Arsenal might be flying in the Premier League and Champions League this season, but things have not always looked so rosy for Mikel Arteta.

In fact, in his second season, just half a year after winning the FA Cup, there was a real sense that he could be fired.

After all, the North Londoners were bottom of the table by the first international break, and from the 8th of November to Boxing Day, the team didn’t win a league game.

Aston Vila (H)

3-0 (Loss)

Leeds United (A)

0-0 (Draw)

Wolves (A)

2-1 (Loss)

Tottenham (A)

2-0 (Loss)

Burnely (H)

1-0 (Loss)

Southampton (H)

1-1 (Draw)

Everton (A)

2-1 (Loss)

Amazingly, one of the reasons things turned around for the Spaniard was his decision to unleash academy gem Emile Smith Rowe, who, alongside Bukayo Saka, helped steer the club out of trouble.

Since then, it has felt like Hale End has produced talents in pairs for the club, and it looks like they’ve done so again with a duo who could become the new Smith Rowe and Saka, and no, it’s not Max Dowman and Ethan Nwaneri.

Saka & Smith Rowe's partnership

Smith Rowe made his debut for Arsenal and started a few Europa League games in the 18/19 season, and made a few more appearances the following year.

However, his first Premier League start for the club came on Boxing Day 2020, and alongside Saka, he helped put the club back on track.

He provided the assist for his Hale End teammate, and that started a partnership that finally gave the fans something to be excited about when it came to their team.

Appearances

33

46

Minutes

2220′

3606′

Goals

4

7

Assists

7

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.33

0.30

Minutes per Goal Involvement

201.81′

257.57′

In fact, the pair made such an impact as a dynamic duo that the fans created and constantly sang a song about them playing together.

Unfortunately, injuries soon began to take their toll on the Croydon-born gem, and while he was on the sidelines, his Saka started to grow in importance on his own.

Moreover, the overall team began rapidly improving, both from a personnel and performance perspective, so when the dynamic midfielder was fit again in the 23/24 season, he barely featured at all.

This led to the club accepting a £34m offer from Fulham in the summer of 2024.

It might not have ended well, but for a time, Saka and Smith Rowe were an incredible partnership, making 81 appearances together and combining for six goals.

Now it looks like Hale End might be about to produce another dynamic pairing for Arsenal, and it’s not Dowman and Nwaneri.

Arsenal's new Saka and Smith Rowe

Now, there is an argument to be made that the duo of Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly are the closest Arsenal have come to recreating the Saka and Smith Rowe pairing.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

However, with the latter primarily playing at left-back, that comparison doesn’t really work.

It’s a different story, however, when it comes to Hale End gems Alex Marciniak and Louis Zecevic-John.

The pair have demonstrated an ability to play in several different positions, but the former, who is just 17, is primarily an attacking midfielder, and the latter, also 17, is primarily a right winger.

In other words, they could burst into the first team and, as one content creator put it, become “the new Saka and Emile Smith Rowe.”

Now, that is certainly a lot of pressure to put on youngsters that most fans will not have heard of yet, but based on their form in the youth sides and what those in the know are saying about them, it’s a pressure they might be able to handle.

For example, the “insane” Marciniak, as dubbed by academy expert Will Balsam, has already racked up a tally of one goal and three assists in eight appearances for the U18s this season.

Zecevic-John, whom Balsam has described as “a game-changing attacker” who is “electric with the ball at his feet” and blessed with “blistering pace,” also put up incredible numbers last year.

In 22 appearances, totalling 1539 minutes, he scored seven goals and provided seven assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.57 games, or every 109.92 minutes.

Ultimately, there is still a long way to go for both youngsters, but given their positions and undeniable ability, they could one day be Arsenal’s new Saka and Smith Rowe.

Arsenal lost 'one of the world's best', now he's outperforming Saka & Eze

The incredible international is now playing better than Arsenal’s Eze and Saka.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 14, 2025

Chelsea are now preparing a club-record bid to sign Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez, with it being revealed Enzo Fernandez could play a key role in the potential transfer.

The Blues’ interest in signing a new centre-forward comes amid a slow start to life at Stamford Bridge for Liam Delap, with the 22-year-old failing to score in his opening four Premier League games since making the move to west London in the summer.

