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The defending champions have lost three in a row, leaving their hopes of a three-peat greatly diminished

Firdose Moonda14-Jan-2025As far as title defences go, it’s fair to say Sunrisers Eastern Cape have gotten off to the worst possible start. They’ve slumped to their three biggest defeats in their history – their largest by runs in the tournament opener against MI Cape Town – and their two biggest by balls remaining in their losses to Paarl Royals and Pretoria Capitals, and thoughts of a trophy three-peat have become ever-more distant.It’s still early in SA20 2025 but the initial indications are that a significant part of the problem is in the top order, where Sunrisers have not fired. Across the three matches, their highest score by a top-three batter is Zak Crawley’s 27 against Royals, and collectively, their top three has scored 85 runs at an average of 9.44. In season 1, the top two averaged over 30 and in season 2, 22.67. There is time to build back up to that but they will need to turn things around quickly and that may start with settling on their opening pair.With Dawid Malan not part of the squad this season, Sunrisers started with Jordan Hermann and Crawley but then played against Capitals with Crawley and David Bedingham. Batting coach Russell Domingo explained that Hermann’s omission was to open up a spot for allrounder Patrick Kruger.”It was just to bring in another option. Patrick Kruger was available for the first time because he had been struggling with a cough and he is a starting player for us,” Domingo said. “David Bedingham’s obviously a quality player so we decided to give him an opportunity up the order where he’s probably best suited.”ESPNcricinfo LtdBut Bedingham has been struggling recently. Since his 59 in the Chattogram Test, he has had 12 innings across formats and been out in single figures six times. On five occasions, Bedingham has been caught by the wicketkeeper or in the slips and there may be concerns around how tight he is outside off stump.The reading is not much better for Sunrisers’s key batter Tristan Stubbs. He was their top-scorer last season but is also in a rut. Since his second-innings century in the Durban Test against Sri Lanka, Stubbs has been out in single figures five times in nine innings. His most common mode of dismissal is with deliveries in line with the stumps, when he has been late on shots and either bowled or lbw, which suggests there’s an issue with the timing of his strokes.Through Bedingham, Stubbs and captain Aiden Markram, Sunrisers will expect to score most of their runs, especially as they carry a fairly long tail. Marco Jansen’s form at No.7 is a welcome bonus though his main job is to operate as their strike bowler, another area they seem to be lacking in.Ottneil Baartman, who enjoyed a breakthrough tournament last year, missed out on the first match, returned with figures of 0 for 33 in 2.4 overs in Paarl and then took 1 for 9 at SuperSport Park. In Craig Overton and Richard Gleeson, Sunrisers have the personnel but the attack needs their batters to give them something to work with, which Markram knows. In the post-match presentation, he acknowledged lack of runs as the main concern but cited the quick turnaround between games as being one of the hurdles that can be difficult to overcome. “When you’re trying to look for form, it can be quite tough,” he said.Zak Crawley hasn’t yet fired as Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s opener•SA 20This is already a slightly different line to the one he had voiced two days ago, when Sunrisers lost to Royals. That defeat came two days after they lost to MICT in the tournament opener and Markram was asked how a team can properly address form concerns in a schedule where matches come thick and fast. His answer suggested they just have to roll with the punches.”You almost get used to dealing with things really quickly and then moving on. I don’t think you have much of a choice nowadays with the amount of cricket that we play,” he said then. “Of course, pay attention to areas that need attention but it’s really important to bank that, make notes of it and then to wake up the next day and either do something about it or play another game of cricket. From an emotional side, I think each person is quite different. I generally don’t try to get too high when things are going well and low when things aren’t going well. I try to stay consistent. Obviously, easier said than done.”That day, Markram also said his is an outfit that “are all not really good at losing” and would be able to pick themselves up quickly. Two more days have gone past and they find themselves at an even lower point.”We know we haven’t played well in these last three games and we need to make our own luck,” Domingo said. “We need to do the basics a little bit better which we’re not doing at the moment. Fortunately there’s still seven games to go. We know it’s a long competition. We haven’t started well in this competition in previous editions and managed to find our way and hopefully we can get into that sort of form, and that sort of confidence in the next couple of weeks because we’re running out of time and we need to make a play.”Sunrisers did not win either of their opening matches in season one or two but this is their third successive defeat in SA20 2025. So they’re already further behind than they have been before. That means the need to turn things around is more pressing and their attempt to do that will take place in three days’ time. They travel to Kingsmead for their next match against Durban’s Super Giants on Friday.

