Fit, adaptable and supremely confident, England’s Test team continue to walk the talk

Matt Roller11-Oct-20241:26

Miller: England have found perfect tempo to be ruthless

It was a collapse that could only be explained by its context. Pakistan lost this Test on the fourth evening when they slipped first to 41 for 4 then 59 for 5 and 82 for 6 in the third innings. Impressive as England’s bowlers were across the match, these were unexpectedly easy wickets to come by on a blameless pitch.But Pakistan’s batters were beaten by the time they had even reached the crease, run down by the dual burdens of their recent struggles and 150 overs being run ragged in the field. Saim Ayub spooning Brydon Carse’s first ball to mid-off was the worst of a series of grim dismissals, which were the culmination of mental and physical exhaustion.It is one thing to spend around 150 overs in the field, as both sides did in their first bowling innings. It is another for them to be spread across three days, and to spend them chasing after the ball as the opposition score at more than five runs per over: England scored 478 non-boundary runs in their first innings, compared to Pakistan’s 276.Related

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Joe Root and Harry Brook’s partnership ground them down, a 454-run epic spread across 86.3 overs. Brook’s gear change after lunch on the fourth day – he hit 99 off 65 balls in the second session – compounded Pakistan’s weariness, and left them floundering in the mid-afternoon heat. “It had a massive effect, which is what Test cricket is about,” Chris Woakes said.”Here in the subcontinent, you can have three supposedly dull days and then the game can happen quickly. That was always the plan: once we were able to get ahead and run them ragged in the field, it was always going to be hard for them, even on that surface. We know how much it takes out of you.”Root and Zak Crawley’s partnership across the final 18.4 overs of the second day was a vital phase in the match – not least after Aamer Jamal’s spectacular catch to dismiss Ollie Pope. It enabled Brook to start his innings fresh on the third day, and gave Ben Duckett’s thumb time to heal before he came out to bat at No. 4.”The way that Ducky and Creeps [Crawley] go about their business has such a good impact on the changing room,” Brook said. “Watching them go out there and put immense amounts of pressure on their two best bowlers in Shaheen [Afridi] and Naseem [Shah]… it gives you comfort going out there, thinking that the pitch is probably better than what it is.”Touring the subcontinent as an England cricketer in 2024 is completely unrecognisable to what it once was: the team are travelling with their own chef, and are staying on a luxury hotel with a neighbouring golf course. There is still a mental adjustment to make from playing in front of full houses back home to the banks of empty seats this week, which England made impressively quickly.Harry Brook and Joe Root laid the platform for England’s innings win•Getty ImagesThis win was testament to their players’ fitness, and their ability to adjust from the start after coming from a wet, cold autumn back home to the stifling heat of Multan. England insisted in the build-up that three tough training sessions would be enough for them to acclimatise and so it proved, as they coped far better than Pakistan with the oppressive conditions.Brook worked tirelessly on his fitness in the early months of this year, when he missed England’s tour to India and the IPL to be with his grandmother on her deathbed. By his own admission, this was not an innings he could have played without that dedication: “If I hadn’t done that, I’d have probably got to 150 and just slogged one up in the air.”None of England’s seamers had played a Test match in Pakistan before but Woakes, Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse comprehensively outbowled Afridi and Naseem. Carse was particularly compelling on debut, bowling at high pace and finding some reverse-swing: England have moved on from James Anderson and Stuart Broad with impressive speed.The Test match run has lost its value almost as quickly as the rupee in Pakistan, but even in the context of a high-scoring match on a lifeless surface, England’s total of 823 for 7 declared was remarkable. There were seven sessions between them losing Pope to his second ball in response to Pakistan’s 556 and their winning moment on the final morning.But just as Pakistan’s third-innings failure carried an air of inevitability after their recent results, England’s players were not intimidated by a big score. This was the third time since Brendon McCullum took over as coach two-and-a-half years ago that they had conceded more than 500 in an innings: they have now won all three.”You take confidence from those previous performances, when you’re that far behind in the game,” Pope said. “We try not to think about the end result too much during the game, especially if we’re behind… That’s allowed us to go and put together these performances and good wins in situations where potentially, in the past, we wouldn’t have got over the line.”England’s series results under McCullum have been a mixed bag: they have beaten teams they would expect to, drawn with Australia, and lost heavily in India earlier this year. But it is their style and approach that has made them such a compelling team to watch: asked if this was his favourite Test win, Pope claimed it was “definitely top three” – and then named three others.Along with their victories in Rawalpindi two years ago and in Hyderabad in January, England have won three Tests in Asia that few other sides could hope to. McCullum has dismissed the idea that Bazball has been “refined” in any way beyond personnel but this was a reminder of its central tenet: that athletes perform at their best when imbued with immense self-belief.It is not totally foolproof, and there are times when England’s tactical approach has overstretched. But they have now won 20 of their last 30 Tests – and there remains an intoxicating sense that the best is yet to come.

