تحدث مدرب ليفربول، آرني سلوت، عقب الفوز أمام وست هام في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، وأوضح سبب تواجد محمد صلاح على مقاعد البدلاء، وأشاد بمهاجم الفريق، ألكسندر إيزاك.
وتغلب ليفربول على وست هام بهدفين دون رد، في إطار مباريات الجولة الثالثة عشر للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “البريميرليج” موسم 2025-2026.
وقال سلوت لشبكة “سكاي سبورتس”: “هناك شعور بالراحة بالتأكيد، لأنه إذا خسرت مرات عديدة، فإن الفوز مهم، لم نتلقَّ أي فرصة تقريبًا، لقد خلقنا فرصًا بأنفسنا، في مباريات أخرى، أهدرنا فرصًا أكثر بكثير مما فعلنا اليوم”.
وأضاف: “من المفيد ألا تتأخر 1-0 بعد خمس دقائق، لأن ذلك يُتيح لك فرصةً أكبر، لعبنا المباراة التي أردتُها”.
وواصل: “ما رأيته كان له معنى كبيرٌ بالنسبة للاعبينا وجماهيرنا، اضطرت الجماهير للسفر مسافاتٍ طويلة لدعم فريقٍ كان أداؤه ضعيفًا”.
وواصل: “يوم الأربعاء، سنواجه سندرلاند، إنه جدول مزدحم للغاية للجميع، هذه خطوة أولى جيدة لنا، الفوز والحفاظ على شباكنا نظيفة”.
اقرأ أيضًا | إيزاك بعد ثنائية ليفربول أمام وست هام: علينا أن نكون متواضعين
وسُئل هل يُعد هدف ألكسندر إيزاك الأول في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز مع ليفربول لحظةً مهمة، وأجاب: “نعم، أعتقد أنه يبدو مهمًا، لم أكن أخطط لمنحه دقائقَ لعبٍ إضافيةٍ كثيرةٍ قبل استبداله”.
وأشار: “إنه مهاجم من الطراز الرفيع، كانت هذه اللمسة الأخيرة رائعة، أبقيته في الملعب لفترة كافية ليُسجل هدفًا للفريق ولنفسه”.
وأكمل: “الفوز كان ما كنا نحتاجه بشكل أساسي، وحافظنا على نظافة شباكنا أيضًا، وهو أمر مفيد دائمًا، لم نُقدم أي شيء للفريق المنافس كهدية كما فعلنا مرات عديدة هذا الموسم، لم يُخلق المنافس أي فرصة تُذكر إلا في الدقيقة الأخيرة عن طريق جارود بوين”.
وأكد سلوت: “وست هام جعل المباراة صعبة علينا، لكننا قدمنا أداءً دفاعيًا رائعًا، لحسن الحظ، لم تُتح لهم سوى فرصة واحدة”.
وعن تواجد محمد صلاح على مقاعد البدلاء، أوضح: “نلعب الكثير من المباريات، في 10 أيام لعبنا أربع مباريات، هؤلاء اللاعبون يتمتعون بجودة عالية، كان محمد صلاح مهمًا جدًا للنادي وسيظل كذلك، لذا دعونا نرى ما سيحدث يوم الأربعاء (ضد سندرلاند)”.
It is still only October, and it already feels as if the wheels have come off at West Ham United.
The East Londoners are currently in the relegation zone and only being kept off the bottom of the table by an even worse Wolverhampton Wanderers side.
Worse yet, any of the positivity that came from the draw away to Everton in Nuno Espírito Santo’s first game has all but vanished thanks to three consecutive defeats.
Therefore, if the Portuguese coach is to save the Hammer’s Premier League status this season, he needs to make some changes to the team as soon as possible, such as dropping someone who looks miles off the pace.
Changes that Nuno has to make to West Ham
Given the dire situation West Ham currently find themselves in, Nuno has to make some dramatic changes to the team for the next game, and that starts at the back.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Both Jean-Clair Todibo and Max Kilman must come out of the team, as even though the other options are less than ideal, they have a chance of being better than the Frenchman and Englishman, who have been diabolical for a few games now.
