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Tottenham Hotspur were made to settle for a 1-1 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt in their Europa League quarter-final first-leg clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday evening.

It was a game in which the Lilywhites had chances to secure the victory but could not find a winning goal that would have given them a crucial advantage in Frankfurt next week.

It was the visitors who took an early lead, just six minutes into the clash. The goalscorer was one of Europe’s most wanted centre-forwards, Hugo Ekitike.

He showed exactly why the biggest clubs want to sign him, cutting inside on his left foot and letting fly a shot from range that nestled into the bottom corner with pinpoint accuracy.

However, it was not long for Lilywhites fans to wait before their side clawed a goal back. The equaliser came from right-back Pedro Porro, who met a brilliant cross from James Maddison with a tidy, flicked finish into the back of the net.

In the third minute of stoppage time, Mickey van de Ven almost had a winner for Spurs. However, his header was superbly tipped over the crossbar by Frankfurt goalkeeper Kaua Santos to keep the score on level terms.

It was certainly a disappointing night for the Lilywhites, who could have easily run out winners. There were some poor performances from some of those in a Spurs shirt.

Spurs' worst performers vs. Frankfurt

One of the Spurs players who struggled against the German side was winger Brennan Johnson. He found it difficult to make a real impact on the game at all, barely getting into the game out on the right flank.

In fact, Goal journalist Sean Walsh noticed that the Welshman struggled to stamp his authority on the game, handing Johnson a 4/10 rating for his performance, suggesting that he spent “far too much time hidden behind defenders”.

Another player in Postecoglou’s attacking trio who had a tough night at the office was striker Dominic Solanke. The England international showed glimpses of his best, and although he has been on a lean run of goalscoring form, he did link play up well at times.

However, his stats from the game, courtesy of Sofascore, show just how little he got into the game at times. For example, Solanke managed just 22 touches, completing seven of ten passes and winning three of five aerial duels.

As tough of a night it was for Johnson and Solanke, they were perhaps not Spurs’ worst attackers against Frankfurt.

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Spurs' worst player against Frankfurt

It has not been an easy season for Spurs captain Heung-min Son, and Thursday’s clash with Frankfurt summed that up in many ways.

The South Korean international lacked a real potency in his attacking play and did not pose too much of a threat to their opponents’ defence.

In fact, his stats really reflect Son’s struggles against the German outfit on Thursday. He had 61 touches in total, completing 38 of 44 attempted passes. However, the Spurs legend failed to compete either of his two attempted dribbles, and he lost the ball 12 times, once every five touches.

Touches

61

Passes completed

38/44

Number of times ball lost

12

Ground duels won

1/4

Dribbles completed

0/2

Crosses completed

1/3

Key passes

2

Son’s struggles against Frankfurt was a sentiment that the aforementioned Walsh seemed to agree with. He was critical of the Spurs captain, giving him a 4/10 for his performance, explaining that the winger was “seldom a threat in crucial areas” going forward.

It might be a worry for Spurs fans that their number seven’s career is petering out. While it’s certainly a different story, there is reason to suggest he’s winding down in a similar way to another modern-day club icon, Dele Alli.

The former Lilywhites midfielder was, at his peak, “the best” youngster in the world, according to Mauricio Pochettino.

However, Alli’s Spurs career tailed off when he began to have dips in form, and perhaps the same can be said for Son this season. It has certainly not been the easiest campaign for the attacker, who like Dele, has gone from an elite talent to someone struggling to make a real impact at Spurs in pretty swift time.

He has just 11 goals and 12 assists in 43 games, with seven goals and ten assists in the Premier League. Compare that to the 17 goals and ten assists in 35 games he managed last term, and there is certainly a Dele-esque decline in numbers.

It is a shame to see such a legendary Premier League player struggle to find his best form this term. No doubt, Lilywhites fans hope he can get back to the top of his game in what is a huge few weeks for the club.

He's a lot like Dele Alli: Spurs want to sign £20m "freak of nature"

The incredible youngster would be a hit at Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 10, 2025

The action starts with a rematch of last year’s final on June 12

Deivarayan Muthu12-Jun-2025

First things first. When does it start?

