot prospect: Kai Rooney exciting those at Old Trafford

  Campbell is not the first former United player to back Kai Rooney for senior opportunities. Wes Brown has previously told GOAL of that family name earning further recognition in Manchester: “I’m pretty sure if you played for a club and your son comes through, and he’s at a stage now where he’s like YTS, going to training everyday, then at any point you could be picked by the manager and told ‘you’re training with us’ or ‘you’re in a game’. It will be a great experience.

  “Kai, knowing the lad he is, he’ll just work very hard. He will have his head down. Obviously, his dad has legendary status, but it’s all about Kai. He will have to work and do everything himself, make sure he puts the graft in and keeps on learning.

  “All you can hope for, even when I was a kid, is getting an opportunity. If you do, can you take it? He’s done really well to get where he is at the moment because I’m guessing at some point, it will have been difficult for him.”

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  Wayne & Coleen helping to keep Kai grounded

  Wayne has tended to stay away from Kai’s matches, in order to avoid becoming a distraction, while mother Coleen is doing her best to ensure that a future away from professional football is also being taken into account.

  A source has told of that process: “All the boys are obsessed with football, so Coleen’s had no choice but to embrace it. She wasn’t sure how good they would be, but there’s no denying that Kai has his dad’s talents, and has the potential to make it big.

  “Kai is very good, and Coleen and Wayne have always drummed into him that he has to train hard and dedicate himself to it if he wants to make it. But Coleen is determined that he’ll stay grounded, whatever happens. She also knows she’ll have to prepare him for the disappointment if it doesn’t work out. The Rooney name will only get him so far.”

  It remains to be seen whether Kai Rooney – who has scored plenty of goals for United at youth level while helping them to trophy wins – will earn first-team opportunities. His dad will always be on hand to offer advice if it is required, with Wayne earning wonderkid status himself when making a senior breakthrough with Everton at the age of 16.

Aston Villa are now seriously considering a January move for an “incredible” striker, who has been in fantastic form this season.

Villa looking to sign new striker this winter

It is becoming increasingly clear that Villa want to bring in a new centre-forward in the upcoming transfer window, having identified a number of targets over the past week or so, namely Brentford’s Igor Thiago, Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee and Bologna’s Santiago Castro.

Target

League goals in 2025-26

Igor Thiago

11

Joshua Zirkzee

1

Santiago Castro

4

On the face of it, pursuing a move for Thiago would appear to make the most sense, given that the Brazilian has emerged as one of the best strikers in the Premier League this season, with only Manchester City star Erling Haaland scoring more goals.

However, Aston Villa have now joined the race for another striker who has been prolific in front of goal so far this season, according to a report from Spain, which states they are seriously considering a January move for Strasbourg star Joaquin Panichelli.

Unai Emery’s side are said to be closely monitoring the striker, and hold a genuine interest, off the back of Panichelli impressing in the first half of the Ligue 1 season, with Chelsea and West Ham United also joining the race for his signature.

With the Argentinian’s contract not due to expire until 2027, the French club should be in a strong negotiating position, which complicates a deal, and finalising a move in the January transfer window could be difficult.

Panichelli has made "incredible" start in Ligue 1

Given that Ollie Watkins has just three Premier League goals to his name this season, Emery could do with bringing in a more prolific striker next month, and the Cordoba-born marksman has regularly been amongst the goals for Strasbourg, scoring ten times in all competitions.

Scout Jacek Kulig has also praised the former CD Mirandes man for the start he’s made to life at the Ligue 1 side, having only arrived at Strasbourg from the Spanish side in the summer.

The one-time Argentina international is the second-highest scorer in Ligue 1, behind only Mason Greenwood, and at 23-years-old, he is at the right age to be a long-term replacement for Watkins.

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That said, with Panichelli tied down to a long-term contract and yet to prove himself in one of Europe’s top leagues over a sustained time period, it may be worth Villa continuing to monitor him, ahead of potentially launching a move next summer.

