Tottenham Hotspur have had a fair few talents that have been underappreciated over the years, but none more so than central midfielder Mousa Dembélé.

The Belgian joined the Lilywhites in a £15m deal from Fulham back in the summer of 2012, with many supporters unaware of the quality he possessed prior to his switch to North London.

He racked up a total of 249 senior appearances during his seven-year spell at the club, arguably cementing himself as one of their best ever midfielders.

From dazzling runs with the ball at his feet to dominant physical displays out of possession, the talent cemented himself as a key player during his spell in the Premier League.

Since his move to Guangzhou City in 2019, the Lilywhites have massively lacked a player of his quality, with Thomas Frank unable to rely upon one player to be his own version of the Belgian.

Why Bentancur has struggled with Spurs in 2025/26

After Frank’s arrival in the summer, there was a huge question mark around what system the Dane would operate with at Spurs after utilising various formations at Brentford.

However, it appears as though the 52-year-old has settled on a three-man midfield in a 4-3-3 system, which has seen Joao Palhinha operate at the base, with two box-to-box players ahead of him.

Rodrigo Bentancur has been one of the most utilised players in such an area, as seen by his tally of 10 appearances out of a possible 11 in the Premier League to date.

However, the Uruguayan has struggled to impress in those outings, even being benched against Manchester United in the final game before the ongoing international break.

The 28-year-old’s underlying stats from the 2025/26 season showcase his struggles of late, which could see him drop down the pecking order further in the months ahead.

He has only created 0.6 chances per 90 this season, which ranks him in the bottom 25% of all players in the division – often struggling to make a huge impact when in possession.

Such a skillset is vital when playing with Palhinha at the heart of the side, with the Portuguese international known to break up the play and allow those around him to provide the creative spark.

However, out of possession, Bentancur has also struggled under Frank, only making 0.5 interceptions per 90, which also places him in the lower quarter of all midfielders in England’s top-flight.

The aforementioned figures highlight his all-round struggles in North London, which could certainly put his long-term future at the club in jeopardy – that’s despite penning a new deal earlier this campaign.

The Spurs star who’s already showing 'shades of Dembele'

Top-level midfielders in the modern game cost a small fortune, with numerous clubs in the Premier League often forking out mammoth sums to land world-class talents.

Four teams in England’s top-flight have spent £100m or more on a midfielder in the last five years, with Chelsea doing so on more than one occasion, with deals for Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernández.

However, Spurs are a club that unfortunately aren’t in a position to willingly fork out such funds in the market, with more of a focus being directed to younger prospects.

Dominic Solanke remains the club’s record addition at £65m back in the summer of 2024, with no midfielder in Frank’s current first-team squad being bought for over £55m.

The likes of Lucas Bergvall and Pape Sarr both cost a combined £22m, with both now managing to establish themselves as key first-team members in 2025/26.

However, the academy system is another avenue for clubs to go down, with the Lilywhites desperately needing to put faith in youngster Tyrese Hall in the years ahead.

The midfielder joined the club at the age of just eight, subsequently spending 12 years in the youth ranks, before making the move to join Notts County on loan in the summer.

Such a move came after the youngster registered six goals and seven assists in 28 U21 appearances in 2024/25, with such a move being his first taste of senior football.

However, whilst it may appear a daunting task to many, Hall has taken it all in his stride, as seen by his impressive numbers at Meadow Lane over the past few months.

Tyrese Hall – Career Stats by Position
Season	Apps	Goals (assists)
Central midfield	30	6 (5)
Defensive midfield	19	3 (4)
Attacking midfield	18	5 (3)
Centre-forward	6	3 (2)
Left midfield	3	1 (1)
Right midfield	1	1 (0)
Stats via Transfermarkt

The 20-year-old has already found the net on six occasions, with his latest strike proving to be the winner in the affair with Cheltenham Town at the beginning of the month.

Whilst he’s operated in a more advanced role with the Magpies, Hall has previously featured slightly deeper – even playing as a number eight for the Lilywhites in a post-season friendly back in 2024.

The youngster was brought on as a substitute in such a fixture and even impressed, with one of the commentators that day claiming he was showing “shades of Mousa Dembele”.

Such praise is huge given the levels produced by the Belgian during his own time in North London, with real hope that Hall can match such levels if given the opportunity.

