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Harry Kane starred with yet another hat-trick, while Michael Olise contributed with two assists as Bayern Munich thrashed VFB Stuttgart 5-0 to increase their unbeaten run in the Bundesliga to 13 games. With 37 points, Bayern increased their lead to 11 points at the top of the table over RB Leipzig after comfortably routing their opponents on Saturday.

Kane inspires Bayern to their 12th win of the season

Bayern's unbeaten streak continued as they comfortably beat VFB Stuttgart 4-0 on Saturday to extend their lead over second-placed RB Leipzig to 11 points. Star forward Kane once again stole the show as he scored a hat-trick and took his Bundesliga goals tally to 17.

The visitors dominated the game right from the start and took just 11 minutes to break the deadlock as Konrad Laimer opened the scoring. Laimer received a pass from Jonas Urbig and entered the box before squaring it towards Michael Olise. The Frenchman quickly gave the ball back to Laimer, who comfortably found the back of the net.

Stuttgart pulled one back and restored parity in the match just minutes before the break as Nicolas Nartey headed the ball into the net from Bilal El Khannouss's inch-perfect free-kick but after a lengthy VAR check, the goal was ruled out due to offside.

Stuttgart did not create too many chances in the second half and fell to a heavy defeat after the introduction of Kane. The England captain, who did not feature in Vincent Kompany's starting lineup, came on as a substitute in the 61st minute, replacing Nicolas Jackson. The move proved to be a masterstroke as he soon scored his opening goal. The Englishman made a solo run after receiving a pass from the centre of the park before finding the back of the net with a low-lying long-range shot. 

Josip Stanisic then added a third goal to the club's tally after former Liverpool star Luis Diaz dribbled past his marker inside the box. Thereafter, it was all Kane as he soon completed his brace after Lorenz Assignon conceded a red card for trying to stop the ball from going into the net with his hand. The England captain took the resulting penalty and made it 4-0 for his side before scoring a third goal from Michael Olise's cross.

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It was yet another masterpiece from Kane as the start forward once again stole the limelight with yet another hat-trick. Kane spent a little over 30 minutes on the ground but it was enough for him to bag a treble and guide his team to a dominant win.

The big loser

The Stuttgart defence completely crumbled once Kane entered the pitch just past the hour mark. However, it was Assignon who proved to be the villain as he tried to stop the ball with his hand in front of the goal in the 80th minute and picked up an unnecessary red card. Stuttgart going a man down at that point just added salt to their wounds as Kane completed the annihilation in the end.  

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Over 200 overs of batting in Delhi, West Indies have shown sparks of what they can do when conditions aren’t treacherous and the right personnel are selected

Karthik Krishnaswamy13-Oct-20252:43

Chopra: Credit to WI for taking Test into day five

After 15 successive innings in which they failed to get as far as the second new ball, West Indies did so twice in the second Test against India in Delhi, batting for nearly 200 overs across their two innings. After seven successive century-less Tests, they scored two in Delhi, with John Campbell and Shai Hope getting into three figures and putting on a rousing 177 as West Indies, made to follow on, erased a 270-run first-innings deficit and set India a target of 121.What does any of this mean for a West Indies Test team – and in particular a West Indies batting line-up – that has been under fire from every direction over the last few months?First things first: conditions, conditions, conditions. India have moved away from the square-turner template of most of the last four years and have stated that they are looking to play on traditional home pitches that start out flat and give batters the opportunities to score hundreds. This was largely the case in the first Test in Ahmedabad, the pitch there had an even covering of grass that provided seam movement early on. That red-soil surface also began to break up towards the end of day two. West Indies, choosing to bat first after winning the toss, ended up batting both times when conditions were at their most helpful for the bowlers.Delhi’s black-soil surface has been different. It began flat and slow, and has only seemed to slow down further as the Test match has progressed. India enforcing the follow-on gave West Indies the chance to wear down an attack that was contending with both unresponsive conditions and tiring legs.The efforts of Campbell and Hope and the unbeaten 50 from Justin Greaves in the second innings, and the resistance of West Indies’ lower order in both innings, must, therefore, be viewed against this backdrop.Related

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Equally, however, West Indies’ barren run with the bat leading into this Test match has to be viewed against the conditions they were having to face all year.They began 2025 on the dustbowls of Multan where they drew 1-1 with Pakistan in a series where the two teams passed 200 once each across the two Tests.Then they played Australia, the world’s No. 1 Test side, which boasts the world’s most potent pace quartet, on seaming pitches at home, and competed through the first two or three innings of all three Test matches thanks to their own fast bowlers. They had the misfortune of batting last in all three Tests, however, and collapsed in all three fourth innings.The last of these, of course, was 27 all out in the pink-ball Test in Kingston. It sent Cricket West Indies (CWI) into crisis mode. It heightened the frequency and volume of conversations about the World Test Championship (WTC) potentially splitting into two tiers in the future, with West Indies, of course, dropping into the bottom tier. It put West Indies’ Test team in a position where everything they did or did not do took on a significance beyond individual records and team results.3:56

What made Campbell and Hope stand out?

