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Tottenham Hotspur have only won one of their last four matches in all competitions after a last-gasp goal meant that they had to settle for a point against Manchester United on Saturday.

The Lilywhites turned the game around from 1-0 down to lead 2-1, but they were unable to get the three points over the line, as they were napping in stoppage time to allow Matthijs de Ligt to head in at the back post.

Spurs have only won one of their last four matches in the Premier League after that result, which has seen them drop out of the top four in the division.

Thomas Frank will surely be disappointed with the nature of the two goals that were conceded, because they were both unmarked headers inside the box that should have been dealt with.

The former Brentford head coach should look at his full-backs and demand more from them defensively, as Destiny Udogie was on the scene for the second goal and Pedro Porro was caught out for Bryan Mbeumo’s header.

In fact, Porro is one player who may be on borrowed time in the starting line-up under Frank, because his defending has come into question on multiple occasions.

Why Pedro Porro should be dropped

The Spanish right-back’s marking, or lack thereof, for Mbeumo’s goal was simply not good enough. He was not aware of arguably the biggest United threat in the box, and allowed him to have a free header to score past Guglielmo Vicario.

To his credit, though, the former Manchester City youngster did react to a comment from a supporter after the match and acknowledged that he was not at his best against the Red Devils.

This is not the first time that Porro’s defensive qualities have been called into question. Last year, former Ireland international Keith Treacy said: “Pedro Porro is a good footballer, obviously, he plays in the Premier League, he’s a decent footballer, but he’s not a good right-back, he can’t defend.”

The former Blackburn star added: “If I was a coach going up against Spurs I would say to isolate him, run at him all day long.”

Back in 2023, former Spurs manager Tim Sherwood said that Porro was “all over the place” because he “just wants to run forward” and play as a winger. The Tottenham defender later reacted to those comments by saying that he is not a “machine” who could integrate straight away, as he had only just joined the club from Sporting.

On top of the long-standing question marks over his defensive capabilities, the 26-year-old full-back has also been incredibly wasteful with the ball at his feet in the last two Premier League matches.

Minutes

73

67

Tackles won

0

1

Duels won

3

3

Error led to shot

2

0

Key passes

0

0

Crosses completed

0/5

1/12

Possession lost

24x

29x

Pass accuracy

58%

64%

As you can see in the table above, Porro has lost possession of the ball a staggering 53 times in the last two league games, without creating a single chance for his teammates, and creating two chances for the opposition with errors that led to shots.

This shows that the Spaniard has been dismal defensively and offensively of late for the Lilywhites, which is why Frank should ruthlessly ditch him from the starting XI after the international break for the North London derby.

Chalkboard

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

The obvious solution in the short-term would be for Udogie, who assisted Mathys Tel’s goal on Saturday, to come in at left-back and Djed Spence to move over to right-back.

However, the long-term plan that could put an end to Porro’s career in North London could be for Archie Gray to eventually nail down a place in the team as a right-back.

Why Archie Gray can end Pedro Porro's Spurs career

The England U21 international is currently sidelined with a calf injury that he sustained at the end of last month, and he is expected to be back in action around the end of this month or at the start of December.

Gray signed for the Lilywhites from Leeds United for a fee of £40m in the summer of 2024, with Joe Rodon heading back the other way, but he has failed to establish himself in one position since his move to the club.

The English youngster had to fill in at centre-back far too many times under Ange Postecoglou because of the injury crisis in that position, with the likes of Radu Dragusin, Micky van de Ven, and Cristian Romero all picking up injuries last term.

Centre-back

20

Right-back

9

Defensive midfield

8

Left-back

6

Central midfield

3

As you can see in the table above, Gray’s second-most played in position at Spurs has been right-back, which is where he played the majority of his first-team football with Leeds, despite coming up through the academy set-up in West Yorkshire as a central midfielder.

The young defender played 44 out of 46 league matches for Leeds in the Championship in the 2023/24 campaign, mainly as a right-back, and earned the Championship Young Player of the Year award.

Gray, who was hailed as “ridiculous” by Como scout Ben Mattinson, showcased his defensive quality as a right-back in that second tier season with the Whites, winning 92 tackles and 186 duels in total.

