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Tottenham Hotspur were made to settle for a 1-1 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt in their Europa League quarter-final first-leg clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday evening.

It was a game in which the Lilywhites had chances to secure the victory but could not find a winning goal that would have given them a crucial advantage in Frankfurt next week.

It was the visitors who took an early lead, just six minutes into the clash. The goalscorer was one of Europe’s most wanted centre-forwards, Hugo Ekitike.

He showed exactly why the biggest clubs want to sign him, cutting inside on his left foot and letting fly a shot from range that nestled into the bottom corner with pinpoint accuracy.

However, it was not long for Lilywhites fans to wait before their side clawed a goal back. The equaliser came from right-back Pedro Porro, who met a brilliant cross from James Maddison with a tidy, flicked finish into the back of the net.

In the third minute of stoppage time, Mickey van de Ven almost had a winner for Spurs. However, his header was superbly tipped over the crossbar by Frankfurt goalkeeper Kaua Santos to keep the score on level terms.

It was certainly a disappointing night for the Lilywhites, who could have easily run out winners. There were some poor performances from some of those in a Spurs shirt.

Spurs' worst performers vs. Frankfurt

One of the Spurs players who struggled against the German side was winger Brennan Johnson. He found it difficult to make a real impact on the game at all, barely getting into the game out on the right flank.

In fact, Goal journalist Sean Walsh noticed that the Welshman struggled to stamp his authority on the game, handing Johnson a 4/10 rating for his performance, suggesting that he spent “far too much time hidden behind defenders”.

Another player in Postecoglou’s attacking trio who had a tough night at the office was striker Dominic Solanke. The England international showed glimpses of his best, and although he has been on a lean run of goalscoring form, he did link play up well at times.

However, his stats from the game, courtesy of Sofascore, show just how little he got into the game at times. For example, Solanke managed just 22 touches, completing seven of ten passes and winning three of five aerial duels.

As tough of a night it was for Johnson and Solanke, they were perhaps not Spurs’ worst attackers against Frankfurt.

Chalkboard

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

Spurs' worst player against Frankfurt

It has not been an easy season for Spurs captain Heung-min Son, and Thursday’s clash with Frankfurt summed that up in many ways.

The South Korean international lacked a real potency in his attacking play and did not pose too much of a threat to their opponents’ defence.

In fact, his stats really reflect Son’s struggles against the German outfit on Thursday. He had 61 touches in total, completing 38 of 44 attempted passes. However, the Spurs legend failed to compete either of his two attempted dribbles, and he lost the ball 12 times, once every five touches.

Son’s struggles against Frankfurt was a sentiment that the aforementioned Walsh seemed to agree with. He was critical of the Spurs captain, giving him a 4/10 for his performance, explaining that the winger was “seldom a threat in crucial areas” going forward.

It might be a worry for Spurs fans that their number seven’s career is petering out. While it’s certainly a different story, there is reason to suggest he’s winding down in a similar way to another modern-day club icon, Dele Alli.

The former Lilywhites midfielder was, at his peak, “the best” youngster in the world, according to Mauricio Pochettino.

However, Alli’s Spurs career tailed off when he began to have dips in form, and perhaps the same can be said for Son this season. It has certainly not been the easiest campaign for the attacker, who like Dele, has gone from an elite talent to someone struggling to make a real impact at Spurs in pretty swift time.

He has just 11 goals and 12 assists in 43 games, with seven goals and ten assists in the Premier League. Compare that to the 17 goals and ten assists in 35 games he managed last term, and there is certainly a Dele-esque decline in numbers.

It is a shame to see such a legendary Premier League player struggle to find his best form this term. No doubt, Lilywhites fans hope he can get back to the top of his game in what is a huge few weeks for the club.

He's a lot like Dele Alli: Spurs want to sign £20m "freak of nature"

The incredible youngster would be a hit at Spurs.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 10, 2025

A look at the qualification chances of the seven teams which are still in contention for a place in the playoffs

S Rajesh13-May-20253:27

What’s brought about the resurgence of spin in IPL 2025?