At 20, he still has bags of time to reach his full potential, with his loan spell at Notts County undoubtedly helping him in his quest in the professional game.

However, Frank will need to keep a close eye on his progress and potentially hand him the opportunity to impress him in pre-season ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

Dream Simons replacement: Frank has "one of England's best talents" at Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur already have an elite-level prospect on their hands in North London.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 18, 2025

Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez has insisted that Cristiano Ronaldo still justifies his place in the national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup, highlighting not only his recent goalscoring form at international level but also the "hunger" that drives the 40-year-old five-time Ballon d'Or winner. Ronaldo is set to play at his sixth World Cup tournament, which is likely to be his last.

Ronaldo's record is 'incredible'

Appearing as a guest analyst on , Martinez spoke at length about Ronaldo and why he remains an important asset for Portugal, even at an age when most players are long retired.He will be 41 by the time the World Cup comes around and has a contract with Al-Nassr that runs until after his 42nd birthday in 2027.

"Obviously, everybody has an opinion [on Ronaldo]," Martinez said. "What I've been seeing is that, when we win and Cristiano scores the goal or two goals, the question in the press is, 'What are you going to do when Cristiano is not there? The team depends on Cristiano too much.' When Cristiano doesn't score, it's 'How are you going to win when you've got a 40-year-old in the team?'

"For us, it's easier than that. He plays because he's scored 25 goals in the last 30 games. His record is incredible. When he walks into the training camp, he's an example of professionalism, looking after himself, and using every day to become better. Then it's that pride of playing for the national team. He's the only [male] player in the world, in history, to play 227 [international] games.

"There are aspects that go down to the behaviour now. Nobody has anything given in international football. Every player has got an incredible competitive edge and what Cristiano brings alongside goalscoring – he's changed as a player, he's not the 18, 19-year-old winger that we saw – is his attitude and hungry feeling for the national team. So, while he has that, he's an incredible source of contagious positivity in the dressing room."

AdvertisementGetty ImagesRonaldo has the 'biggest hunger' of any player

After everything he's achieved in his career, Martinez noted that Ronaldo is still determined to get better. His physical body is serving him well and it’s only his mindset that will change that.

"He's become a specialist in the box as a finisher, and it's this desire to carry on improving," the Portugal boss continued. "I always believed that the body retires the player. When I've seen Cristiano work, I'm convinced it's the brain that retires the footballer. His body follows his focus and mindset.

"He doesn't do it for anybody [else], he does it for himself. When we're analysing players, we can speak about any aspect, [but] we never analyse the hunger. He's got the biggest hunger that I've seen in a player. Normally a player wins a trophy and there is not the same hunger the next day in their way of working. He has that. I don't know if it's natural or something he works hard at, but he's got that hungriness not to let himself down.

"I don't think he needs to show anything. I think he's got to a point now that he plays for himself and the people he loves because he doesn't need to prove anybody wrong. What he's achieved already is enough to leave a legacy."

Ronaldo's recent lack of tournament goals

But even with Ronaldo continuing to score goals for Portugal at a prolific rate, including in the summer's UEFA Nations League final against Spain, his record in major international tournaments has been surprisingly poor by his overall career standard.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid superstar has only found the net eight times across his five previous World Cups, spanning 22 appearances. His European Championship record is better, 14 goals in 30 games, but it's still only 22 goals in more than 50 tournament games for a player who holds the world record for goals in men's international football.

Ronaldo found the net only once at the 2022 World Cup and was actually dropped from the starting XI by ex-Portugal coach Fernando Santos after the group stage. At Euro 2024, it was no goals at all.

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AFPRonaldo's exemplary fitness record

Ronaldo has never missed an international tournament because of injury, nor has he ever suffered any kind of significant absence during 23 years as a professional player – it's a major factor why he's been able to play more than 1,000 career games for club and country.

Keeping himself fit over the next six months, whilst also aiming to win a first piece of major silverware at club level since leaving Juventus in 2021, is going to be crucial.