Then, with Ollie Scarles recovering from his dislocated shoulder, the manager should move Kyle Walker-Peters to that right wing-back role if he insists on keeping the shape he used against Leeds on the weekend.
Moreover, while he’s been a brilliant servant to the club, Tomáš Souček now offers little to nothing when he starts, and therefore, he should be dropped to the bench for the far more dynamic and promising Soungoutou Magassa.
Moving on to the attack, and the experiment of player Lucas Paqueta up top has to come to an end.
Paqueta vs Leeds
Minutes
94′
Expected Goals
0.09
Goals
0
Expected Assists
0.10
Assists
0
Shots on Target
1
Touches
83
Crosses (Accurate)
4 (0)
Accurate Passes
45/62 (73%)
All Stats via Sofascore
Yes, Callum Wilson is not of the standard either, but by playing the team’s most creative player as a false nine, the chance creation from deep is practically non-existent.
Ideally, Nuno should revert to a four at the back system and play the Brazilian in attacking midfield.
Last but not least, another change should be made in the middle of the park: the removal of a player who is miles off being the standard required to play for West Ham.
The West Ham ace who must be dropped
He isn’t the number one problem at West Ham this season, but it has become increasingly clear that Andrew Irving is nowhere near good enough to play for the club and should therefore be dropped.
It might sound harsh, but it’s an opinion shared by journalist Jordan Rushworth, who described the Scotsman as a “National League standard” midfielder, adding that he “gets walked past every time an opposition midfielder has the ball.”
Unfortunately for the Edinburgh-born ace, his statistics from the game at Elland Road only back up such a brutal assessment.
Irving vs Leeds
Minutes
64′
Expected Assists
0.01
Key Passes
0
Shots
0
Crosses (Accurate)
1 (0)
Touches
48
Lost Possession
7
Duels (Won)
5 (1)
Dribbled Past
1
All Stats via Sofascore
For example, in his 64 minutes of inaction, he amassed an expected assists figure of just 0.01, failed to make a single key pass, didn’t take any shots, misplaced 100% of his crosses, took 48 touches, lost the ball seven times, lost four of five duels and was dribbled past once.
It’s not just his technical weaknesses that are a problem for the Irons, though, but also his complete lack of any real physicality.
He’s not strong enough on or off the ball and lacks any real athleticism or explosiveness, which in the modern Premier League is a massive problem, and one highlighted by Jamie Carragher after the Brentford loss, when he described the Hammers as “one of the slowest teams I’ve seen in Premier League history!”
Therefore, regardless of the formation he wants to play, Nuno simply has to take Irving out of the starting lineup from now on, especially when he has better options to choose from.
For example, while he can still be a little rash, respected analyst Ben Mattinson has described Magassa as someone blessed with “pure athleticism.”
Moreover, he’s still relatively inexperienced at this level, but Freddie Potts can get around the pitch far easier than the Scotsman, and as Mattinson says, is blessed with an impressive “passing range and powerful carrying” ability.
Ultimately, while there are plenty of changes that need to happen at West Ham, one of the big ones is the removal of Iriving in favour of a far more dynamic and promising alternative.
Worse than Summerville: Nuno must drop 3/10 West Ham flop who's "the worst"
West Ham’s woes continued as they were defeated by Leeds United in the Premier League.
كشف إبراهيم حسن، مدير منتخب مصر الأول لكرة القدم، سبب استبعاد محمد عبد المنعم المحترف ضمن فريق نيس الفرنسي، من قائمة الفراعنة لبطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا 2025.
ويستعد منتخب مصر في الفترة الحالية، لخوض المعسكر الختامي قبل المشاركة في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا 2025 بالمغرب المقرر أن تنطلق 21 ديسمبر الجاري.
وقال حسن خلال تصريحات عبر المركز الإعلامي لاتحاد الكرة المصري: “استبعاد محمد عبد المنعم من القائمة المختارة للمشاركة في بطولة كأس الأمم الإفريقية جاء بسبب الإصابة”.
