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The pair took two wickets apiece to restrict Brave to 115 for 6 in the final at Lord’s

Valkerie Baynes31-Aug-2025

Northern Superchargers rode their momentum to a maiden Women’s Hundred title with a convincing seven-wicket victory over Southern Brave.Two wickets apiece to Kate Cross and Annabel Sutherland, followed by an unbroken 60-run partnership between Sutherland and Nicola Carey allowed Superchargers to pass a target of 116 with 12 balls to spare and reverse the result of the 2023 final before a record crowd for the women’s competition of 22,542 at Lord’s.Ten days after her “savage” omission from England’s World Cup squad, seam-bowling stalwart Cross blew the game open with two wickets in as many balls which left Brave reeling at 28 for 2.Sutherland removed Freya Kemp and Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Brave’s highest run-scorers for the match with 26 and 25 respectively, to restrict them to 115 for 6.Carey and Sutherland remained not out 35 and 28 respectively after their fellow Australian Phoebe Litchfield’s 13-ball 26 had set the run-chase alight following the early loss of Davina Perrin, a centurion in the eliminator, and Alice Davidson-Richards.Brave now have just one trophy to show for four final appearances in the Hundred’s five-year history and, despite entering Sunday’s match unbeaten in 2025, they never really got their innings going after being sent in to bat.After a sluggish start in which the first 19 balls yielded just 15 runs, they looked to break the shackles as Maia Bouchier launched Sutherland for six over deep square leg, followed by Wyatt-Hodge’s 86m effort off Cross over long-on. But then Bouchier picked out Hollie Armitage, stationed at extra cover, and Cross bowled Laura Wolvaardt for a first-ball duck.Sophie Devine, whose bowling had earned her four Player-of-the-Match awards through the tournament, never looked settled at the crease and when Sutherland beat Wyatt-Hodge with a length ball that jagged in, Kemp took charge of a 47-run stand with Devine. Were it not for Kemp’s 16-ball knock, Brave’s total could have looked even more sub-par, although they needed more from her.Devine’s laboured stay of 23 off 28 balls ended when Lucy Higham had her caught by Litchfield at deep extra cover and Kemp followed, skying Sutherland high in the air over midwicket so that Carey had plenty of time to run in and await the catch.With the dot balls mounting – Superchargers sent down 42 in all – Brave captain Georgia Adams panicked into a non-existent single off Cross, who had plenty of time to toss the ball to keeper Bess Heath, the bails whipped off with Adams well short of her crease after being sent back by Chloe Tryon.With Tryon struggling to pick gaps in the field, Mady Villiers offered an 11-ball cameo 17 not out but she ran out of time to have a decisive impact.Perrin was unable to reprise her starring role of 24 hours earlier, managing just 17 after her 42-ball century had led Superchargers into the final.Kate Cross wheels away in celebration•Julian Finney/Getty Images

Kemp dropped a straightforward chance at deep midwicket to remove Alice Davidson-Richards on 6 but Devine covered the mistake two balls later when she removed the dangerous Perrin, holing out to Boucher at long-on.Litchfield unleashed with four off the last ball of Devine’s set followed immediately with 4, 4, 6 off Villiers. But Villiers responded with the wicket of Davidson-Richards, who attempted a reverse paddle only to see the ball bounce off wicketkeeper Rhianna Southby’s pad for a stumping.Litchfield had faced just five balls for 19 runs at that point but, after a 15-minute stoppage for an unexpected sun shower, she faced just two more deliveries as Tryon entered the attack and had Litchfield out to a mis-timed sweep collected by Lauren Bell at short backward square.Tryon could have had Carey out lbw next ball but Brave chose not to review, and Bell was luckless when she clipped the top of Sutherland’s pad and the ball struck the bails, which remained in place despite the wicket lighting up. It was the first time Bell had gone wicketless in a match this season.That left Superchargers needing 16 off the last 20 balls and Carey and Sutherland made light work of their task, taking 10 runs off Villiers’ set of five and Sutherland sealed victory with a six off Adams.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has taken a fresh swipe at Mohamed Salah ahead of the team's Champions League clash with Inter at San Siro on Tuesday evening. Salah has been left out of the squad for the game in Milan following his critical comments after Saturday's draw with Leeds, and his future at the club remains in doubt. Carragher has already branded Salah a "disgrace" for his outburst and has now followed that up with a fresh post on social media.