MLC 2025 kicks off on June 12, with defending champions Washington Freedom taking on San Francisco Unicorns in a rematch of last season’s final at the Oakland Coliseum, which has hosted baseball and American football matches. The stadium was a prominent feature in the 2011 film , based on Michael Lewis’ book which documented the Athletics’ success following data-driven strategies in the early 2000s.Unicorns will play three home games at the Coliseum. The league will run until July 13, when the final will be played at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas. Central Broward Stadium in Lauderhill will host matches for the first time this season, including a double-header on July 4. The Grand Prairie Stadium, which had staged games in 2023 and 2024, will host 16 of the 34 games this season, including the knockouts.

So, who are the teams in action?

The six teams are Washington Freedom, San Francisco Unicorns, MI New York, Los Angeles Knight Riders, Texas Super Kings and Seattle Orcas. Four of these teams are owned by IPL franchises. Apart from the three obvious ones, Orcas are owned by the GMR group, who co-own Delhi Capitals.Freedom, owned by Indian-American entrepreneur Sanjay Govil, have Cricket New South Wales as their high-performance partner. Unicorns, owned by Anand Rajaraman and Venky Harinarayan, have a strategic partnership with Cricket Victoria. The league is soon to expand with New Zealand Cricket coming on board as investors and set to part-own one of the new teams in 2027.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

What else is new?

Four of the six teams have new captains in MLC 2025. Nicholas Pooran, who had recently retired from international cricket at the age of 29, has been named MINY’s new captain while his former West Indies team-mate Jason Holder will lead LA Knight Riders. With Holder set to miss LAKR’s first two games because of international commitments, Sunil Narine will stand in as the franchise’s captain. Holder will join the LAKR side ahead of their third match against Freedom.Related

• Washington Freedom eyeing Smith for brief appearance between Tests

• MLC 2025: Pooran and Maxwell to lead MI New York and Washington Freedom respectively

• San Francisco Unicorns are bringing cricket home to the west coast of the USA

• Rashid and Omarzai set to miss MLC 2025

Freedom will also have a new captain, with Glenn Maxwell taking over from Steven Smith, who will only make a brief appearance this season. Having also retired from international cricket, Heinrich Klaasen will take charge of Orcas while Unicorns have retained Corey Anderson as their captain. Super Kings, who are big on continuity and consistency across leagues, have retained Faf du Plessis as their captain.The league also has a new CEO, with Johnny Grave replacing Vijay Srinivasan ahead of the new season, as it prepares for its expansion. Grave is a key figure in cricket administration, having most recently served as CEO at CWI for seven years. He was previously the commercial director at the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) in England.

Any other exciting new additions?

David Warner is set for his maiden MLC stint, having signed with Orcas. Warner, however, is a familiar face for the franchise, having played for them in other leagues: IPL (Delhi Capitals) and ILT20 (Dubai Capitals).David Warner will play in the MLC for the first time•Getty ImagesAustralia’s Mitchell Owen, among the most sought-after names in T20 cricket right now following his barnstorming century in the BBL final in January earlier this year, will reunite with coach Ricky Ponting at Freedom, having already worked with him at Hobart Hurricanes and Punjab Kings. Also watch out for Sherfane Rutherford, who is gearing up for his MLC debut with LAKR after impressing in franchise leagues around the world, including the IPL.Then there is New Zealand tearaway Ben Sears, who will join Owen at Freedom. Sears was also on Ponting’s radar at one point as a potential replacement for Lockie Ferguson at PBKS in the IPL. This will be Sears’ chance to announce himself to the franchise world.

Are Afghanistan players available?

While Rashid Khan and Azmatullah Omarzai (both MINY) have opted out of the tournament, Naveen-ul-Haq (MINY), Noor Ahmad (TSK) and Waqar Salamkheil (Orcas) have joined their respective teams after doubts emerged over the participation of Afghanistan players owing to the travel ban imposed by the US government.Two other Afghanistan players – Gulbadin Naib and Fazalhaq Farooqi, who play for Orcas – are understood to be awaiting visas to travel to play in MLC.USA’s Saurabh Netravalkar is the MLC’s second-highest wicket-taker•MLC

