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Manchester United wonderkid JJ Gabriel rubbed further salt into Liverpool’s wounds as he celebrated like Alexander Isak after netting a hat-trick in his side’s 7-0 thrashing of the Reds’ Under-18s on Saturday. The highly-rated 15-year-old enhanced his burgeoning reputation with a remarkable performance which helped Darren Fletcher’s youngsters move up to third in the U18 Premier League table.

Another miserable afternoon for Liverpool

Liverpool fans are having a tough time currently, with the first team struggling under Arne Slot after having slipped to a ninth defeat in 12 games last time out in the Champions League against PSV. There was more misery on Saturday afternoon as Liverpool's Under-18s came up against bitter rivals United and slumped to a 7-0 defeat at the AXA Training Centre in the Premier League.

AdvertisementGabriel enhances reputation with hat-trick

United forward Gabriel put in another eye-catching display with a clinical hat-trick. The teenager showed brilliant skill, twisting and turning in the box to make it 2-0 to the Red Devils. He then escaped more defenders with another goal for 3-0 and then ensured he went home with the match ball by finishing off a well-worked move to wrap up the scoring late on for United. Gabriel also managed to troll Liverpool's struggling big-money signing Isak by imitating his goal celebration. It's the sort of performance that will have United fans purring about their rising star, who appears to have a very bright future ahead of him.

Amorim to call on JJ Gabriel?

The teenager, who was born in London and has spent time at the academies of Arsenal, Chelsea, and West Ham, has been at United since 2022. In that time, he has impressed through the club's age groups, so much so that he took part in the Red Devils' first-team training last month. The youngster, who earned a sponsorship with Nike at the age of 11, is understood to have taken part in a full 11 vs 11 practice game. Perhaps he will get more chances to play with Ruben Amorim's side in 2026.

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Getty/GOALWhat next for Man Utd wonderkid?

Gabriel, who is still too young to even play in the FA Youth Cup, will hope to continue his excellent scoring form when United's U18s host Newcastle's U18s next Saturday in a game between third and second in the division, respectively.

And who has played the most Tests without ever taking a catch?

Steven Lynch19-Aug-2025Bob Simpson, who died recently, had a ten-year gap in his Test career – was this the longest for Australia, or indeed anybody? asked David McCormack from Australia

Bob Simpson, who sadly died last week at the age of 89, had played 52 Tests when he originally retired, aged only 31, after the 1967-68 Australian season. But he returned to captain them again in 1977-78, when several first-choice players were unavailable as they had joined Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket. Simpson was 41, but scored two centuries against India before captaining in the West Indies (which he had done before, in 1964-65). In all he played 62 Tests, scoring 4869 runs at 46.81. The highest of his ten centuries was his first, 311 against England at Old Trafford in 1964.There was a gap of nine years and 305 days between Simpson’s 52nd Test (against India in Sydney in January 1968) and his 53rd (also against India, in Brisbane in December 1977). That’s the longest such gap for Australia in Tests, but leaves him quite a way down the overall list.The offspinner John Traicos tops the list: he went 22 years 222 days between playing for South Africa in March 1970 and appearing in Zimbabwe’s inaugural Test, against India in Harare in October 1992. George Gunn of England and Pakistan’s Younis Ahmed both went more than 17 years between Test appearances.Simpson missed 71 Test matches during his absence, and lies third on that particular list for Australia, behind Brad Hogg and Tim Paine, who both missed 78. The overall list is headed by the England offspinner Gareth Batty, who was not selected in 142 successive Tests between June 2005 and October 2016.Who has played the most Test matches without ever taking a catch? And what’s the record for ODIs and T20Is? asked Zaheer Ahmed from the United States

I’ve answered this before, but not for a while I think, and it’s worth doing again as Zimbabwe’s Tendai Chatara has (possibly temporarily) joined four other men who have played ten Tests without ever taking a catch. The others are Australia’s Chuck Fleetwood-Smith, Imran Khan of Pakistan (the recent bowler, not the famous captain), India’s Abey Kuruvilla and Jayananda Warnaweera of Sri Lanka.In ODIs, the Pakistan seamer Ata-ur-Rehman played no fewer than 30 matches without ever holding on to a catch: he’s well clear of the next man, Zimbabwe’s Piet Rinke with 18.In T20 internationals, Chirag Suri of UAE has played 31 matches so far without taking a catch, while Hungary’s Ali Farasat has drawn a blank in 22. Australia’s Billy Stanlake has played 19 T20Is without a catch, as has Rwanda’s Yvan Mitari.For the women, Pakistan’s Sharmeen Khan played 26 ODIs without taking a catch and Jiska Howard of Netherlands 21. In T20Is, the Singapore offspinner Haresh Dhavina has so far played no fewer than 49 matches without a catch, and Harjivan Bhullar 43 for Austria.Has any captain ever done less than Mitchell Santner in the second Test against Zimbabwe? He only bowled one over and didn’t bat… at least he took a few catches! asked Christopher McKenna from New Zealand

