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The Asia Cup final went down to the wire as Tilak calmly helped India chase down 147

Alagappan Muthu28-Sep-20253:17

Which Indian spinner had the biggest impact?

India blinked. They were 20 for 3 chasing 147. Their world-beating batting line-up was panicking as Pakistan came at them – this time for every reason because there was a title on the line.A collapse of 9 for 33 had left Salman Agha’s men with no room for error and for the most part they coped with it. They got rid of Abhishek Sharma early. That sent jitters through a middle-order that was upended to accommodate Shubman Gill.A straightforward chase was going pear-shaped. And Tilak Varma felt all of this out in the middle. The quiet of the stands. The belief among the Pakistan players. The doubts of a billion people back home. Somehow he absorbed it all and produced a really special half-century.Concentrating as hard as he had to, there wasn’t a single moment through the innings where Tilak showed emotion. But once it was done, he yelled, he punched, he made little heart signs with his hands and basked in the glory of winning India their ninth Asia Cup title.Farhan’s opening salvoThis entire Asia Cup has been a referendum on Pakistan’s decision to move on from Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. There is credence to the theory that they do not push hard enough when they bat up the order, and the powerplay is not a time to be shy.Sahibzada Farhan went for his shots early•Getty ImagesSahibzada Farhan took that to heart and although he didn’t always come up with the goods, he never stopped swinging. A series of slogs took him to 26 off 21. And those same series of slogs – when they started connecting – brought him 50 off 35.The Pakistan collapseFarhan and Fakhar Zaman were able to put one of India’s bankers – Kuldeep Yadav – under pressure. The left-arm wristspinner’s first two overs went for 23. That prompted Suryakumar Yadav to turn to Varun Chakravarthy, whose mystery Pakistan have just not been able to solve. As if on cue, he took down both of Pakistan’s top scorers. Farhan and Fakhar were the only two to cross 15.On the back of Varun’s incisions, his team-mates came into their own. Axar Patel took two wickets in back-to-back overs. Kuldeep took three in one single over. Pakistan were 107 for 1 with 44 balls to play. They were bowled out with five balls remaining. A large part of their innings involved the batters going for slogs. In the front 10, they either made good contact or just plain missed. So just one wicket fell. In the back 10, the big hits were all mis-hits. So nine wickets fell.Tilak’s methodWhere all his team-mates tried to force the issue, Tilak found ways to trust himself. He was 24 off 26. But he didn’t seem to care. Early in his innings, he hit a back foot punch though extra cover for four off Ashraf. There was no pace on that ball. The only way he could find the boundary was if he timed the ball perfectly. And for that to happen, he had to have the measure of this pitch down pat. He did.Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube’s brisk stand lifted India•Getty ImagesThat confidence fuelled the rest of his innings, reminding him that he needn’t over-exert himself. India had to settle for either singles or dots through the eighth and ninth overs of the chase as Abrar Ahmed and Saim Ayub stuck to the basics – keeping the stumps in play and asking India to take risks if they wanted to score quickly. Tilak rose to that challenge but even then, he was careful to go after the full one, the one that he could get to the pitch of and negate the turn. All that good work meant even with long-on in play, the ball went for six.In the 15th over, Tilak did another cool thing. With wickets falling around him, he had shown he was ready for a fight. In rebuilding India’s innings with barely a false shot, he showed he was in the zone. Now, seeing Haris Rauf running in, he showed a mind for problem-solving. He had seen how hard it was to hit with pace off the ball. Now that Pakistan were offering pace, he took full toll. Seventeen runs came from that 15th over and changed the complexion of the game. From needing 64 off 36, India needed 47 off 30.Dube cameoIndia were without their first-choice seam-bowling allrounder. Hardik Pandya was nursing a quad niggle and couldn’t make the XI. Shivam Dube did, after resting the last game. He was responsible for two absolutely vital sixes. The first of those showcased his spin-hitting ability as he tonked Abrar down the ground. The second exemplified how well he reads the game. He had faced, and watched from the other end, as Ashraf in the 19th over, tried to hide the ball outside off stump. So when he got back on strike, he indulged in an exaggerated trigger movement across his stumps to get closer to the ball and launch it over wide long-on. Dube contributed 33 off 22 to a momentum-shifting, match-winning, fifth-wicket partnership that yielded 60 runs off 40 balls. He also had to open the bowling for the first time in any format of cricket, finishing with 3-0-23-0. It was a splendid day’s work.The finishThese three India-Pakistan games have taken place under the shadow of far greater events. The two countries were in military conflict earlier this year. The two teams have not shaken hands. The two captains have even been avoiding eye contact. Rauf was fined for making gestures that seemed to point to those cross-border tensions. Jasprit Bumrah used the same gesture – hand pointed down, arcing to the floor – to give it back to Rauf after bringing down his stumps with a yorker.Tilak Varma celebrates a tense victory•AFP/Getty ImagesThe highly charged atmosphere that has been taking focus away from the cricket now added to it. The two coaches – Mike Hesson and Gautam Gambhir – would not accept being left on the sidelines, sending out messages to help the teams as the equation grew tighter. 30 off 18. 17 off 12. 10 off 6.With eight to get off five, Tilak launched a six over square leg – once more showcasing just how well he had grown accustomed to tough batting conditions and Rauf once again falling short by putting pace on the ball. Everything that happened after that will be turned into a meme. Tilak making the heart sign. Rinku Singh haring off into the distance. Gambhir banging a desk. This was an India-Pakistan classic worth the 41-year wait both teams needed to make the final of the Asia Cup.