Tell me about some domestic players to keep an eye on

It’s hard to look past Saurabh Netravalkar, the left-arm seamer who even made it to the IPL 2024 auction shortlist after his out-of-office spells for USA and Freedom. He is the highest wicket-taker among USA players in the MLC, with 25 strikes in 13 matches at an economy rate of 7.49, and the second highest overall.Among the young batters, Saiteja Mukkamalla (TSK) could make his MLC bow this season after producing outstanding numbers for USA in T20Is: the 21-year-old averages over 40 and has a strike rate of nearly 153 after 18 T20Is. Sanjay Krishnamurthi, who turned 22 earlier this month, is another serious talent in the Unicorns side with a wide array of shots in his repertoire.Don’t forget Agni Chopra, who became the first batter to score centuries in his first four first-class games. Agni has since ended his Indian domestic career with Mizoram and has moved to the USA, attracting the attention of MINY. Agni, 26, is the son of film critic Anupama Chopra and filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra, who made the popular movie .

What is the format of the league?

Like most franchise leagues, the MLC will first have a round-robin league stage. The top two teams will meet in the Qualifier, with the winners of that match advancing to the final.The third and fourth-placed teams will meet in the Eliminator. The winner of the Eliminator will face the team that loses the Qualifier in the Challenger, where the second finalist will be decided.

Is there a clash with any other league?

Of course, the MLC overlaps with the T20 Blast in England and some international fixtures, including the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord’s. The MLC, though, has avoided a clash with the Hundred this season after the two leagues had overlapped by six days in 2024.

But “life has changed quite a lot after those five sixes”, he admits after a Player-of-the-Match award for his first international innings

Shashank Kishore22-Aug-2023Alur, July 6, 2023. It’s a day after India’s squad for the T20Is in the Caribbean was named. Rinku Singh, who was seemingly in with a fair chance of making the cut, has missed out. But as he walks off the field after play in a Duleep Trophy game, there’s a distinct sense of calm around him. He indulges in some banter and mimicry that earns peals of laughter from his team-mates. It’s as if he’s wired to not think or worry about the things he can’t control.A handful of journalists present at the venue put in a request through a member of Central Zone’s support staff for a chat with Rinku. He declines politely. You couldn’t possibly have branded him arrogant or rude; he is just a shy person. Perhaps Rinku knew questions over his non-selection would come up.”He’s disappointed, but he says he’s seen far more challenges,” a support staff member told us. “Not getting picked for West Indies isn’t a cause for dejection. He wants to enjoy his game and do well here in Bangalore. He’s happy to speak later.”Related

• Gaikwad, Rinku, Prasidh sparkle as India seal series win

• Rohit wants India to be flexible, in mind and batting order

• India revel in Prasidh's fire and Bumrah's ice

• Rahul, Shreyas, Tilak make it to India's Asia Cup squad

Later didn’t come in the two weeks he spent in Bengaluru for the Duleep Trophy. What did, however, was an India call-up, first for the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, and then the T20Is in Ireland.As mentioned, Rinku is a man of few words even when he does speak. Like you saw at the post-match presentation ceremony in the second T20I against Ireland, when he was awarded the Player-of-the-Match award for a superb 38 off 21 balls.It was an innings of two parts. Initially, he took his time and set himself up, in the face of a mini-collapse, knowing well that India didn’t have much batting after No. 8. Then when he got to a position where he knew he had to go, there was clarity in his striking plans and the areas he wanted to pick.For 15 deliveries, Rinku had gone at a run-a-ball. Barring the one boundary off a ferocious sweep to legspinner Ben White, he seemed content nudging and milking singles. But in the 19th over, he got stuck into Barry McCarthy, first scything a wide yorker with precision behind point for four and then reading a slower offcutter early and depositing it beyond long-on for six.Rinku has a strong base; there aren’t too many premeditated movements to try and throw bowlers off. It’s the belief in his power to clear the ground that drives him. The effect of those hits was McCarthy suddenly feeling the pressure – he delivered two successive wides in trying to second guess the batter.