طالع | قائمة منتخب مصر استعدادًا لـ كأس أمم إفريقيا 2025 .. موقف إمام عاشور
وأضاف: “التقارير الطبية بالتنسيق بين الجهاز الطبي لمنتخب مصر عن طريق دكتور محمد أبو العلا والجهاز الطبي لنادي نيس الفرنسي أثبتت صعوبة جاهزية محمد عبد المنعم لبطولة كأس الأمم بعد إصابته بالرباط الصليبي في إبريل الماضي ثم تعرضه لإصابة بمزق في السمانة خلال الأيام الماضية وهو ما تسبب في تأخر تأهيل اللاعب وبالتالي صعوبة لحاقه بمباريات البطولة”.
وأكمل: “نتمنى الشفاء العاجل لـ محمد عبد المنعم، هو أحد الركائز الأساسية التي يعتمد عليها المنتخب ووجوده يشكل إضافة قوية لدفاع المنتخب، والجهاز على تواصل معه بشكل مستمر للاطمئنان على حالته، اللاعب كان يتمنى المشاركة في البطولة لولا الإصابة التي لحقت به وعدم جاهزيته”.
من المقرر أن ينطلق معسكر منتخب مصر، يوم 3 ديسمبر، ثم الدخول في معسكر مغلق يوم 7 ديسمبر استعدادا لخوض ودية نيجيريا يوم 14 ديسمبر الجاري باستاد القاهرة، ثم السفر يوم 17 إلى المغرب استعداداً لخوض منافسات بطولة كأس الأمم الإفريقية 2025 بالمغرب.
ويبدأ منتخب مصر مبارياته ببطولة أمم إفريقيا يوم 22 ديسمبر بمواجهة زيمبابوي ثم جنوب إفريقيا يوم 26 وأنجولا يوم 29 ديسمبر في دور المجموعات.
Arsenal suffered a devastating 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday lunchtime, surrendering their five-point lead atop the Premier League table in dramatic fashion.
Emiliano Buendia’s stoppage-time winner completed a remarkable comeback for Unai Emery’s side, dealing a significant blow to the Gunners’ title aspirations.
Matty Cash gave Villa a deserved first-half lead with a thunderous finish at the back post in the 36th minute, capitalizing on Arsenal’s struggles to contain the hosts’ energetic pressing.
The right-back’s half-volley from a deflected cross caught David Raya off guard, sending Villa Park into raptures and rewarding the home side’s dominant opening period.
Mikel Arteta responded decisively at the interval, introducing Leandro Trossard and Viktor Gyokeres for the ineffective Eberechi Eze and Mikel Merino.
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The Belgian substitute made an immediate impact just seven minutes into the second half, converting a rebound after Emiliano Martínez could only parry Bukayo Saka’s initial effort. Trossard’s poacher’s instinct at the back post hauled Arsenal level and appeared to shift momentum decisively in the visitors’ favour.
Arsenal dominated possession throughout the second period, creating numerous opportunities to snatch victory. Noni Madueke struck the side netting late on when well-positioned, while Declan Rice orchestrated attacks from deep despite struggling with the calf complaint that troubled him against Brentford midweek.
However, Villa refused to surrender tamely.
Emery’s tactical substitution proved inspired as Buendia replaced Matty Cash in the 85th minute, pushing the hosts into a more aggressive attacking shape with Lamare Bogarde dropping to right-back.
The Argentinian playmaker delivered the decisive intervention deep into stoppage time, reacting quickest to a loose ball inside Arsenal’s penalty area and firing home to secure all three points.
The defeat represents Arsenal’s second loss of the campaign and ends their 18-match unbeaten run across all competitions. More significantly, it allows Man City the opportunity to reduce the gap at the summit to just two points, should they defeat Sunderland later today.
Emiliano Martínez
7.8
Declan Rice
7.7
Matty Cash
7.5
Boubacar Kamara
7.5
Martin Odegaard
7.2
via WhoScored
For Villa, the victory extends their remarkable home form to just one defeat in their last 25 league matches at Villa Park, maintaining their challenge for Champions League qualification while sitting third in the table.
It also begs the question, are Emery’s men now genuine title contenders?
Stuart Pearce says Youri Tielemans stole the show against Arsenal
With that debate now set to rumble on, former England defender Stuart Pearce has picked out one Villa star to thank for an absolutely incredible afternoon for Emery in the Midlands.
