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Washington picked up two wickets early in the session but Root and Stokes drove back home the advantage

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jul-2025

Joe Root brought up his 38th Test hundred•Associated Press

Tea Joe Root’s 38th Test century took him up to second on the all-time Test run-scorer’s list. And in typical Root fashion, his 121 and counting has raised England to a dominant position in this fourth Test, leading India by 75 in the first innings at tea on day three.Upon moving to 31, Root snuck past Rahul Dravid (13,288) and Jacques Kallis (13,289), bumping the latter off the podium to join Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting. And, four minutes before the end of the second session, he walked down to open the face for a single down to third to move to 120, knocking Ponting (13,378) down a peg, who sung his praises on Sky as part of their commentary team upon being leapfrogged.Related

Root surpasses Ponting to become the second-highest run-getter in Tests

Root did little more than raise a thumb to his skipper, Ben Stokes, with whom he has so far shared an 84-run stand. They had earlier embraced for his hundred after tickling his 178th delivery around the corner for his 12th boundary around, one which took him level with Kumar Sangakkara’s tally of 38, level fourth on the all-time centuries list. It is also his 12th century against India, the most of any player, now ahead of Steve Smith.He had batted for most of the day with Ollie Pope, sharing in a stand of 144 which was ended seven balls after lunch. It was Pope first after the break, edging Washington Sundar to first slip. And Washington had his second four overs later when he hoodwinked an advancing Harry Brook on the outside edge to have him stumped.It was a passage out of kilter with an otherwise listless performance from India in the field. They missed a chance to remove Root on 22 with a botched attempt at a run out, and they were unlucky when Root, on 98, inadvertently diverted a ball just past his leg stump after it caught his thigh guard.Otherwise, their lack of energy, partly due to being run-ragged by England’s penchant for quick singles, was compounded when Jasprit Bumrah was only able to bowl one over with the second new ball before having to leave the field with an unknown injury. Mohammed Siraj, lionhearted throughout, limped off after the 99th over to leave Shubman Gill with big headache heading into the final session.

Germany's new star forward Nick Woltemade finally broke his silence on the 'idiots' Newcastle claim made by Bayern Munich chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge after the Bundesliga champions lost the transfer race to sign the striker from Stuttgart for £65m. After selling Alexander Isak to Liverpool on deadline day, the Magpies brought Woltemade as the Swede's replacement.

Rummenigge called Newcastle 'idiots' after losing Woltemade race

After missing out on one of their key transfer target for the summer, Bayern board member Rummenigge branded the Magpies 'idiots' for spending a massive transfer fee and even sarcastically congratulated Stuttgart for cashing in. The Bundesliga champions made several attempts to bring the German striker to the club over the summer, with their final bid reportedly touching €60m (£52m/$70m). Stuttgart, however, refused to let the player leave below their asking price of €75m (£65m/$87m).Ultimately, a desperate Newcastle made a club-record £69m bid and got the deal done.

Speaking to , Rummenigge said: "I can only congratulate them in Stuttgart for finding, so to speak, an idiot who would pay that much money, because we certainly wouldn't have done that. I said: We're coming in on a scale that I no longer find acceptable. We shouldn't meet all of their demands. 

"The players and their agents must also be careful not to trap themselves. The money has to come from somewhere, and that comes from expanding competitions or creating new ones."

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWoltemade reacts to Rummenigge's comments

The Magpies star has now finally reacted to Rummenigge's comments as he told : "My team-mates commented on it, I didn't. I think that was the right thing to do. A lot was made of my name, Bayern, and transfer fee during the summer; that was the story of the summer. To answer your question: the headlines everywhere said 'idiots.' But I read Mr Rummenigge's entire statement – it was certainly somewhat unfortunate, but not quite so dramatic.

"When I arrived at the national team, everyone congratulated me. Bayern players also congratulated me. When they see a player taking a step forward, you get congratulations. That was the case for me too. There were no negative comments, especially since my circumstances were special."

Ex-Newcastle star hit back at Rummenigge

Reacting to the Bayern chief's harsh comments, former Newcastle winger Chris Waddle told : "They probably thought they had him at a lower price. Newcastle have obviously looked for a centre-forward after the saga with Isak. They've looked around and thought who's available? They've looked at Woltemade because he's a good player. He's a tall guy. He's quite mobile. Technically he's all right. 

"Bayern Munich thought, 'he’s a player we can snap up who could replace Harry Kane in a couple of years.' They probably thought they had a deal done. But Newcastle came in and I think it's a little bit of sour grapes. I think Newcastle's offered a better contract, better wages, better everything. Bayern Munich would probably think they would get him at the price that they think he's worth. They think Newcastle's paid over the top. Time will tell on that."

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Getty Images SportHow is it going for Woltemade?

Woltemade has made an instant impact since moving to the Premier League from the Bundesliga in the summer. He has appeared in 14 matches for the Magpies thus far across all competitions and scored seven goals, including four in eight league appearances. 

He has also performed consistently for his national team and he recently starred with a brace in Germany's close win over Luxembourg, which kept their hopes alive of securing a direct berth at the World Cup next year. The 23-year-old will be back in action for Germany on Monday as the four-time world champions face Slovakia.