Cristiano Ronaldo put out a message on social media after attending a White House dinner with Donald Trump. The event was attended by influential figures from global business, technology and sport, and it marked Ronaldo’s first public appearance in the United States since 2016. The black-tie gathering was arranged as part of efforts to strengthen the expanding political and economic relationship between Washington and Riyadh. Ronaldo’s presence alongside the Saudi delegation once again highlighted how prominently the Al-Nassr forward now features in the kingdom’s soft-power and sporting strategies.

Trump opens the evening with a star-studded roll call

Trump began the night by acknowledging the array of high-profile attendees, including major CEOs and football’s most powerful figures, such as FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Tech heavyweights, including Elon Musk, were also present, adding to the sense that this was a meeting of global influence. Although Ronaldo did not feature in Portugal’s final qualifying match earlier in the week, having been suspended due to the first red card of his international career, earned against the Republic of Ireland, Trump singled him out with a personal tribute.

President Trump said: "You know, my son is a big fan of Ronaldo, wherever Ronaldo is here. And Barron got to meet him, and I think he respects his father a little bit more now, just the fact that I introduced you. So I just want to thank you both for being here. Really an honour."

AdvertisementGetty/GOAL/X:@DavidSacks@RapidResponse47Ronaldo responds with a heartfelt online message

Soon after the event, Ronaldo shared his own thoughts on Instagram, posting a strikingly warm message of appreciation directed at Trump and the First Lady.

"Thank you Mr. President for your invitation and for the warm welcome you and the First Lady gave me and my future wife, @georginagio," he wrote. "Each of us has something meaningful to give, and I stand ready to do my part as we inspire new generations to build a future defined by courage, responsibility and lasting peace."

Portugal seal World Cup spot without their superstar

Ronaldo’s absence from the pitch did not derail Portugal’s World Cup qualification campaign. His teammates cruised to a dominant nine-goal victory over Armenia, prompting him to congratulate the squad from afar as they confirmed their ticket to next year’s tournament. Yet his disciplinary situation remains unresolved. Ronaldo still has two matches left to serve from his suspension, raising the possibility that he could miss Portugal’s opening game when the World Cup begins in June 2026. The Portuguese federation are expected to lodge an appeal in hopes of reducing the punishment.

National team manager Roberto Martinez expressed frustration at the red card, insisting it was an excessive sanction for what he described as a reaction to persistent harassment.

Martinez said: "After the game it’s a difficult time because emotions can be unclear. I saw his reaction to a provocation. It started at the beginning of the game, in every play in the penalty area. It even started the day before in the press conference. And it was a reaction of trying to continue playing. Others might fall to the ground and look for a penalty. It’s not a violent action, it’s not a red card for violence, but a reaction to a provocation. We need to try to show the case and prepare well. I would say it would be very unfair to impose a long suspension." 

Ronaldo’s financial influence remains unparalleled in the sport. His initial contract with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr was worth an estimated $200 million (£153m) per year. In June, he signed a two-year extension worth a reported $400m (£306m), cementing his status as football’s first billionaire player. Bloomberg now estimates his personal fortune at roughly $1.4 billion.

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GettyOne final World Cup ahead

Ronaldo has long maintained that the 2026 World Cup, when he will be 41, will be the final chapter of his storied international career. With Portugal now officially qualified, the countdown begins for what promises to be his last bow on football’s grandest stage. Whether he begins that tournament on the pitch or in the stands may depend on the outcome of Portugal’s appeal. But his determination to compete at one more World Cup remains unwavering. 

