Visitors tighten grip on second place after batting out final day at Wantage Road

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay11-Sep-2025Colin Ingram passed 1000 runs for the second successive season during a sparkling half-century on the final day of this drawn Rothesay County Championship match against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.Despite Northamptonshire declaring 54 runs behind overnight, Glamorgan ran out of time to force a result after most of day three was lost to rain. However, with Derbyshire and Middlesex also drawing at Lord’s, Glamorgan stole a march by earning three more bonus points than both their promotion rivals, further boosting their promotion hopes.It allowed the Welsh County to further cement second position in Division Two. Third-placed Derbyshire now lie 27 points behind, while Middlesex sit in fourth, 30 points back.Former South African international Ingram reached the 1000-run milestone in 10 games after missing two matches in May during Australian Marnus Labuschagne’s stint at Sophia Gardens. His 55, off 85 balls with 11 fours, was his seventh Championship half-century this season to go with three tons.Ingram was joined by Kiran Carlson in a fourth-wicket partnership of 88 in almost 23 overs, while Calvin Harrison took 3 for 46 to take his tally in nine loan games for Northamptonshire this summer to 35. Justin Broad claimed 2 for 18 in five pacy overs.With Chris Cooke making an unbeaten 40, Glamorgan declared on 241 for 7, 295 runs ahead, when the players shook hands on the draw at 4.20pm.Earlier Northamptonshire declared at their overnight total of 413 for 9, 54 behind. Luke Procter found significant movement in his opening spell. After leaving one which jagged back, Zain-ul-Hassan failed to learn his lesson and was bowled in the Northamptonshire captain’s next over, shouldering arms to a similar delivery. Procter almost picked up a second wicket when Sam Northeast edged low to the slips, a diving Broad only able to get his fingers to it.First-innings double-centurion Asa Tribe made 24 before he was caught behind down the leg side off Broad, who then found some sharp bounce to surprise Northeast, keeper Lewis McManus taking the catch above his head.Carlson got off the mark pulling a short delivery from Broad for four, but he got into a tangle against a well-directed bouncer from the allrounder which he could only glove safely over the keeper and slips. Ingram was harsh on anything wide from the seamers and swept and cut the spinners as he moved through the twenties, Glamorgan going into lunch on 95 for 3.After lunch Ingram brought up Glamorgan’s 100 with a thick edge through gully off Ben Whitehouse for four. The debutant almost picked up Ingram’s wicket when he hooked him to fine leg, but Nirvan Ramesh injured himself when he fell attempting the catch, the ball running away for four. After a delay, Ingram dispatched the next two Whitehouse deliveries for four, a dismissive pull shot and a punch through cover, while Carlson pulled a full toss from Saif Zaib for six.Ingram duly passed 1000 runs for the season by swinging Zaib through midwicket before a reverse sweep off Harrison took him to his half-century off 66 balls.Harrison then made a triple breakthrough in the space of 32 deliveries, turning one past Carlson’s bat as he edged through to the keeper. Ingram’s innings ended in bizarre fashion when he miscued an attempted sweep off Harrison onto his foot, the ball looping up to slip where Ricardo Vasconcelos took the catch.Batting with a runner due to a calf injury, Ben Kellaway made 18, but Harrison bowled him around his legs for the second time in the match as he attempted to sweep.After tea, Cooke and Timm van der Gugten played some lusty blows in a partnership of exactly 50 off 141 balls, before Whitehouse claimed his maiden first-class wicket when van der Gugten cut straight to Harrison at point.

Marseille striker Mason Greenwood has won the Ligue 1 Player of the Month award for October, marking the second time he has received the accolade since his transfer from Manchester United in the summer of 2024. The 24-year-old England international scored five Ligue 1 goals last month, including a remarkable four-goal haul during Marseille’s dominant 6-2 victory against Le Havre.

• Greenwood's dominant October performance

  The English international has been named Ligue 1 Player of the Month for October, as announced by the UNFP (Union Nationale des Footballeurs Professionnels), the players' union, on Sunday. This marks a significant achievement for Greenwood, who has continued to rebuild his career in France following his move from Manchester United.

