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Rain ruined any chance of a positive result on the final day of the Rothesay County Championship Division Two match between Derbyshire and Northamptonshire at Derby.The players arrived at the County Ground to find the hover cover already in place and the rain got steadier throughout the morning.Going into the fourth day, the state of the game was that Derbyshire were nine runs ahead with seven second innings wickets in hand but the pitch was playing well and the loss of the first session made it difficult for either side to push for a win.With the rain set in and no prospect of an immediate improvement in the weather, the umpires took the decision to abandon the game following a post lunch inspection.Looking back over the contest, Derbyshire head of cricket Mickey Arthur said: “It was disappointing. It wasn’t the standards we’ve delivered over the course of the season so far.”We’ve got away with this one and certainly our skills weren’t at the level that we all expect. There were some good performances and you can never fault the effort but I thought we were just off it in terms of our skills.”I thought day one we were exceptional and then from day two we started playing catch up and that was disappointing. We are a team that wants to play on the front foot and we were playing on the back foot from lunchtime on day two and that’s not where we want to be.”Northamptonshire head coach Darren Lehmann said: “It hasn’t gone our way with the weather, Derbyshire played well yesterday and I thought it was an excellent game.”The pleasing thing is we are playing a really good team-based game. I was pleased with the batters yesterday that they scored so quickly to take the game on and give us more overs.”From a bowling point of view I thought we were probably a little bit down in the first innings when Derbyshire got 300 and it was a 220 wicket I reckon so we were just a little bit short there but we caught everything and gave ourselves a chance to win the game which is all we can do and ask for.”

A first-half strike from Erling Haaland was all that settled the two sides as Manchester City ran out 1-0 winners at Brentford on Sunday evening. The Norwegian continued his freakish scoring form with an extremely well-taken goal to move his side up to fifth in the Premier League table heading into the October international break, sitting three points behind early leaders Arsenal.

It took only ten minutes for City to nip in front. Josko Gvardiol's ball through midfield found Haaland on the last line, and he managed to spin Sepp van den Berg with his supreme physicality before slotting under Caoimhin Kelleher.

City could have gone two up when Tijjani Reijnders met a floated Nico O'Reilly cross and struck a fierce volley towards goal, only for the strong arm of Kelleher to deny him a beauty.

At the start of the second half, City had Gianluigi Donnarumma to thank for keeping them ahead when Josko Gvardiol comically lost an aerial duel to Igor Thiago, leaving the Brazilian to race through on goal, but the Italian goalkeeper thwarted the striker with a fine save.

For the most part, City were unthreatened in the second half, though their hearts were in mouths in the final minute of regulation time when Donnarumma's pass from the pack was blocked by Kevin Schade and the loose ball deflected wide. That was as close as Brentford got to an equaliser as City held on to claim the victory.

GOAL rates City's players from the Gtech Community Stadium…

AFPGoalkeeper & Defence

Gianluigi Donnarumma (7/10):

A passenger for the most part but showed exactly why he was chosen as the man to replace Ederson with a sprawling save to deny Thiago early in the second half, which ultimately proved a pivotal point in the contest.

Matheus Nunes (6/10):

Another outing at right-back with little to shout about either way. Didn't get overly involved in possession but wasn't rinsed going the other way.

Ruben Dias (7/10):

Oozed confidence even when trying to keep up with the electric pace of Schade, which you couldn't say about the Manchester United defenders who visited Brentford last week.

Josko Gvardiol (7/10):

Played the pass which Haaland took in stride to score early doors. Held his own in the high line all throughout the first half but opened it up singlehandedly at the start of the second when he failed to deal with the presence and physicality of Thiago. Notably dropped a shade in confidence thereafter.

Nico O'Reilly (7/10):

Growing into the left-back role with each passing week. Unlucky not to have registered an assist for Reijnders in the first half when he picked the Dutchman out with a pinpoint cross.

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Rodri (N/A):

The 2024 Ballon d'Or winner's injury struggles continued, having to be withdrawn midway through the first half.