Now this question hasn’t been asked too often, but it bears asking. Put aside the financial issues CWI faces and the pressures that West Indian players face thanks to the state of cricket’s calendar and political economy. If you put all that aside, was the reaction to 27 all out, purely from a cricketing perspective, perhaps a touch overblown?Look through the ranks of today’s Test teams. Plenty of others would likely lose 3-0 to Australia on those West Indian pitches. And of those teams, how many possess pace attacks comparable to West Indies’ and capable of landing as many counter-blows as they did through that series?And how many of those teams would you back to go to India next, lose two key fast bowlers to injury, and compete?And how would you view West Indies’ results and batting returns over these last few months if they’d been bowled out for, say, 127 rather than 27 at Sabina Park?And before you answer that question, here’s the full list of double-digit all-out totals in Test cricket in the 2020s. You might recognise some of them. There are two India innings in that list: 46 all out last year in Bengaluru, which kickstarted a shock 3-0 home defeat to New Zealand; and, of course, 36 all out in Adelaide in 2020. Ravi Shastri, India’s head coach on that Australia tour, told his players to “wear [that total] like a badge.” You know what happened next.

“In Delhi, you could see that, given time to grow into their roles and get used to the rhythms of Test cricket, West Indies’ batters could begin to make a mark.”

India, of course, made a famous, fairytale comeback and won that series 2-1, but the cricketing wisdom of Shastri’s words would have held true even if they’d lost 4-0. His vast experience as a player, broadcaster and coach had informed his understanding that teams occasionally get blown away for small totals when quality attacks meet helpful conditions, and that these outlier events do not reflect the quality of the batting line-up that’s suffered that fate.The West Indies of 2025 are by no means as good a batting team as India were in 2020. There are deep-rooted issues in their system that a) keep much of their best batting talent away from first-class cricket, b) prevent the batters who do play first-class cricket from developing their red-ball game to the fullest, and c) leave their selectors not able to assemble anything like the best possible Test top order they could.The 27 all out split West Indies cricket through the middle, but appear to have turned a corner now•AFP/Getty ImagesBut they aren’t as bad as 2025 has made them look, and from that perspective, the Delhi Test couldn’t have come at a better time. There is inexperience running through this West Indies line-up, but there’s enough evidence of ability when the conditions have given them a chance to show it.What Delhi has also shown is the logic underpinning their head coach Daren Sammy’s strategy of backing players who have shown run-scoring ability across formats – and not just Test and first-class cricket – in the belief that it would do West Indies no good to wilfully limit their selection pool and leave out white-ball players, particularly since those players have typically been the ones with the most natural ability.Sammy’s first Test squad, for instance, included both heavy scorers in recent first-class seasons, such as Campbell and Kevlon Anderson, and white-ball regulars like Hope, who had last played Test cricket in November 2021, new captain Roston Chase, who hadn’t played Tests since March 2023, and Brandon King, who had never played Test cricket. And before this India tour, Sammy even asked Sherfane Rutherford, who hasn’t played first-class cricket since 2019, to consider joining the Test team, with his ability against spin in mind.This idea of broadening the Test selection pool is still only in its infancy, and has already had to hurdle several challenges – the hugely testing nature of these first two assignments, for one, and the unsettling of Test regulars such as Alick Athanaze, who returned for this India tour after being dropped against Australia.In Delhi, however, you could see that, given time to grow into their roles and get used to the rhythms of Test cricket, West Indies’ batters could begin to make a mark.Campbell averages less than 26 after 25 Tests, even after this 115, his maiden Test hundred, but the innings only reinforced the idea that this is an opener with an easy, natural style and range of attacking shots, particularly sweeps, that can unsettle even the best spinners.Hope has been an enigma for a long, long time – a batter capable of scoring twin hundreds at Headingley and of averaging above 50 in ODIs, but also one capable of going 42 Test innings without a half-century – but if the enigma persists, so does the artistry, particularly when he skips back nimbly to punch spinners square on the off side. If he’s permanently unburdened of the keeping gloves in this format, there’s a chance he could have something of a renaissance in his 30s.The man who took over keeping duties in Delhi, Tevin Imlach, already showed in Pakistan earlier this year that he has unusually good hands behind the wicket even on spiteful turners. Here he showed sound defence against both types of bowling and bright footwork against spin, and it mostly wasn’t his fault that all that only amounted to scores of 21 and 12, with Kuldeep Yadav getting him out with misbehaving deliveries in both innings, big turn in the first and low bounce in the second.Justin Greaves’ batting against Kuldeep Yadav showed both technique and temperament•AFP/Getty ImagesOf all of West Indies’ batters on this trip, no one has seemed more certain in his reading of Kuldeep’s deceptive lengths than Greaves, who even in Ahmedabad handled the wristspinner so comfortably off the back foot that he forced him to keep bowling fuller and fuller. On the evidence of his sure-footed defence and the purity of his straight driving against seam and spin, he could be batting well above No. 7 in this West Indies line-up; that position seems more a function of his role as seam-bowling allrounder than his ability with the bat.It’s not unusual for batting line-ups to begin to blossom towards the middle of the second Test of an away tour. It can take two or three innings for batters to figure out how best to score runs against a particular bowler or how best to survive another. For batters from England or Australia in this decade, the middle of the second Test occurs near the start of India tours. For batters from West Indies and other teams that don’t get the luxury of long tours, the middle of the second Test is almost pack-up time. Delhi is West Indies’ ninth Test against India in India since 2011. England have played nine Tests against India in India since 2021.Day four in Delhi has shown there’s promise in West Indies’ batting ranks if it can be nurtured. But day five in Delhi will be the last day of their tour, and who knows what will come next. Given the constant churn in West Indies’ line-ups thanks to the pressure of results and the push and pull of T20 leagues, it becomes hard to say which batters will play their next series, and which batters from this tour will remain when they next visit India, whenever that is.Delhi, then, brought a glimmer of positivity to a line-up that sorely needed it. But no one can begin to say what effect it might have on the future, because what does that future even look like?