Fourth-innings chase completed in an hour and a quarter on final morning

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay27-Sep-2025Essex 438 (Walter 158, Elgar 118, Overton 6-88) and 99 for 3 beat Somerset 433 (Goldsworthy 100, Thomas 86, Rew 74, Overton 60) and 99 (Thomas 39, Porter 4-18) by seven wicketsTwenty-year-old Charlie Allison kept his head during an otherwise nervy hour and a quarter as Essex claimed a seven-wicket victory to round off the Rothesay County Championship season.Allison, one of Essex’s stand-out performers during an otherwise disappointing season, finished the game with a second six off Jake Ball over long leg. He was 32 not out from 34 balls as Essex reached their target of 95 from just 18.4 overs.Lewis Gregory had given Somerset some hope of an unlikely upset by removing Dean Elgar and Tom Westley inside the first six overs before taking the catch in the deep to end Paul Walter’s tone-setting innings. Walter, a first-innings centurion, had amassed 30 from 31 balls when he departed with 39 runs still required.The Somerset captain was fired up in the face of desperate odds against and caused jitters in the Essex ranks as he repeatedly beat the outside edge of the bat. He bowled through unchanged and was rewarded with figures of 2 for 43 from his nine overs.For two-and-a-half days it looked like the game would peter out into a tame draw with handshakes accepted in mid-afternoon and the curtain brought down on a forgettable Championship season for both sides. However, that was before Jamie Porter initiated a collapse of monumental proportions amid the gloom of a day-three afternoon and early evening.Essex had subsided themselves earlier in the day from an overnight 295 for 2 to 438 all out and a nominal lead of five runs. But in 34 overs reminiscent of some of Essex’s glory years of the recent past, they rolled Somerset over for 99 with Porter taking 4 for 18 and falling just one wicket short of another 50-wicket haul for the season.Essex had already confirmed their Division One survival during this final match while Somerset had settled for the no-man’s land of mid-table. Three successive wins in May had even suggested a title challenge that did not materialise.However, with all day to knock off the runs, a modicum of tension was introduced in only the second over. Having put on 277 for the first wicket in the first innings, the opening partnership lasted just seven balls. Elgar departed for a golden duck, rapped conclusively on his front pad by Gregory without getting anywhere near the ball.Westley withstood the rest of a torrid over from Gregory but got off the mark with a characteristic drive through midwicket for four off Craig Overton. He followed that with an emphatic pull through midwicket off Gregory for a second boundary before he, too, fell to the same bowler. After putting on a run-a-ball 28 with Walter, Westley nibbled at one outside off stump and wicketkeeper James Rew dived in front of first slip to claim the catch.Walter had been busy turning twos into threes to the extent that Essex reached fifty from just nine overs when Allison walked down the pitch and smashed Overton through extra over for four.Overton had been relatively expensive, his five overs costing 25, but his replacement Ball struck with his first ball when Walter went for a big heave and paid the price.Allison made sure the target came down quickly and deposited Ball over long leg for six to take Essex within two runs of the target and then repeated the act to complete the victory.

Leeds United “would sell” Wilfried Gnonto in the January transfer window, with it being revealed they would reinvest the money raised into a different key area of the squad.

The Whites may need to reshuffle their squad somewhat this winter, given that results have gone downhill considerably over the past few weeks, suffering defeats in four of their last five matches in the Premier League.

Losing games is one thing, but it will be particularly concerning for Daniel Farke that his side were beaten by fellow strugglers Burnley and Nottingham Forest, with Sean Dyche’s side running out 3-1 winners at the City Ground last time out.

There are some difficult fixtures on the horizon before Christmas, with the 2024-25 Championship winners set to take on Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool, which means they are at real risk of being cut adrift by the time the transfer window opens.

Leeds willing to sell Wilfried Gnonto to fund move for new striker

Consequently, Leeds may have to take drastic measures in an attempt to preserve their Premier League status, with top source Dean Jones revealing they are prepared to cash in on Gnonto, saying: “This is going to be a transfer window of opportunism and there are clubs who have been tracking Gnonto, wondering if he is finally going to leave. I expect someone to try their luck, and I have a feeling the player will have his head turned if a big enough side comes in for him.

“Leeds would sell him at the right price, I’m pretty sure of that.

“I get the feeling he’s a player they would now sell and then reinvest because they really are looking for some new life in their attack.

“Primarily that would be in the shape of a striker, but I wouldn’t rule out any player with attacking nous at this point because the club’s hierarchy know they have left the team short of options up top.”

The £40k-a-week winger has struggled on the injury front this season, being ruled out due to a calf issue, but he was unable to make a real impact even prior to being ruled out, failing to register a goal or an assist in his opening four Premier League games.

At 22-years-old, the Italian is still young, and he has previously received high praise from Junior Firpo, who said: “Nobody expected it, when he first came in. He is a shy guy, didn’t talk too much; on the pitch, too. But unbelievable from day one.”

However, Leeds clearly need to bring in a new striker, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin failing to hit the ground running, having scored just once in nine Premier League games, so it may be worth cashing-in on Gnonto to fund a move for a centre-forward.

Leeds and 49ers keen to sign Troy Parrott in January Leeds and 49ers keen to sign Troy Parrott in January after Ireland heroics

This would be much-needed for Daniel Farke.

ByHenry Jackson Nov 17, 2025

Manchester United aren’t quite at the level of competing with Arsenal yet in the Premier League, but Ruben Amorim’s men are definitely in a healthy spot right now after so much turbulence at Old Trafford.

Indeed, the Red Devils are now deep in a five-match unbeaten run in the top-flight, with fantastic attacking displays against Sunderland and Brighton and Hove Albion, matched by a real desire to fight until the end, as seen in Matthijs De Ligt’s dramatic equaliser, clinching a 2-2 draw at Tottenham Hotspur last time out.

Away from the Dutchman finally coming good, United are also cooking on gas with the majority of their recruits from the hectic summer transfer window just gone.

INEOS really did splash the cash this summer, as they attempted to move on from the Red Devils’ depressing 15th-place finish come the end of the 2024/25 season, as quickly as possible.

Thankfully, Amorim and Co. prioritised signings that were desperately needed, who also had Premier League experience, with Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha both joining the building from Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers, respectively, for a whopping £133.5m, to boost United’s weak attacking areas.

That was a significant chunk of the £216m that was overall spent, but it’s paid off, with six goals shared between the attacking pair in Premier League action so far this season.

Thankfully, Bryan Mbeumo has not fallen victim to the Antony curse, but one of their big-money signings has done.

How Antony is playing after leaving Man Utd

Having gone his first seven Premier League games in United red with just one goal next to his name, the £71m recruit of Mbeumo has now come into his own to be seen as one of the standout bits of business INEOS signed off on in the summer, scoring a fine header against Spurs, taking his tally to six since moving.