Tijjani Reijnders (6/10):

Epitomised City's superior technical levels in midfield with a series of dribbles out of tight areas, though these seldom hurt Brentford too much. Replaced by Silva for the final 15 minutes.

Phil Foden (6/10):

Involved in almost every positive move City had in the first half, but was much quieter after the break as the visitors struggled to find a second goal.

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Oscar Bobb (6/10):

Played an almost identical game to Foden, dancing his way past defenders and creating havoc in the opening 45 minutes before being muzzled after the break. Subbed for Doku.

Erling Haaland (8/10):

What would City do without him, eh? Now scored at 22 of the 23 Premier League stadiums he's played in (Anfield is his only blemish) and just six goals away from joining the division's 100 Club. 

Savinho (5/10):

Fresh from signing a new long-term contract, the Brazilian showed glimpses of his talent in transition, but didn't tangibly give Brentford too much to be scared of.

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Nico Gonzalez (6/10):

Came on in the first half for the injured Rodri. City controlled much of the game either way despite the prolonged absence of their more famous Spanish midfielder.

Jeremy Doku (5/10):

On for Bobb for the last quarter of an hour. Didn't contribute much with City seemingly happy to settle for the one-goal lead.

Bernardo Silva (5/10):

Replaced Reijnders, though like Doku was rarely involved.

Pep Guardiola (6/10):

It was a tale of two halves for City, who looked a cut above in attack early on and then shut up shop to keep Brentford from truly threatening with the clock winding down. Now up to 250 Premier League wins in his career.

Glasgow Rangers and the 49ers Enterprises are now eyeing as many as three more specific signings for manager Russell Martin this summer, according to a promising new Ibrox transfer claim.

10 signings for Rangers already this summer

The Gers have had an extremely busy summer to date, bringing in 10 new signings in total, with some arriving permanently and others coming in on loan.

Oscar Cortes’ loan switch to Ibrox from Ligue 1 side Lens has been made permanent, for example, and Oliver Antman is an exciting attacking addition from Go Ahead Eagles.

Meanwhile, highly-rated Tottenham teenager Mike Moore was an eye-catching loan addition, with Martin no doubt wanting to take him up a level before he likely returns to north London next summer, and Djeidi Gassama has added an attacking threat out wide after his move from Championship outfit Sheffield Wednesday.

Despite this, Rangers’ start to the season has been unconvincing, with back-to-back draws in their opening two Scottish Premiership matches, highlighting the need for further signings this month. A fresh update bodes well in that respect.

Oscar Cortes

Lens

£4.5m

Oliver Antman

Go Ahead Eagles

£3.8m

Thelo Aasgaard

Luton Town

£3.4m

Emmanuel Fernandez

Peterborough United

£2.5m

Djeidi Gassama

Sheffield Wednesday

£2m

Joe Rothwell

Bournemouth

£397,000

Lyall Cameron

Dundee FC

Unknown

Mikey Moore

Tottenham

Loan

Nasser Djiga

Wolves

Loan

Max Aarons

Bournemouth

Loan

Jayden Meghoma

Brentford

Loan

Rangers looking to sign three more players

According to a new report from Football Insider, Rangers and 49ers Enterprises are now targeting three different positions to strengthen in before the summer transfer window reaches its conclusion.

It is claimed that a striker, winger and centre-back are the “priority targets” for Gers currently, with Martin “keen to upgrade on the likes of Cyriel Dessers after a slow start to the season.”

This will be music to the ears of Rangers supporters, who will no doubt be frustrated at the start they have made to the 2025/26 season, with Martin possibly already under some pressure from a section of the fanbase.

The Gers have already shown that their squad doesn’t possess the depth and quality to fight Celtic until the end in the Scottish Premiership title race this season, and Hearts are posing a bigger threat than them after two matches.

A new striker is a must, in order to boost the firepower at Martin’s disposal, including in Europe, with Maccabi Tel Aviv marksman Dor Turgeman a potentially excellent option to lead the line.