It remains difficult to piece together just where the blame lies for Celtic’s current slump – is it the board, is it Brendan Rodgers, or is it a period of dismal recruitment?

Of course, it is likely a mixture of all of those factors, with the latter point particularly key. Indeed, of those signed amid Rodgers’ return in the summer of 2023, only Paulo Bernardo and Yang Hyun-jun remain part of the current first-team squad.

Far too many deals have backfired over the past two years, although that’s not to say that the departed coach is himself free of criticism, having not exactly got the best out of those at his disposal.

You only have to look at the case of Callum Osmand, a player largely ignored by the Northern Irishman, to see where Rodgers was misguided. While now cruelly struck down by injury, the Wales youth international was the hero at Hampden, before winning a penalty during his lively, albeit brief cameo at FC Midtjylland.

Although Rodgers’ return did see two further Premiership titles secured, prior to him walking away for the second time, the magic of his first spell in charge didn’t appear to be there.

The Hoops, hopefully, will be targeting a figure who can replicate that first version of the former Liverpool boss at Parkhead.

Celtic's ongoing manager search

A clear frontrunner has yet to truly emerge with regard to Celtic’s managerial vacancy, with a romantic return for Ange Postecoglou having been deemed ‘very unlikely’, despite the Greek-Aussie now out of work following his dismissal from Nottingham Forest.

Interim boss Martin O’Neill does remain an option to see out the season, alongside Shaun Maloney, although such a decision would likely be a last resort considering the 73-year-old last took on a top job back in 2019, following his own brief stint at the City Ground.

The nature and timing of Rodgers’ shock resignation has no doubt complicated matters, although with the international break now to come, it presents the perfect time to finally nail down a preferred pick.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

According to Football Insider, one of the current frontrunners is Ipswich Town boss, Kieran McKenna, with the 39-year-old deemed to be the “number-one target”, albeit with a potential obstacle likely to be his “big compensation package”.

As the report notes, it is believed that it would take a fee of around £5m to prise McKenna from Portman Road, with it yet to be seen whether the Glasgow side would be willing to fork out such a figure to get their man.

McKenna, for what it’s worth, did not wholly shut down talk of the move when quizzed on the speculation in recent weeks, having described Celtic as a “really big club”, amid suggestions that he is a rumoured Hoops supporter.

Why Celtic could be targeting the next Brendan Rodgers

An exciting young Northern Irish coach with a potential affinity to the Scottish champions – that certainly sounds familiar?

Yes, there are certainly real similarities between McKenna and his compatriot Rodgers, with Celtic no doubt hoping that the in-demand Ipswich coach can replicate the success that the latter man enjoyed following his first move to Parkhead in 2016.

While the ex-Swansea City, Liverpool, Watford and Reading boss had garnered far more experience at the time of his move north of the border, he had made the first major stride of his coaching career in the youth ranks at Chelsea, having been given the backing of Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge.

McKenna – who initially worked in the youth ranks at Tottenham Hotspur – was also something of a favourite of Mourinho at Manchester United, having eventually become an assistant to the Portuguese coach in 2018.

Like Rodgers, the rising star had seen his own playing career cut short by injury, with the pair seemingly following in Mourinho’s footsteps by trying to make up for that on-field disappointment by shining in the dugout – as McKenna himself has admitted:

While Rodgers first truly made a name for himself by steering Swansea into the Premier League, the 4-2-3-1 coach has enjoyed similar success in the EFL with his current club, having claimed back-to-back promotions in what is his first managerial role.

Days in charge

1419

Games

187

Wins

87

Draws

50

Losses

50

Points per game

1.66

Players used

81

Promotions

2

Relegations

1

Although the Tractor Boys’ stay in the top-flight was short-lived, that hasn’t stopped interest mounting in this “incredible” coach – as hailed by Ipswich’s Wes Burns – with former club Man United believed to have been considering him in the summer of 2024.

That would’ve been like Rodgers’ own Anfield switch, although perhaps McKenna can skip a step and head straight to Celtic instead, with the Glasgow outfit no doubt in need of an exciting, young and fresh voice to try and reinvigorate the current first-team crop.

For all the frustration over his decision to twice leave his post at Celtic Park, it’s worth remembering the glittering success that Rodgers has achieved when at the helm, namely overseeing that invincible domestic season in 2016/17.

With a raft of promising young talents, and with an attractive, front-foot style of play, the now 52-year-old was just what was needed to breathe new life into the club, amid the mixed stint of Ronny Deila.

Now, again, Celtic need to be revitalised. Can the next bright young manager, McKenna, be the man to do just that?

O'Neill upgrade: Mjallby tells Celtic which manager is "the perfect fit"

Former Celtic star Johan Mjällby has told the club which manager would be the perfect fit for the club.