Joao Pedro has been more promising, picking up four goals and three assists in the league, but the Brazilian was given the nod in a slightly deeper role against Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out, upon Delap’s return from a hamstring injury.

The 24-year-old excelled in attacking midfield, scoring the second in the 3-0 rout, and Enzo Maresca has suggested he is also better-suited to playing with a partner, saying: “We know that he can play as a number nine or he can play as a number 10,”

“In both positions, I think Joao is very good, but probably when he has another number nine next to him, he is playing better.”

As such, there may be space in the squad to bring in another new centre-forward, and a huge offer is now in the works…

Chelsea preparing club-record bid for Julian Alvarez

According to a report from Spain, Chelsea are now preparing an offer of around €150m (£133m) for Atletico Madrid star Julian Alvarez, which would make him their record signing, should they manage to get a deal over the line.

Fernandez could play a key role in the transfer, as the Blues are hoping the Argentinian’s presence at Stamford Bridge will convince Alvarez to make the move, given that they are international teammates.

BlueCo clearly mean business, but it looks unlikely that a deal will be straightforward, given that FC Barcelona are also in the race, and Atletico Madrid are reluctant to enter negotiations over a sale.

Should the Spanish club soften their stance, the 25-year-old could be a fantastic addition to Maresca’s forward line, having made a flying start to the campaign, chipping in with 13 goal contributions across his opening 15 matches in all competitions.

Lauded as a “monster” by journalist Pablo Gonzalez, the 49-time Argentina international also found the back of the net 17 times in La Liga alone during his debut campaign, while a tally of 11 goals and ten assists in the former Manchester City man’s final campaign at the Etihad Stadium indicates he is very well-rounded.

Signing Alvarez would be a major statement of intent from Chelsea, and if they were able to get a deal done this winter, the World Cup-winning forward could be a real difference-maker in the Premier League title race.

Julian Alvarez has been named as one of the best strikers in the world

The Best 15 Strikers in World Football Ranked (2025)

Who is the best number nine right now?

By
Charlie Smith

Nov 20, 2025

“When we dropped Shaheen and Nawaz, that’s where the game changed,” the Bangladesh coach said

Mohammad Isam25-Sep-20253:15

Why do Bangladesh struggle in pressure situations?

Bangladesh coach Phil Simmons felt three dropped catches followed by “bad decisions” from the batters in a 136-run chase against Pakistan upended his team’s chance of reaching the Asia Cup 2025 final. Bangladesh lost by 11 runs in their Super Fours fixture after Pakistan’s lower order bailed them out of a dire situation.Pakistan were 51 for 5 when Nurul Hasan and Mahedi Hasan dropped Shaheen Shah Afridi in the 12th over. Afridi went on to hit two sixes in a 13-ball 19 and hand Pakistan a bit of momentum. After he fell, Parvez Hossain Emon dropped Mohammad Nawaz on zero; Nawaz went on to make 25 off 15 balls with two sixes and a four.Fielders often have a difficult time picking the ball up against Dubai’s unusual “ring of fire” floodlights, but Simmons didn’t think this had been an issue with any of the chances.Related

• Old habits die hard for new-era Bangladesh

• Plan C (Chaos) does the trick for Pakistan, not for the first time

• Afridi, Rauf and Ayub set up a Pakistan vs India Asia Cup final

“When we dropped Shaheen and Nawaz, that’s where the game changed,” he said. “Before that, we were in control. Some of the catches maybe [had something to do with the lights] but I don’t think the ones we dropped had anything to do with the lights.”Simmons felt Bangladesh’s batters had taken better decisions against Sri Lanka compared to this chase against Pakistan. Bangladesh hit more sixes than Pakistan, but they also lost a number of wickets while trying to play big shots. Simmons also suggested that the team had missed captain Litton Das, who sat out his second straight game with a side strain.Mohammad Nawaz had Mahedi Hasan caught at cover•AFP/Getty Images