Aston Villa have now joined the race to sign an “insane” new striker, having identified the need to have greater strength in depth in attacking areas.

Villa keen on new striker amid Watkins' struggles

Villa are very much back on track in the Premier League, having made it five wins in a row courtesy of the 1-0 victory over Manchester City at the weekend, but there are still a few problems for Unai Emery to deal with beneath the surface.

There has been plenty of discussion about the manager’s decision to omit Harvey Elliott from the squad entirely on Sunday, while Jeff Stelling was less than impressed with the decision to substitute Jadon Sancho in the second half, claiming “it was wrong.”

There will also be concerns about some of Ollie Watkins’ performances, with the striker scoring just one goal in nine Premier League games so far this season, and he was once again ineffectual against Pep Guardiola’s side.

The 29-year-old recorded an xG of just 0.13 prior to being replaced by Donyell Malen with just under five minutes left to play, finishing the match with a SofaScore match rating of 6.3, the joint-lowest of any Villa player.

Perhaps with that in mind, Aston Villa have now joined the race for a new striker, according to a report from Caught Offside, which credits them with an interest in Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee, amid his uncertain future at Old Trafford.

It has been revealed that Zirkzee wants to leave Man United, having only played a limited role this season, and his current employers could choose to cash in for a fee of around €35m – €40m (£31m – £35m).

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ByDominic Lund Oct 27, 2025

A January exit is deemed likely, and there is no shortage of interest in the centre-forward’s signature, with a number of Serie A clubs set to battle it out, while Brighton & Hove Albion are also keen, and West Ham United have made initial contact.

"Insane" Zirkzee may need fresh start

Despite being lauded for his “insane” quality by scout Ben Mattinson, the 24-year-old has been unable to force his way into Ruben Amorim’s plans, having featured for just 82 minutes across four appearances in the Premier League this season.

However, it is always difficult to make an impact when predominantly featuring as a substitute, and there are signs the Dutchman could flourish if given more regular game time, having regularly chipped in with goals and assists for Bologna across the 2023-24 campaign.

Competition

Appearances

Goal contributions

Serie A

34

16

Italian Cup

3

3

That said, the former Bayern Munich man’s unhappiness stems from a lack of game time, so it would be a questionable decision for Villa to sign him, given that Watkins is likely to remain ahead of the United ace in the pecking order.

While the Englishman hasn’t been at his best this season, he is Premier League-proven, unlike Zirkzee, having scored 76 top-flight goals, which indicates it may only be a matter of time before he rediscovers his top form.

Andy Robertson has now reportedly made his decision on returning to Celtic with Parkhead chiefs already preparing to commence talks with the Scotland captain as early as January.

The Hoops could certainly do with his experience on the European stage, having been well-beaten once again in midweek. This time, it was Midtjylland who reaped the rewards, easing to a 3-1 victory in a game that saw them take a three-goal lead before half-time. Whilst Martin O’Neill has managed to turn things around so far domestically, he could do nothing to stop the rot in the Europa League.

The defeat laid bare the task that the next permanent manager has on their hands and those at Celtic Park are yet to even discover who that will be.

O’Neill once again distanced himself from the job when questioned, telling reporters: “I will be here as long as the football board wants me, it’s as simple as that. That could be at the end of the week, it could be after the Kilmarnock game. I just don’t know.”

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

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Whoever is next in the hotseat – whether it be Nicky Hayen, Kieran McKenna or another name – must turn towards the transfer window to welcome some much-needed experience and quality.