Former India great set to become the first capped male Indian player to play in the BBL with Thunder, Hurricanes, Sixers and Strikers all chasing him

Alex Malcolm and Sidharth Monga23-Sep-2025

R Ashwin at a training session•PTI

R Ashwin is set to become the first capped male India player to play in the BBL with four clubs vying for his services to play in the latter stages of the upcoming season.It is understood that Sydney Thunder, Hobart Hurricanes, Sydney Sixers and Adelaide Strikers are the four teams chasing Ashwin’s signature in what is set to be a major coup for the BBL. Thunder and Hurricanes appear to be the frontrunners for the India great with a deal likely to be finalised later this week.No internationally capped India male player has played in the BBL previously, but Ashwin’s retirement from the IPL earlier this year has opened the door for him to play franchise cricket overseas for the first time.Related

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Only retired Indian players are allowed by the BCCI to participate in overseas T20 leagues. Earlier this year, Dinesh Karthik played for Paarl Royals in the SA20. In 2023, Ambati Rayudu turned up to play for St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in the CPL, and then in January 2024 with MI Emirates in the ILT20. Robin Uthappa and Yusuf Pathan featured for Dubai Capitals in the ILT20. Two years ago, Suresh Raina was part of Deccan Gladiators in the Abu Dhabi T10.Ashwin has already committed to the first-ever ILT20 auction in the UAE, which will take place next Tuesday. If bought, he will play out the ILT20, which has changed dates for the upcoming season and will now run from December 2 until January 4.The BBL begins on December 14, and the home-and-away part of the season runs until January 18. The finals will be held between January 20 and 25. It means Ashwin will be available for three-four games at the end of the season for one of those teams, plus finals should the team he signs with qualify. ESPNcricinfo understands that his deal will also include the BBL for the 2026-27 season.BBL clubs can only play three overseas players in their XI. Each of the clubs has already locked three players in via the league’s pre-signing rules and the June overseas draft. Clubs can sign an additional four overseas replacement players, meaning they can have up to seven on their list, but only three can play at any one time. Also, if any of the teams release an international player for SA20, Ashwin could fit in as a replacement for him.The league rules state that replacement overseas players have to nominate themselves for the draft, which Ashwin did not as he had not retired from IPL cricket at the time. But there is an exemption for overseas players to be allowed to play in the BBL if their circumstances have changed. Former New Zealand batter Martin Guptill was previously signed by Melbourne Renegades in 2022-23 after retiring from international cricket despite missing the inaugural BBL overseas draft. England star Nat Sciver-Brunt was allowed to play for Perth Scorchers in the WBBL after being cleared by the ECB, having initially been ruled out of nominating for the draft due to injury.The club that signs Ashwin will still have to fit his salary inside their overall purse, much of which will already have been allocated for most squads, but there will likely be an additional marketing agreement with Cricket Australia that will not count towards the salary cap for the team that lands him.Teams can also go over the cap by 5% in a particular year with approval from the league’s technical committee, provided that it is offset over a three-year period.

A lot has been said in recent weeks about Liverpool offloading Luis Diaz this summer.

With hindsight on side, Arne Slot and Co would now have kept a tighter grip on their Colombian attacker, with the South American winger already up to 11 goals and six assists donning a new shade of red at Bayern Munich.

Back at Anfield, both Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak remain goalless in Premier League action, on the contrary.

Still, he isn’t the only sale this summer that will be plaguing the stuttering reigning champions with Jarell Quansah now in the good books of England manager Thomas Tuchel, after leaving Merseyside behind for his own German challenge.

Why letting go of Quansah was a mistake

The bumper summer transfer window also saw Trent Alexander-Arnold leave Liverpool behind for a major move to Real Madrid, with the Reds suffering in the right-back department ever since.

At the time of writing, Conor Bradley is the only fit and available natural right-back option for Slot, with the Northern Irishman arguably struggling last time out against Manchester City, as Jeremy Doku stole the show with a masterclass down Bradley’s right flank, with a mammoth seven successful dribbles completed.

To further add to the underperforming outfit’s woes, Jeremie Frimpong has failed to settle in properly with injuries galore. If Liverpool could turn back time, therefore, they would surely look to keep Quansah around for longer to boost their depleted numbers, even if he was largely a bit-part player when still situated in England.

He has seized his chance at Bayer Leverkusen, though, despite making just 55 senior appearances for the Reds over several years, with a calm and collected 90% pass accuracy averaged across eight Bundesliga games to date, on top of two goals being put away in all competitions.