Under Tom Latham, they are without many of their regulars; Pakistan, by contrast, couldn’t be better placed

Danyal Rasool13-Apr-2023New Zealand were made to offer Pakistan a public vow of compensation in May last year in an attempt to placate their hosts – they would have to pay out of their own pockets to make up for leaving a tour of Pakistan on the day of the first match in September 2021 citing a “specific” security threat. (The amount they would pay, though, was rather non-specific, what with it being undisclosed.)The promises kept coming. They would also invite Pakistan for a triangular T20I series as preparation for the then-upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia. And they would visit Pakistan again over the next year, not once, but twice. They would play Tests in December and ODIs in January. And then, as if these two countries were next-door neighbours, New Zealand would pop back over to Pakistan once more, to play no fewer than ten white-ball games, five in each format. Would that be okay, Mr Raja?Ramiz Raja might be gone but, perhaps against all logic, here New Zealand are. Even though it’s now mid-April, and the time of year when it becomes uncomfortably hot has just about commenced. Never mind, indeed, that it’s Ramzan, pushing the start of the T20Is to 9pm local time, meaning they won’t finish before midnight. Or that the series will straddle Eid, meaning Pakistan will be playing cricket while the rest of the country celebrates the end of Ramzan. And never mind that most of New Zealand’s finest players are currently across the other side of the Attari-Wagah border.Related

Sethi offers Babar conditional backing as all-format captain

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NZ to tour Pakistan twice to make up for postponed series

Not since the side led by Jamie How in England in April 2008 has a New Zealand side arrived in another country depleted so by reasons other than injury. How was frank at the time when talking about the unavailable players as they played in the inaugural edition of this tournament you might have heard of – something called the IPL. “I think everyone wishes they were in India at some point,” he had said, as if a full tour of England wasn’t among the high points in New Zealand’s cricketing calendar.Tom Latham, standing in for Williamson now, was somewhat more guarded on the eve of the series in Lahore. “The preparation hasn’t been ideal,” he admitted. “But as international cricketers, we have to adapt as quick as we can. We’ve only had one training session leading into this series, but we’ve got to trust the work that we’ve done back home, even if conditions are different. We’ve got some young guys in the group, but we’ve also got some experienced heads. Guys who’ve played a lot of T20 cricket around the world. These guys have been picked on performances in domestic cricket in New Zealand, and it’s a great opportunity for them.”Pakistan have their whole set of first-choice playersPakistan, by contrast, could not be better placed, particularly for the T20I series. If the 2-1 loss against Afghanistan can be written off as a post-PSL blip for inexperienced players in unfamiliar conditions, there are no such issues this time. Pakistan have had a useful little break in the build-up while New Zealand were taking on Sri Lanka at the other end of the world. They will be playing in the same stadiums so many of the young players shone at in during the PSL, and they’ll have the steadying hands of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan back.

“[Sethi] has given me his backing. We try to give our best every series. I can’t get a commitment in writing that I will be captain. But I try to exercise the authority I have, and maintain the standards I’ve set. Things go on in the background, but I don’t try and look at what’s being said. If I did, it would only increase the pressure”Babar Azam on his future as Pakistan captain

