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Six Tests (the WTC final and the Ashes) in less than eight weeks is just about perfect for the world’s fidgetiest cricketer, it will keep him straight

Osman Samiuddin02-Jun-2023Chances are, whatever the level and nature of your engagement with cricket, you have felt, heard, or talked about its relentless grind for the last six months what now seems like forever.No sooner had Marco Jansen hit a four and six to finish the SA20 than India and Australia were squeezing out a four-Test series in a month; than New Zealand were pulling off one of the great Test wins over England; than Afghanistan and UAE were sprinting through a T20I series; than Bangladesh were beating the world champions; than South Africa were thumping the West Indies in a Test no one watched; than the TV umpire was ruling Kane Williamson in to seal one of the great Test wins; than Lahore Qalandars were winning the PSL by a single run in one of the great T20 finals; than Ravindra Jadeja was ending the IPL with a six and a four in one of the great T20 finals.The calendar’s gotten so crowded that for a lot of the world outside India, the IPL – where once it was an example of how cluttered the calendar is – is now the one pause. There’s more teams to play for, more places to play in, more leagues to fly to, more matches, all blending into one another like some super unhealthy, super bland smoothie.Related

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You know who doesn’t mind that? Who actually likes it this way? If you guessed Steven Smith, close. If you guessed Marnus Labuschagne, you were right. Somehow it feels entirely in keeping with Labuschagne, the world’s most fidgety cricketer, that he prefers not stopping. There’s never enough runs scored, bowlers beat, fields pierced, balls outside off left (or new ways to leave those balls).So, a summer in which, injury permitting, he will play six Tests in less than eight weeks, where he could end up as a world Test champion and an Ashes winner in, is probably perfect. Like the grind of the county championship, it keeps him straight. He wants in on the rat race. He wants to stay on that treadmill. This doesn’t wear him out. This is what wears him in.”Back-to-back games really helps,” he said as Australia trained ahead of the WTC final against India at Beckenham. “Playing a lot of cricket with not much break in between helps as a batter to get rhythm and feel and you’re able to learn from games rather than sort of stewing over technical things.”That’s one of the big differences. In Australia you might have a week and a half or more between games. Then you go back to training, you might have got out a certain way so you’re tinkering, changing your batting. You come to England, you play Thursday to Sunday for seven weeks straight, and that just creates routine and rhythm. If you miss out in a game, you stick to the same process, you’ve got Monday off, Tuesday you go into a training session, Wednesday you travel and Thursday you play. That rhythm creates good habits of scoring runs. That’s what really helps as a batter over here.”

“Whereas in 2019 I felt like I had to prove to people I was good enough, now for me, it’s just about making sure I do my role in the side and work out ways to score runs. Mentally, I’m as hungry as ever to score runs and want us to win this series”Marnus Labuschagne on the Ashes

Over here, in England, it’s helped him to the extent that he averages over 55 for Glamorgan since 2019. England is so familiar that Glamorgan doesn’t represent preparation for him as much as just normal routine. The country is not only where his international career took off four years ago, as the game’s first concussion sub for Smith, it is also where he believes he started on the path to first-class cricket, playing for Sandwich Town in the Kent Premier League nine years ago. He’s here now as the world’s best Test batter, with a tilt at the official world title (the WTC) and then the unofficial world title for the two countries that play for it (this doesn’t have quite as catchy an acronym).Both will be familiar opponents, the leitmotif of the modern age being that somewhere in the world, Australia, India and England are always playing each other. India and Australia were playing a Test less than three months ago, a series in which Labuschagne ended as the fourth-highest scorer on a succession of surfaces very different from what will greet them at The Oval.”You definitely learn from how you play them there,” he said. “There’s probably a bit more bounce here in England than in India, so probably just need to factor that in to how they bowl. (R) Ashwin’s tactics might change a little bit, Jadeja’s tactics might change a little bit, so just adjusting to those on the fly out there, what they’re going to try and do, making sure you’re nice and aware out there.”We’ve played two of [India’s] main seamers [Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj], who are going to play, at least three actually if Umesh [Yadav] plays as well, two months ago. In terms of seeing and knowing their actions and what they do, we’re pretty clear on that. Obviously with the Dukes ball in hand, they’ll be able to showcase their skills a lot more.”The reality is – I’ve played against Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, against Matt Potts this year – I’ve played against all those guys, I know what they bowl, so it’s just about understanding what they’re going to do and preparing well.”In the Test series in India, Labuschagne ended as the fourth-highest scorer on surfaces very different from what The Oval will provide•Getty ImagesSo much has passed since that it’s relatively easy to forget how wobbly Australia felt when they arrived in England in 2019. Labuschagne was not part of the side. Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were returning to Test cricket after Sandpapergate, Tim Paine was their captain, and their bowling attack was in such flux that Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon only played one Test together. The composition changed regularly.They didn’t lose the Ashes but this time round, by contrast, they are more settled, with Hazlewood’s fitness the only slight unknown as the summer begins.”It’s just we’re really well organised,” Labuschagne said. “Probably in 2019 we weren’t as set on the team. There is a lot more clarity around this team which creates that consistency, it creates the preparation instead of people playing for spots and feel like they’re vying for a position. Everyone knows where they sit, and we can prepare and get ourselves ready.”Central to that sense of stability is Labuschagne himself, more so than nearly any other batter in the side. He’s not ready to get off the treadmill just yet.”In terms of the feeling it’s more about the preparation. Whereas in 2019 I felt like I had to prove to people I was good enough, now for me, it’s just about making sure I do my role in the side and work out ways to score runs. Mentally, I’m as hungry as ever to score runs and want us to win this series.”