Per FotMob, he ranked within the top 7% of full-backs for tackles won and the top 14% for duels won, whilst also ranking in the top 7% for ball recoveries (196), which shows that he was one of the best defensive full-backs in the division, for a team that finished third in the league.

Frank must never start £130k-per-week Spurs duo together ever again

Tottenham ended up drawing a frenetic Premier League clash against Manchester United this weekend.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 9, 2025

These statistics suggest that he has the defensive resolve to eventually nail down a place at right-back as a reliable defender for Spurs in the future, which is why he could end Porro’s career at the club by offering Frank a steadier presence than the Spaniard, who has struggled on and off the ball.

It is now down to Gray, though, to return from injury and deliver quality performances when called upon to show that he can be better than Porro defensively week-in-week-out, which would leave Spence free to compete with Udogie at left-back.

A brief recap of the second round of games in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26

Shashank Kishore28-Nov-2025

Ayush Mhatre’s unbeaten 53-ball 110 took Mumbai to a seven-wicket win against Vidarbha•Tanuj/UPCA

Mhatre’s maiden ton studs Mumbai winAyush Mhatre continued his exciting initiation into top-flight cricket with a 53-ball 110 in Mumbai’s convincing win over Vidarbha as they made it two in two. Mumbai chased down 193 with 13 balls to spare and seven wickets in hand.Named India Under-19 captain for the Asia Cup earlier in the day, this was Mhatre’s maiden T20 century. His knock contained eight fours and eight sixes. Mhatre’s knock paved the foundation, while Suryakumar Yadav (35 off 30) and Shivam Dube (39 off 19) polished off the chase. Mhatre’s century made him the youngest man (18 years, 135 days) to get hundreds in first-class, List-A and T20s, shaving more than a year from Rohit Sharma’s record (19 years, 339 days). He also became the third-youngest to hit a men’s T20 century, after Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Vijay Zol.Dube also continued to be relied on as a handy seam option, picking up 3 for 31 off his four overs. He has now bowled seven overs across two matches for four wickets.Shaw half-century gives Maharashtra first winPrithvi Shaw marked his captaincy debut for Maharashtra with a sparkling 36-ball 66 in an eight-wicket win over Hyderabad. It was Maharashtra’s first win in the competition, as they hunted down 192 with eight balls to spare. Arshin Kulkarni anchored the chase superbly, finishing unbeaten on 89 off 54 deliveries to seal victory.Samson misses out; Kerala loseKerala stumbled against Railways, losing by 32 runs after failing to chase down a modest 150 in Lucknow. Sanju Samson, who opened the tournament with a half-century, was out for 19 off 25 balls, while Rohan Kunnummal, his opening partner who made an unbeaten 60-ball 121 in Wednesday’s win over Odisha, managed just 8.Chahal, Sindhu shine; Haryana clinch Super OverHaryana edged out Punjab in a tense Super Over finish to claim their first win of the tournament. Punjab’s chase of 208 was driven by Anmolpreet Singh’s 37-ball 81, but Yuzvendra Chahal turned the tide with a vital double-strike, removing Salil Arora and Nehal Wadhera in quick succession.Related

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Punjab’s chase grew increasingly chaotic: Gurnoor Brar was retired out after a scratchy 8 off 10 balls, before Sanvir Singh (30* off 16) and Harpreet Brar (10* off four) somehow stretched the game into a Super Over. There, Punjab mustered only a single run while losing Abhishek Sharma and Sanvir. Haryana needed just one delivery in response, striking a boundary first ball to clinch a dramatic win.Nishant Sindhu top-scored for Haryana in regulation time with a 32-ball 61. He had also played a key role in their opening game, hitting a cameo 33 while also picking up 2 for 28.All-round Anukul stuns KarnatakaAfter returning figures of 2 for 13 in three overs to restrict Karnataka to 157 for 9, Anukul Roy, the left-handed allrounder, single-handedly took Jharkhand home in a tense final-over finish.With no other batter scoring more than 15, Jharkhand’s chase came down to how long Anukul could steer the innings, and he did that by scoring an unbeaten 95 in 58 balls. Wickets kept tumbling around No. 5 Anukul, with seven batters returning single-digit scores, but his nine fours and five sixes earned Jharkhand their second win in two games to move atop Group D.Venkatesh shines; Jitesh, Suryavanshi fall cheaplyReleased by KKR after being bought for a hefty INR 23.5 crore last year, Venkatesh Iyer offered a timely reminder of his value in the middle order with an unbeaten 55 off 34 balls in Madhya Pradesh’s 62-run win over Bihar. This was their first win in the competition.Set 175, Bihar collapsed for 112. Fourteen-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, almost certain to feature in the upcoming Under-19 World Cup, has so far made 14 and 13 in his two outings. With one win from two matches, MP will also be lifted by the return of Rajat Patidar for their third game on Sunday.Vaibhav Suryavanshi started SMAT 2025 with a couple of low scores•PTI