Commenting on the game for talkSPORT, Pearce named his Player of the Match — £150,000-per-week midfielder Youri Tielemans.
The Belgian international apparently stole the show against Arsenal, with Pearce calling his display in the engine room ‘outstanding’.
Tielemans, who is out of contract in 2027, has just made a firm case to the Villa hierarchy when it comes to his long-term future.
The 28-year-old returned to full fitness fairly recently after missing six league games with a calf problem and was left out of the starting eleven for Villa’s thrilling 4-3 win at Brighton.
Emery’s decision to start Tielemans today was a masterful decision, and that performance will give the player huge confidence ahead of Villa’s trips to FC Basel and West Ham.
Scores of 54, 88, 18, 100, 85, 9* and 103* in his last seven international innings have led to whispers that Marsh might be an emergency Ashes option if England’s quicks pose problems
Alex Malcolm05-Oct-2025Last Tuesday in Mount Maunganui, 24 hours out from the first game of Australia’s three-match T20I series against New Zealand, T20I skipper Mitchell Marsh was asked by a New Zealand journalist whether his mind was on the Ashes at all in terms of trying to force his way back into the Test team.”Ha. No,” Marsh said.He giggled again as the press pack paused, perhaps taken aback by the emphatic answer, and no more questions were posed on any topic.Five days later he leaves New Zealand with two player of the match awards from the only two completed games, a player of the series award and the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy, after scores of 85 off 43 and 103 not out from 52. The latter was one of his finest for Australia, single-handedly guiding them home on a tricky surface where he looked like he was playing a different sport to every other batter in the game. His first T20I century saw him join Shane Watson, Glenn Maxwell, David Warner, and Josh Inglis as the only Australian men with international centuries in all three forms.Related
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In his last seven international innings dating back to the T20I series against South Africa in August he has scores of 54, 88, 18, 100, 85, 9* and 103* and has batted as well as he ever has in international cricket, especially against the pace collection of Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Nandre Burger, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, Kyle Jamieson and Ben Sears who have troubled some of Australia’s Test batters in the same games.Despite what Marsh says publicly about a possible Test return, which is understood to be in keeping with what he has said privately, his form has done nothing to quell the whispers that have been floating around Australian cricket that Marsh could be called upon as a “break glass in case of emergency” option for the Ashes.It sounds far-fetched, and merely the notion will enrage a large swathe of Australian fans who believe Marsh has had more than enough chances at Test level. But the whispers are real. Chairman of selectors George Bailey had sowed the seeds as far back as April.”I don’t necessarily think that his red-ball career is over,” Bailey said when Australia’s 2025-26 contract list was announced.”I don’t think he was scoring the runs that he would have wanted, or we would have wanted, when we left him out of the Test side. But I still think there’s an incredibly exciting skill-set there with the bat, the way he can rip a game open.”If you look ahead to a team like England, and the way they play their cricket and the way they seem to be framing up their team, I think he’s got a skill-set there that could be helpful.”However, a Marsh Ashes comeback would likely come with a large set of caveats.It would require many of the fears around the form of the incumbent Test top six to come to fruition early in the series. Australia’s batting would have to struggle mightily in the first two Tests in Perth and Brisbane for the possibility to be genuinely entertained. Even then, those struggles would have to be of a very particular variety.Australia’s Test batters would have to be struggling against the pace and bounce of Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Josh Tongue and Ben Stokes in particular.Mitchell Marsh celebrates his stunning comeback century at Headingley in 2023•Getty ImagesIn the 2023 series, England turned to a bombardment of bouncers in the second Test to try and change the course of the series. While unsuccessful at Lord’s, that plan rolled over to the third Test at Headingley where the injection of a fresh Wood at the expense of an aging Jimmy Anderson turned the tide in an instant. Wood took 5 for 34 targeting helmets and stumps exclusively with sustained heat at 145kph plus. His threat at one end helped another fresh man Chris Woakes threaten front pads and outside edges at the other.Marsh not only withstood it, but thrived pounding a run-a-ball 118 in his first Test innings in four years having been called in for the injured Cameron Green. One particular pull shot, from a 146kph Wood bouncer, that sailed over the two men stationed square on the rope and landed 20 rows back among the Headingley crowd is seared in the memory of the Australian team, as is the silence that followed it from a packed Headingley crowd that had been raucous due to England’s morning success.Marsh produced similarly thunderous cross bat shots that landed among a more sparse Bay Oval crowd on Saturday night in a brutal take down of Henry, Duffy, Sears