Australia’s batting order for the first Test is still some way from being confirmed, but Labuschagne is currently the favourite to go in at the top

AAP31-Oct-2025Marnus Labuschagne says he would have no issue opening for Australia in the Ashes, confident he is now much clearer in his own game than in recent summers.Labuschagne was denied another chance to bat in Queensland’s Sheffield Shield match with New South Wales on Friday, with the match ending in an early draw.Related

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After rain washed out the opening day, Jack Clayton’s 113 ensured Queensland would not have to follow on.Sam Konstas was then more patient with the bat, before attacking later in the innings and being caught charging Sam Skelly on 41, before a draw was called soon after.Konstas won’t be there come the first Test in Perth next month, with the 20-year-old almost certain to be given time in the Sheffield Shield to find his game.Labuschagne is favourite to take Konstas’s spot at the top, in a move that would allow allrounders Cameron Green and Beau Webster to both stay in the team.Labuschagne has said throughout this summer his preferred position is No.3, while insisting he would be willing to open to get back into the team. He has done so just twice at Test level, out for 17 and 22 in this year’s World Test Championship final against South Africa before being dropped from the side.But on Friday he declared he would more than welcome the challenge to open in Perth in three weeks’ time.”I’d say ‘great’,” Labuschagne responded when quizzed on what he would say if asked to open. “It honestly doesn’t concern me, I just want to be playing cricket at my best.Sam Konstas whips through the on side•Getty Images”This year I’ve been in in the first few overs a few times. You’re used to it batting No. 3, and I’ve batted there probably 95 per cent of my career in both formats.”So I’m very used to being in early. If I have to open, great. If I bat three, great. Wherever there’s a spot for me I’ll take it and we’ll go from there.”Forced to watch on from the sidelines in the Caribbean last winter, Labuschagne has since adopted a less-is-more approach to his batting. The renowned cricket nuffie no longer bats in the nets on match days, admitting he was getting in his own head and thinking too much about his technique.Small changes have been made to his grip and stance, while he has also put pressure back on the bowlers in his four centuries for Queensland to start the summer.”Mentally I’m a lot clearer on my game and not getting too much deep thought into certain dismissals or methods,” Labuschagne said. “It’s not the actual training in the nets, I absolutely love that, I can do that all day.”But at times I feel like my technique gets in a space where I go home and I’m like ‘maybe I want to do this or maybe I want to go and try that’. Now I’m trying to stay out of my own way really and go out there and trust my skills when I get to the middle.”

