When approaching a transfer window, whether it is in the summer or January, Glasgow Rangers should be looking to do one of two things with their signings.

They should be making signings with a view to improving the team in the short-term, as they should always be competing for trophies every season.

As well as those impact signings, the Gers should also be looking for young players who have the potential for big development, with a view to selling them on for a substantial profit in the future, to carry their player trading model.

In the summer transfer window just gone, Kevin Thelwell led the recruitment drive and it is hard to see many signings that fall into either of those categories at the moment.

In terms of short-term impact, Rangers are currently fifth in the Scottish Premiership after finishing second last season, which shows that they have regressed on the pitch.

Meanwhile, there are not too many players who were signed in the summer who currently look like they will go on to be sold for a profit in the future.

Rangers summer signings who are most likely to be sold for a profit

Thelwell, who was moved on from his position on Monday, swooped to bring in seven players on permanent deals to Ibrox in the summer, along with the pre-agreed permanent deals for Oscar Cortes and Lyall Cameron that were agreed before he joined in April.

Rangers have a fairly decent record of selling players for big money in recent years. Calvin Bassey joined Ajax for £19.6m, Joe Aribo joined Southampton for £6m, and Nathan Patterson signed for Everton for £11.5m in 2022, whilst Hamza Igamane was sold to Lille for £10.4m this year.

Excluding Cortes and Cameron, as they were not sanctioned by Thelwell, it would be bold to confidently predict that any of the seven permanent summer signings will be sold for profit.

Djeidi Gassama feels like the most likely, at this moment in time, because he was signed from Sheffield Wednesday for £2.2m and has produced six goals and two assists in all competitions, per Transfermarkt. No other summer signing has scored more than twice.

Because none of the others have provided much of an attacking threat, Emmanuel Fernandez, despite playing just four matches, may rank second. Signed for £3.5m, he has scored two goals in four matches and won 88% of his aerial duels in two league outings, per Sofascore.

1

Djeidi Gassama

2

Emmanuel Fernandez

3

Oliver Antman

4

Thelo Aasgaard

5

Youssef Chermiti

6

Bojan Miovski

7

Joe Rothwell

As you can see in the table above, Joe Rothwell and Bojan Miovski, who both started on the bench against Livingston last weekend, rank in the bottom two because they have been bit-part players at the ages of 30 and 26, which does not suggest that they are likely to kick on and be sold for a big profit.

Oliver Antman, with three goal contributions, and Thelo Aasgaard, with two goal contributions, rank just ahead of those two because they are 24 and 23, respectively, and still have time to improve.

Youssef Chermiti ranks in fifth because he has plenty of time to develop, at 21, but was signed for a whopping fee of £8m and has only produced one goal in 13 matches as a striker, per Transfermarkt, which makes it seem unlikely, on current evidence, that they will recoup that outlay.

Meanwhile, there is a player in the current Rangers squad, signed before Thelwell arrived, who does look likely to be sold on for a substantial profit, and potentially for even more than the likes of Joe Aribo and Hamza Igamane.

Chalkboard

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

Nicolas Raskin was signed by former Gers boss Michael Beale under the previous ownership at Ibrox, whilst they were between sporting directors, in January 2023 for a reported fee of roughly £1.5m from Standard Liege.

Why Rangers could sell Nicolas Raskin for a profit

Given that the Belgian midfielder was signed for a fairly small sum of money, certainly in comparison to a player like Chermiti, it will be ‘easier’ for Rangers to bank a profit on him if they ever decide to cash in.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Leeds and Tottenham are two of a number of clubs across the Premier League and Europe that are eyeing up a possible move for Raskin, but that the Gers want a “big fee” for their star.

This shows that there are teams keen on snapping the Belgium international up from Ibrox in the winter window, which means that Rangers could, if they wanted to, cash in on him to fund new signings for Danny Rohl, not to say that is what they should do.

TEAMtalk reported earlier this month that it would take a fee of £18m to £20m to tempt the Gers to sell Raskin, which would be a substantial profit on the £1.5m they signed him for almost three years ago.

