The World Series goes through the National League. At least if you go by the top of the betting odds. 

The top three teams in the MLB World Series betting odds currently reside in the NL, starting with the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers at +230 on FanDuel Sportsbook. The NL East rival Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets are next on the odds at +850 each. Both teams made big swings at the deadline, adding bullpen help and, for the Phillies, Harrison Bader as well.

The New York Yankees are fourth on the oddsboard at +900. They added Pirates closer David Bednar at the deadline, but are waiting on MVP/All-Star/heart-and-soul-of-the-team Aaron Judge to come off the 10-day IL. They are also four games behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East and only 2.5 games ahead in the wild card standings.

The Detroit Tigers (+950), Houston Astros (+1200) and Blue Jays (+1400) are next on the oddsboard. All three are at least four games ahead in their respective division races and the Blue Jays made some moves at the deadline that suggest they’re all in on this season. They’re currently battling the Tigers for the best record in the NL while the Astros remain the Astros in a solid AL West. 

The Padres are currently the hottest team in baseball, having won five straight, including a sweep of the visiting Mets. They also went all-in at the deadline, shoring up what is already the best bullpen in the league. 

Here are the odds for every MLB team to win the World Series with odds coming from FanDuel. 

2025 MLB World Series Odds

• Los Angeles Dodgers +230
• Philadelphia Phillies +850
• New York Mets +850
• New York Yankees +900
• Detroit Tigers +950
• Houston Astros +1200
• Toronto Blue Jays +1400
• Chicago Cubs +1400
• Seattle Mariners +1600
• Milwaukee Brewers +1600
• San Diego Padres +2500
• Boston Red Sox +2700
• Texas Rangers +3000
• Tampa Bay Rays +9000
• Cincinnati Reds +10000
• San Francisco Giants +13000
• Kansas City Royals +15000
• Cleveland Guardians +20000
• St. Louis Cardinals +25000
• Minnesota Twins +32000
• Arizona Diamondbacks +55000
• Los Angeles Angels +75000
• Washington Nationals +100000
• Atlanta Braves +100000
• Pittsburgh Pirates +100000
• Baltimore Orioles +100000
• Chicago White Sox +100000
• Miami Marlins +100000
• Athletics +100000

A surprise promotion to No. 3 set him on course to play a match-winning innings

Sidharth Monga30-Mar-2025Sometimes one cursory glance at a scorecard can tell you the story of the match. In a 182-vs-176 match, eight batters batted more than 10 balls. Only one managed a strike rate of over 150. That of 225. Over 36 balls.Mega auctions can be tough on the mid card. Nitish Rana was one such solid and bankable mid-card player with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). In the year immediately preceding the auction, Rana injured his middle finger and played only two games. A year before that, he was their captain as Shreyas Iyer was out with injury. It is difficult for teams to reward loyalty with only so many players they can retain. In Rana’s case, the India cap he earned when two India teams played simultaneously in 2021 disqualified him from being retained in the uncapped quota.It is not to say the hurt was not justified. When KKR didn’t bid for him nor use the right-to-match card for him, Rana’s wife posted on social media: “loyalty is expensive, not everyone can afford it.” What a time then to produce his best IPL knock: only his fifth score in the 80s but his only half-century at more than two runs a ball.Related

CSK face a tricky situation with Dhoni the batter

Rana 81 in Royals win as CSK batting muddle continues

That Riyan Parag would be pushed from mid card to main event was decided and conveyed to Rana even before the RR coach Rahul Dravid talked up Parag as the No. 3 in a press conference. There was a clear plan to what Dravid wanted, and he didn’t want it telegraphed to the opposition, who had anyway taken a long flight from Chennai to Guwahati with one day’s gap between their two defeats.RR wanted to make the most of the powerplay, so it made sense to deploy a low-cost wicket, but they also wanted to deny Chennai Super Kings (CSK) the use of R Ashwin with the new ball. CSK have Khaleel Ahmed to exploit the early movement, but have struggled for a quick to share the new ball. Sam Curran’s replacement, Jamie Overton is also more of an into-the-pitch user of the older ball.Now, you might wonder, why a left-hand batter to deny an offspinner? For starters, by now you know Rana enjoys a sweet match-up against Ashwin, who finally managed to dismiss him for the first time today but not before the carnage. Ashwin, though, is not the only offspinner to suffer at the hands of Rana. Before this game, Rana averaged 33.9 and struck at 154.13 against all offspin in the IPL.It’s not that CSK were not aware of the match-up, but they didn’t have too much choice but to go to Ashwin once Rana got off to a flier. Against left-arm orthodox, Rana enjoys an even better match-up. Off 21 balls from Kuldeep Yadav, the only left-arm wristspinner he has faced before this game, Rana had scored 36 runs without getting out. There could still be a case made for going to Noor Ahmad before feeding Rana the bowling of Ashwin, but CSK are a side that plays percentage cricket. Not for them such fancy moves of bowling Noor inside the powerplay only for the seventh time in an IPL career of 26 matches.2:27