and Jimmy Neesham while Test batters Travis Head and Alex Carey succumbed on a spicy surface that had spent two full days under cover.There is a thought that if the Ashes turns into another bouncer-fest, and Australia’s batters aren’t handling the heat, then there is no one better equipped than Marsh to provide a counter-attack in the vein he did in Headingley.No one runs quite as hot or as cold as Marsh. Right now he is white-hot. This time last year he was entering a run of ice-cold form that saw him return red-ball scores of 9, 6, 6, 47, 9, 5, 2, 4, and 0 that eventually led to him being left out of the fifth Test against India in Sydney for Beau Webster.It is incredible that Marsh, with a Test average of just 28.53 from the same number of innings, 80, as Sir Donald Bradman had in his career, can still be such an alluring prospect at his best when his mean has been clear to see over an 11-year Test career.Mitchell Marsh is strong against the short ball•Getty ImagesMarsh is unlikely to face a red ball before the start of the Ashes. Family and fishing will most likely be his priority over the brief time off after New Zealand ahead of leading Australia in a three-match ODI series and five-match T20 series against India that runs up to the first Test.Western Australia are also unclear on whether Marsh will be available to play Sheffield Shield cricket in November following the India series ahead of the BBL. Marsh also has not bowled a ball since the Boxing Day Test last year having missed the Champions Trophy in February due to a back injury. He has said his bowling remains “offline” until further notice and there is a chance he plays the rest of his career as a specialist batter.Whether the glass is broken in case of an emergency or not, Marsh’s form at the top of order in Australia’s T20I side solidifies their plans heading towards the World Cup.Australia had won their previous two T20I series against West Indies and South Africa without major contributions from the captain, with the powerful middle-order stepping up. In the absence of Inglis, Maxwell and Green in New Zealand it was Marsh who carried his team.It bodes well for when Australia get their best available together for India and Sri Lanka in February and March. Their unrelenting power hitting has won them nine of their last 10 completed T20Is. Winning in spite of a reckless and probably needless wobble in Saturday’s third T20I in Mount Maunganui will only reinforce that the high-octane freewheeling style, branded in Marsh’s image, will be what they stick to when the pressure is ramped up in the World Cup.Whether it’s needed, or called for, should the Ashes pressure reach fever pitch before then, remains to be seen.
Glenn Phillips has been given more time to build match fitness but Daryl Mitchell is available after injury
ESPNcricinfo staff24-Nov-2025Kane Williamson has been included in New Zealand’s squad for the first Test against West Indies in Christchurch and pace bowler Blair Tickner handed a recall for the first time since 2023 with Kyle Jamieson held back as he continues a carefully controlled return to red-ball cricketFellow seamers Jacob Duffy and Zak Foulkes, who took nine wickets on debut against Zimbabwe, are also part of the 14-player squad, but Jamieson wasn’t considered for the start of the series as a cautious approach is maintained in increasing his workloads after a back injury.Glenn Phillips, who played in the opening round of the Plunket Shield, also hasn’t been included as he works his way back to full match fitness after a groin injury. Daryl Mitchell has recovered from injury to take his place in the squad.Williamson, who is among the group of players to hold a casual contract, missed New Zealand’s most recent Test series in Zimbabwe earlier this year to play the Hundred. Having announced his T20I retirement, he played the first two ODIs against England before picking up a groin injury.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”Kane’s ability on the field speaks for itself and it will be great to have his skills as well as his leadership back in the Test group,” head coach Rob Walter said. “He’s had a bit of time off to get himself ready for red-ball cricket, and I know he’s looking forward to playing for Northern Districts in the second round of the Plunket Shield in the lead-up to the first Test.”Tickner, meanwhile, played the most recent of his three Tests against Sri Lanka in early 2023. On his return to the ODI side against England he claimed eight wickets in two matches.”Both Jacob and Blair have been around a while and know what it takes to perform at the highest level,” Walter said. “They’ve impressed in their white-ball opportunities so far this summer and we back them to do so in the Test arena if called upon.”Zak couldn’t have performed much better in his first Test against Zimbabwe. That, along with his recent form across the white-ball tours, has rightfully earned him selection.”Matt Fisher (shin), Will O’Rourke (back) and Ben Sears (hamstring) were not considered for selection due to injury.The West Indies series marks New Zealand’s first matches of the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycleNew Zealand squad for 1st Test vs West IndiesTom Latham (capt), Tom Blundell, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Nathan Smith, Blair Tickner, Kane Williamson, Will Young
O Vitória anunciou a contratação do técnico Thiago Carpini. O treinador chega para substituir Léo Condé, que foi demitido nesta terça-feira (14).