• Salah in the spotlight amid Liverpool struggles

  Salah vented his frustrations at Liverpool after being left out of the starting XI by Arne Slot for the third straight match against Leeds last time out. The 33-year-old Egypt international, who has scored 250 goals in 420 Liverpool appearances, claimed he had been "thrown under the bus" at Anfield and alleged someone at the club wants him out. Salah also claimed his relationship with head coach Slot had broken down. His comments shocked the football world and drew a critical response from Carragher who dubbed Salah a "disgrace" and claimed his comments were designed to "cause maximum damage and strengthen his own position." Slot has responded by admitting he has "no clue" if Salah will play for the club again and subsequently left him out of the squad travelling to Italy for their Champions League match.

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• Carragher takes fresh swipe at Salah

  Salah has posted an image on social media on Tuesday of himself training alone in the gym at Liverpool while his team-mates are in Milan preparing for their Champions League match without their talisman. Carragher has reacted to the post by responding: "I'm not sure I've wanted Liverpool to win a game more than tonight for a long time! Come you mighty reds."

• Will Salah play for Liverpool again?

  While Salah will play no part against Inter, it's still not clear if he will feature for the Reds again. Slot's side are in Premier League action on Sunday against Brighton, a fixture which will be Salah's last before he is due to link up with the Egypt squad for the Africa Cup of Nations. The Liverpool boss has been asked if Salah will feature against the Seagulls but was coy in his response. He told : "We are here for the Inter game. And I think you can understand that the last two days were already a lot. A lot of things going on, after conceding in the last minute against Leeds. Not for the first time this season. Then what happened afterwards. So I think you can understand that my full focus is now on Inter Milan, and we will see what the future is."

  Slot was quizzed further on the saga with Salah and added only: "No, far from ideal. Not good for anyone. First of all, not for the club, not for the team, not for him as well. So, far from ideal, but, yeah, we reacted in the way we did not to take him here. And that tells you what we felt about his comments."

  The drama has brought a fresh wave of speculation about Salah's future, with Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal reportedly willing to sign the forward in the January transfer window if he does decide to move on from Liverpool.

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  Liverpool face tough task in Italy

  Liverpool must now focus on their clash with Inter and what promises to be tough match against the Serie A giants. The Nerazzurri, who reached last season's Champions League final, head into the game with four wins from their opening five matches in the competition and are also currently sitting in third place in the Serie A table. The Reds were humbled 4-1 last time out in the competition at home to PSV and know another poor result will pile more pressure on Slot during what's fast become a nightmare second season at Anfield for the Dutchman.

New Zealand scrambled to a tense two-wicket victory in Wellington to seal a 3-0 sweep of the ODIs after England’s top-order was filleted once again. Jamie Overton slammed 68 off 62 from No. 8 to help England make a game of it but the armchair Ashes critics were given plenty more ammunition by another misfiring display before they hop across the Tasman.It had appeared New Zealand would get the job done in routine fashion, as Daryl Mitchell anchored their chase of 223. But from 188 for 5 they slid to 196 for 8, with Mitchell the eighth man out for 44, edging Sam Curran behind. With more than 10 overs still to be bowled, however, there was time enough for Blair Tickner and Zak Foulkes to tick off the runs required in an unbroken ninth-wicket stand.Related

