Between Marsh’s brutality and Pooran’s flamboyance, LSG have found a batting axis that’s not just working, but redefining their chances this year

Sreshth Shah08-Apr-20252:04

Jaffer: Not many areas where Pooran is vulnerable

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) seem to have figured out their top three in IPL 2025 better than most teams. By putting faith in experienced and overseas batters, particularly Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran, they have ensured their explosive players get maximum time in the middle. And on a hot Tuesday evening at Eden Gardens, it was on show – not for the first time this season – as Marsh slammed 81 and Pooran hammered 87 with 13 sixes and 13 fours between them, off just 84 balls. The two innings ensured LSG had enough to win a game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) where 472 runs were scored.The two have not only climbed the Orange Cap table to take first and second positions at this stage, but have transformed LSG’s top order into one of the most potent of the season. What makes this more remarkable is Marsh walking out to open, a role he’s rarely played. Before this season, he had opened just four times in all T20s and only twice in the IPL.But as his opening partner Aiden Markram said post-match, “Some opening pairs just happen by chance.” It also says a lot about how highly head coach Justin Langer – a fellow Western Australian – rates Marsh’s batting.Related

• Rahane steers clear of 'chaos', will discuss Eden pitch with IPL authorities

• Shardul Thakur bowls five consecutive wides in IPL's longest over

• Marsh, Pooran outgun KKR in high-scoring thriller

• Rathi dismisses idol Narine with his first ball

The transformation has taken the tournament by storm. In all IPLs before this season, Marsh had only three fifties to his name, but with bowling off the table owing to injury, he has been able to focus solely on his batting, and he has looked liberated – four fifties in five games this season must mean something. That’s the kind of form that only three others – Virat Kohli, David Warner and Chris Gayle – have matched at the start of an IPL season.On Tuesday, Marsh made his second-highest IPL score in a continuation of that run. He pulled anything back-of-a-length, drove anything full, and even stepped out to slap Sunil Narine’s wide delivery over the covers – a shift from his previously modest returns against slower bowlers. At one point, Marsh was crawling on 13 off 14 balls. But he recovered well.”I’ve never been more motivated to score runs,” he joked after the innings, referring to his role as LSG’s Impact Player. But there was a serious side to his reflection, too. “Being 14 off 14 felt like panic stations. But on a quick outfield like this, there’s always time to catch up. I’m just preparing well, trying to enjoy my cricket.”And he is. The smile has been there all season. He is delivering quotable quotes one after the other, too. At 33, Marsh is playing with the freedom of someone who’s got nothing to prove and everything to enjoy. The quicks don’t faze him – not when you’ve grown up in Perth – and his chemistry with Pooran at No. 3 has clicked.ESPNcricinfo LtdAfter Marsh, there is Pooran. A destroyer of spin, Pooran has now hit over 200 T20 sixes since the start of 2024 – comfortably more than anyone else. He is also topping the Orange Cap race, and Tuesday’s 87 was his highest IPL score. Narine, who has often troubled him, was twice launched over the short boundary as Pooran made a statement.His spot at No. 3 always made sense. Originally slotted at No. 4 or No. 5, Pooran has batted at one-drop regularly since the start of the 2023 CPL, MLC, the Hundred and the 2024 T20 World Cup. Yet, at the beginning of the season, LSG faced a dilemma: that spot was between Pooran and his captain Rishabh Pant. “It’s a position of freedom,” Pant had said after LSG’s first win, revealing how he gave up that spot for his overseas superstar.On Tuesday, Pooran wasn’t just clearing boundaries, he was manipulating the bowlers too. With one side of the square significantly longer than the other, KKR’s bowlers tried forcing him to hit towards the bigger boundary. It was a sound idea. But the combination of a good batting surface and the bowlers missing their lengths slightly made it simple for Pooran. He could anticipate the angle and line, set up for it, and unleash. In the end, LSG scored 133 runs to the longer side – 41 more than to the shorter side – largely thanks to Pooran’s muscle and method.1:15