Meanwhile, Brentford left-back Jayden Meghoma is the most recent player who the Gers have signed and said after joining:

“I am very excited to be here, it is a fantastic club, and I know a lot about the rich history of Rangers. When the deal was presented to me, I thought straight away that it would be a fantastic opportunity for myself and my family. The main thing for me is getting results. Rangers is a big club, and I am ready, I am hungry and excited to get going.”

Rangers submit opening £1m+ offer to sign another Championship ace

The Gers are still waiting for a response…

ByTom Cunningham Aug 15, 2025

It promises to be a busy remaining few weeks of the transfer window at Ibrox, with 49ers looking to work their magic, giving Martin the best possible chance of success, both this season and beyond.

Leeds United are preparing for a season in the Premier League and are looking to bolster their squad with new additions before the end of the summer transfer window.

Football Insider reported earlier this summer that the club are not planning to build their attack around Joel Piroe, who they have doubts over heading into a top-flight campaign.

That may be due to a lack of physicality, ahead of a relegation scrap. In the Championship, the Dutchman lost a whopping 73% of his duels and only won 0.7 aerial battles per game, which shows that opposition defenders found it too easy to get the better of him.

Given the step up in quality, Piroe may not have the time and space he needs to score the 19 goals he bagged in the second tier, which is why the physical side of his game will come more into focus.

Leeds remain keen on Premier League forward

This may be why the Championship champions are now reportedly looking at two Premier League centre-forward options who have a lot more to offer physically.

Transfer Focus

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

Speaking to LeedsUnitedNews, journalist Graeme Bailey has revealed that Everton number nine Beto, who was signed from Udinese for £26m in 2023, is still an option for the club this summer.

When asked about alternatives to Fulham forward Rodrigo Muniz, the reporter said: “From what I’m told, I still don’t think Beto’s completely off Leeds’ list and off the table.

“I still think Everton are looking at other strikers as well, so if they brought another one in, Beto might still be an option. I wouldn’t rule him out at all. He’s still on the radar and a work in progress still, even if he’s not Leeds’ first-choice.”

These comments from Bailey show that Leeds are working on Beto as an alternative to Muniz, and Daniel Farke could land his own version of Chris Wood if the club decide to pursue the Portuguese forward.

Why Beto could be Chris Wood 2.0 for Leeds

The New Zealand international, as shown in the graphic below, scored a stunning 44 goals in 88 games during his time at Elland Road before being sold to Burnley.

In the present day, Wood plays for Nottingham Forest in the Premier League and is coming off the back of a 20-goal haul for the Tricky Trees in the top-flight.

Even when he is not scoring goals, though, the 6 foot 3 marksman provides a strong physical presence in the centre-forward position, which is what Beto, 6 foot 4, has also proven in the division.

Appearances

36

30

Minutes played

2,976

1,541

Goals

20

8

Ground duel success rate

34%

38%

Aerial duel success rate

39%

49%

Duels won per game

3.5

5.2

Fouls won per game

0.7

0.8

As you can see in the table above, the Everton attacker may not have scored 20 goals in the league, but he did win his fair share of physical duels and averaged 5.2 duels won per game.

This suggests that he would be a big upgrade on Piroe from a physical perspective, providing the team with a better outlet when they need to alleviate pressure, as Farke’s own version of Chris Wood.

Beto, who reporter Paddy Boyland claimed was “thriving” in the Premier League earlier this year, also scored his eight goals from 7.86 xG in just 15 starts.

This suggests that he has the potential and quality to hit double figures for goals in the division as a fairly clinical finisher, if Leeds are prepared to make him their starting number nine.

Leeds meet £24.5m star's agents and now ready to trigger his release clause

The Whites could have an advantage in their race to sign a talented playmaker.

BySean Markus Clifford Aug 1, 2025

Therefore, Leeds could find their own version of Wood by signing Beto, as he is a powerful, towering, and traditional number nine who has proven that he can score goals in the Premier League, which could make him an ideal signing to fire the team to safety.

Crystal Palace now hold a strong interest in signing a “talented” goal-scoring defender, and they could be set to battle a fellow UEFA Conference League club for his signature, according to a report.