Selling him for a fee in that region would mean that Rangers would get more money for him than they did for Igamane, Patterson, and Aribo, as aforementioned, although it would take a fee of £20m for him to take Bassey’s crown as the most expensive sale in the club’s history.

Appearances

33

10

Sofascore rating

7.43

7.39

Goals

4

1

Assists

10

2

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.4

2.8

Ground duel success rate

57%

53%

Aerial duel success rate

56%

56%

As you can see in the table above, Raskin’s performances as a box-to-box midfielder in the Premiership have been exceptional since the start of last season, as he has provided quality in the final third and defensive strength out of possession.

The 24-year-old maestro, once praised as “unbelievable” by ex-Gers striker Kris Boyd, has proven that he can provide consistent performances for the club, which is something the batch of summer signings this year have failed to do thus far.

That is why Raskin may end up being sold for a huge fee, as possibly the most or second-most expensive sale in the club’s history, amid interest from several teams in January, whilst it is hard to say if any of Thelwell’s signings will go on to be sold for a profit.

"Rotten" Thelwell signing is Rangers' biggest waste of time since Dowell

This summer signing by Kevin Thelwell has been as bad as the deal to bring Kieran Dowell to Rangers.

ByDan Emery Nov 26, 2025

Whilst Rangers supporters may not want to see the Belgian move on from the club in January, his story and the fact that there is the possibility that he is sold for huge money is an example that Thelwell’s replacement should look to follow.

Bayern Munich legend Oliver Kahn has given his verdict on veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s performance against Arsenal. Kahn insisted Neuer was fouled during the controversial opening goal but admitted the goalkeeper made a "mistake" for the third strike that sealed the first defeat of the season for Vincent Kompany and Co.

• Neuer involved in controversial opener and decisive third goal

  Bayern goalkeeper endured a difficult evening during his side's 3-1 Champions League defeat to the English team, with two of the goals conceded drawing significant scrutiny. Kahn provided a detailed verdict on the critical moments, defending Neuer over a controversial opener but admitting the veteran made a "mistake" on the goal that effectively ended the contest.

  Bayern Munich's unbeaten Champions League run came to an end at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, with the spotlight falling firmly on the performance of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer regarding key moments in the 3-1 defeat.

  Arsenal took the lead in the 22nd minute following a corner kick. As the ball was delivered into the six-yard box, Neuer appeared to be impeded by an Arsenal player, preventing him from making a clean attempt to catch or punch the ball clear. Amid the confusion and contact, Jurrien Timber finished to put the hosts ahead.

  While Lennart Karl briefly equalised for Bayern, Arsenal regained control in the second half through Noni Madueke in the 69th minute. The critical moment that sealed Bayern's fate arrived in the 77th minute. Gabriel Martinelli struck Arsenal's third goal after Neuer came rushing up the field to challenge him, only to be left in the Brazilian's dust.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Kahn argues Neuer was fouled for Timber goal

  Kahn offered a robust defence of Neuer regarding the opening goal, arguing that the shot-stopper was the victim of a foul that went unpunished by the match officials and VAR.

  Speaking to , Kahn analysed the corner kick incident: "As a goalkeeper, you're focused on the player taking the corner. That means you can't see what's happening behind you. And if someone comes along at that exact moment and gives you even the slightest nudge or bumps into you, you lack the coordination you need to bring the corner down or punch it away."

  Kahn expressed strong disdain for such tactics used against goalkeepers in the penalty area. "I hated those kinds of disguised attacks. Even a small nudge is enough to make you lose the necessary coordination with the ball. In my opinion, VAR should have intervened and awarded a foul and a free kick."

• Bayern legend admits 'mistake' on Martinelli strike

  While Kahn defended Neuer over the first goal, he was less forgiving in his assessment of the decisive third goal scored by Martinelli in the 77th minute. When asked directly if Neuer had committed an error that led to the goal, Kahn's response was blunt.

  "Was that a mistake, yes or no? Yes, if that's how you want to see it, then it was a mistake," Kahn admitted, acknowledging that the German international should have done better in that defining moment.

