While Arsenal dropped points prior to the international break, this weekend represented a colossal opportunity for Mikel Arteta’s men to stamp their authority on this Premier League title race.

Manchester City and Liverpool suffered defeat, meaning that once the Gunners had beaten fierce rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, their advantage over City in third was now seven points.

As Jamie Carragher put it at full-time on Sky Sports, the only team who can stop Arsenal from winning the league are Arsenal.

They have the tactics, they have the defensive shape and they now have the attacking firepower and depth to their squad to take on anyone.

As Arsenal swatted aside Spurs, they did so without a recognised centre-forward, they did so without captain Martin Odegaard and they did so without Gabriel, one of the most influential players in the entire division this season.

The man to thank? Well, it was certainly Eberechi Eze.

The key men as Arsenal defeat Spurs

Coming into this game the narrative was all about Eze.

The attacking midfielder had famously rejected a move to Spurs in the summer in favour of returning to his boyhood club.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank was quizzed on that in his pre-game press conference and muttered a response that he will now live to regret: “Who’s Eze?”

The Dane said that with a smile. Well, he certainly knows who Eze is now.

He became the first Arsenal player to score a hat-trick in the north London derby since Alan Sunderland in 1978 and he did so in some style.

It was Leandro Trossard who has opened the scoring but Eze, signed for £67.5m over the summer from Crystal Palace, stole the show.

Arsenal have lacked a player with his ability to shoot on sight and boy did he do so on Sunday evening. His first was a brilliant taken effort in a crowded penalty area but his second and third goals came with more space.

The quality, however, was equally as good each time. The England international scored a stunning goal for his country over the international break and was bang in form again here. The way he dispatched his second on his weaker foot spoke volumes of the form this man is in.

The third was also sumptuous. Fed the ball by Trossard, the former Palace star took one touch to set himself, ignored Bukayo Saka to his right and rifled the ball home.

Eze deserved most of the plaudits but the aforementioned Trossard did too. He scored and assisted, meaning that in the 32 games where he has found the net for Arsenal, he has never been on the losing team.

An amount of praise must be passed to Piero Hincapie too.

With Gabriel injured and out of the side the Ecuadorian stood in at centre-half and was exemplary on his first start in the Premier League, winning all three of his contested aerial duels.

Still, there was a rather underrated performance elsewhere that we’re yet to mention.

Arsenal star shows shades of Ozil and Odegaard

An attacking midfielder lights up the Emirates again and you’d be forgiven for thinking that Eze was the most alike to a certain Mesut Ozil and Odegaard.

Yet, in rather surprising circumstances, the player who evoked memories of those dazzling Arsenal players was Mikel Merino.

Chalkboard

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

When the Spaniard signed for the Gunners in 2024 he was renowned as something of a duel monster. While he’s played regularly in midfield for Arteta, he has been most impactful as a makeshift striker.

Injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus last term meant that the Spain international needed to fill in as a centre-forward. He performed admirably too, notably scoring against Real Madrid and rescuing that win against Leicester when he first featured as the number 9.

Arsenal signed Viktor Gyokeres in the summer but have still had to rely on Merino with Jesus, Havertz and the Swede on the sidelines in recent weeks.

The £32m midfielder netted twice against Slavia Prague in the Champions League a few weeks ago but perhaps saved his finest display of the season for Spurs on Sunday.

He started the game slowly but held the ball up admirably and although he won’t run the channels like Gyokeres, he made the team click and was the catalyst for Eze’s hat-trick. That was outlined by analyst Raj Chohan on social media.

That wasn’t the best thing Merino did, however. The pass for Trossard’s goal was remarkable.

He received the ball 25 yards from goal, waited for precisely the right moment to clip the ball into the box and he did so delightfully, finding the Belgian who swivelled and then found the net.

It was a scarily good pass, one that evoked memories of a certain Ozil.

In the process of being hailed as “Arsenal’s most underrated player” by club insider, Hand of Arsenal, he stated that “if that pass is made by Ozil we are raving.”

Minutes played

88

Touches

44

Accurate passes

16/22 (73%)

Shots

1

Key passes

1

Successful dribbles

0/2

Tackles won

5/5

Ground duels won

8/15

Aerial duels won

2/7

Recoveries

3

CBS reporter James Benge had a similar viewpoint, remarking that it was “an Arsene Wenger building an entire midfield out of diminutive playmakers” type of pass.