“We didn’t have to chase it in any [particular number of] overs. We just had to win the game,” Simmons said. “It was just bad decisions. All of the teams have that at some point. It was us today. We didn’t make the best shot selections.”We just chased 160 [169 vs Sri Lanka] two games ago. We are not a team that can lose Tanzid [Hasan] and captain [Litton] in one game and just fill [the void] like that. We are getting to that stage, we are not there yet. Losing the captain in such good form is a big thing for us.”We chased 160 [169] on the same wicket, where we made better batting decisions. Batting order doesn’t say we batted well or badly. We made bad decisions today.”Bangladesh have historically struggled to match the most successful T20I sides when it comes to strike rates. Simmons felt they were starting to address this issue, but what cost them in this game was their inability to build partnerships.”The [strike-rate] gap will reduce the more we play at the international level, the guys will know what to do at this level,” he said. “I agree that our strike-rate isn’t up there, but we are up there in six-hitting. I don’t think it is about our ability to score quickly. We have to bat for longer and put on partnerships.”Bangladesh shuffled their batting order in this chase, with Mahedi Hasan promoted to No. 4. Simmons felt this was the right move given Mahedi’s ability to counter pace, even if he only managed 11 off 10 in this game.”You look at it as someone batting at No 4. I look at it as someone taking on the pacers in the powerplay,” Simmons said. “He could have taken on the pacers more than if he went in the lower order against the spinners. I had Jaker [Ali] and Shamim [Hossain] down there, who could take on the spinners.”The defeat against Pakistan ended Bangladesh’s Asia Cup campaign. They beat Afghanistan and Sri Lanka in succession before going down in back-to-back matches against India and Pakistan.All was not lost, though, and Simmons pointed out a couple of positives from the competition..”[Saif Hassan] is definitely the biggest positive from this [campaign],” he said. “The other one is how our bowlers did in the whole tournament. They were spot-on, every game.”

Big picture: More ODIs, better clarity

On the eve of the tournament opener, the contrasts were subtle but telling in Guwahati. India’s training session was light, confident and precise. Avishkar Salvi, India’s bowling coach, tried Rana’s offspin grip before she showed him how it’s done. Kranti Goud charged in with rhythm and responded to match-specific challenges. It was a sight of a team that looked settled.Earlier in the afternoon, Sri Lanka had gone through a more muted, methodical session. They started with catching drills before quickly shifting to the nets. It was not all work and no play, though. Left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera teased the young seamer Malki Madara about getting Hasini Perera lbw, and Sugandika Kumari joked with fellow offspinner Dewmi Vihanga about why her grip was better.Two teams, two different rhythms. But the bigger picture was clear: this World Cup doesn’t begin with undercooked sides trying to find cohesion. This begins with teams well-prepared and clear on goals.Related

• World Cup offers an air of freshness to sombre Guwahati

• Athapaththu alone at the top as she carries Sri Lanka above her

• World Cup to World Cup, 2013 to 2025: The story of a revolution

• Harmanpreet: 'This time we will cross the line'

• This World Cup promises to take women's cricket to brand-new heights

Since the 2022 edition – which saw pandemic-hit schedules and limited preparation in the lead-up – the change has been striking. Sri Lanka, who didn’t qualify then and hadn’t played an ODI in three years, arrive with 31 games under their belt. India have been the busiest, having played 38 since the last edition, including 14 this year.”We’ve played more ODI cricket after the last T20 World Cup,” India captain Harmanpreet Kaur said. “We have won most of the games. That has definitely given us a lot of confidence to do well in ODI cricket. We now have a lot of experience. This group has played together for so many years. There is a lot more clarity.”And that clarity is evident – not just in numbers, but in body language, in banter, in how batters walk into the nets, and bowlers finish their spells. This World Cup picks up where the teams left off, with momentum already building.