Andy Robertson makes Celtic return decision

As reported by TeamTalk, Robertson is now open to making a return to Celtic and signing a pre-contract agreement as soon as January. Sources told TeamTalk that “it’s a move that would make total sense for him personally” and the Hoops are now ready to swoop in to strike an early deal.

If the Scottish giants are after experience and quality, then Robertson is their man. The iconic Liverpool left-back arguably still deserves the starting spot over new man Milos Kerkez at Anfield, but has less than 12 months remaining on his current contract. Given that the Reds bought Kerkez to act as Robertson’s successor last summer, a new contract seems unlikely at this stage.

That, as things stand, should allow Celtic to seal a bargain deal for a Champions League winner who, even at 31 years old, would take the Scottish Premiership by storm.

Once dubbed the “complete player” by former Liverpool left-back Fabio Aurelio, Robertson would be one of the signings of the summer if the Bhoys secured his arrival on a free deal.

Their academy graduate has won it all in English football and is now open to coming full circle and returning to end some unfinished business in Scotland.

Celtic now considering McKenna move

Ilan Meslier’s long fall from Leeds United’s undisputed starting position to a goalkeeper searching for a lifeline has pushed his agent, Pini Zahavi, to attempt to engineer a move to Serie A. With both AC Milan and Inter monitoring the situation, Leeds run the risk of losing a once-elite Premier League talent for far less than they hoped, while Meslier weighs a fresh start to revive a career derailed by dwindling confidence.

• Meslier frozen out as his agent pushes for a Serie A escape

  Meslier has not started a competitive match for Leeds since April, a dramatic decline for a goalkeeper once regarded as one of the club’s most valuable assets. His role has diminished to the point where he is now effectively out of the picture, watching from the sidelines as Lucas Perri and Karl Darlow occupy the first-team spots. With his contract expiring in 2026 and Leeds unwilling to keep a high-earning third-choice goalkeeper, the club is open to selling him in January.

  According to Tutto Sport,sensing the urgency of the situation, his agent Zahavi has moved aggressively. Zahavi, who maintains strong relationships with Milan and Inter is positioning Meslier for a switch to Serie A. Both Milan clubs are interested, attracted by the possibility of signing a young, technically gifted keeper who once ranked among the Premier League’s brightest prospects. But while Leeds want a January sale, both Milan and Inter prefer to wait until summer to sign him for free, setting up a standoff that could deprive Leeds of a transfer fee entirely.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  From Premier League standout to a sudden collapse in form

  Meslier’s decline has been gradual but unmistakable. At his peak in the 2020–21 Premier League season, the Frenchman was electric, producing extraordinary reflex saves, commanding his box with confidence and playing a crucial part in Leeds' ninth-place finish under Marcelo Bielsa. He looked every bit the modern goalkeeper being calm in possession, agile under pressure, and brave in one-on-one situations.

  But the seasons that followed exposed the fragility of both Leeds' defensive structure and Meslier’s still-developing decision-making. As Bielsa’s chaotic, high-risk style increasingly stretched the defence, Meslier faced more dangerous situations than almost any keeper in the league. His shot-stopping numbers plummeted, errors multiplied and the pressure mounted. During Leeds’ relegation campaign he conceded well over expected goals against and ranked among the poorest shot-stoppers in the division.

• Leeds' dilemma: sell now, risk losses or hold on to a fading asset

  Leeds now find themselves in a difficult position. They see Meslier as a player whose value has dropped but still carries Premier League experience that should, in theory, command a meaningful fee. Yet the market is unforgiving for goalkeepers who have lost their starting role, and European clubs know Leeds are under pressure to sell. The club has explored offers in previous windows but has not received anything close to their valuation.

  Adding to the complexity is that Leeds had once considered offering Meslier a new contract, largely to protect his transfer value. But the emergence of Perri and the reliability of Darlow have pushed Meslier further down the depth chart, making a renewal both financially unwise and sporting unnecessary. If Milan and Inter insist on waiting until the summer to sign him for free, Leeds risk losing him without compensation just two years after rejecting offers that would have earned them substantial profit.