I don’t suppose Mitchell Santner was too bothered by his slim pickings in Bulawayo, since his side won by an innings and he ended up with two wins out of two as captain! He wasn’t required to bat, bowled one over for four runs, but did take three catches.There are 18 instances of a captain not batting or bowling in a Test, most of them rain-affected matches – it includes successive games for England’s Arthur Carr during the 1926 Ashes, and rival captains Tom Lowry (New Zealand) and Harold Gilligan (England) in a soggy match in Auckland in February 1930. The previous two instances were both in 2023, by Ben Stokes for England against Ireland at Lord’s in June, and the injured Temba Bavuma for South Africa vs India in Centurion in December.There’s one other instance of a captain not batting but bowling just one over in the Test, by Jackie Grant in West Indies’ innings victory over England in Kingston in 1935.Ben Stokes neither batted nor bowled but did take one catch when he captained England to a ten-wicket win against Ireland at Lord’s in 2023•Gareth Copley/Getty ImagesOn his Test debut in 2019, George Linde scored the most runs in the match and also took the most wickets for South Africa. Has anyone else done this on debut? asked James King from South Africa

South Africa’s George Linde scored 37 and 27, and also took 4 for 133, on his debut against India in Ranchi in 2019.He was only the second man to make the most runs and take more wickets than any other team-mate on his Test debut, after Roger Blunt, who scored 52 runs and also took five wickets with his legbreaks against England in Christchurch in 1930, in New Zealand’s first-ever Test match.Two other players scored the most runs, and were the equal-top wicket-taker in their first Test: Tinashe Panyangara, with 50 runs (from No. 11) and three wickets for Zimbabwe against Sri Lanka in Harare in 2004 (Blessing Mahwire also took three wickets), and Alick Athanaze, who top-scored in both innings with 47 and 28 and also took a wicket for West Indies vs India in Roseau (Dominica) in 2023. Athanaze was one of five West Indian bowlers who took a solitary wicket in that match.As a follow-up to last week’s question about Brendan Taylor, did Zimbabwe have the oldest average age for any Test team? asked Anandh Subramanian from India

The team in Bulawayo was Zimbabwe’s oldest in a Test, with an average age of 32 years 111 days: apart from the nearly-40s, most of the others were relatively young. Zimbabwe’s previous-oldest team was against England at Trent Bridge earlier in the year, with an average age of 31 years 133 days (Taylor wasn’t in that one).Buit it’s a long way down the overall list of the oldest teams: there have actually been 156 XIs with a higher average age. The top four places are occupied by England in the four Tests in the West Indies in 1929-30, when their side included two 50-year-olds in Wilfred Rhodes (who was actually 52) and George Gunn, two fortysomethings in Nigel Haig and Patsy Hendren, and 39-year-old Andy Sandham, who scored Test cricket’s first triple-century in the final Test in Kingston, when the team’s average age was 37 years 188 days.The oldest in the current century was Australia’s team in the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s in June 2025, which had an average age of 33 years 156 days – only Cameron Green was under 30.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill has declared that the weight of expectation lies firmly on Italy’s shoulders as his young side prepare for a daunting 2026 World Cup play-off semi-final away to the four-time champions. The March showdown in Italy on 26 March will mark the first step on what could be a remarkable path back to football’s grandest stage for both nations.Should Northern Ireland conjure an upset, they will face either Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina five days later in a decisive, winner-takes-all play-off final for a coveted ticket to North America.

Two teams with ghosts of tournaments past

Italy’s recent record in World Cup qualifiers is nothing short of astonishing for a global heavyweight. They have missed the last two tournaments, Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, both exits sealed by devastating play-off defeats and the Azzurri have not reached the finals since Brazil 2014. Northern Ireland’s own wait is even longer, stretching almost 40 years, but O’Neill believes that his side’s recent away performances prove they should not be dismissed. Despite away losses in Germany and Slovakia during the group phase, O’Neill believes that his players showed the resilience and quality needed to trouble elite opposition.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportO'Neill ready to take the fight to Italy

Northern Ireland qualified for the play-offs through their Nations League ranking despite finishing behind Germany and Slovakia in their World Cup qualifying group.