Gujarat Titans
Gujarat Titans (GT) are just one win away from making the playoffs – 18 points will assure a team of a top-four finish. However, if they lose their three remaining games they could get knocked out as four teams can still finish on 17 or more points. Titans have a favourable itinerary too, with their last two games scheduled at home in Ahmedabad, where they have a formidable 4-1 record so far. Their net run rate is currently second only to Mumbai Indians (MI), which could help them with qualification or a top-two finish.Related

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Like GT, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are also one win away from securing their place in the playoffs. RCB can also make the top four with 16 points if other results go their way. However, two wins will not yet guarantee a top-two finish as two other teams – GT and Punjab Kings (PBKS) – can still finish with 20 or more points. GT currently have a better NRR, while PBKS can finish on 21 if they win all three remaining matches.RCB are second on the points table•BCCIPunjab Kings
PBKS need two wins to be certain of qualification. At the moment, 17 points won’t assure qualification as five teams can get to 17 or more: if, for instance, they beat Rajasthan Royals (RR) but lose to Delhi Capitals (DC) and MI, and if DC beat GT but lose to MI, then RCB, GT, MI, DC and PBKS can all finish on 17 or more points. However, PBKS can qualify with 17 points if they beat DC and lose their other two matches, as in that case only one of MI or DC can finish on 17 or more points, since they play each other.PBKS can sneak through even if they lose all three matches and stay on 15, but for that to happen DC will have to lose their two other matches, so that they stay on 15, and LSG will have to win no more than two of their three games. It’ll then come down to run rates between PBKS and DC (and Kolkata Knight Riders, if they win both matches) for one spot.Mumbai Indians
Despite the loss to GT, MI are still in control of their destiny, as wins in their last two matches will ensure a place in the playoffs. For them to go through on 16 points, though, they’ll need help from other results, while defeats in their two remaining games will eliminate them. MI also have an excellent net run rate of 1.156, which could yet be crucial if qualification comes down to that.Delhi Capitals
KKR are on the brink of elimination as the maximum they can finish with is 15; there are already two teams who have more than 15, while PBKS are on 15 with three games to go.Assuming that those three teams go through, KKR will have to hope that MI lose their two remaining matches and stay on 14. Since one of their matches is against DC, who are currently on 13, that will take DC to 15. The fourth spot will, in that scenario, come down to an NRR battle between KKR and DC.On the other hand, if PBKS lose their three remaining matches, then MI will go past 15, while DC, PBKS and KKR could all be on 15 points, fighting for the fourth spot.However, any washed-out game will see them eliminated.Lucknow Super Giants
LSG are struggling for momentum, having lost three in a row, and four of their last five. The best they can do now is win their three remaining matches, finish on 16 points, and hope that one or more of the in-form teams suffer a sudden reversal of fortunes. If they lose another match, though, they will be eliminated. Their terrible NRR of -0.469 doesn’t help their cause either.

On a nervy night at Eden Gardens, both players made crucial contributions to wrest the advantage away from KKR

Sreshth Shah21-May-20232:21

Should Pooran bat higher?

Lucknow Super Giants have invested time and money on Ravi Bishnoi and Nicholas Pooran. It now seems a while ago, but Bishnoi was one of LSG’s out-of-auction signings before their maiden IPL season. In the most recent IPL auction, LSG kept bidding on Pooran till they acquired him for INR 16 crore. They spent 20% of their salary budget on one player.That’s because Bishnoi and Pooran are both quintessential X-Factor players in T20s. A hard-hitting batter and a wily wristspinner are two types of cricketers who can turn white-ball games around within an over. Give them a couple of more overs to settle, and before you know it, they are all over you. It was a lesson that Kolkata Knight Riders got on Saturday night.Related

• IPL playoffs: RCB, MI and Royals in race for final spot

• Pooran, Bishnoi seal Lucknow Super Giants' playoffs spot with thrilling one-run win