Cast your mind back to the days of Ozil, to some of Odegaard’s magical assists in Arsenal colours, it was right out of their playbook and it broke down what had been a stubborn Spurs defence up to that point.

Merino is not the most stylish of players, he is not the Rolls-Royce. However, what he will always guarantee is a mighty strong shift and a very efficient performance. He delivered just that on Sunday again, all with a bit of Ozil flavour.

Not just Eze: £27m star just had his best game for Arsenal

Eberechi Eze scored a remarkable hat-trick as Arsenal defeated Spurs.

ByMatt Dawson Nov 23, 2025

Shamar Joseph and Gudakesh Motie are in both ODI and T20I squads after missing the Test tour of India

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Oct-2025Ackeem Auguste has earned a first call-up to West Indies’ ODI squad for the white-ball tour of Bangladesh in the second half of October, as replacement for Evin Lewis who has been ruled out with an injured wrist.Khary Pierre, who made his Test debut in the first match against India earlier this month in Ahmedabad, has earned a recall to the ODI side as the third spinner alongside Gudakesh Motie and allrounder Roston Chase, while Alick Athanaze has also made a return to the squad after playing his 13th and last ODI in December last year.”The selection of Ackeem reflects the pathway Cricket West Indies is creating for our emerging players who have shown the qualities to perform at the international level,” head coach Daren Sammy said in a CWI statement. “He is a player for the future, one who has progressed from Under-15s to the senior level, and another Academy graduate to feature in an international squad this year.”West Indies tour of Bangladesh

1st ODI – October 18, Dhaka
2nd ODI – October 21, Dhaka
3rd ODI – October 23, Dhaka
1st T20I – October 27, Chattogram
2nd T20I – October 29, Chattogram
3rd T20I – October 31, Chattogram

Also included for both the ODIs and the T20Is is Shamar Joseph, who missed the Test tour of India, along with Alzarri Joseph, because of an injury, the nature of which CWI didn’t disclose at the time. Motie is another player who missed the Test tour of India as West Indies wanted to manage his workload in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup early next year.The Bangladesh series will be the penultimate one of the year for West Indies.”The squad assembled will strive to maintain a winning mentality and strong team cohesion, essential components for long-term success ahead of the World Cup,” Sammy said. “Facing Bangladesh provides another opportunity to earn crucial points in our push for automatic qualification to the showpiece event.”Ramon Simmonds has been on the rise in recent months•CPL T20 via Getty ImagesFor the T20Is, left-arm quick Ramon Simmonds and Amir Jangoo have been included in the squad. While Jangoo has been picked as the back-up wicketkeeper-batter to captain Shai Hope, it’s a continuation of a steady rise for Simmonds, who picked up 13 wickets for Barbados Royals in the recent CPL 2025 and then returned 4 for 15 in only his second T20I, against Nepal last month.Related

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In what CWI called “a concerted effort to provide players with valuable exposure to subcontinent conditions in advance of the series”, Motie, Keacy Carty, Sherfane Rutherford, Auguste and Jangoo will train at the Chennai Super Kings Academy prior to the Bangladesh series.”With the 2026 T20 World Cup around the corner, it is important for our players to get as much practice as possible in these conditions, with that tournament being held in India and Sri Lanka,” CWI director of cricket Miles Bascombe said. “In addition to the important aspect of acclimatisation, the camp will feature skill and tactical training and development specific to those conditions, which is critical to preparing the players ahead of this series as well as next year’s World Cup.”The tour of Bangladesh will start with the three ODIs, on October 18, 21 and 23, all in Dhaka, followed by the three T20Is in Chattogram on October 27, 29 and 31.West Indies ODI squad for tour of BangladeshShai Hope (capt), Alick Athanaze, Ackeem Auguste, Jediah Blades, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Justin Greaves, Amir Jangoo, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Khary Pierre, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario ShepherdWest Indies T20I squad for tour of BangladeshShai Hope (capt), Alick Athanaze, Ackeem Auguste, Roston Chase, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Amir Jangoo, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd, Ramon Simmonds

علق دومينيك سوبوسلاي، نجم نادي ليفربول، على احتمالية رحيل محمد صلاح عن صفوف الريدز خلال الفترة المقبلة، موضحًا أنه يحب الدولي المصري كثيرًا لكن القرار ليس قراره.