This drastic upward trajectory has even resulted in the aforementioned Tuchel stating that he is a “tiny bit ahead” of Trent in the England senior set-up, with a first Three Lions cap coming his way earlier in the month versus Albania.

It remains to be seen what role Quansah has in the upcoming World Cup, but he isn’t the only former Liverpool starlet shining bright away from their once-boyhood club, with Slot and Co very much dropping the ball, again, when ditching a homegrown version of Ryan Gravenberch for just £15m.

Liverpool lost a homegrown Gravenberch for just £15m

While Liverpool has fallen off the horse multiple times this season, the Dutchman has largely been consistent with his classy displays from the middle of the park.

Indeed, the former Ajax boy wonder turned guaranteed Liverpool starter has even been labelled as “one of the best” in the world in his position by Reds-based writer DAVEOCKOP this season, with four goal contributions next to his name in Premier League action, also coupled with an eagerness to get stuck in, as seen in 4.9 duels being won on average.

In stark contrast, a waning Alexis Mac Allister has no goals to shout about, winning just a weak 2.5 duels per game as Gravenberch has often had to do double the work this season to make up for his below-par teammate.

If only the short on confidence side had Tyler Morton to fall back on in the holding midfield positions to partner their star-man, instead of having to rely on the lethargic number ten.

The former Anfield prodigy is now living up to his billing of being a “complete midfielder” on the books of Lyon – as he was once labelled by Como scout Ben Mattinson – to be viewed in the same light as Gravenberch.

Attempted passes

57.02

53.84

Pass completion %

82.7%

88.9%

Progressive passes

4.90

5.10

Progressive carries

1.79

1.92

Shot-creating actions

2.33

2.34

Tackles

1.79

1.97

Interceptions

0.70

1.64

Blocks

0.70

0.75

Clearances

1.56

1.52

FBref even suggests that the midfield pairing are alike, and the numbers above do not lie, with Morton even surpassing his counterpart over the last year in terms of attempted passes made per 90 minutes, as an assured presence centrally.

He isn’t a million miles off the heavily lauded Gravenberch either when looking at the head-to-head defensive numbers, with the 23-year-old managing to stand out in such a way, even as his Ligue 1 employers loiter in seventh spot in the current league standings, to further ramp up their similarities.

Further hailed as a “beautiful” talent to watch with this sublime assist in November by journalist Bence Bocsak, it must be a sickening pill to swallow on Liverpool’s end that they let a Gravenberch-type asset go for only £15m.

At least with Quansah, they managed to drain Leverkusen of £35m, but in the case of Morton, they sold up way too prematurely and way too cheaply, as the 23-year-old now aims to mature into a consistent Gravenberch-style midfielder in France.

Semenyo upgrade: Liverpool prepare £88m bid for "best player in the world"

Liverpool are getting ready to sign an out-and-out winger after selling Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 18, 2025

India have appealed the guilty verdict against Suryakumar Yadav, who was fined 30% of his match fee

Danyal Rasool and Nagraj Gollapudi26-Sep-20254:11

Suryakumar: ‘A few things in life are ahead of sportsman spirit’

India captain Suryakumar Yadav has been found guilty by the ICC of breaching the code of conduct for his comments that alluded to the military skirmish between India and Pakistan, after their group match in the Asia Cup on September 14.It is understood Suryakumar’s not-guilty plea was rejected by ICC match referee Richie Richardson and that he was fined 30% of his match fee. India have appealed against the verdict.Two Pakistan players, Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf, also faced disciplinary hearings on Friday, following their actions in the Super Four game between the two sides on September 21. Farhan was pulled up for his gun celebration after reaching his fifty, while Rauf was captured on camera making gestures that alluded to the downing of aircraft. They are still waiting to hear what sanctions, if any, they face.The PCB had complained to the ICC that Suryakumar’s remarks following the game on September 14 – both at the presentation ceremony and the post-match press conference – constituted a breach of the ICC regulation to avoid political messaging.In its complaint to the ICC, seen by ESPNcricinfo, the PCB quoted Suryakumar’s remarks where he “dedicated today’s victory to our armed forces”. He later specified this dedication was made to India’s armed forces who took part in a military operation against Pakistan in May, which triggered a skirmish between the two sides.Related

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Suryakumar told to refrain from making political comments

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Abhishek: Didn't like Pakistan 'coming at us without any reason'