  Greenwood's exceptional form in October saw him net five goals in Ligue 1. A standout performance included scoring four goals during Marseille's emphatic 6-2 win against Le Havre. He also contributed a goal in a narrow 2-1 loss against Lens, demonstrating his consistent attacking threat. This impressive tally of goals and overall contribution saw him beat out competition from Strasbourg's Joaquin Panichelli and OGC Nice's Sofiane Diop for the individual honour, securing 38% of the vote.

  This is the second time Greenwood has received the Ligue 1 Player of the Month award since joining Marseille in the summer of 2024. His consistent recognition underscores his impact on the French top flight.

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  Impressive season statistics and previous achievements

  Greenwood's current season statistics highlight his ongoing influence at Marseille. So far this season, he has scored nine goals and provided four assists across 15 appearances in all competitions. This follows a highly successful debut campaign in 2024-25, where he made an immediate impact after his permanent transfer from Manchester United.

  In his first season in Ligue 1, Greenwood scored an impressive 21 league goals in 34 matches, tying with PSG's Ousmane Dembele for the French Golden Boot. Marseille finished second behind Paris Saint-Germain in that campaign, a testament to Greenwood's vital contribution to their league challenge. His overall record with OM stands at 31 goals and ten assists in 51 games played across all competitions, as reported by AFP.

  Marseille are currently in a close contest for the Ligue 1 title, trailing league leaders PSG by just two points. Greenwood's prolific scoring and creative play are central to their ambitions.

• International aspirations: England or Jamaica?

  Despite his strong club form, Greenwood's international future remains a significant talking point. He made his only senior international appearance for England in 2020 in a Nations League clash against Iceland. Following serious criminal allegations, which were later dropped, his journey with the Three Lions appeared to end, leading to him being "blacklisted by the FA and head coach Thomas Tuchel from selection," according to the Daily Mail.

  Earlier this year, Greenwood acquired Jamaican citizenship through his lineage, making him eligible to represent the Jamaican national team. Jamaica's manager, former England boss Steve McClaren, even called him up for World Cup qualifiers in September. However, Greenwood did not commit at that time.

  McClaren explained in September: "We acquired a passport and we expected him to be coming to this camp but on a conversation with his family, he's not going to commit at this time to anybody. So he's taking his time over that." He added: "We will keep pursuing him because I know from my conversations with Mason that he loves Jamaica, he respects Jamaica. He wants to concentrate on club football and not commit to an international team at the moment."

  Despite this, reports suggest Greenwood is "obsessed" with the idea of returning to St George’s Park and still believes he can play for England again, even with the FA and Tuchel's current stance. With the 2026 World Cup approaching, a comeback for England appears improbable, yet Greenwood's ambition persists.

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• Potential Premier League return and European interest

  Greenwood's impressive performances in France have inevitably sparked speculation about a potential return to the Premier League. While a return to English top-flight football is considered "extremely unlikely" in the short term due to the significant public scrutiny an English club would face, reports suggest interest from Premier League sides.

  TEAMtalk reported interest from Tottenham and West Ham in signing Greenwood in 2026. Spurs are reportedly seeking a "dynamic, energetic player," while West Ham see him as a "potential game-changer." However, the report also indicates strong interest from other European clubs, with Atletico Madrid, impressed by his loan spell at Getafe, keen to bring him back to La Liga. Saudi Pro League clubs like Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr are also reportedly preparing lucrative offers, though Greenwood's current preference is to remain in Europe and compete in the Champions League.

The Baltimore Orioles have signed 37-year-old veteran starter Kyle Gibson to a one-year deal worth $5.25 million, according to a report from Ken Rosenthal of

The addition of Gibson comes after Grayson Rodriguez got hurt in spring training and will begin the regular season on the injured list with right elbow inflammation. Gibson has made at least 30 starts in each of the past four seasons, and is back in Baltimore for a second stint after spending the 2023 season with the Orioles.

Gibson owns a career 4.52 ERA across his 12 seasons as a professional, and has 1,510 career strikeouts.

Down 4-3 to the New York Yankees in the ninth inning with a runner in scoring position, the Kansas City Royals had a chance to tie things up at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night.