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• Bayern Munich lack cutting edge despite possession

  The defeat marked Bayern Munich's first loss in the Champions League group stage this season and dropped them to third place in the standings, three points behind new leaders Arsenal. Despite dominating possession with 55% of the ball and completing significantly more passes than their opponents, Bayern struggled to threaten the Arsenal goal consistently.

  Kompany's side managed only two shots on target throughout the entire match, compared to Arsenal's eight, highlighting their issues in the final third against a disciplined Gunners defence. The result leaves Bayern level on 12 points with Inter Milan, making their final group fixtures crucial for securing a top seeding for the knockout phase.

Stokes became only the third player to score over 7000 runs and pick over 200 wickets in men’s Tests

Sampath Bandarupalli26-Jul-20251:25

‘Very few cricketers in history with the ability of Stokes’

669 – England’s total against India in the ongoing fourth Test at Old Trafford is the highest at the ground, surpassing Australia’s 656 for 8 in 1964. The previous highest for England was 627 for 9 against Australia in 1934.England’s 669 is now their fifth-highest total in Test cricket. It is also the highest by any team in England since their 710 for 7 against India in 2011 at Edgbaston.2014 – Previous instance of India conceding a 600-plus total in Test cricket – 680 for 8 against New Zealand in Wellington. Only eight times have India conceded a total higher than 669 in Test cricket.ESPNcricinfo Ltd5 – Men to score a century and take a five-wicket haul as captain in a Test. Ben Stokes achieved the double at Old Trafford to become the first England player ever and the first since Imran Khan, which was also against India in 1983 in Faisalabad. Stokes is only the fourth man with a hundred and a five-for in the same Test for England. Ian Botham achieved this feat on five different occasions.3 – Stokes became only the third player to complete the double of 7000 runs and 200 wickets in Test cricket. Garry Sobers (8032 runs and 235 wickets) and Jacques Kallis (13289 runs and 235 wickets) are the other two.112 – Runs conceded by Jasprit Bumrah in England’s first innings. It’s the first time Bumrah has conceded 100 runs in a Test innings. The previous highest was 99 against Australia at MCG in 2024 while taking four wickets.Bumrah was one of four India bowlers to go past three-figures in England’s first innings – the 25th such instance but the first since the 2015 SCG Test against Australia.ESPNcricinfo Ltd4 – Dismissals by Dhruv Jurel in England’s first innings – two catches and two stumpings. Only three others have claimed four dismissals as a substitute in a Test innings – Younis Khan against Bangladesh in 2001 did it as a fielder, while Wriddhiman Saha and Ollie Pope did so as wicketkeepers, both against Australia at SCG, in 2021 and 2022, respectively.311 – First-innings lead for England at Old Trafford. Only twice have India conceded bigger leads despite topping 300 batting first – 415 against Sri Lanka in 1997 after scoring 537 for 8, and 334 also against Sri Lanka in 2009 after scoring 426.2 – Instances of India losing multiple wickets in the first over of a men’s Test innings since 1998. Chris Woakes dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal and B Sai Sudharsan on Saturday, while Trent Boult got Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara in Auckland in 2014.

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.”

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

Lionel Messi's former World Cup-winning Argentina team-mate, Alejandro Gomez, has finally returned to action for an Italian second-tier club after serving a two-year doping ban. Gomez, who was part of Argentina's triumph in Qatar three years ago, has not touched a football since October 2023 after testing positive for a banned substance. He last played for Monza in Serie A.

Gomez returns to action after two years

Also known as Papu Gomez, the 37-year-old midfielder tested positive for terbutaline, a banned B2-adrenergic substance similar to salbutamol, after taking a cough syrup intended for his child. He was on the books of Sevilla at that time and the Spanish giants immediately terminated his contract following the case, leading Gomez to a short spell with Monza. He served a two-year suspension that ended on October 18, 2025. 