Palace demoted to Conference League after unsuccessful appeal

It should be a time of celebration for Palace, having recently won the Community Shield for the first time, but UEFA’s recent verdict has certainly dampened the mood somewhat, and a strong statement has been issued in response.

“It appears that certain clubs, organisations and individuals have a unique privilege and power.

“This growing and unhealthy influence has shattered the hopes and dreams of Crystal Palace supporters, and does not bode well for aspirational teams all over Europe competing to progress when rules and sanctions are unevenly applied in the most flagrant way.”

Crystal Palace may sign "extraordinary" £30m+ UCL player in Eze swap deal

The Eagles have now set their sights on a Champions League player.

ByDominic Lund Aug 13, 2025

Not only is being denied the right to compete in the Europa League a blow for the supporters, who would have been dreaming about trips to some of Europe’s biggest clubs, but it could also have an impact on the Eagles’ summer transfer plans.

Playing in the more prestigious Europa League is a more attractive proposition for potential new signings, and Oliver Glasner’s side may need to bring in a few new arrivals before the end of the month, given the doubts over Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi’s futures.

Should Eze and their captain move on, it will be vital for Crystal Palace to bring in a new attacking midfielder and centre-back, but they are also keen to bolster their options at right-back.

That is according to a report from Italy, which states Crystal Palace now hold strong interest in signing Cagliari defender Nadir Zortea, but there may be competition for his signature, with Fiorentina also keen.

Should the Italian club successfully navigate their Conference League play-off match, they could be one of the Eagles’ opponents next season, and they are also set to do battle over the signature of Zortea, with a deal potentially set to amount to at least €10m (£9m).

"Talented" Zortea could be solid Munoz alternative

Daniel Munoz was a vital player for Glasner last season, with the right-back proving himself as a real threat on the front foot by picking up four goals and six assists in the Premier League.

As Palace are set to embark on a European campaign, they will need to strengthen their squad depth, and they may want to bring in a new right-back in a similar mould to Munoz, with the Cagliari defender fitting the bill.

Much like the 29-year-old, Zortea is impressive going forward, and displayed a keen eye for goal in the Serie A last season, finding the back of the net six times in 35 outings.

Having also been lauded as “talented” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Italian could be the ideal option to come in and provide competition for Munoz’s starting spot.

خاض فريق مانشستر سيتي، بقيادة المدرب بيب جوارديولا، مباراته في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، مساء يوم الأحد ضد نظيره فريق آرسنال، في ملعب الأخير.

واستضاف ملعب “الإمارات” مباراة آرسنال ومانشستر سيتي، في قمة منافسات الجولة الخامسة من الدوري الإنجليزي، حيث تعادلا بهدف لمثله. أهداف مباراة مانشستر سيتي وآرسنال في الدوري الإنجليزي

سيطر آرسنال على مجريات المباراة في اللحظات الأولى من عمر الشوط الأول، ولكن مانشستر سيتي غيّر الموقف لصالحه بعدما سجل هدفه الأول في شباك أًصحاب الأرض في الدقيقة التاسعة.

جاء الهدف بعد هجمة مرتدة لصالح مانشستر سيتي، حيث استلم تيجاني ريندرز الكرة ومررها ببراعة ناحية هالاند، الذي سددها في شباك ديفيد رايا، معلنًا عن تقدم الضيوف.

وتوقفت المباراة في الدقيقة 16، بعدما عانى عبد القادر خوسانوف، لاعب مانشستر سيتي، من إصابة جراء سقوط لاعب الخصم جابرييل على قدمه اليمنى، قبل أن يتلقى العلاج ويستكمل اللقاء.

وسنحت فرصة مثالية لـ دوكو من أجل تعزيز تفوق مانشستر سيتي بهدف ثان، حيث استحوذ على الكرة وانطلق وراوغ ودخل منطقة جزاء مانشستر سيتي، ولكنها اُقتطعت منه، قبل أن تصل إلى رودري الذي سددها قوية خارج الملعب، في الدقيقة 38.