Rapid fire review: How did Rana play so well when others couldn’t?

Rana didn’t waste any time in showing why he dominates fingerspin so much. He swept Ashwin for successive sixes and a four immediately. Ashwin was aware of the spin threat, which explains the attempt at really full balls, but he ended up overcooking two of the first three. The full length nearly worked when he got an lbw call but the DRS review reinstated Rana. He went on to drive Ashwin over extra cover and also reverse-hit him for four. In between, he also played perhaps his best shot of the innings: an inside-out extra-cover drive off Noor.While it was the perfect tactical ploy by Dravid and Parag to exploit CSK’s lack of bowlers who can test Rana with high pace, Rana took care of the execution perfectly.In an interview on Rana’s comeback last year, Harsha Bhogle said he was trying to catch a glimpse of his injured finger, to which he had said: “Sir, that I can’t show you because it is my middle finger.”Given his anger at not being valued enough by his previous franchise – Rana and his wife unfollowed KKR on socials – he showed his mature side in a “rocking-the-baby” celebration.

Atalanta have confirmed the appointment of Raffaele Palladino as the club’s new head coach. The announcement follows the dismissal of Ivan Juric, who was relieved of his duties just months after taking charge. The former Roma and Southampton coach was sacked after a disappointing run of six Serie A matches without a win.

• Atalanta confirms Palladino after sacking Juric

  A 3-0 defeat to Sassuolo extended Atalanta’s winless run in Serie A to six games, leaving them 13th in the league table. Despite a midweek Champions League victory over Marseille, the Sassuolo loss proved too damaging, and Juric was subsequently sacked by the club on Monday. Atalanta have now officially confirmed the appointment of Palladino as their new head coach, replacing Juric. His arrival marks the beginning of a new chapter as the club aims to revive its domestic form and climb back up the Serie A standings.

  The statement from Atalanta read: “Atalanta BC is pleased to announce that the role of technical director of the First Team has been entrusted to Raffaele Palladino. Palladino has signed a contract with the Nerazzurri until June 30, 2027.

  “He will be followed at the Nerazzurri by Stefano Citterio (assistant coach), Federico Peluso (technical assistant), Fabio Corabi (athletic trainer), Nicola Riva (assistant athletic trainer), Andrea Ramponi (match analyst) and Mattia Casella (match analyst).” 

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  Ex-Juventus winger takes over in Bergamo

  Palladino began his coaching career with Monza’s youth setup, working first with the Under-15 side and then the Primavera team. His impressive work at youth level earned him a promotion in 2022 to the senior side after the club dismissed Giovanni Stroppa. Palladino made an immediate impact, guiding Monza to their first-ever top-flight victory with a memorable 1-0 win over Juventus. He went on to secure Monza’s safety in both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 Serie A seasons, earning praise for his tactical acumen and composure under pressure.

  In the 2024-25 season, Palladino took charge of Fiorentina, where he continued to impress. Under his guidance, Fiorentina finished sixth in Serie A. His side also reached the semi-finals of the Conference League, where they were eventually eliminated by Real Betis. After a successful season, Palladino parted ways with Fiorentina at the end of the campaign. Across his managerial career so far, he has recorded 51 wins and 35 draws in 126 matches.

• Juric's torrid time at Atalanta

  Atalanta’s 3-0 defeat to Sassuolo summed up their struggles under Juric, as the club managed just one win in their last nine matches across all competitions, including six winless games in Serie A. The team’s biggest issue has been their lack of goals, having scored only four times in their last seven league outings. This poor run has left Atalanta nine points adrift of the top four and just six points clear of the relegation zone. Coach Juric appeared unable to inspire his players, many of whom looked disinterested and unmotivated during the Sassuolo defeat. Reports also suggest growing tensions in the dressing room, with key players such as Ademola Lookman and Marco Carnesecchi no longer on good terms with the tactician. The current situation marks one of Atalanta’s worst spells in the last eleven years, a sharp contrast to the high standards set during Gian Piero Gasperini’s successful tenure.