There’s more to that last point than just that, but with Babar confirming the two will open the batting, there’s little point flogging that dead horse. Saim Ayub and Mohammad Haris will have the opportunity to put the Afghanistan series in the past; with the T20 World Cup 18 months away, Pakistan have time on their side. Ihsanullah and Zaman Khan also get another shot while Shaheen Shah Afridi returns to partner Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf, which should guarantee that Pakistan are in want of nothing in that department.Pakistan have fast bowlers who breathe fire, and a top order adept at putting them out. It is a formula that has worked for them in the past, and while they look to fine-tune it to help them take the next step, Babar sees little reason to rip it up altogether.”We have the strength to dominate this series,” he said. “The way our youngsters have performed in the PSL, both batters and bowlers, has been extremely impressive. And our senior players like Haris [Rauf], Naseem and Shaheen are also on song. It’s a nice combination we’ve built up. But you can’t say it’ll be easy. People say this is New Zealand’s B team, but most of their players are seasoned players, and even their younger players have had plenty of form and experience.”Babar Azam has confirmed that he and Mohammad Rizwan will open the batting•PCBThe confusion around Babar Azam’s captaincyPakistan’s preparation was as uneventful as it should have been, but, true to form, they found a way to manufacture some of their own. It came, extraordinarily, from the highest cricketing office in the land, with PCB chairman Najam Sethi taking to Twitter to make a statement that was anything but an unequivocal backing of the captain. Confirming he had sought the views of the selection committee on the merits of retaining Babar, he said he would be guided by the selectors and head coach “going forward, and my decision will be subject to the success or failure of the status quo”.Sethi, a former journalist, had casually thrown in that bombshell just a day before current journalists sat down at Babar’s pre-series conference, leaving the captain in the excruciatingly awkward position of defending himself while not appearing to contradict the man with the power to sack him.”[Sethi] has given me his backing,” Babar said, very much with the air of a man walking a tightrope. “We try to give our best every series. I can’t get a commitment in writing that I will be captain. But I try to exercise the authority I have, and maintain the standards I’ve set. Things go on in the background, but I don’t try and look at what’s being said. If I did, it would only increase the pressure.”Pressure that Babar doesn’t need any more of, and in truth, doesn’t deserve. But if it offers this series the extra edge and spice it so desperately needs, the Gaddafi stadium could be in for some surprisingly entertaining Ramzan cricket.

All the action and talking points around England’s IPL contingent after week five