Pakistan had gone to great lengths to take pace and seam movement out of the picture but Seales still found a way

Danyal Rasool17-Jan-2025Jayden Seales knew the deck, quite literally, was stacked against him. Pakistan had spent the last few days working on that deck to make it so, erecting a protective greenhouse and attempting to warm up the Multan surface in frigid conditions using wedding-style heaters. The idea was to dry the pitch out and help the spinners get turn early on. With the 23-year-old the only opposition fast bowler, it would have felt, to him, as if the whole move was simply Operation Stop Jayden Seales.Well, it failed. There’s only so much that can be done when the temperature drops into single digits, and fog encircled the stadium, forcing the game to start four hours late. Seales knew his window to strike was narrow, and he had little time to waste.”We saw from the training sessions that the ball did a little bit when it was new,” he told a press conference after the end of day’s play. “For me, I needed to try and get the best out of the new ball and put the ball in the right areas. And with the cooler conditions this afternoon, it did a bit and it worked out for us.”Related

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Seales had more of an active role in making sure it worked out than he takes credit for. With spin operating right from the outset at the other end, he landed the ball on hard lengths, his height and pace making sure to extract enough bounce. But it was also his guile with the wrists that guaranteed seam movement, particularly in the dismissals of Kamran Ghulam and Babar Azam.Having already dispatched the debutant Mohammad Hurraira, he was shaping it away from Ghulam when he was driven through the off side for four, and when the next one landed around a similar line, Ghulam felt secure enough to shoulder arms. But this one seamed back in and smashed into Ghulam’s thigh, with HawkEye confirming it would have clipped the bails.”I just wanted to build pressure,” he said. “As a fast bowler in Asian countries, you tend to want to make a big impact and you want to do well for the team. Spin obviously dominates in these conditions. So as a fast bowler, I always wanted to get a wicket or be in the game and it so happened that I got the wickets for the team today.”But the dismissal to remove Babar required a delivery to match the quality of the batter, and Seales rose to the challenge. Babar came into this innings, with three successive Test half-centuries amid murmurs he may be returning to form. But before his spell ended, Seales ensured he bowled the delivery to give Pakistan one more bloody punch and leave them staggering.

“As a fast bowler, I always wanted to get a wicket or be in the game and it so happened that I got the wickets for the team today.”Seales after the opening day

He landed it on a length as Babar prepared to get in line and defend. Ball-tracking showed the trajectory was sending it right to the middle of his bat, but he got it to land perfectly on the seam to nip away ever so slightly, and take the outside edge.”I figured that he was watching my hand a bit, so I just tried to deceive him and it so happened that paid off. I think as a bowling unit, we did really well and we’ve just got to back it up again tomorrow. I think going forward in the game the spinners will come into the game a lot more. It may reverse-swing at some point, but I still think that the spinners may dominate in this game moving forward.”But Seales has happy memories against Pakistan, and having long odds against him doesn’t faze him much. It was against this opposition four years ago as a teenager playing his third Test that he secured his breakout performance in Jamaica, taking eight wickets before holding his nerve in a thrilling tenth-wicket stand to secure his side a one-wicket win. He was named the Player of the Match.While he knows his tactics may need to change here, his mentality evidently has not. “I don’t really think of it as pressure or anything like that [being the sole seamer]. For me as a player, [it’s] coming into the game a lot more and lifting my hand up for the team and just trying to do our job every time I’m called upon.”In international cricket, you expect the players to be good and you have to back yourself and match up with players skill for skill and who is the better man on the day will win. And it so happened that today I was the man for the team.”Seales may undersell himself, but, more importantly for West Indies, he finds a way to over-deliver. And in conditions tailor-made to shut him out, few could argue he has not done exactly that.

Scott McTominay could be on his way back to the Premier League after Newcastle United entered the race to secure his signature alongside a number of rivals.

The Magpies, with their PSR problems behind them, have set their sights on building a side capable of staying inside the Premier League’s top four and that may start with their midfield.

Already, those at St James’ Park have tied Sandro Tonali down to a new deal at the club after holding secret talks with the Italian and now rumours are emerging as to who could join the former AC Milan man.

At 25 years old, Tonali is increasingly likely to play a key role under Eddie Howe for years to come and Newcastle could even decide to build the heart of their side around the midfielder, whilst also pursuing the likes of Elliot Anderson.

The Nottingham Forest star has been linked with a return to Tyneside just over a year since leaving Newcastle for the Midlands in what would be a sensational move.

Howe even went as far as to admit that there’s some regret that Newcastle were left with no choice but to sell Anderson amid PSR problems last year. That alone suggests that he’d be more than happy to welcome the England international back with open arms.