Gomez returned to action on Saturday as his new club Padova faced Venezia in a Serie B clash. He came on as a substitute in the 58th minute amid a warm welcome from the fans but he could not stop his side from losing the clash 2-0.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'I didn't come here to sightsee'

After making his first appearance in over two years, Gomez sent out a defiant message to his fans and the world as he said: "I didn't come here to sightsee. My ambition is to take Padova as high as possible."

Gomez was furious after learning about doping ban

At the time of his suspension, Gomez had shown frustration as he felt he was harshly punished. The World Cup winner told Corta: "You take cocaine, smoke a joint, and you get six months. I got two years for taking my son's cough syrup. Who gets that in their head? But hey, I got it and here I am, still going strong. Yes, I was really angry, really furious. I had a hard time watching football at first; I turned off the television. For me, football was dead. I isolated myself and started working with a psychologist because it was a cycle I couldn't get out of." 

The Argentine also reflected on the emotional toll of being sidelined right after the greatest triumph of his career, lifting the World Cup in Qatar with Argentina: "The first few months were tough because I didn't understand why this was happening to me, at the peak of my career, after having won a World Cup. But life sometimes gives you these surprises and blows. It kept me going, like: 'Why do they have to retire me from football like this if I don't want to and it's not my time?' Why should two or three people in suits and ties, who've never played sports, decide when I should retire?"

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AFPGomez angered Messi at World Cup

Captain and legendary Argentina star Messi was reportedly left furious after Gomez allegedly made an inappropriate comment about his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, during the World Cup in Qatar. A panellist on the 'A La Tarde' programme on Tartu TV alleged that as the Argentina players celebrated in the dressing room following one of their games, Gomez made the comment. The panelist said: "Everyone is happy because they progressed, everyone in the locker room starts to sing. What does Alejandro El Papu say? 'Hand over Antonela!' "Imagine Messi's laser eyes… Immediate red card!"

Leeds United are now set to make an imminent bid for Real Madrid star Gonzalo Garcia, following involvement from manager Daniel Farke.

Leeds have been urged to sign a new striker, having failed to score in five of their 11 Premier League matches up to this point, with Clinton Morrison saying: “If Leeds want to survive, they need to bring in an out-and-out goalscorer that’s going to get them the 10 to 15 goals to keep them in the Premier League, which is going to be difficult.

“Because in the Premier League. You’re only as good as your strikers. But I hope Leeds do stay up because it’s going to be difficult.”

Farke would’ve been hoping Dominic Calvert-Lewin could be the man to fire his side to safety, but the centre-forward has recorded an xG of just 2.02 in the Premier League so far this season, with his only goal coming in the 3-1 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers back in September.

With Joel Piroe goalless, Farke is short on top-quality options to rival Lukas Nmecha for a starting spot, and the West Yorkshire outfit are now set to make a move for a new striker ahead of the January transfer window.

Leeds set to make imminent bid for Gonzalo Garcia

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Leeds are now set to make an imminent bid for Real Madrid forward Garcia, with a formal £17m offer ready, and the Spanish club are willing to sanction his departure for a fee in that ballpark.

Farke has managed to convince the 49ers the 21-year-old could propel the Whites to Premier League safety, which means the board have now sanctioned a move, but there could be competition from rival Premier League clubs.

Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers are also preparing moves of their own, with Brighton and Sunderland also being named as potential suitors for the Spaniard, who has been unable to force his way into the Real Madrid starting XI this season.

Hailed as “world-class” by journalist Zach Lowy, the youngster has impressed when given the opportunity by Xabi Alonso, finding the back of the net four times in six outings at the Club World Cup, while also grabbing an assist in the Champions League this season.

Unfortunately for the five-time Spain U21 international, however, he is behind some global superstars in the Real Madrid pecking order, with Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo all vying for first-team spots, which means he is at risk of his development being hampered.

As such, Garcia should seek a move in the January transfer window, and he would become an instant cult hero at Elland Road if he were able to fire Leeds to safety…

Leeds looking to fund transfer business by selling "unbelievable" star in January Leeds open to selling £40k-p/w star who Firpo called "unbelievable" this January

The Whites are now willing to cash-in on a first-team star this winter, in order to reinvest the money raised into other areas of the squad.