The PCB had demanded the ICC impose a Level 4 sanction – reserved for the most serious breaches of the ICC Code of Conduct – on Suryakumar. It cited past examples of players who were either prevented from what was deemed political messaging or fined for deploying it. The PCB pointed out that in the past the ICC had deemed messages calling attention to the humanitarian disaster caused by Israel’s war in Gaza to be political in nature, most recently when it blocked Usman Khawaja’s attempt to wear shoes with the message “Freedom is a human right” inscribed on them.It could not be confirmed whether the appeal by India has been heard, or when it will take place. Generally, the match referee decides on a time and venue but India face Sri Lanka in the last Super Four match on Friday evening and then play Pakistan in the final on Sunday. If Suryakumar is found guilty after the appeal too, his sanction will be increased accordingly.There was heightened tension between India and Pakistan before their group game began on September 14, with India refusing to shake hands with Pakistan at the toss and after the game, which India won by seven wickets. In the Super Four match between the sides, there were a number of confrontations between Pakistan’s bowlers and India’s openers. Abhishek Sharma later accused Pakistan of “coming at us for no reason”.In that game, Farhan celebrated his half-century by miming the firing of a gun, which he later said was a “spur of the moment” decision. Rauf, meanwhile, made numerous gestures depicting the downing of aircraft while fielding on the boundary, in apparent reference to the recent military conflict.ESPNcricinfo understands Farhan and Rauf also pleaded not guilty and contested that the gestures were not political in nature. While no official verdict has been reached on the two players, the PCB privately accept that they are also likely to cop fines.

Devdutt Padikkal scored his seventh first-class hundred to lead India’s response as the first four-day game in Lucknow ended in a high-scoring draw.India A resumed the day on 403 for 4 with Padikkal on 86 and Dhruv Jurel on 113. Jurel could add only 27 to his overnight score but Padikkal carried on. Along with Tanush Kotian, he added 41 for the sixth wicket. Padikkal hit 14 fours and a six in his 150 before falling to Corey Rocchiccioli’s offspin.Soon after that, India declared their innings, on 531 for 7, one run behind Australia’s first-innings total. The Australian openers, Sam Konstas and Campbell Kellaway, came out to bat for 16 overs, in which they added an unbroken 56.Just like the previous three days, rain once again interrupted play on Friday.”Unfortunately, the rain probably didn’t help us over the four days,” Rocchiccioli said. “I think if there were no rain, it probably would have allowed for a result somewhere along the line. But it was an invaluable experience with the group that we have picked. The players who have played here… first hit out for some of them in a while. So to be able to play in some foreign conditions, learn your game a little bit better, have some really good conversations in the change rooms, I think has helped everyone be better for these conditions and move forward to the next game.”Rocchiccioli was the most successful Australian bowler, picking up 3 for 159 in 36.1 overs. Apart from dismissing Padikkal, he got rid of Shreyas Iyer and Kotian.”Look, there’s actually probably no direct plan,” he said when asked about the Iyer lbw. “I was just hoping to land the ball on the stumps. I probably didn’t bowl my best leading into that moment. Luckily enough, one sort of spun and took his pad. He is obviously a really big player that we looked at a lot during the pre-game, but there was nothing there that I thought was a weakness or anything. I just knew that I had to bowl good balls and ask good questions and I was lucky enough to have the wicket at that moment.”The second four-dayer will also be played in Lucknow, from September 23.

AC Milan have now reportedly dropped their price for Rafael Leao, with Arsenal now preparing to accelerate their interest to sign the impressive Portuguese winger.

The Gunners couldn’t have asked for a much better start to the Premier League campaign, but their recent run of clean sheets finally came to an end against Sunderland.

After over 13 hours, David Raya finally picked the ball out the back of his own net courtesy of Sunderland’s Daniel Ballard. And like London buses, when one arrived, another soon followed with the Black Cats netting a last-gasp equaliser through Brian Brobbey.

Slipping up for the first time since drawing against Manchester City at the end of September, Arsenal’s recent run of form has been nothing short of excellent.

Speaking about the draw at full-time, Mikel Arteta told reporters: “The last feeling is disappointment and frustration because we wanted the three points. We had to navigate through a really tough game, we knew that. It was very disruptive; we have to deal with situations that are difficult to deal with.