ByDan Emery Nov 8, 2025

Kumble, Warne and Duminy have all been pushed a peg down after the MI captain’s efforts in Lucknow

Abhimanyu Bose04-Apr-20251:39

‘Pandya clearly at the peak of his game’

Hardik Pandya – 5 for 36 vs LSG, 2025Hardik had bowled 96 times in the IPL and the best he had ever returned was 3 for 17. In Lucknow on Friday in the IPL 2025 match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), he kept producing wickets even as his team-mates went for big runs courtesy Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram. Hardik brought himself on as the sixth bowler in the ninth over and immediately got the big wicket of the in-form Nicholas Pooran with a slower bouncer. In his next over, an offcutter saw the struggling Rishabh Pant spoon the ball towards mid-off where Corbin Bosch took a good catch. Hardik then came back to bowl at the death and removed the well-set Markram before dismissing David Miller and Akash Deep off consecutive deliveries in the final over to register his first five-for in his 290th T20 match.But his efforts, which also included an unbeaten knock of 28 off 16 deliveries, went in vain as LSG defended their total of 203, restricting MI to 191 for 5.Anil Kumble – 4 for 16 vs Deccan Chargers, 2009Opening the bowling for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL 2009 final in Johannesburg, Anil Kumble set the tone by knocking over Adam Gilchrist in the first over. He went on to dismiss Andrew Symonds, Rohit Sharma and Venugopal Rao to restrict Deccan Chargers to 143. RCB fell short by six runs in the chase as Chargers won the title, but Kumble held the record for best figures for a captain in the IPL until it was broken by Hardik.Anil Kumble – 4 for 16 vs Deccan Chargers, 2010No, this isn’t a copy-pasting error. A year on from the 2009 final, RCB and Chargers met in the third-place playoff match at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. Kumble opened the bowling again, and dismissed Gilchrist in the first over again. This time RCB bowled their opponents out for 82, with Kumble returning 4 for 16 from 3.3 overs. Rahul Dravid and Kevin Pietersen ensured a successful chase.ESPNcricinfo LtdJP Duminy – 4 for 17 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, 2015JP Duminy came close to breaking Kumble’s record in IPL 2015 as he ran through the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) top order to help Delhi Capitals (DC, then Delhi Daredevils) secure a four-run win while defending 168. Duminy broke a 50-run opening stand and dismissed both openers David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan in the space of three balls. He then dismissed a well-set Ravi Bopara and Eoin Morgan, two wickets in three balls again, to round off an all-round performance, having also hit a half-century in DC’s innings.Shane Warne – 4 for 21 vs Deccan Chargers, 2010After Rajasthan Royals (RR) were bowled out for 159 in Nagpur, Chargers looked favourites in the chase. Enter Shane Warne, who sparked a middle-order collapse and inspired a two-run win, with Rohit’s 44-ball 73 not enough for Chargers. Warne bagged the wickets of Anirudh Singh, Dwayne Smith, Azhar Bilakhia and Ryan Harris, none of whom could get to double-figures.

The former Bangladesh captain joins Sazzad Ahmed in the senior women’s selection panel

Mohammad Isam20-Sep-2025The BCB has appointed Salma Khatun as the country’s first woman selector. The former Bangladesh captain will join Sazzad Ahmed in the women’s selection panel. Bangladesh are in the last stage of preparation ahead of the Women’s World Cup next month.Salma was Bangladesh’s first captain in international cricket. She went on to lead the country in 65 WT20Is and 18 WODIs. At the time of her last WT20I, she was Bangladesh’s most-capped women’s T20I cricketer, having played 95 matches. She has also played 46 WODIs.Salma was also the ICC’s No 1 bowler in WT20Is in 2014 and 2015. She took 84 T20I wickets with her offspin at an average of 18.57, with best figures of 4-6 against Sri Lanka.”I think this is a revolutionary decision by our [BCB] president [Aminul Islam], as having someone like Salma involved will provide great support for women’s cricket,” Iftekhar Rahman, the BCB’s media committee chairman, said. “This is the first time such an appointment has been made in Bangladesh.”The board has also promoted Hasibul Hossain to the senior men’s selection panel. He will join chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain and Abdur Razzak. The third position had been vacant since Hannan Sarkar left the role in February this year.Hasibul, the former fast bowler, played five Tests and 32 ODIs. He played in Bangladesh’s inaugural Test match against India in 2000, and was involved in the famous leg-bye that won Bangladesh the ICC Trophy final in 1997.Hasibul had been a junior selector in the BCB since July 2016, having worked closely with the Bangladesh Under-19 side that lifted the World Cup in 2020.

A lot can happen over the course of a long Major League Baseball season. A small-market team can emerge as a juggernaut. Big-market teams can be humbled. The deepest division in baseball a year ago can be turned directly on its head.

Just under a month and half remains in the 2025 regular season, and baseball's pecking order looks very different now from how it looked early on. Can the Brewers keep up their blazing second half? Can the Yankees and Mets rediscover their old mojo? What's going on in the American League Central? These issues and more will be explored in this edition of Fact or Fiction.

The Brewers will end the season with MLB's best record

Verdict: Fact

At 79–47, Milwaukee is perched atop both leagues and on pace for the best record in franchise history. The squad leads the Cubs by seven games in the National League Central and the Phillies by six games in the race for the No. 1 seed in the NL, and is five games better than the AL-best Tigers.

The question is whether those leads can hold up for the rest of the season. Milwaukee's remaining opponents have a winning percentage of .510 (11th strongest). Contrast that with .468 for Chicago (29th), .502 for Philadelphia (15th), .471 for the Dodgers (28th), and .493 for the Tigers (19th). Those numbers don’t post the prettiest picture, but the Brewers do play 22 of their 36 remaining games against teams under .500—more than the Cubs (21), Phillies (19) and Tigers (12), and just two fewer than the Dodgers. That’ll be present more opportunities to stack up wins against inferior competition. They also possess perhaps the best pitching depth in the league.