• 'Boult-ish' Foulkes is adding breadth to New Zealand's pace depth

• McCullum: 'No excuses come Australia' after historically poor NZ campaign

• Tickner makes sparkling international return to lead New Zealand to series win

• England out of answers as ODI rot extends for another series

• Ravindra's journey to the top: from copying Sachin, to chants of Rachin

Tickner had earlier claimed his second consecutive four-wicket haul after new-ball pair Jacob Duffy and Foulkes had knocked over the England top five inside 10.1 overs.New Zealand’s chase was given a solid start by a 78-run opening stand between Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra. The run-out of Conway backing up – one of two such dismissals in the innings – triggered a mini-collapse, with three wickets falling in as many overs, but Mitchell once again provided the steady hand in another small chase, following up scores of 78 not out in Mount Maunganui and 56 not out in Hamilton.Conway had replaced Kane Williamson, absent with a groin niggle, and endured some testing moments against Jofra Archer, who regularly touched 90mph/145kph during his opening spell. A checked drive for six over extra cover got him going, while Ravindra eased into gear with a series of boundaries off Brydon Carse. When Archer switched ends for the final powerplay over and saw it disappear for 24, New Zealand were 64 for 0 and coasting.The stand was broken by a moment of fortune for England, with Overton again the catalyst as he attempted to field a drive from Ravindra only to see the ball deflect off his wrist, through his legs and into the non-striker’s stumps with Conway stranded. Ravindra was then bowled through the gate by Curran, before Overton ended Will Young’s unproductive series by having him caught behind off a steepling top edge.Devon Conway took on Jofra Archer•Getty Images

Tom Latham, remarkably, was also run out when failing to get his bat back after Carse this time redirected a Mitchell drive into the stumps at the other end. Adil Rashid, having been held back until the 30th over, then struck with his second ball as Michael Bracewell holed out to deep midwicket with New Zealand still requiring 76.Mitchell Santner struck two fours and two sixes in a breezy knock to bring victory in sight, but England kept chipping away. Santner holed out off Carse, Overton brought one back sharply to castle Nathan Smith, before Mitchell’s push at Curran left New Zealand having to scrap for the last few runs.In a series billed in some quarters as an extension of England’s Ashes warm-ups – as many as seven of this XI could play the first Test in Perth in three weeks’ time – the batting suffered another malfunction. Having already conceded the series, there was to be no revival in fortunes, despite showing fight until the very end at Sky Stadium.Inserted for the third game running, they plunged to 44 for 5 with none of the top four reaching double-figures. Two fifty stands – between Jos Buttler and Curran, then Overton and Carse – helped save face. Overton struck 10 fours and two sixes in his highest List A score, but the target for New Zealand still looked light.England had actually been in a worse position in the first ODI when falling to 33 for 5, only for Harry Brook’s incendiary 135 to give them a similar score to bowl at. Here Brook was caught at second slip looking to defend as England were again found wanting in ideal conditions for seam and swing.Foulkes continued his impressive maiden ODI series by striking with his fourth ball, Jamie Smith feathering a cut behind the ball after almost being bowled by an in-ducker – although it required DRS to detect the edge.Blair Ticker celebrates the wicket of Jos Buttler•Getty Images

Ben Duckett heaved Duffy into the boundary boards for a six in the third over, but Foulkes was at it again in his next, pinning Joe Root with an inswinger. Duckett then toe-ended a swipe off Duffy to mid-on and when Brook nicked a Duffy outswinger, England were 31 for 4 inside the powerplay.It meant that England set a world record for the fewest runs scored by a team’s top four batters (84) in an ODI series, where they batted at least three times.Buttler was lucky to survive another peach from Duffy first ball, while Jacob Bethell almost ran himself out looking for a non-existent single. Bethell became the first England batter into double-figures, but an impetuous slash at the first ball outside the powerplay saw him off, courtesy a flying catch from Mitchell at slip.With Duffy and Foulkes bowling unchanged through the first 14 overs, England had to retrench. Buttler then shifted through the gears against the change bowlers, as he and Curran brought up the fifty stand from 62 balls.Tickner broke through, a combination of pad and inside edge taking the ball on to Curran’s stumps. He then bowled Buttler in more emphatic fashion, nipping a full delivery inside an expansive drive to topple off stump.Overton had got off the mark with a pulled four, and his third scoring shot was a flat six that punched a hole in the low wall around the boundary. Carse joined the counterattack, hitting four towering sixes in 36 off 30 balls before top-edging a swipe at Tickner high into the covers. Archer managed a couple of boundaries before holing out to mid-on.By then Overton was motoring, back-to-back thumps off Tickner helping to raise a run-a-ball half-century – his first in List A cricket, coming off the back of a career-best 46 in the first ODI. England’s last-wicket yielded 36 runs, but again the top-order deficiencies proved decisive.

