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A team-by-team guide ahead of the new BBL season which will see strong England and Pakistan representation

Tristan Lavalette and Andrew McGlashan12-Dec-20252:40

Henriques: We try not to pick a player for one year

*Squads subject to changeAdelaide StrikersCaptain Matt Short
Coach Tim Paine
Fixtures Click hereSquad Hasan Ali (PAK), Cameron Boyce, Jordan Buckingham, Alex Carey, Mackenzie Harvey, Travis Head, Thomas Kelly, Chris Lynn, Harry Nielsen, Jamie Overton (ENG), Lloyd Pope, Alex Ross, Jason Sangha, Liam Scott, Matt Short, Tom Straker, Henry Thornton, Luke Wood (ENG)How they stack upAfter winning a final in BBL13, Strikers sunk to the bottom of the ladder in a disappointing first season under new head coach Tim Paine who took over from Jason Gillespie. Strikers’ top-order was inconsistent and could not quite fire in the batting-friendly surrounds of Adelaide Oval. They have shaken up the batting-order after the departure of Jake Weatherald to Hobart Hurricanes while veteran D’Arcy Short has not been retained. Recruits Jason Sangha and Mackenzie Harvey add class and vigour as Strikers look to shore up a batting-order perennially dependent on skipper Matt Short. An even bigger issue for Strikers last season was their death bowling as they continually leaked big totals. International quicks Hasan Ali and Luke Wood will be relied upon to alleviate those issues, with Test seamer Brendan Doggett having moved to Renegades.Player to watchAs per usual, Matt Short will carry a lot of burden on his back. He is Strikers’ talisman and the team’s barometer. After back-to-back BBL MVP awards, Short had an injury impacted season and made just 236 runs at 33.71 with 109 of those being in Strikers’ franchise record of 251 for 5 against Heat. Short will also be keen to produce a big season to ensure selection in Australia’s T20 World Cup squad. He’s been on the fringes of Australia’s white-ball teams for some time and had modest success against India recently.Availability issuesHasan is on the outer of Pakistan’s national teams so will be available for the whole season if he fails to be selected for January’s T20I series against Sri Lanka. Having played white-ball cricket recently for England, left-arm seamer Wood is a chance of being called up for the T20I and ODI tour of Sri Lanka which starts on January 22. Jamie Overton, who was Strikers’ standout with an outstanding allround season in BBL14, is also in the selection mix for the Sri Lanka tour. Test players Travis Head and Alex Carey should be available after the Ashes series wraps up on January 8.Shaheen Afridi’s arrival will create plenty of interest•AFP/Getty Images

Brisbane HeatCaptain Usman Khawaja
Coach Johan Botha
Fixtures Click hereSquad Shaheen Shah Afridi (PAK), Tom Alsop (ENG), Xavier Bartlett, Max Bryant, Lachlan Hearne, Spencer Johnson, Usman Khawaja, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan McSweeney, Colin Munro (NZ), Michael Neser, Oli Patterson, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Callum Vidler, Hugh Weibgen, Jack WildermuthHow they stack upIt was a disappointing title defence for Heat, who finished second last on the ladder. They made an off-season statement in their bid to lift back into contention when they selected Pakistan quick Shaheen Shah Afridi in the draft. His signing was made even more important after left-arm speedster Spencer Johnson was ruled out of the season with a back injury. Heat still boast enviable pace depth with Michael Neser and Xavier Bartlett also in the line-up, but their spin stocks took a hit when legspinner Mitchell Swepson signed with Stars.Player to watchAfter a stellar season, where he topped the team’s run-scoring, Matt Renshaw resisted the temptation of a move and re-signed with Heat. Renshaw has started the domestic season strongly across formats and performed reasonably well in his first taste of ODI cricket in the recent series against India. His batting flexibility and sheer power makes him the key of Heat’s batting-order.Availability IssuesPakistan’s recently announced three-game T20I series against Sri Lanka in January could impact the availability of Afridi, who had originally been slated to play a full season. Test players Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja should be available after the Ashes although Khawaja’s current place in Australia’s team appears shaky.Mitchell Owen was last season’s hero for Hobart Hurricanes•Getty Images