Andrew Miller26-Oct-2020Week five of the IPL, and the tussle for play-off places is getting very tasty indeed. Here’s how England’s representatives got on. Click here for week four’s update.Stokes ignites Rajasthan with brilliant hundredSometimes with Ben Stokes, you just know he’s on a mission. When he’s stepping to leg to open up the covers, and scything through the line with that combination of hawk-like eye and guillotine-straight blade. When the pressure is beginning to mount – both on his team and on his own role within that team – and when he’s starting to sense that, if he doesn’t see this job through, then no one will. In that respect, he’s an unrivalled competitor – there are ongoing debates about his true worth as a T20 player, certainly when compared to his extraordinary recent triumphs in Test and ODI cricket, but it’s hard to argue that any team would be stronger without him in their ranks. So it proved in a masterful display on Sunday, as Stokes roared back to form after a piecemeal start to his delayed campaign. With a formidable unbeaten 107 from 60 balls, he all but doubled his previous tournament tally of 110 runs in his first five matches, and finished as the first player in IPL history to score two matchwinning second-innings hundreds – which is a remarkable first, given how many extraordinary batting feats have been racked up in the tournament’s 13 seasons. His bowling remains an optional extra – he’s still averaging one over a match, and was rather taken to the cleaners by Sunrisers’ Manish Pandey – but with Rajasthan needing to win all their remaining matches to edge into the play-offs, the return of such a consummate matchwinner is timely, to say the least.Mixed week for Morgan, but KKR stay in contentionKKR are clinging on to the play-offs by their fingernails, and seemed to have lost the plot entirely in their first match this week, when they crumbled to 3 for 3 in 14 balls against RCB, and only partially recovered to post a grossly inadequate 84 for 8. In those circumstances, there wasn’t a lot of magic that Eoin Morgan could wield in the field – although he did attempt a spirited rearguard in top-scoring with 30 from 34 balls after arriving to chaos at 14 for 4. Three days later, however, and it was a vastly improved story, as high-flying Delhi Capitals were brought low by Nitish Rana and a resurgent Sunil Narine. Morgan himself chipped in with 17 from 9 balls to complete an imposing innings of 194 for 6, and thereafter he had only to avoid a stinker in the field. Fortunately Pat Cummins was on target in each of his first two overs, and though Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant threatened to take the game deep, Morgan’s timely introduction of Varun Chakravarthy extinguished any doubt.Archer remains in a different realmAnother obscenely brilliant week from Jofra Archer, whose efforts with the ball have been grossly under-rewarded all tournament long, at least in terms of wins and losses, but whose liquid fury continues to rattle the world’s best players day in, day out. He was reunited with a pair of familiar foes, and saw both off in a total of nine balls – David Warner, snaffled at slip by Stokes for a four-ball 4, for the sixth time in seven encounters with Archer in 2020, and Quinton de Kock, whose belligerent pull for six in Mumbai Indians’ opening over seemed to have signalled that battle was joined, but whose flat-footed inside-edge one ball later changed the story emphatically. A lack of support, with the ball as much as the bat, has been Rajasthan’s undoing this season, and not even Archer himself has been able to perform every role with unflinching excellence – Vijay Shankar and Saurabh Tiwary are among those to have plundered his comeback overs in recent games. Nevertheless, his 17 wickets are second only to Kagiso Rabada, and his economy rate of 6.71 is unparalleled among this year’s quicks. And let’s not forget his batting – another belligerent knock of 16 not out from seven balls against Sunrisers featured his tenth six of the tournament (as many as Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan, among others) – or his fielding. A shocker against Chennai gave way to a blinder against Mumbai, a back-pedalling, one-handed screamer at third man that evoked Stokes’ world-beater on the opening day of last year’s World Cup.Sam Curran connects with one in his arc•BCCISam Curran offers CSK promise for the future as golden era endsWho knows what the most storied franchise in the IPL will look like next season, after their misfiring campaign spluttered to the most abject of denouements against Mumbai – a ten-wicket trouncing that confirmed they would fall short of the play-offs for the first time since the competition’s inception in 2008. But one thing’s for sure: Sam Curran has confirmed a thirst for action that deserves to be the cornerstone of any rebuilding side. He played a lone hand in hopeless circumstances against Mumbai – arriving with the innings in tatters at 21 for 5, and yet sparking the merest glimmer of optimism with an outstanding 52 from 47, an innings that balanced self-preservation with calculated risks, and finished with a volley of three fours in four balls in Trent Boult’s final over. For some unfathomable reason, MS Dhoni then decided to overlook Curran’s left-arm nuisances in a one-sided chase – but two days later against RCB, he proved his hot streak hadn’t yet worn off. He did for Aaron Finch in his first over, the fourth of the innings, then returned for the troublesome 19th, outfoxing both Moeen Ali and Virat Kohli in a superb six-run effort that also included a bouncer that clonked Chris Morris flush on the badge. With 173 runs and 13 wickets to date, Curran is the only allrounder this year to complete the 150-10 double.Bairstow mislays best form as Sunrisers stumble All of a sudden, Sunrisers Hyderabad are in a bit of a play-off panic. Four defeats in five have left them adrift of the pack, having at one stage been lurking dangerously in mid-table, and while many other players are more culpable in that slump, the fact that Jonny Bairstow has been unable to kick on from his magisterial 97 against Kings XI in week three is undeniably a factor. His most recent innings were of 10 and 19, the former ending by a stump-shattering missile from Archer (as already mentioned, he’s in a bit of a groove); the latter coming from a miscalculated piece of improvisation against M Ashwin, one over after his opening partner Warner had fallen for a fluent 35. And what happened thereafter was shocking. A collapse of 7 for 14 in 23 balls, when the stage had been set for a stroll across the line. And suddenly it is Sunrisers’ conquerors, Kings XI, who are surging towards the top four…From zero to hero as Jordan leads the late chargeWe’ve had some remarkable redemption tales already in this tournament – most notably, Rahul Tewatia’s in-game explosion for Rajasthan against CSK. But if Kings XI keep up their current late surge, then that incredible comeback against Sunrisers may come to be seen as a microcosm of their entire campaign. They were utterly dead and buried when Chris Jordan was thrown the ball for his third over in Dubai – just 28 needed from 24 balls, with seven wickets in hand. But he’d already found his range, and his confidence, in conceding six runs from his first two overs of the evening, and when the anchorman Pandey holed out to long-off, it triggered a remarkable turn of events. Jordan struck twice more in his final over, the 19th, as Jason Holder and Rashid Khan hacked into the covers off consecutive balls, and by closing it out with just one more single from two balls, he gave Arshdeep Singh a priceless 14 runs to defend – he conceded just one of them, as three more wickets tumbled to a rash of guileless swipes from Sunrisers. Jordan himself settled under the second of those to pocket a very cool chance at long-on. What a resurgence, from the man, and the team.Middle-order mastery as Buttler comes good at the deathNo less an authority than Shane Warne, Rajasthan’s official mentor, thinks that Jos Buttler is batting out of position, but there’s no doubt that he was the right man at the right moment in his side’s vital victory over Chennai in Abu Dhabi. After weeks of squandering winning positions with a lack of gumption in their middle- to lower-order, here finally was the touch of mid-innings class that Rajasthan needed to stave off another crisis. On a tricky, sticky pitch, Chennai’s painstaking 125 for 5 was in danger of looking quite competitive, especially after three early wickets had ramped up Rajasthan’s anxiety levels. But Buttler has an ability to transcend the conditions with the purity of his timing and the power of his wrists, and here he left his team-mates and rivals for dead with an innings of exquisite acceleration – 70 not out from 48 balls all told, with Steve Smith’s 26 from 34 at the other end telling its own story. Buttler wasn’t required on Rajasthan’s return to the same venue on Sunday, thanks to an innings of not-dissimilar mastery from his England team-mate (and World Cup Super Over partner) Stokes. What price these two opening for England (maybe even on these same pitches) in next year’s T20 World Cup? Somewhat shorter than they would have been 12 months ago, that’s for sure.Eoin Morgan added quick runs towards the close•BCCIAli cuts forlorn figure as form continues to elude himBangalore’s brains trust, rather like those of England, desperately want Moeen Ali to succeed, but it’s becoming increasingly apparent that something is no longer clicking in that mellifluous batting technique. His first outing for three weeks was a sorry affair – a two-ball 1 in the closing throes of an under-cooked RCB innings, and two tidy but broadly unremarkable overs in CSK’s one-sided run-chase. The most notable aspect of his innings, in fact, was the identity of the man who got him out. Sam Curran induced a skied slog to long-off from the first ball of the 19th over, and as the two men crossed in the middle of the pitch, it was permissible to wonder whether that moment marked the official passing of the No.7 baton in England’s T20 World Cup plans.Banton flexes his muscles, but all too brieflyIt might, in theory have been the perfect stage for Tom Banton. A recall in KKR’s middle-order, and a scoreline of 3 for 3 that both enabled him to get a good sighter in his favoured Powerplay, and also to take the pressure off to a certain degree. After all, what’s the worst that can happen from that sort of grounding? He did crunch Navdeep Saini over square leg for six, three balls after drilling a half-volley for four. But then Mohammad Siraj stuffed him with a cross-seamer, and that was the end of that. Tom Curran waits in the wings some moreAnother week on the sidelines for Tom Curran, who is not alone in discovering that the use of variations in this tournament is no recipe for success. Even his team-mate Archer has shelved the slower balls of late, but then he does have an average speed in excess of 90mph to fall back on. Still, the adversity will doubtless make Curran stronger for more hospitable conditions.