“Life has changed quite a lot after those five sixes. People only remember me because of that. It feels good”Rinku Singh

After that, perhaps a little frazzled, McCarthy ended up erring in length as he attempted another wide yorker. Having carved one behind point, Rinku knew with the third fielder quite square, he had to pick his spot. He did, showing remarkable timing and placement in the process as he went inside-out over extra cover to clear the longest boundary. The over went for 22 and India had the momentum on their side.Rinku’s innings helped Shivam Dube, too. From 9 off 13, he began the final over with two sixes. When the third ball went for a single, the Indians in the crowd went quite ballistic. Their man, Rinku, was on strike, and he didn’t disappoint as he sent one sailing over deep-backward square. The wrist, the pick-up, the muscle – all excellent.The fun ended next ball when he top-edged a pull, but he’d transformed a middling 160 score into a potentially match-winning 185.Rinku’s manner of flicking a switch from accumulator to beast was a proper throwback to that knock in Ahmedabad, when his career, and perhaps more, turned around. The quiet, shy Rinku, an afterthought in an XI boasting T20 legends such as Andre Russell and Sunil Narine, was suddenly at the front and centre of Kolkata Knight Riders’ plans.But, contrary to perception, Rinku isn’t an IPL wonder. As tempting as it may be to bracket his India call-up to his IPL 2023 exploits, it does little justice to the work he has put in at the domestic level for Uttar Pradesh.Rinku Singh isn’t an IPL baby – he averages close to 58 in first-class cricket and has been a star in India’s domestic circuit•Ekana cricket mediaIn the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy season, for example, Rinku was the second-highest run-scorer in the Elite division. He scored 953 runs in 13 innings at an astounding average of 105.88. This included four centuries and three half-centuries. At the List A Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2021-22, Rinku single-handedly steered Uttar Pradesh into the knockouts, notching up 379 runs in six innings, including four half-centuries and a century, at a strike rate of 94.75.These underline his all-format stature and how it isn’t just that one innings that propelled him to the national team. What it did give him, though, was visibility, which his toil and all the runs at the domestic level didn’t. It makes a massive difference, and Rinku knows all about it.”Life has changed quite a lot after those five sixes,” Rinku told the BCCI website when asked by Ravi Bishnoi about fans rooting for him in Dublin. “People only remember me because of that. It feels good.”Rinku has seen his fair share of struggles, but his modest upbringing has given him enough perspective about life – he knows that fame can be fickle. And when he takes the field on Wednesday, it’s likely he will be over Sunday’s performance.There’s a T20 World Cup coming up next year, and Rinku may have personal aspirations of making the squad. But it’s unlikely to make him lose sleep; just like being a run-a-ball 15 amid a slowdown in Dublin on Sunday didn’t.

Their attack, promising on paper, proved to have neither much bark nor bite against the Indian top five

Firdose Moonda26-Dec-20211:21

What went wrong for South Africa’s bowlers?

It’s flat. The pitch and the bowling.South Africa’s Test summer began lethargically as their attack, promising on paper, proved to have neither much bark nor bite against the Indian top five.Maybe it’s not entirely unexpected.This is South Africa’s least experienced pace pack in terms of Test wickets in a home Test against India since 1997. Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Wiaan Mulder and debutant Marco Jansen had 259 Test wickets between them before this Test started, and 213 of them belonged to Rabada. Compare that to the 976 Test wickets South Africa’s quicks had under their belts in the first Test of the last series they played against India at home, in 2018, and it’s not difficult to see why there was a vast difference in performance.There was also, of course, a vast difference in personnel and conditions. Three years ago, South Africa fielded an XI that included Rabada, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel and it was the first and only time they played together. More’s the pity it wasn’t at the Wanderers although that Newlands surface had a decent amount of grass on it, and with rain in the air, the ball moved around. This pitch is not as sporting.”The wicket did less than we thought it was going to do,” Lungi Ngidi said. “I expected a bit more swing.”Instead, it was slow upfront and South Africa were unable to find the right lengths for most of the first session. They sent down a combination of too wide, too straight and too full and did not make the Indian openers play enough. Collectively, they produced only 22 false strokes in 28 overs in the morning session, and 60 in the entire day, which is not even one an over.Which brings us to the first question we need to ask about their approach on the first day:Why didn’t South Africa pick Duanne Olivier?Not only is Olivier the leading wicket-taker in the domestic first-class competition this season but he has bowled more overs in red-ball cricket in the last six months than anyone else in the squad, and a heck of a lot more than Rabada or Ngidi, who had delivered none before today. Although Olivier left South Africa on a Kolpak deal with a reputation for being able to bowl short but not offer too much else, he has returned with a different skill set and has proved his ability to pitch it up on Highveld surfaces. Olivier now plays his cricket at the Wanderers, where he has taken 24 of the 28 wickets he has in the four-day competition, and where he has shown himself to be a match-winner for the table-topping Lions.South Africa know he possesses all these qualities. Dean Elgar said as much earlier in the week and so did bowling coach Charl Langeveldt. Speaking to ESPNcricinfo ahead of this series, Langeveldt said, “He has changed. He used to be an enforcer, now he has more controlled aggression so he can do both roles: where he can hold the run rate, keep it down, and take wickets. With the new ball, he gives us the option where he can take it away from the right-hand batter and then he has got the change-up, the wobbler.”2:31