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  What comes next?

  Palladino will use the international break to analyse his new Atalanta team in detail, identifying their strengths and weaknesses. Adopting a system similar to Gasperini did with the Bergamo team, the coach who brought the best out of Atalanta over the past decade, Palladino aims to maximise the potential of the Nerazzurri squad. One player who could benefit from his arrival is USMNT midfielder Yunus Musah. The midfielder, on loan at Atalanta from AC Milan, will hope that Palladino can help him regain his place in the USMNT squad after being left out by Mauricio Pochettino.

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.

Not just Joelinton: Newcastle's "true legend" may now be on borrowed time

Newcastle may well part ways with this Howe mainstay at the end of the campaign.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 29, 2025

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.

Ross Wilson now wants Newcastle to sign Joelinton heir

The Boston Red Sox have been without star third baseman Alex Bregman for over a month, as the 31-year-old has been sidelined with a right quad strain since late May.

Bregman took to social media Wednesday and dropped a major hint about his potential return from the IL, suggesting it won't be long before he's back in Boston with the team. On Instagram, Bregman shared a video of himself hitting a home run at Fenway Park. He used an emoji that says "SOON" underneath an arrow as the caption for the post.

While Bregman didn't get into any specifics about his impending return, Red Sox manager Alex Cora acknowledged that there's "a really good chance" the veteran infielder returns prior to the All-Star break, via Ian Browne of MLB.com.

Boston's last series before the midseason break is set to begin Thursday—a four-game series against the rival Tampa Bay Rays at home. It seems likely Bregman will be back in the lineup at some point during that series.

Prior to sustaining the injury, Bregman had been off to a roaring start to his career with the Red Sox. In his first 51 games for the organization, he slashed .299/.385/.553 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs.

England opt for four spinners, meaning seamer Kate Cross misses out on World Cup squad

Valkerie Baynes21-Aug-2025Heather Knight is expected to be fit for the World Cup after being named in England’s squad for the tournament, but her side will be without veteran seamer Kate Cross, who has been overlooked for selection.Knight, the former England captain, hasn’t played since injuring her hamstring during England’s home series with West Indies in May but it’s understood that her recovery is sufficiently on track to warrant her selection on Thursday.Danni Wyatt-Hodge also returns to strengthen the batting after being omitted in the 50-over format throughout the English summer, having made her last ODI appearance during the ill-fated Ashes tour of Australia in January.That means batter Maia Bouchier and allrounder Alice Davidson-Richards miss out, as does Cross, with England opting for four spinners to play in India and Sri Lanka during the tournament which starts next month.Sophie Ecclestone leads the spin contingent, which also includes fellow left-armer Linsey Smith and offspinner Charlie Dean, as well as legspinner Sarah Glenn, making her return after featuring in the West Indies series but missing out on the subsequent visit by India through June and July.England’s seam attack consists of Lauren Bell, Lauren Filer and Em Arlott, who made her international debut in May. Nat Sciver-Brunt is hopeful of returning to bowling in her allrounder role after a long-standing Achillies problem.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Head Coach Charlotte Edwards said the tournament posed a “huge challenge” but she believed her side was capable of competing “with anyone”.”Being selected to play for your country in a World Cup is one of the biggest honours in sport and I’m delighted for all the players named in the squad,” Edwards said.”Conditions mean we have gone for the extra spinner and we’re lucky to be able to have such depth in this department, it’s fantastic to welcome Sarah Glenn back. That does mean there’s no room for Kate Cross, Maia Bouchier or Alice Davidson-Richards, which will be disappointing for them.”It’s also great to have Danni back in the squad, she’s been in good form in domestic cricket and she’ll bring dynamism and depth to our batting, alongside Heather, who we are absolutely delighted to be able to select. She’ll be a huge asset for us.”Commentating on the women’s Hundred match between Oval Invincibles and Trent Rockets a few hours after the announcement, Cross expressed her disappointment.”A lot for me to process,” Cross said on Sky Sports. “It’s probably been a disappointing summer in terms of England cricket. I feel like I’ve done quite well in this tournament. I performed for Lancashire.”But it’s difficult when you go into a subcontinent World Cup and you can tell that the head coach wants a little bit more spin in her armoury, then it makes sense in my head. So there’s a lot of logic that’s mixed with a lot of emotion at the minute.”Cross revealed she had only learned of her omission at 9am on Thursday, two hours before the squad was announced.She will next play for Northern Superchargers against Invincibles on Saturday as her side, currently placed second on the table, look to keep themselves in finals contention.Missing out on the 50-over World Cup places Cross at an interesting juncture in her career. She turns 34 in October and, while a home T20 World Cup beckons next year, she has fallen out of England favour in the shorter format.She played her last T20I during the tour of Ireland in September 2024 while the first-choice squad were in the UAE preparing for the T20 World Cup, where England eventually crashed out in the group stages.She has also forged a successful side-hustle in commentating, although she acknowledged the difficulties of her on- and off-field careers colliding on a day like this.”I probably wouldn’t have talked about this openly live on the television if I wasn’t doing commentary,” she said. “But I’ve got 24 hours to turn it around to play a game for the Northern Supercharges on Saturday.”It’s been a bit of a whirlwind but this is professional sport, we sign up to it, it doesn’t always go your way, and I’ve held back the tears so there we go, we can finish talking about it.”The World Cup runs from September 30 to November 2 and will be the first ICC tournament in charge for Edwards and captain Sciver-Brunt.England Women’s squad: Em Arlott, Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Heather Knight, Emma Lamb, Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), Linsey Smith, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