Meanwhile, Jitesh Sharma’s stint with his new team Baroda hasn’t started the way he would’ve liked. After making 4 on debut in a defeat against Bengal, he managed just 5 in Friday’s loss against Puducherry. Baroda have now lost both their games. Adil Ayub Tunda, the fast bowler from Jammu and Kashmir who has impressed several talent scouts, picked up 4 for 30 for Puducherry.

Tottenham Hotspur face PSG in the Champions League tonight, looking to inflict revenge on the French outfit after the UEFA Super Cup final back in August.

The Lilywhites boasted a two-goal lead in such a clash but ultimately conceded twice late on, resulting in a penalty shootout – with Luis Enrique’s side coming out victorious.

However, tonight’s meeting at the Parc des Princes presents Thomas Frank with the chance to make amends and help bolster their standing in the league table.

His men are unbeaten in their four outings in Europe to date, previously avoiding defeat against a Ligue 1 outfit, having drawn 0-0 against Monaco back in October.

However, if the Lilywhites are to claim all three points and defeat the reigning champions, the manager will desperately need to make changes after Sunday’s defeat to local rivals Arsenal.

Why Frank needs to revert to a 4-3-3 against PSG

In the clash with the Gunners on Sunday afternoon, Frank decided to swap to a 5-4-1 system, a decision that massively restricted their ability to create chances in the final third.

He started Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha together at the base of the midfield, but the pair were far too defensively minded and unable to progress the ball into dangerous areas.

The pair could only complete one pass into the final third during the clash at the Emirates, with the manager needing to drop the Uruguayan international and revert to his usual system.

Throughout the campaign, the Dane has most commonly utilised a 4-3-3 system, with Palhinha operating at the base with two box-to-box options ahead of the loanee.

Apart from Bentancur, the manager has numerous other high-profile youngsters in his ranks, with many deserving of the opportunity to star at the heart of the side again.

Alongside the former Juventus star, Kevin Danso should be sacrificed to allow two of the aforementioned youngsters to have the chance to impress once again.

The Spurs star who should start against PSG

Archie Gray has previously been utilised in midfield by Frank over recent times, with the Spurs star having huge expectations after his £40m move from Leeds United last summer.

He’s only made six appearances across all competitions, even being named on the bench against Arsenal, but unfortunately for him, there are two other impressive options ahead of him in the pecking order.

Pape Sarr has been a key first-team member in North London this season, as seen by his tally of 11 appearances out of a possible 12, but Frank made the decision to start him on the bench last weekend.

He came on with just 24 minutes remaining in the contest, subsequently registering 100% of the passes he attempted – even managing to have an impact despite the embarrassing defeat.

As a result, the Dane must start him ahead of Palhinha in Paris this evening, but he must also introduce Lucas Bergvall to the side to complete the three-man midfield.

The Swedish youngster joined the Lilywhites for just £8m last summer, with many supporters expecting the teenager to link up with the club’s academy system at first.

However, the injury-hit campaign in 2024/25 allowed the 19-year-old to stake his claim for a regular starting role – already racking up a total of 60 senior appearances for the club.

He’s been out with a concussion over the last few weeks, with Bergvall only making one appearance in November after being replaced after just seven minutes of the meeting with Chelsea.

The Swede was an unused substitute against the Gunners last weekend, but this evening should be the game in which the manager recalls him to his starting eleven.

Bergvall has already impressed in the Premier League this campaign, with his underlying stats showcasing he’s able to produce the goods on the big occasions.

The teenager, who’s been dubbed just “like Modric” by The Athletic’s JJ Bull, has completed 2.1 successful dribbles to date – with such a figure ranking him in the top 4% of all players in the division.