“The Beast” talks about the two-year plan that culminated with him making it into England’s squad for the T20 World Cup

Matt Roller06-Oct-20212:59

England’s big hitter on his fantastic summer, batting in the IPL, and Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson

For six heady weeks earlier this year Liam Livingstone was the world’s must-watch batter. After a period of self-isolation in July, following positive Covid-19 tests in the England camp, Livingstone strode out at Trent Bridge with bleached blond hair and renewed confidence in his six-hitting ability.There he produced a 42-ball hundred, England’s fastest, followed by a purple patch of form that felt like a midsummer fever dream. Between mid-July and the end of August, Livingstone hit 43 sixes – one every 6.3 balls, including one measured at 122 metres off Haris Rauf to clear the new stand at Headingley – in 13 innings for England, Birmingham Phoenix and Lancashire, averaging 52 with a strike rate a shade over 190. Having started the year on the fringes of the England set-up, he inked his name into their starting XI for the first game of this month’s T20 World Cup.”I just rode the wave,” Livingstone reflects from Rajasthan Royals’ team hotel in the UAE. “I had quarantine when I arrived to sit back and reflect on it. I guess it’s been such a good summer for me, but I’m still not where I want to be. I want to keep getting better, keep hitting more sixes and hitting the ball further. I’ve proved to a few people what I can do, but over the next couple of years I want to keep improving.”Related