“They did really well and we conceded a goal that is not in our standards, but after that I think the team reacted really well, showed a lot of personality and courage.

“They scored the first goal, they scored the second goal, we had totally dominated the game and then you have to rely on defending the box when they start to commit six or seven players there.”

Up next, Arsenal have the small matter of the North London derby in a game that represents the perfect opportunity to get back to winning ways. It also represents the start of an all-important week, with Chelsea and Bayern Munich following the Tottenham Hotspur clash over a seven-day period after the international break.

It’s the type of period that Arsenal’s stars are made for and the type that Leao could soon get the chance to enjoy following the latest transfer reports.

Arsenal accelerate Leao move after learning latest discount

According to Caught Offside, Arsenal are now ready to accelerate their move to sign Leao after AC Milan dropped their price tag to around €85m (£75m) from the winger’s €150m release clause.

Goldbridge says Arteta was "massively missing" one Arsenal star v Sunderland

The summer signing’s absence against the Black Cats was noticeable.

ByJames O'Reilly Nov 8, 2025

Milan’s hierarchy is reportedly preparing for the possibility that negotiations between Leao and themselves over a new contract could yet stall and have adjusted their price tag as a result. As things stand, the Portugal international has until 2028 until his current contract runs out, but Milan’s updated stance suggests that he may not see out the final three years of that deal.

Minutes

453

681

Goals

4

3

Assists

1

0

Successful Take-ons

5

17

When compared to Bukayo Saka, Arsenal’s interest in Leao begins to make sense. On the opposite flank to the England international, the Milan star has already been involved in five league goals in just 453 minutes this season – the same as around five games.

Described as “crazy” by Arsenal legend Thierry Henry in 2023, Leao is a star who’s ready to take the Premier League and The Emirates by storm.

5/10 Arsenal star had his worst game all season against Sunderland

MatériaMais Notícias

A segunda rodada do Campeonato Carioca chegou ao fim nesse domingo (21), com o Fluminense encarando a Portuguesa, o Flamengo jogando contra o Nova Iguaçu e o Vasco enfrentou o Sampaio Corrêa. Veja os resultados das partidas.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFutebol NacionalInternacional vence na estreia e Ypiranga vira pra cima do Guarany; veja os resultados de sábado do GauchãoFutebol Nacional21/01/2024FluminenseAtlético de Madrid pode pagar até € 50 milhões ao Fluminense para contratar André, diz jornal espanholFluminense21/01/2024FluminenseTerans chega ao Rio de Janeiro para assinar com FluminenseFluminense21/01/2024

⚽ FLUMINENSE 2 X 1 PORTUGUESA-RJ
O Fluminense venceu a Portuguesa por 2 a 1 em Moça Bonita. Com o time alternativo, o Tricolor Carioca abriu o placar no primeiro tempo com Lelê, marcando mais uma vez no campeonato. Minutos depois, Isaac, cria de Xerém, marcou o segundo.

Na segunda etapa, a Portuguesa diminuiu com Ronaldo, mas a reação da Lusa parou por ai. Vitória do Fluminense.

⚽ NOVA IGUAÇU 1 X 1 FLAMENGO
No Almeidão, em João Pessoa, o Flamengo ficou no empate contra o Nova Iguaçu. Com o time alternativo, já que o principal está em Orlando, o Rubro-Negro saiu atrás no placar com gol de Carlinhos no final da primeira etapa.

continua após a publicidade

Mas no segundo tempo, o Flamengo partiu para cima e chegou ao empate com Thiaguinho, que comemorou com a torcida, lhe rendendo um cartão amarelo. Na reta final do jogo, ele cometeu uma falta para impedir um contra-ataque do Nova Iguaçu e foi expulso ao levar o segundo cartão amarelo.

⚽ SAMPAIO CORRÊA 3 X 3 VASCO
Em Saquarema, Sampaio Corrêa e Vasco fizeram um jogo movimentado de seis gols. O time da Região dos Lagos saiu na frente com Max, aproveitando vacilo de Halls. Minutos depois, Marcelo ampliou para os mandantes. Cauan Barros diminuiu para o Cruz-maltino no último lance da primeira etapa.

continua após a publicidade

Na segunda etapa, Orellano empatou a partida e deu o passe para a virada, com gol de Paixão. Mas a vantagem do Vasco durou pouco e Gabriel Agú igualou a partida novamente. Nos minutos finais o Cruz-maltino pressionou, mas não conseguiu o gol da vitória.