Then, Cody Bellinger happened.

Facing a hitter-friendly 2-1 count, MJ Melendez ripped a liner into deep right field that looked destined to land and knock the tying run in. Bellinger, however, quickly tracked it down and made a sliding catch, making the final out of the contest and giving the Yanks their 11th win of the season.

Check out the highlight reel-worthy snag here:

Bellinger, a former Gold Glove winner, is playing his first season in New York, meaning Yankees fans are still getting used to seeing him in the outfield.

Based on their reactions across X (formerly Twitter), Wednesday night's snag has them fired up for what's to come. Take a look:

Winners of three straight, the Yankees are headed to Tampa Bay on Tuesday to take on the Rays—who are inhabiting New York's spring training home of George M. Steinbrenner Field this season.

First pitch for the pseudo double home game is set for 7:05 p.m. EST.

It would be fair to say that, so far, this season has been a topsy-turvy one for Newcastle United.

For example, Eddie Howe’s side had a really disappointing start to the campaign, winning just two of their first six Premier League games.

However, in recent weeks, they’ve also had some seriously impressive results, like beating Manchester City, Athletic Bilbao, and, most recently, destroying Everton.

One of the players who has had a real uptick in form recently has been Harvey Barnes, who looks like a player reborn, although, if reports are to be believed, Newcastle are looking at someone who’d be a huge upgrade.

Newcastle target Barnes upgrade

With the transfer window just over a month away now, Newcastle are starting to be linked with a host of exciting and potentially game-changing signings who could bolster Howe’s side.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

AS Roma’s promising Manu Kone, for example, has been touted for a £44m move, as has Inter Milan’s Italian international Davide Frattesi.

However, while both players would be fine additions to the Magpies’ squad, neither could be described as an upgrade on Barnes, unlike Raphinha.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Newcastle are now one of the clubs interested in signing the Brazilian superstar.

In fact, the report has revealed that the Toon view the Barcelona star as someone who could be the cornerstone of their attack moving forward and are determined to fight hard to secure his services.

However, the former Leeds United star has shown no desire to leave the Spanish giants, and even though he’ll have just a year left on his deal in the summer, other reports have claimed that it could cost up to £88m to get him out of Catalonia.

Even so, given Raphinha’s immense ability and experience, this is a transfer Newcastle should fight tooth and nail to get over the line, even if his arrival could spell trouble for Barnes.

How Raphinha compares to Barnes

Now, one of Raphinha’s many qualities is that he can play on either wing, which would allow Howe some extra flexibility were this transfer to happen.

However, during his time with Barcelona, he has primarily played on the left, which is also where he has been most effective.

Therefore, it would make sense for Newcastle to keep him there, which in turn would put him in direct competition with Barnes, which, based on several reasons, he would win, and comfortably at that.

The first reason is the simple fact that he is far more productive than the former Leicester City star.

For example, in his 40 appearances last season, totalling 2121 minutes, the Burnley-born ace scored nine goals and provided five assists, which came out to a reasonably impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.85 games, or every 151.5 minutes.

In contrast, the Barca star scored 34 goals and provided 26 assists in 57 appearances, totalling 4661 minutes, which came out to a world-class average of 1.05 goal involvements every game, or one every 77.68 minutes.

This season, the former Leeds star has scored three goals and provided three assists in ten appearances, totalling 571 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.66 games, or more importantly, every 95.16 minutes.

Games

57

40

Minutes

4661′

2121′

Goals

34

9

Assists

26

5

Goal Involvements per Match

1.05

0.35

Minutes per Goal Involvement

77.68′

151.5′

Games

10

20

Minutes

571′

996′

Goals

3

7

Assists

3

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.6

0.45

Minutes per Goal Involvement

95.16′

110.66′

The Englishman, on the other hand, has produced nine goal involvements, but has done so in 20 appearances, totalling 996 minutes, which comes out to one every 2.22 games, or every 110.66 minutes.

Now, on top of putting up numbers that are frankly absurd, the Porto Alegre-born superstar is also a proven winner, having played a crucial role in the Blaugrana’s last two La Liga triumphs, as well as last year’s Copa del Rey.