In both innings, KKR held the aces after the first ten overs, only for these two men to snatch the advantage back in LSG’s favour. It started off with Pooran walking in at No. 7 in only the 11th over and LSG’s score reading 73 for 5. He stayed till the penultimate over of the innings and by the time he was dismissed, his five sixes and four fours in a score of 58 gave LSG a defendable total of 178.Then, when KKR seemed to be running away with the chase, blitzing to 78 for 1 in 8.2 overs, the squeeze began with Bishnoi dismissing Nitish Rana and stringing together a series of tidy overs. He frustrated Andre Russell before picking up his wicket in the last over and completed his four-over spell with miserly figures of 2 for 23 that included 10 dots and only two boundary shots. In a must-win game for LSG where the margin of victory was eventually just one run – thanks to Rinku Singh’s continued heroics – without either of these two performances, LSG would’ve been nervously waiting for Sunday’s games to know their playoff fate, a position they’d hated to be in.That LSG had their nerves jangling was visible even as Bishnoi spoke after their win. “To win a game like this, the morale is down. Oh sorry – I mean the morale is high. See, I can’t even talk properly (laughs). We were feeling scared every ball,” he said.”I haven’t seen anyone bat like Rinku Singh for a long time. The way he has batted this season, it is unbelievable. We knew if we bowl a string of dot balls, then it will be tough for them to chase. The goal was wickets or dot balls, the plan was to bowl stump to stump and the challenge was to ensure we do that.”Ravi Bishnoi struck in his first over•Associated PressEven as Bishnoi beamed in the glory of LSG securing a second consecutive playoff appearance, it would never have been possible without Pooran’s innings. Bishnoi was essentially closing what Pooran had initiated.Pooran had walked in at No. 7 – wearing the Mohun Bagan maroon that is reminiscent of his national team colours – with a rescue job at hand. LSG’s top order had essentially failed, and were in real danger of posting a total that would not be competitive in Kolkata. The natural order of things was that Pooran would take a few overs to get his eyes in, having the luxury of entering in the 11th over, but he did the opposite. He smashed 23 in his first 10.This was not the Pooran we know. Even though he has built his game as an imperious hitter, Pooran is not a very quick starter. In his last three years of the IPL, his first-ten-ball strike-rate when coming in before the 14th over had been 116.4. Even when he walked in after the 14th, the corresponding strike-rate was only 135.6. But here he was, playing against the grain.It was such a jolt to the KKR bowling that they looked helpless for a brief moment. Having neutralised Varun Chakravarthy’s danger in his first three deliveries by hitting him for two fours and two sixes within his first ten balls, he pounced on Suyash Sharma and Vaibhav Arora through the late-middle overs. He also ran hard in Ayush Badoni’s company and reached his fifty in 28 balls by hitting the first of two consecutive sixes off Shardul Thakur. Even though Pooran fell, his 42-minute stay had changed the game’s complexion.”I knew I had to go as deep as possible,” Pooran said. “I knew that once the spinners were bowling, they’d give me some bad balls and I was ready to capitalise on this small ground.”I’ve been batting pretty decently through the tournament. And when you’re batting well, you need to take advantage of it, and today was a must-win game for us. Ayush and I had a partnership in Chennai that was similar to this. And I told him we have to go as deep as possible and also pick our moments.”The bottom line is that Pooran’s most recent innings is an extension of his IPL 2023 form. This is his best IPL season – in terms of runs (358), fours and sixes, and strike-rate (173.78). According to Pooran, he finds joy in “repaying the faith” to a team that has “backed him immensely” but LSG head coach Andy Flower has a different theory; Pooran 2.0 was unlocked after his brief captaincy stint with West Indies.Nicholas Pooran hit a 28-ball fifty to lift LSG to a competitive total•Associated Press”One thing that would help his development as a bloke and a team member is his captaincy experience with West Indies recently,” Flower said. “Once you experience the variety of challenges that come your way when you’re captain, it makes you a much better team member.”He made the difference today. It takes a lot of confidence in yourself to hit balls that early in your innings. It has been wonderful to have him remaining in our dugout for that last section of a 20-over innings. He is getting greater clarity on his game, each time I see him. Today was a wonderful mixture of boundary hitting, six hitting, and also alternating the strike so that he elongated his innings.”He’s a beautiful striker of the ball. He’s worked on his bat swing. And he knows that if he gets the ball in a certain area then he’ll clear the boundary. And he’s done that with trial and error with a lot of boundary-hitting practice. He’s put in the hard yards to get to where he is now. And he’s also had a lot of ups and downs in his young career. We think people will have linear developments – heading upwards – but that’s not how life works and how international sport works.”He’s had some bumps along the way, but I do think that captaincy experience has helped. He’s realised how tough it was and now I think he appreciates the game and his team-mates even more. And that’s what brings a really balanced young man to the party.”LSG needed a hat-trick of wins in their last three league-stage games to secure a playoff spot. They now need another hat-trick of wins to take the IPL title. Saturday’s Pooran-Bishnoi show will ensure the side remains in a happy space. And now they have earned the right to put their feet up and enjoy Sunday’s cricket to learn who their opponents at the eliminator will be.