واستطاع نادي ليفربول تحقيقق انتصارًا ثمينًا يوم أمس الثلاثاء على إنتر ميلان 1-0، لحساب بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا مرحلة الدوري، بينما سجل سوبوسلاي هدف الريدز الوحيد من ركلة جزاء.

وشهدت هذه المباراة غياب محمد صلاح عن صفوف ليفربول، وبقرار فني من المدرب آرني سلوت، حيث لعب سوبوسلاي بدلًا من الدولي المصري، وكصانع ألعاب بدلًا من مركزه كجناح أيمن.

وقدم سوبوسلاي مباراة جيدة وساعد ليفربول في تحقيق الفوز، حيث يظهر الدولي المجري بشكل مميز منذ بداية هذا الموسم.

ودخل محمد صلاح في خلاف مع سلوت وإدارة ليفربول، بسبب جلوسه المستمر كبديل في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، ما أثار الجدل حول إمكانية رحيل اللاعب عن النادي الإنجليزي خلال الفترة المقبلة.

وقال سوبوسلاي في تصريحات نقلتها شبكة ”ESPN” عن مستقبل محمد صلاح: “ليس هذا قرارنا كلاعبين، أنا أحب محمد صلاح كإنسان وكصديق. كلاعب قدم الكثير لهذا النادي، سيكون القرار قرار النادي وقراره هو”.

وأضاف سوبوسلاي في حديثه عن محمد صلاح: “أنا قريب منه جدًا، إنه قراره الشخصي فيما يتعلق بحياته ومسيرته المهنية، لا علاقة للاعبين بالأمر لذا لا أملك ما أقوله بشأنه”.

اقرأ أيضًا .. سكاي سبورتس توضح موقف محمد صلاح من الانتقال للدوري السعودي

وعن الفوز على إنتر ميلان أوضح الدولي المجري: ”شعور رائع، خاصةً في مثل هذه اللحظات، قاتلنا كفريق واحد حتى النهاية ولا نستسلم أبدًا، في النهاية، أثمر العمل الجاد وهذا ما فعلناه، سنعود بالنقاط الثلاث إلى ديارنا”.

وأردف عن قرار مراجعة تقنية الفيديو قبل تأكيد ركلة الجزاء التي جاء منها الهدف أردف سوبوسلاي: ”بصراحة، انتظرنا القرار، لم أكن مشاركًا فعليًا في اللعبة، ركزت فقط على نفسي لأنني كنت أعرف أنني سأسدد ركلة الجزاء إن كانت ستحتسب، هذا ما كان يدور في ذهني”.

وحول تغيير طريقة العب ومشاركته كصانع ألعاب واللعب بدون أجنحة تابع سوبوسلاي: ”يختلف عن أسلوب لعبنا المعتاد، لكن أمام ليدز كان جيدًا، للأسف استقبلنا هدفًا من ركلة ثابتة في النهاية لكنني لا أعتقد أن الأمر يتعلق بالتشكيلة أو أي شيء آخر، المدرب يضعنا في هذه التشكيلة وعلينا أن نؤدي بها، إذا غير شيئًا، فعلينا أن نغيره، تحدثنا عن الأمر والآن نجح”.

وعن ما إذا كانت خطة لعب ليفربول الجديدة تمنح الفريق المزيد من السيطرة أجاب سوبوسلاي: ”في الحقيقة، لا يهم كيف نلعب في خط الوسط، إذا سيطرنا على مجريات المباراة فسنتمكن من السيطرة في أي مركز وفي أي موقف لأننا نمتلك الجودة واللاعبين المناسبين لذلك، سنجري التغييرات اللازمة الآن ولنرى ما سنفعله يوم السبت”.

وعن الحفاظ على شباك ليفربول نظيفة أردف الدولي المجري: ”كان ذلك في غاية الأهمية، هذا ما تحدثنا عنه، نحتاج إلى الجميع وليس المدافعين فقط، يبدأ الأمر من المهاجم، ثم لاعبي خط الوسط، ثم المدافعين ولا يزال لدينا أليسون بيكر”.

وتابع: ”إذا بذل كل لاعب قصارى جهده فسيكون من الصعب جدًا التسجيل في مرمانا، لقد أظهرنا ذلك مرات عديدة، ولكن ليس في الأسابيع أو الأشهر القليلة الماضية”.