However, an upbeat O'Neill told reporters: "It's difficult to win away in international football and that is something this team still has to develop, but I take a lot of encouragement from the performances in Cologne and Slovakia where we were challenged and were missing key players in those games. We still gave a really good account of ourselves and were in the game in Germany for 70, 75 minutes. We were in the game in Slovakia right to the end and felt a little bit aggrieved by the nature of that result."

O'Neill wants his troops to turn the pressure dial up on an Italian squad already grappling with expectation and scrutiny.

"We have to make the game as difficult as possible for Italy and it will be difficult for them with the expectation they carry into the game," he said. "If we can add to that with how we play the game and the level of our performance, then who knows. We have an opportunity to go to a World Cup and we have to do everything possible to try to take it. What I will say to them is 'don't waste the opportunity'."

O'Neill wary of task ahead

The looming possibility of a third consecutive World Cup absence is unthinkable for a nation with Italy’s pedigree. Their previous two failures came in the most painful manner imaginable, play-off losses to Sweden in 2018 and a shocking defeat to North Macedonia in 2022. But O’Neill believes it is vital for his squad to avoid becoming distracted by Italy’s anxieties.

"The Italian team of now is not going to be the Italian team of eight years ago," he said.

"Not all their players are going to carry the burden of having been unsuccessful in play-off games. As a nation, they carry that burden, and the expectation of their crowd will be that they go to a World Cup. They have won it four times and are one of the heavyweights of world football, but those things are out of our control and our focus will be on how we are."

O'Neill expects a passionate Italian side to take the pitch and added: "Italy away is going to be a massive game, a great game for us to be involved in. The expectation and pressure is very much on the Italians, so we will need to use that in our favour. I know they've lost home and away to Norway and the bulk of their squad is based in Serie A. Gattuso is their manager, so you will expect them not to be lacking in passion.

"We have four months to prepare for this and look at Italy in close detail, so the work will start today and tomorrow. I suppose we would have preferred one of the other teams in Pot One, but to get to the World Cup, you're going to have to beat two good teams."

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Getty Images SportA defining moment awaits both nations

Two countries with proud football histories now stand on the brink of either redemption or renewed despair. For O’Neill and his young squad, belief is growing. However, for Italy, the stakes could not be higher, as another failure to qualify for the World Cup would be a dark spot. Gattuso has won the golden trophy wearing a blue jersey, and now it remains to be seen if he can inspire them to the main event after more than a decade. 

The New Zealand captain paid tribute to the team’s coaches who had shown faith during a long run of defeats

Shashank Kishore21-Oct-20243:54

Kerr, Halliday deliver World Cup glory to NZ

Long after the remnants of golden confetti and firecrackers that added to New Zealand’s moment of glory had been cleaned up following their trophy presentation, Sophie Devine and her band of women strolled towards the centre of the Dubai International Stadium.Some players kissed the turf as a mark of respect, others simply lay flat on their backs, arms spread out and eyes closed, soaking in the euphoria with the quiet calm of an empty stadium helping them connect with their inner sanctum.Then there were happy phone calls made back home to families who must’ve either stayed up all night or woken up early to watch them play. Melie Kerr played a Kiwi folk song on her guitar, Suzie Bates called for a huddle and made a rousing speech that was applauded wildly, Lea Tahuhu, with a trophy in one hand, a chilled beer in another, was showing off some funky dance moves, while Devine led the singing of their team song.Related