Lucas Bergvall – PL stats (2025/26)
Statistics (per 90)	Tally
Games played	9
Goals & assists	2
Pass accuracy	83%
Dribble success	75%
Tackles won	2.8
Duels won	6.8
Recoveries made	3.8
Shots taken	1.2
Stats via FotMob

He’s also made 2.8 tackles and won 6.8 duels per 90, with both of the aforementioned tallies ranking him within the top 25% of all other midfielders in England’s top-flight.

Such numbers highlight why he’s the perfect box-to-box option, with Frank needing to utilise him alongside Sarr if the club are to be victorious later on tonight.

It’s evident that the 5-4-1 system failed to catch the eye against Arsenal on Sunday, which should see the Dane match up with Enrique’s men in the Champions League this evening.

A trio of Palhinha, Sarr and Bergvall is the best option at the manager’s disposal, with such a partnership potentially allowing the side to get back to winning ways.

Frank can fix creativity woes with Spurs star who's "impossible to defend"

Tottenham Hotspur have massively struggled within the attacking third under Thomas Frank as of late.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 25, 2025

Thibaut Courtois admits that Lamine Yamal “lit a bit of a fire” under the latest Clasico clash between arch-rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona. Said contest took place at Santiago Bernabeu on October 26. Ugly scenes unfolded at the end of a 2-1 victory for the hosts, with teenage wonderkid Yamal attracting plenty of attention during the post-match skirmishes.

What Yamal said ahead of Clasico clash at the Bernabeu

Yamal had stirred the pot ahead of an age-old rivalry being rekindled. Clasico flames rarely require any added fuel, but they got it in the form of a surprising jibe from the hottest of prospects in Catalunya.

Speaking during a Twitch broadcast of the Kings League, Yamal made a tongue-in-cheek comment. Asked by Ibai Llanos whether his Porcinos FC side remind him of Real, the 18-year-old said: “Yes, of course, they steal, they complain…”

While those words were delivered in jest, they did not go down well in the Spanish capital. Yamal was made aware prior to kick-off that he should ready himself for some rough treatment. That was eventually delivered when the final whistle brought an end to a chaotic finish at the Bernabeu – with Pedri being shown a red card in the 100th minute.

Angry words were exchanged by players from both teams, with tempers boiling over. Real ‘Galacticos’ Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham became caught up in the scuffles. Courtois was, along with Dani Carvajal, among those to make a beeline for Yamal – as he was reminded of the need to do less talking away from the pitch.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhy Real Madrid players targeted Yamal after Clasico

Discussing those scenes with and why they unfolded, experienced Belgian goalkeeper Courtois said: “Lamine Yamal spoke in a certain way and lit a bit of a fire under the match, and of course the press took advantage of the topic. I saw that he was talking with Carvajal, and of course if you start saying something, I’ll say something too. But as I said before, we’re in an atmosphere of high tension and adrenaline, and sometimes you say things that weren’t necessary afterward.

“I think the Clásico is like that; sometimes we need this kind of vibe. Last season we lost four times, and I think we need a bit of this excitement again. Barcelona is a rival and we have to go face them; when they won, they didn’t respect us either.”

Fierce foes: Courtois claims no feud with Yamal

While being sure to get his opinion across to Yamal, with the youngster considered to have stepped out of line, Courtois insists that no long-standing feud has been sparked. Both men are considered to have spoken and acted in the heat of the moment.

Courtois went on to say: “I don’t think there’s any problem with Lamine. This is something that happens on the field, and off the field there’s nothing. If I see Lamine in a restaurant tomorrow, I’ll greet him. I think there’s no problem between him and me, and these are football matters.

“But as I said, what he did was a kind of fuel. For us, it was useful to be motivated for the Clasico. The Clasico always motivates, but sometimes hearing things like that increases the motivation even more.”

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Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong believes that Real stars were out of order in targeting Yamal. He said after an eventful contest: “When the referee blew for full-time, several Madrid players went straight for Lamine. It was over the top. If Carvajal wanted to talk to him, he could’ve done it privately. Making gestures on the pitch just fuels the fire. Lamine never said Madrid cheats, I never heard that.”