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Thiago Carpini chega ao Vitória junto dos auxiliares técnicos Estephano Djian e Josué Romero, assim como o preparador físico Caio Gilli. O treinador será apresentado na quinta-feira (16), às 14h.
A tendência é que Thiago Carpini comande o Vitória contra o Atlético-GO. O novo técnico rubro-negro está na Europa, onde acompanha os treinos do PSG, na França, e do Real Madrid, na Espanha.
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CONFIRA A NOTA PUBLICADA PELO VITÓRIA: “Novo professor 👨🏻🏫 🦁 O Esporte Clube Vitória deseja boas-vindas ao novo técnico do Leão, Thiago Carpini. Junto com ele chegam o auxiliar técnico Estephano Djian e o preparador físico Caio Gilli. O técnico tem passagens por diversos times brasileiros e estava no São Paulo até abril desse ano. A coletiva de imprensa de apresentação do técnico será na quinta-feira (16), às 14h00. Desejamos que seja uma caminhada de VITÓRIA! 🔴⚫️”
Tottenham Hotspur have some painful attacking teething problems under Thomas Frank. Everything is relative, and there are variables at play, but the struggle to impress on the playmaking front is becoming an unwelcome narrative for the club this season.
But that aside, there is also the sense that purses may need to be pulled out for a new centre-forward in 2026. It feels like Richarlison’s days are numbered at number nine, and Dominic Solanke hasn’t fared all that well since his £55m move from Bournemouth last year, too often injured and too often unconvincing.
Both strikers are 28 years old, and while service has proved thin in recent months, Tottenham will need to consider their options in January.
There is another solution, of course. Randal Kolo Muani appears to have replaced Richarlison as Frank’s first-choice frontman, having started two games in a row in the Premier League.
But, unless a formula is discovered to support him, the Frenchman’s season-long loan spell is going to be a forgettable one.
Randal Kolo Muani's opportunity to shine
Tottenham have more than their share of issues at the moment. It’s an interesting one. They are more stable with Frank at the helm, competitive at the upper end of the Premier League and unbeaten on their return to the Champions League, three games in.
But we cannot ignore the depletion of creativity that has left things feeling rather pedestrian, and even with James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski sidelined since the start of the campaign and a distance away from returning, there is much to improve upon down N17.
Kolo Muani has not scored or assisted across his six outings in a Spurs shirt so far, and the 26-year-old may well feel somewhat aggrieved by the lack of service that came his way against Chelsea, taking only 16 touches across 76 minutes of action, creating a chance and getting stuck in but failing to unleash a single shot (as per Sofascore).
One content creator acknowledged the Les Bleus star for his exciting, progressive efforts when on the ball. However, such efforts were, as stated, few and far between, and he said it “must be absolutely horrible playing up front for this team”.
Premier League 25/26 – xG Leaders
Club
Goals Scored
xG
(1) Crystal Palace
13
18.2
(2) Man City
18
17.8
(3) Man United
15
17.5
(4) Chelsea
18
17.1
(5) Arsenal
18
16.9
(=5) Liverpool
18
16.9
(15) Tottenham
16
10.1
Data via FBref
Tottenham don’t create enough chances, and this is impeding Kolo Muani in his desire to get going in white. However, given that he’s only here for the season, it’s unlikely a permanent deal would be explored if things continue as they are.