MORE:SI:AM | The Brewers’ Streak by the Numbers

Who can gain ground on the Brewers by beating them directly? The Cubs have two more chances to this week, but that’s the last time the two division rivals play. Back-to-back series against the Blue Jays and Phillies loom. A protracted dip seems unlikely, though, so Milwaukee can dream of a third straight division title—and a good shot at a first playoff series win since 2018.

The Yankees and Mets will both miss the playoffs

Verdict: Fiction

The Yankees were in danger of falling out of the playoff picture as recently as Friday, thanks to a lengthy slump and a month-long tear by the Guardians. The weekend, however, broke perfectly New York's way: the Yankees swept the Cardinals and watched Cleveland drop three in a row to the Braves. The Guardians scraped together a win over the Diamondbacks Monday, but lost again Tuesday. The Red Sox, meanwhile, are on a four-game losing streak.

What about the Mets? Ice cold of late as well, they also received a pair of morale boosts over the weekend. Pitcher Nolan McLean was sterling in his MLB debut against the Mariners Saturday, and they hammered Seattle in the Little League Classic Monday. The Reds still are just one game back for the final NL wild-card spot, but manager Carlos Mendoza’s crew has to be in a better mood amid a series against the last-place Nationals.

All that is to say: a postseason without both New York teams seems unlikely. There've been just four such playoffs this century—2008, '13, '14 and '23. While these Yankees may lack the single-minded, top-down seriousness of manager Joe Torre's squads of yore, they are better on paper than Cleveland and Kansas City—the Royals have won five in a row and trail Boston by 2 1/2 games for the final AL wild-card spot. Likewise, the Mets' potent offense should shake pesky Cincinnati.

No AL Central team will qualify for a wild-card spot

Verdict: Fact

As much of a boon as this past weekend was for the Yankees, it was a cataclysm for Cleveland—a team that had looked so good since a 10-game losing streak around the Fourth of July. It's clear the Guardians—a .516 team that should be a .468 one, per Pythagorean winning percentage—are punching above their weight, and the Atlanta series may have let the air out of Cleveland's balloon.

The Guardians actually now trail the Royals, fellow Pythagorean overachievers, by a half game. Like Cleveland, Kansas City has had an up-and-down 2025 after a very good '24. The Royals have dealt with a rash of pitching injuries and were briefly seven games under .500 in early July, but have played themselves back into the wild-card race.

Neither squad seems to have the offensive firepower to overtake the Yankees, Red Sox or Mariners, though—the Royals possess the AL’s worst offense (3.81 runs per game), and the Guardians (3.97) are barely better, outpacing just the Royals and White Sox among AL teams.

Pete Crow-Armstrong will enter the 40–40 club

Verdict: Fiction

Let's do some napkin math here. Appearing in 121 of Chicago's 125 games (a 156-game pace, rounding down), Crow-Armstrong has hit 27 home runs and stolen 30 bases. Therefore, Crow-Armstrong should play around 35 more games, and he would need to hit 13 home runs and steal 10 bases in those games to join the 40-40 club.

Based on his pace to date, Crow-Armstrong would be expected to hit seven home runs and steal nine bases over any given 35-game span. That'd leave the NL's bWAR leader six home runs and one steal short. The Cubs have never had a 40–40 player, and it appears likely that will remain the case. Chicago’s breakout player was on pace to make history for much of this season, but an awful August thus far (zero home runs, one stolen base, .420 OPS) has likely scuttled that possibility.

Are there any between-the-lines numbers hinting at a potential late power or speed explosion for Crow-Armstrong? Chicago does play three games in Denver from Aug. 29–31, along with the Nationals' and Angels' high-ERA staffs (5.33 and 4.69, respectively). Crow-Armstrong doubling his home run pace is a tough ask, however.

Randy Arozarena and Julio Rodríguez will both enter the 30-30 club

Verdict: Fact

Two teams all-time have put teammates in the 30–30 club: the 1987 Mets (infielder Howard Johnson and right fielder Darryl Strawberry) and Colorado in 1996 (outfielders Dante Bichette and Ellis Burks). Both of those teams missed the playoffs, so the Mariners have the chance to cap a special season with a historic feat.

Back to the abacus for this one. Arozarena: 23 homers and 24 steals, pacing for 159 games, his current clip would leave him a home run short. Rodríguez: 24 homers and 23 steals, pacing for 160 games, his current clip would leave him a steal short.

Those are easy margins to make up—easier than those of Crow-Armstrong—and it would almost be a surprise if both players didn't cross the finish line. Where can Arozarena find an extra home run? The soft-tossing Rockies come to town from Sept. 23–25. Who can Rodríguez steal on? Counterintuitively, the Dodgers—third in baseball in wild pitches and in the Evergreen State from Sept. 26–28.

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank opted to go with what seemed like a rather defensive team selection when the line-up was revealed before kick-off against Arsenal.

The Lilywhites lined up with five defenders and two defensive midfielders, along with a front three of Mohammed Kudus, Wilson Odobert, and Richarlison against the Gunners.