  The club must now decide whether a cut-price January sale is better than clinging to an asset whose value and playing time are evaporating by the month.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  What Meslier needs

  For Meslier, a move away from England may be the only path to rediscovering the promise that once made him one of Europe’s most exciting young goalkeepers. Serie A, with its emphasis on tactical organisation and structured defensive systems, could provide the stability he has lacked since Bielsa’s final seasons at Leeds. Milan and Inter offer environments where keepers have time to rebuild confidence and refine fundamentals without the relentless chaos and pace of English football.

He is finally reaping the rewards for his consistency and fitness but can he sustain this intensity for longer formats for India?

Sidharth Monga10-Apr-20251:36

What’s working for Prasidh Krishna this season?

Gujarat Titans (GT) have shown themselves to be a pretty ruthless and unemotional side.Washington Sundar finally got a chance to play – the Impact Player rule has ruined it for even slightly imperfect allrounders – in the last match, put in a match-winning innings that had commentators and experts calling him too good to be left out, but when GT returned to a red-soil pitch at home, they left him out. They didn’t get carried away. They trusted M Shahrukh Khan, a specialist batter, to do the job. They also saw the conditions called for an extra fast bowler. They didn’t try to accommodate Washington.R Sai Kishore was GT’s second-highest wicket-taker before this match. “Probably the best spinner in the tournament so far,” according to their mentor Parthiv Patel. He didn’t get to bowl until this match against Rajasthan Royals (RR) was practically over as a contest.Related

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This is a squad that has lost Kagiso Rabada after three games, and yet they seem to be able to field different attacks for different conditions almost effortlessly. They go to Bengaluru where new-ball movement can be crucial, they add Arshad Khan. They see the one sluggish track in Hyderabad being used, and they bring in Washington. They roll out the slow and low black-soil pitch at home, they go for taller bowlers. On red soil, back comes Arshad. And Shubman Gill almost always has six nearly genuine bowlers at his disposal.However, apart from the resurgent Mohammed Siraj and the all-time-great Rashid Khan, there has been one constant in the GT side that has made this versatility and ruthlessness possible. He is tall, finally fit and quick, he goes by Skiddy on Instagram and with his team-mates, but he is anything but. This version of Prasidh Krishna is the one that India hoped for when they backed him.

The reaction Prasidh is getting from the pitch is a sight for sore eyes. The bounce is steep and unbecoming of the lengths he is bowling, drawing poor connections from the batters

Without taking anything away from Siraj, he does get the new ball to play with. Prasidh is playing the other role of making something out of nothing when the movement has died, and you need some other point of difference. He has now had four straight matches in which he has gone under seven an over. He has taken wickets in each of these games.Nothing quite sums up Prasidh’s impact more than GT’s last two home games. Against Mumbai Indians (MI), they played on the black-soil pitch because MI are used to the red soil at Wankhede and are built for quick and bouncy surfaces. His figures: 4-0-18-2. Against RR, GT went back to the pace and bounce of red soil. His figures: 4-0-24-3.A lot of top-level cricket is about feeling good about your body and executing your plans well, but don’t underestimate the value of knowing what to do in different conditions. In these two games, Prasidh has shown the awareness of his own game that only comes with experience. On the slower, grippier surface, Prasidh went into the surface more and bowled more slower balls. Both his wickets in that match came off slower balls. Every fourth ball he delivered in that game was a slower one.Prasidh Krishna enjoyed a productive outing against his old team, Rajasthan Royals•IPLOn the quicker pitch, not only did Prasidh crank up the pace, he also didn’t bother with the slower balls. He tried just one against RR as against seven against MI. Six balls went above 145kph and 14 above 140kph against RR, as against just one and eight against MI. Against MI, he went short of a good length 15 times, against RR only 12.Reaping the rewards for his consistency and fitness, Prasidh has probably been the best fast bowler outside the powerplay in this IPL so far. Even if it is over a period of four overs, the reaction Prasidh is getting from the pitch is a sight for sore eyes. The bounce is steep and unbecoming of the lengths he is bowling, drawing poor connections from the batters. The pace is up perhaps because he feels good about his physical fitness.Too often, India have been edged out of Test matches because their bowlers are shorter and skiddier, thus extracting less from the surfaces in South Africa, New Zealand, England and Australia. India’s next big Test tour is in England, two months away. Can Prasidh sustain this consistency and intensity for longer formats?