By signing Anderson just after securing Tonali’s future, PIF could also be opening the door for a Ballon d’Or nominee to take his place in Newcastle’s midfield.

Newcastle in pole position to sign Scott McTominay

Newcastle are now in pole position to sign McTominay from Napoli alongside Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur, according to TeamTalk. Both sides are reportedly joined by Barcelona in the race to welcome the Scotland international, who is also expected to be offered a new deal in Italy.

When McTominay left Manchester United in 2024, the Red Devils were happy to show him the door. Now, over a year later, he has the world at his feet and was even a 2025 Ballon d’Or nominee. His rise has been sensational, and he could yet make a return to England to end some unfinished business.

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To no surprise, Howe also reportedly believes McTominay is the perfect fit for his Newcastle side and views him as someone who would help the Magpies stay in the Champions League.

Described as “special” by former Man United boss Jose Mourinho, the midfielder has finally realised his full potential and now has another big decision to make.

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Wolves fans orchestrated a powerful demonstration against controversial owners Fosun International during Monday’s 4-1 defeat to Man United, with an update coming to light on the future of the club.

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Supporters boycotted the opening 15 minutes of their heavy loss to highlight growing discontent with the Chinese conglomerate’s stewardship, and tensions have now reached boiling point.

The Old Gold Pack supporter group coordinated the protest, urging fellow fans to remain outside Molineux whilst displaying banners demanding change.

Multiple fan organisations, including Wolves 1877 Trust, Talking Wolves and Punjabi Wolves provided backing, describing the demonstration as “peaceful but unmistakable.”

Fosun acquired Wolves for £45 million in 2016, initially delivering impressive progress that even saw the club reach the Europa League quarter-finals under Nuno Espírito Santo.

However, supporters now view recent years as representing ‘managed decline’, with the systematic sale of key players, including Matheus Cunha’s £62.5m departure to United most recently, failing to result in adequate replacements.

The club currently sit rock bottom of the Premier League with two points from 15 games, not to mention zero wins, and are now 13 points adrift from safety.

Rob Edwards has struggled to generate momentum since arriving from Middlesbrough last month, with relegation appearing increasingly inevitable.

Fosun currently value Wolves at north of £350 million, with maligned American businessman, John Textor, previously submitting a ‘surprise’ estimanted £400 million offer (talkSPORT).

This proposal was made up of £150 million cash upfront plus £262.million in shares, though Fosun rejected the approach whilst maintaining the club’s ‘not for sale’ stance.

The ownership group instead seeks minority investment rather than an outright sale, though this stance contradicts supporters’ demands for wholesale change.

Executive chairman Jeff Shi faces particular criticism, with protesters displaying “Shi out” banners throughout Monday’s fixture.

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Financial implications weigh heavily, with relegation potentially costing over £60 million in revenue based on 2023-24 accounts showing a £177.7 million turnover. Historical precedent suggests the club’s value could plummet by £200 million should they drop into the Championship.

Bearing this in mind, a report this week by Football Insider makes sense.

Wolves will be 'forced to accept' cut-price takeover bid

According to their information, Wolves’ owners ‘will be forced to accept a cut-price offer’ if they decide to sell.

Given the club’s woes right now, Fosun’s negotiating position to demand their £350m valuation weakens by each passing day, with the club marooned bottom of the table and staring a drop to the Championship in the face.

However, the noise remains that, for the time being, they’re not interested in selling and only seek minority investment, according to Football Insider.

Wolves are also looking to be active in the January transfer window, even if it could be too little, too late.

Textor is now reportedly ready to make an official approach to buy Derby County instead, but according to former Botafogo president Carlos Augusto Montenegro, Wolves may have dodged a bullet.

Leeds United secured a sensational win in the Premier League on Wednesday night. Daniel Farke’s side beat title challengers Chelsea 3-1 at Elland Road, to pick up a huge three points in their quest for top-flight survival.

The game started in perfect fashion for the West Yorkshire outfit.

Defender Jaka Bijol rose highest from a corner to head home, after making a darting run from the edge of the 18-yard box to the corner of the six-yard box before unleashing his powerful header.

Chelsea did not really threaten despite dominating possession, having 71% across the game. Leeds were able to double their lead on the stroke of half-time, thanks to a sublime effort from Ao Tanaka.

The ball broke to Jayden Bogle on the edge of the box, who laid it off to Tanaka. The midfielder smashed it in from range to put his side 2-0 up.

Enzo Maresca’s men were able to pull a goal back just five minutes after the restart through Pedro Neto. However, Leeds resisted their pressure and managed to get a third goal after a calamitous mistake from Chelsea allowed Dominic Calvert-Lewin to score.