And how many players have lost a Test in which they scored a century in each innings?

Steven LynchWhat is the closest Test series ever played, in terms of average runs per wicket scored by the two teams? asked Arpit Agarwal from India
There have so far been 506 series comprising three or more Tests. The closest of all in this particular respect was the three-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series between India and Australia in 2000-01, which included India’s famous victory in Kolkata after following on, mainly thanks to the heroics of VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid. India, who ended up winning the series 2-1, averaged 34.164 runs per wicket overall, while Australia averaged 34.160 – a difference of just four-thousandths of a run.When West Indies beat India 2-1 at home in 1975-76, they averaged 37.32 runs per wicket against 37.34, a negative difference of 0.02. And when England (34.04) and South Africa (34.10) drew 1-1 in England in 1994, the difference was 0.06 of a run.At the other end of the scale, in the five-match Ashes series of 2009, England won 2-1 despite averaging 34.15 runs per wicket to Australia’s 40.65, a record negative difference of 6.49. England also beat South Africa 2-1 in 1998 despite averaging 29.34 runs per wicket to their opponents’ 35.37 (a difference of 6.03). And back in 1891-92, Australia (21.69) beat England (27.68) 2-1, despite a negative difference of 5.99 runs per wicket.Has anyone ever been out for a pair in a Test by being lbw twice, offering no shot? asked Graham Clarke from Australia
I believe the only man to suffer this strokeless fate was the Australian Ken “Slasher” Mackay, against India in Kanpur in 1959-60. In the first innings he was lbw padding up to the offspinner Jasu Patel, who was on his way to figures of 9 for 69 (and 14 for 124 in the match): you can see that dismissal in this clip (Mackay is the second of the two left-handers dismissed). In the second innings Mackay escaped Patel, but offered no shot to Polly Umrigar, who was also bowling offbreaks, and was out for another duck as India neared their first-ever Test victory over Australia.Mackay doesn’t describe the dismissals in detail in his 1964 autobiography, Slasher Opens Up, although he does say that Patel and Umrigar “presented me with an appropriate Christmas gift, a pair of ducks” (the match ended on Christmas Eve).I was lucky enough to see Scotland beat Zimbabwe the other day. How often have Scotland beaten a Test-playing nation in ODIs or T20s? asked Kevin McKenzie from Scotland
Scotland’s seven-run victory over Zimbabwe in Edinburgh last week was only their third victory over a Test-playing nation in a T20I. They also beat Bangladesh in The Hague in July 2012, and Ireland in Al Amerat in February 2019. (And they beat Ireland twice in 2015, before they gained Test status.) In all, Scotland have won 30 of their 67 T20Is, including seven victories over Netherlands and five against Kenya.In one-day internationals, Scotland have recorded three victories over Test-playing nations, defeating Zimbabwe in Edinburgh in June 2017 and, the following year, famously beating England at The Grange as well. They also defeated Afghanistan in Bulawayo in March 2018 – this was after Afghanistan had been elevated to Test status, but before they’d actually played a Test.In all, Scotland have won 43 of their 117 ODIs, including four against Ireland and three more against Afghanistan before they had Test status. They have beaten Canada and Netherlands seven times each, and Kenya, Papua New Guinea and United Arab Emirates five times.Peter Siddle claimed three of the 19 lbws in the Durham vs Essex County Championship match in May this year•Getty ImagesI noticed there were 19 lbws in the Championship match between Durham and Essex this season. Was this anywhere near a record? asked Brian Turner from England
You’re right that there were 19 lbw dismissals in the County Championship match between Durham and Essex in Chester-le-Street in May 2021. That turns out to be a new Championship record, beating 18, which had happened five times previously – all since 2010 – including a month beforehand, in Cardiff, in the match between Glamorgan and Sussex. Nine of those fell to Ollie Robinson, which equalled the first-class record for a single bowler.There had been two previous instances of 19 lbws in a match, both in India, but the overall first-class record is two cases of 20 – both at the new Providence Stadium in Guyana. In 2011, there were 20 lbws in the Test between West Indies and Pakistan there; and in 2019-20 there were 20 more in the match between Guyana and Jamaica.How many people have lost a Test in which they scored a century in each innings? asked SM Nazmus Shakib from Bangladesh
Eleven men have suffered this bittersweet experience in a Test match. The first was the great England opener Herbert Sutcliffe, whose 176 and 127 were not enough to stave off defeat against Australia in Melbourne in 1924-25. The most recent instance was by Brendan Taylor, for Zimbabwe against Bangladesh in Mirpur in 2018-19.Brian Lara hit 221 and 130 against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 2001-02 – but West Indies still lost. Lara’s 351 runs in that match is a record for a Test defeat, just ahead of Andy Flower’s 341 – he scored 142 and 199 not out – for Zimbabwe against South Africa in Harare two months beforehand, in September 2001. For that list – which features Lara four times in the top 30 – click here.One of the odder stats concerns Andrew Strauss. England never lost any of the 19 matches in which he scored a century – but they did lose the Test in which he made two, against India in Chennai in 2008-09. For the full list, click here.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