⚽ OUTROS RESULTADOS DA RODADA:
Madureira 1 X 0 Audax
Botafogo 2 X 0 Bangu
Volta Redonda 2 X 3 Boavista

Tudo sobre

Campeonato CariocaFlamengoFluminenseVasco

Barry Ferguson will always be inextricably linked with Rangers.

As a player, he made 422 appearances for the Gers across two spells, winning five Premiership titles as well as five Scottish Cups and five League Cups, leading the team out in Manchester for the 2008 UEFA Cup Final against Zenit Saint Petersburg.

Then, last season, following the sacking of Philippe Clement, Ferguson was appointed interim Rangers manager, winning only six of 15 matches in charge, but knocking Fenerbahçe out of the Europa League and enjoying a victory over Celtic at Parkhead.

He wanted the managerial role full-time but did not get it; he almost certainly would not have done a worse job than Russell Martin, had he been given the opportunity.

As a player, Ferguson boasted all the intangibles supporters love to see, determination, commitment, passion and a will to win, something Danny Röhl’s current squad certainly lacks, but is Rangers’ “best player” starting to show signs of replicating Ferguson?

James Tavernier's role at Rangers

Since joining the club, when they were still in the SPFL Championship, from Wigan Athletic in 2015, James Tavernier has now made 537 appearances for Rangers, scoring a staggering 136 goals and registering 145 assists.

He has won all three domestic honours, while also captaining the team in the Europa League Final in Seville in 2022, as Ferguson had done 14 years earlier, his most recent goal for the club coming at Hampden in defeat to Celtic in the League Cup semi-finals earlier this month.

Last season, for the very first time, Tavernier’s place in the Rangers side came under scrutiny, with some questioning, now 34 years old, if he is the force he once was.

During his brief interim period, Ferguson trialled the Englishman in various positions, right-back, right-wing-back and right-sided centre-back in a three, which was essentially foreshadowing what was to come once Röhl arrived.

The captain has started five of the six matches under the German, the sole exception coming at Easter Road, when he was introduced at half time.

Since Röhl has switched to a back three, Tavernier has most commonly been deployed as a wing-back, although not exclusively, starting as part of the back three against both Kilmarnock and Roma, which is more reflective of Rangers’ lack of high-quality centre-backs, as this role doesn’t get the best out of him.

Nevertheless, as Röhl continues to figure out how to best use his skipper, another of his stars has come to the fore in a way that is reminiscent of Ferguson.

Rangers' "best player" who is Barry Ferguson-esque

It may only be the middle of November, but Nicolas Raskin has already enjoyed, and endured, a roller coaster campaign.

At international level, he has started each of Belgium’s last three World Cup qualifiers, scoring against Kazakhstan in Brussels, establishing himself as a key figure in Rudi Garcia’s team ahead of next summer’s World Cup.

Meantime, back in Glasgow, Raskin remains a key figure for Rangers, starting all six matches since Röhl was appointed, heading home his second goal of the campaign at Dens on Sunday.

The statistics below emphasise the midfielder’s importance to this team.

Nicolas Raskin statistics 2025/26

Stats

Raskin

Rangers rank

Minutes

1,669

5th

Goals

2

5th

Assists

4

1st

Shots per 90

1.4

5th

Big chances created

2

4th

Key passes per 90

1.9

2nd

Tackles per 90

2.2

2nd

Interceptions per 90

0.8

5th

Average rating

7.39

1st

Stats via Transfermarkt & SofaScore

As the table documents, Raskin ranks highly for a wide variety of statistics this season.

He is the club’s leading player in terms of assists, while also second for key passes and tackles per 90, underlining that he is an all-round midfield player.

Following Sunday’s victory at Dundee, speaking during Sky Sports’ coverage, Kris Boyd believes that Raskin is starting to rediscover his “outstanding” form from last season since the appointment of Röhl, while Chris Sutton asserts that he remains Rangers’ “best player”.

So, while the Belgian is stylistically similar to Ferguson, both all-action midfielders, that is not where the similarities end.