وكاد مارتن زوبيميندي أن يسجل هدف التعادل لصالح آرسنال في الدقيقة 48، بعدما سدد كرة خطيرة اعتلت المرمى، وسط حماس شديد من جماهير الفريق.

وتمكن حارس مانشستر سيتي، دوناروما، من التصدي لفرصة هدف بعدما سدد إيبيرشي إيز كرة تجاه مرمى السكاي بلو، ليحافظ على نظافة شباكه في الدقائق الأولى من الشوط الثاني.

وحصل إيرلينج هالاند على فرصة تسجيل هدف ثاني في شباك ديفيد رايا، بعد تمريرة من دوكو، ولكن كرته اصطدمت في الدفاع، في الدقيقة 58.

وسدد كالافيوري كرة تجاه مرمى مانشستر سيتي ولكنها اعتتت المرمى، في الدقيقة 76، قبل ثواني من خروج إيرلينج هالاند ودخول نيكو جونزاليس.

وتحصل حارس مرمى مانشستر سيتي، جيانلويجي دوناروما، على بطاقة صفراء لإضاعة الوقت في الدقيقة 77.

وأهدر دوكو فرصة هدف لصالح مانشستر سيتي، في الدقيقة 82، بعدما سدد كرة ناحية المرمى ولكن مرت بشكل غير دقيق، قبل أن يتدخل دوناروما لينقذ مرماه من خطأ فادح تسبب به روبن دياز حيث كاد آرسنال أن يخطف الكرة بسبب سوء تفاهم بين ثنائي السكاي بلو.

وفي الدقيقة 92، تمكن جابرييل مارتينيلي من تسجيل هدف التعادل القاتل في شباك مانشستر سيتي، بعد تمريرة من إيبيرشي إيز، ليهز شباك دوناروما الذي لم يتمكن من فعل أي شئ تجاه التسديدة.

بتلك النتيجة، حصل كل فريق على نقطة، حيث أصبح رصيد آرسنال 10 نقاط، خلف ليفربول المتصدر بـ15 نقطة، في حين أصبح رصيد مانشستر سيتي 7 نقاط في المركز التاسع.

Having partied hard in Dubai and Ibiza, Liverpool lifted the Premier League aloft and then went on to make a huge statement in the transfer market, the biggest one that’s ever been seen in English top-flight history.

The Reds have landed full-backs, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, from Bayer Leverkusen and Bournemouth respectively, but Florian Wirtz’s arrival was a great deal more exciting than both.

Richard Hughes and Co were able to broker a £116m deal with Leverkusen, thus making him the most expensive player in English football.

No pressure then, Florian. To be fair, if there is any pressure, it’s likely he’ll thrive.

Wirtz has been the poster boy for Bayer for a number of years now and has already cemented himself as one of the finest 10s in the game, scoring 16 goals and registering 15 assists in 45 matches last season.

Now, however, an even bigger deal could be sorted before the transfer window shuts in a few months.

Liverpool looking to spend big again in July

If you thought June was a big month for the Reds then perhaps July could be even bigger.

It’s likely FSG will commence the new month by announcing the arrival of Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi.

Last week, it was revealed that Liverpool were closing in on an agreement on personal terms with the centre-back and this weekend, reports have suggested that talks are set to take place with Palace in a bid to conclude a move.

Transfer Focus

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

That being said, he’s not the only Premier League star who could walk through the doors of Anfield in a few weeks.

It’s an incredibly unlikely one but the rumour mill continues to link Newcastle forward Alexander Isak with a move to Merseyside.

Reports over recent weeks suggest that the Swede is Liverpool’s dream target for the rest of the window and understandably so. Yet, with an alleged asking price topping £200m, it will be nigh on impossible to get him out of St James’ Park this summer.

Well, this weekend, the Chronicle have reported the latest on the saga. They note that ‘reporters who cover the club [Liverpool] have been told not to dismiss a July bid for Isak.’