وعن رغبة ليفربول في إنهاء مرحلة الدوري في دوري أبطال أوروبا ضمن المراكز الثمانية الأولى اختتم سوبوسلاي في حديثه: ”بالتأكيد، هذا هو عملنا وخطتنا، نركز الآن على الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز لفترة أطول ثم ستليها بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا في العام المقبل”.

Dylan Cease became the first big free agent to sign this offseason, agreeing with the Blue Jays on a seven-year, $210 million contract Wednesday. The deal makes the former Padre one of the highest-paid pitchers in the sport as he now earns a salary of $30 million per year.

Though Cease has had his share of inconsistencies, starting pitchers are the most valuable position in the sport and there are only so many with his talent level available. As such, he was able to cash in with a huge deal. After Cease, there are a number of pitchers that also could sign big deals in the coming years, including teammate Michael King, Ranger Suarez and most notably, two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal.

Now that Cease has agreed to sign with the Blue Jays, here’s a look at MLB’s highest-paid pitchers.

Who is the highest-paid pitcher in MLB?

The highest-paid pitcher is Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, who earns a massive $70 million a year. Ohtani is of course also a designated hitter and four-time MVP, which is why his contract is so much bigger than any other pitcher.

Between pitchers who do not also hit, Phillies’ Zack Wheeler is the highest-paid starter on an annual basis.

Top 10 highest-paid pitchers in MLB

Here are the top-10 highest-paid pitchers in MLB ranked by annual salary.

Cease’s contract with the Blue Jays makes him the seventh-highest paid pitcher annually and tied for the fifth-highest based on total value. Since free agency began last year in 2024, Cease, Snell, Burnes, Crochet and Fried have all signed massive deals that have made them some of the league’s highest-paid pitchers.

Cease is notably the only player on the above list that has not made an All-Star Game. Though he has loads of talent, he has been inconsistent, going 8–12 with a 4.55 ERA in 2025.

How pitcher salaries have changed over time

Salaries for baseball players and pitchers have exponentially grown over time, and especially since the 1970s. In the 1960s and early 1970s, the highest-paid players were making low six figures. In 1979, Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan became MLB’s first player to earn at least $1 million in a season when he signed with the Astros on a four-year, $4.5 million deal.

By the late 1990s, pitchers like Roger Clemens and Greg Maddux were commanding upwards of $10 million per year. That number rose to over $20 million a decade later for Johan Santana, and even surpassed $30 million in the 2010s for pitchers like Zach Greinke and Clayton Kershaw. MLB’s top pitchers are primarily making between $30-$40 million per year still.

How pitcher salaries compare to other positions

Top starting pitchers are among the highest-paid players in baseball. Wheeler is MLB’s third-highest paid player on an annual basis, behind only Ohtani and Juan Soto, who makes an average of $51 million per season as part of his 15-year pact with the Mets. Of the 10 highest-paid players in MLB, five are pitchers––not including Ohtani.

Despite not being in the lineup every day, typically only playing once every five to six games, quality starting pitching is hard to come by, and thus top of the line starters are rewarded handsomely. Starters typically appear in a little more than 30 games per season, barring injury, whereas players like Soto, Aaron Judge, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Mike Trout, all of whom command huge contracts and rightfully so, are expected to play almost every game.

NEW YORK — He heard the boos in 2022, when he followed his American League MVP season with seven strikeouts in the first two games of the division series. He heard the gasps of his teammates when the Guardians intentionally walked Juan Soto to face him in the DS last year. He heard the questions over the last three years about whether, after carrying his teammates to October every year, he was letting them down when they got there. 

On Tuesday, as he watched his rocket to left field to see whether it would stay fair, save the Yankees’ season and rewrite his postseason legacy, Aaron Judge heard only silence. 

“You just got so much adrenaline pumping and you’re so locked in on the moment,” he said. The noise only turned back on for him as he rounded third base to tie a game the Yankees would win 9–6 to stave off elimination and force Game 4 of the ALDS against the Blue Jays. Toronto had led Game 3 6–1 in the top of the third; the comeback was tied for the second largest in MLB history to avoid postseason elimination, and also tied the second-largest postseason comeback in franchise history. 

The moment was both impossible and inevitable. The question surrounding Judge most of this year was not whether he would win his third AL MVP award in four years (almost certainly yes) but whether he would finally play to his talent level in the postseason (much less clear). He has always rejected that narrative, but ignoring it has not made it go away. Only producing moments like he did on Tuesday can do that. 