A big-money addition, Amorim and Co will be thankful that he’s made a more vibrant impact than a certain Anton.

It feels like a lifetime ago since the Brazilian forward left Ajax behind to move to England for an eye-watering £81.3m in 2022, with only Paul Pogba burning a bigger hole in United’s pocket at the £89m mark.

At the time, it would have been viewed as a considerable amount to fork out, but it would have also been deemed an expensive gamble worth pursuing, with a mightily impressive 24 goals and 22 assists coming his way for the Amsterdam giants.

Ex-United legend Edwin Van De Sar – who also shone for Ajax during his playing days – would even hail him as being a “potential world star” on his arrival at the Theatre of Dreams, with his trickery clear for all to see in flashes in Manchester.

While it ultimately didn’t happen for him in red, he’s certainly made a much brighter impact in the green and white of Real Betis. Having left England behind in the summer, the wide forward has now scored six goals and registered two assists in his ten outings this term.

All these tricks and flicks from Antony were rarely followed up with consistent output, with the Brazilian only managing to find the back of the net a weak 12 times from 96 games in Manchester, leading to another Red Devils icon in Paul Scholes criticising him as a “one-trick pony”.

Man United's new Antony

Unfortunately, there is one fresh recruit who is heading in the dire direction of becoming United’s new version of Antony, as a high price tag potentially becomes the undoing of another underwhelming attacker.

Benjamin Sesko is the man and like Antony, he has also felt the wrath of United legends during his early stint at Old Trafford to date. Notably, Gary Neville suggested that the former RB Leipzig striker was “miles off it” up top.

Like Antony, Sesko joined the English game with a revered reputation for being a nuisance for opposition defences to handle, with the Slovenian commanding a steep £74m price tag out of the Premier League giants off the back of bagging a mighty 27 Bundesliga strikes from 64 contests.

Games played

11

Goals scored

2

Assists

1

Big chances missed

3

Goal conversion

11%

However, much like Antony found out the hard way when making the bumpy transition from the Eredivisie to the Premier League, Sesko hasn’t looked confident at all since leaving the comforts of Germany behind, with only two top-flight goals heading his way from 11 games.

United would even manage to collect that 2-2 draw away at Spurs after Sesko had limped off late on, leaving them down to ten men.

Before that, the low-on-confidence number 30 – who was said to be “struggling” post-game by Amorim – had been played through twice in glorious positions, only to fluff his lines.

Sesko won’t be written off just yet, but the alarm bells are there considering his shoddy displays in the opening few months of his stint in English football.

But, Sesko will know he needs to show why he cost such a high amount soon; otherwise, he is in danger of just being disregarded as a frustrating flop down the line, who had moments here and there of magic.

It's not Mbeumo: "Unbelievable" Man Utd star looks like Amorim's new Bruno

Bryan Mbeumo stole the show again for Manchester United – but he wasn’t alone…

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 9, 2025

Unlike last month, the current international break is an unwelcome escape from Premier League football for West Ham United fans.

Nuno Espírito Santo has seemingly worked his magic, and a team that looked incapable of a win just a few weeks ago have just beaten Newcastle United and Burnley.

One of the reasons the Hammers look so much better is that Freddie Potts has finally been given his chance to start in the first team.

The Barking-born star has been immense in the middle of the park, and the good news is that the academy is producing a few players who could be the next Potts, although they also lost a youngster who’s an even bigger talent than the 22-year-old.

West Ham's next Freddie Potts

The good news for West Ham fans is that their academy system continues to produce exciting prospects, some of whom could go on to become the next Potts in a few years.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

One of those youngsters is Preston Fearon, who joined the Hammers in 2022, signed his first professional contract last year, and then signed another just last month.

Jarrod Bowen has described the 18-year-old as a “special player”, and it’s not hard to see why, as, in addition to making 43 appearances across the club’s youth sides, he was also taken on the pre-season tour of America.

Like the Hammers’ new star, the youngster can play in several positions, but thrives as a tough-tackling, yet technically accomplished, central midfielder.

Another youngster who could be fighting for first-team minutes a few years from now is Isaac Thomas.

The 16-year-old Welshman just scored four goals during his second appearance for the U18S, and what’s even more incredible is that he did so from centre-back.

However, just like Fearon and Potts, his primary position is in the middle of the park, but he’s capable of filling in where he is needed.

Finally, while a little older, Mohamadou Kanté looks every bit as exciting.

Described as having “good anticipation” and being “very calm and composed on the ball” by one analyst, the 20-year-old Frenchman is also no stranger to scoring goals and could provide a similar presence to the middle of the park as Potts.

In all, West Ham have plenty of exciting youngsters coming through the ranks, but even so, they surely rue losing someone who is an even bigger talent than Potts.

The academy gem who is a bigger talent than Potts

West Ham have done relatively well at retaining their most promising academy talents over the years, but they were unable to do so with Divine Mukasa.

The incredible prospect joined the Hammers as a five-year-old, but in September 2023, he moved to Manchester City for free.

The 18-year-old phenom made his senior debut for City in September, in a League Cup game against Huddersfield Town, and as if that wasn’t impressive enough, he also provided an assist.

He also started the following game in the competition against Swansea City and has been on the bench for three Premier League games so far this season.