It is still only October, and it already feels as if the wheels have come off at West Ham United.

The East Londoners are currently in the relegation zone and only being kept off the bottom of the table by an even worse Wolverhampton Wanderers side.

Worse yet, any of the positivity that came from the draw away to Everton in Nuno Espírito Santo’s first game has all but vanished thanks to three consecutive defeats.

Therefore, if the Portuguese coach is to save the Hammer’s Premier League status this season, he needs to make some changes to the team as soon as possible, such as dropping someone who looks miles off the pace.

Changes that Nuno has to make to West Ham

Given the dire situation West Ham currently find themselves in, Nuno has to make some dramatic changes to the team for the next game, and that starts at the back.

Chalkboard

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

Both Jean-Clair Todibo and Max Kilman must come out of the team, as even though the other options are less than ideal, they have a chance of being better than the Frenchman and Englishman, who have been diabolical for a few games now.

Then, with Ollie Scarles recovering from his dislocated shoulder, the manager should move Kyle Walker-Peters to that right wing-back role if he insists on keeping the shape he used against Leeds on the weekend.

Moreover, while he’s been a brilliant servant to the club, Tomáš Souček now offers little to nothing when he starts, and therefore, he should be dropped to the bench for the far more dynamic and promising Soungoutou Magassa.

Moving on to the attack, and the experiment of player Lucas Paqueta up top has to come to an end.

Minutes

94′

Expected Goals

0.09

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.10

Assists

0

Shots on Target

1

Touches

83

Crosses (Accurate)

4 (0)

Accurate Passes

45/62 (73%)

Yes, Callum Wilson is not of the standard either, but by playing the team’s most creative player as a false nine, the chance creation from deep is practically non-existent.

Ideally, Nuno should revert to a four at the back system and play the Brazilian in attacking midfield.

Last but not least, another change should be made in the middle of the park: the removal of a player who is miles off being the standard required to play for West Ham.

The West Ham ace who must be dropped

He isn’t the number one problem at West Ham this season, but it has become increasingly clear that Andrew Irving is nowhere near good enough to play for the club and should therefore be dropped.