Victor Robles has apologized for the weekend incident where he threw a bat at a minor league pitcher after he was hit by another pitch while on a rehab assignment with the Seattle Mariners' Triple A Tacoma Rainiers. Robles returned from the IL last week after missing four months because of a dislocated shoulder suffered while crashing into the fence making a catch back in April.

Robles was hit twice in his first game back and again in his second game. By the time a pitch came up and in during the sixth game of the series against the Las Vegas Aviators on Sunday, Robles had had enough.

Late last night he posted an apology on Instagram.

Robles was released by the Washington Nationals in June 2024 and signed with the Mariners and appeared in 77 games for Seattle last season. He had started the first 10 games of the season for Seattle this year before he was injured.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has now approved a move for AC Milan winger Rafael Leao, with a huge opening bid in the works.

The Blues retain an interest in the left-winger despite signing both Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens in the summer transfer window, with the latter finally getting off the mark in front of goal in the 4-3 EFL Cup triumph against Wolverhampton Wanderers last week.

At 21-years-old, however, both the former Borussia Dortmund man and Garnacho are still in the infancy of their careers, with Paul Merson making it clear he believes the west Londoners need to bring in players with more experience.

The former Arsenal man said: “The team is too young. The oldest player there is 23, 24?”

“When you get a young team, you’re up and down, they have wingers who are very inconsistent. [Pedro] Neto on his day will be outstanding, the next minute…

“There’s no 7/10s all the way through, it’s either eight, nine or fives. They can’t win the Premier League like that.”

Chelsea making strong push to sign Rafael Leao

According to a report from Spain, Chelsea are now looking to bring in a forward with a lot more top-level experience, with it being revealed they are making a strong push to sign Leao, having emerged as frontrunners in the race for the winger’s signature.

Maresca has personally approved a move for the Portuguese forward, and the Blues would be willing to pay around €120m (£105m) to get a deal over the line, which could be enough to tempt the Italian club into a sale.

The 26-year-old is a priority target, having proven himself as one of the most dangerous attackers in Europe on his day, and the left-winger could be the cornerstone of Maresca’s project.

The Almada-born forward has been impressing in Italy for a number of years, having reached double figures for Serie A assists in each of the last four seasons.

Season

Serie A appearances

Assists

2021-22

34

10

2022-23

35

10

2023-24

34

10

2024-25

34

10

Having chipped in with a whopping 74 goals in 267 appearances for the Italian club, there is every sign the Portugal international could be capable of taking Maresca’s forward line to the next level.

Scout Ben Mattinson has also waxed lyrical about the AC Milan star in the past, singling him out for very high praise on X earlier this year.

Leao could be a top signing for Chelsea, but Maresca may have to offload one of his current wingers before signing him, given that the manager already has a plethora of options in attacking areas.

Rafael Leao has been named as one of the best wingers in the world The Best 15 Wingers in World Football Ranked (2025)

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ByCharlie Smith Nov 28, 2025

Elite central midfielders cost a pretty penny in the transfer market in the modern day, but Manchester United are trying to find their next top talent in such an area.

Over the years, the Red Devils have previously been home to numerous incredible talents, with Paul Scholes one of the best midfielders to ever play for the club.

The Englishman made a staggering total of 718 appearances for the club over a 19-year period, subsequently winning every major honour available in the 1990s and 2000s.

He was part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad that often dominated England’s top-flight, subsequently being a part of the squad that managed to win 11 Premier League titles.

However, in the present day, boss Ruben Amorim is yet to taste glory in the division, with the potential moves for numerous players potentially aiding his quest for success.

Man Utd ready big-money bid for new midfielder

Over the last couple of weeks, United have once again been labelled as one of the sides interested in a potential winter deal to land Brighton & Hove Albion star Carlos Baleba.

It’s been reported that Amorim’s men could look to revisit such a move in the months ahead, with Fabian Hurzeler’s side once again expected to demand a fee in the region of £100m.