Hobart HurricanesCaptain Nathan Ellis
Coach Jeff Vaughan
Fixtures Click hereSquad: Rehan Ahmed (ENG), Marcus Bean, Jackson Bird, Iain Carlisle, Nikhil Chaudhary, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Rishad Hossain (BAN), Chris Jordan (ENG), Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Mitch Owen, Billy Stanlake, Matthew Wade, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster, Mac WrightHow they stack upAfter underachieving for so long, Hurricanes broke their hoodoo with a season for the ages capped off by a stunning triumph in a home decider against Sydney Thunder. Hurricanes have retained a large core of the title-winning team and importantly secured the signature of Tim David who was heavily courted by several rivals during the free agency period. But the ‘Canes have not stood idle after recruiting Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster and veteran quick Jackson Bird. Weatherald is effectively a like-for-like replacement for opener Caleb Jewell who was traded to Renegades.Player to watchTwelve months ago, Mitchell Owen was a relatively unknown allrounder whose only foray on the overseas franchise circuit was playing in a T10 tournament in the Cayman Islands. But Owen’s move up the order for Hurricanes proved a masterstroke with his brute force reinventing batting in the powerplay. He capped off an incredible season with a blistering century in the final at a febrile Ninja Stadium, leading to him being in major demand worldwide as the IPL, PSL and MLC beckoned. He also made his T20I and ODI debuts in a whirlwind year. Now a household name, there will be much expectation on Owen this season and BBL rivals will undoubtedly be better prepared. It will be interesting to see how he handles it all.Availability IssuesWeatherald, and possibly Webster, won’t be available until after the Ashes. There were concerns over England spinning allrounder Rehan Ahmed after he was ruled out of the Lions tour of Australia due to a right lower leg strain suffered in England’s first Test warm-up at Lilac Hill. But he is expected to be fit in time for the BBL although he could be part of England’s white-ball Sri Lanka tour in January. Bangladesh legspinner Rishad Hossain will be available after the BCB did not grant him a NOC last season and he looms as a key cog after spinners Peter Hatzoglou and Paddy Dooley were not retained.Jason Behrendorff is one of Renegades’ new recruits•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Melbourne RenegadesCaptain Will Sutherland
Coach Cameron White
Fixtures Click hereSquad Jason Behrendorff, Josh Brown, Harry Dixon, Brendan Doggett, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Caleb Jewell, Hassan Khan (PAK), Nathan Lyon, Fergus O’Neill, Ollie Peake, Mohammad Rizwan (PAK), Tom Rogers, Will Salzmann, Gurdinder Sandhu, Tim Seifert (NZ), Callum Stow, Will Sutherland, Adam ZampaHow they shape upRenegades overhauled their roster ahead of last season and transitioned into a new era under the leadership of Will Sutherland and Cameron White. But it did not do the trick with Renegades missing the finals for the fifth time in six seasons. With the pressure on, the ‘Gades have continued to make roster changes and went about bolstering their inconsistent batting line-up by drafting Pakistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan. They also traded for Hurricanes opener Caleb Jewell who sought more opportunities. Renegades will boast a potent pace attack and the two highest wicket-takers from last season – with Tom Rogers now joined by long-time Scorchers spearhead Jason Behrendorff. Test quick Brendan Doggett is also a new addition after leaving Strikers.Player to watchNot long ago Jake Fraser-McGurk was the hottest batting prospect in the country but he has somewhat dropped off the radar. Fraser-McGurk made just 188 runs from 10 innings last season but did show off his extraordinary talent in Renegades’ final game of the season when he whacked 95 off 46 balls to help haul down a target of 197 against Heat. Fraser-McGurk, 23, has already played 15 white-ball matches for Australia and was part of the CA XI side in their recent red-ball match against England Lions at Lilac Hill. He remains a player of significant interest for the national hierarchy, but needs to show far more consistency this BBL season.Availability Issues Rizwan may miss part of the season due to Pakistan’s T20I series against Sri Lanka in January, while wicketkeeper Tim Seifert may be selected in New Zealand’s white-ball squads to face India in January. Nathan Lyon, and potentially Doggett, will not be available until after the Ashes. Will Salzmann will miss the season due to injury.Glenn Maxwell was joint player of the tournament last season•Getty Images