Just before the chaos, there was that instant of stillness, as Judge at the plate, Toronto reliever Louis Varland on the mound, Trent Grisham at first base and Austin Wells at second all wondered if this would be just another missed opportunity. “I felt like I made good contact, and I thought we had a chance,” Judge said. “You just never know with the wind, if it's going to push it foul, going to keep curving or not. But I guess a couple ghosts out there helped kind of keep that fair.”

Ghosts and wrists, perhaps. Even if the moment had been lesser, the shot would still have been impressive: It came off a 99.7-mph fastball 1.2 feet from the center of the plate, almost at his elbows. It was the first time since MLB began tracking such things in 2008 that a hitter homered off a pitch thrown so hard and also so far inside. Considering how much velocity has increased in recent years, there’s a good chance it’s the first time in MLB history.

No one who has ever tried to do that could believe it. 

“It would be in the catcher’s glove if I tried to do that,” said Wells.

“I can’t even comprehend,” said reliever Tim Hill. 

“We all went over the video in the dugout after that about 10 times,” said second baseman Jazz Chisholm. 

“I get yelled at for swinging at them out of the zone, but now I’m getting praised for it,” Judge said wryly, his only acknowledgement of the criticism. Mostly he stuck to well-worn phrases: “Just trying to do my job, what I’ve been trying to do all year. Not trying to do too much. Guy’s on base, drive him in. If no one’s on base, try to get a rally going. That’s all you can do.”

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Calleri aproveitou bela jogada coletiva e marcou de cabeça o segundo gol do São Paulo na vitória por 2 a 0 sobre o Cruzeiro, neste domingo (2), no Morumbis, pela sétima rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.

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Com isso, o atacante argentino chegou aos 37 tentos anotados e se transformou no maior artilheiro estrangeiro do Tricolor na competição. Na temporada, Calleri é o líder da equipe em participações em gols, com 10, e vice-artilheiro do time, atrás apenas de Luciano.

Aos 5 minutos de jogo, Lucas arrancou pelo meio de campo, driblou dois adversários e contou com um desvio na zaga para abrir o placar para o São Paulo, que jogou toda a segunda etapa em vantagem numérica após Marlon receber cartão vermelho por acertar o tornozelo de Calleri com as travas da chuteira.

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No início do segundo tempo, Calleri marcou de cabeça e deu números finais ao duelo. Com o resultado, o Tricolor segue invicto sob comando de Zubeldía e entra no G4 do Campeonato Brasileiro.

O São Paulo volta a campo apenas no dia 13 de junho. Após a Data Fifa, a equipe paulista encara o Internacional, fora de casa, às 20h (de Brasília).

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The U.S. men's national team has learned their World Cup group as Mauricio Pochettino's side was paired with Paraguay, Australia and a yet-to-be-determined European foe to start next summer's tournament. The USMNT's fourth opponent will be either Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo, who will face off in March's playoff.

Getty ImagesGroup stage opponents: Austrailia, Paraguay and TBD

The U.S. were handed a fortunate draw with their Pot 2 team as they were matched up with a familiar opponent: Australia, who are ranked 26th in the world. That matchup comes on the heels of an October friendly that saw the U.S. defeat Australia, 2-1, at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

From Pot 3, the U.S. were given another familiar opponent: Paraguay, the 39th-ranked team. Like Australia, the U.S. played Paraguay in the fall, defeating the South American side, 2-1, in Philadelphia.

And then finally, from Pot 4, after navigating some conditions, the USMNT were finally paired with one of the winners of the European Playoff C: Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo. 

AdvertisementAFP Must-watch TV: Australia

The USMNT's battle with Australia will be a fun one, largely because will no doubt show up. With the game being played in Seattle, Australia's fans should have a presence, as the West Coast is easier to travel to. 

There's also some added juice from the fall, when the U.S. saw star Christian Pulisic injured after a series of hard fouls from Australia in their friendly match in Colorado. 

Getty Images SportDangerous matchup: Paraguay

The game against Paraguay will be dangerous – and, if last month’s clash is any indication, perhaps quite literally. The two teams squared up just before the final whistle after a tense match, and you wouldn’t expect anything less once the World Cup starts.

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Getty Images SportKey opposition player: Arda Guler or Miguel Almiron

This will surely depend on who gets in as that Pot 4 team. Should Turkey qualify, the U.S. would face off with their world-class young stars: Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz. Should Turkey not advance, the main man to stop would be Paraguay's Miguel Almiron, a familiar face for fans of Major League Soccer as he stars for Atlanta United. 