MLS and Apple have announced a major shift to their media partnership, with the standalone MLS Season Pass ending after the 2025 season. Beginning in 2026, every MLS match will be available at no extra cost to Apple TV subscribers, giving fans worldwide a single destination to watch the league with no blackouts.

GettyApple TV+ restructuring removes paywall

Under the current model, viewers must pay $14.99 monthly or $99 annually for MLS Season Pass on top of an Apple TV subscription to access all matches. The revised agreement will integrate all MLS content directly into the standard Apple TV service, which costs $12.99 monthly or $99 annually. The shift follows Apple's decision to make the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs available to all Apple TV subscribers without a Season Pass – effectively soft-launching the new approach.

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AdvertisementGettyTiming aligns with World Cup preparations

The timing positions MLS to capitalize on the momentum building toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. By removing the additional paywall, MLS and Apple are creating an opportunity to significantly expand the league’s audience during a period when soccer interest in North America is expected to reach unprecedented levels. The change also reflects Apple’s evolving sports strategy – which now includes live MLS rights, Friday Night Baseball, and newly acquired Formula 1 rights in the U.S.

Framed as a major step in widening the league’s global reach, MLS Commissioner Don Garber emphasized that the agreement aligns with the league’s long-term vision of delivering a more accessible and unified viewing experience for supporters.

“Our partnership with Apple has always been about innovating for our fans,” Garber said in the press release. “Bringing every MLS match to Apple TV takes that vision to the next level by making it easier than ever for fans everywhere to watch, connect, and be part of the game.”

Apple’s Eddy Cue echoed that sentiment, highlighting the appeal of bringing all MLS games together on a single platform alongside the company’s growing library of original programming.

“We’re thrilled to bring MLS to more fans around the world next season on Apple TV,” Cue said. “Every match, all in one place, alongside incredible Apple Originals – it’s a win for fans everywhere.”

Getty ImagesShift in MLS's strategy

Under the new arrangement, Apple TV subscribers will gain access to every regular-season match, the annual Leagues Cup tournament, the MLS All-Star Game, the Michelob Ultra Campeones Cup, and the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs without paying the additional fee. Studio programming and on-demand content will continue to be included, with no blackouts – a key feature MLS and Apple have maintained since the partnership began.

Apple also confirmed that Apple TV subscriptions will be bundled into full-season ticket packages for the 2026 MLS season, allowing club season-ticket holders automatic access to all matches. The move consolidates MLS into a single streaming destination available on all Apple TV–supported devices in more than 100 countries and regions.

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Getty Images SportMLS making significant changes

In addition to this announcement, the league also announced on Thursday that it has changed its league calendar to better align with the schedules of top leagues around the world. There are also reports that it will consider changes to its structure as well. 