No bowling responsibility frees up Marsh

“I practice a lot. Everything you see in the game is because I practice it,” Pooran said after being named the Player of the Match. “You understand what’s coming – full and wide balls, slower short ones. Spinners bowling straight or wide. And you work on it.”But he wasn’t taking the credit alone. “Not just today, but throughout the tournament, Mitch and Aiden have been brilliant,” he said. “They’re reading the conditions, dropping their egos, playing the team game. That’s what sets us up.”What is my role at No. 3? To get a start, carry on, and capitalise on my match-ups. I’ve been doing it the last two or three years, and I’m doing it consistently now.”Between Marsh’s brutality and Pooran’s flamboyance, LSG have found a batting axis that’s not just working, but redefining their chances this year. The season has only just begun, but if these two keep batting like this, LSG won’t just be chasing the playoffs, they’ll be storming into them.

The New York Yankees may have themselves a future star within their ranks.

During Saturday's MLB All-Star Futures Games, shortstop George Lombard Jr. stole the show and impressed scouts in attendance. In fact, Lombard was even called the game's "Best Player" by Baseball America, thanks to his impressive defensive performance.

Lombard smoked a double and showed solid plate discipline by drawing a walk in a 1-for-2 performance in the game. He handled everything that came his way at shortstop, too.

As of its latest update, MLB Pipeline ranks Lombard as the No. 35 prospect in baseball, and the No. 10 shortstop. He's the No. 1 ranked Yankees prospect, and is currently the only player in the organization rated inside the top 100.

At 20 years old, it could be another year or so until Lombard gets his shot at the big leagues. Across two minor league levels this season, he's slashing .239/.382/.356 with three home runs, 30 RBIs and 25 stolen bases. He's struggled a bit at the plate since arriving at Double-A Somerset, but he'll have plenty of time to turn things around as he continues to develop.

Lombard was a first-round pick in the 2023 MLB draft, selected at No. 26 pick by New York.

Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh in their group-stage game and then did Bangladesh a favour by beating Afghanistan, and go into this game with momentum on their side

Mohammad Isam19-Sep-20252:22

Maharoof: Mendis a nightmare for spinners once he gets going

Big picture: A twist to the Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka tale

Bangladesh cricket fans had to put on hold their antagonistic feelings towards Sri Lanka for a couple of days – they needed Sri Lanka to beat Afghanistan to stay alive in the Asia Cup, after all. That’s how it panned out, leaving Bangladesh fans thrilled. Social media in Bangladesh has been buzzing with self-deprecating memes, all with photos of the Sri Lankan flag or Bangladeshis wearing the Sri Lanka jersey.The rivalry that has developed over the last seven years has often been full of cringe-worthy elements, but it’s also true that the players have been able to move up an extra gear whenever they’ve been in contest with each other. So there is a lot of interest in Saturday’s match, the first of the Super Four stage.Related

• Pathum Nissanka is raising his bar one notch at a time

• With goals reset, Kusal Mendis finally finds his niche

• Nasum Ahmed's bouncebackability on show again

Charith Asalanka’s side has been the more dominant in the Asia Cup. They won all three of their group games, including against Bangladesh. Curiously, Hong Kong pushed them harder than Bangladesh or Afghanistan could.Importantly for them, Kusal Mendis and Kamindu Mendis commandeered the 170-run chase against Afghanistan relieving the pressure that’s been on Pathum Nissanka. The opener has been in good form and has been crying out for support. Sri Lanka were finally able to give that to him and will take confidence from that going into the pointy end of this tournament.2:18

Maharoof: Nissanka among the best all-format openers

Bangladesh have an opportunity for course correction. Some of it is already underway, with Parvez Hossain Emon losing his place in the team. Saif Hassan, who took his spot, has looked competent but Sri Lanka will be a major test for the comeback man. Bangladesh suffered back-to-back wicket maidens to start the game when the teams last met. The balance of their bowling is another puzzle they must solve. Their fifth-bowler combination (Saif and Shamim Hossain) didn’t work in the previous game.This promises to be a closer contest than the earlier game. The stakes are higher, with the first set of points crucial. Asalanka and Litton Das will also be leading two sets of players eager to one-up each other after a brief bit of peace.