However, while a player his age starting two games for a club like City is certainly impressive enough, it’s his record for their youth sides which suggests he could be a future superstar.

For example, in 41 appearances across various youth sides last season, totalling 2807 minutes, the former Hammer chalked up an outrageous tally of 17 goals and 25 assists.

That means the incredible superstar in the making averaged 1.02 goal involvements per game, or one every 66.83 minutes all season, which goes some way in justifying journalist Nassali Sandrah’s claim that he is “the best academy player in Europe.”

To top it off, the Newham-born gem has also won five caps for England’s u19s, and scored his first goal for them against Wales last time out.

Ultimately, there are some seriously exciting prospects emerging from West Ham’s academy at the moment, but it certainly appears that they have lost the biggest talent of all in Mukasa.

Alongside Fullkrug: West Ham must sell £30m flop who was a "big voice"

The former international should have been a big success at West Ham United.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 12, 2025

Both England batters tried to rein in their natural games but failed in different ways

Vithushan Ehantharajah10-Jul-20252:23

Pope: We’re constantly trying to get batting balance right

It was in Multan, ahead of the first Test of 2024’s tour of Pakistan, that Zak Crawley, as he presented Ollie Pope with his 50th cap, joked that the pair run Clapham, referencing their adopted south London neighbourhood. Which is funny because no one runs Clapham. The whole point of Clapham – especially if you’re in your mid-20s, like Crawley and Pope are – is to give you the impression you run Clapham.Really, Clapham runs you. Enticing you for the early years of the rest of your life – a 2021 census revealed 59% of residents are aged between 20 and 39 – as it did for Pope and Crawley. With it comes a false sense of agency and a flawed understanding of adulthood.You end up doing what you had been doing at university, but for more money. And thus the highs feel greater, making you square that you’ve held on to joy for this long so you’ll never grow old, until one day you do and the place spits you out for the next crop of wide-eyed, energy-filled vessels. Before you know it, you’re in a dogfight with the place to stay relevant. To stay young. To stay put. And only when you give in to the grind – that, maybe, you’re too old for Infernos and Café Sol, and the common is actually a great way to get your 10,000 steps – does it keep you around.Related

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On Thursday, north of the river, both SW residents were in a domain that, as vice-captain and senior opener, is very much their own. But one which was playing awkward and unreliable underfoot, squeezing them to offer more against an India attack making their beds at the Home of Cricket. Both struggling in very different ways. One by choice as a team built on their kind of stroke-making and effervescence deliberately fizzled towards a quietly respectable 251 for 4 on day one of this Lord’s Test.Test cricket has been kind and cruel to both, though crueller to Crawley than to Pope, and not without good reason. Collectively, though, they have been lucky.Both have more caps than Jonathan Trott. By the end of the series, Crawley (57 and counting) will have more than Darren Gough (58), and Pope (59) will pass Graeme Swann (60). And to already know they will leapfrog modern greats without fighting against ingrained, unflattering reputations acquired so deep into a Test career is a luxury. One afforded to an opener and a No. 3 who benefit from a never-more-forgiving England set-up. Which, all told, has only compounded the scrutiny on them and worn patience thin, even with the acceptance that they occupy challenging positions for batters in this country. Though even that makes it worse.Crawley’s 43-ball 18 was basically an AI-generated innings of a waywardly dominant player at his worst. The control percentage was 51.2 (playing a false shot to 21 of the deliveries he faced) and spoke of the Russian Roulette nature of his stay, except with bullets in three of the six chambers. By contrast, fellow opener Ben Duckett “boasted” a control percentage of 60 during his 40 balls.The sixth over of the day provided a snapshot of the wrestle between Crawley and his game that seems to have emerged since a calm 65 set England’s first Test chase in motion. Against Akash Deep from the Nursery End, he adopted four different starting points and triggers; a foot outside, a foot inside, one impulsive charge, another pre-meditated shuffle and dart which almost cost him leg stump.2:23

Pope: We’re constantly trying to get batting balance right

The positive spin on that is Crawley was trying to give Akash Deep something to think about, aiming to unsettle his rhythm, encroach on his radar. But at 1 off 18, the flailing arms were of a man trying to keep his head above water, not swimming meaningfully against the tide.There was no real consolation that he could do little about his dismissal, managing to edge a pearler down the slope from Nitish Kumar Reddy after living so charmed. Lucky to still be there, unlucky to have nicked it. The delivery justified the intent behind the approach. You’re going to get a good one, and he got a great one to end a bad, bad knock.For Pope, however, this was a peculiar riddle of guts and bunkering down sandwiched between being dropped first ball – it would have been a hell of a catch from Shubman Gill at second gully – and getting out first ball after tea, inexplicably driving at a delivery too short. That was the 17th time out of the 62 where Pope has resumed an innings at the start of a session and been dismissed in its first ten deliveries.For context, Root – unbeaten at lunch on 24, at tea at 54, and overnight on 99 – has “done a Pope” just 15 out of 126 times since Pope’s debut in August 2018. That, really, is the reliability England fans crave from their No. 3, without even yearning for the qualities of Root, who everyone accepts is now done with the role.