It was a superb win for Leeds, with some standout performances across the pitch.

Leeds’ best players vs. Chelsea

One of the most impressive things about this Leeds victory was how hard everyone worked. That was certainly the case for captain Ethan Ampadu. Playing against his former club, the Welshman was the dominant force in midfield.

His stats from the game reflect how well he performed, both on and off the ball. Ampadu had 54 touches of the ball and had an 86% pass accuracy. He also won six duels and made six ball recoveries.

It was an all-action showing from the Wales international.

Another player who shone for the Whites was right wing-back Bogle. He was a real handful for Chelsea going forward, with his performance earning him an 8/10 rating from Graham Smyth, journalist for the Yorkshire Evening Post.

Smyth praised the fact that he ‘drove Leeds forward’, with the defender a real threat in attack.

That all came to a head with his assist for Tanaka, where he pounced on a loose ball before a Chelsea player could reach it, and quickly found his teammate with a first-time pass.

Ampadu and Bogle played well, but they were arguably outshone by one of their teammates.

Leeds’ best signing since Raphinha

It seemed to be a good night for wing-backs at Elland Road. Bogle was not the only one who stood out, with left wing-back Gabriel Gudmundsson one of the best players in a White shirt against Chelsea.

He enjoyed plenty of success defensively, coming up directly against the electric Estevao, and offered a threat going forward.

Gudmundsson won an exceptional 12 from 19 duels and five from eight tackles, as well as creating two chances.

Touches

55

Ground duels won

12/19

Tackles won

5/8

Ball recoveries

6

Crosses completed

2

Key passes

2

The excellent performance from the Swede was noticed by Smyth, who gave him a 9/10 for his efforts. The journalist praised him for how well he got forward, and credited him for the fact that he ‘got back in to defend and do his bit’.

As far back as September, the left-back was being called “the best” player in the Premier League in his position by journalist James Marshment.

The 26-year-old has made a brilliant start to life at Elland Road, featuring in all 14 of their top-flight games so far, and playing 90 minutes nine times.

There is a case to be made that the defender is Leeds’ best signing since Raphinha. The Brazilian was exceptional for the West Yorkshire side, and really hit the ground running in the Premier League. He managed 15 goals and assists in his first top-flight season.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Well, Gudmundsson is making an equally fast start. To be branded as one of the best players in the league so soon is a testament to how well he has performed.

There haven’t really been any Leeds players who have started this fast, especially on the top-flight since Raphinha, with several of the players they have signed in previous Premier League campaigns now having left the club.

Farke will be desperate for this form to continue, and for Gudmundsson to prove he is one of their best signings since Raphinha.

Better than Calvert-Lewin: 9/10 hero had his best game for Leeds vs Chelsea

This Leeds star shone in their 3-1 win over Chelsea

ByJoe Nuttall Dec 4, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur will feel hard done by after salvaging a draw against Newcastle United on Tuesday evening, having come unstuck after Anthony Gordon dispatched a controversially won penalty for the home side.

There’s a case to be made that Rodrigo Bentancur had infringed play in the box, but the tussle was waged between two players – one of whom was the 6 foot 7 Dan Burn – and there’s also a case to be made that Bentancur was pulled to the floor by the Newcastle defender.

Even as Cristian Romero’s brace rescued his side, Thomas Frank will know the pressure valve has not been released, and he still has much to prove if he is to cement his managerial berth in north London.

Frank's struggles at the Spurs helm

Tottenham have been something of a mixed bag in the Premier League this season. Their home performance woes have spilt from last year into the current term, with the defeat to Fulham meaning three have been lost on the bounce in the top flight.

Tactically, Tottenham are not creating enough. James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are sidelined, have been since the summer, but this is no excuse for the stunted playmaking quality that has been on show. Spurs’ players are not maximising their own skillsets.

Frank is a more pragmatic manager than Ange Postecoglou before him, but his Brentford side still produced clinical and concise attacking play.

Man City

2nd

26.7

Chelsea

4th

24.0

Arsenal

1st

23.5

Crystal Palace

5th

22.7

Liverpool

8th

22.2

(18) Tottenham

11th

12.6

Now, much has been left to be desired in his Lilywhites team, and ENIC Group could be forced into cutting off their new manager and replacing him with a summer target.

Indeed, Daniel Levy (remember him?) interviewed Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, as per TalkSPORT, who confirm that he has his sights set on a move up the ladder, albeit with a preference to see out the season.

Given the depth of Tottenham’s interest, this could be a deal revisited. And anyway, it’s not like the Spanish tactician has done anything to deter suitors this year.