However, the Red Devils are likely unwilling to fork out such a fee, especially after rejecting a move for the Cameroonian in the summer after a similar price tag was mooted.

He’s not the only midfielder currently in INEOS’ sights, as Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton has once again appeared on their radar over the last couple of days.

According to one Spanish outlet, Amorim’s men are set to make a €100m (£87m) offer to sign the 21-year-old when the winter window opens on January 1st.

It also states that the Eagles don’t want to part ways with their young talent, but could be forced to cash in if a bid of such a nature is to be made in the near future.

How Wharton compares to Caicedo

As previously mentioned, big money is currently being spent in the transfer market on midfield talent – with Moises Caicedo the best example of such a scenario in 2023.

The Ecuadorian international joined Chelsea for a reported £115m two years ago – a then English record – but it has since been broken by striker Alexander Isak.

However, such a deal now appears to be an excellent one despite the mammoth sum forked out for his signature, with the 24-year-old currently one of the best midfielders in Europe.

He was named as the Blues’ Player and Supporters Player of the Season for 2024/25, with clubs like United no doubt wishing they had their own version of the midfielder.

Whilst landing such a player would also cost a pretty penny, the Red Devils fans could get their wish of getting a similar calibre of player if they complete a move for Wharton.

The Englishman has been labelled as a similar player to Caicedo by FBref, with the Palace star even managing to outperform the Blues sensation in numerous key areas.

Wharton has registered more key passes and more passes into the final third per 90 to date, arguably making him a better ball-playing option at the base of the midfield.

How Wharton & Caicedo compare in the PL (25/26)

Statistics (per 90)

Wharton

Caicedo

Games played

13

12

Goals & assists

2

4

Progressive passes

5.9

5.7

Key passes

1.7

0.5

Clearances made

1.6

1.1

Tackles won

1.2

1.1

Take-on success

43%

31%

Recoveries made

5.8

5.6

Stats via FBref

Whilst being composed with the ball is key in Amorim’s system, the manager is desperately craving a dominant ball-winner who can sit and conduct the play in front of the backline.

The Palace star has demonstrated just that, even bettering the Chelsea star in that aspect, as seen by his higher tally of tackles won in the middle third of the pitch this campaign.

Wharton’s all-round dominance over the former English record addition is highlighted in his better take-on success rate and higher tally of recoveries made per 90 – which has led to one coach dubbing him the “best English midfielder since Scholes”. It sounds a stretch but given the numbers and clamour from many Three Lions supporters to see him alongside Declan Rice at next summer’s World Cup, it’s easy to see why that assessment has been made.

£87m may seem a mammoth sum for such a young talent, but it’s evident that the Englishman has bags of ability, but not to mention the potential to improve further in the years ahead.

If he can replicate such numbers at Old Trafford, he would certainly become a fan-favourite, potentially emulating Scholes in helping the club create new history in the Premier League.

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Ibrahima Konate has probably received more flak than any other Liverpool player this season, and understandably so, but he’s hardly the only member of Arne Slot’s squad who has been flattering to deceive.

Mohamed Salah is horribly out of sorts on the right flank; record signings Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak have both yet to produce even a portion of the world-class quality FSG paid for; even the skipper, Virgil van Dijk, has lacked his usual indomitability, with his leadership being questioned too.

It’s all gone a bit wrong for Slot and his team this season, so fragile and brittle, so susceptible to the physical side of the game.

The midfield have been limp and toothless, and after two campaigns of undeniable brilliance, Alexis Mac Allister looks a shadow of his finest self, and fans are questioning why.

Why Mac Allister is struggling for Liverpool

Mac Allister is a seasoned part of this Liverpool team now. A leader and among Slot’s most trusted lieutenants, he was instrumental in last season’s title-winning success, the perfect counterpoint to Ryan Gravenberch in his deep-lying berth.

But the 26-year-old has fallen off a proverbial cliff since the summer, almost unrecognisable in the middle of the park. Mac Allister looks sapped, leggy. This dynamic, creative, though-tackling midfielder has been relegated to the realm of the mundane, with one content creator even suggesting the Argentine looks like “looks like Fabinho’s season”.