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Livingstone puts his form down to a eureka moment during a training session in Bristol with Paul Collingwood and Marcus Trescothick, England’s assistant coach and batting coach respectively. He had been running drinks during the ODI series against Sri Lanka and had diagnosed a flaw in his technique. He says that his power comes from his back hip and that he was “losing my front foot”, which meant it collapsed rather than driving through his swing.”Colly and Tres both said exactly the same thing in that session and it pretty much clicked from there,” he says. “It was weird: I’d had this breakthrough moment and then the same day, everyone tested positive for corona and we went into ten days of isolation. I came out, had one training session and then went straight into the Pakistan series. It all stemmed from that one training session, which is pretty scary – I’ll have to buy Colly and Tres a beer at some stage for the help they’ve given me.Livingstone made 348 runs in nine matches at a strike rate of 178.46 in the Hundred earlier this year•Getty Images”It was a great summer for me. I was really enjoying my cricket and feeling super-confident. I couldn’t have wished for it to go any better but it’s done now, it’s gone. We’re moving on to a new phase with the IPL now and the World Cup coming up and it will be an even better year if I can put in some performances in them.”Livingstone was the undisputed superstar of the Hundred’s first season, finishing the tournament as the leading run scorer, leading six hitter, and MVP. His unbeaten 92 off 40 balls in Phoenix’s final group game earned him the nickname “the Beast”, which Shane Warne yelped on commentary throughout his innings of 46 off 19 at Lord’s in the final. Livingstone used the same bat, borrowed from his Royals team-mate Riyan Parag, through the summer. “It’s still just about hanging on now – the handle is superglued and taped together,” he says.”My biggest heroes growing up were Freddie [Andrew Flintoff] and Shane Warne, from watching that 2005 Ashes series, and as I got older, I always wanted to bat like KP,” he reflects. “To have your two heroes and KP commentating and talking about you, that was so cool and pretty surreal. I filmed a six-hitting masterclass with KP on Sky and that was a little bit of a fan-boy moment.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”For the last two weeks, before I came away, everyone was like, ‘Oh, so you think you’re the Beast now, do you?’ Towards the [Hundred] final, it felt like a big build-up, but those last couple of games were probably as well as I’ve played in my career. It’s something that comes with doing well, and hopefully I can keep on entertaining because that’s the biggest motive for me: to be an entertainer on the pitch.”That was the coolest thing I found from the Hundred: kids coming up to me, saying, ‘I really want to bat like you.’ Travelling around the country, you’d see people going into service stations with Hundred cricket shirts on. It felt like it was about inspiring the next generation, seeing kids wanting to go out and smack cricket balls on the front drive rather than staying inside playing Xbox.”Livingstone’s emergence could be crucial for England, with his middle-order hitting and ability to bowl both legspin and offbreaks according to the match-ups on offer, making him close to a like-for-like replacement for Ben Stokes, whose ongoing mental-health break will extend through the World Cup. There is an element of good fortune in the timing but Livingstone has targeted this tournament for some time.ESPNcricinfo LtdIn 2019, he decided after discussions with the ECB that he should spend his winter playing short-form leagues rather than touring Australia with England Lions. He thought that at the age of 26 and two years since his only two international caps, he needed to broaden his horizons to force his way back in.”It was a two-year plan to work my backside off in T20 franchise tournaments,” he explains, “firstly to get back into the England environment, then to push my way into the squad for 2021.” Over a four-month period from November 2019 to March 2020, Livingstone played more T20s than anyone else, with stints in the MSL, BBL and PSL. “I knew it was going to be hard – [England is] probably one of the hardest teams in world sport to get into – but it’s something that I worked really hard at, trying to go away and learn.”I went to South Africa and played with Quinton de Kock. You don’t get that sort of opportunity playing [England] Lions cricket. I had to go away, get out my comfort zone and learn in different environments. The pressure you get as an overseas player is like no other, wherever you go in the world – South Africa, the Big Bash, Pakistan, the IPL – and it sets you up for when you get back to international cricket. I made that decision and I think it was the right one.”In that light, Livingstone’s performances for Rajasthan Royals since the IPL’s resumption have been a disappointment: his 25 off 17 against Punjab Kings included a 97-metre six off Arshdeep Singh, but his next three innings brought 11 runs off 18 balls and cost him his place for the game against Chennai Super Kings. He has struggled to adjust to the unexpectedly slow pitches in the UAE but insists he is staying level-headed.”That was the coolest thing I found from the Hundred: kids coming up to me, saying, ‘I really want to bat like you'”•Getty Images”It’s been a little bit frustrating, but I’ve learned that you can’t get too high when things are going well and you can’t get too low when things aren’t going well. I haven’t changed anything – I’m doing exactly what I did in the summer – and I’m not feeling too disheartened by it all. I feel like I just need to get a couple of shots away and I’ll be fine. Just because I’ve had a couple of bad games, it doesn’t mean that I’m a really bad player all of a sudden. Things can change very quickly.”In England – or pretty much anywhere in the world – you have a vague idea of what’s coming up. The pitches [in the UAE] have been so different from ground to ground and sometimes you can get caught out by not adapting quick enough. Some of them can be quite bouncy when the grass is left on, but when it’s taken off, they can be really slow. Clearing an 80-metre boundary in England is a lot easier than it is out here. That’s going to be the challenge going into the World Cup, trying to adapt as quickly as you can.”Another stumbling block – not one that is unique to Livingstone – has been adjusting to long stints “locked up” in biosecure conditions. He benefited from time around England’s white-ball squads in 2020, because large squads were being picked by necessity. It helped him feel “very comfortable in that environment”, but he flew home citing bubble fatigue during the India leg of the IPL earlier this year and will skip this winter’s Big Bash in order to spend Christmas with his family.And the boy can bowl: Livingstone’s all-round skills make him a nearly like-for-like replacement for Ben Stokes at the World Cup•Stu Forster/Getty Images”The days where you can get out and play golf feel as though they’re the biggest privileges in the world at the moment, which is a bit of shame,” he says. “I haven’t had a break for about three years. I really wanted to go back to Perth but sometimes I’ve got to make sure that I’m in the right place mentally. It’ll be nice to put the bat down and switch my mind off from cricket for a month or so.”But first Livingstone has the World Cup in his sights, and England’s bid to become the first team to hold the 50-over and T20 trophies simultaneously.”We’d be silly not to go in feeling very confident of being able to win it. I certainly think we’ve got a lot of very good players, a really good squad and a very balanced team. Who knows what the pitches are going to be like, but I guess the teams that go far will be the ones who play the smartest cricket when it matters.”Playing for your country is one thing, but representing them at a World Cup is probably the biggest thing you want to do as a sportsman. I’ll take a lot of confidence from the summer into it. It’ll be great fun and an even cooler experience if we can go on and win it. The work I’ve got to do over the next three weeks is gearing up to that: how can I best help England win a World Cup?”