Form guide

Bangladesh WLWWW
Sri Lanka WWWWLMustafizur Rahman has been effective, but not always frugal•Associated Press

In the spotlight: Mustafizur Rahman and Kusal Mendis

Mustafizur Rahman took three wickets to help Bangladesh against Afghanistan, but the left-arm quick has been quite expensive in the Asia Cup. Especially in the group match against Sri Lanka, Mustafizur bowled his most expensive spell of the year (3-0-35-1). Bangladesh will hope the left-arm quick returns to his stingy best. Mustafizur will have the added motivation of completing 150 wickets in T20Is – he is four short of the milestone – and also overtaking Shakib Al Hasan, who has 149.Kusal Mendis carried Sri Lanka to their six-wicket win against Afghanistan with a sparkling, unbeaten 74. Mendis is also very good against Bangladesh. He is already Sri Lanka’s second-highest run-getter with four centuries across formats against them. He is undoubtedly the key wicket in the Super Four opener.2:27

Abhinav lauds Bangladesh’s spin-choke tactic

Team news: Wellalage available to play

Bangladesh could bring in either of the allrounders Mahedi Hasan and Mohammad Saifuddin to fill their fifth-bowler gap.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Saif Hassan, 3 Litton Das (capt, wk), 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Shamim Hossain, 6 Nurul Hasan, 7 Jaker Ali, 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Nasum Ahmed, 10 Taskin Ahmed, 11 Mustafizur RahmanDunith Wellalage, who flew back home following the death of his father, is set to rejoin the Sri Lankan team on the morning of the match and is available for selection.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Mendis (wk), 3 Kamil Mishara, 4 Kusal Perera, 5 Charith Asalanka (capt), 6 Kamindu Mendis, 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Dunith Wellalage, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Nuwan Thushara

Pitch and conditions: Struggle for runs in Dubai

Batters have only gone at a strike rate of 109.26 in Dubai at this Asia Cup. Abu Dhabi, for comparison, has been slightly better – 119.50. The slow nature of Dubai’s pitches have certainly helped the spinners. The weather forecast is for a typical hot evening.

Stats and trivia: Litton on top

• With 513 runs, Litton is currently this year’s top run-getter in T20Is among Full Member sides.
• Thushara’s 4 for 18 against Afghanistan is Sri Lanka’s best figures in the Asia Cup’s T20I version.
• Jaker has shown in the last 12 months that he has a few tricks up his sleeve but in this series, his 53 runs have required 48 balls and include only three fours.

Holder not only anchored Patriots’ innings with an unbeaten fifty but also delivered a match-winning final over

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Sep-2025

St Kitts and Nevis Patriots kept their playoffs hopes alive by pulling off a narrow one-run victory over Barbados Royals, who have been knocked out of the race in CPL 2025. Captain Jason Holder played a starring role, not only anchoring Patriots’ innings with an unbeaten fifty but also delivering a match-winning final over with the ball, in which he defended 13 runs.Patriots sit fifth on the points table with eight points and all their matches done. Guyana Amazon Warriors are fourth with eight points and if they win either of their next two matches, they will secure the last playoffs spot, with St Lucia Kings, Trinbago Knight Riders and Antigua and Barbuda Falcons already through.While there were handy contributions from several players, Holder’s all-round performance was the key to Patriots’ success. His 53 not out guided them to 150 for 7, with Patriots recovering from 62 for 4 at the end of ten overs. This was after Mohammad Rizwan’s 39 off 36 helped Patriots get off to a modest start. Holder, along with Navin Bidaisee (30 off 23), accelerated in the latter stages as the pair added 74 runs off 46 balls for the sixth wicket, including 34 runs off the last three overs.Holder’s leadership was also evident in the bowling attack, where he claimed two crucial wickets in the death. His most dramatic contribution came in the final over, with Royals needing 14 runs to win. Rassie van der Dussen started the over with a six over long-on to bring the equation down to eight off five. Holder kept his composure and, with the equation down to two needed off the last ball, bowled a perfect yorker to trap Daniel Sams lbw, sealing a thrilling victory for Patriots.Earlier, Royals had made a strong start, with opener Brandon King (29 off 22) laying a good foundation for the chase. They raced to 44 for 1 by the end of powerplay. However, the middle overs proved costly as the top order struggled to accelerate. Patriots’ bowlers capitalised, with Waqar Salamkheil striking first with the wicket of King and Naseem Shah removing Kadeem Alleyne in the eighth over. Quinton de Kock was caught and bowled by Bidaisee in the following over and despite a dropped catch from Rizwan, Royals’ chase started to lose momentum.Van der Dussen fought valiantly, keeping Royals in the hunt with a quickfire 37 off 27 balls, but it wasn’t enough in the end. For Patriots, Salamkheil and Bidaisee also picked up two wickets apiece.

Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood and Marsh are all fit for the IPL despite missing the Champions Trophy and are among 15 Australians heading to India

Alex Malcolm17-Mar-20253:38

Who should be SRH’s fourth overseas player?

Pat CumminsAustralia’s Test skipper returns to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad again after being retained by the franchise and taking a 12.2% pay-cut after being the second-most expensive buy at the 2024 mini auction. He’s still set to earn approximately AUD$3.7 million. Cummins missed the Sri Lanka Test tour and the Champions Trophy due to the birth of his second child and an ongoing ankle issue but he declared himself fully fit in a recent interview with ESPNcricinfo. His leadership was hailed by all who played under him last season. From an Australian perspective, the selectors will be praying he gets through the IPL season unscathed and not too fatigued ahead of the WTC final in June.Travis HeadFatigue will be a major concern for Head as he returns to Sunrisers, having been retained for AUD$1.2 million, following his blockbuster season as one half of the Travishek duo. Unlike Cummins, Head played both Tests and one of the two ODIs in Sri Lanka as well as the Champions Trophy after he was the leading run-scorer in the Border-Gavaskar series. He is also going to be a key figure in the WTC final in June having been Player of the Match in the last one. Australia’s selectors will also hope he gets through unscathed. Head was carefully managed last year by head coach Daniel Vettori, who is also Australia’s bowling coach and could spend a decent chunk of the season playing as an Impact Sub meaning he will scarcely have to field.Related

Fast-bowler injuries threaten Pant-powered LSG's season

Marsh cleared to play in the IPL as batter-only for LSG despite back issue

Can Travishek, Klaasen, Reddy and Cummins push SRH to go one better?