A return date between Barca and Real at Camp Nou – which will have reopened by then – is not scheduled to take place until May 2026. At the moment, the Blancos sit three points clear of the Blaugrana at the top of the Liga table through 12 rounds of fixtures – with both set to return to domestic action this weekend after the latest international break.

Visitors need 96 more runs on final day to potentially take control of title race

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay10-Sep-2025

Lyndon James and Haseeb Hameed celebrate a wicket•Getty Images

Nottinghamshire advanced to the threshold of a vital Rothesay County Championship victory over Worcestershire on a heavily rain-affected third day at Visit Worcestershire New Road.The visitors’ seam attack excelled for the second time in the match as the home side followed their first innings 182 all out with 160. Lyndon James took five for 35, passing 100 first-class wickets in the process, and Josh Tongue added four for 52 (seven for 111 in the match).That left Nottinghamshire needing just 136 for victory and they reached 40 for one among the showers before yet more rain lopped off the last 21 overs. On a seamer-friendly pitch, the small target is no formality, but Haseeb Hameed’s side should, weather permitting, close out the win on the final day.Nottinghamshire made the prompt start they wanted on the third day as the weather allowed play to begin on time, but they were kept waiting for a breakthrough. Gareth Roderick and Ethan Brookes extended their partnership for another 56 minutes.The sixth-wicket pair added 52 in 26 overs before the impressive James struck with successive balls. Brookes drove a wide delivery straight to cover where substitute fielder Joe Pocklington (on for Mohammad Abbas who had suffered a bask spasm) took a smart catch. Matthew Waite was pinned lbw.Tom Taylor survived the hat-trick ball, but seven overs later endured a candidate for most aggravating minute of the season. A short ball from Dillon Pennington rose only knee high to torpedo the batter lbw. Taylor then watched in angst as rain arrived immediately and everyone else followed him back to the pavilion.To Nottinghamshire’s delight, the rain cleared to allow play after an early lunch and they quickly polished off the innings. Tongue had Ben Allison caught at first slip and James completed his third first class five-for by hitting Khurram Shahzad’s off-stump. Roderick was left unbeaten on 37 from 116 balls. The Durban-born wicketkeeper-batter has had a terrific match with 98 runs for once out in a low-scoring contest and five catches with power to add.When Nottinghamshire launched their pursuit of their small but ticklish, Worcestershire made the perfect start. Taylor bowled Haseeb Hameed for the second time in the match to leave Nottinghamshire’s captain with a pair against the Pears.Rain soon returned and in the fragments of play which followed, Ben Slater and Freddie McCann, the latter playing with considerable panache in the gloom, avoided further mishap to advance their side to within touching distance of a potentially momentous victory.

The NZ allrounder followed figures of 2 for 16 with 46 off 24 balls

AAP27-Nov-2025Alice Capsey’s four wickets – including three in an over – were not enough as Sophie Devine led Perth Scorchers to a WBBL win over Melbourne Renegades.Scorchers survived a dramatic collapse to beat Renegades by four wickets and deny the home side a share of top spot on the WBBL ladder.Chasing 150 on Thursday at Junction Oval, Scorchers were cruising at 116 for 2 in the 13th over.After taking two wickets, Sophie Devine had been promoted to open and her blazing innings had put Scorchers in what appeared to be an impregnable position.But first Georgia Wareham bowled Maddy Darke for 15 and two balls later, Alice Capsey had opener Beth Mooney stumped for 41. The English spinner stunningly snared another two wickets in the same over to leave the Scorchers in major strife at 118 for 6.But Freya Kemp (18 not out) and Lilly Mills (15 not out) stopped the rot, guiding Perth to 151 for 6 with eight balls left.Capsey snared 4 for 14 from her three excellent overs of offspin.Earlier, Devine had taken the key wicket of Renegades No.3 Sophie Molineux for only 5 before Renegades were all out on the last ball of their 20 overs.The New Zealand star then moved up the order and belted the Renegades attack around Junction Oval, hitting six fours and two sixes in her knock of 46 from just 24 balls that ultimately proved the difference.The Renegades would have joined Hobart Hurricanes at the top of the ladder with a win. Instead, they stayed third ahead of Saturday’s big local derby against the second-placed Melbourne Stars.Chloe Ainsworth claimed two wickets in the 13th over of the Renegades’ innings and they were struggling at 94 for 7.Nicola Faltum and Sarah Coyte then had a quickfire stand of 46 for the eighth wicket that meant the home side posted a competitive score.Coyte was run-out for 24 from 18 balls and Fulton top-scored with an unbeaten 41 off 28 deliveries, with six fours.Ainsworth returned a miserly 2 for 17 from her four overs and Amy Edgar also claimed two wickets.