Form guide

India LWLWL
Sri Lanka LLWWL3:45

Athapaththu: ‘Would like to see an Asian team lift the trophy’

In the spotlight: Jemimah Rodrigues and Udeshika Prabodhani

She has already played 51 ODIs, but the match against Sri Lanka will be Jemimah Rodrigues’ maiden appearance in a 50-over World Cup. A natural top-order batter, she has slotted seamlessly into India’s middle order. Rodrigues scored her first ODI hundred earlier this year and showcased her finishing ability during India’s last two series – the tri-series in Sri Lanka involving South Africa, and the tour of England. With the pitch at the ACA Stadium expected to be flat, Rodrigues will aim to make her World Cup debut a memorable one.Veteran left-arm seamer Udeshika Prabodhani will be key for Sri Lanka with the new ball. Her ability to swing the ball and maintain control during the field restrictions has been invaluable. She could pose a challenge to India’s right-hand opener Pratika Rawal with her inswingers. However, match rustiness could be a factor – Prabodhani last played international cricket at the 2024 T20 World Cup, and hasn’t featured in an ODI since August 2024. But if her performance in the last warm-up game is any indication – 2 for 26 from six overs, including two maidens – Sri Lanka have little to worry about.

Team news: Amanjot could return

Harmanpreet confirmed that the entire squad is fit, which could pave the way for Amanjot Kaur’s return to the XI after recovering from a back injury. That would likely mean only one of Sneh Rana or Radha Yadav makes the final cut. While Amanjot did not bowl in either of the warm-up games, on the eve of the match, she bowled a short spell and then spent some time batting in the nets.India (probable): 1 Smriti Mandhana, 2 Pratika Rawal, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Jemimah Rodrigues, 6 Richa Ghosh (wk), 7 Deepti Sharma, 8 Amanjot Kaur/Radha Yadav, 9 Sneh Rana, 10 Kranti Goud, 11 Renuka SinghBased on the two warm-up matches, Sri Lanka are expected to have Hasini Perera opening with Chamari Athapaththu. Vishmi Gunaratne, usually an opener, is likely to bat at No. 4. With Prabodhani back, only one of Achini Kulasuriya and Madara will play.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Hasini Perera, 2 Chamari Athapaththu (capt), 3 Harshitha Samarawickrama, 4 Vishmi Gunaratne, 5 Kavisha Dilhari, 6 Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), 7 Nilakshika Silva, 8 Sugandika Kumari, 9 Inoka Ranaweera, 10 Malki Madara/Achini Kulasuriya, 11 Udeshika Prabodhani2:06

Harmanpreet: ‘No pressure at all’ playing World Cup at home

Pitch and conditions

On Monday, after a spell of slightly cooler weather, the evening in Guwahati turned noticeably muggier. Around the start of play, temperatures are expected to hover in the low 30°C, though it may feel hotter under the afternoon sun. The centre pitch will be used, which has minimal grass.

Stats and trivia

• The ACA Stadium will become the 55th venue in India to stage a women’s ODI.
• Kavisha Dilhari’s 26 wickets are the most for Sri Lanka in ODIs since the 2022 World Cup. Three Indians have surpassed that mark in the same period – Deepti Sharma (59), Renuka Singh (35) and Sneh Rana (27).
• For the first time since 2016, Athapaththu is not Sri Lanka’s leading ODI run-getter in a calendar year. Harshitha Samarawickrama leads the pack with 336 runs, with Athapaththu fifth on the list.
• Smriti Mandhana’s 2100 runs are the most by any batter since the last ODI World Cup. The next best is Laura Wolvaardt with 1736.
• One of India’s three ODI defeats to Sri Lanka came earlier this year.

Quote

“No doubt it’s a quite new venue for us. But in India, many stadiums have a very similar feel, similar pitches, and we have played a lot of cricket in India. So we are taking it as an opportunity.”
“Udeshika is our strike bowler, she is the most senior player in my team. If I have to take a decision, sometimes I go to her for an opinion, and she helps me out. That is the [equation] we have. It’s a big privilege for me to play with her.”

The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates in style Monday night, courtesy of a walk-off solo home run by Alec Burleson in the bottom of the ninth inning.

While it was a fun victory on a late summer night, a historically low number of fans were inside Busch Stadium to witness it.

The Cardinals are now just 65-67 on the season and it appears that they will miss the postseason for a third straight year. That lack of success might be the reason why only 17,675 fans were in attendance on Monday night. That number, according to the Derrick Goold, is the lowest in the stadium's history and the first time they have had under 20,000 people at a home game since the stadium was opened in 2006.

That's a tough look for a franchise that has won 11 World Series titles. But it's also a sign of the times for a club that has only won one two playoff series since 2014.