MatériaMais Notícias

A Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF) anunciou nesta sexta-feira (12) a Betano, casa de apostas esportivas, como nova patrocinadora da Série A do Campeonato Brasileiro. Válido por três anos, o acordo prevê um pagamento estimado em torno de R$ 70 milhões a R$ 80 milhões por temporada. As informações dos valores foram divulgadas pelo Ge.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Com isso, a competição nacional pode receber uma valorização de até R$ 30 milhões de reais por ano de contrato, uma vez que a antiga detentora dos direitos pagava R$ 50 milhões por temporada.

A empresa do ramo de apostas, que já possuía os namings rights de outras competições do futebol brasileiro, como Série B e Copa do Brasil, chega para substituir a atacadista Assaí, dona da propriedade nas últimas seis edições da competição.

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INÍCIO DO BRASILEIRÃO

A primeira rodada do Brasileirão começa neste final de semana e conta com partidas entre os dias 13 e 14 de abril. No sábado (13), o Internacional recebe o Bahia, às 18h30 (de Brasília), em partida que marca o início da competição. No mesmo horário, em confronto entre equipes que retornaram à elite nesta temporada, o Juventude visita o Criciúma.

Atual bicampeão do Brasileirão, o Palmeiras inicia a caminhada em busca do tricampeonato fora de casa. No domingo (14), a equipe comandada por Abel Ferreira visita o Vitória, às 18h30 (de Brasília), no Barradão.

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CONFIRA TODOS OS JOGOS DA PRIMEIRA RODADA

▪️ 13/04 – Internacional x Bahia
▪️ 13/04 – Criciúma x Juventude
▪️ 13/04 – Fluminense x RB Bragantino
▪️ 13/04 – São Paulo x Fortaleza
▪️ 14/04 – Vasco x Grêmio
▪️ 14/04 – Athletico x Cuiabá
▪️ 14/04 – Atlético-GO x Flamengo
▪️ 14/04 – Corinthians x Atlético-MG
▪️ 14/04 – Cruzeiro x Botafogo
▪️ 14/04 – Vitória x Palmeiras

Tudo sobre

BrasileirãoFutebol Nacional

Heung-min Son touches down in London next week to bid farewell to the Lilywhites fanbase at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Thomas Frank’s side are set to take on Slavia Prague in the Champions League, and what they could do with a prime version of Son and Harry Kane leading the line.

It’s fair to say that the world-class forwards have not been replaced since both departing in recent years, and that has been to the detriment of the new manager’s project.

Creatively, Spurs have not been at the races, but the need for an elite centre-forward has been just as severe. Talismanic figures like Kane are hard to come by, though.

Why Spurs are missing Harry Kane

It is not hard to work out why Tottenham miss their all-time record goalscorer, whose shooting skills are second to none and who, regardless, has so much more to his game than mere finishing.

Tottenham’s All-time Record Scorers

Player

Apps

Goals

Harry Kane

435

280

Jimmy Greaves

376

266

Bobby Smith

316

211

Heung-min Son

454

173

Martin Chivers

350

167

Data via Transfermarkt

Now a superstar with Bayern Munich, the Three Lions captain is one of the most prolific forwards in world football, actually described as “the best player in the world” by writer Mitch Fretton.

This might just be the case. Kane has posted 25 goals from 21 matches in all competitions this season. His Bayern side are runaway Bundesliga leaders already.

He is the star of the show, the cream of the crop. Just as he was at Tottenham.

How Frank must wish for such a player leading his line. Although saying that, the Danish coach does has a Kane-esque star in his ranks, even if this player is performing on the other side of the field.

Spurs have a new Kane-like talisman

There isn’t a single forward in Tottenham’s first team who would scratch the same surface as Kane in his north London pomp right now, but Cristian Romero is showing off talismanic properties, albeit in a different way.

The Argentina international has been something of a divisive figure at times down N17, boasting world-class talent but also an erraticness and rash streak that has pulled him away from the action at times.