The upturn in form for Leeds United has shown they have what it takes to stay in the Premier League. The Whites have now gone unbeaten in their last two games, against two of the so-called ‘big six’ sides.

During the round of midweek top-flight fixtures, Daniel Farke’s side toppled Chelsea at Elland Road, securing an outstanding 3-1 victory against the Club World Cup champions.

On Saturday night, once again at a raucous Elland Road, they secured a late draw with champions Liverpool, with Ao Tanaka scoring in the 96th minute.

It has been a brilliant week for Leeds, with a change in Farke’s system certainly helping the Whites.

How Farke has got the best out of Leeds

For most of the season, Leeds, who find themselves in 16th place in the Premier League, two points clear of the drop, have deployed a 4-3-3 system.

However, the German manager switched things up in the second half against Manchester City, a game which they lost in stoppage time.

Instead, the West Yorkshire side played a 3-5-2 system, aiming to offer more defensive solidity and an issue for opponents in the final third with two strikers and a threat from the high and wide wingbacks.

It is fair to say that Leeds have managed to adapt to this system very well. Of course, they beat Chelsea and drew against Liverpool.

In those games, they had less possession each time, but were dangerous in transition and looked to be direct and bring their two strikers into play.

Someone who praised Farke’s side for the way they have taken to this system is Gary Neville. He said, “it looks to be a blueprint” for the club, praising the “legs in the middle of the pitch” who really make things tick.

Indeed, one of those men in midfield has become a key player for Farke.

The Leeds midfielder showing shades of Klich & Dallas

Since moving to the back three system, Farke has rotated a little bit in midfield with Sean Longstaff on the sideline. Tanaka started against Chelsea, and Ilia Gruev played from the start against the Merseysiders.

Club captain Ethan Ampadu has been a consistent starter, as has Anton Stach. The German joined in the summer and has nailed down a place in the middle of the park next to the Wales international.

The two-cap German national team player, who has previously been described as a “ball-winning monster” by Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Kyle Newbould, has shone for Farke’s side.

Stach has made 13 appearances in the Premier League this term, chipping in with two goals and two assists.

The numbers behind Stach’s success in midfield for the Whites this season are impressive.

The German is currently averaging 1.98 key passes and 1.71 progressive carries per 90 minutes, placing him in the top 6% and 22% of Premier League midfielders this season, respectively.

Stach’s game certainly has shades of one former Leeds midfield duo. Mateusz Klich, who played 195 times for the club, and Stuart Dallas, who made 267 appearances, were both key players during the Marcelo Bielsa era.

Described as an “industrious” pair, they offered lots of legs in the middle of the park, just like Stach does, as Neville pointed out. They also posed a threat in the final third, with Dallas bagging 28 times and Klich 24 in that famous White shirt.

Given how Bielsa’s team played, a high-octane brand of football with plenty of running, it is no surprise that Stach has shades of the midfield duo from that era.

As Como scout Ben Mattinson pointed out, he “covers a lot of ground” just as the former Leeds duo were required to do under the former manager.

Stach could certainly be considered undroppable under Farke. His performances this season have been impressive, and he has been a key man since they changed to a back three.

The midfielder is a bit of an “all-rounder” according to Mattinson, and with shades of Klich and Dallas in his game, could quickly become a fan favourite.

A Viduka repeat: Leeds open initial talks to sign midfield "machine"

Leeds United are eyeing up a player from Scotland who could be their next Mark Viduka-type signing.

By
Dan Emery

2 days ago

Fast bowler will stay with the squad and is expected to take full part in the series as required

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-2025Pakistan fast bowler Naseem Shah will stay with the squad for the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi despite an attack on his house in Lower Dir. Unknown assailants fired at the gate of his family home; no one at the residence was reported to be injured.The assailants fled immediately after firing at the gate, with an investigation opened by police. It is not known who was at the residence at the time, with the attack taking place in the early hours of Monday morning. reported that Naseem’s father met with a police officer, who assured him the assailants would be brought to justice quickly.ESPNcricinfo understands the incident does not affect Naseem’s plans or schedule for the series, with the fast bowler staying with the squad and expected to take full part in the series as required. Pakistan and Sri Lanka begin a three-match ODI series in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, followed by a T20I tri-series that also involves Zimbabwe later this month. Naseem is part of both squads.It is not known whether any of Naseem’s two younger brothers, who are also professional cricketers, were at the residence. Hunain, who hit the winning runs for Islamabad United in the 2024 Pakistan Super League final, last played a Quaid-e-Azam trophy match last week, where he scored a half-century and took six wickets in a ten-wicket win. Ubaid, who plays for Multan Sultans in the PSL, most recently played a game for his Quaid-e-Azam Trophy side Lahore Whites at the end of last month.