Lots of MLB fans roasted the Cardinals and their fans, who have been known to refer to themselves as the best in baseball.

The Cardinals will host the Pirates in the second game of their series Tuesday night at 7:45 p.m. ET.

MatériaMais Notícias

RB Bragantino e Flamengo se enfrentam neste sábado (4), pela quinta rodada da Série A do Brasileirão. A bola vai rolar a partir das 18h30 (de Brasília), no Nabizão, em Bragança Paulista (SP), com transmissão do Premiere.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalpites de HojePalpite: Bragantino x Flamengo – Campeonato Brasileiro – 4/5/2024Palpites de Hoje04/05/2024FlamengoPressionado no Flamengo, Tite busca novas soluções para amenizar crise e quebrar tabu diante do BragantinoFlamengo04/05/2024NotíciasZebra Rubro-Negra! Aposte R$100 e ganhe R$243 se o Flamengo vencer o BragantinoNotícias03/05/2024

➡️A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta!

As odds disponiveis no Lance! Betting apontam 2.43 para um triunfo do Flamengo, 2.9 no empate e 2.9 para uma vitória do Bragantino no Brasileirão.

Na última rodada do Brasileirão, o Flamengo foi derrotado pelo Botafogo, enquanto o Bragantino empatou com o Fortaleza.

➡️ A maior cobertura do futebol brasileiro. Aproveite 30 dias grátis e assine o Premiere!

✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
RB BRAGANTINO X FLAMENGO
BRASILEIRÃO SÉRIE A – QUINTA RODADA

🗓️ Data e horário: sábado, 4 de maio de 2024, às 18h30 (de Brasília)
📍 Local: Nabizão, em Bragança Paulista (SP)
📺 Onde assistir: Premiere
🟨 Árbitro: Paulo Cesar Zanovelli da Silva (FIFA-MG)
🚩 Assistentes: Guilherme Dias Camilo (FIFA-MG) e Celso Luiz da Silva (MG)
🖥️ VAR: Daniel Nobre Bins (FIFIA-RS)

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➡️ Siga o Lance! Flamengo no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Rubro-Negro

⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES
RB BRAGANTINO (Técnico: Pedro Caixinha)
Cleiton; Nathan Mendes, Pedro Henrique, Eduardo Santos e Juninho Capixaba; Jadsom, Eric Ramires e Gustavo Neves; Vitinho, Mosquera e Eduardo Sasha

FLAMENGO (Técnico: Tite)
Rossi, Wesley, Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira e Ayrton Lucas; Allan, Igor Jesus, Gerson e De la Cruz; Pedro e Bruno Henrique

Tudo sobre

BrasileirãoFlamengo

Garrett Crochet had a pretty nice night against the Yankees on Sunday. The Red Sox starter went six full innings and struck out 12 batters to help Boston snap a three-game losing streak and salvage the final game of a weekend series against New York.

He also fell down on a play that probably terrified fans.

Facing Jose Caballero with two outs and a runner on first, Crochet went to deliver the 0-1 pitch and completely lost his footing. His left foot turned towards second and he slipped. His right foot came down and then he threw the ball away as he took a seat.

Jazz Chisholm advanced to second while Red Sox fans held their breath. Luckily, Crochet was able to get up, dig back in at the rubber and strike out Caballero a few pitches later.

Crochet would give up a home run to Aaron Judge the next inning, but still escaped with the incredibly important win. Boston is currently in position for the second AL wild card with 12 games remaining in the season.

GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave their comfort zones in search of a better footballing life elsewhere. The Premier League is still obviously one of the world's most entertaining divisions and the Championship can prove fantastic for development, but there are more options out there.

This was, however, a weekend of mixed emotions for Britain's most high-profile footballing expats. Real Madrid's English duo endured a frustrating night against one of La Liga's most out-of-form teams, though Scotland's 2025 Ballon d'Or nominee played his part in a massive Serie A win for Napoli. There were also victories for Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund's prized Englishmen, but neither was able to leave a lasting mark on proceedings.