But he’s still an immense player, evidenced when he came up trumps as Spurs salvaged a draw at St. James’ Park on Tuesday evening, scoring a brace against Newcastle United.

Romero is hardly a similar player to Kane, but they share some similarities that suggest Romero could be the club’s new version.

They are both leaders. Kane was never anointed as Tottenham’s first-choice captain due to Hugo Lloris, but he’s undoubtedly a top leader. In this, Romero and him are alike, with the Argentine both a vocal and lead-by-example skipper, so imposing and aggressive in the heart of the defence.

The 27-year-old is a “monster” of a player, as dubbed by journalist Charlie Eccleshare, with Sofascore recording that he has averaged 2.5 tackles and 5.7 duels in the Premier League this season, winning 64% of the latter.

Micky van de Ven, lauded by some as Tottenham’s best player, has not yet achieved the same kind of defensive mastery, averaging only 1.1 tackles per game and winning just 51% of his duels.

It’s clear in this regard that Romero boasts surpassing quality, more roundedness, more completeness. As per FBref, he ranks among the top 10% of Premier League defenders this year for goals, the top 7% for successful take-ons and the top 5% for tackles per 90.

Let’s hope he remains under Frank’s wing over the coming years. On the basis of the evidence, the head coach is going to need him.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Dec 3, 2025

Despite a few poor results, this season is starting to shape up nicely for Chelsea.

Enzo Maresca’s side are currently second in the Premier League and have the chance to cut the gap to Arsenal to just three points when they play them on Sunday.

However, for the West Londoners to have any chance of beating the high-flying Gunners, they’ll need to have their shooting boots on, and Liam Delap will have to show why the club signed him in the summer.

However, Chelsea might already be having second thoughts about the Englishman, as reports are linking them to another exciting young striker, someone with shades of Didier Drogba in their game.

Chelsea target Delap upgrade

Given Chelsea’s propensity to spend big in the transfer window, it’s not been much of a surprise to see reports already linking them with a host of talented players ahead of the January window.

Transfer Focus

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

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For example, Athletic Bilbao’s incredibly exciting Nico Williams has been touted for a £62m move to Stamford Bridge, and Nottingham Forest’s Murillo has also been heavily linked.

However, as talented as these two internationals are, neither can be compared to Drogba, nor would they be a threat to Delap’s place in the team, unlike Robinio Vaz.

Yes, according to a recent report from Caught Offside, Chelsea are one of a few teams interested in the exciting French talent.

In fact, the report has revealed that the Blues have already established contact with Marseille over a possible move that could cost as much as €30m, about £26m.

However, sides like Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla and Napoli are also said to be interested in the youngster.

It could therefore be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Vaz’s ability and potential, it’s one Chelsea should fight for, especially as he could be an upgrade on Delap and has shades of Drogba in his game.

How Vaz compares to Delap and Drogba

Okay, so before looking at how Vaz compares to Delap, let’s examine the shades of Drogba in his game and this potential move.

The first and most significant would be that, so long as this transfer happens, the youngster would be following in the legendary striker’s footsteps, who moved from Marseille to Chelsea in 2004.

Another trait he appears to share with the iconic centre-forward is that he’s more than a goalscorer.

While he certainly can put the ball in the back of the net, the teenage sensation is also someone who can create chances for his teammates through, in the words of respected analyst Ben Mattinson, an ability to “hold up the ball.”

With all that said, how does his output stack up to that of Delap’s this season?

Vaz vs Delap

Player

Vaz

Delap

Appearances

14

7

Minutes

331′

294′

Goals

4

0

Assists

2

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.42

N/A

Minutes per Goal Involvement

55.16′

N/A

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Well, despite still being just 18 years old, the “lethal” number nine, as one analyst dubbed him, has scored four goals and provided two assists in 14 appearances, totalling just 331 minutes this season.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.33 games, or far more crucially, one every 55.16 minutes.

In contrast, the West Londoners’ summer signing has failed to score a single goal or provide a single assist in seven appearances across all competitions, totalling 294 minutes.

Granted, he has been out injured, but the Englishman has almost played as many minutes as the youngster and arguably for a far better team.

UltimatelyUltimately, it’s still early in his career, but as one analyst puts it, Vaz looks like he’s “going straight to the top,” and therefore Chelsea should sign him, even if it’s bad news for Delap.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 24, 2025

Manchester United’s defeat against Everton on Monday night once again highlighted the issues of Ruben Amorim’s reluctance to move away from his 3-4-2-1 system.