Possession

57%

43%

Big chances

3

0

Shots

17

3

Shots on target

8

2

xG

1.93

0.07

Passes

448

330

As you can see in the table above, it was an approach from the Danish manager that did not pay off for Spurs, as they were heavily beaten by their local rivals on Sunday.

Tottenham only registered three efforts on goal in their loss to Arsenal, with one of them being the 45-yard lob from Richarlison, as they struggled badly in possession.

Struggling in possession has been a theme of the Premier League season for the Lilywhites, as they currently rank 17th in the division for xG created (11.1) across 12 matches, per FBref.

Some of that will be down to Frank’s system and tactics, as his selection against Arsenal seemed negative on paper, but there have also been some underperforming attacking players this season.

Ranking Tottenham's attackers this season

When looking at how the team’s attackers have performed in the 2025/26 campaign so far, it is hard to look past Mohammed Kudus and Richarlison as the two standout performers.

The Brazil international has delivered five goals and two assists in all competitions for the Lilywhites, whilst the £55m summer signing from West Ham has produced one goal and five assists.

On the other end of the scales, the £52m signing from RB Leipzig, Xavi Simons, has failed to deliver much in the way of quality, with no goals and two assists in 15 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

The Dutch playmaker, who started the season on the left wing after Heung-min Son’s depature, was left out of the starting line-up against Arsenal, and he has to rank near the bottom of the list because of the fee paid versus the output given so far.

1

Mohammed Kudus

2

Richarlison

3

Brennan Johnson

4

Mathys Tel

5

Wilson Odobert

6

Randal Kolo Muani

7

Xavi Simons

8

Dominic Solanke

9

Dane Scarlett

As you can see in the table above, Dane Scarlett and Dominic Solanke are the only two players who rank lower than Xavi, and that is because they have played 59 minutes of football between them, which makes it difficult to place them any higher.

Unfortunately, Spurs are still looking for the true heir to Heung-min Son’s throne after the South Korea international moved on from North London in the summer, as their big-money addition from Leipzig is yet to pay off, and they are now keen on a star who could finally fill that vacancy.

Spurs make big-money bid to sign new winger

According to a report from Spain, Tottenham Hotspur are one of the clubs interested in doing a deal to sign Athletic Bilbao forward Nico Williams in the upcoming January transfer window.

The outlet claims that Spurs and Chelsea have both submitted bids worth around £62m in an attempt to land the Spain international to bolster their respective attacking units.

Transfer Focus

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

It also reveals that both of those clubs are working on contract offers that would see Williams triple his current wages, which the report does not disclose, in order to convince him to leave his club.

However, it remains to be seen whether or not the Spanish whiz would be willing to move to England, or if the £62m offers are enough to tempt Athletic Bilbao into cashing in on their prized asset.

If Spurs can get a big-money deal for the left-sided attacker over the line, though, he could be Frank’s own version of Heung-min Son on the wing in the second half of the season.

Why Nico Williams would be Tottenham's new Heung-min Son

Williams, who was described as a “level-raiser” by Como scout Ben Mattinson, has all the attributes that the Lilywhites should be looking for in a replacement for the legendary South Korean star.

Like Son, the Spain international is a rapid forward who can use his speed to get in behind defences, as evidenced by Mattinson stating that he has an “electric burst of pace”, which is what served the former Spurs attacker so well for so long.

A goal scored by Williams against Real Oviedo in LaLiga earlier this month was an excellent demonstration of his speed, quality, and comfort on both feet, which Son was also renowned for during his time in North London.

The 23-year-old forward has registered two goals and two assists in nine matches in LaLiga this term, per Transfermarkt, after a haul of 11 goals and seven assists in 45 outings last season.

His most impressive campaign in an Athletic Bilbao shirt, though, came in the 2023/24 season when he delivered an eye-catching eight goals and 18 assists in 37 matches, per Transfermarkt.

These statistics show that the winger does have the potential to provide quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals from the flank, as Son did with his 173 goals and 101 assists for Spurs before his move to the MLS in the summer.

Non-penalty xG + xAG

0.38

0.54

Shot-creating actions

4.99

4.51

Progressive passes

3.25

4.09

Progressive carries

5.24

4.27

Successful take-ons

3.33

1.58

Progressive passes received

10.83

10.92

Key passes

1.91

1.86

As you can see in the table above, Williams is also similar to Son in a host of underlying statistics away from purely goals and assists, which suggests that he can provide a similar outlet on the left wing.

Like the ex-Spurs captain, the Spain international is an exceptional ball-carrier who can drive the team up the pitch to make things happen as a creative force, which they badly need at the moment, as evidenced by their dismal attacking display against Arsenal.

Having a counter-attacking weapon like Williams could allow Tottenham to defend deeper in matches, as Frank tried to do on Sunday, because they would have him to explode on the break when they win the ball back, instead of attacks stagnating and allowing the opposition to keep the pressure on.

£22m Spurs flop is becoming their biggest disaster since Serge Aurier

Spurs are carrying a few passengers in the team under Thomas Frank right now.

ByMatt Dawson Nov 24, 2025

Therefore, the £62m-rated star could be a phenomenal addition to the squad with the quality that he could bring to the team on the left wing as their true heir to Heung-min Son.

Weston McKennie and Jonathan David are in different situations for their club and, with the World Cup around the corner, need to start playing their best soccer.