The dressing room will appreciate Pope’s pluck, but the public will only see another start spurned. For Crawley, however, the fight to justify his place gets a little harder. To stay, to remain. A player that has thrived off the environment no longer seems to be thriving

And yet, amid familiar twitches outside off stump where, wicket aside, he was scoreless from 17 of 19 deliveries, was clearly a bit of caution. He was only beaten by six of the 75 balls in that region. The 87 he took to reach 30 was the second-slowest after a 108-ball effort against New Zealand in December 2018. There was struggle, but it was not shirked.Restraint came to the fore in the middle session, which he and Root saw out for just 70 runs in 24 overs. During the 41st over, after Root had almost played Akash Deep on to his stumps, Pope was in the zone at the non-striker’s end shadowing a charge down the pitch. It was not all that dramatic, akin to the way one might shimmy to leap off a hill, the express intention to scare a friend by momentarily listening to the mischievous voice in your head.Three overs later, Pope tried it off Akash, failing to work a single to the leg side. Back it went in the box. Perhaps surprisingly given how often members of this team use the charge to momentarily relieve pressure, like a boxer windmilling punches when they are backed into a corner. For Pope, this was growth.”I did it once – it can mess up the lengths a little bit,” Pope said. “But for me, I think it’s something I’ve not done as much over the last year or so, mainly because I feel like I’m just trusting my defence a little bit more. I don’t feel I need to try and hit them off their lengths the whole time.”Ollie Pope was distraught after being caught behind•Getty ImagesNipping conditions curbed that enthusiasm. Even outright, he kept schtum against Bumrah, at one point facing 28 deliveries of a five-over spell in which Root faced just two. Of the 42 deliveries Bumrah bowled when both were at the crease, Pope faced 32 to Root’s ten, but only managed two more runs than Root. Not that this was the plan, of course. This was a man who usually flies too close to the sun realising his limits.”I don’t think that would be a smart conscious choice of me,” Pope joked when asked if he was shielding Root. “He just hit a pretty good area and I guess with the field up I couldn’t sneak down to the other end. Root’s good at nicking the ones like that.”You’ve just always got to be switched on, so it wasn’t a conscious choice, but I was happy to try and absorb the pressure.”It’s tempting to say this was a teaser of a new Pope, but that idea was shot to earth by a narrative-skewing dismissal that clipped England’s wings, too.Having toughed it out, he should have gone on. And there is something so typically Pope that having started the series with a century that seemed to lock in his place for this series and the Ashes to come, he is now averaging 36.40 from five innings.The dressing room will appreciate Pope’s pluck, but the public will only see another start spurned. For Crawley, however, the fight to justify his place gets a little harder. To stay, to remain. A player that has thrived off the environment no longer seems to be thriving. It might be time to move.

Leeds United are currently one point above the relegation zone in the Premier League after picking up 11 points from their first 11 matches of the 2025/26 campaign.

Whilst it has not been a disastrous start for the Championship champions, there are already some eyes wandering to the January transfer window with a view to the club bolstering the squad with new recruits.

Adding more goals to the team may be one of the priorities for the 49ers ahead of the window, as Daniel Farke’s side have only scored 11 goals in their 11 league matches.

Noah Okafor, Joe Rodon, and Lukas Nmecha are all currently tied on two goals in the Premier League this season, making them the club’s joint-top scorers.

As you can see in the table above, Leeds look to be on course for their first top-flight campaign without a player in double figures for goals for the first time since they were promoted under Marcelo Bielsa in 2020.

What the Whites would give to have Raphinha back at Elland Road for a second spell, as the Brazil international was a sensational signing by Victor Orta and Bielsa.

Where Raphinha ranks among Leeds signings since 2020

The left-footed forward was signed from Rennes for a fee of £18m in the summer of 2020 after Leeds had won the Championship title in the 2019/20 campaign.

It is hard to argue against Raphinha being the best signing that the club have made since their promotion in 2020, as he was a superstar for the Whites and earned them a significant profit upon his eventual departure.

The Brazilian phenomenon ranked first in the squad for ‘big chances’ created in both the 2020/21 and 2021/22 campaign, with 12 in the first and ten in the second, per Sofascore, which speaks to how important he was as a creative force.

Raphinha, as shown in the statistics above, also provided a big threat as a scorer of goals, with a return of 17 strikes in 65 Premier League games for the Whites in total.

Leeds were relegated the season after he left the club and no players in the squad hit double figures for ‘big chances’ created, per Sofascore, which speaks to the impact that his exit had on the team.

His £55m move to Barcelona in 2022 was also a club-record sale for Leeds, which remains the case today, and this is another reason why he must be considered their best signing since 2020, due to his undeniable impact on the pitch and the money that his sale generated.

He was an exciting signing at the time of his arrival in 2020, as a technically brilliant Brazilian forward coming in from Ligue 1, and the club could recapture that level of excitement with one of their targets for the next window.

Leeds lining up move for Premier League star

According to MOTLeedsNews, Leeds United are lining up a potential swoop to sign Manchester United central midfielder Kobbie Mainoo in the upcoming January transfer window.

The report claims that the Whites were interested in a move for the England international in the summer window, but the Red Devils were unwilling to sanction an exit at the time.

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It states that ‘all signs’ point to a January exit from Old Trafford for Mainoo, due to his lack of game time this season, and that Leeds are keeping tabs on his situation with a view to a move for his signature.