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The joyous mood was a reflection of how it was when New Zealand arrived at the ground for the final. Even if there was pressure, you couldn’t quite tell. Their first act upon entering the arena was to huddle near the boundary with Devine taking out a piece of paper and reading out from it to peels of frenzied laughter and back-slapping.”Well, we have a bit of a tradition before the start of each warm-up, someone gets nominated to do a joke of the day,” Devine revealed later, about their ritual. “I was in charge of a joke, but I had a number of them, but I’m not sure if I can repeat any of them unfortunately. We’ll keep it PG, but it’s just a nice way to lighten the mood and have a bit of a laugh before we get stuck into business.”Only last month, they were thrashed 3-0 by Australia to take their winless sequence to 10 matches. The top order looked wonky and was far too dependent on Kerr and Devine for bailouts that merely kept them in the game. They scrapped to stay alive, picking players on potential, and prayed they would come good.They landed in UAE as rank outsiders, not even dark horses, fully knowing their first match against India could make or break their campaign. It turns out they’d been preparing for it from a year out. The only bit of attention to detail they couldn’t account for was the change in venue. They’d been preparing to play amid tea gardens in Sylhet but ended up plotting India’s downfall around Dubai’s ring of fire.They laid down the marker right there, hitting 160 and using every bit of intel, like Devine’s knowledge of Smriti Mandhana’s propensity to step out to spin, having played with her at Royal Challengers Bengaluru. And then using that intel to set fields to target that weakness, like having a wide long-off and having her caught there inside the powerplay.That win should’ve galvanized them; instead, they were given jolted by Australia in their second game. From there, they went on a roll, gathering unstoppable momentum to beat Sri Lanka, Pakistan and West Indies coming into Sunday’s final, where they went hard from get go, allowing no respite to the South African bowlers.Sophie Devine poses with the T20 World Cup trophy•ICC/Getty ImagesIn this journey of 18 months, mostly comprising new lows they kept plummeting to, like a 3-0 sweep in Australia or going through an entire summer in England without a win, Devine and co fed off crumbs of comfort. Like the satisfaction of bowling out Australia in the second T20I, even though they couldn’t chase it down. Or Georgia Plimmer, a teenage sensation, hitting her first fifty after averaging under 10 in her first year in T20Is.”It’s really hard to pinpoint one moment or one game,” Devine said when asked about the turning point in their journey between the end of the previous T20 World Cup to this one. “Probably most recently is that India game, though. I think that was probably the most complete performance we’ve had since the World Cup in South Africa and everything did come together.”As I said, it showed that belief and confidence in this group, and to put it together and to know that we could do it, I think was a massive moment for us and helped us on our journey to being here tonight with this [trophy] in front of us.

The New Zealand team having a nice sit down pitch side with the World Cup trophy and some chilled beverages pic.twitter.com/vBRnOMjLxb

— Shashank Kishore (@captainshanky) October 20, 2024

“So hard to pinpoint because there’s so much that goes into it. I mean everyone thinks about the games, but it’s the work that goes on behind the scenes that a lot of people don’t see. But, yeah, I think if you’re talking about performances, that India one probably set the tone for us.”When Devine was crestfallen after a semi-final loss to New Zealand in 2016, she’d candidly reflected on how “not winning a World Cup trophy” despite having come close twice until then gave her sleepless nights. Now, sitting beside one, with a grin that didn’t leave her face from start to finish as she patiently answered questions, Devine doffed her hat to the coaching staff in her moment of glory.”Oh, I think the coaching staff don’t get enough credit,” Devine said. “They’re probably the first ones to get absolutely slammed by critics, media, outsiders, and they get forgotten when a team wins, but they have been outstanding. They’ve stood with every single one of us players and backed us and believed in us, given us the confidence to know that when we play our best, when we play the brand of cricket that we want to, you can win World Cups.”So, the likes of Ben Sawyer [head coach], Dean Brownlie [assistant coach] as well as Craig McMillan [batting coach] who’s recently on board, Paul Wiseman [spin consultant], but I also think back to Craig Howard who had a really important role with the spinners previous to that. I think about Andre Adams [former bowling coach] and his impact around the group.Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine and Lea Tahuhu celebrate New Zealand’s T20 World Cup win•ICC/Getty Images”There’s been so many people that have come into our environment and have added to it and have helped this team grow that to be able to, I guess, sit here with a World Cup trophy, it goes to them as well and everything that they’ve been able to give to the players, to the group, to New Zealand cricket.”I think so much has to go to them. Obviously, we’re the ones that do it out on the park, but the hours that they spend toiling away, planning, preparing players, Yeah, they really are the unsung heroes and so much credit has to go to them.”Devine’s sense of humour was also perfectly intact when asked what it meant to the people of New Zealand. “Yeah, great question,” she laughed. “I don’t know how much it means because, well, firstly it’s about 5am in the morning back in New Zealand, but I think the impact is going to take a bit of time to sink in.”We’ve spoken about it before, the 2000 World Cup [Cricinfo women’s World Cup, won by New Zealand] and the impact that had and that took years to see the numbers swell and the interest in cricket grow, and fingers crossed we can do that too back home as inspire that next generation of players.”But I think the great thing about being a Kiwi is we all get in behind each other. It doesn’t matter what sport you play. I think the amount of support we’ve had from fellow athletes, from members of the public, from celebrities, it’s been pretty cool to have that support and it does, it just shows you how connected New Zealand is and makes you really proud to be a Kiwi.”