On Tuesday evening, two CONCACAF stars finally made the difference for Juventus in the Champions League. Their influence was overdue in a 3-2 win that flirted with embarrassment, but when Juve needed someone to steady the ship, first Weston McKennie and then Jonathan David delivered.

McKennie struck first, smashing home a 60th-minute equalizer against Bodo/Glimt. David followed with a stoppage-time winner that secured three points — and, frankly, spared Juve from dropping points in a game they had no business complicating. It was about time for both. McKennie remains an enigma in Turin: ever-present, yet often difficult to pinpoint in terms of tangible impact. David, meanwhile, chose a club with two established strikers and has spent the autumn trying to carve out space for himself. It’s only November, but both feel like they’re approaching a crossroads.

And in recent weeks, that has only gotten worse. Juve did what Italian clubs often do and fired their manager, Igor Tudor, after a poor start to the season. They then responded by hiring Luciano Spalletti, a coach of immaculate pedigree but seemingly a poor fit for the squad.

It is a puzzling situation for both. Spalletti has done little to indicate that he rates David. McKennie has been a regular, but far from the star he could perhaps be elsewhere. In short, the American and the Canadian are struggling – albeit in different ways. And at an unpredictable club quickly falling out of Serie A contention, something has to change.

Getty ImagesSpalletti and what the new manager brings

Spalletti should have made sense. In truth, he still might. This is a frighteningly early time to jump to any conclusions. But what Juventus have is a Serie A–proven manager who showed he can do a lot with a little when he won the league with Napoli in 2023. That team was propelled by Victor Osimhen and a young Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but it was also wonderfully balanced, with legs in midfield and solidity at the back. Spalletti’s sides can attack, but they can also defend.

His time with the Italian national team was admittedly mixed. The talent pool had dried up, and he argued that he didn’t have the time to shape the squad before Euro 2024. Italy lost in the Round of 16, and he took responsibility:

“We failed because of my team selection; it is never down to the players.”

It was expected that he might leave after the exit, but instead stuck around for another year. He was let go for good in June after losing to Norway in Italy's first World Cup qualifying fixture. 

When Juve appointed him, they hoped for the Napoli version of Spalletti. There could yet be some magic here.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesEarly results are mixed

The early results have been somewhat mixed. Spalletti looks very much like a coach still figuring it out – tinkering with his personnel despite having a recognized system. There is, however, one major constraint to his game. Juve's squad has been assembled to play in some version of a 3-4-3. There will, in whatever tactical vision Spalletti ultimately holds, a base construction of three central defenders, wing backs and two central midfielders. 

That's a problem. At Napoli, he used a 4-3-3 of sorts. For Italy, he tinkered but tended to favor a back four system. He has been given a squad, then, that doesn't quite fit his usual needs. That is not necessarily Spalletti's fault. Juventus have only had a director of football for five months. They are, structurally, a mess, and have appointed three managers in just over a year. He's not been given the best tools here. 

He started his reign by beating Cremonese, 2-1. That was followed by three straight draws in which Juve scored just twice. On Tuesday evening, he had his first big win. The conceded first against last year's Europa League darlings Bodo/Glimt and mounted a second-half comeback to seal three vital points in the Champions League. 

There have been some tactical innovations here. With too many central midfielders to get into his side – and a feeling that Khephren Thuram, Manuel Locatelli, and Teun Koopmeiners are all undroppable – Spalletti moved Koopmeiners into his back three, and tasked the midfielder with playing a crucial role in build-up play. That has certainly made his side more dynamic on the ball – yet the end product is yet to be seen. 

Getty Images SportMcKennie's value amid uncertainty

 What this means for McKennie, though, remains unclear. Every summer brings the same message: the American is no longer valued at Juve, a move is imminent, his time is up. And yet, somehow, he always works his way back into the fold. Sometimes out of necessity, but more often because of his quality. McKennie is a gifted, versatile footballer who should be more than a utility man, though a succession of managers have been reluctant to leave him out.

Spalletti has treated him much the same way, using the Texas native as a right-sided player in various roles. McKennie has started all five of Spalletti’s games so far and has played all but five minutes. Three starts have come at right wing-back; two have come as either a winger or an advanced midfielder. And McKennie has been entirely agreeable. He does everything right without quite standing out. He hasn’t scored or assisted, but he’s a steady 7/10: winning more tackles than he loses, completing passes at a solid rate, and creating a couple of chances each game.

Then, on Tuesday, he came alive. Juve were struggling and trailed Bodo/Glimt 1-0 at half-time. Lois Openda pulled one back early in the second half. And McKennie came up with the next crucial moment. His go-ahead goal wasn’t particularly pretty, but he timed his run perfectly and rose to meet a lofted ball. Juve went on to win 3-2.

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AFPDavid, who can barely get a kick

And David also got in on the fun. It has been a frustrating few months for the former Lille man. He was linked with plenty of high-profile moves after scoring for fun in the French league. Arsenal and Liverpool were both reportedly in the mix. A few other big names were mentioned here and there. Juve, in truth, seemed an odd choice, especially given that they had Dusan Vlahovic up front. David needed to start, and it didn't seem like the club could offer him many minutes. 