يستهل فريق نادي الزمالك، مشواره في بطولة كأس الرابطة المصرية، غدًا الثلاثاء، بمواجهة نادي كهرباء الإسماعيلية، وذلك على ملعب استاد المقاولون العرب.

ويواجه نادي الزمالك نظيره كهرباء الإسماعيلية، في الجولة الأولى من مواجهات المجموعة الثالثة لبطولة كأس الرابطة المصرية “كأس عاصمة مصر” للموسم الحالي 2025-2026.

وكانت قرعة كأس الرابطة أسفرت عن تواجد الزمالك ضمن فرق المجموعة الثالثة والتي ضمت كلًا من المصري وحرس الحدود وزد والاتحاد السكندري وسموحة وكهرباء الإسماعيلية.

طالع.. خاص | “قرض حسن” يحل مشاكل الزمالك مع اللاعبين الأجانب مؤقتًا

ويخوض نادي الزمالك المباراة بهدف تحقيق الفوز والمضي قدمًا في بطولة كأس الرابطة للمنافسة على لقبها تحت قيادة أحمد عبد الرؤوف.

الزمالك يمر بأزمة طاحنة في الوقت الحالي، بسبب مطالبة لاعيبه الأجانب بمستحقاتهم خلال الوقت الحالي وتهديد البعض باللجوء إلى فيفا.

ومن المنتظر أن يدفع أحمد عبد الرؤوف، بمجموعة من الشباب والناشئين لتعويض غياب اللاعبين الدوليين المنضمين إلى منتخب مصر الأول الذي يستعد لأمم إفريقيا، ومنتخب مصر الثاني المشارك في بطولة كأس العرب.

وعلى الجانب الآخر، فريق كهرباء الإسماعيلية تحت قيادة المدرب الطموح رضا شحاتة، يسعى إلى تحقيق انتصار مستغلًا موقف الزمالك الحالي بغياب لاعيبه الدوليين أو الأزمات المالية التي يمر بها اللاعبون، لخطف 3 نقاط في مشواره ببطولة كأس الرابطة المصرية. موعد مباراة الزمالك وكهرباء الإسماعيلية في كأس الرابطة المصرية

تقام مباراة الزمالك وكهرباء الإسماعيلية، يوم الثلاثاء 9 ديسمبر 2025، إذ تنطلق المواجهة في تمام الساعة 8 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة.