Ultimately, Barnes is a great player, but thanks to his output, experience and trophy haul, it’s hard to disagree with Romario’s assertion that Raphinha is “one of the best players in the world.”

Therefore, Newcastle should do what they can to sign him next year, as he could be the star who takes them to the next level.

Forget Barnes: Newcastle have a "world-class" star who can end Gordon's stay

Newcastle’s Three Lions winger has flattered to deceive for some time now.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 27, 2025

How will Sunderland respond to their Craven Cottage setback?

Unfortunately, for the Black Cats, their return to the Premier League after the international break was rather subdued, as Regis Le Bris’ men slipped to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Fulham.

They could put things instantly right, though, with a welcome return to home soil up next versus AFC Bournemouth, with the Wearside giants yet to lose at their beloved Stadium of Light so far this season in league action.

The games come thick and fast after this clash with the Cherries, too, with a Tyne-Wear Derby even on the menu as an early Christmas treat in mid-December.

Before you know it, the January transfer window will also reopen, as Sunderland already begin to be linked with some high-profile captures.

Sunderland looking to spend more big money

Le Bris will be hopeful that Wilson Isidor can break his four-game goalscoring duck when Andoni Iraola’s men come to town.

If he does continue to fire blanks, though, Sunderland could be prepared to splash the cash on a flashy, new striker recruit in January, as AC Milan forward Santiago Gimenez begins to be tipped for a move to England, for around the £26m price range.

He, of course, isn’t the only Serie A talent on the Premier League newcomers’ agenda, however.

Indeed, the main rumour rumbling on, heading into the bumper window, is Matteo Guendouzi potentially returning to England with the Black Cats, with a £26m move also being reported on for the Frenchman to link back up with his ex-Lorient manager in Le Bris.

There is a slight spanner in the works, though, with Italian journalist Enrico de Lellis stating – via a relayed report from Sport Witness – that the Lazio star isn’t keen on joining the newly promoted side, even with an offer allegedly being on the table for his services.

De Lellis said: “Guendouzi has an offer from Sunderland, but the player doesn’t want to go there.”

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The Mackems could well have to battle it out with Antonio Conte’s Napoli for his signature, as per further words from de Lellis, but fighting it out with some elite clubs in the past hasn’t stopped the Black Cats from landing other statement signings, as Le Bris aims to land his next Le Fee in Guendouzi.

How Guendouzi can be Le Bris' next Le Fee

Once allegedly on the radar of Arsenal, Le Fee would end up being a major coup of a loan signing for Le Bris and Co. during their promotion heroics last season.

Le Fee’s classy displays – which included this goal being expertly put away during the tense run-in – gave the Black Cats just that extra bit of pizazz to seal a dramatic return to the Premier League, as the French boss now hopes Guendouzi’s arrival can gift Sunderland another calm and controlled performer, like Fee, in their ongoing bid to punch above their weight in the top-flight.

Like his fellow compatriot, though, who struggled to get going at Lazio’s fierce rivals in AS Roma, Guendouzi hasn’t always had it his own way during his bumpy career.

He was discarded by Arsenal at the close of the 2021/22 season for his “petulance” often getting the better of him, as per the words of ex-Gunners defender Lee Dixon.

Thankfully, since his Emirates departure, Guendouzi has managed to turn into a goal-and-assist machine in Serie A with 16 goal contributions collected, with an expectation he will return to the Premier League and be capable of delivering on the big stage, much like Le Fee showed off when he converted a penalty against Brentford in late August.

Guendouzi in Serie A – 2025/26
Stat (* = per 90 mins)	Guendouzi
Games played	10
Goals scored	2
Assists	1
Touches*	57.2
Accurate passes*	41.5 (89%)
Ball recoveries*	4.3
Total duels won*	3.0
Stats by Sofascore

He has also put his hot-headedness, which became his undoing in North London, to better use in Italy, with an energetic 4.3 ball recoveries averaged per Serie A clash this season, backing up claims that he is a “monster” by scout Jacek Kulig.