India head coach also says Shubman Gill “has done phenomenally well” as Test captain

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Oct-2025Head coach Gautam Gambhir has called for more bounce and carry from pitches in home Tests, after India spent 200 overs on the field across two West Indies innings on their way to a seven-wicket win in the second Test that ended on Tuesday.India have responded to last year’s 3-0 defeat to New Zealand by departing from the previous trend of square turners and moving towards pitches with greater balance between bat and ball. India made big first-innings totals in both Tests against West Indies, but while their bowlers got plenty of help from the Ahmedabad pitch for the first Test, they had to work extremely hard to take 20 wickets in Delhi, particularly after enforcing the follow-on.”I thought that we could have had a better wicket here,” Gambhir said in his post-match press conference. “Yes, we did get the result on day five, but again, I think nicks need to carry. I think there has to be something for the fast bowlers as well. I know we keep talking about spinners playing an important role, but when you have got probably two quality fast bowlers in your ranks, we still want them to be in the game as well.Related

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“And it is okay if there is not enough [turn], but there has to be carry. So where we all saw [that] carry wasn’t there, [it] was a bit alarming, and I think going forward, [I hope] we can get better wickets in Test cricket, because all of us have the responsibility of keeping Test cricket alive. I think the first and foremost thing to keep Test cricket alive is playing on good surfaces.”Gambhir felt West Indies’ fightback with the bat in Delhi augured well for their future, after they had come into the Test match on a prolonged run of low totals.”I have always believed that world cricket needs West Indian cricket,” Gambhir said. “That is something which is very important. It was very nice to see them fight. And obviously, they are an inexperienced team and there are a lot of changes that have happened there, but the way they fought in the second innings will give them a lot of confidence.”Shubman Gill won his first Test series as captain•BCCIWith this series wrapped up, India now go to Australia for a white-ball tour before returning home for a full series of Tests, ODIs and T20Is against South Africa. While some of India’s players face the challenge of constant switching between formats, some are currently only part of the red-ball set-up; Gambhir felt it was important for them to tune up for Test series by playing domestic cricket.”I thought that the best thing that happened in the [West Indies] series was the way the Test guys prepared before the series. Going to play the India A game against Australia [A], it was very, very important. And playing Ranji Trophy before the South Africa series is going to be equally important as well.”I thought that is something which this group of players have done exceptionally well. They are preparing themselves really well for the Test series, and that is where you could see the results as well. So, for me, I think sometimes it is difficult, but that is what professionalism is all about: try and use the days to the best of their ability, because we know that there are very quick turnarounds.”Especially, from here to one-day cricket, then T20 cricket and then, what, after four days, back to Test cricket. But again, the guys [who] were just part of Test cricket. I think for them to prepare and play domestic cricket is very, very important, rather than just going to NCA [the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, formerly the National Cricket Academy] and working on their skills. I think the more they play [domestic games] before the Test matches, it is very important for them.”The win over West Indies continued an impressive start to Test captaincy for Shubman Gill, who led India to a 2-2 draw in England in his first series in charge. Gill has now been appointed ODI captain as well.”No one has done him a favour by appointing him Test captain or now one-day captain,” Gambhir said. “I think he deserves every bit of it. He has worked hard and he ticks all the boxes. And for me as a coach, I think someone who is saying the right things, doing the right things, working hard, work ethics, commitment, putting his body on the line, being the first guy on the field, what more can a coach ask for?”And I know it is tough for him. It was tough and I have said it many times that England was probably the toughest Test cricket. Five Test matches over a course of two, two-and-a-half months, against a quality England side, intimidating batting line-up, inexperienced Indian team, what more could he have faced?”But then again, the way he has handled himself and more importantly, the way he has handled the team, and more importantly, the way the team has responded to him. I think sometimes we only keep talking about the captain, but the way the team has responded to him and to his leadership is equally important. You have got to give credit to the entire group in that dressing room.”Yes, you do earn respect by scoring runs, but you also earn respect by saying the right things and doing the right things. I think your actions should be more than any other thing, not just the performances. I think he has done phenomenally well and so has the team.”