وتقام بطولة كأس رابطة الأندية للمرة الخامسة هذا الموسم، بعد أن أقيمت 4 نسخ من قبل، توج بها فيوتشر في المرة الأولى وسيراميكا كليوباترا حصل عليها 3 مرات متتالية.

It hasn't been the strongest start to the season for the Kansas City Royals, who, despite sitting at 29-25, are in just fourth place in the AL Central as we approach Memorial Day. There is some reason for optimism, however, thanks to a rising star in their farm system: first baseman Jac Caglianone.

A 22-year-old prospect out of the University of Florida, Caglianone has been on an absolute tear since being called up to the Triple A Omaha Storm Chasers just one week ago. He's slashing .346/.357/.923 with nine hits and 10 RBI over his first six games and 26 at-bats, and homered for a fifth time on Sunday afternoon against the Salt Lake Bees. It's his fourth consecutive game with a dinger.

Here's a look at the monumental swing:

Caglianone finished Sunday's contest three for five, with two home runs and three RBI in the Storm Chasers' 5-4 extra innings win.

It's only a matter of time before the former Gator gets his shot in the big leagues with Kansas City.

Over the last couple of years, Tottenham Hotspur have splashed the cash in the attacking department to try and soften the blow of Harry Kane’s departure in 2023.

The Lilywhites spent £55m on the services of Mohammed Kudus this summer, with the Ghanaian occupying a starting role under Thomas Frank off the right-hand side of the frontline.

He’s already made an immediate impact in North London, as seen by his tally of one goal and four assists in the Premier League – with the latter the joint-highest of any player in the division.

However, club-record signing Dominic Solanke has struggled for fitness this campaign, with the £65m addition currently being restricted to just 31 minutes of league action due to an ongoing ankle issue.

Despite the struggles of the Englishman, one first-team member who’s been injury-free has often struggled to meet the high expectations he’s set for himself at the club.

How Johnson compares to Premier League wingers in 2025/26

Last season was arguably the best of Brennan Johnson’s professional career, with the winger ending the campaign on a total of 18 goals across all competitions.

Such a tally was the highest in the first-team squad, which undoubtedly helped catapult the Lilywhites to Europa League glory under Ange Postecoglou’s guidance.

However, many expected the Welshman to kick on after scoring the winner in the final, but Kudus and Frank’s arrival has seen a huge decline in his numbers during the first few months of 2025/26.

The 24-year-old has only registered a total of 0.9 shots per 90 in the league this season, with such a tally ranking him in the 12% percentile – meaning 88% of wingers have managed more in the Premier League.

He’s also created just 0.7 chances per 90 to date, placing him in the 18th percentile, which has restricted him to registering zero assists for his teammates at present.

Johnson has massively struggled to get past the opposition, with his tally of 0.5 dribbles completed per 90 showcasing his lack of impact – subsequently placing him in the 23rd percentile compared to other wingers.

As a result of his dismal form in North London, the club have been constantly on the lookout for other talents, which has resulted in one player appearing on their radar.

Frank's answer to Semenyo

In recent weeks, Spurs have been just one side touted with a potential winter move for Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo after his incredible start to the current campaign.

The Ghanaian has been Andoni Iraola’s shining light to date, as reflected in his remarkable tally of six goals and three assists in just his first 11 matches of 2025/26.

Such form has captured the attention of numerous Premier League outfits, with Arsenal, Liverpool and the Lilywhites just three clubs on red alert for his signature.

It was reported this week that the 25-year-old has a £65m release clause that becomes active from January 1st, which could see one of the aforementioned sides grab themselves a bargain.

However, with competition being fierce for his services, it’s unclear how much of a chance Frank’s men will have in completing a deal for one of the country’s hottest prospects.

Should the Lilywhites miss out on a deal, the fans shouldn’t worry, with the club already having their answer to Semenyo in the form of winger Wilson Odobert, a player described as “a mixture of [Bradley] Barcola and Aaron Lennon” by one Sky Sports analyst.

The Frenchman joined the club in a £25m deal from Burnley last summer, but has had to bide his time in North London, often resorting to minutes off the substitutes bench.