So far, those doubts have proven valid. Thus far, David has started five out of 11 Serie A games, registering one goal and one assist in league play. He was bright in the first month of the season, but Spalletti has been reluctant to use him. Davif hasn't started a domestic game under the new boss, and played just four minutes against Sporting CP in the Champions League on Nov. 4. 

His underlying numbers, though, look pretty good. David is in the 90th percentile for shot-creating actions and 99th in pass completion percentage according to . His defensive numbers are as reliable as ever. These are small sample sizes, but the player is still very much there. 

And he proved it in style Tuesday evening. Juve seemed set to kick on after McKennie's second goal. But the home side grabbed an equalizer in the 87th minute. A point wouldn't have been disastrous. Still, in these games, you need all three. David's goal was all instinct. Kenan Yildiz had a shot well parried, and David floated in, reacted first, and turned home. Whether that goal kicks off his Juve career in full remains to be seen, but it was a solid moment for a struggling player.  

Brave’s elder stateswoman hopes to bow out on a high, just as 18-year-old challenger comes of age

Valkerie Baynes31-Aug-2025Sophie Devine has kept very few secrets about where she’s at.A month before New Zealand launched their ultimately victorious campaign at last year’s T20 World Cup, Devine – who turns 36 on Monday – announced she would step down as their captain at the end of the tournament.In June, Devine revealed that the upcoming 50-over World Cup would comprise the last ODIs of her career.Then she goes and produces a body of allround work across this year’s Hundred that has twisted all that clarity about a player in the twilight of her career out of shape, to lead an undefeated Southern Brave directly into Sunday’s Final at Lord’s.”I wish I would’ve done it at the start of my career,” Devine says with typical dry, self-deprecating humour.Speaking on a call set up by KP Snacks, who are celebrating the achievement of installing over 100 grass root community pitches in England and Wales, Devine continued: “I’m just really enjoying my time down at the Southern Brave.”I’m just really enjoying my time and contributing. That’s the biggest thing for me, especially, I guess, at this phase of my career, it’s about passing on my knowledge and helping out whoever I can.”The fact that we’ve managed to get a fair few wins on the board is nice, but we all know that it doesn’t really mean too much unless you bring the trophy home at the end, so there’s still a lot to go.”Davina Perrin celebrates her 42-ball century•Philip Brown/Getty ImagesFortunately for New Zealand – and for cricket – Devine plans to keep playing T20Is and franchise cricket for “probably how long people can handle me and put up with me”.There’s that humour again from a player who has earned the right to call the shots on her career in her own time.With 12 wickets at 14.08 and an economy rate of 6.54, she is the third-highest wicket-taker in the Hundred women’s competition. Her 3 for 15 against Northern Superchargers was one of four Player-of-the-Match performances in the space of five games for Devine. Brave team-mate and England seamer Lauren Bell is the leading wicket-taker with 19 at 7.47 and an economy of 5.35.Devine scored an unbeaten 41 off 42 balls at No. 4 against Trent Rockets in the other game during that stretch. While that remains the best of her eight innings so far with an average of 28.40 and strike rate of 109.23, having an even bigger impact with the bat in the final would ice an outstanding tournament for her.So it was with beautiful symmetry that, in the Eliminator at the Kia Oval on Saturday, the 18-year-old Davina Perrin announced she was coming for Devine and her Brave team-mates with the second-fastest century across the history of the men’s and women’s competitions.Perrin tees off during her matchwinning innings•Philip Brown/Getty ImagesPerrin’s 42-ball ton was just one ball short of Harry Brook’s record, set in 2023, and propelled Northern Superchargers into the title decider via an emphatic 42-run win over last year’s champions, London Spirit.Her 101 runs led Superchargers to 214 for 5, the highest total in the women’s competition to date – there has been just one total higher in the men’s – and ultimately sealed a second final for her team.Superchargers lost to Southern Brave in the final of the 2023 women’s competition after Brave had been runners-up to Oval Invincibles in the first two editions.Beyond a “bloody belter of a deck” at The Oval on Saturday, Perrin credited a lap round the outfield on match eve with Lisa Keightley, the former England Women’s head coach now guiding Superchargers, and a net session with assistant Liam Simpson for the best innings of her young career. Chiefly it was their advice to “puff your chest out, take the helmet off, let it flow” that was on her mind as she struck five sixes and 15 fours in a remarkable show of power and poise.”For me, I’ve got to back that up, for the team, we’ve got to back that up tomorrow,” Perrin said. “We’ve got a big game coming up and that’s where our minds are at now.Related

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“Whatever’s happened today, we take the token of confidence but we also park it, we move on. New game, new ground, new conditions, different team. We’re going to take whatever’s thrown at us… I guess I have made some sort of impact but a bigger impact will be the job that we do tomorrow.”Perrin’s knock impressed all who saw it, including London Spirit wicketkeeper Georgia Redmayne, who had tried to get in the youngster’s head by drawing her attention to her looming century, before scoring an unbeaten fifty in a losing cause herself.”She didn’t get too distracted,” Redmayne said. “It was very impressive and I’m excited to see how she goes in the future. It’s going to be tough for her to back it up tomorrow but I’d love to see some more striking like that in the future… hopefully not against us!”But in terms of potentially catching the eye of England Women’s head coach Charlotte Edwards, Perrin was happy to let her “bat do the talking”.”I just look to go out there and have fun,” Perrin said. “I don’t think about the rest of the stuff, that’s just noise. It’s all noise and the only noise I’m listening to when I’m batting is the sound of the ball flying off the bat – when it’s a good day!” KP Snacks, the Official Team Partner of The Hundred, are celebrating the installation of over 100 new community cricket pitches across England and Wales. To find out more and search for your nearest pitch, visit: www.everyonein.co.uk/pitchfinder

Both teams will hope for better batting support for overburdened talismans Athapaththu and Amin

Andrew Fidel Fernando23-Oct-20252:12

SL vs Pak preview: Chamari Athapaththu’s swansong?