Matt Henry’s sixth Test five-for eclipsed Brendan Taylor’s international comeback, and entrenched questions over Zimbabwe’s batting in the longest format. Zimbabwe were bowled out for their lowest total in nine innings, and second-lowest since 2023, with Taylor’s 44 and Tafadzwa Tsiga’s 33 the only individual scores over 11. That Taylor and Tsiga never batted together further underlines the issue, as Zimbabwe mustered a best partnership of only 29 on a surface where they chose to bat first.There was some early movement but with less bounce on offer than last week, and the quality of New Zealand’s seamers shone through. Henry led the attack, but debutants Zakary Foulkes, Jacob Duffy and Matthew Fisher were also impressive. They varied lengths well, and bowled tight lines to a plan to give New Zealand’s line-up the best of the batting conditions.In response, Devon Conway and Will Young put on New Zealand’s third-highest opening partnership against Zimbabwe, and New Zealand’s first opening stand of over 150 in almost three years. It was their fourth century stand together, and first for the opening wicket. Though separated late in the day, Conway and Young put New Zealand ahead, and memories of Taylor’s slog earlier in the day already far from mind.Related

• Brendan Taylor grateful for second chance with Zimbabwe

Taylor was called into action immediately on his comeback after a three-and-a-half-year ban when he was elevated to open the batting – something he had only done six times before – in place of Ben Curran. The reason for that became obvious as Taylor looked, by a distance, the most aware of his off stump, left well, and defended solidly.With all those qualities on display in the morning, he will be livid with the manner of his dismissal shortly after lunch. Taylor became Henry’s third wicket when he popped a tame catch to stand-in captain Mitchell Santner at extra cover to end a two-hour-and-23 minute stay at the crease.By then, Zimbabwe were in all sorts of trouble. They had already lost the rest of their top order thanks to poor shot selection in the face of excellent bowling. Brian Bennett, who partnered Taylor, was out as early as the ninth ball when he chased a delivery that shaped away and edged Henry to second slip, and will have to address his technique going forward.Brendan Taylor scored 44 on his return to Test cricket•Zimbabwe Cricket

Henry should have had Nick Welch off the next ball when he edged a good-length delivery. But Will Young, who took the catch that dismissed Bennett, could not hold on. Welch was beaten on the outside edge at least twice more by Henry, who then beat his inside edge and had him out lbw.Zimbabwe would have hoped an experienced middle order would stabilise them, but Sean Williams and Craig Ervine went cheaply. Williams was worked over by Foulkes, who moved the ball away late, and edged to third slip, where Young took a diving catch to his right. Then, on the stroke of lunch, Ervine reached for a full, wide ball, and handed Young a third catch. Zimbabwe went to the break on 67 for 4, with Taylor on 33 and well set. His shot of the session was an upper cut off Duffy that was struck powerfully and placed well.The same could not be said of the shot Taylor played in the afternoon, when Henry bowled on a good length outside off, and Taylor tried to drive off the back foot but chipped the ball to Santner. At the start of the next over, Foulkes set a leg-side trap for Sikandar Raza, and banged it in short and Raza walked straight in. He moved to the off side, and guided the ball into Rachin Ravindra’s hands. That was the third time in as many innings in this series that Raza was dismissed by the short ball.Foulkes had Trevor Gwandu lbw three balls later, and Zimbabwe had crashed to 83 for 7. The end of the innings was only a matter of time. Henry picked up his fourth when Vincent Masekesa played down the wrong line and the ball hit the top of off stump, and his fifth when Blessing Muzarabani backed away and was bowled. Foulkes also chased a fifth, but Tsiga and Tanaka Chivanga resisted with a 25-run last wicket-stand.Will Young remains without a century one inning into his 22nd Test•Zimbabwe Cricket