ByDominic Lund Nov 19, 2025

Big picture: Can New Zealand salvage some pride?

There is very nearly nothing on the line. If England win, they finish No. 2, which does not change their semi-final tie – they will play South Africa regardless. But that little bump up the table will certainly help them progress if the Guwahati knockout is subsequently rained out.New Zealand leave themselves at risk of slipping down to No. 7 or 8 if they lose, but even that is unlikely – Bangladesh having to beat India by a significant margin. The White Ferns will nevertheless be intent on salvaging a victory from an otherwise disappointing campaign. They had had to endure two washouts in Colombo, but have only beaten Bangladesh in their completed matches, going down comfortably to South Africa, India, and Australia.It is also Sophie Devine’s last match in the ODI format, with New Zealand’s captain having announced her retirement at the end of this World Cup. Devine is 36. Team-mate Suzie Bates, who is 38, could also be playing her last World Cup match, though she has not herself announced a retirement.England, meanwhile, may use this as an opportunity to tune up ahead of the final. They have consistently put up the same XI most of the way through the campaign. Perhaps they will give some tired bodies a rest.New Zealand have lost eight of their last nine ODIs against England•ICC/Getty Images

Form guide

England: LWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand: LWLLW

In the spotlight: Sophie Devine and England’s spin trio

One-hundred-and-fifty-eight matches, 4,256 runs, 110 wickets – whichever way you slice it, Sophie Devine‘s numbers are immense. She had been the form batter of the tournament weeks ago, when she hit 112 against Australia, 85 against South Africa, and 63 against Bangladesh. The back-to-back washouts might have broken a litttle of her rhythm however. Can she regain it for her final ODI innings?Between Sophie Ecclestone (11), Linsey Smith (9), and Charlie Dean (7), England’s frontline spinners have 27 wickets in the tournament. None of these bowlers have gone at more than five an over (Dean has been by a distance the most expensive, with an economy rate of 4.73). They’d mostly had a quiet game in the loss to Australia. They will attempt to reimpose themselves.

Team news: Will England rest key players?

England may ring in the changes. With Sophia Dunkley not having made a major impact this tournament, could Danni Wyatt-Hodge come in? Could legspinner Sarah Glenn give one of the frontline spinners a rest?England (possible): 1 Amy Jones (wk), 2 Tammy Beaumont, 3 Heather Knight, 4 Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), 5 Sophia Dunkley/Danni Wyatt-Hodge, 6 Emma Lamb, 7 Alice Capsey, 8 Charlie Dean, 9 Sophie Ecclestone/Sarah Glenn, 10 Linsey Smith, 11 Lauren BellFor New Zealand, there’s a little scrutiny on the place of Eden Carson, who has taken two wickets in the tournament.New Zealand (possible): 1 Suzie Bates, 2 Georgia Plimmer, 3 Amelia Kerr, 4 Sophie Devine, 5 Brooke Halliday, 6 Maddy Green, 7 Isabella Gaze (wk), 8 Jess Kerr, 9 Rosemary Mair, 10, Lea Tahuhu, 11 Eden Carson4:19

Healy, Knight, Mandhana, Devine, Dottin – analysing the best six-hitters

Pitch and conditions: Can the rain please stop?

You won’t believe this, but there are rains forecast for Visakhapatnam on Sunday, with a cyclone supposedly brewing in the Bay of Bengal. So far this venue has seen medium-to-high scores during this World Cup, with India and Australia both having made more than 330 here in one match.

Stats and trivia: NZ’s poor record vs England

• Sophie Ecclestone has taken at least one wicket in every match she has played so far this World Cup.
• Although she’s played only four innings, Devine is still among the tournament’s top five run-scorers, with 266 runs at an average of 66.50.
• New Zealand have lost eight of their last nine ODIs against England – a stretch that goes back to September 2021.

There was a common theme in the four wild-card series games that kicked off Major League Baseball's postseason on Tuesday. Three of the four winning sides received dominant pitching from their southpaw starters and the fourth benefitted from a very serviceable effort as well.