While this season is shaping up to be a spectacular one for Arsenal, Sunday was a disappointment for Mikel Arteta and Co.

The Spaniard’s team looked second best in their Premier League game against then-second-placed Chelsea, and then failed to capitalise when the Blues went down to ten men.

With that said, while it was a poor showing from the Gunners, they were without a number of the best players, like William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães and just as important, Leandro Trossard.

The Belgian has been in scintillating form for Arsenal in recent months, and yet, if reports are to be believed, the club are looking to sign someone who’d be a significant upgrade.

Arsenal target Trossard upgrade

During the summer, it looked like Trossard would be leaving Arsenal, as he didn’t have a great campaign and was linked with clubs like Bayern Munich.

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However, the former Brighton & Hove Albion gem stayed, was handed a pay rise, and since then has played like a man possessed.

For example, it was his thunderous effort against Sunderland that ensured the Gunners left with a point, and then against Tottenham Hotspur, he scored and assisted a goal.

However, even with performances such as these, it looks like the North Londoners are looking to sign an upgrade on the 30-year-old.

At least that is according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, which claims Arsenal are interested in Michael Olise.

In fact, the report goes further, revealing that the club have placed the Frenchman at the top of their wishlist for next year and, with Sporting Director Andrea Berta, are already laying the groundwork for the deal.

However, it won’t be a cheap transfer to get over the line, with the report claiming that it will cost in excess of £100m to convince Bayern Munich to sell their star attacker.

Even so, given Olise’s immense ability and further potential, this is a deal Arsenal should be going all out for, especially as he’d be a significant upgrade on Trossard.

How Olise compares to Trossard

So the first thing to get out of the way is that, yes, Olise is primarily a right-sided player, and Trossard plays mostly on the left.

However, Arteta has made it quite clear with the signing of Noni Madueke that he is more than happy to play wingers on the opposite flank, and given the Frenchman’s immense ability, it feels like he should have no problem playing out there.

Moreover, when the former Chelsea ace has played in the team, he and Bukayo Saka have swapped sides back and forth during games, which suggests the manager has almost moved beyond the idea of a wide player starting and sticking to a position as matches progress.

With all that said, why would the former Crystal Palace star, who shone with Eberechi Eze in South London, be an upgrade on the Belgian?

Well, the first and most important reason is the simple fact that he is a far more potent goal threat, be that through scoring or assisting them.

A “magician” – according to Bayern teammate Dayot Upamecano – in 20 appearances this season, totalling 1583 minutes, he’s scored nine goals and provided ten assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.05 games, or every 83.31 minutes.

In contrast, the former Brighton star has scored five goals and provided five assists in 16 appearances, totalling 948 minutes, which averages out to a goal involvement every 1.6 games, or every 94.8 minutes.

The second reason is that, at just 23 years old, the 13-capped international has far more upside than the 30-year-old and should even improve in the coming seasons.

Finally, on top of his better output, the former Reading man also comes out on top when you take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

1.00

0.38

Progressive Carries

5.70

2.63

Progressive Passes

6.40

3.63

Shots on Target

1.99

0.62

Passing Accuracy

81.4%

69.3%

Key Passes

2.60

1.38

Shot-Creating Actions

6.68

3.25

Goal-Creating Actions

1.10

0.37

Successful Take-Ons

2.40

0.88

For example, he comes out ahead in the most critical metrics, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, successful take-ons, goal and shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, Trossard is a brilliant player, but Olise is clearly superior in practically every way and more than justifies Oliver Glasner’s claim that he’s “one of the best talents in the world.”

Therefore, even if it costs a king’s ransom, Arsenal should do all they can to sign him in 2026.

Their next Eze: Berta agrees deal to sign "exciting" new star for Arsenal

The hugely promising teenage talent could one day become Arsenal’s heir to Eberechi Eze.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 2, 2025