Did South Africa make the right choice in Marco Jansen over Duanne Olivier?

Sounds good but not good enough for the series opener. Instead, South Africa opted to give 2.06 metre-tall left-arm quick Jansen a debut, banking on his variation to give them an advantage. It was a gamble, considering Jansen’s lack of experience (19 first-class caps), India’s recent history which shows a distinct lack of struggle against left-arm fast bowlers, and the sense of occasion, especially as it was just four years ago that a teenage Jansen was starstruck and taking selfies with the Indian players in the nets. Then, Jansen beat Kohi three times in a row; today, he managed it twice in between some shorter deliveries and several aimed at the pads. While there is no doubting that Jansen is talented and could go on to play many matches for South Africa, he was too inconsistent to properly threaten the batters, and so, the reason for his selection, especially against the backdrop of Olivier’s availability, must be looked at.Cricket South Africa confirmed that Olivier is fully fit and there are no niggles that kept him sidelined. Ngidi didn’t know why Olivier was overlooked. “It was probably a senior call,” Ngidi said. “Even myself, having not played cricket in a while, I didn’t know if I could get the nod but we pick the team that we think is best going to give us the result.”Selection convener Victor Mpitsang was asked for the reason Olivier was not included but responded only to extend festive greetings and did not offer any further explanation. That can only leave us to wonder if Olivier had to be benched because he was not able to source a Test cap after framing his when he took a Kolpak deal in 2018. (Disclaimer: that’s not really what we think).Jansen’s inability to create sustained periods of pressure left it up to the rest of the attack to attempt to both control and attack and in trying to do both, they succeeded in neither. Though South Africa were much improved after lunch, and bowled more on a good length or just short of it and made India’s batters play more, it took a moment of sheer luck to drag them back into the game. How HawkEye saw that the Ngidi delivery that slid in from middle stump and beat Mayank Agarwal’s inside edge was clipping leg stump is anyone’s guess but it gave South Africa a breakthrough.They had clearly planned for what came next. Elgar placed Keegan Petersen at backward short leg, further back than usual, for Cheteshwar Pujara, who lunged forward to defend and inside-edged onto his pad to give Petersen the catch. And that’s where our next question must be asked: Why couldn’t South Africa capitalise on that passage of play? The answer may lie in how they chose to (not) use their spearhead, Rabada.Did Dean Elgar get his bowling changes right on the first day?•AFP/Getty ImagesAfter Ngidi’s double-strike, Jansen was brought on at the other end to bowl to Kohli and was then replaced by Keshav Maharaj, while Mulder took over from Ngidi. At a time when South Africa should have been searching for wickets, they did not call on Rabada. At that stage, he had delivered 13 overs, six in his opening spell and seven in a later spell, broken into five and two by the lunch interval. Although his post-lunch work finished four overs before Ngidi’s wickets, it may have been prudent to bring him back for a quick burst.Rabada only returned after tea, where he found some late swing and peppered KL Rahul with short balls in his most impressive but also most expensive spell. He overstepped four times in those four overs, which cost 20 runs and was not used again until the second new ball when he changed ends and delivered a further three overs. In total, Rabada delivered 20 overs, more than any of the other seamers but South Africa may want to consider if they used him in the most effective way.They can ask the same questions about almost every aspect of their performance on the opening day of their international season, from selections to strategy, and will realise if they don’t come up with some answers soon, it could be a very long, tough summer.Already, this match could get long. Ngidi remains hopeful South Africa can dismiss India for “anything under 350,” but acknowledged they all need to bowl a bit more like Rabada to tie India up.”It is a good deck if you bat properly. The fuller balls don’t do as much. You’ve really got to be accurate with your lengths. KG showed us that with good discipline, the game goes nowhere,” Ngidi said. And with where South Africa are now, nowhere could be good enough.