Glamorgan 265 and 41 for 2 trail Lancashire 374 (Wells 78, Jones 62, Balderson 51) by 68 runsLancashire have left Glamorgan with much to do to force a positive result after gaining a three-figure lead at Sophia Gardens.Luke Wells’ dogged 78 to pass 1,000 runs for the season along with a much-needed 62 for Scottish international Michael Jones and George Balderson took Lancashire to 374. Several other starts, including Keaton Jennings’ 1,000-run landmark, also boosted the visitors to a 109-run lead.Allrounder Timm van der Gugten’s involvement in his 100th first-class match wasn’t finished with a half-century on day one as he took the reigns to take 5 for 85, Glamorgan fighting back with the final four wickets inside nine overs with the second new ball.Resuming overnight on 55, openers Wells and Jennings resumed momentum with the expectation to bat all day. Jennings’ half-century looked inevitable before being removed on 49 as Van der Gugten’s first victim despite Jennings’ tall stature batting outside his ground on a rising delivery.George Bell was next to fall short of a half-century with a stylish 45 while Wells remained quiet since pulling a boundary to bring up his thousand-run season.Partnerships of substance without kicking on continued to be the theme. When Wells eventually was undone by Mason Crane finding some turn, a chance to rip through the middle order looked possible, Jones struggling to line up Crane initially in a good battle. Even after two sixes in quick succession from the Scot, Sam Northeast persevered with bowling the former England leg-spinner who created numerous chances in a long spell which deserved more than his 2 for 109 suggests.Ned Leonard hobbling off two balls into a spell left more pressure on Glamorgan. Jones’ second half-century of the season came after just 42 balls and Hurst was the next to fall short of the milestone.Tom Hartley pleasantly drove the first ball of the 89th over (Glamorgan’s first with the new ball) for four, giving warning signs of more to come at 337 for 6 – but Van der Gugten’s experience to gain his 300th first-class Glamorgan wicket, and one for Harris, was enough to wrap up before more potential damage on a variable pitch.Similar to the previous day, the opening pair would need to negate 17 overs as the sun lowered at Sophia Gardens. Zain Ul Hassan avoided his pair and stuck out the day after an important spell of bowling claiming both Jones and Hurst, who put together 88 in the afternoon.Asa Tribe and nightwatcher Harris couldn’t grind out Lancs’ seamers despite a positive start from the former; a low ball making him the latest to succumb to that method on the deteriorating Cardiff pitch.

India scored just 56 in the last eight overs as Bangladesh fought back valiantly

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Sep-2025Abhishek Sharma continued his magnificent tournament, following up his 39-ball 74 against Pakistan with a 37-ball 75, but Bangladesh still held India to a total of 168 for 6 after sending them in.India’s innings followed a pattern not unlike Pakistan’s against their bowlers on Sunday: a strong start followed by a dramatic slowdown when the ball became older and harder to time. India scored 95 runs in overs 4-11, when Abhishek ran rampant, and just 73 runs in the 12 overs either side of that stretch.Bangladesh made things difficult for Abhishek and Shubman Gill with new-ball swing in the first three overs, and then by varying their pace and using the grip on offer when the ball got old. In between, Abhishek played an incandescent innings, hitting five sixes to jump up to joint No. 7 on India’s all-time T20I six-hitting charts. He has now hit 58 sixes in just 21 innings; Suresh Raina, with whom he drew level, hit 58 in 66 innings.It’s a different sport now, and Abhishek lives on its cutting edge, and Bangladesh seemed to have no answers when he was cutting their bowling to ribbons. They could, however, have dismissed him for 7 off 8 in the third over, had the wicketkeeper held on to an edge off Tanzim Hasan Sakib, who came into an XI with as many as four changes and bowled brilliantly with the new ball, swinging it prodigiously while also hitting the deck hard.The wicketkeeper who shelled that chance – and Bangladesh’s captain on the night – was Jaker Ali, standing in for Litton Das who was ruled out with a side strain.That miss seemed to be costing Bangladesh dearly when India were 112 for 2 at the start of the 12th over. But a brilliant bit of fielding from Rishad Hossain – diving to his left to stop a dab from Suryakumar Yadav and springing up, ready to throw, in one motion – sent Abhishek back, run out, and changed the complexion of the game. India only scored 56 runs across their last nine overs. Hardik Pandya – who was out off the last ball of the innings for 38 off 29, did the bulk of the scoring.Their slide looked worse for coming against the backdrop of batting-order changes that didn’t come off on the day. India promoted Shivam Dube to No. 3, and sent in Hardik, Tilak Varma and Axar Patel above Sanju Samson, who did not get to bat at all.With batting usually a little easier in the second innings in Dubai, Bangladesh have a genuine chance of tripping India up and firming up their hopes of getting into Sunday’s final.