The Red Devils spent 77 minutes playing against just 10 men, but he refused to budge from his philosophy, which no doubt cost the side a chance of claiming all three points.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s first-half strike was enough to secure all three points for the Toffees, with the hosts’ impressive five-game unbeaten run coming to an abrupt end.

Since the final whistle, the manager has come under fire for his stubbornness in implementing a more attacking system, especially after the visitors’ early dismissal.

During the loss to David Moyes’ men, one first-team member massively failed to take advantage of the rare starting opportunity that was handed his way in the Premier League.

Joshua Zirkzee’s stats against Everton for United

After Benjamin Sesko’s knee injury against Tottenham Hotspur, Joshua Zirkzee was handed his first Premier League start of the campaign against Everton yesterday.

The Dutchman had previously had to settle for minutes off the substitutes bench, but the clash at Old Trafford was his maiden start of the 2025/26 league season.

However, he was unable to take advantage of the opportunity that was handed his way, with the 24-year-old struggling to match the demands of the manager’s system.

He featured for the entirety of the contest, but was only able to post a measly tally of 35 touches, with only five of his total touches coming within the opposition’s penalty area.

Zirkzee also completed just 15 passes at a success rate of just 60%, which resulted in the forward gifting the ball back to the opposition on 12 separate occasions.

His lack of quality was further outlined in his tally of one big chance missed and just four duels won, with James Tarkowski often pocketing the stand in centre forward.

Not just Zirkzee: United star must not start again under Amorim

In the 12 months since Amorim’s arrival, many United players have often struggled to match the expectations placed upon them – ultimately leading to their lowly Premier League finish last season.

Their performances, as seen by Zirkzee yesterday, will have led to the £200m spending spree during the summer window, but it should only be the start of the overhaul.

The midfield department should be next on the hierarchy’s agenda, with the manager no doubt wanting added reinforcements in such an area of the pitch.

Casemiro is getting towards the end of his current deal at Old Trafford, with Kobbie Mainoo seemingly not fancied by the manager after failing to start a single league game in 2025/26.

However, the defensive unit should also be one that the board are targeting, especially given the failures in that area over the past couple of seasons at Old Trafford.

Luke Shaw is one player who remains in such an area, but like Zirkzee, he’s often failed to deliver when called upon by Amorim over the last 12 months.

The Englishman has now spent over a decade on the books of the Red Devils, but ultimately, he’s entering the latter stages of his career – something which is starting to show.

He’s started every league game to date in 2025/26, but that’s not without question, with his performance against Everton one that failed to catch the eye for the right reasons.

The 30-year-old featured for the entire contest, but was only able to win 50% of the aerial duels he entered and was even dribbled past on two separate occasions.

Luke Shaw – stats against Everton

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

90

Touches

110

Passes completed

83

Aerials lost

50%

Dribbled past

2x

Interceptions

1

Clearances

1

Crosses completed

0

Stats via FotMob

He also only made one interception and one clearance, subsequently being unable to keep the side’s second clean sheet of the Premier League campaign.

Shaw’s tally of zero completed crosses out of his attempted four showcases his inability to find a teammate in attacking areas, which led to criticism from Gary Neville.

The former United star, now turned pundit, stated that the player is becoming a “waste of time” at United and that his performances at Old Trafford aren’t fooling anyone.

His latest showing under Amorim is further evidence that he’s unable to match the levels he did during the early years of his career – with Amorim needing to exclude him from his starting eleven.

Shaw and Zirkzee are certainly nowhere near the levels the club need if they are to be successful in the Premier League, with the hierarchy needing to offload them to free up funds in January.

Related Not just Zirkzee: Man Utd man who was among the 'world's best' must be axed

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Posts ByRobbie Walls Nov 25, 2025

The New York Yankees solidified the back end of their bullpen for 2025 with the acquisition of closer Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers earlier this month.

Williams, who has established himself as one of the best relief pitchers in the game, was excited about the trade to the Yankees, but said heading to New York was never on his radar.

"To be honest, I didn't really think so," Williams said, when he was asked if he thought being traded to the Yankees was a possibility. "I thought…I kinda thought I would be going to L.A. [Dodgers]. That's what I was being told and you know, the Yankees snuck in there under the table and got the deal done."

Williams was traded to the Yankees on Dec. 13 in a package that included pitcher Nestor Cortes, second baseman Caleb Durbin and cash considerations heading to the Brewers.

What the Yankees got was a premier reliever, who in a shortened season coming off a stress fracture in his back, posted a 1.25 ERA with 38 strikeouts and 14 saves over 21.2 innings pitched in 2024.