Detroit's Tarik Skubal got the ball rolling by striking out 14 and holding the Guardians to a single run in 7 2/3 innings. Chicago's Matt Boyd left his start in the fifth inning down 1-0 but the Cubs rallied for a victory. Garrett Crochet matched Skubal's line with three fewer strikeouts during a 117-pitch masterpiece. Dodgers ace Blake Snell put a capper on the night by taking care of the Reds with seven innings of two-run ball.

All told, lefty starters threw 28 2/3 innings while surrendering five earned runs and racking up 36 punchouts. In the cases of Skubal and Crochet, the electricity of their performances were through the roof and a reminder that both have a reasonable case to claim the title of best arm in baseball.

The quartet of performances led MLB Network analyst Chris Young to offer up a take that might be hard to completely fact-check yet seems legit.

"Today was the best day ever that I've seen with left-handed starting pitching," he said.

Young then asked purists to go back through the record books and prove him wrong.

On its surface what he's saying holds some water. Especially if extra weight is given to the magnitude of the games being played. It helps a lot that the baseball playoffs have expanded to the point where there are four games per day in the earlier rounds yet doesn't diminish the accomplishments.

Let’s lead off with a spoiler alert. The documentary—not unflawed, but quite a good one, on balance—is titled, provocatively, But the demise of Canada’s beloved National League team was not a murder (who) so much as it was a death from natural causes (what).

The film depicts a cast of heroes, including the universally beloved Felipe Alou, a very cool Pedro Martínez, Canadian star Larry Walker and an assortment of beleaguered fans whose loyalty wasn’t reciprocated. And there are villains—cloying David Samson and his former stepdad, owner Jeffrey Loria, and, to a lesser degree, the hapless Claude Brochu.

But above all, there were immutable, unsentimental forces at play. That is, the usual suspects: An unfavorable exchange rate meant that the Expos took in revenue in Canadian dollars, but paid players their ever-escalating salaries in stronger American dollars. A provincial government that—agree or disagree—took a stand that other cities did not, and refused to commit public money to funding a new sports venue. There were the revenues lost and revenues spent maintaining the old venue—Olympic Stadium, a charmless white elephant on the wrong side of town, built to host a few events for the 1976 Summer Games, not 80-plus baseball games a year in a flourishing pro sports sector decades later. 

Rule of thumb: When you play in a domed stadium and still face rain delays because the roof springs leaks, you know you’re in trouble. The Expos’ death? Olympic Stadium wasn’t the scene of the crime so much as it was the proximate of the crime.

Nevertheless, the Netflix documentary, which premieres Oct. 21, offers both a poignant, locally flavored love letter and an earnest post-mortem for a franchise that deserves better. The Montreal Expos’ last game was held in 2004 after a strange sort of three-way trade that brought MLB franchises to Miami and Washington, D.C., and eliminated one from Quebec. And more than 20 years later, countless fans have yet to work through their grief. Now here comes the film—explicitly geared to the French-speaking locals—that will provide a bit of balm for what remains an open wound.

The timing for the doc’s release works as well. Never mind that the lone remaining Canadian team, the Blue Jays, of course, are amid a deep postseason run. At a time of tariffs, rhetoric over a 51st state and “American betrayal” chilling neighborly relations, the story of a foreign baseball team, brash Americans and the winners-take-all realities of capitalism add resonance.

recently spoke to Montreal-based director Jean-François Poisson and producer Marie-Christine Pouliot.

Sports Illustrated:  What’s your history with this baseball club? 

Jean-François Poisson: I was young when the Expos were here. So mostly it was through my father. He was a big baseball fan, so I was able to watch games on TV. 

Marie-Christine Pouliot: Everybody in Quebec, either parents or grandparents, brought them to a baseball game. But for me, actually, my first day [working] in television was at the Montreal Expos. So that’s how I started my career. So I did the four years there, and I was very fortunate to be there on the last game also, and that’s when I saw the impact of when they left, and also with the people with whom I was working. Some of them have worked for the Expos for 30 years. So it was truly, truly heartbreaking.