Retiring allrounder says he agrees with decision to overlook him for Ashes tour after dislocation

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Oct-2025

Chris Woakes has confirmed that his international retirement was accelerated by the shoulder injury he sustained at The Oval in July, which he quickly realised could mark the end of his England career.Woakes, 36, announced his decision to retire from international cricket on Monday after discussions with Rob Key, England’s managing director, in which it became clear that he would not be considered for selection in the upcoming Ashes. He intends to play on both in franchise cricket, starting at the ILT20 in December, and for his county Warwickshire.His decision means that the final act of his England career was to walk out to bat at No. 11 with his left arm in a sling, spending 16 agonising minutes at the non-striker’s end and grimacing in pain every time he ran through for a single. Woakes did not face a ball as England fell six runs short, but was widely praised for his courage and bravery, defying a shoulder dislocation.He sustained the injury while diving over the boundary in an attempt to save a run on the first day of that fifth Test, and admitted in an interview with Sky Sports that retirement soon crossed his mind. “Definitely, there was a part of me that thought then that this could be my last act in an England shirt,” Woakes said.Related

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“When my shoulder was in the wrong place and you’re walking off at that moment, immediately you’re thinking about the game, and thinking you’re not going to play any further part. And then once things calm down a little bit, and you get the shoulder back in place, I suppose you start to then reflect and think, ‘Actually, this could be potentially be my last act in an England shirt.'”Woakes had been preparing to take a left-handed stance if required to face a ball, and conceded that he had found the prospect “slightly terrifying”. But he said that he never doubted his decision to bat: “I would’ve never been able to live with myself if I’d have said no… It just wouldn’t have sat right with me. It felt the right thing to do, and I’m sure everyone [else] would’ve done the same.”While he would have been in contention for England’s Ashes squad if fully fit, Woakes’ recovery timeframe effectively ruled him out of the start of the series and he was ultimately not considered for selection. He said that he was confident he could have “done a job” in some capacity if available, but accepted that the severity of his injury changed the picture.”I’ve got to get this right and rehab it well,” Woakes said. “Before that, the body was feeling great, and actually got better as the [India] series went on. Physically, I felt great and I felt like I potentially could have continued, but then obviously this happened and it just did change things a little bit.”I still feel like I would’ve been good enough and had the ability to go out [to Australia] – with my experience – to be able to go and do a job for the team, but I understand the route that the team are wanting to take. We haven’t won in Australia for a long time, so it feels like we’ve got to do something a little bit different and I’m fully behind that.”There was a chance I could have been fit once we go into December, but obviously the series would’ve been well and truly underway [by then]. You’re into the third or fourth Test match by that point, and I’m generally better with cricket under my belt. That call wasn’t surprising and, to be fair, I totally agree with that decision as well.”Woakes said that he had been “overwhelmed” by the response to his retirement, and that he will leave international cricket with no regrets: “To have won two World Cups, been a part of many Ashes series and one Ashes series win, I could never have dreamt of anything more.”

Aston Villa have now registered their interest in signing Everton’s James Garner, amid a new update on the midfielder’s future on Merseyside.

Villa are very much back on track in the Premier League, signing off before the international break with a 4-0 battering of AFC Bournemouth, courtesy of goals from Emi Buendia, Amadou Onana, Ross Barkley and Donyell Malen.

However, one of Unai Emery’s more recent signings was once again absent from the match-day squad entirely, namely Harvey Elliott, who has been frozen out after seemingly failing to impress his manager since arriving on an initial loan from Liverpool in the summer.

There have been widespread reports suggesting Emery didn’t actually want to sign Elliott in the first place, and would’ve preferred to have brought in Lucas Paqueta or Marco Asensio, casting the Englishman’s future into further doubt.

Villa will only be required to sign the attacking midfielder on a permanent basis if he makes ten appearances this season, but having fallen out of favour, it is currently difficult to see a way back.