The Premier League is back, and it’s a massive weekend for Arsenal.

On the one hand, title rivals Manchester City have to play away to Newcastle United; on the other, they host bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Moreover, while Mikel Arteta has usually gotten the better of the Lilywhites, he’ll have to make do with defensive stalwart Gabriel Magalhaes.

With that said, the Gunners should still come out with all three points, especially if Arteta drops Eberechi Eze for one of his most important players.

Why Eze should be dropped

So, the first thing to make clear is that Eze is an outrageously talented footballer who will undoubtedly play a large part in Arsenal’s season as the year goes on.

Chalkboard

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

However, it would be fair to say that what is equally true is that he’s yet to show his full breathtaking ability in red and white, and therefore, should probably drop to the bench in this vital game.

After all, while he has racked up two goals and three assists for the team, he has just one goal involvement in the last six league games, and can, at times, go missing.

Now, if this were last season, there would be a solid argument for moving him out to the left, but Leandro Trossard has rolled back the years and is, frankly, undroppable.

So far, the Belgian has racked up eight goal involvements for the North Londoners, of which three have come in the last four league games.

Therefore, the former Crystal Palace star might be best served coming off the bench late into the game, as his ability to produce moments of magic is second to none.

Then, in his place, Arteta should bring one of the club’s best players back into the lineup, someone who has been compared to Dennis Bergkamp.

The Arsenal star who should replace Eze

While it would be a surprising move, Arteta should look to play Martin Odegaard instead of Eze tomorrow afternoon.

Now, before the pitchforks and torches come out, this is predicated on the Norwegian being fit enough to start.

However, considering he was training with the first team earlier in the week and the manager was rather vague about his status, it feels like he might be.

Moreover, it’s not as if the Spaniard doesn’t have a track record of suddenly bringing players straight back into the side.

With all that said, why should the 26-year-old come back into the side for this game?

Well, beyond him being the captain and this being a heated derby, he adds an element of control and metronomic understanding to the midfield that Eze doesn’t.

Moreover, on top of leading the press, the former Real Madrid wonderkid can play a sensationally weighted pass in behind a defence, which is what he was starting to do again before his recent injury.

It’s this ability to see a chance before most other players and act on it that led former Arsenal star Ray Parlour to describe the Drammen-born ace as “very similar” to the legendary Bergkamp.

The 67-capped Norwegian obviously isn’t on the same level as the Invincible, but that is something he shares with him.

Appearances

205

Starts

177

Minutes

15595′

Goals

41

Assists

40

Goal Involvements per Match

0.39

Minutes per Goal Involvement

192.53′

Finally, even though he had a poor campaign last season, the former dynamic difference-maker still has an excellent record, producing 81 goal involvements in 205 appearances.

Ultimately, so long as he’s fit enough to start, Arteta should replace Eze with Odegaard for Arsenal’s game on Sunday.

Arsenal handed another injury doubt for Tottenham clash after twist and Gabriel blow

It could see the recall of an exciting talent.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 21, 2025

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

Ireland’s lively start

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

Bangladesh roar back

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

Tanzid’s catching record

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

Tanzid leads the chase

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

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

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

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

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

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

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new additions this January

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

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

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

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

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

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

Why Spurs’ £61m target would be Simons 2.0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Games played

5

5

Goals & assists

2

1

Pass accuracy

83%

81%

Progressive passes

6.3

4.7

Passes into final third

3.8

2.9

Take-ons completed

2.7

2.1

Carries into final third

2.1

1.3

Crosses completed

2.4

2.1

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

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

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

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

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

needed kick to ignite his career in North London.

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1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 28, 2025

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

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

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

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

Newcastle's new superstars

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Newcastle signing who is the future of the club

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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By
Angus Sinclair

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

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

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

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

Fulham set to sound out Brendan Rodgers amid Marco Silva uncertainty

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

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

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

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

Games

198

Wins

90

Draws

37

Losses

71

Points per game

1.55

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

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

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

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ByCharlie Smith Nov 8, 2025

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

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

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

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

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

Why Rangers should have signed Lawrence Shankland

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rangers have their own answer to Shankland

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1

By
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Oct 27, 2025