Sam Curran fights for Surrey with unbeaten 69 but Scrimshaw three-for seals win for visitors

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay03-Sep-2025Northamptonshire 154 for 4 (Bopara 105*, Clark 3-13) beat Surrey 147 for 6 (S Curran 69*, Scrimshaw 3-34) by 7 runs Former England all-rounder Ravi Bopara produced an explosive knock of 105 not out from 46 balls to stun Surrey and propel Northamptonshire Steelbacks to their first Vitality Blast Finals Day since 2016.The 40-year-old, a former Blast winner with Essex, turned back the clock with a magnificent display – posting his first Northamptonshire hundred as they fought back after losing two early wickets to post 154 for four in a rain-reduced contest at the Kia Oval.Surrey captain Sam Curran made a valiant attempt to rescue his side with a first half-century of the tournament, an undefeated 69 from 38 – but they came up short on 147 for six.Experienced seam pair Ben Sanderson (two for 24) and David Willey (one for 28) kept their cool in the death overs to clinch the Steelbacks’ success.An early evening downpour trimmed the contest to 14 overs per side and, having won a crucial toss, the Surrey skipper had no hesitation in opting to bowl when play finally began at 7.50pm.That choice was quickly vindicated by Jordan Clark (three for 13), who made the ball swing and removed both Steelbacks openers for ducks in a devastating first over before a flurry of boundaries by Tim Robinson got the scoreboard moving.The New Zealander clubbed 20 from 12, mostly from Tom Curran’s opening over, but tried to pull Chris Jordan’s first ball and perished to a top edge – passing the baton on to Bopara, who seized it eagerly.Runs flowed through the veteran’s combination of power, timing and precision, with Gus Atkinson’s single over disappearing for 18 before Bopara clipped Clark to the fence to post his half-century.Supported by Saif Zaib (17 not out from 12), Bopara hit the accelerator and dominated their unbroken partnership of 74 from 35, hooking Tom Lawes for four from the penultimate ball of the innings to bring up a remarkable 45-ball ton.Like the visitors, Surrey were two down early on as Ryan Patel swung his first ball into the hands of deep square leg and Lewis McManus, standing up to Sanderson, took a thin edge to dismiss Jason Roy.Ollie Pope (41 from 23) went on the offensive, cutting Willey for two fours and driving his namesake, leg-spinner Lloyd, for a straight maximum as he and Sam Curran accumulated steadily and kept the required rate within range.The pair added 74 from 38 before Pope top-edged a short delivery from George Scrimshaw (three for 34) to long leg and, when Dan Lawrence holed out two balls later, the home side still needed another 70 from 32.Curran kept them in contention, slamming Justin Broad over the cover fence and Laurie Evans banged successive fours off Scrimshaw before miscuing the next one to point.Sanderson returned to send down an over that cost him just five before Willey’s spate of yorkers left Surrey needing 19 – and, although Curran smote a Sanderson full toss for six – it was not enough.

After another difficult evening for Celtic in the Europa League, they’ve now discovered the extent of the injury that Callum Osmand picked up in another frustrating blow.

The Bhoys fell to a 3-1 defeat against Midtjylland and remain with just the one win to their name on the European stage this season – making qualification into the next round a mere fantasy at this stage.

Celtic schedule first interview with 37 y/o manager who dreams of Hoops job

The Bhoys are still on the hunt for their Brendan Rodgers replacement.

By
Tom Cunningham

Nov 6, 2025

For all the good work that Martin O’Neill has done so far this season, not even the Northern Irishman could turn his side’s fortunes around outside of domestic action and he once again distanced himself from the permanent job.

What the defeat has certainly done is pile the pressure on Dermot Desmond and the rest of the Celtic board to get their next decision right and get it done sooner rather than later.

Ange Postecoglou pulled out of the race for the job in the early stages and that dealt the Bhoys an undeniable blow. Since then, however, other impressive candidates have emerged such as Club Brugge’s Nicky Hayen and Kieran McKenna.