Big picture: Pakistan, SL aim to finish stronglyBoth Pakistan and Sri Lanka are out of contention for the semis. Pakistan were out already, following their big loss to South Africa on Tuesday. Sri Lanka’s exit was confirmed after India beat New Zealand on Thursday.This is both Sri Lanka and Pakistan’s opportunity to finish a campaign strongly. Pakistan are winless as yet in this competition, though rain denied them a near-certain victory over England. Sri Lanka batted poorly in the match against Bangladesh, but were bailed out by their captain in the final over. They will, if nothing else, want to put a stronger stamp on this tournament, which they have essentially co-hosted.The problem areas for both teams overlap. Pakistan are over-reliant on Sidra Amin with the bat, and have tended to crumble around her. Sri Lanka are not quite as reliant on Chamari Athapaththu as they used to be, but they are yet to put in a dominant batting performance so far. Hasini Perera hit her first international fifty against Bangladesh, but the likes of Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama and Kavisha Dilhari will have hoped to have had better tournaments.Form guideSri Lanka WLLLL (last five completed ODIs, most recent first)
Pakistan LLLLWIn the spotlight: Chamari Athapaththu and Sidra AminChamari Athapaththu will be 36 in February. Unless stars align in extremely fortuitous fashion, Sri Lanka will play their last match of this World Cup on Friday. There is always the chance that Athapaththu will play the next ODI World Cup as well, at age 39. There are certainly no signs that she is slowing down. But realistically, this could be her final ODI World Cup game. She is without a doubt the first woman in Sri Lanka’s cricketing pantheon. If this is her last major game in this format, she deserves a strong finish.Can Sidra Amin finish her World Cup with another strong display?•AFP/Getty ImagesJust as an illustration of how far back Pakistan’s batting is from the world leaders, consider this. Alyssa Healy, the top runscorer for this tournament, has hit 294 runs in four innings. Pakistan’s top run-scorer Sidra Amin has hit 138 runs in five innings. Amin and Pakistan have had consistently challenging conditions in Colombo to deal with, of course, but still, there is both a fragility and a stodginess to this top order, which prevents them from even competing in many matches. If they are to impose themselves on the next World Cup, Pakistan need to develop more batters like Amin.Team newsPakistan might search for ways to strengthen their batting order. Could Eyman Fatima or Sadaf Shamas make it back into the XI as they search for better combinations?Pakistan (possible): 1 Omaima Sohail, 2 Muneeba Ali, 3 Sidra Amin, 4 Aliya Riaz, 5 Natalia Pervaiz, Sidra Nawaz (wk), 7 Fatima Sana (capt), 8 Eyman Fatima/Rameen Shamim, 9 Diana Baig, 10 Nashra Sandhu, 10 Sadia Iqbal.Sri Lanka will likely keep their XI from the win over Bangladesh. Seamer Malki Madara was economical in that match, and will likely keep her spot.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Vishmi Gunaratne, 2 Chamari Athapaththu (capt), 3 Hasini Perera, 4 Harshitha Samarawickrama, 5 Kavisha Dilhari, 6 Nilakshika Silva, 7 Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), 8 Sugandika Kumari, 9 Malki Madara, 10, Inoka Ranaweera, 11 Udeshika Prabodhani.Pitch and conditions: Can the rain stop, please?The northeast monsoon shows no signs of easing in Colombo. Expect there to be swing and seam, owing to the rain around. There will also likely be significant turn, so long as the balls aren’t too wet. This is all presuming the rain will allow any cricket to be played at all.Stats and trivia In 19 World Cup innings, Athapaththu averages 37.61 – just slightly better than her overall stats. Her World Cup bowling average of 30.00 is substantially better than her overall average of 40.12.Sidra Amin tops Pakistan’s run-scorers’ chart this year, with 656 ODI runs at 59.63. Their next-highest run-getter, Muneeba Ali, has hit 402 at 30.92. In 33 ODIs between the two sides, Pakistan have won 11 and Sri Lanka 22. Quotes”We’ve seen how the games have tended to go here. There’s been help for the pacers as well. We’ve studied the wicket carefully and are preparing to adjust our game according to the conditions. There’s quite a bit of swing for the fast bowlers, and for the spinners, there’s also good turn.”
Sri Lanka batter Harshitha Samarawickrama on conditions at Khettarama at the moment“I’ve learned quite a lot. This was a huge event – the World Cup – and unfortunately, we couldn’t perform as well as we wanted to. But there’s so much we’ve learned from it, and we’ll go back home and work hard on those areas.  It’s been quite difficult because many of our matches were affected by rain.”
Pakistan spinner Sadia Iqbal on Pakistan’s takeaways from a rainy Colombo campaign