Every Monday this season, GOAL has the definitive lowdown on British stars abroad, what they're getting up to, who is reaching the greatest heights and who appears to be suffering with homesickness. Let's get stuck into this week's edition… 

Getty Images SportKane takes backseat as Bayern leave it late

Is it time to panic?! Harry Kane failed to find the back of the net for the second game in a row on Saturday as Bayern Munich ground out a dramatic 3-1 win over St Pauli in the Bundesliga. Kane played the full 90 minutes, but it was another subdued display from the England captain, who also failed to spark into life during Bayern's 3-1 Champions League defeat at Arsenal in midweek.

Kane has scored only twice in his last seven games across those two competitions, well short of the standards he set earlier in the season. But the reality is, they were never going to be maintained across the campaign. Last term, Bayern suffered whenever Kane was slightly off his game, but the pressure on his shoulders is no longer so extreme. Natural dips in form are excusable because the Bundesliga leaders have more firepower elsewhere to hurt the opposition.

Luis Diaz has been especially impressive during this quiet period for Kane. The former Liverpool winger is making a case for the title of best value signing of the summer, and notched two more goal involvements against St Pauli, taking his overall tally for the season to 18 in 19 appearances.

St Pauli grabbed a surprise lead at Allianz Arena inside six minutes, and Bayern didn't find an equaliser until moments before the half-time whistle, when Diaz somehow produced a prodded assist for Raphael Guerreiro despite losing his footing in the box. The hosts laid siege to the St Pauli penalty area thereafter, but struggled to find a way through their stubborn rear-guard.

A magical or superhuman moment was needed, and Diaz delivered in the third minute of stoppage time, busting a gut to get in behind enemy lines and head home a teasing Joshua Kimmich cross. Nicolas Jackson then added a third for good measure, but this was Diaz's night. Kane won't mind if the Colombian overshadows him as long as Bayern keep marching towards back-to-back Bundesliga successes, with Kompany's side now holding a healthy eight-point cushion over second-place RB Leipzig.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportAlexander-Arnold still not convincing

Real Madrid's impressive Clasico win over Barcelona on October 26 feels like a very long time ago. Los Blancos were five points clear at the top of La Liga after that result, but fast-forward just two months, and Barca have clawed their rivals back after reeling off four consecutive victories. 

The reigning champions are now first by a point ahead of Madrid, who have drawn three in a row, with relegation-threatened Girona the latest team to inflict a damaging blow to the Xabi Alonso project. Los Blancos were made to pay for a dismal first-half showing at the Estadi Montilivi that saw them muster only one shot on target, with the hosts heading in at the break one up thanks to a lovely first-time finish from Azzedine Ounahi.

Madrid improved in the second half, and secured a share of the spoils thanks to a Kylian Mbappe penalty, but on current form, they have little hope of dethroning Barca. One of Alonso's biggest concerns will be Trent Alexander-Arnold, who again failed to impose himself in attack and defence.

The Liverpool academy graduate is enjoying an extended run in the team with Dani Carvajal out injured, but Real have looked far worse with the 27-year-old filling in at right-back. He was guilty of not tracking his man for Girona's goal, and almost gifted them another after misplacing a pass. 

"It's his first year, and this adjustment period is normal," Alonso said when quizzed on Alexander-Arnold's poor form before the game. "He's also demanding of himself, and we have to support him through this significant change." But how long can Madrid afford to wait? The England international has to start proving his worth, or else Carvajal will instantly be reinstated to the starting XI when he returns to action in the New Year.

Getty Images SportMcTominay helps Napoli edge top-of-the-table clash

November was a very mixed month for Napoli. The Serie A title holders opened with successive goalless draws against Como and Eintracht Frankfurt before losing 2-0 at Bologna, after which Antonio Conte sparked talk he may resign by declaring, "I don’t want to accompany a dead man".

But Napoli have since come out fighting for their manager. A 3-1 win over Atalanta got them back on track domestically before they put Qarabag to the sword in the Champions League, which perfectly set up a meeting with Serie A leaders Roma on Sunday.

As expected, it was a tight game at Stadio Olimpico with so much at stake. In the end, Napoli edged it courtesy of a superb goal from David Neres, who ran almost the entire length of the field to finish off a rapid counter-attack after good work from Rasmus Hojlund. 