Dominique Janssen's sublime free-kick allowed Manchester United to avoid a first-ever three-game losing streak in the Women's Super League on Sunday, with a hard-fought and important 2-1 win over West Ham seeing them bounce back from losses to Aston Villa and Man City. The Red Devils, who have lost significant ground in the title race over the last few weeks, needed to get back on track here and they did exactly that, despite Shekiera Martinez's stunning overhead kick getting the Hammers back on level terms for a while in the second half.

Back on home soil, United started this game well, creating chances aplenty from the get-go, but they found West Ham goalkeeper Kinga Szemik in fine form, with the Poland international making a flurry of strong stops to keep the scores goalless for as long as possible. It felt like it was going to take something special to break the deadlock and, fortunately for the hosts, Anna Sandberg delivered, firing in a perfect cross that put the ball on a plate for Elisabeth Terland, who easily converted her 10th goal of the season.

West Ham, however, didn't lose hope. Martinez miscued her attempt when on the end of a great chance just before half time to level the scores but she made amends shortly after the restart when she looped a remarkable overhead kick up and over the returning Phallon Tullis-Joyce to get her side back on level terms. United, though, showed similar resilience and produced an encouraging response, with Julia Zigiotti Olme hitting the post and Melvine Malard heading over the bar before Janssen's brilliantly executed free-kick, which secured all three points for the Red Devils and allowed them to leapfrog Arsenal back into third in the WSL table.

GOAL rates Man Utd's players from Leigh Sports Village…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Phallon Tullis-Joyce (6/10):

Showed a few moments of rust on her return from injury, after missing the last three weeks due to a fractured eye socket, but was generally solid despite adjusting to playing in a mask.

Jayde Riviere (7/10):

Showed plenty of endeavour up and down the right, delivering some great crosses to create chances.

Maya Le Tissier (7/10):

Carrying plenty of confidence into this game from a positive England camp, this was another strong display from the United captain, who helped nullify the lively Martinez.

Dominique Janssen (8/10):

Produced a moment of brilliance to win the game, capping off a good defensive performance with that attacking quality.

Anna Sandberg (8/10):

Another excellent display from one of United's best players this season. Her cross for Terland's goal was sublime.

AdvertisementMidfield

Julia Zigiotti Olme (7/10):

A lively and effective performance in midfield, with her pressing, passing and movement all making her a tough opponent to deal with.

Hinata Miyazawa (7/10):

Superb in possession while holding things down in the deeper midfield areas so that Zigiotti could roam.

Ella Toone (7/10):

A tidy display in which she was so often involved in United's best passing moves.

Getty ImagesAttack

Jess Park (6/10):

Had a lively game down the right but did lack the end product she normally produces, with only one notable chance created.

Elisabeth Terland (7/10):

In the right place at the right time to break the deadlock, though could've scored a couple more with the opportunities she had.

Melvine Malard (6/10):

Movement was great but she was surprisingly wayward with her finishing, considering the form she has been in. Should've got on the scoresheet at least once.

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Subs & Manager

Hannah Blundell (N/A):

Gave Riviere a breather for the final 10 minutes or so.

Simi Awujo (N/A):

Injected fresh energy into the midfield for the closing stages.

Fridolina Rolfo (N/A):

Another late sub who helped United see the win out.

Marc Skinner (7/10):

Put out a team that created chances aplenty and trusted in that XI to get the job done, not making subs to disrupt the flow of the game just because United hadn't got themselves into the commanding lead that they could have.

Thomas Frank’s appointment at Tottenham Hotspur has seen a new era begin at the football club, with the Dane tasked with taking the side to the next level under his guidance.

The 52-year-old has already formed numerous impressive partnerships across the first-team squad, with centre-backs Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero nailing their places down as regular starters.

The duo have started all but three league games together in 2025/26, with the pair no doubt playing a crucial role in the Lilywhites’ away record – which is the joint-best in the division at present.