Especially when the Lilywhites have an exciting up-and-comer making his way toward the surface.
The Spurs talent who could end Kolo Muani's stay
Tottenham have long boasted one of the most efficient production lines in Europe, and Mason Melia is set to make his way as the latest in this long line of hopefuls.
However, while the pathway from youth to professional football is long and treacherous, Melia is regarded as a rising star with the potential to nail down a place under Frank’s wing, with The Athletic’s Connor O’Neill saying he’s “easily the best young talent I have seen in the League of Ireland”.
The 18-year-old striker has already played 98 senior matches for St. Patrick’s Athletic, scoring 25 goals and registering eight assists. Across the 2024/25 campaign, he posted 14 goals and four assists. As a Republic of Ireland U21 international, he has bagged three goals from just four caps so far.
Both confident in front of goal and athletic enough to drive into the danger area himself, not reliant on his creative teammates, Melia could provide a tonic to Spurs’ current tactical pecadillos, lacking as they are in attack.
He is very young, of course, and could hardly be expected to waltz in and prove an instant upgrade on an established European star like Kolo Muani, but Harry Kane proved in the past that a young striker stands a chance of succeeding where senior peers fail.
Tottenham signed the teenager earlier in 2025 for a record-breaking £3m fee, making him the most expensive footballer to leave Ireland’s top flight. However, he has yet to wear the Spurs shirt in a professional capacity, having agreed to leave his homeland in January 2026.
St. Pat’s’ Young Player of the Year last season, he is widely regarded as one of the most exciting talents in Irish football, with his touch and speed and awareness in the final third all suggesting he has the bearing of a Premier League-level striker.
Given the paucity of reliable options in the final third at Tottenham right now, and with Richarlison among those slated to leave next year, Melia could find himself fast-tracked under Frank’s wing, earning regular opportunities in the first team and potentially even outperforming someone like Kolo Muani, who must continue adapting to the English game himself.
Tottenham might need to play the waiting game for now, but with Melia set to arrive in just a few months, he may find himself earning a string of opportunities before the end of the campaign.
And should he impress as if talent suggests is within his capacity, then it’s hardly out of the question to imagine that Melia could be leading the line in the not-too-distant future.
Not just Simons: Spurs dud is becoming one of their worst-ever signings
Tottenham Hotspur appear to have got it all wrong with the addition of one first-team member.
Cristiano Ronaldo is set to receive only a one-match ban for his red card against the Republic of Ireland in Portugal's penultimate World Cup qualifier. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was sent off after elbowing Dara O'Shea off the ball and was set for a three-match ban for 'violent conduct'. However, FIFA's disciplinary committee has decided to let the 40-year-old off easy.
Ronaldo only gets a one-match ban for O'Shea elbow
Ronaldo was expected to miss one or two of Portugal's opening clashes in the 2026 World Cup in North America after being shown a red card for violent conduct on O'Shea. However, FIFA's disciplinary committee have ruled that the Portugal captain's actions were only worth a one-game ban, which he has already served after he missed Roberto Martinez's squad for the 9-1 win over Armenia. His punishment, however, also holds a two-game suspended ban, which will be triggered if he is found guilty of a similar offence yet again in the next 365 days.
Ronaldo was sent off just before the hour mark, after Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg consulted with VAR, having shown the five-time Ballon d'Or winner a yellow card initially. In the review, it seemed clear to the referee that, in a tussle with O'Shea, Ronaldo clearly elbowed O'Shea in the back without any ball involvement around him.
AdvertisementGettyCR7's first international red card
The red card against the Republic of Ireland was Ronaldo's first of his international career as the Portugal captain has never been sent off in his 226 appearances with the national team. It has been reported that this disciplinary record may have played a massive part in the FIFA disciplinary committee's decision.
However, this wasn't the first time Ronaldo and O'Shea clashed as the Portugal captain and the Irishman had previously clashed, with the Al-Nassr star appearing to slap him all the way back in 2021. While O'Shea had hit the deck at that point as well, the referee and VAR had missed the incident, and Ronaldo had gotten away with his assault on the Ireland star; however, the same was not the case this time around.