Amazingly, Guendouzi’s high ball recovery numbers put him on the same pedestal as another of Arsenal’s reinvigorated ex-roster in Granit Xhaka, who has 4.6 ball recoveries averaged next to his name. Le Bris will surely be champing at the bit at the prospect of both his ex-Lorient youngster and his standout captain battling it out together from the centre of the park, away from any Le Fee comparisons.

It could well be a deal that’s hard to pull off, but Sunderland’s ambition has previously been rewarded in Le Fee, who joined the ranks permanently in the summer for £19.3m.

For around £6m more, this feels like a transfer fight worth persisting with.

Isidor upgrade: Sunderland open talks to sign "unstoppable" £26m striker

Sunderland are reportedly keen on a move for a striker who could come in as an upgrade on Wilson Isidor.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 27, 2025

“One of the most disgusting showings I have ever seen.” Those were the words used to sum up Manchester United’s 1-0 home loss to Everton by H, analyst for The Overlap.

One year on from Ruben Amorim’s first game in charge, the Red Devils put in a performance to forget at Old Trafford.

The Toffees, who started the game on the front foot, were down to 10 men early on in strange circumstances.

Idrissa Gueye was sent off for fighting with Michael Keane. However, the red card did not affect the Toffees, who soon took the lead after a stunning individual goal from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

United were lacklustre in attack for much of the game, with Amorim sticking rigidly to his infamous 3-4-2-1 system, which, on Monday night, did not work. They had 25 shots, but managed just six on target, and looked devoid of any creativity.

The closest the Red Devils came was through Joshua Zirkzee, making his first start of the season. His well-directed header looked goal-bound, but Jordan Pickford pulled off a superb diving stop to keep it out. That was as good as it got for United.

It was a night to forget for Amorim’s side, with Bruno Fernandes one man who struggled.

Fernandes' stats vs. Everton

So often, the player United look towards in the moments when they need inspiration, Fernandes struggled to have a real impact on the game.

Perhaps that is because the Red Devils boss plays him so deep, where he cannot have as much of an influence in the final third.

On Monday against Everton, a club the Portuguese star has had plenty of success against, the final killer ball, something that would normally carve open a defence, was missing.

The United captain tried his luck from range twice but failed to test Pickford and missed a golden opportunity late on from close range, after good play by Mason Mount.

His disappointing performance was noticed by Steven Railston, United writer for the Manchester Evening News. He gave their skipper a 4/10 match rating, describing Fernandes’ efforts against the Toffees as “sloppy.”

The stats certainly reflected that rating. Normally, one of the players who can muster something up out of nowhere, United’s number 8 could only create two chances, despite looking after the ball well, losing it just 13 times out of 115 touches.

It was certainly not the best night at the office for Fernandes, although there was one of his teammates who was far more disappointing.

Man United's worst player vs Everton

It was a night to forget for several United stars, but one of those who struggled most was Patrick Dorgu. The Dane had little impact on the left-hand side and was too often slack in possession or missing the final pass to create an opportunity.

Indeed, Dorgu’s stats from the game highlight his struggles against the Toffees.

He had 41 touches, completing just 76% of his passes and only creating one chance. He also blazed an effort over the bar after getting on the end of a good cross from Zirkzee in the first half.

Touches

41

Pass accuracy

76%

Opposition half passes completed

8/15

Possession lost

11

Duels won

2/6

Crosses completed

0/3

Key passes

1

Railston did not seem to think highly of the United number 13’s performance against the Toffees. He gave the 21-year-old a 3/10, the lowest of any teammate, claiming that he “looks low on confidence” and put in a “poor” showing on Monday.

The journalist also suggested Diogo Dalot will come into the side on Sunday for United’s trip to Crystal Palace. Certainly, Amorim will have a selection decision ahead of the clash at Selhurst Park, with the wing-back’s place in the side perhaps on the line.

As Utd Faithfuls said over on X, he can be “unreliable” at times. Coming up against a high-flying Eagles team on Sunday lunchtime, this might be cause for concern, and Amorim might well decide to rotate the youngster out of the side.