Spurs’ latest fixture against PSG saw Frank unleash a midfield duo of Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray, an opportunity which both players took full advantage of, potentially making them the manager’s long-term pairing at the heart of the side.

However, the Dane will no doubt be wishing that he could rely upon a couple of players who set the Premier League alight during their period together in North London.

The success of Kane & Son’s partnership at Spurs

Back in the summer of 2015, Spurs completed the £23m signature of winger Heung-min Son from Bayer Leverkusen – subsequently arriving as an unknown quantity to many supporters.

Such a move came at around the same time as academy striker Harry Kane was making his mark in the first-team ranks after various loan spells across the Football League.

However, not many people could have foreseen the impact they would have alongside one another, with such a partnership being one of, if not, the best, in England’s top-flight.

The pair linked up for 47 goals between one another – the most of any duo in the division’s history – with many of which handing the fans memories to last a lifetime.

A two-year spell between 2020 and 2022 was by far and away their most successful, as the duo linked up on 21 separate occasions for goals – a simply staggering feat.

One game will no doubt stand out, as Kane registered all four assists for Son in the 5-2 demolition of Southampton back in 2020/21 – with such a record putting the Englishman joint-top for most assists in a single English league game.

However, in 2025, Frank is unable to rely upon either of the aforementioned talents, with both moving on to pastures new over the last two years – undoubtedly leaving a huge hole in the Lilywhites’ attack.

The Spurs duo who are becoming Frank’s own Son & Kane

During his time as a manager, Frank has not been alien to iconic duos at the top end of the pitch, with the Dane fortunate to work with multiple elite attackers at Brentford.

In the Championship years and the first few seasons in the Premier League, he was able to rely upon the likes of Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo at the GTEC.

The pair scored 29 combined goals back in 2022/23, 11 goals shy of the tally produced by Kane and Son, but still managed to cement themselves as one of the division’s most threatening pairs.

In the present day, the Spurs boss has none of those players at his disposal in North London, but the Lilywhites hierarchy have handed him the opportunity to improve the options in his current squad.

He took full advantage during the summer window, splashing a reported £55m on the signature of winger Mohammed Kudus from fellow Premier League side West Ham United.

Such a fee will have raised eyebrows, but the Ghanaian international has already made an immediate impact in North London after his controversial transfer.

He’s already managed to register four assists in the Premier League to date, with such a tally putting him joint-top in the division alongside the likes of Jack Grealish and Yankuba Minteh.

The numbers produced by Kudus are similar to Son’s, leading to similarities being drawn due to their ability to create endless opportunities for their teammates in North London.

Their playstyles are also extremely similar, with both talents loving to take on their opponents, before cutting off their respective flanks and getting shots off on goal.

Games played

11

Goals & assists

5

Pass accuracy

87%

Successful crosses

1.8

Successful dribbles

3.3

Dribble success

48%

Chances created

1.5

Duels won

7.1

The other half of Frank’s duo at the top end of the pitch is made up by loanee Randal Kolo Muani, who joined the Lilywhites on a season-long loan from PSG.

The striker has often had to bide his time to regular minutes since his switch, as Richarlison has often been ahead of him in the pecking order, or he’s been sidelined with fitness issues.

However, his showing against his parent side on Wednesday night highlighted his impressive ability within the final third when given an opportunity to thrive.

The 26-year-old netted twice and registered an assist in the 5-3 defeat in the Champions League, but his clinical finishes certainly did show glimpses of what Kane produced in North London.

The pair, who earn a combined £300k-per-week at Spurs, will need time to gel and form a deadly partnership, but the early signs appear positive for the individuals.

If they can click together in the near future, there’s no reason why they can’t star together in the remainder of 2025/26 and potentially lead Frank to a successful first season at the helm.

Romero upgrade: Spurs "ready to make" £35m bid for "world-class" defender

Tottenham Hotspur look set to make a huge January move for a new centre-back.