Reports have even gone as far as to suggest that McKenna is open to the job in what could hand Celtic quite the boost. The Ipswich Town boss has struggled to get the best out of his side in the Championship so far this season, but no one will be forgetting the history that he made at Portman Road anytime soon.

Alas, before any manager can arrive, it’s up to O’Neill to get the Hoops back to winning ways and do so without recent Old Firm hero Osmand.

Celtic discover extent of Callum Osmand injury

As revealed by O’Neill at full-time, Osmand suffered a pulled hamstring against Midtjylland and will now be missing for at least a few weeks. It’s a major blow for the 19-year-old, who just took his place in Celtic’s Europa League squad off the back of putting Celtic out of sight with his effort in the Scottish League Cup semi-final against Rangers.

With Celtic’s attack already coming under fire this season, they now have the task of squaring off against Kilmarnock and others without one of their most promising talents.

Celtic frontrunner McKenna now wants Hoops job

Former Arsenal and Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre has revealed that he abandoned a near-completed move to Manchester City to sign for Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal back in 2008. The Frenchman, who spent nearly a decade at Old Trafford and won five Premier League titles under Sir Alex Ferguson, says he was "halfway through his medical" at City when the opportunity to join Wenger emerged, prompting him to walk away from negotiations altogether.

• Silvestre lifts the lid on his Arsenal transfer

  Silvestre’s reputation in English football was built at Manchester United, where he arrived in September 1999 from Internazionale and went on to clock up 249 Premier League appearances. Over nine years in Manchester, he collected a haul of major honours, including the Champions League, the FA Cup and five league titles. His final season at United, however, was derailed by a significant knee ligament injury, which kept him out for much of the campaign. He returned to action in April but found himself facing uncertainty, with one year remaining on his contract and limited clarity about how he would fit into the United squad. At 31, Silvestre was drawing attention from several clubs. Paris Saint-Germain were keen. Bordeaux made enquiries. City were deep in negotiations and, according to Silvestre, had already reached a provisional agreement with him. Sunderland were also in talks. But everything changed when Arsene Wenger made his interest known.

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  Wenger's phone call changed everything

  Silvestre, speaking to , recounted the extraordinary moment his transfer took a sharp detour. 

  "I almost signed for Manchester City in 2008, believe it or not," he said. "I was halfway through my medical in Manchester and was very close to finalising a move to the club. However, Arsene Wenger reached out to me through a friend to try and get me to sign for Arsenal during the medical."

  Within 24 hours, he had apologised to City officials and travelled to London to complete a two-year contract at the Emirates. He added: "I couldn’t turn that offer down, and I signed for the club the very next day!"

  Wenger said at that time: "We have a strong squad, but a young squad and Mikael's versatility, experience and calibre will provide the extra depth we need to reinforce our challenge for honours. His defensive adaptability will serve us well, and it's a big plus that Mikael has top-level experience and a great understanding of football in the Premier League."

• Silvestre's split allegiance between United & Arsenal

  Earlier in 2025, Silvestre looked back fondly on his time in north London, acknowledging the warmth he received from Arsenal supporters and the respect he gained within the club. But he does not disguise where his heart lies.

  During an interview on last year, he said: "When you have been travelling as much as I did, you still look back and support the clubs you played for. But, as you know, nine years at United is a long time in one career. If you asked me to pick, it would be more United, but I had a great time at Arsenal."

  However, given the current circumstances at United, he revealed that he would now prefer a transfer to north London. "I would go to Arsenal right now. I am not a patient guy!" he laughed. 

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  Silvestre has elite company in a small club

  Arsenal’s acquisition of Silvestre for a reported fee of around £750,000 was one of the most surprising moves of the 2008 summer window. United’s long history of avoiding direct transfers to rival clubs made the signing almost unthinkable at the time. The last player to make the same journey had been Brian Kidd in 1974. He belongs to a surprisingly small and illustrious group of footballers who have worn both Arsenal and United colours. Alexis Sanchez is perhaps the most famous modern example, with his blockbuster move to Old Trafford. Robin van Persie made the opposite journey, leaving Arsenal for United in 2012 and famously firing Ferguson’s side to the league title. Danny Welbeck, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Andy Cole also crossed the divide at various points, each with differing levels of success.