Why Iraola is a better stylistic fit

Iraola is a young manager, but he has taken to the Premier League with ease, inculcating his aggressive, attack-focused football at the Vitality Stadium and recording Bournemouth’s highest-ever points total (56) last year.

He has transformed Bournemouth from a band of hard-batting, relegation-contending troops to an easy-on-the-eye attacking force, so intense and energetic. The fact he boasts a superior points-per-game record to Frank in the Premier League only adds fuel to the argument.

It’s a style of football that feels tailor-made for a club like Spurs. To dare is to do, after all, and one of the biggest criticisms of Frank’s tactics has been a pragmatism and lack of creative ambition.

The Spaniard has even been generously named “the best coach in the Premier League” by journalist James Horncastle for his impact on the south coast, and though the Cherries are struggling for form right now, with four losses from five outings, there’s little question that he has laid out his credentials at the top.

Talented players like Xavi Simons are struggling. Tottenham are in a rut. Could Iraola provide the solution? His ability to adapt – evidenced after a summer exodus – could also play favourably into a north London outfit who have undergone a fair amount of chopping and changing in recent years.

It is not yet time for ENIC chiefs to push for a managerial change, but Frank will know that he will soon be on borrowed time if unable to prove that his tactical vision is slowly taking root at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Should push come to shove, Iraola may well prove the perfect replacement, his self-defined “rock and roll” brand of football aligning with Spurs’ free-flowing identity.

The new Son: Spurs prepared to pay £65m to sign "world-class" talent

Tottenham Hotspur could be about to fork out a hefty sum to land a new attacker for Thomas Frank.

ByEthan Lamb Dec 3, 2025

Over the last couple of years, Manchester United have shifted their focus in the transfer market to landing young talents who can make an immediate and long-term impact at the club.

Such a strategy may prove to be a risky one, but the benefits massively outweigh the negatives, with the huge development and room for profit no doubt a real contributing factor.

Leny Yoro joined the Red Devils in a £52m deal from Lille last summer, with the Frenchman seen as a huge addition for the backline in their attempts for Premier League glory.

At just 20, he’s racked up nearly half a century of appearances at Old Trafford and is likely to remain a key member of Ruben Amorim’s squad for the foreseeable future.

However, with January rapidly on the horizon, the hierarchy look set to make yet more additions, which could see numerous other youngsters take the jump to move to Manchester.

Man Utd’s hunt for new additions in January

Elliot Anderson is the player who has mostly been linked with a move to join United this winter, with the 23-year-old seen as the club’s marquee addition for the upcoming window.

However, his potential move to Old Trafford would likely be a club-record one for Amorim’s men, as current employers Nottingham Forest are currently demanding £100m for his signature.

Such a price tag is to be expected given his recent rise, which has seen him cement himself as a regular starter in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad in 2025.

However, he’s not the only youngster in their sights, with AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kees Smit another talent the hierarchy are considering, according to CaughtOffside.

Their report states that the Red Devils have already reached out to the Dutch outfit over a move for the 19-year-old star, with a £25m price tag currently being mooted for his services.

The article also claims that local rivals Liverpool are also interested in a move for the teenager, but it remains to be seen where the player himself would prefer to move.

How Smit compares to Scott McTominay

United’s academy setup has often produced numerous top-level talents, with midfielder Scott McTominay just one player who has placed himself in that bracket.

The Scottish international rose through the ranks at Old Trafford, before making himself known to the supporters in the first team ranks – subsequently racking up a total of 255 appearances for the club.

However, last summer, the hierarchy decided it was best to move him on and cash in on his services, with the club offloading him to Napoli in a deal worth a reported £25m.

Such a decision has massively backfired, with the midfielder scoring 13 times in all competitions last season, resulting in the 28-year-old winning the Serie A MVP award for 2024/25.

He’s carried his phenomenal form into his international career as of late, even scoring a remarkable bicycle kick against Denmark this week to secure Scotland’s place at the 2026 World Cup.

His move away from Old Trafford has made him an elite-level talent, but the club could be about to land their next version of the star with a move for Smit in the coming months.

The Dutch youngster has also made a name for himself in recent months, as he’s already registered six combined goals and assists in his 19 appearances across all competitions.

He’s become a box-crashing midfielder who likes to pop up with a goal or an assist, something which McTominay has done excellently since his transfer away from his boyhood club.

Smit, who possesses “superstar potential” according to Ben Mattinson, has also completed 88% of the passes he’s attempted – resulting in 2.1 chances created per 90 this campaign.