Ronaldo's absence raises questions about Portugal squad
Ronaldo's absence for Portugal's 9-1 win over Armenia raised serious questions from fans over the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's spot in Martinez's World Cup squad as Portugal's attacking play seemed a lot smoother. The same was the case during the 2022 World Cup when Fernando Santos played Ronaldo as more of a substitute through the tournament in Qatar with stars like Goncalo Ramos, Joao Felix and Diogo Jota starting instead.
However, the quarter-final failure against Morocco eventually saw Santos receive the sacking and Martinez being onboarded as the head coach of the Portuguese national team. The former Belgium coach quickly reintegrated the former Real Madrid man into the squad as he led Portugal to their Nations League triumph last year.
Nonetheless, questions are still being raised as to whether having Ronaldo as the main man in the Portugal squad is the best way forward for the 2026 World Cup as the country look to raise their first-ever trophy on the international stage.
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Getty Images SportPortugal's World Cup opener to feature Ronaldo
Despite all the questions regarding Ronaldo's form at the highest level, it is highly unlikely that Martinez will be altering his squad this close to the World Cup. As such, it is almost guaranteed that Ronaldo will be the first name on the teamsheet when Portugal kickoff their 2026 World Cup campaign in North America.
However, the ill-tempered Ronaldo will have to keep his emotions in check through the tournament, as another sending off or even a violation of FIFA's regulations could see him miss the latter stages of the World Cup.
Home side make a game of it having been 55 for 8 but Bouchier, Devine steer successful chase
ECB Media16-Aug-2025Southern Brave 109 for 4 (Bouchier 42, Devine 41*) beat Trent Rockets 106 (Gordon 32, Corteen-Coleman 4-13) by six wicketsA dominant bowling performance followed by a measured if not nervy run chase saw the Southern Brave to a six-wicket win over Trent Rockets in The Hundred women’s competition at Trent Bridge.Electing to bowl first, Georgia Adams’ decision was justified almost immediately when 17-year-old Tilly Corteen-Coleman struck two huge blows in her opening set, removing Bryony Smith caught off a leading-edge and Nat Sciver-Brunt brilliantly stumped by Rhianna Southby.Despite a 16-ball 25 from captain Ash Gardner, the Rockets top order faltered miserably. From 36 for 2 at the conclusion of the powerplay, it was complete Brave dominance as Rockets collapsed to 55 for 8.Left-arm spinner Corteen-Coleman bowled brilliantly, also dismissing Heather Graham and Emma Jones – the former another stumping by the impressive Southby – on the way to brilliant figures of 4 for 13. Lauren Bell returned to strike twice in three balls, becoming the first woman to take 50 wickets in the Hundred in the process, finishing her 20 balls with 3 for 16.Alana King and Kirstie Gordon then staged a recovery to keep their side in the game. They shared a record tenth-wicket stand of 50 from 44 deliveries to help the Rockets to 106 and give them something to bowl at.In the run chase, Rockets struck early – Danni Wyatt-Hodge run out by King after a miscommunication with Maia Bouchier. Laura Wolvaardt was then caught by Sciver-Brunt off Gordon to see the score 10 for 2 with two in-form batters back in the shed.Bouchier and Sophie Devine played cautiously against probing bowling from King and Gardner, steadily chipping away at the target as the Brave reached 52 for 2 at halfway with 55 runs still required.Bouchier began to open her shoulders as Brave approached their target, but she targeted King one time too many, running past a wide one to be stumped for 43.Devine was joined by Freya Kemp who, after cracking a huge six off Gordon, went caught on the boundary with eight still required from seven balls. But Devine stayed calm, striking a crucial boundary off Graham as the Brave got home with two balls to spare.Meerkat Match Hero, Corteen-Coleman, said: “It’s been fantastic, such a great team performance. Good to get another win on the board. There’s a bit of a track record of Trent Bridge being a bit slow and having a bit of turn so I thought I might be in the game.”I can’t complain, it’s been a great day. We’re a great group. We’ve been working really hard and obviously off the back of last year I feel like we’ve got a lot to prove and we’re on our way to doing that.”