However, in recent weeks, he’s made a major impact on Frank’s side, registering an assist against Manchester United and subsequently securing a point in the 2-2 draw.

Despite his lack of action, Odobert has been labelled a “super talent” by former boss Postecoglou, with Frank needing to hand him a more consistent starting role.

When comparing his stats to those of Semenyo, the 20-year-old has managed to outperform the in-form star in numerous key areas – subsequently showcasing the talent he possesses.

Odobert has managed to achieve an average of 4.5 progressive carries and 4.3 progressive passes per 90 – with both of the aforementioned tallies higher than the Cherries star.

He’s also completed more of the passes he’s attempted, with more of his efforts being key passes per 90 – subsequently offering a more creative threat in attacking areas.

The Frenchman’s dominance is further reflected in his higher take-on success rate, with Frank desperately needing to place more faith in the youngster.

£65m for Semenyo would still be an excellent deal in the current climate, but ultimately, the Lilywhites should look to avoid a move for the winger in the near future.

Such a transfer would only halt Odobert’s progress in North London, with the youngster still having bags of potential to fulfil during his period under Frank’s guidance.

Spurs have their new Parrott in academy star who's been "compared to Kane"

This Tottenham Hotspur youngster could be a future star in North London despite his struggles this season.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 20, 2025

يستضيف فريق مانشستر سيتي الإنجليزي خصمه فريق باير ليفركوزن الألماني، مساء يوم الثلاثاء، وذلك في إطار منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، موسم 2025/26.

تأتي تلك المباراة في خضم منافسات الجولة الخامسة من مرحلة الدوري، دوري أبطال أوروبا، لذلك الموسم على ملعب “الاتحاد”.

طالع | تشكيل مانشستر سيتي أمام باير ليفركوزن في دوري أبطال أوروبا.. موقف عمر مرموش

ويدخل مانشستر سيتي تلك المباراة وهو يحتل المركز الرابع في جدول البطولة برصيد 10 نقطة، بينما يحتل باير ليفركوزن المركز الحادي والعشرين برصيد 5 نقاط.

ويأمل النجم المصري عمر مرموش المشاركة في مباراة اليوم والحصول على دقائق أكثر مقارنة بما كان عليه وضعه في الفترة الأخيرة، حيث عانى من التهميش، في ظل الأداء الجيد من جانب الثلاثي إيرلينج هالاند، جيريمي دوكو وفيل فودين. تشكيل مانشستر سيتي المتوقع أمام باير ليفركوزن اليوم في دوري أبطال أوروبا

حراسة المرمى: جيانلويجي دوناروما.

خط الدفاع: ريكو لويس، جون ستونز، جفارديول، ريان آيت نوري.

خط الوسط: نيكو جونزاليس، سافينيو.

خط الوسط الهجومي: تيجاني ريندرز، فيل فودين، جيريمي دوكو.

خط الهجوم: إيرلينج هالاند. 

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا

Sadaf Shamas has been ruled out of Pakistan’s T20I series in Ireland after tearing her left quadriceps muscle during a practice session in Karachi. Opening batter Shawaal Zulfiqar will replace her in the squad.Zulfiqar, who has played three ODIs and seven T20Is, was among the 24 players who were part of the skills camp in Karachi last month. She will join the Ireland-bound squad on August 3.Zulfiqar’s last T20I was in December 2023, after which she was out of action with a shoulder injury. She made a comeback earlier this year for the Women’s ODI World Cup Qualifier in Lahore. She played two games and scored eight runs.The 15-member squad will be led by Fatima Sana and includes 20-year-old batter Eyman Fatima, who was rewarded for her success in the National T20 tournament.The series against Ireland starts on August 6. All three T20Is will be played in Belfast.

Pakistan squad for Ireland T20Is

Fatima Sana (capt), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Eyman Fatima, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali (wk), Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sandhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Tuba Hassan, Waheeda Akhtar

When Chelsea raced into a three-goal lead away at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday night during a frantic first half, it looked as if Enzo Maresca’s men had the easiest passage through to the next round of the EFL Cup.

Nobody told Vitor Pereira’s hosts to just roll over in the second half, though, as a spirited fight-back from the bottom-of-the-table Premier League side shocked the complacent Blues, who just about got over the line in the end to reach the quarter finals with a surprisingly slim 4-3 victory.