When healthy, the 30-year-old Williams is one of the most reliable bullpen arms in the sport, and will certainly solidify the New York bullpen next season.

أعلن جاتوزو مدرب منتخب إيطاليا عن قائمة الأزوري التي تستعد لمواجهتي مولدوفا والنرويج في تصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026.

وشملت القائمة استدعاء لأول مرة لكل من إيليا كابريلي وأليساندرو بونجيورنو وصامويل ريتشي والذين يعودون للمنتخب بعد غيابهم منذ مارس ويونيو 2025.

وغاب فيدريكو كييزا نجم ليفربول عن قائمة إيطاليا ونيكولو زانيولو أيضاً رغم أدائه الجيد مع أودينيزي، وعبر الحساب الرسمي لمنتخب إيطاليا ضمت القائمة العديد من الأسماء الأخرى.

أقرأ أيضاً.. سلوت يعلن خبرًا سارًا لجماهير ليفربول.. ويصرّح: سنكرر أداء مباراة ريال مدريد أمام مانشستر سيتي في حالة واحدة قائمة إيطاليا في التوقف الدولي القادم:

📋💙 La lista dei 27 convocati del Ct Gennaro Gattuso per le prossime sfide di qualificazione al Mondiale contro Moldova e Norvegia 🙌🏻 #Nazionale 🇮🇹 #Azzurri #VivoAzzurro pic.twitter.com/xH7EytJhdj — Nazionale Italiana ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Azzurri) November 7, 2025

في حراسة المرمى: كابريلي- كارنيسكي- دوناروما – فيكاريو

خط الدفاع: باستوني- بيلانوفا- بونجيورنو- كالافيوري- كامبياسو- دي لورينزو- دي ماركو- جابيا – مانشيني

خط الوسط: باريلا- كريستانتي- فراتيسي- لوكاتيلي- ريتشي- تونالي

خط الهجوم: إسبوزيتو- كين- أورسوليني- بوليتانو- راسبادوري- ريتيجي- سكاماكا- زاكاني.

Chelsea returned to winning ways on Wednesday, but they made hard work of their victory at Wolves. Goals from Andrey Santos, Tyrique George, Estevao Willian and Jamie Gittens saw the Blues claim a narrow 4-3 win in the Midlands to book their place in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.

Enzo Maresca named a much-changed side for the game at Molineux with the likes of Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez and Reece James starting from the bench, but the visitors raced into a three-goal lead in he first half, though they also benefited from some poor defending by the home side.

Tosin Arokodare and David Moller Wolfe (twice) netted for Wolves after the restart while Liam Delap was sent off to set up a nervy finish, but it was too little, too late for Vitor Pereira's side as they fell to a third successive defeat to amp up the pressure on the Portuguese boss.

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Molineux…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Filip Jorgensen (5/10):

  Saw little action in the first half but conceded three of the four shots he faced.

  Malo Gusto (7/10):

  Got forward well down the right, but was out of position for Wolves' first goal before coming off after an hour.

  Josh Acheampong (4/10):

  After a solid first half, was caught ball watching for Arokodare's strike just minutes after the restart.

  Tosin Adarabioyo (5/10):

  Hardly the most convincing performance from Chelsea's most experienced player.

  Jorrel Hato (6/10):

  Shifted to centre-back on the hour mark. Largely unfazed despite sustained second half pressure by Wolves.

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  Midfield

  Romeo Lavia (5/10):

  At fault for Arokodare's goal and was withdrawn on the hour mark.

  Andrey Santos (8/10):

  Settled some early Chelsea nerves with the opening goal. Pressed Lopez brilliantly to set up Estevao's first-half goal, too.

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  Attack

  Estevao Willian (7/10):

  Carded midway through the first half but made amends with a fine dink over Jose Sa shortly before the break. Taken off after an hour.

  Facundo Buonanotte (6/10):

  While the Chelsea attack clicked, Buonanotte struggled to gain a foothold.

  Jamie Gittens (9/10):

  Provided the assist for Santos' early opener and added a second having turned provider for George 10 minutes later. Scored Chelsea's fourth with a stunning strike to seal victory.

  Tyrique George (7/10):

  Doubled Chelsea's advantage in the 15th minute having been picked out by Gittens. Should have added a second minutes later.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Subs & Manager

  Marc Cucurella (6/10):

  Made a couple of crucial clearances late on after Chelsea had been reduced to 10 men.