Glasgow Rangers were hit with a big blow during the summer transfer window when Hamza Igamane moved on from Ibrox to sign for Ligue 1 outfit Lille.

The French side swooped in to sign the Morocco international for a fee of £10.4m, thanks to a release clause in his contract, after he spent just one full season in Glasgow.

Igamane showcased his quality on a regular basis in the 2024/25 campaign, as shown in the graphic above, and that is why it was such a blow for the Scottish Premiership giants to lose him in the summer.

The right-footed centre-forward arrived at Ibrox in the summer of 2023 as a 21-year-old and inexperienced striker, and Philippe Clement provided him with the chance to play regular football and develop.

Igamane, as evidenced by his goal tally last season, took advantage of the chances that Clement, and later, Barry Ferguson, offered him on the pitch, which earned the striker his big-money move to Lille.

Unfortunately, replacing the Moroccan centre-forward has proven to be a task too difficult for Kevin Thelwell, as the club’s current striker options have struggled this season.

Ranking the first-team striker options at Rangers

Rangers swooped to sign Youssef Chermiti from Everton for a fee of £8m, the most they have paid for a player since the £12m move for Tore Andre Flo in 2000, and agreed a deal worth up to £4.2m to bring Bojan Miovski in from Girona.

On top of signing Chermiti and Miovski to make up for the departures of Igamane and Cyriel Dessers, the Light Blues decided to keep hold of Brazilian forward Danilo, leaving Russell Martin with three centre-forward options.

Danny Rohl has inherited those three options and it still remains to be seen which of those three is his preferred option. Danilo has started four games, Chermiti has started three games, and Miovski has started three games across the manager’s six games in all competitions.

The Brazilian striker has been the most effective option, so far, with a return of two goals in three Scottish Premiership appearances under the German tactician, whilst Miovski is yet to score for him and Chermiti has scored once.

James Tavernier

2.9

4

+1.1

Bojan Miovski

2.16

1

-1.16

Thelo Aasgaard

1.63

1

-0.63

Djeidi Gassama

1.43

1

-0.43

Nicolas Raskin

1.07

1

-0.07

As you can see in the table above, only Miovski ranks within the top five players with the highest xG in the Premiership this season, and he has underperformed his xG by 1.16 goals.

It is hard, therefore, to rank the Macedonia international any higher than bottom of the pile because he has had enough chances in front of goal to have more than one league strike to his name.

Chermiti ranks in second place, as he also has one Premiership goal but has only started one match, and that leaves Danilo in first place, with three goals and one assist in all competitions, per Sofascore.

The fact that the former Feyenoord ace can be considered the best striker option at the club with three goals to his name in November, though, shows that the club have failed to replace Igamane’s influence in the final third.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

It is, therefore, unfortunate that there is a former Rangers academy graduate, who left the club for nothing, currently shining and looking like he would have been their next Igamane at Ibrox.

The former Rangers star who could have been their next Hamza Igamane

Robbie Ure, per Transfermarkt, left Glasgow on a free transfer to sign for Anderlecht’s academy in the summer of 2023 at the age of 19, after only making three appearances for the first-team.

The then-teenage Scottish centre-forward scored one goal in three games for the senior side. After his first senior goal, against Queen of the South, teammate Scott Arfield described the striker as “magic” in their post-game interview.

Ure had scored 17 goals in 37 B team matches and five goals in ten Youth League games at academy level, per Transfermarkt, but was not given more than three appearances for the first-team, despite scoring in one of them.

The Scotland U21 international went on to score 12 goals in 38 games for Anderlecht’s Futures team in 18 months in Belgium, before sealing a move to Swedish side Sirius to play regular first-team football.