Games played

19

Goals & assists

6

Pass accuracy

88%

Chances created

2.1

Successful dribbles

1.2

Dribble success

50%

Recoveries made

6.3

Tackles in final third

0.9

Other figures, such as 1.2 successful dribbles per 90 and a 50% dribble success rate, further showcase his talent in possession, which makes him a huge threat in attacking areas.

Out of possession, the youngster has also thrived, subsequently making 6.3 recoveries per 90 and 0.9 tackles per 90 in the final third of the pitch – numbers which could add a new dimension to Amorim’s side.

£25m for a youngster with Smit’s quality and potential is an excellent deal, but the Red Devils board will need to act quickly to avoid missing out to Liverpool.

If he can replicate McTominay’s incredible nouse for goals and assists within the final third, it would be a phenomenal piece of business that could take the club to the next level in the years ahead.

Next Carrick: Man Utd want to sign "one of the best CMs in the PL" for £60m

Man United could enhance the quality of their midfield with the signing of another Michael Carrick.

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 19, 2025

Leeds United will surely already have one eye on the January transfer window as they desperately try to climb out of their relegation mess in the Premier League.

Indeed, Daniel Farke’s men are only one point shy of dropping into the bottom three positions at this moment in time, with some transfers through the door potentially transformative when it comes to their current dismal fortunes.

After all, the West Yorkshire outfit have splashed the cash with some vigour previously in the Premier League in the frantic January window, having once forked out a jaw-dropping £35.5m on Georginio Rutter mid-way through the 2022/23 season.

Back then, it didn’t save the Whites from the relegation trap door. But, Leeds could well fancy another statement move in this fashion to try and make survival a reality, with Ivan Toney audaciously on their shopping list…

Leeds' interest in Toney

If Leeds are in the hunt for a proven Premier League goalscorer that can put away goals by the bucket-load, Toney will surely be very high up their list.

Before moving to the Middle East with Al-Ahli, the clinical 29-year-old had managed to bag 36 Premier League goals for Brentford from 85 total clashes, leading to Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher hailing him as “one of the best attacking players” in the entire daunting division.

It’s not the greatest shock to read, therefore, that a raft of top-flight clubs are now interested in pursuing Toney’s signature, owing to the 6-foot-1 marksman wanting to return to English soil to maximise his international opportunities under Thomas Tuchel, ahead of the approaching World Cup next year.

Leeds had been noted as an interested party, alongside the likes of Everton and Tottenham Hotspur, but it looks as if the financials involved with the statement deal could stop the Whites dead in their tracks – according to an update from TEAMtalk – with Toney earning a staggering £400k-per-week pay-packet in the Saudi Pro League.

This will be a gutting development, considering Leeds have just three away goals all season long.

But, they could forget all about their Toney heartbreak by finally bumping up a free-flowing goalscorer from the U21 ranks to the first team picture.

Leeds can forget Toney by unleashing "one of England's best prospects"

Instead of forking out millions on both a combined transfer fee and wage costs for Toney, Leeds could finally give one of their own a go in the Premier League.

After all, Leeds have a glittering track record when previously gambling on homegrown prodigies coming good, with both Kalvin Phillips and Archie Gray springing to mind, instantly.

Could Harry Gray be the next notable name who lives up to his Thorp Arch hype?

Already, the U21s goal machine has been labelled as “one of England’s best young prospects” by Como scout Ben Mattinson, alongside being dubbed the “real deal” in front of goal at just 17 years of age by Mattinson.

His goalscoring numbers certainly back up all this wild hype, with a hope that Gray – who has a lethal seven goals from just nine games this season – can soon enter into the Whites’ senior mix and be as equally unerring, with Toney’s failed move pushed to one side comfortably, in the process.

25/26

9

7 + 2

24/25

8

3 + 0

23/24

11

8 + 0

It’s not even the boldest claim in the world to suggest that Gray could make waves in the senior game very shortly, with one senior appearance already under his belt.

Journalist Alan Nixon has suggested, though, that the 17-year-old hotshot will be subject to interest from the likes of Derby County and Hull City in January over a loan move, which would be very beneficial to his future development, much like Toney started to make strides in the senior game himself with a string of EFL loan stints.

Still, at some point in the near future, do not rule out Gray becoming Farke’s leading man in attack, with Leeds’ continued goal-shy performances perhaps seeing the German unleash the teenager into the men’s ranks in the New Year, over chucking him out to the Rams or the Tigers temporarily.

Farke must drop Ampadu to unleash Leeds star who's like Declan Rice

Daniel Farke could boldly drop Ethan Ampadu by unleashing this Leeds United star in a new role.

ByDan Emery Nov 16, 2025