Tsiga played a couple of well-timed shots through deep third and midwicket, and offered a rare glimmer of hope for Zimbabwe’s batting. But he ran out of partners when Chivanga failed to use his feet and drove Fisher to mid-off to give him a wicket on debut. Zimbabwe were bowled out inside 49 overs.In response, New Zealand raced to 57 without loss after ten overs, and 40 of their runs came in boundaries. Conway got hold of fuller deliveries from Chivanga, while Young, who was struck on the glove, took on Muzarabani’s short ball. Zimbabwe’s new-ball pair then adjusted their lengths, but when Muzarabani and Chivanga went full, it was too full, and Conway cashed in. Chivanga’s fourth over cost 14 runs as Young cut him twice and then edged a back-of-a-length ball over the slips to bring up New Zealand’s fifty.Gwandu’s introduction quietened things down, but only a touch, as New Zealand accumulated with ease. Chivanga changed ends, and it was off him that Young brought up his 11th Test fifty and New Zealand’s hundred with a flick through midwicket.Zimbabwe’s best chance came shortly after the day’s final drinks break when Muzarabani drew Conway’s edge, but the chance died on Ervine at slip. Muzarabani also found the inside edge, but the ball raced away for four. Conway rode his luck, and then brought up his 13th Test fifty. New Zealand were in the lead with 14.4 overs left to play on the opening day.They were 33 runs ahead when Masekesa thought he had the breakthrough. He hit Conway, on 72, in front of middle and leg, and appealed for lbw but it was turned down. Zimbabwe finally had some joy when Young tried to pull Gwandu but chopped on. Young remains without a century one inning into his 22nd Test. Conway finished the day on 79* alongside nightwatcher Duffy.

Manchester United striker Benjamin Sesko will not link up with the Slovenia national team after sustaining a knee injury against Tottenham on Saturday in the Premier League. The Red Devils are confident that their big-money summer buy has avoided a serious injury, but Slovenia boss Matjaz Kek says his team have been kept in the dark about his fitness and would like an update from Ruben Amorim's side.

• Sesko suffers injury in Tottenham draw

  Sesko arrived as a second-half substitute in Saturday's 2-2 draw at Tottenham but limped off before the end of the 90 minutes after sustaining a knee injury. United boss Amorim admitted he was worried about his striker's fitness after the game, telling reporters: "That [form] is not the biggest concern now. That happens, especially with a striker. I am more concerned with an injury, because it's in the knee, we don't know, we need Ben to be a better team. I have no idea. Because it's the knee we never know."

  The striker has now undergone tests and the club are confident he has avoided a serious injury and believe he will recover swiftly. However, the decision has been made that Sesko will not join up with the Slovenia team for World Cup qualifiers against Kosovo and Sweden, and his national team manager has explained why he is unhappy with the situation.

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  Slovenia boss speaks out on Sesko

  Kek told reporters: "With all due respect to a great club like Manchester United, we have officially not received anything yet; no papers, no documents. We would certainly like to get them. We want our medical team to also take a look at it. Our doctor is an expert in this field. We don't have just anyone in this position. I cannot comment, of course I have certain information, and I am also in contact with Beni, of course. I can't say anything because officially we don't know anything at all. 

  "United haven't contacted anyone from our camp. Of course, I am concerned about the player; the only thing that matters to me is his wellbeing. We are prepared to do everything for that, and we have never sent anyone onto the field if there was the slightest risk. However, the national team is something very special, and I expect maximum respect from everyone. Slovenia deserves that, even if on the other side there is a powerhouse like England, and something as extraordinary as the Premier League. After all, it has been quite some time since England defeated Slovenia, and that in itself says something about us."

• Sesko is a big miss for Slovenia

  Slovenia star Andraz Sporars says that Sesko will be a big miss for the national team and hopes it's not a serious problem. He explained: "Regarding Beni, we don't have any information about his knee injury. I hope it's nothing serious because we really need him for these two matches. I doubt he'll come, but I hope it's nothing serious, also because of his career. We will definitely miss him, because he's a really high-quality footballer. But football is a team sport and we, who will be on the field, will have to do everything to enjoy it."

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  Sesko to return against Everton?

  Sesko now has some time to recover before Manchester United return to action after the international break against Everton on Monday, November 24th. The 22-year-old has found it tough going in the Premier League so far and has managed just two Premier League goals in 11 appearances for the Red Devils. 

  Amorim has urged his new signing to "embrace" the challenge of proving his doubters wrong at Old Trafford but has also admitted "he's going to struggle" at times at United. An injury lay-off certainly won't help his cause, but United will be hoping he can return to action quickly and start repaying his hefty price tag for Amorim's side.