Aston Villa register interest in signing James Garner

Emery clearly has serious reservations about Elliott, but it has now been revealed that Aston Villa want to bring in another new English midfielder, having made contact by registering their interest in signing Everton’s Garner, according to a report from Football Insider.

The Villans have joined Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest in the race for the central midfielder’s signature, with the latter club making an approach of their own, meaning there could be stiff competition.

The 24-year-old’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, so his future at Everton is now ‘up in the air’, although the Merseyside club do retain an option to trigger a one-year contract extension.

The Englishman, who scored his first Everton goal at Villa Park in the EFL Cup back in 2023, has been a key player for David Moyes’ side this season, starting all 11 Premier League matches and putting in a particularly impressive performance against Crystal Palace.

Hailed as “phenomenal” by Trevor Sinclair, the 18-time England U21 international has also displayed his versatility by slotting in at right-back and left-back this season, putting in a solid display against Villa in the 0-0 draw back in September, which earned a 7.9 SofaScore match rating, the highest of any player.

James Garner’s statistics against Aston Villa

Number completed

Tackles

4

Duels won

6 (6)

Big chances created

2

As such, Garner could be a shrewd signing for Aston Villa, who should look to capitalise on the midfielder’s contract situation and get a deal done this winter.

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Corinthians e Racing-URU, vice-líder e líder do grupo F da Copa Sul-Americana, respectivamente, duelam nesta terça-feira (28) pela liderança da chave e, consequentemente, pela classificação direta às oitavas de final da competição continental.

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A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

Um ponto atrás do clube uruguaio na tabela de classificação, o Timão precisa de uma vitória em Itaquera para garantir a primeira colocação do grupo.

Em caso de empate ou derrota, a equipe comandada por António Olivera terá que disputar um mata-mata contra um dos terceiros colocados da fase de grupos da Libertadores. A definição deste possível confronto será definido por sorteio.

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Após um início conturbado de Sul-Americana, onde conquistou apenas quatro pontos em três rodadas, o Corinthians venceu os últimos dois duelos, eliminou o Argentinos Juniors da competição e colou no Racing-URU, líder do grupo.

➡️ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

Maycon e Ruan Oliveira, com lesões no joelho, estão fora da temporada. Pedro Henrique, Matheuzinho e Palacios seguem em transição física. No entanto, todos os jogadores considerados titulares da equipe comandada por António Oliveira no momento estarão à disposição.

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O Corinthians recebe o Racing-URU, na Neo Química Arena, às 19h (de Brasília), pela sexta e última partida da fase de grupos da Copa Sul-Americana.

CLASSIFICAÇÃO DO GRUPO F

1º lugar: Racing-URU – 11 pontos2º lugar: Corinthians – 10 pontos 3º lugar: Argentinos Juniors-ARG – 6 pontos (elimiado)4º lugar: Nacional-PAR – 1 ponto (eliminado)

Tudo sobre

CorinthiansFutebol NacionalSTARPLUSSul-Americana

The Tigers had lost eight consecutive games entering Thursday night's matchup with the Guardians in Cleveland. Once up by 15.5 games in the American League Central, Detroit needed a win in order to get back even with the Guardians as the regular season enters its final weekend. A.J. Hinch turned to rookie Troy Melton to deliver in the biggest spot of the year and the young righthander rewarded that confidence by throwing 3 2/3 innings and surrendering a single run.

Upon getting relieved from the game, Melton savored the moment by singing along to Blink-182's "All The Small Things" as it blared throughout the stadium.

Here's that cool moment.

Detroit and Cleveland now have a three-game race to the division crown. The Guardians hold the tiebreaker so it would have been all but over had Melton not stepped in to stop the historic skid. It's a good sign for the Tigers that Melton can be this cool in such a huge moment.

And kudos to the Fan Duel Sports Detroit broadcast for catching on to what was happening.