It might sound harsh, but it’s an opinion shared by journalist Jordan Rushworth, who described the Scotsman as a “National League standard” midfielder, adding that he “gets walked past every time an opposition midfielder has the ball.”

Unfortunately for the Edinburgh-born ace, his statistics from the game at Elland Road only back up such a brutal assessment.

Minutes

64′

Expected Assists

0.01

Key Passes

0

Shots

0

Crosses (Accurate)

1 (0)

Touches

48

Lost Possession

7

Duels (Won)

5 (1)

Dribbled Past

1

For example, in his 64 minutes of inaction, he amassed an expected assists figure of just 0.01, failed to make a single key pass, didn’t take any shots, misplaced 100% of his crosses, took 48 touches, lost the ball seven times, lost four of five duels and was dribbled past once.

It’s not just his technical weaknesses that are a problem for the Irons, though, but also his complete lack of any real physicality.

He’s not strong enough on or off the ball and lacks any real athleticism or explosiveness, which in the modern Premier League is a massive problem, and one highlighted by Jamie Carragher after the Brentford loss, when he described the Hammers as “one of the slowest teams I’ve seen in Premier League history!”

Therefore, regardless of the formation he wants to play, Nuno simply has to take Irving out of the starting lineup from now on, especially when he has better options to choose from.

For example, while he can still be a little rash, respected analyst Ben Mattinson has described Magassa as someone blessed with “pure athleticism.”

Moreover, he’s still relatively inexperienced at this level, but Freddie Potts can get around the pitch far easier than the Scotsman, and as Mattinson says, is blessed with an impressive “passing range and powerful carrying” ability.

Ultimately, while there are plenty of changes that need to happen at West Ham, one of the big ones is the removal of Iriving in favour of a far more dynamic and promising alternative.

Worse than Summerville: Nuno must drop 3/10 West Ham flop who's "the worst"

West Ham’s woes continued as they were defeated by Leeds United in the Premier League.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 25, 2025

Chelsea have made an approach to sign a Premier League star, and it happened right after they lost against his side in the top flight.

Chelsea look to arrest recent slide with Everton win

The west Londoners desperately need to rediscover their winning formula when they welcome Everton to Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon, with their title charge now unraveling.

Enzo Maresca’s side have endured a torrid spell recently, failing to taste victory in their last four games across all competitions.

This dismal run has seen them tumble to fifth in the Premier League, now eight points adrift of leaders Arsenal in what appears an increasingly forlorn title pursuit.

Tuesday’s 2-1 Champions League defeat against Atalanta was particularly damaging, leaving Chelsea 11th in the European competition’s league phase and facing an uphill battle to secure automatic qualification to the last 16.

They also lost 3-1 to Leeds at the start of December and followed that up with a frustrating goalless stalemate at Bournemouth.

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The Bavarians are planning an audacious move.

Posts 3 ByEmilio Galantini 3 days ago

Maresca has attracted criticism for excessive squad rotation, making more changes than any other manager in the Premier League throughout 2025/2026.

More worryingly, no top flight side has squandered more points from winning positions at home this season than Chelsea’s eight, and Everton travel to London in a very good mood.

The Toffees have won four out of their last five matches, keeping clean sheets in all of those games, and a first win at Stamford Bridge since the 1990s would allow them to leapfrog Chelsea in the table.

Nothing but all three points will do for Maresca and co as they look to end what has been a memorable 2025 on a high.

Away from the pitch, Chelsea are being linked with a host of players ahead of 2026 and the January transfer window, with Sunderland star Noah Sadiki now attracting their interest.

Chelsea make 'direct contact' for Sunderland star Noah Sadiki

The versatile 20-year-old has been a key player for Regis Le Bris’ side as they make a fairytale start to their first season back in the Premier League for eight years.

Sadiki is a mainstay for this year’s surprise package, starting all 15 of their games so far, and he put in an excellent performance at Stamford Bridge back in October.

The Black Cats ran out 2-1 winners over Chelsea in west London, and Sadiki’s performance motivated BlueCo to ‘immediately’ inquire Sunderland over his availability.