In an interview last year, Ferguson revealed that he was informed he should leave Rangers in 2007 following a falling out with manager Paul Le Guen, told “you won’t play for Rangers again”, only for the Frenchman to be sacked soon after, brought straight back into the team under interim boss Ian Durrant.

Well, Raskin endured a near-identical situation, seemingly frozen out by Russell Martin, left on the bench for Champions League qualifiers against Viktoria Plzeň and Club Brugge, before being excluded from the matchday squad altogether for home games against Celtic and Hearts.

The Martin vs Raskin battle was when supporters really turned against the manager they never wanted in the first place, very much the beginning of the end for him.

Now back in the side, the Belgian has once again taken on a talismanic leadership role, so Rangers supporters will be hoping he can carry on this excellent form for many more months and years, even if he still requires 306 more appearances to match Ferguson’s legacy.

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Another international break is coming to an end, and Arsenal have yet more injuries to contend with.

On the annoying but manageable side of things, Kai Havertz will be out for a little longer after Julian Nagelsmann confirmed he had suffered a minor relapse with his knee injury.

However, the far more worrying development is that, following initial scans, Gabriel Magalhães is set to miss at least a month of action due to the groin injury he picked up playing at the Emirates for Brazil.

Thankfully, Mikel Arteta has several defenders he can call on to replace him at the back, and just maybe, Arsenal also have another international star who could pick up the slack at set-pieces and become Nicolas Jover’s new go-to man.

Arsenal's potential Gabriel replacements

Now, it should really go without saying, but losing Gabriel is a massive blow for Arsenal, as not only is he an incredible player, but a real leader.

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With that said, unlike in seasons past, Arteta does have the defensive backup to help minimise the impact of his absence and a few ways to rearrange the backline.

One solution to the problem could be to move Riccardo Calafiori in from left-back and start either Myles Lewis-Skelly or Piero Hincapie on the left.

This is the approach the manager took in pre-season, while Gabriel was recovering from the injury that ended his campaign last season.

However, while the Italian is more than capable of doing this, it would mean taking away the license he’s had to roam wherever he pleases so far this season, which in turn would make the attack far more predictable and therefore less potent.

So, another solution could be to move Hincapie into the back two alongside Saliba.

However, while this could be a solution further into the season, the Ecuadorian is still somewhat of an unknown quantity, having played just 170 minutes for the club and started one game at centre-back.

Therefore, the best bet for Arteta would surely be starting Cristhian Mosquera.

The young Spaniard has already played 597 minutes for the team this season, almost entirely at centre-back, and was brilliant against Liverpool and then Nottingham Forest there.

In all, there are options to cover the defensive deficit Gabriel’s injury will bring, but there might also be a way to cover the attacking side of his game that’ll be missed.

Jover's new Gabriel

While Gabriel certainly has the ability to influence the attacking side of the game from open play, it’s no great secret that he is phenomenal when it comes to set-pieces.

Just this season alone, he has scored twice and provided three assists, which would be a great return for an attacker, let alone a centre-back.

Therefore, his absence from the team could seriously hinder Arsenal’s potency in dead-ball situations, unless Arteta starts using Mikel Merino more often. After all, he has been described as an “aerial duel monster” by Como scout Ben Mattinson.

While there are certainly other players who could chip in more from set-pieces like Saliba, Calafiori and maybe even Viktor Gyokeres when he’s fit again, it’s the Spaniard who could become Jover’s new star.

After all, while he’s certainly not the best player in the team, the former Real Sociedad star has proven beyond all reasonable doubt over the course of the year that he knows how to score a goal.

Appearances

44

16

Starts

29

9

Minutes

2635′

820′

Goals

9

3

Assists

5

1

For example, since the turn of the year, he has put the ball in the back of the net 19 times and provided seven assists for club and country, which is truly an incredible return and more than justifies Arsenal writer Adam Keys calling him “a magnet in the box.”

More than that, though, plenty of those goals have either been one-touch finishes or headers, which is generally how someone scores from a set-piece.

Now, this doesn’t mean Arteta has to start the 29-year-old game-changer in every match, but when the team are chasing a goal, this goalscoring ability should see him become one of the first names off the bench.

Ultimately, losing Gabriel is a huge blow, but with their defensive depth and the prospect of Merino becoming Jover’s new set-piece king, Arsenal should be alright.

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