There are options at his disposal. Dalot is one player who could operate out there, or a centre-back could slot into the side, with Luke Shaw pushing further up the pitch to play high and wide instead.

It will be interesting to see if Amoirm decides to switch things up and take Dorgu out of the side against Palace. It is certainly a must-win game for United, as they look to get back to winning ways and push for Europe.

Better than Joao Gomes: Man Utd make £52m "monster" a concrete target

Man Utd are looking to add depth to their midfield this winter

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 24, 2025

The word coming from FSG’s camp is that Arne Slot’s position as Liverpool’s head coach is not immediately under threat.

However, the owners who watched as Liverpool dominantly conquered the Premier League last season are now staring down the barrel of a gun regarding the Dutchman’s future at the helm, with nine losses from 12 matches in all competitions an inexplicable slide in form.

Liverpool’s crisis of confidence has left their title defence in tatters, and Slot is now facing a fight to save his position at Anfield, with the upcoming run of league fixtures – West Ham United, Sunderland, Leeds United – over the next week sure to shape the narrative and whether this rut deepens.

FSG might feel that Liverpool’s title-winning boss still has some credit in the bank, but that will change if things don’t improve, and sporting director Richard Hughes has already compiled a list of potential replacements.

Hughes begins search for Slot successor

While Liverpool are not ready to pull the trigger, they would be remiss not to sound out a few options in the event that things continue to deteriorate on Merseyside.

Earlier this week, Spanish sources suggested Jurgen Klopp is back in the mix as Hughes looks for solutions, but this would not be the right path to travel back down. The legendary German departed Liverpool in 2024 after admitting he was tired from so many taxing years at the top.

However, the Reds might choose to move for another manager who is established as one of the best in the business, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Luis Enrique emerging as a contender.

Enrique, 55, was the man behind PSG’s incredible quadruple-winning 2024/25 season, previously reaping riches with Barcelona, and reports – via The Mirror – believe Liverpool have made him their long-term priority in the event of Slot’s dismissal.

The suggestion is that conversations have been held at boardroom level at Anfield, amid fears over whether Slot has lost the dressing room, hence why Enrique could be lined up as a potential successor.

Why Enrique could be perfect for Liverpool

Some critical observers would suggest that Liverpool started foundering after PSG knocked Slot out of the Champions League in the last 16. Certainly, the English side petered out as the season entered the business stretch.

An experienced and decorated manager, Enrique has been hailed as “the best manager in the world” by French journalist Julien Laurens for reaching unprecedented heights with PSG, creating a stable and multi-faceted attacking outfit that was practically invincible last season.

His fluid philosophy could be attracting Hughes’ interest. Enrique employs a 4-3-3 formation, but he’s experimental with his ideas, utilising full-back width and clever passing patterns in the build-up.

This could give rise to the qualities of Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz, but Alexander Isak might benefit most from this potential managerial switch.

Enrique’s teams score goals. Moreover, they do so with style. Ousmane Dembele would certainly attest to that.

The current crisis makes it easy to forget that Isak is one of the deadliest strikers of his generation, and Enrique’s acumen would surely see a system wrought to accommodate the 26-year-old’s qualities.

Isak looks a world away from that world-class striker who tore English football apart at St. James’ Park, but, as with several other summer recruits, he has struggled to adapt in a dysfunctional team.

Liverpool are hardly a hothouse for player growth at the moment, but that is why Enrique could be such an interesting pick.

They are hardly carbon copies, but Isak and Dembele share a likeness, and, considering this, Enrique could reshape the Swedish striker into a free-scoring superstar.

Dembele vs Isak (past 12 months)

Stats (per 90)

Dembele

Isak

Goals scored

1.08

0.72

Assists

0.32

0.19

Shots taken

4.69

2.91

Touches (att pen)

7.94

5.93

Shot-creating actions

6.02

2.91

Pass completion

80.2

74.7

Progressive passes

7.46

3.25

Progressive carries

5.94

2.72

Successful take-ons

1.80

1.44

Ball recoveries

1.36

1.81

Tackles + interceptions

0.68

0.57

Data via FBref

While it might look like Isak pales in comparison to the 2025 Ballon d’Or recipient, different factors need to be considered. Isak plays in an ostensibly tougher league and was considered to be “the best striker” in England last season, as was said by pundit Jamie Carragher.