1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 28, 2025

CA chief says approval has come through and players will join the league as scheduled

Andrew McGlashan25-Oct-2025

Pakistan players with deals in the BBL have been given approval to join the competition after concerns they would be caught up in the PCB’s refusal to issue No Objection Certificates for overseas tournaments.In late September, the PCB’s chief operating officer Sumair Ahmad Syed sent a notice informing players and agents of the board’s decision to stop players joining T20 leagues. However, on Saturday, Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg confirmed the Pakistan players would arrive for the BBL as scheduled.”That came through last week,” Greenberg said. “So they’ll all be playing, they’ve all been cleared to play, which we’re really excited about because we’ve got some great Pakistan players in the BBL, so looking forward to seeing them here this summer.”Babar Azam (Sydney Sixers), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Brisbane Heat), Hasan Ali (Adelaide Strikers), Mohammad Rizwan (Melbourne Renegades), Haris Rauf (Melbourne Stars) and Shadab Khan (Sydney Thunder) are those with deals for the tournament that begins on December 14 and runs to January 25.An eagerly anticipated head-to-head are the contests between Babar and Shaheen which will take place on January 5 and 18. The Pakistan players will also come up against R Ashwin when they face Sydney Thunder, while he and Shadab will be in the same squad.Related

R Ashwin to play entire season of BBL with Sydney Thunder

PCB suspends player NOCs for overseas T20 leagues

Thunder’s signing of Ashwin was a significant moment for the BBL with the deal becoming season-long after he was not bought at the ILT20 auction. It has prompted talk of whether more Indian players later in their careers will follow Ashwin’s path of retiring to explore overseas opportunities, with Virat Kohli’s name naturally high on the list even though he has given few clues about his future.”Short, medium term I think it is realistic over time,” Greenberg said of whether more Indian players could join the league. “We’re going to keep the dialogue open. I think that Ravichandran Ashwin coming is a really important moment for the BBL and it will highlight the strength of bringing Indian players into the league. What that manifests over time I think is to be seen. Some of that will depend on whether we take private capital into the BBL which is an open conversation for us at the moment.Cricket Australia is currently exploring the potential of private investment in the BBL with Greenberg and chair Mike Baird hopeful of progress being made by the end of the year although there remains some uncertainty of the best path forward among some states.”We should have aspirations to make sure the very best players, both here in Australia and globally, can play in the BBL,” Greenberg said. “That costs money because players have leverage and opportunity to play all over the world. That’s one of the primary drivers [for] why we would consider bringing private capital into the BBL so that we can compete on the global stage. We’re a small domestic market here, but we’re competing globally and to do that we’ve got to be the best version of ourselves.”A critical extension of that is keeping hold of the best Australian players. A report in newspapers earlier this month said that Pat Cummins and Travis Head had turned down A$10 million offers to sign long-term deals with one of the IPL franchises which has teams around the world.Greenberg did not have significant concerns about the current group of senior Australia players walking away but said that it could develop into a major issue for the next generation.”I think it’s a realistic concern for everybody that players have leverage and choice to ply their trade all over the place,” he said. “But I’d say this, though, every player I talk to, priority A is to play for their country…so that’s a really important marker.”But, and there’s a big but here, the next generation is really what I’m focused on. It’s not this current crop that I’m as concerned about as the next generation of players. We’ve got to make sure we find ways for them to stay in Australian cricket, still generate central contracts, still want to play for their country in the same way generations have and this current generation does.”Greenberg was speaking as CA launched a new cricket format at community level for the summer, with the six-a-side Smash Series designed to be played within 60 minutes. The format is viewed as an introductory level to the sport, with six-a-side games, players batting in pairs and the use of different types of softer balls.

Fulham are now considering a move for Brendan Rodgers as a replacement for Marco Silva, with their current manager being heavily tipped to join a rival Premier League club.

Silva is under pressure at Craven Cottage, as a result of his side’s poor start to the Premier League season, now sitting in 15th place and just one point above the relegation zone after the 2-0 defeat against Everton at the weekend.

The 48-year-old is the third longest-serving manager in the top flight, behind only Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola, having been in charge since July 2021, but his future is now in doubt, having been unwilling to commit to a contract extension.

Consequently, the club hierarchy may need to start thinking about replacements, and they are weighing up a move for a former Premier League manager…

Fulham considering Brendan Rodgers as Marco Silva replacement

According to 67 Hail Hail’s transfer correspondent Graeme Bailey, Fulham are now considering Rodgers as a replacement for Silva, with the Northern Irishman available after resigning from his role as Celtic manager last month.

Not only is the Portuguese manager at risk of being sacked, but he has also been heavily tipped to take over at Nottingham Forest in the future, given his relationship with controversial owner Evangelos Marinakis.

It is unclear whether the 52-year-old would be willing to make the move to Craven Cottage, but there are plenty of indications that he would be a solid long-term replacement for Silva.

In his most recent Premier League job, the Carnlough-born manager impressed considerably, with Gabriel Agbonlahor describing him as “world-class” courtesy of the work he did at Leicester City.