  Enzo Fernandez (5/10):

  Introduced to settled nerves but struggled to get a foothold in the game.

  Liam Delap (2/10):

  Made his first appearance since August. Failed to track Wolfe's run for Wolves' second before receiving his marching orders.

  Pedro Neto (5/10):

  Did little of note at his old stomping ground.

  Moises Caicedo (N/A):

  Brought on with five minutes to play.

  Enzo Maresca (5/10):

  He called for consistency after the Sunderland defeat, and while he isn't helped by an inexperienced squad, the Italian struggled with his game management.

While Arsenal fans will have to wait another week to watch their team again, they did get to see Bukayo Saka shine on the international stage again on Thursday.

The Hale End icon started for England in a friendly against Wales, and made it quite clear that the right-wing position is his for club and country.

The Welsh could not handle him at all, and just 20 minutes into the game, he scored a sensational curling effort that was the best strike on the night.

Saka will undoubtedly have a significant role to play for England at the World Cup next year, but there is another Arsenal gem who could go on to be an even bigger national team star in the years to come.

The Arsenal players who could be at the World Cup

Sticking with Saka for a moment, and so long as he remains fit, it’s almost impossible to imagine England’s World Cup squad without him being in it next summer.

The 24-year-old has twice been named the nation’s Player of the Year, has already amassed 45 caps, in which he’s scored 21 goal involvements, and Thursday was just a reminder of how influential he can be at this level.

With that said, there will likely be a handful of Arsenal players who make it on the plane next year, chief among them being Declan Rice.

The £105m man won his 69th cap against Wales, and more crucially, wore the captain’s armband in Harry Kane’s absence.

Therefore, so long as he remains fit and keeps up his brilliant form for the rest of the season, he should not only be on the plane to Mexico, Canada and the USA, but in the starting lineup for every game.

Someone who should have little concern about making it on the plane, but whose place in the lineup is not guaranteed, is Eberechi Eze.

The former Crystal Palace star has just 13 senior caps to his name, but has become a constant in squads over the last couple of years and offers something from the middle of the park and out wide.

The final player from Mikel Arteta’s side who stands a realistic chance of making it to the World Cup, but could still miss out if he doesn’t start getting more gametime, is Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Thomas Tuchel has made it abundantly clear he rates the youngster, giving him his first start, in which he scored. However, with Riccardo Calafiori, the current first choice at the Emirates, he could see his place with the Three Lions going to someone else.

With all that said, there is another Arsenal gem who almost certainly won’t be going to the World Cup, but may well become one of England’s biggest stars in a few years.

The Arsenal gem destined to become an England superstar

Now, with all the players already mentioned, some of you might be thinking the gem in question is Ethan Nwaneri, and while he might also become a star for the national team, it’s not him.

Chalkboard

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

Instead, the Arsenal gem who seems destined to become a superstar for England is, of course, Max Dowman.

The 15-year-old is one of the most talked-about academy prospects in the game right now, and for very good reason.

It feels more like a matter of when, not if, he’s starting week in, week out, in the Premier League and Champions League.

After all, while this all sounds somewhat hyperbolic, respected talent scout Jacek Kulig described the teenage gem as the “most exciting prospect” he had seen “since Lamine Yamal”, which is really saying something considering the Spaniard just finished second in the Ballon d’Or at 18 years old.

Appearances

23

Minutes

1945′

Goals

19

Assists

5

Goal Involvements per Match

1.04

Minutes per Goal Involvement

81.04′

It’s an opinion that doesn’t look too crazy when looking back at the youngster’s numbers from last season, either, as in 23 appearances, totalling 1945 minutes, he scored 19 times and provided five assists, which comes out to an average of 1.04 goal involvements per match, or one every 81.04 minutes.

Moreover, despite still being only 15 years old, the Chelmsford-born dynamo is already playing for England’s U19 side, having made three appearances and provided one assist.

During his time with the U17s, he scored five goals and provided three assists in 16 appearances, totalling 953 minutes.

Finally, if the incredible prospect had only played junior football up until this point, there would be an argument that everyone is getting a bit carried away. However, he has now played for the Gunners’ first team and looked brilliant.

For example, he won a penalty against Newcastle United in pre-season and then against Leeds United in the league a month later, which led to analyst Ben Mattinson claiming he “hasn’t even done his GCSE’s but he’s humiliating Premier League players.”

Ultimately, it might take a couple of years before he has a proper go in the senior side, but with how well he’s playing this year and with what those in the know are saying, there is every chance Dowman can become Arsenal’s greatest ever England player.

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