That is according to Sky Sports Switzerland reporter Sacha Tavolieri, who also explained via X that Chelsea are now in ‘direct contact’ to sign Sadiki ahead of January.

The Belgian made over 40 appearances for Union Saint-Gilloise last season and helped them win their first Jupiler Pro League title in 90 years, with Sadiki now taking to England like a duck to water.

Le Bris lavished praise on the young midfielder right after snapping him up from USG, calling him a ‘rare’ talent, and this is clearly showing now.

Young, versatile and in fantastic form, Sadiki ticks a lot of boxes for Chelsea, and he could be an excellent alternative to the constantly-injured Roméo Lavia in the middle of the park.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is in the market for attacking quality and could now turn to a Premier League star who is high up on his shortlist at the Etihad Stadium.

Man City leave it late to see off Leeds United

Despite sitting at opposite ends of the table, Manchester City dug deep to see off Daniel Farke’s Leeds United in a dramatic clash on Saturday afternoon that helped to narrow the gap on Arsenal and Chelsea in the top-flight standings.

Phil Foden’s early and late strikes were enough to seal the deal. However, Guardiola will be frustrated at surrendering a two-goal lead when it appeared his side were in cruise control.

Either way, Foden made it clear that he and his teammates were ‘delighted’ with the end result as the Citizens avoided dropping points in back-to-back fixtures after the conclusion of the international break.

He said: “When there was a short break, the manager got us together, and we adapted to their formation. We had a few half-chances, and finally, I’ve found a bit of space and found the bottom of the net.

“There are still things we can improve. We’re delighted with the result. The title race is never straightforward. There are always ups and downs and periods where you can’t seem to get going, and we’ve had that. The belief and togetherness came through at the end.”

For some, an overreliance on Erling Haaland is something Manchester City need to be cautious of moving forward, hence they may now make a move to sign Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo as he is available for £65 million.

Looking to scale up in all areas, Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson could be at the centre of a transfer battle between the Citizens and Manchester United. In other news, he isn’t the only player Guardiola is willing to fight over.

Manchester City have Everton's Iliman Ndiaye high on their shortlist

According to Foot Mercato, Manchester City have Everton attacker Iliman Ndiaye high on their shortlist after his excellent start to life in the Premier League this campaign.

Scoring four times and notching an assist in 15 matches across all competitions, the Senegal international is also wanted by Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, with the trio all keen to bolster their frontline once the transfer window opens.

Man City now frontrunners to sign "world-class" £80m star, Pep's a big fan

There has been a new update on City’s pursuit of a new forward, who Pep Guardiola has dubbed “extraordinary”.

By
Dominic Lund

Nov 27, 2025

Labelled “top drawer” by Jamie O’Hara, initial contact has been made for the Rouen-born man as Guardiola steps up his hunt for invention, even if Ndiaye is unlikely to be an out-and-out alternative to Haaland.

Over a long Premier League season, his ability to operate almost anywhere in a front four is a commodity most managers would love to have, especially given he has created 15 chances in the top-flight circa 2025/26, per Fotmob. Based on that, it’s perhaps no wonder previous reports have suggested he is valued at £70m.

Now, it remains to be seen whether they can push a deal over the line as Guardiola seeks reinforcements in order to further Manchester City’s title challenge.

Miller Gardner—the late 14-year-old son of former New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner—died of carbon monoxide poisoning, Costa Rican authorities said Wednesday.

The announcement comes 13 days after Miller's death during a family vacation, which the Gardner family announced through the Yankees.

Per Russell Zuniga of Costa Rica's Judicial Investigation Agency via the AP, Miller was tested for carboxyhemoglobin—an indicator of carbon monoxide's presence. He measured 64% saturation—well above the amount considered fatal.

Per the Gardner family, Miller was among several family members to fall ill while on vacation. The Gardners wrote that their son "loved football, baseball, golf, hunting, fishing, his family and his friends" in its announcement of his death through New York.

The Yankees held a moment of silence in Miller's honor before their opener against the Milwaukee Brewers on March 27. Brett, his father, played for the team from 2008 to '21—winning the World Series in 2009.