Melbourne StarsCaptain Marcus Stoinis
Coach Peter Moores
Fixtures Click hereSquad Austin Anlezark, Scott Boland, Hilton Cartwright, Joe Clarke (ENG), Tom Curran (ENG), Sam Harper, Liam Hatcher, Campbell Kellaway, Glenn Maxwell, Hamish McKenzie, Jon Merlo, Haris Rauf (PAK), Tom Rogers, Peter Siddle, Mark Steketee, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Tom WhitneyHow they shape upAfter Hurricanes’ broke their hoodoo, glamour franchise Stars are now the only club to have never won a BBL title. Stars did complete an incredible turnaround last season after overcoming a 0-5 start to qualify for finals. They are hoping the momentum carries over with Stars retaining a core that includes veteran batters Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell and Hilton Cartwright. While they made minimal changes, Stars did recruit legspinner Mitchell Swepson and quick Liam Hatcher who is hoped to help offset the losses of Joel Paris and Brody Couch. But their pace stocks have taken a hit after Mark Steketee, who was superb in BBL14, was ruled out of the season with a hamstring injury. Ultimately Stars are banking on continuity to help them finally lift a title.Player to watchIt is no surprise that Stars’ fortunes last season largely hinged on Glenn Maxwell, their long-time talisman. They struggled badly when he was sidelined with a hamstring injury before he inspired the remarkable turnaround with typical heroics. He produced one of the greatest BBL innings in history after he farmed the strike and whacked 10 sixes to single-handedly beat Renegades. Even at the twilight of his career, Maxwell remains a freakish player, capable of bending a game to his will. Maxwell has had an injury-interrupted start to the season having made just 2 in his only innings in the T20I series against India after missing the first three games due to a wrist injury.Availability IssuesFast bowler Haris Rauf is another with some uncertainty given the T20I series against Sri Lanka which has been added to the calendar, while Scott Boland will only be available after the Ashes.Mitchell Marsh should be available for the full regular season•Getty Images

Perth ScorchersCaptain Ashton Turner
Coach Adam Voges
Fixtures Click hereSquad Ashton Agar, Finn Allen (NZ), Mahli Beardman, Cooper Connolly, Brody Couch, Laurie Evans (ENG), Sam Fanning, Aaron Hardie, Nick Hobson, Josh Inglis, Bryce Jackson, Matthew Kelly, Mitchell Marsh, Lance Morris, Joel Paris, David Payne (ENG), Jhye Richardson, Ashton Turner.How they stack upThe five-time champions are coming off a season where they missed finals for just the third time in their proud history. Scorchers hierarchy have not panicked and have backed their blueprint of continuity and sticking with a local core. They have brought back a couple of trusted former title-winning players in middle-order batter Laurie Evans and left-arm quick David Payne. Joel Paris has also returned after stints with Hurricanes and Stars. He is an ideal replacement for veteran left-arm quick Jason Behrendorff, who departed alongside fellow fan favourite Andrew Tye. Ex-Stars quick Brody Couch also adds to the pace stocks as he completes his transition to Perth after moving over last year to play for Western Australia in the Shield.Player to watchMitchell Marsh is second on Scorchers’ all-time run-scoring list, but has played just one BBL game in the past three seasons due to international commitments and injuries. Barring an unlikely inclusion in the Ashes, Marsh is set to be available for the full campaign and should solve Scorchers’ patchy top-order returns in recent seasons. Marsh and Finn Allen loom as a dynamic one-two punch at the top with the New Zealander having a point to prove after a lean debut season for Scorchers. After recommitting to Scorchers on a three-year deal, Marsh will be keen to make up for lost time in a BBL campaign that also looms as a perfect tune up for the T20 World Cup.Availability IssuesJhye Richardson is closing in on a return from shoulder surgery. He is set to miss the first match while he trains with the Test squad but is expected to be available for the second game against Heat. Scorchers will be without the services of quick Lance Morris who has been ruled out for the summer after undergoing back surgery. Wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis is likely to only be available after the Ashes. Payne will arrive after the ILT20 and Allen may leave for the white-ball series against India in January.Steven Smith will bolster Sixers after the Ashes•Getty Images