However, MOTLeedsNews reveals that the main priority for the Whites is to sign a new number nine to bolster their attack, with any deal for the United midfielder on the back burner until they get that done.

If Leeds do land a new striker and go on to sign Mainoo on loan for the second half of the 2025/26 campaign, the central midfielder could be the most exciting signing since Raphinha.

Why Leeds should sign Kobbie Mainoo

In September, it was reported that a £79m price tag had been placed on the English starlet amid interest from Real Madrid, as United looked to scare teams off an attempt to sign him on a permanent basis.

£79m is £43.5m more than Leeds have ever spent on a player and £24m more than the club have ever sold a player for, which shows that Mainoo may be the most valuable player in the club’s history, even if he only joins on loan.

It would be an incredibly exciting signing for supporters and surely viewed as an ambitious move by neutrals, because the midfield star has made 80 appearances for Manchester United and been capped ten times by England, per Transfermarkt, despite not turning 21 until next April.

Mainoo, as explained by Ruben Amorim in the comments above, is in an unfortunate situation at Old Trafford because he has found himself behind club captain and Portuguese star Bruno Fernandes in his position because of the manager’s 3-4-2-1 system.

Before Amorim’s time at United, the English midfielder excelled in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 system under Erik ten Hag in the 2023/24 campaign, which bodes well for a potential move to Leeds, as they are Farke’s two preferred formations at Elland Road.

As you can see in the table above, Mainoo earned his place in the England team and as a regular starter for United thanks to his impressive play in possession under the Dutch coach.

The 20-year-old midfield star, who was dubbed “generational” by teammate Rasmus Hojlund, was among the best midfielders in the Premier League at creating chances and carrying his side up the pitch with his ball control and mobility, which could helpd Leeds to improve their dismal goal tally of 11 goals from 11 games.

Mainoo, as shown in the clips above, also provided quality defensively, tracking back to make vital challenges, and showed potential as a goalscorer with five goals in all competitions, per Sofascore.

Therefore, the England international should not be judged by his failure to get into the current United team, as that is almost purely down to the manager’s preferred tactics.

Bamford 2.0: Leeds chase ST with 15 goals in 25/26, he'd save Farke's job

Leeds United are interested in signing a striker who could save Daniel Farke’s job at Elland Road.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 15, 2025

Overall, Leeds fans should be incredibly excited by the prospect of signing the young star, as he could be just as exciting a signing as Raphinha was, for different reasons, despite the fact that it would only be a loan deal.

England have recalled Sam Curran for their T20Is against South Africa and Ireland, while prescribing an extra week’s rest to Ben Duckett after his dramatic loss of form.Curran has not played for England in any format this year – or under Brendon McCullum’s coaching – but has been in excellent domestic form. Across 24 appearances in the T20 Blast and the Hundred this summer, he has scored 603 runs with a strike rate of 154.21 and taken 33 cheap wickets, and has been added to squads for all six of England’s upcoming fixtures.His call-up comes barely 24 hours after South Africa exposed England’s overreliance on the part-time spin of Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks in Thursday’s second ODI at Lord’s. Bethell and Jacks returned combined figures of 1 for 112 in 10 overs, and Curran’s addition to the squad gives England more flexibility around the balance of their team.Duckett, meanwhile, has been handed an additional week off before England’s tours to New Zealand and Australia this winter. He has become an all-format regular in the past 12 months and looked utterly out of sorts during an uncharacteristically scratchy innings of 14 off 33 balls on Thursday.He scored 462 runs in nine innings during England’s drawn Test series against India this summer but has only once passed 20 in his 10 innings since – eight in the Hundred (where his top score for Birmingham Phoenix was 49 not out) and two in this week’s ODIs. Duckett’s absence will likely see Jamie Smith and Phil Salt opening the batting together against South Africa next week, with Jacks or Tom Banton primed to replace Smith in Ireland.Related

• England blown to bits-and-pieces as part-timers' bowling strategy backfires

• Jordan Cox earns belated call-up for Ireland T20Is

• Brook backs butchered Baker after chastising ODI debut

• Overton's shock decision sounds alarm bells for England schedule

• Sam Curran on England omission: 'I've got to keep banging the door down'

In one final change to their squads, England have also pulled Matthew Potts out of the Ireland T20Is in a move which will allow him to press his case for Ashes selection in the County Championship for Durham. There is a spot available in their squad for Australia after Jamie Overton’s decision to quit red-ball cricket, and Potts is a strong contender.He has slipped down the pecking order across formats and was not even involved in their squads to face India. But Overton’s effective withdrawal from the Ashes – and bolter Sonny Baker’s struggles on ODI debut – could provide a route back, and England believe he will be better served by playing for Durham in the County Championship than running drinks in Dublin.Jordan Cox, Curran’s Oval Invincibles team-mate, was added to the squad to face Ireland earlier this week but is not due to be involved in the South Africa series. Duckett will stay with the ODI squad for Sunday’s dead-rubber in Southampton.Updated England T20I squads:vs South Africa: Harry Brook (capt), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith, Luke Wood.vs Ireland: Jordan Cox, Sonny Baker and Tom Hartley replace Harry Brook, Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse and Jamie Smith; Bethell replaces Brook as captain.

No one expected Vancouver to contend MLS Cup when they were put up for sale at the start of the season, but they might be the team best equipped to win it

Vancouver wasn't supposed to be here. Some, in fact, didn't think they would get close. 