India went into the tea break at 304 for 6, having gained a healthy lead of 281

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Aug-2025

Sealed with a kiss! Yashasvi Jaiswal scored his sixth Test ton•Getty Images

Tea Yashasvi Jaiswal struck his sixth Test century to ensure that England will need to break a long-standing record at The Oval to seal a 3-1 series win. Jaiswal cut a threadbare seam attack into oblivion during his 118 as India built a substantial lead, leaving England facing the challenge of becoming the first team in the venue’s history to chase a fourth-innings target in excess of 275.In the absence of Chris Woakes, England were left to rotate a three-man seam attack – with no frontline spinner – throughout an extended second session, with the exception of three overs of Joe Root’s offspin. They were much more threatening than they had been on Saturday morning, but India continued to rattle along at more than four runs per over as Jaiswal made hay.Gus Atkinson struck with the first ball after lunch, trapping Shubman Gill on the knee roll, and made life difficult for Karun Nair throughout his innings of 17. Nair was struck on the glove first ball, was dropped by Harry Brook at second slip – a tough chance, with Zak Crawley diving across him – and eventually caught behind as Atkinson found some extra bounce from a length.But Jaiswal pressed on, reaching his hundred – his fourth against England, and his second of this series – with a scampered single through backward point. It was a fitting way to bring it up: 72 of his first 100 runs came behind square on the off side, and he rode his luck as he cut, dabbed, steered and slashed England’s quicks past, through or over the slip cordon.He was given yet another life when Ben Duckett missed a tough chance at leg gully, but Jamie Overton held onto one at deep third to send him on his way for 118. England thought they had Ravindra Jadeja lbw when Josh Tongue hit him on the boot, but he reviewed successfully and steered them to the tea break along with Dhruv Jurel.

Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana has been spared jail time despite being caught on camera driving dangerously in his Lamborghini. This was the French defender's ninth driving offence, and he is already serving a driving ban until May 2027. Fofana, who has been plagued by injuries in recent years, has appeared in five matches across all competitions for the Blues in the 2025-26 campaign, including three in the league.

• Fofana slapped with fresh driving ban but avoids jail time

  According to , Fofana was caught speeding and weaving through traffic on the A3 Esher Bypass in Hook, Surrey. The incident was caught on a dashcam and the footage was presented in court. While the Blues star was spared jail time for what was his ninth driving offence at the age of 25, he has been ordered to serve 300 hours of unpaid community service. He has also been hit with a fresh 18-month driving ban, although his licence is suspended until May 2027 for previous offences. The Frenchman has also been ordered to pay just £85 in costs and a £114 victim surcharge. The video below was shared by the Crown Prosecution Service.

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• Fofana slammed by judge

  District Judge Julie Cooper slammed Fofana inside the courtroom for setting the wrong example for young people who look up to professional footballers like him.

  She said: "You obviously realise there are a lot of young people who look up to you and they would like to be like you and follow you. That’s part of the whole gig. However, they will not be able to afford these expensive cars, with all their additions that keep them safe and you could have some 17-year-old, who has just passed their test, who think they can copy you. They will not be able to handle their car and do some ridiculous driving manoeuvres and they are dead. You need to be much more responsible about your behaviour."

  Prosecutor Rabbi Khan said: "The witness identified the danger and this defendant was driving on the hard shoulder at speed in a 50mph zone. The offence is aggravated by an approaching bend that was signposted and he is not indicating when making these manoeuvres. He refused to abide by the road rules at speed."

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  'There is no explanation or excuse'

  Representing Fofana, his solicitor Imogen Cox told the court: "The video speaks for itself – 15 to 20 seconds of driving that are conceded. There is no explanation or excuse for his driving on that day. He attended voluntarily for an interview at Guildford Police Station and apologised for driving and said he had learned a valuable lesson about his driving and had no explanation for his driving on that day. This offence pre-dates the speeding offences, which were all within a seven-month period and tied-up at Lavender Hill. He is essentially of good character, having no criminal convictions against him. He is fit and healthy and able to carry out community work."