Sydney SixersCaptain Moises Henriques
Coach Greg Shipperd
Fixtures Click hereSquad Sean Abbott, Babar Azam (PAK), Jafer Chohan (ENG), Sam Curran (ENG), Joel Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Moises Henriques, Daniel Hughes, Hayden Kerr, Ben Manenti, Todd Murphy, Mitch Perry, Josh Philippe, Kane Richardson, Lachlan Shaw, Jordan Silk, Steven Smith, Mitchell StarcHow they stack upSixers pulled off a major signing by going for Babar Azam in the draft while Sam Curran could also prove a very effective acquisition. Elsewhere it’s a host of familiar names in one of the more consistent T20 squads going around. Kane Richardson has joined the pace attack, and further bolsters the death-bowling options, while Jackson Bird has gone to Hurricanes. They will hope for more from Josh Philippe this season after he has re-emerged as an Australia white-ball option.Player to watchFor sheer drawcard power, it’s hard to look past Babar Azam, making his first appearance in the BBL. How he approaches things at the top of the order will be fascinating to watch. There is the potential in the latter part of the season that he could form an opening partnership with Steven Smith although now that he’s back in Pakistan’s T20I side the series against Sri Lanka could spoil the best-laid plans.Availability issuesSean Abbott will miss the start of the competition with the hamstring injury he suffered last month ahead of the Ashes. Smith is expected to come into the side after the Ashes finishes while Mitchell Starc, fitness permitting, will feature for the first time in 11 years. Josh Hazlewood could use the tournament for a return from injury ahead of the T20 World Cup should his rehab go to plan.Tanveer Sangha is part of a strong Thunder spin unit•Getty Images

Sydney ThunderCaptain David Warner
Coach Trevor Bayliss
Fixtures Click hereSquad Wes Agar, Tom Andrews, Cameron Bancroft, Sam Billings (ENG) Ollie Davies, Lockie Ferguson (NZ), Matthew Gilkes, Chris Green, Ryan Hadley, Shadab Khan (PAK), Sam Konstas, Nic Maddinson, Nathan McAndrew, Blake Nikitaras, Aidan O’Connor, Daniel Sams, Tanveer Sangha, Reece Topley (ENG), David WarnerHow they stack upThunder had lined up one of the biggest signings of BBL history in R Ashwin, but he had to withdraw through injury in a blow to the club and competition at large. It is a stable domestic list with the only addition being Tasmania allrounder Aidan O’Connor. Even without Ashwin, they are well stocked with spin: Tanveer Sangha, Tom Andrews and Chris Green could all feature in the same side. David Warner led the batting last season and others chipped in around him after Cameron Bancroft was lost to injury following an awful collision with Daniel Sams. Batting conditions at home can be tricky.Player to watchHaving fallen out of Test contention, Sam Konstas should get a full season and it will be interesting to see how he adjusts to the rhythms of T20 having just found some form in the Sheffield Shield ahead of the competition taking its break. He has shown glimpses in the format so far with two half-centuries last season. Signed a four-year extension with the club earlier this year.Availability issuesThere will be a bit of a revolving door among overseas players. Reece Topley will start the season before heading off to the SA20, at which time Lockie Ferguson will arrive from the ILT20. Shadab Khan’s availability may be impacted by Pakistan’s T20I series against Sri Lanka. Thunder don’t have anyone on their main list involved in the Ashes.

Well, that was about as perfect a game as Chelsea are going to have this season.

Following their win over Burnley at the weekend, Enzo Maresca’s side were given the daunting task of hosting Barcelona in the Champions League.

However, instead of wilting under the pressure, the Blues stepped up and completely blew the Spanish giants aside.

From the first minute to the last, Chelsea were exceptional, and there were more than a few standout performers, including Estevao and someone who made light work of what should’ve been a challenging task.

Estevao's magical night vs Barcelona

When Chelsea secured the services of Estevao last summer, there was a lot made of the youngster.

In fact, just a few months before that, respected analyst Ben Mattinson had labelled him a “future Ballon d’Or winner.”

Now, while there is still some way to go for that prediction to be proven true, the youngster certainly helped make it look like a good one on Tuesday night.