CSK look ready for spin to win again in Chennai

RCB hope 18 is the charm as hunt for IPL glory continues

Adam ZampaZampa is one of the best T20 spinners in the world but has not enjoyed much success at the IPL. It has been difficult for him to get a game as one of four overseas players when so many domestic spinners are available and franchises have prioritised playing overseas allrounders and fast bowlers. He has only played a maximum of six games in any season he’s played at his previous three franchises in Rising Pune Supergiants, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals. Sunrisers bought him for AUD$440000, with Vettori no doubt an influential figure in his recruitment. But Sunrisers also have local legspinner Rahul Chahar on their list. With Cummins, Head and Heinrich Klaasen locked into the XII most games there will only be one overseas slot available for Zampa to fit into. Conditions may dictate whether he plays alongside Chahar, instead of him or misses out altogether. But he has a much better chance of playing a high proportion of games in this Sunrisers set-up than he has at his previous franchises.Can Jake Fraser-McGurk fire again for Dehli Capitals?•Associated PressJake Fraser-McGurkCan Jake Fraser-McGurk avoid the second year blues? He took the IPL by storm last season. He had the second highest strike-rate for the tournament, smashing 330 runs in nine innings at 234.04, with four half-centuries after being picked up by Delhi as an injury replacement. The franchise did not retain him. They instead repurchased him at the auction for AUD$1.65 million. Only Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Marcus Stoinis cost more among Australians at the auction. Fraser-McGurk though enters this season as a marked man coming off a lean period. He had very poor BBL, even with his last innings of 95 off 46 included. He has also struggled in most of his 12 international white-ball innings for Australia since his breakout IPL to the point where he was overlooked for the Champions Trophy semi-final when Matt Short was injured. Capitals will expect big things. He thrived in the pristine batting conditions at Arun Jaitley Stadium last year. But teams will know exactly how to bowl to him this time around.Mitchell StarcDespite being player of the match in the qualifying final and the final to help Kolkata Knight Riders win IPL 2024, Starc was not retained by KKR which was in part understandable given they had paid a record price for him at the 2024 auction. Capitals pounced at the 2025 auction, outlaying AUD$2.15 million for him. KL Rahul was the only player who cost Capitals more. They will depend a lot on Starc’s strike power and experience as Capitals are light on in the fast bowling department and have lost overseas batter Harry Brook. That will make Australia’s selectors nervous as he looks set to play every IPL game ahead of the WTC final. He is durable however and the ankle issue that kept him out of the Champions Trophy was minor, with the mental and physical freshen-up clearly very valuable.Josh Hazlewood returns to RCB•BCCIJosh HazlewoodHazlewood returns to Royal Challengers Bangalore as the most expensive purchase among the Australians at the auction, at a cost of $AUD2.29 million, having missed last year’s IPL. In 2022 he had an outstanding IPL for RCB taking 20 wickets at a strike-rate of 13.90. But since then he has been injury-plagued and comes in off a summer where he suffered two calf injuries and a side strain. The second calf injury turned into a hip niggle that kept him out of the Champions Trophy. He has been declared fully fit for the IPL by CA but it was a lengthy process to get him to the start line. There will be nerves among Australia’s selectors and CA medical staff about how he will handle a full IPL before the WTC final.Tim DavidIPL 2025 looms a big one for Tim David. His stocks have dwindled as a sought-after power-hitter on the franchise circuit. He was pushed to the margins by Mumbai Indians last year and was bought for a third of his 2022 price when RCB secured him for $AUD547000. He had a very good BBL for Hobart Hurricanes and was a key factor in them winning their maiden title. He was actually used higher up the order at times, including walking out at No.5 in the seventh over against Sydney Thunder and smashing an unbeaten 68 from 38 in a successful chase. How much he will play though will depend on how RCB sets up. They have lacked middle to lower order power in recent times and he fills that hole but he will be fighting for a spot with Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethall who both can bowl some key overs.Mitchell MarshThere will be a lot of eyes on Marsh’s return from injury at his new franchise Lucknow Super Giants under former coach Justin Langer. He was bought by LSG for AUD$623000 but that purchase was made in November before a serious decline in form saw him lose his spot in Australia’s Test team by the fifth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and miss the Champions Trophy with a back injury. The injury has settled enough to allow him to play with LSG as a batter-only but he is far from fully fit having only returned