Look at the lists made by experts and fans alike, and most would have told you that the Canadian side could finish towards the bottom of the Western Conference. And even if that was harsh, this certainly didn't look like a sure-fire playoff team. There was a good reason for that. In November 2024, they fired their coach, a fan favorite in Vanni Sartini. A month later, the ownership group announced the club was up for sale. There was a chance that Vancouver might not even have an MLS club for long, with rumors of relocation. 

Vancouver’s head coaching job remained vacant for nearly two months, illustrating the level of upheaval at the club. They finally appointed Jesper Sørensen on Jan. 12 – a Danish manager with no prior MLS experience.

It all looked like a recipe for disaster. 

Yet nine months later, they are two wins from a historic milestone. A season that was expected to be mediocre has instead turned into one of steady ascent. The Whitecaps started strong, built on that foundation, and now sit within reach of the first MLS Cup in club history.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  The stats tell the real story

  There’s always an element of luck in an MLS regular season. Teams can ride a hot start, stay afloat for months, and then fall apart when the playoffs begin. St. Louis City SC in 2023 is the textbook example – an expansion team that stunned the Western Conference but whose underlying numbers raised doubts, which were confirmed when they collapsed in the first round.

  The Whitecaps have been nothing like that. Their metrics back up the eye test. They scored a conference-best 66 goals, conceded a conference-low 38, and lost fewer matches than anyone in the West. Even their draws came in useful stretches. In short, this was a team that earned its results, not one carried by momentum or good fortune.

  The underlying numbers are good – and generally reliable. Their 66 goals came on 63.1 xG, suggesting that they, like many teams that are deadly in front of goal, slightly overperformed their mark (a discrepancy of 2.9 tends to be a sign of clinical finishing rather than pure luck). And they were equally effective at the other end. Their xG conceded was 37.3. They allowed 38 goals.

  Piece it all together, and Vancouver were a very good team performing exactly how the statistics project they really should.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  CONCACAF Champions Cup run set the tone

  There were early hints the Whitecaps might be good. They opened the MLS season well and climbed to the top of the Western Conference within two months. That raised eyebrows – not least because Sørensen was a relative unknown when he was hired in mid-January. But the MLS regular season is inherently chaotic. Hot starts happen. And even with Brian White scoring regularly, there was a suspicion that Vancouver could still regress to the mean.

  What they needed was a signature run, something to prove they were more than a fast starter. Enter the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the perfect proving ground for MLS clubs. Historically, teams from the league have struggled – especially in Mexico – feeding the perception that MLS sides simply can’t win there. Vancouver shattered that narrative, earning away-goal wins in the knockouts to reach a semifinal showdown with Inter Miami.

  And at that point, the magic should’ve ended. This was Lionel Messi in knockout football, after all. Thanks for the memories – time for the big boys to take over.

  Except…

  They hosted the first leg at BC Place and stunned a full-strength Miami with a 2-0 win. Then they went to Chase Stadium and did it again, a 3-1 triumph to complete an unthinkable 5-1 aggregate rout of MLS’s best. The enchantment eventually faded – Cruz Azul, deeper and more battle-hardened, thrashed them in the final – but even that result felt surprising.

  And maybe that’s the biggest compliment you can give this Whitecaps team.

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  The American influence

  The through line in this Whitecaps side is a general sense of money well spent. The Whitecaps have never been flush with cash, and have, arguably, not had a singular star player since Alphonso Davies left nearly a decade ago (and even then, he was very much a man on the rise). They have consistently been a bottom 10 spender in MLS, and have been – until recently – unable to lure any big stars to the BC Palace. 

  But to say they have been expert navigators would be inaccurate, too. They are, instead, remarkably agreeable in their business. Until now. The loss of Ryan Guald – their star man and highest earner – to a long term injury really should have derailed their campaign. Instead, the system became the star, with plenty of strong individual talents throughout. White was a surprise early Golden Boot contender and earned a well-deserved USMNT call up for doing so. Tristan Blackmon certainly has his critics, but was good value for his nod for the U.S. in September, too.

  And then, we have Sebastian Berhalter. As the story goes, the son of former U.S. manager Gregg was uncertain that he even wanted to play soccer just a few years ago. Now, he is one of Pochettino's favorites, a set-piece specialist with a wonderful engine in the middle of the park. 

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  Muller's arrival

  There was no way Thomas Muller should have gone to Vancouver. Stars don't do that. They go to Los Angeles, New York, Miami, or Chicago. Vancouver is a truly lovely city, but it is not a spot that can lure European stars, not ones that have won World Cups, multiple Champions Leagues, and 13 Bundesliga titles. 

  Except this time, they did. Muller supposedly flirted with Chicago for some time, but was sold on Vancouver. He has turned out to be the perfect midseason boost. The Whitecaps were good – very good – but championship sides tend to need a lift, especially in the slog of the MLS season. And so Muller arrived to immense fanfare. 

  He was greeted by droves of fans at the Vancouver airport, and quickly brought his trademark brand of soccer to Canada’s West Coast. Muller has done what he does best – drifting into pockets of space, making the right runs, picking the right passes, and providing a cutting edge in the final third. His quality has anchored the attack while White worked his way back from a long-term hamstring injury.