From practically the first minute until he came off in the 83rd, the 18-year-old was a massive threat, both in terms of his own goalscoring ability and creativity.

He was the scorer of the Blues’ all-important second goal on the night, beating two defenders with some quick feet and firing the ball into the roof of the net.

It means he is now the second-youngest player to score in his first three starts in the competition, after only Kylian Mbappé.

Unsurprisingly, the teenager left quite the impression on the watching press as well, with the Express’ Charlie Griggs awarding him a 9/10 match rating and writing that he ‘led the attacking charge at times.’

Perhaps the best thing that can be said about Estevao’s performance against Barcelona is that he totally outshone the other wonderkid in Lamine Yamal.

Although the Brazilian wasn’t the only Chelsea player to get the better of the young Spaniard.

Chelsea's other standout star vs Barcelona

The brilliant thing for Maresca and Chelsea fans is that you could realistically make the case for any number of their players being the best on the pitch on Tuesday night.

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However, when it comes to the starter who really shone, potentially even more so than Estevao, it’s hard to look past Marc Cucurella.

The Spanish full-back was utterly superb against Barcelona, and even though he had the challenging task of trying to stop their free-flowing attack, he didn’t once look flustered.

Moreover, he came out comfortably on top in his duel with Yamal.

In fact, he was so dominant and so on top of the young wonderkid that he was practically anonymous throughout the match, so much so that the Stamford Bridge faithful were safe to openly mock him.

Now, it’s not the first time the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace has locked down a superstar attacker, but given the competition, it’s undoubtedly one of the more high-profile examples.

Understandably then, he also left quite the impression on Griggs, who awarded him a 9/10 match rating at full-time, writing that he ‘locked down the left flank with ease and posed a danger up front.’

That might sound like hyperbole, but the 27-year-old’s statistics prove otherwise.

Cucurella’s game v Barça

Minutes

93′

Expected Assists

0.59

Tackles (Won)

5 (4)

Interceptions

1

Clearances

2

Blocked Shots

1

Recoveries

4

Aerial Duels (Won)

1 (1)

Key Passes

1

Passes

55/63

Touches

97

All Stats via Sofascore

In his 93 minutes of action, he produced an expected assists figure of 0.59, won four of five tackles, made one interception, played one key pass, recovered the ball four times, took 97 touches, made two clearances and blocked one shot.

Ultimately, it was yet another performance that proved Cucurella is one of the best left-backs in the world, and as one content creator said, if he keeps it up, he’s well on his way to becoming “a Chelsea legend.”

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 25, 2025

ذكرت تقارير صحفية إنجليزية أن أحد لاعبي ريال مدريد أصبح مرشحًا للرحيل إلى الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز خلال سوق الانتقالات الشتوية المقبلة.

ونقلت صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية عن “ديلي ميل” البريطانية أن جونزالو جارسيا مهاجم ريال مدريد أصبح هدفاً للانتقال إلى برايتون في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وقد يرحل اللاعب للدوري الإنجليزي إذا وافق ناديه ريال مدريد على إعارته في يناير، ومع ذلك فإن جونزالو جارسيا صاحب الـ 21 عاماً يرغب في إقناع تشابي ألونسو وتحقيق النجاح مع ريال مدريد.

أقرأ أيضاً.. ريال مدريد يستعد 3 لاعبين قبل مباراة إلتشي.. وانتكاسة جديدة

وتستعد العديد من الأندية الإنجليزية لشن هجوم قوي لضم مهاجم ريال مدريد الشاب قبل سوق الانتقالات الشتوية المقبلة، بعد أدائه المبهر وتسجيله للأهداف خلال كأس العالم للأندية الأخير.

وسجل جارسيا أربع أهداف وصنع تمريرة حاسمة في ست مباريات في بطولة كأس العالم للأندية مما جعله لاعباً مهماً للمدرب تشابي ألونسو، وقام النادي بتمديد عقده حتى عام 2030.

وعلى الرغم من ذلك فقد تغير وضع جونزالو جارسيا مع بداية الموسم الحالي، ولعب حتى الآن هذا الموسم 105 دقيقة موزعة على تسع مباريات، وبدأ بشكل أساسي ضد إسبانيول في الليجا وصنع تمريرة حاسمة لهذا السبب أصبح هدفاً للانضمام للدوري الإنجليزي.