The ex-Leicester boss led the Foxes to FA Cup glory in the 2020-21 campaign, which he followed up with a victory in the Community Shield ahead of the following season.

The former Celtic manager also knows what it takes to win, having led the Hoops to 11 trophies during his two stints at Parkhead, winning two trebles on the spin across the 2016-17 and 2017-18 campaigns.

Silva has arguably taken Fulham as far as he can, given their performances this season, and Rodgers has proven he could be an excellent replacement.

Every current Premier League manager has been ranked by Football FanCast

Every current manager in the 2025/26 Premier League ranked

Every current Premier League boss ranked from best to worst.

By
Charlie Smith

Nov 8, 2025

Aitor Karanka, sporting director of the Spanish football federation (RFEF), assured that there were no tensions between the organisation and Barcelona following Lamine Yamal's shock exit from the Spain squad on Tuesday. Karanka quashed any speculation suggesting further bad blood between the two entities, claiming that the communication with the Catalans is "fantastic."

Spain and Luis de la Fuente shocked by Yamal exit

The Spanish national team and head coach Luis de la Fuente, were handed a hammer blow on Tuesday morning following the release of Yamal from the Spain squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Turkey on November 15 and 18. The Barcelona superstar underwent invasive radiofrequency therapy to battle with his ongoing struggles due to pubalgia. He is set to be out for the next seven to 10 days. 

The medical procedure Yamal underwent left the Spanish football federation (RFEF) "surprised", claiming in their official statement that the "procedure was performed without prior notification to the national team's medical staff, who only became aware of the details through a report received at 10:40 p.m. last night."

On Tuesday, De la Fuente shared his thoughts and was perplexed because of the situation. “There are procedures that take place outside the Federation's control," he told . "That's what happens, we have to accept it. I've never experienced a situation like this before. I don't think it's very normal. It has surprised us all. You don't have any news, you don't know any details, and on top of that, it's a health issue, so you're left surprised.”

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSpanish FA director confirms there's no anger over Yamal's release

Karanka, who serves as the sporting director of the RFEF, downplayed the noise surrounding Yamal's shock withdrawal from the Spain squad. He assured that the communication between the federation and all the clubs was top-notch, adding that it was in Yamal's best interests to focus on his recovery.

“Discomfort? That’s no longer my concern, it’s a matter for the doctors," he said. "I’ve always said, even yesterday, that communication with all the clubs has been fantastic. I was in contact with Deco until this morning, when the decision was made. And it was done for the boy’s benefit, so that he recovers as soon as possible. The better he is at his club, the better he’ll be for the national team. The national team coach was with him last night and this morning, before he was dropped from the squad.”

“We were happy because Lamine was getting back to his best; he played a great game against Club Brugge and scored in Vigo the other day. We were eager to see him again, but he has these niggles and what we want, both the national team and Barça, is for him to return to being the player who dazzled us not long ago.”

Karanka addresses Hansi Flick's words

Flick was infuriated after Yamal suffered a knock in the September international break and publicly voiced his frustrations over the national team and De la Fuente's handling of the player. "Lamine Yamal will not be available. He went with the national team in pain and did not train," Flick said at the time. "They gave him painkillers to play. They had at least a three-goal lead in every match, and he played 73 minutes and 79, and between matches he couldn't train. That is not taking care of the player. I am very sad about this."

Later, in October, he defended his comments from earlier, adding: "I want to protect my player, support him, this is what it is. A lot of things happened. This is, for me, done. I have no bad things about this situation. I know it from the other side. It's not easy for me. It's not easy for [De la Fuente]. I must protect my player; this is the reason I made it a little louder than normally I want to do it. I don't regret this. Now, the important thing is managing this together. The players, the clubs and the Spanish Federation [RFEF]. We have to manage it together."

Karanka, however, was not too keen on adding fuel to the fire, opting to be diplomatic instead. When asked to address Flick's statements, the former Real Madrid defender said: “That's already happened. Today's situation demonstrates that the national team takes care not only of Lamine, but of all its players. When a medical report indicates a potential risk of injury, the player is sent back to his club.”

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AFPWhen is Yamal expected to play again?

The 2025 Ballon d’Or runner-up will dedicate the international break to recovery work, as persistent pubalgia threatens to prolong his battle for full fitness. However, it is likely that he will be available for the league clash against Athletic Club on November 22.

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