This isn’t good, of course, and Slot may need to start turning toward some left-field solutions. Repetition without results is the first sign of madness – right? – so the Dutch head coach surely needs to rewire his engine room if things do not change for the better over the coming weeks.

Matches (starts)

35 (30)

11 (10)

Goals

5

0

Assists

5

2

Touches*

55.8

47.2

Accurate passes*

35.5 (87%)

31.5 (86%)

Key passes*

1.3

0.9

Dribbles*

0.5

0.1

Ball recoveries*

4.2

2.9

Tackles + interceptions*

3.3

1.5

Clearances*

0.8

0.8

Duels (won)*

4.9 (48%)

2.5 (44%)

Liverpool wouldn’t want to part with the South American star, who has been so impressive since joining from Brighton in 2023, but Slot may find that he has a central midfielder tearing away from the academy who might actually come to take Mac Allister’s spot for him.

He’s even been likened to former Manchester United superstar Paul Pogba.

The Liverpool teen who could replace Mac Allister

Pogba, who made his long-anticipated return to competitive football with AS Monaco last weekend, was once one of the most famous faces in the Premier League, having re-joined Manchester United from Juventus for a world-record £89m fee in 2016.

The Frenchman’s career has been one of ups and downs, but he undoubtedly boasts obscene amounts of natural ability, and in this, Liverpool are beginning to get excited given the likeness shared with Trey Nyoni.

Nyoni is only 18, but already he has featured eight times for Liverpool’s first team, making the bench on five separate occasions in the Premier League this season.

His long, limber frame and ability to use his physicality to tussle with stockier opponents are reminiscent of Pogba back in his earlier days, and the surpassing technical quality that has seen him ascend from academy level to the major stage is further evidence that Liverpool have got a gem on their hands.

Praised for his “simply exceptional” range of passing by journalist Lewis Bower, Nyoni is raw and unpolished but boasts such a staggering reservoir of natural gifts that he will surely reach the top of the game with care and focus on raising his physicality.

Analyst Ben Mattinson remarked last year that there is “so much resemblance” between the Les Bleus superstar and Nyoni’s own physical profile, and this could see him cement a starting berth at Liverpool in the coming years.

Given that he would be jockeying with Mac Allister for a berth, sporting director Richard Hughes may shimmy a few cogs around so that Nyoni’s rise coincides with the potential bumper sale of Liverpool’s midfield general.

In any case, this is a youngster with the potential to succeed at Liverpool, perhaps adding a flavour of Pogba’s powerful brilliance to Slot’s team down the line.

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Vasco e Criciúma se enfrentam, neste sábado (27), pela quarta rodada do Brasileirão, em São Januário, às 16h, com transmissão do Premiere (pay-per-view). O Cruz-Maltino aposta na volta para o Caldeirão para voltar a vencer. Já o Tigre vai em busca da sua primeira vitória no campeonato após dois empates.

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4ª rodada – Brasileirão

🗓️ Data e horário: sábado, 27 de abril de 2024, às 16h (de Brasília)
📍 Local: São Januário, no Rio de Janeiro (RJ)
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VASCO (Técnico: Ramón Diaz)
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CRICIÚMA (Técnico: Cláudio Tencati)
Alisson (Gustavo); Claudinho, Rodrigo, Walisson e Trauco; Meritão, Barreto e Marcelo Hermes; Éder, Marquinhos Gabriel e Bolasie (Felipe Vizeu).

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Sunderland have been riding the crest of a wave since returning to the Premier League from the Championship this summer, but the manner of Everton’s draw against the Black Cats on Monday evening has left supporters frustrated.

The Toffees took the lead in the first half and had applied the pressure on the Stadium of Light, yet to taste defeat this term and enjoying quite the resurgence.

In any case, this wasn’t good enough from David Moyes’ side, whose optimism and coherence were extinguished quickly after the interval, leaving the visitors rueing their slew of missed chances earlier.

Everton’s attacking concerns have gone beyond mere teething problems at the start of a new season. There might be a lack of inspiration in the team despite the quality of some of the players, but the struggles of the frontmen make up the crux of Moyes’ dilemma.