Usually, it's Scott McTominay who inspires Napoli in the biggest games, but the Scotland international didn't get the time or space to make a decisive impact in Rome. That is partly due to the fact he is being asked to play in a more withdrawn role as Conte deals with a mini-injury crisis and a change in formation.

"Some said that McTominay is being sacrificed in this system, but in my view that is his role too, he is a box-to-box midfielder," the Italian coach said after the 1-0 win, which took Napoli back to second in the table, behind AC Milan on goal difference. "We couldn’t do anything else, as only [Eljif] Elmas is an alternative, and that’s not even his role. These lads are proving their enthusiasm, hunger and determination every day, it is what allowed us to win the Scudetto last season, something incredible."

Indeed, McTominay's hunger shone through with his work off the ball. He posted four clearances and seven ball recoveries across the 90 minutes to help ensure Napoli kept Roma at bay. The former Manchester United midfielder always finds a way to lead by example, and Napoli will be there-or-thereabouts in the final title reckoning once again as long as he stays fit.

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Getty Images SportJobe back to square one

Borussia Dortmund have won six of their last nine matches across all competitions since losing to Bayern Munich in Der Klassiker back in mid-October, and their latest triumph was undoubtedly their most important yet. It wasn't always pretty, but Niko Kovac's side leapfrogged Bayer Leverkusen into third in the Bundesliga with a 2-1 win at Bay Arena on Saturday.

Goals from Aaron Anselmino and Karim Adeyemi secured the three points as BVB gave up the lion's share of possession and hit Leverkusen on the break. The gritty, clinical performance pleased Kovac, who told reporters after the final whistle: "We played a really cool away game today. The team have shown that they can survive here as well. We made a lot of plans for this game. The team implemented them really well, and after this, hopefully the talk that we cannot win against big teams this season will stop."

Unfortunately, though, Jobe Bellingham didn't really contribute to Dortmund's "cool game". The former Birmingham City wonderkid was restricted to a 10-minute cameo and managed only four touches, all of which came in his own half. 

Bellingham seemed to have turned a corner after playing 90 minutes against Hamburg and Stuttgart, but it seems that Kovac still doesn't trust him in the most pivotal fixtures. He was also a late substitute in the 4-0 Champions League win over Villarreal last week, and it won't be a surprise if he's back on the bench when Dortmund face Leverkusen again in the last 16 of the DFB-Pokal on Tuesday.

There is growing speculation that Bellingham could seek a move away from Signal Iduna Park in January, with BVB reportedly open to a loan amid interest from Paris FC in Ligue 1. While that would be a backwards step, the 20-year-old needs regular football to rebuild his confidence; only then will he have any chance of emulating his brother Jude and break into the England senior set-up.

Suryakumar Yadav had a poor tournament with the bat, scoring just 72 runs in seven innings, but he wasn’t fussed about it

Shashank Kishore29-Sep-20252:03

Chopra: Tilak understood the need of the hour

It was well past midnight on Monday in Dubai when Suryakumar Yadav walked into the press conference room. It had been a night mired in chaos and confusion. Who would present India the Asia Cup trophy? Would India accept it if it came from ACC chairman Mohsin Naqvi? Would Pakistan even turn up for their press conference, amid rumours that their team bus had already left? We got the answers by and by.Suryakumar had endured a poor tournament, and the non-cricketing issues may or may not have taken a toll on his form.There was the unbeaten 47 in India’s second game of the tournament, against Pakistan, but he had scores of 0, 5, 12 and 1 to end the Asia Cup with. On Sunday, his dismissal attempting to loft Shaheen Shah Afridi on the up left India precariously placed at 10 for 2 in their chase of 147.Related