Since his move to Sweden, Ure has made a name for himself with a return of 11 goals and four assists in 28 starts in the Allsvenskan in the 2025 campaign for Sirius, per FotMob.

xG

10.54

Top 9%

xG on target

11.13

Top 9%

Goals

11

Top 11%

Chances created

44

Top 1%

Assists

4

Top 11%

Touches in the opposition’s box

116

Top 9%

Duels won

157

Top 7%

Duel success rate

43.5%

Top 30%

As you can see in the table above, the former Rangers marskman ranks incredibly highly among forwards in the division for scoring goals, creating chances, and winning duels.

This shows that he has been outstanding technically and physically at first-team level in Sweden. Now, if Rangers were linked with a promising 21-year-old striker with his statistics this season, supporters would surely be excited by the prospect of that signing.

The Gers already had him on their books, though, and did not give him enough opportunities to shine at senior level before he decided to move on at the end of his contract in 2023.

Rangers just lost an incredibly exciting and talented young goalscorer, in Igamane, and they could have had their next version of the Moroccan if they had kept hold of Ure and given him chances to impress at Ibrox.

He scored goals at youth level at Ibrox, he scored in one of his three senior outings for the club, he scored goals for Anderlech’s academy, and now the youngster is scoring goals regularly at first-team level in Sweden.

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Rangers, therefore, already had their next Igamane in the making at the club, but they were unable to convince him not to walk away for nothing in 2023, which they will surely regret in hindsight.

Barcelona have finally received the kind of news they have been waiting months for. Pedri’s accelerated recovery puts him on course to face Chelsea in a crucial Champions League clash, Joan Garcia is set to return after the break, Raphinha has also entered the final phase of his rehabilitation, with their injury returns coming at an ideal time for manager Hansi Flick.

Pedri’s fast-tracked return ahead of Chelsea clash

Pedri’s injury during the El Clasico loss to Madrid was one of the defining blows of Barcelona’s turbulent season. The midfielder tore the distal biceps femoris muscle in his left thigh, a serious hamstring injury that was expected to leave him out for six weeks. The timeline meant missing vital Champions League fixtures and the entire November international window, depriving Barca of the player who dictates tempo, links phases, and provides balance in midfield.

In his absence, Barcelona visibly suffered. Without Pedri’s positional intelligence and control, their build-up became erratic, transitions slower, and Flick’s game model lost its anchor. Matches against Club Brugge and league opponents highlighted how heavily the side still leans on his presence.

However, in a major and somewhat unexpected twist, Pedri has responded extremely well to treatment, allowing Barcelona’s medical staff to accelerate his reintegration. Journalist Xavi Campos confirmed that he is now expected to be available for the Champions League clash against Chelsea on November 25 in a match that could decide top spot in the table. Barcelona will not risk him against Athletic Club, but the plan is clear: Pedri will be eased in at Stamford Bridge.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesJoan Garcia’s return restores stability between the posts

If Pedri’s injury hurt Barcelona’s structure, Garcia’s absence damaged their foundations. Before tearing his medial meniscus in late September, the 24-year-old was in outstanding form: seven matches, three clean sheets, only five goals conceded.

His injury, which required arthroscopic surgery on September 27, came at the worst possible moment. Barcelona had begun to settle defensively, and Garcia’s chemistry with the back line was improving every week. His replacement, Wojciech Szczesny, offered experience but struggled to replicate Garcia’s calm presence. Over nine matches, Barca conceded far more chances, lacked assurance in build-up, and visibly missed their first-choice keeper.

The international break, however, has worked in Barcelona’s favour. With no competitive fixtures, Garcia has been able to use the fortnight to complete the final stages of his rehabilitation without pressure. Reports now confirm he is fully recovered and expected to start against Athletic Bilbao when La Liga resumes.

Raphinha enters the decisive phase of his recovery

The international break also offered Barcelona something they have rarely enjoyed this season: a quiet training environment with no new injuries and even better, clear signs of progress. The most encouraging update concerns Raphinha, who has officially entered the final phase of his recovery.

The winger has been working individually at Ciutat Esportiva, focusing on strength, explosiveness and controlled workload to avoid setbacks. With only a handful of first-team players in training, all eyes shifted to him and every report from inside the club described his evolution as “very positive.” If his progress continues, he is expected to rejoin full sessions right after the international break, giving Flick another guaranteed starter during a period in which rotation will be unavoidable.