to batting in recent weeks. He will likely be used as an impact player at the top of the order and then won’t have to field. This will be his ninth IPL at his sixth franchise. He has never played more than nine games in a season and has only played more than five in three of his previous eight seasons. His 2024 IPL ended after four games due to a hamstring injury.Glenn Maxwell returns to Punjab Kings for his third stint•BCCIGlenn MaxwellGlenn Maxwell returns to Punjab Kings for his third stint. Maxwell and Punjab have been intertwined in a roller-coaster on again off again relationship since 2014 when he was player of the tournament in his first season there. He wrote in his recent autobiography that his 2017 season as captain was a disaster due to a big falling out with Virender Sehwag. In his third stint in 2020 he scored 108 runs at a strike-rate of 101.88 and failed to hit a six. He returns after a shocking 2024 IPL where he scored 52 runs in nine innings and essentially dropped himself from the RCB line-up. But Ricky Ponting is the new Punjab coach and has long had faith in Maxwell’s ability after bringing him to Delhi in 2018. He is coming off a BBL season where he was equal player of the tournament and he played one excellent cameo at the Champions Trophy but only batted twice.Marcus StoinisAnother key part of Ponting’s Australian cartel at Punjab, Stoinis was an expensive purchase at the auction at AUD$2 million. He has set himself for a big IPL, prioritising it over ODI cricket after retiring from the format ahead of the Champions Trophy when he was set to be needed in Australia’s tilt. He suffered a hamstring niggle in the SA20 but should be fit having had a six full weeks off. He’s still playing excellent T20 cricket. He made a stunning century for LSG last season, was one of Australia’s best batters in a dismal T20 World Cup campaign and smashed 61 not out off 27 balls in his last T20I innings against Pakistan in November.Josh Inglis is one of the form players in the world•Associated PressJosh InglisInglis comes into his first IPL as one of the most in-form batters in the world. He made his maiden ODI century in the Champions Trophy to help Australia chase 352 against England not long after posting a Test century on debut in Galle. Those two efforts saw him join and elite group of Australians with international centuries in all three forms with one of his two T20I centuries coming in India in 2023 against a group of IPL bowlers which included new teammate Arshdeep Singh. Ponting faces a challenge of finding a spot for him in the XI as either a specialist batter or a wicketkeeper depending on his all-round and fast bowling needs given he also has Maxwell, Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen and Lockie Ferguson in his squad.Aaron HardieGiven the overseas depth at Punjab, Aaron Hardie looks very unlikely to play much in his first IPL at Punjab. His stocks were rising in 2024 on the back of a couple of strong BBL campaigns and some impressive early showings for Australia in both limited-overs forms, with Punjab picking him up for AUD$228000. But his 2024-25 Australian summer was relatively lean. He only bowled in one BBL game in order to settle a quad issue prior to the Champions Trophy but he was not called in at all in the tournament as Australia did not play a seam-bowling allrounder.Xavier BartlettBartlett finds himself in a similar spot to Hardie. He was purchased at the auction by Punjab for just AUD$146000 when his stocks were extremely high in November after a sensational 2023-24 BBL and an impressive start to his ODI and T20I career. But he had a tough BBL campaign coming off a serious side strain and was never considered for the Champions Trophy despite Australia having a huge injury toll among their quicks. He arrives in India having played four first-class games in the last five weeks and just one white-ball List A game.Nathan Ellis will play for CSK•BCCINathan EllisThe Hobart Hurricanes title-winning skipper looks to be a very shrewd purchase by Chennai Super Kings for just AUD$365000. He spent four seasons at Punjab Kings but only played one game last season and looked to be severely underplayed. He continues to impress at every opportunity for Australia and was arguably their best bowler at the Champions Trophy in the absence of the big three. He might be a conditions dependent selection for CSK early in the season but it would not be a surprise if that changes after some good performances.Spencer JohnsonKKR filled the void left by not retaining Starc with another left-arm Australia quick in Johnson who cost a fraction of Starc’s price at AUD$510000. Whether Johnson can win them a title with finals performances the equal of Starc’s remains to be seen. He has done it in the BBL for Brisbane Heat but he is yet to work out how to translate that success on Indian pitches where his height and pace is nullified somewhat. He only played five matches for Gujurat Titans in the 2024 season. He took a couple of wickets against Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy but was squeezed out of Australia’s line-up for the semi-final when they opted to play two spinnners.