Sadly for the Reds, there are several obstacles at play here, not least the striker’s asking price but the fact that he remains contracted until 2028.

Eddie Howe has held talks behind the scenes with Isak about his future and the Toon appear to be confident of keeping him in the north east.

Why Isak is even more exciting than Wirtz

It wasn’t long ago that former Leverkusen striker Patrick Helmes explained that the “absolutely exceptional” Wirtz is “probably the best midfielder in the world.”

It’s hard to dispute that statement given his numbers last season, but Liverpool are in dire need of a new centre-forward and Isak ticks every single box imaginable.

A “world-class assassin” in the words of Newcastle legend, Alan Shearer, the Swede has proven himself to be what some believe, including analyst Raj Chohan, “the best striker in the world”.

While fellow Swede Viktor Gyokeres, who scored 54 goals in 52 matches last season, was Europe’s top marksman, he did so in an inferior league to the Premier League.

Whether the Sporting powerhouse comes to England and scores a similar amount next season remains to be seen, but Isak is proven over here already and could well be Liverpool’s ticket not just to top-flight dominance but Champions League dominance.

While Mo Salah ran rampant across the continent last season, scoring 34 and assisting 23 in all competitions, if there is any weakness to pluck from this Reds side it was that they perhaps lacked another reliable goalscorer.

Wingers by trade, Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz did score 18 and 17 goals but as far as out-and-out centre-forwards are concerned, Diogo Jota only scored nine and Darwin Nunez ended the campaign with seven.

1. Mo Salah

52

34

2. Cody Gakpo

49

18

3. Luis Diaz

50

17

4. Diogo Jota

37

9

5. Dominik Szoboszlai

49

8

6. Darwin Nunez

47

7

7. Alexis Mac Allister

49

7

Jota is notably injury-prone and Nunez looks as though he’s on his way to Napoli, so, after the arrivals of Wirtz and Co, adding a striker to their ranks is paramount.

Unlike Wirtz, Isak has proven he can do it in the Premier League before and is already well poised to take over the mantle from Salah as Liverpool’s leading man in attack.

Last season, he bagged 27 times in 42 outings, adding to the 25 in 40 he netted the campaign prior. He’s a menace, a captivating talent who quite possibly has Ballon d’Or level potential running through him.

Wirtz was no doubt a big statement but Isak, wanted by Europe’s elite, would be an even bigger one. He’s the most exciting forward around and Liverpool could soar to new heights with him at Arne Slot’s disposal.

Gordon upgrade: Liverpool open first talks to sign "generational" £85m star

Liverpool might need to replace the sought-after Luis Diaz in the summer transfer market.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 27, 2025

Visiting attack run riot on green Oval surface to set up victory with 34.1 overs unused

ECB Reporters Network28-Jul-2024

Colin Ingram got Glamorgan over the line in a hurry•Getty Images

Glamorgan thumped Surrey by seven wickets in their Metro Bank One-Day Cup group B match at the Kia Oval after bowling them out for 121 in 34 overs.It then took the Welsh county only 15.5 overs to knock off the runs, with Colin Ingram launching one magnificent six over long-off from down the pitch against fast bowler James Taylor as he ended up on 39 not out from 26 balls in their 123 for 3.Opener Eddie Byrom, who took a six and a four from Matt Dunn’s first over, also made a quickfire 28 before being caught at midwicket off Conor McKerr.Only Ben Foakes, with 44, and tailender McKerr (25) made significant scores for Surrey, who have now lost both of their first two One-Day Cup games. Glamorgan, by contrast, have begun the competition with two wins.Surrey, put in on a well-grassed surface, were soon 11 for 3 as Glamorgan’s new ball bowlers, Jamie McIlroy and Timm van der Gugten, found significant help from the pitch.Ryan Patel managed one scoring shot, an inside edge for four off McIlroy, before hitting van der Gugten to Kiran Carlson in the covers.Ben Geddes fell first ball, cutting McIlroy to point, and Dom Sibley had made just 6 when McIlroy nipped one away off the seam to have the former England Test opener caught at slip.