It was very much a night where the attackers shone at Molineux for both sides, with Jamie Gittens sticking out as one of Chelsea’s brightest performers, as the ex-Borussia Dortmund attacker continues to show Maresca why he is deserving of more consistent first-team minutes.

Gittens' standout night versus Wolves

Indeed, the £48.5m summer recruit has just started just two Premier League games so far this season for the Italian.

Yet, he is definitely banging down the door now to be a common starter under the ex-Leicester City boss, with an assist picked up against Ajax in the Champions League earlier in the month, being followed up now by the exciting number 11 sealing a crucial fourth goal for the under-pressure Blues in the West Midlands.

Gittens wasn’t fazed by the strain of a Wolves comeback, though, as he rifled home this fierce effort to gift the under-the-cosh visitors a 4-2 lead, and himself his first ever Chelsea strike, which was well needed in both respects, considering David Møller Wolfe clinched a brace late on.

The 21-year-old’s creative flair was also on full display again in the EFL Cup, with two assists picked up right at the start of the match by the electric left winger, setting the tone for what would become an enthralling contest under the Molineux floodlights.

He will surely be retained in Maresca’s starting XI when Chelsea return to Premier League action, but one of Gittens’ teammates on the night won’t be so lucky, as his feeble defending – in particular – nearly cost his away side dear in their bid to lift the EFL Cup.

Maresca must now axe 5/10 Chelsea star

Heading into this mid-week clash against the Old Gold, the Chelsea manager will have been looking for a response from his troops after they slipped to a late defeat to Sunderland in the league.

Maresca would have been keeping a close eye on how Tosin Adarabioyo fared at the back, after the Chelsea number four was far too lax with Black Cats striker Brian Brobbey in the late stages of that 2-1 loss, which led to Chemsdine Talbi then hammering home a killer blow.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

89

Accurate passes

66/73 (90%)

Tackles won

0/2

Interceptions

3

Clearances

6

Blocked shots

0

Ball recoveries

3

Total duels won

7/12

Safe to say, when looking at the table above, the 45-year-old would have been, once again, let down by his captain’s weak efforts, with the 6-foot-5 centre-back only managing to win three of his seven aerial duels during the 4-3 win.

Moreover, Adarabioyo would also struggle when going in for tackles, with zero tackles actually won – from two attempted – no doubt boosting the confidence of the hosts to go far more gung-ho in the second half to try and pull off a shock comeback.

Adarabioyo has also looked visibly shaky in the Premier League in recent matches, too, with possession being given away 19 times against Manchester United at the tail-end of September, resulting in the London-born centre-back being given limited minutes off the substitutes bench in the following league matches.

With Trevoh Chalobah also being scrutinised at the back as of late, it will be interesting to see who Maresca plays in the heart of defence as Chelsea clash with near-London rivals Tottenham Hotspur at the start of November, with Adarabioyo no doubt targeted by Thomas Frank’s set-piece-heavy side, based on his unassertive showing at Molineux.

The leaky 28-year-old would, subsequently, be handed a low 5/10 rating post-match by Football London’s Bobby Vincent, who stated that the lofty number four looked very shoddy when ‘called into action a lot more’ in the second half.

Thankfully, as much as the match will be remembered for some ropey defending, it will also be remembered, rightly, for some top-drawer attacking prowess, with Gittens – who was gifted a 9/10 rating by Vincent – ready to become a Chelsea first-teamer now, while his ex-Fulham teammate prepares for a spot on the bench against Spurs.

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ByEmilio Galantini Oct 29, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Nesta semana, Arturo Vidal virou grande preocupação para o Athletico-PR. Na partida entre Chile e Colômbia, pelas Eliminatórias da Copa do Mundo de 2026, o volante foi substituído, aos 27 minutos do segundo tempo, com dores no joelho. Posteriormente, o departamento médico da federação confirmou uma lesão traumática aguda do menisco com bloqueio articular do joelho direito.

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Vidal passou por cirurgia nesta quinta-feira (14), comandada pelos médicos da seleção chilena, e não deve mais entrar em campo neste ano. Isso significa que o volante pode até mesmo não vestir mais a camisa do Furacão, já que seu contrato vai até o final de 2023.

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O chileno chegou ao Athletico-PR em julho depois de rescindir seu contrato com o Flamengo. Desde então, vestiu a camisa do Furacão em nove jogos, sendo titular em oito. Pelas redes sociais, Vidal agradeceu as mensagens de apoio.