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.

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

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. 

George Hill steers hosts on shortened day with both dressing rooms eyeing Hampshire result

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay26-Sep-2025Yorkshire 465 for 9 (Hill 88, Raine 4-79, Ghafari 4-114) lead Durham 346 (Raine 101, White 5-69) by 119 runsYorkshire are closing in on Division One survival in the Rothesay County Championship, but Durham are not quite sure of the size of their task heading into day four at Headingley.Should Hampshire – 148 for 9 chasing 181 to beat Surrey at the Utilita Bowl – lose, seventh-placed Yorkshire would be safe no matter the result here in this season finale. Second-bottom Durham would need a draw to be safe.Should Hampshire win – they are eighth in the table – Yorkshire would need to draw here, which they are very well placed to do. But Durham would need a miracle victory to get out of trouble.Yorkshire, replying to a first-innings 346 all out, started a weather-affected day on 314 for 5 and advanced to 465 for 9 in the 51 overs possible, with George Hill compiling a skilful season’s best 88.It’s difficult to see how Durham can win, so they desperately need Surrey to do so down on the south coast.Bad light interrupted play on three occasions at Headingley, with the bulk of the evening lost. No play was possible beyond 3.25pm.Hill impressively supplemented Indian batter Mayank Agarwal’s superb 175 on day two with his fourth fifty of a season which has seen him excel with the ball. His seamers have accounted for 47 Championship wickets.He shared in half-century stands with fellow allrounders Matthew Revis and Jordan Thompson, the latter contributing an unbeaten 44.The morning session was a relatively quiet affair, with Yorkshire advancing to 365 for 7. Ben Raine, who has been excellent with 4 for 71 from 33 overs added to his first-innings century, and Matthew Potts struck for Durham.Raine broke a sixth-wicket stand of 50 between Revis, 38, and Hill. Revis, crowned Yorkshire’s members’ player of the year at the end of day two here, was trapped lbw by an in-ducker before Dom Bess pulled Potts to deep backward square-leg.Hill was a calming presence for Yorkshire as they stretched their lead. In all, he hit 14 fours in 175 balls. Thompson was more expansive, whipping Will Rhodes over deep midwicket for six.Hill moved to a fifty off 105 balls shortly before the hosts reached 400 for 7 in the early stages of the afternoon. By this stage, Yorkshire led by 54 and Durham’s need for wickets was becoming more desperate.Hill did fall short of what would have been his season’s first century when bowled trying to attack the legspin of Afghanistan’s Shafiqullah Ghafari. But Yorkshire’s lead was 97 at 443 for 8.Hill and Thompson had shared an eighth-wicket 86, the latter allrounder playing his last match before a winter move to Warwickshire.Matt Milnes edged to slip to hand Ghafari a fourth wicket before the third bad light stoppage at 3.25pm was the last. With the players off the field at that stage, Durham’s dressing room would have been buoyed by news from Southampton.Yorkshire will head into day four in a much more relaxed state given their strong performance here. Durham, on the other hand, will be on tenterhooks not quite knowing the size or shape of their task in hand.

علق فيرجيل فان دايك قائد ليفربول على استبعاد محمد صلاح من تشكيل الفريق للمباراة الثانية على التوالي خلال التعادل أمام سندرلاند بهدف لمثله في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وكان محمد صلاح قد جلس بديلاً خلال فوز ليفربول على وست هام يوم الأحد الماضي، ويعتقد فان دايك أن ما حدث يثبت بأنه لا يوجد أي لاعب يملك رصيد لا محدود.

وتعد هذه هي المرة الأولى في مسيرة محمد صلاح أن يجلس بديلًا ولا يبدأ بشكل أساسي مع ليفربول في الدوري الإنجليزي، وقد سجل اللاعب أربعة أهداف فقط هذا الموسم.

اقرا أيضًا.. مدرب سندرلاند: كنا مستعدين لمواجهة محمد صلاح.. ولم نشعر بخيبة أمل

وسئل فان دايك حول إذا كان جلوس محمد صلاح يعد رسالة لغرفة الملابس وقال في تصريحات نشرتها “ميرور” البريطانية: “لطالما كان هذا هو الحال، ليس الأمر وكأنك تملك رصيد لا محدود، بل على الجميع أن يقدموا أداءً جيد”.

وأضاف: “لقد كان صلاح يفعل ذلك، لكن المدرب اتخذ هذا القرار في المباراتين الأخيرتين، جميعنا نريد الأفضل للنادي، أنا متأكد تماماً أنه سيبقى جزءاً كبيراً مما نسعى لتحقيقه، لأنه لاعب رائع وقد أثبت ذلك باستمرار”.

وأشاد فان دايك بزميله فلوريان فيرتز الذي سجل هدف التعادل أمام سندرلاند: “هناك سبب وجيه جداً وراء انضمامه لنادي مثلنا، هو لاعب استثنائي وعالمي المستوى ويمكن أن يصبح أفضل لكن قد يستغرق بعض الوقت، عليه أن يحافظ على عزيمته، ولا يتفاخر عندما يكون أداؤه جيدًا أو سيئًا جداً أو يهتم بالأرقام”.