If anything, this bears testament to Enrique’s tactical prowess, and given the natural stylistic similarities, it could be the perfect move to finally unlock the latent qualities of Liverpool’s star striker.

Related He's like Semenyo: Liverpool to bid £105m for "world-class" Gakpo upgrade

Liverpool are gearing up to sign a left-sided forward in the transfer market this winter.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Nov 28, 2025

The visitors are 0-1 down and will want to show their versatility playing in early-seaon, seam-friendly Australian conditions

Karthik Krishnaswamy01-Nov-2025Big picture: India will want to show their versatilityRelax, India. Your most relentless tormentor has left the building. Josh Hazlewood, perhaps the most influential player on either side during the ODI series and the first two T20Is, has turned his attention to preparing for the Ashes.Australia are 1-0 up with three games to go, but they suddenly don’t look like the same bowling team anymore.They will, however, welcome back Glenn Maxwell, who joins the T20I squad after recovering from the fractured wrist that has kept him out of action since mid-September. His return brings a new dimension to Australia’s line-up, particularly with the bat, and particularly against India’s spinners.It’s hard to say how much learning either of these teams can take from this series with the T20 World Cup in February-March in mind. That tournament will be played in India and Sri Lanka; conditions will be entirely different to those we’ve seen in the early part of this Australian summer, with levels of seam movement and bounce that are seldom to be found anywhere in the world in white-ball cricket.For all that, though, India want to be an all-weather T20 team; on the evidence of the second T20I on Friday, there are still gaps to plug, with bat as well as ball. There were times at the MCG where they looked, both on paper and in the field, like an XI assembled with Asian conditions in mind.Over the next three matches, India will want to show they have the versatility to win consistently even in these conditions — no matter how similar or dissimilar they may be to what they get at the World Cup.Form guideAustralia WWWWL (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
India LWWWWSanju Samson has been trying to adapt to an unfamiliar role, batting down the order•Associated PressIn the spotlight: Maxwell and SamsonThe last time he played for Australia, Glenn Maxwell won them a T20I against South Africa in a manner only he and a handful of others can, from 122 for 6 in a chase of 173. That, though, was his first half-century in 11 T20I innings. That’s what you get from a player of Maxwell’s high-wire game. His T20 numbers against India’s wristspinners show a similar boom-or-bust tendency: a strike rate of 165.30 against Kuldeep Yadav, but also five dismissals in 49 balls, and a strike rate of 151.51 against Varun Chakravarthy while being dismissed five times in 33 balls. Whatever happens in this contest, you can be sure it will entertain. Maxwell will have a role to play with the ball too, possibly even with the new ball against Abhishek Sharma, even if teams are quickly finding out that a number of left-hand batters, Abhishek among them, are getting increasingly adept at taking offspin apart.Sanju Samson has been trying to adapt to an unfamiliar role at No. 5 or 6 in India’s T20I line-up ever since Shubman Gill’s return squeezed him out of the opening slot. He got the opportunity at the MCG to bat in the more familiar environs of No. 3, but his innings was shortlived, undone by a Nathan Ellis in-ducker that exploited his tendency to hang back and get stuck on the crease even against fullish lengths. If India have continued to back him ahead of Jitesh Sharma, it’s partly because of his strong record against pace. Samson has certainly got the attacking game when he’s in; he will, however, have to bat on pitches where sometimes he’ll have to survive one or two overs before he gets to unleash.Team news: Will India bring in pace-bowling support?Who replaces Hazlewood in Australia’s attack? Sean Abbott, who will himself leave the squad after the third T20I, seems the likeliest candidate, although Australia could potentially throw a surprise at India by handing the West Australian tearaway Mahli Beardman (who has, along with Maxwell, joined the squad) an international debut. Maxwell, who has recovered from his wrist fracture, will likely replace either Mitchell Owen or Matthew Short in the middle order.Australia (probable): 1 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 2 Travis Head, 3 Josh Inglis (wk), 4 Tim David, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Mitchell Owen/Matthew Short, 7 Marcus Stoinis, 8 Xavier Bartlett, 9 Nathan Ellis, 10 Sean Abbott/Mahli Beardman, 11 Matt Kuhnemann.Mahli Beardman was an Under-19 World Cup winner in 2024•Gallo ImagesIndia tend not to make too many changes to their T20I XI when series are still alive, but they might be having discussions around the balance of their team after how Friday’s game went. Do they view Shivam Dube as a viable bowling option in these conditions, and if not, could a specialist finisher in Rinku Singh, a batter with more pace-hitting pedigree, serve them better? And are two frontline seamers enough on these early-season Australian pitches, with or without Dube chipping in with a few overs?India (probable): 1 Shubman Gill, 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Sanju Samson (wk), 6 Axar Patel, 7 Shivam Dube/Rinku Singh, 8 Harshit Rana, 9 Kuldeep Yadav/Arshdeep Singh, 10 Varun Chakravarthy, 11 Jasprit Bumrah.Pitch and conditions: Early season, lower totalsHobart can produce high-scoring games as well as low-scoring games, as its last two T20Is suggest. In February 2024, Australia beat West Indies in a match where both teams passed 200. Then, in November, Australia bowled Pakistan out for 117 and romped to victory in 11.2 overs.The timing of those matches may have had something to do with how they panned out. Four T20Is played in Hobart in January and February have produced an average first-innings total of 190, while nine completed T20Is in October and November have produced an average first-innings total of 148. Could these lower totals be down to early-summer juice in the pitches? Or do they just reflect the quality of the teams that batted in those games? Or is it all just randomness? And will it have any bearing on Sunday?A mostly clear day is expected, with evening temperatures cooling from the mid 20s to the low 20s.Stats and trivia: Samson, Tilak, Abhishek and David near 1000 T20I runs Sanju Samson needs five runs to become the 12th India batter with 1000 T20I runs. Tilak Varma and Abhishek Sharma, who have played 31 and 25 T20I innings to Samson’s 43, need 38 and 64 runs to get there respectively. Tim David is 50 runs away from the same landmark Glenn Maxwell is one wicket away from 50 in T20Is, and Marcus Stoinis is three wickets away (). Jasprit Bumrah is two wickets away from 100 in T20Is. Arshdeep Singh (101) is the only India bowler to have got to that mark so far. India have a positive win-loss record against all T20I oppositions. Against Australia so far, they’ve won 20 and lost 12. India have never played a T20I in Hobart.