Everton's goalscoring problems

Everton have scored ten goals from as many Premier League matches this season. Last term, under Sean Dyche’s management, they had as many goals at the same stage.

Frustratingly, this tally should be higher, were Beto and Thierno Barry not suffering from some dismal form in front of goal, the centre-forwards having scored just one goal between them in the league this year.

Against Sunderland, Barry was given the nod instead of first-choice option Beto. However, the £27m summer recruit from Villarreal was unable to capitalise; the Frenchman showed off his movement and physicality, but a horror miss to put the Blues 2-0 up before the break came back to haunt them.

Clearly, it can’t go on like this. If Moyes hopes to avoid the perils of a relegation battle this season and instead lead Everton back into the ascendancy, it’s crucial that a solution is found.

To achieve this, the Scotsman might need to think outside the box.

The Everton star who could move to CF

It’s probably a good thing to remember how far Everton have come since the start of the year, when positivity had been pulled into a vacuum with Dyche at the helm and the Merseysiders altogether rudderless before the Friedkin Group replaced Farhad Moshiri at the head of the table.

Connecting these two eras is the positive thread that is Iliman Ndiaye, who joined the ranks at Goodison Park in 2024 after a tough spell in France with Marseille. The mercurial winger completed a £15m transfer.

The 25-year-old completed the 2024/25 campaign as Everton’s top scorer in all competitions with 11 goals, and he leads the way once again this term, his goal against Sunderland on Monday marking his fourth of the campaign – and across just ten Premier League outings at that.

Given that Ndiaye laid on an assist during the defeat at Liverpool too, we can observe that he has been directly involved in half of the club’s top-flight goals thus far, corroborating presenter Jamie O’Hara’s claim that he is “one of the best players in the Premier League”.

Ndiaye’s dynamism and ability to adapt set him apart. Sure, he’s got “magic in his boots”, according to Everton writer Lyndon Lloyd, but he’s also clinical and mechanical in his ball-striking when the need arises.

Indeed, Ndiaye is far and away Everton’s most potent goal threat. His strike against Sunderland proved – if anything needed proving – that he can dribble from any area of the pitch and shift onto either side and strike and score.

And in this, he could be the perfect option to slot in at number nine, thus keeping both Beto and Barry benched.

Attacking midfield

52

16 (5)

Centre-forward

49

10 (12)

Left winger

41

10 (1)

Right winger

17

4 (2)

As you will note from the table above, Ndiaye is no stranger to playing across the frontline. Invariably, he finds the back of the net, and it’s curious to note that his most statistically prolific performances have come from number nine.

And though he’s diminutive, thus suggesting that Moyes would need to devise a new attacking strategy, Ndiaye isn’t without his combative qualities. Indeed, Ndiaye has won 6.7 duels and made 2.5 tackles on average per Premier League game this season, as per Sofascore.

His progressiveness on the ball, in a central berth, could also play to the strengths of those such as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who nearly found Beto with a line-breaking pass against Sunderland and could benefit from a frontman who is more adept at running in behind.

After all, Ndiaye is one of the fastest and most dangerous carriers in the Premier League, actually ranking among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers across all of Europe for successful take-ons per 90 (FBref).

There is a potential solution here for Moyes, who might not be able to afford to persist with his struggling strikers until the January transfer window, when proposals for a new number nine are sure to be canvassed.

With Tyler Dibling and Dwight McNeil among those waiting in the wings, Everton must act and push Ndiaye into a more prominent role, maybe ratcheting up the creativity and sharpness in the final third by doing so.

Taking both Beto and Barry out of the firing line might be a fitting option for a side seeking to redress the frustrations of the supporters. Already, fans will point toward a number of missed chances this season that might have put the club in a higher position in the Premier League.

The Senegal international is clinical and dynamic, and he’s proven himself to be the talisman in the final third for an Everton team in need of another dimension.

9/10 Everton ace was "always struggling", now he's as undroppable as Ndiaye

David Moyes has rekindled the finer qualities of this Everton man.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 4, 2025

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.

Transfer Focus

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

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