His comeback also arrives at a moment when other attacking options, such as Lamine Yamal, remain in longer recovery programmes.

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Getty Images SportRare positive window for Flick amid a season of setbacks

For coach Flick, the first months of the season have resembled a survival test rather than a smooth managerial transition. Multiple key players dropped out with long-term injuries, medical disagreements created tension with national teams, and constant squad disruption made it nearly impossible to establish a consistent style of play.

At various points, Flick lost Pedri, Raphinha, Gavi, Garcia, Yamal, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and several defenders. Tactical adjustments became reactive rather than strategic, and results fluctuated as Barcelona tried to adapt.

This is why the current wave of good news feels so significant. Pedri’s accelerated return, Garcia’s full recovery, and Raphinha’s advancing rehabilitation collectively give Barcelona something they have not had all season which is continuity. Flick will finally be able to work with a more complete squad, regain tactical balance, and build consistency ahead of a demanding fixture calendar.

The left-hand batter from Bihar heads a list of teenage debutants, some of whom have had successful careers while others faded away

Varun Shetty19-Apr-20251 Vaibhav Suryavanshi – 14 years, 23 days (vs Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025)On Saturday, the left-hand opener came into the Rajasthan Royals (RR) XI to replace the injured captain Sanju Samson. He first made national headlines at 13 with a 58-ball century against Australia Under-19. That knock made Suryavanshi the youngest player – at 13 years and 187 days – to score a century in youth cricket. Suryavanshi was picked up by RR for INR 1.1 crore after impressing at their high-performance center in Nagpur.For India Under-19, he cracked a 58-ball century in a four-day game against Australia Under-19, while his 176 runs at an average of 44 took India to the final of the Under-19 Asia Cup in 2024. He also has a triple-century to his name – an unbeaten 332 – in the Randhir Verma Tournament, an U-19 competition in Bihar.2 Prayas Ray Barman – 16 years, 157 days (vs Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2019)He was picked by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for INR 1.5 crore after topping Bengal’s wicket charts in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Just minutes before the toss against Sunrisers Hyderabad, head coach Gary Kirsten told him he was playing. At 16 years and 157 days, he became the youngest IPL debutant at the time. Bowling to Jonny Bairstow and David Warner on a flat pitch in the afternoon sun, he conceded 56 in four overs. It remains the only IPL game of his career, and since 2022 he has played only three domestic games.ESPNcricinfo Ltd3 Mujeeb Ur Rahman – 17 years, 11 days (vs Delhi Daredevils in IPL 2018)The Afghan mystery spinner made history when he debuted for Kings XI Punjab in 2018. He made an instant impact after being introduced in the powerplay, trapping Colin Munro lbw with his first ball . His unorthodox bowling had already earned him global attention before this game, and he repaid the faith, bowling a full four-over spell for figures of 2 for 28. This season, he was a late replacement addition to the Mumbai Indians squad.4 Riyan Parag – 17 years, 152 days (vs Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2019)The first IPL appearance for the allrounder from Assam was a thriller remembered for Mitchell Santner’s last-ball six and MS Dhoni’s infamous outburst against the umpires. In his debut season, Parag also became the youngest to hit an IPL fifty. Since then, he has become a regular for RR, retained continuously over the years, and is the squad’s current vice-captain.5 Pradeep Sangwan – 17 years, 179 days (vs Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2008)Pradeep Sangwan was considered a prize catch during the inaugural season, was an U-19 World Cup winner not long before, and held the tag of the youngest debutant for nearly a decade. He went for 40 and took no wickets on his debut against CSK and had only one real season of meaningful cricket (13 games in 2009). He last played in IPL 2022 representing Gujarat Titans and has not played any cricket since the start of 2024.6 Sarfaraz Khan – 17 years, 182 days (vs Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2015)
The batter from Mumbai debuted for RCB in 2015 and seemed to be someone they were willing to invest in, long-term. He was, a few years later, one of their retentions, but was let go in 2018. Fast forward to 2025 at the peak of his red-ball form – and ten years since his IPL debut – he found no takers in the auction for a second season in a row.