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Botafogo e LDU se enfrentam nesta quarta-feira (8), pela quarta rodada da fase de grupos da Libertadores. A bola vai rolar a partir das 21h30 (de Brasília) no Estádio Nilton Santos, com transmissão de TV Globo, ESPN e Star+ (streaming). O Glorioso é o lanterna do grupo com três pontos, enquanto os equatorianos somam quatro e ocupam a segunda colocação.

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✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
BOTAFOGO X LDU
Libertadores – Fase de Grupos – 4ª rodada

🗓️Data e horário:quarta-feira, 8 de maio de 2024, às 21h30 (de Brasília);
📍Local:Estádio Nilton Santos, no Rio de Janeiro (RJ)
📺Onde assistir: TV Globo, ESPN eDarío Herrera (ARG) Star+
🟨Árbitro:Darío Herrera (ARG)
🚩Assistentes: Facundo Rodríguez (ARG) e Ezequiel Brailovsky (ARG)
🖥️VAR:Hernán Mastrangelo (ARG)

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⚽PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES
BOTAFOGO (Técnico: Artur Jorge)
John; Damián Suárez, Bastos, Lucas Halter e Hugo; Marlon Freitas e Gregore (Danilo Barbosa); Luiz Henrique (Savarino), Jeffinho, Júnior Santos e Eduardo.

LDU (Técnico: Josep Alcácer)
Alexander Domínguez; Quintero, Ade, Facundo Rodríguez e Quiñonez; Piovi, Villamil, Azugaray e Jhojan Julio; Estrada e Arce.

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