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“I feel I am not out of form, I feel I am out of runs,” Suryakumar said. “I believe more in what I am doing in the nets and my preparation. So in matches, things are on autopilot.”His record as captain, though, has been impeccable. Since becoming full-time T20I captain, he has racked up series wins over Sri Lanka, South Africa and England and now at the Asia Cup, where India won seven games in a row to win their ninth title.Having answered the question on his form, Suryakumar directed the mic jovially the other way, egging journalists on to direct some of the questions towards Abhishek Sharma, the Player of the Tournament who sat alongside him. “I’ve felt personally that when you are not scoring runs, it is difficult to take the team along. But Surya is the same irrespective of whether he has scored runs or not,” Abhishek said, throwing his weight behind his captain.Suryakumar had to contend with more than just cricket at the Asia Cup. It began with a handshake with Asian Cricket Council and PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi during the captains’ press conference – a routine gesture that quickly turned contentious and set the tone for what followed.Days later, at the toss on September 14, Suryakumar’s refusal to shake hands with Pakistan captain Salman Agha added fresh spark to the issue. Next came a series of gestures and confrontations from both sides, eventually forcing the match referee to step in for disciplinary hearings.”I feel it was not that difficult [to deal with],” Suryakumar said. “The boys took it in their stride. Since day one, I was just telling them to focus on cricket and enjoy the game. The boys took it in a positive way. We were very focused in every game.”Suryakumar stressed that despite everything that went on, there was a bigger sense of satisfaction around where India were at in the runway to the T20 World Cup early next year, where they are defending champions.Suryakumar Yadav pretends to carry a trophy he refused to receive•AFP/Getty Images

“What we wanted to achieve in this tournament, we have achieved,” he said. “There are a lot of things which you don’t get to achieve in a bilateral tournament. This was like a knockout tournament.”As soon as we entered the Super Four, I told the boys that let’s approach it like a quarter-final, semi-final and final. So we played a semi-final type of game against Sri Lanka, and then it was a perfect final. There are nerves, responsibility and pressure, and it was a perfect final.”When asked about half-centurion and Player of the Match Tilak Varma, the only name barely touched upon in an unusually long press conference, Suryakumar chose to throw the spotlight on the entire team.”I wouldn’t want to point out one player,” he said. “From the first game to the final, a lot of players came in and stepped up at crucial moments. Tilak played an unbelievable knock in the final. We’ve seen him do that before. Kuldeep [Yadav] and Varun [Chakravarthy] came back with the ball. This is just not about the final. Throughout the journey in the tournament, we’ve stepped up and seized small moments. This was a collective effort.”

Simon Jordan just revealed that he put a “consortium” together in a bid to buy Sheffield Wednesday, revealing his next steps in the takeover race.

Mike Ashley submits offer to buy Sheffield Wednesday

It’s set to be a busy week for Sheffield Wednesday as they close in on their soft deadline of December 5. The Owls have not been short on interest and are now reportedly set to whittle that interest down to serious bidders.

A number of names have been mentioned along the way on that front, including John McEvoy and Ryan Howsam, but it’s Mike Ashley who’s reportedly submitted an opening bid.

The former Newcastle United owner has supposedly tabled an offer worth £20m, only to be turned down by administrators who have had bids in the region of £30m.

With so much interest, Sheffield Wednesday must ensure that they’re not simply accepting the highest bid, however. They’ve already had to tell Sheffield United where to go amid rumours that their American owners were set to propose a shock merger and must take that same stance with any other unacceptable proposals.

That said, if Ashley does return with an offer to match the £30m bid set by others, then he should be someone to consider. The 61-year-old was often criticised at Newcastle, but there’s no denying that he brought financial stability – clearing their debts – and that’s exactly what Sheffield Wednesday need.

Sheffield Wednesday respond to £20m takeover bid as Mike Ashley plots next step

The former Newcastle United owner has made his move.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 27, 2025

Alas, Ashley’s not the only ex-Premier League owner who’s had interest in the club since they’ve entered administration. Former Crystal Palace chief Jordan has now revealed where he stands in the race to buy the club.

Jordan reveals "consortium" to buy Sheffield Wednesday

Speaking to talkSPORT, Jordan revealed that he put together a “consortium” to buy Sheffield Wednesday, before deciding to drop out of the race to complete a takeover amid concerns that he’d be “rewarding” Dejphon Chansiri.

With Jordan out of the race, Sheffield Wednesday have seen their options whittled down even further ahead of the deadline, but there’s no doubt that they’ve still got enough interest.

Whether that means they’ll turn towards Ashley is the big question. He has experience in the world of football, yet he is behind in the bidding war as things stand.

Sheffield-born takeover candidate makes key contact in race to buy Sheffield Wednesday