The build-up has been going for months, some of it at the expense of other series, which reinforces the significance of the next seven weeks

Alex Malcolm21-Nov-20241:54

Malcolm: A big moment for Cummins’ Australia

The wait is finally over, and Pat Cummins might feel a sense of relief that the Border-Gavaskar series has arrived.As far back as August, Australia’s captain stood on the shore of Sydney Harbour on a windy, late-winter day and fielded questions about a Test series that was three months away.He stood on the outfield at the MCG three weeks ago, the day before the start of an ODI series against Pakistan and fielded more questions about the Test side than he did about the one-day team.Related

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All Australia’s captain has been asked about for months has been the arrival of India. Australia’s exit from the T20 World Cup in the Super Eight phase in June passed by relatively quietly at home because it happened in the middle of the night. Australia’s white-ball of the UK tour only made headlines because of the injury to Cameron Green and the ramifications that would have on the Test team.The ODI loss to Pakistan caused a brief storm, ironically because five players were rested to prepare for the Tests. Barely anyone made any complaints when those same players were rested from the following T20I series that only finished on Monday, which was won 3-0 by Australia.For the Australian public, only one thing seems to matter, and that is beating India in a Test series at home this summer.They haven’t done it in 10 years. Australia have won a T20 World Cup, a World Test Championship (this series is vital for their hopes of defending that title) and an ODI World Cup in that time, all away from home. But none of those achievements appear to matter quite as much to Australian cricket fans as back-to-back home defeats to India.”I think for about half the change room we haven’t won the Border-Gavaskar, so it’s kind of one of the last things to tick off I think for a lot of us,” Cummins said on Thursday. “I also think almost every challenge that we’ve had thrown at us over the last few years, we’ve stepped up and done well. I think to do that for another year, another home summer would kind of cement this, rather than just being a two or three season thing, it’s suddenly into a half generation thing. So, yeah, we’re all excited.”The anticipation has reached fever pitch. The back pages of some of Australia’s major papers have been printed in Hindi.While a lot of focus has been on India in the build-up in Perth, due to the questions around their form and the make-up of their XI, this quietly looms as a big moment for this Australian team.4:38

Australia SWOT analysis: Formidable attack, but top-order questions

Cummins’ side has talked a lot about legacy. They want to be known as a great Australian team. But the reality is they haven’t got long left together. Ten of the XI in Perth will be over the age of 30. Usman Khawaja turns 38 on the fifth day of the third Test of this summer. Nathan Lyon turned 37 on Wednesday. Steven Smith is 35. Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood will turn 35 and 34 respectively in January.Despite strong insistence otherwise from the selectors, there is no doubt Nathan McSweeney’s addition to the side as a makeshift opener is partly due to his age of 25.A third successive home series loss to India would not only tarnish the team’s legacy, it would also spell the end of an era. But Cummins believes there is no extra weight of expectation on his side.”I’m not sure if it’s pressure,” Cummins said. “You always feel pressure playing at home. You want to do well. Us, as Aussies, expect to do really well here at home. So we know they’re a really strong side, and a lot of us were part of those most recent two or three series. It’s a big series. We’re kind of not looking too far in the past. It’s more every summer, whoever we’re playing against, we want to do well.”There are no excuses this time. Australia were missing Smith and David Warner in 2018-19. There was strong discontent within the group around the coach Justin Langer in 2020-21.This time the camp is as settled and as comfortable as they have ever been. Their opponents are the ones under fire. India enter Australia off a 3-0 home defeat to New Zealand. The last time Australia lost three Tests in a home series, in the 2010-11 Ashes, the selectors were sacked, the captain resigned and Cricket Australia commissioned a full scale independent review which led to the coach resigning after he was asked to reapply for his job.Australia have been able to prepare quietly and calmly in Perth. But they know the knives remain sharp if they were to slip up. The saga around Smith’s stint as opener and the mass resting around the ODI series loss to Pakistan was proof that the Australian public are not unwavering in their support. But that decision was all about the big picture. And Cummins was confident it would bear fruit across what looms as a brutal five-Test series.”A Perth ODI, 48 hours after playing Adelaide, we just thought it was kind of high risk for our players to go there and then fly back to Sydney, and then fly back here a few days later,” Cummins said. “Some people might disagree. I think it’s one of those ones that you might not necessarily see the benefits of it right away, but obviously we’ve got five Tests then into Sri Lanka and lots of other cricket. So it might not be until a few months later that you see those extra four days of travel kind of paid dividends.”Australia have timed their preparation to the minute after months of talking. A vulnerable India awaits. It’s now or never to claim the Border-Gavaskar trophy for Cummins and his crew.