The Philadelphia Phillies' backs are against the wall after their 7-2 loss to the New York Mets on Tuesday at Citi Field. One more loss ends the club's once-promising season.

Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos, who spoke to the media after the loss, is well aware of that fact. But Castellanos also believes Game 4's must-win environment, while a pressure-filled contest for the Phillies, also carries some pressure for the Mets as well.

"I think it's, instead of just flushing it and forgetting it, I think right now it's really important to embrace what we're … what the situation is," Castellanos said. "We lose, we're going home. Baseball's over for us.

"It's a great opportunity because if we're able to come in and scrape out a win here, I know that they do not want to go back to Philly for a Game 5."

Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies' home ballpark, has become a very tough place to play for opponents, especially in recent postseason history.

The Phillies had the best home record in baseball during the regular season. Since 2004, Philadelphia owns a 29–14 record in playoff games at Citizens Bank Park. That's good for a .674 winning percentage, which is the best by any team in any stadium in postseason history.

As such, there's certainly every reason for Castellanos and company to feel confident about their prospects in a potential Game 5 at home. But the Phillies, who didn't pitch particularly well and stranded six runners in Tuesday's loss, need to play better to make that scenario a reality.

With the season on the line, Philadelphia sends Ranger Suarez to the mound to pitch against the Mets' Jose Quintana on Wednesday night.

Visitors rattled in reply to massive 625 for 8 declared, after trio of hundreds

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay23-Jul-2025Northamptonshire 126 for 4 (McManus 39) trail Middlesex 625 for 8 dec (Holden 151, Williamson 114, du Plooy 105*, Cracknell 73, Robson 57) by 499 runsKane Williamson and Leus Du Plooy scored centuries as records wanted and unwanted were set on day two of Middlesex’s Rothesay County Championship clash with Northamptonshire at Merchant Taylors’ School.Former New Zealand Test skipper Williamson’s 114 came on his Championship debut for the Seaxes, while Du Plooy’s unbeaten 105 was his first in four-day cricket this season.Williamson and Max Holden (151) took their mammoth second wicket stand to 239, so eclipsing the 222 of Sydney Brown and Bill Edrich at Lord’s in 1949 and, with Joe Cracknell adding a blistering 73 Middlesex totalled 625 for 8, their highest ever score against the Steelbacks.Saif Zaib took 3 for 70 amid the run-fest, but fellow spinner Yuzvendra Chahal returned 0 for 175 – the worst return by a Northamptonshire bowler without taking a wicket in Championship history – all on his 35th birthday.Needing 476 to avoid the follow-on, Northamptonshire reached 54 without loss before stumbling to 126 for 4 by the close, Lewis McManus top scoring with 39, Ryan Higgins taking 2 for 17.Williamson moved smoothly from his overnight 88 not out to a century completed with two runs into the leg-side. Day one centurion Holden looked a little scratchy before two boundaries took him past 150. However, no sooner had he reached the landmark when Ben Sanderson trapped him lbw on the back foot.As so often with huge stands both protagonists fell in quick succession, Williamson pinned in front by Liam Guthrie in the next over.Despite the double strike, the hosts hardly missed a beat, Higgins and Du Plooy sharing a stand of 67 in only 13 overs. Higgins drove the ball crisply to make 35 before Zaib struck twice in two balls, first removing the all-rounder leg-before and then trimming Ben Geddes’ off-bail.Any Northamptonshire hopes of getting the hosts for under 500 were quashed either side of lunch with Cracknell, who made 100 in the reverse fixture a month ago playing a gem of a knock.The wicketkeeper/batter, in the wilderness until the recent arrival of Dane Vilas, twice cleared the ropes and cut and swept with authority, playing the dominant hand in a stand of 124 with skipper Du Plooy. He eventually fell hooking one from Dominic Leach to Guthrie at long leg and when Zafar Gohar and Toby Roland-Jones fell cheaply there were fears Du Plooy would run out of partners before reaching three figures.Du Plooy, who’d earlier thrashed a full-toss from Chahal back over the bowler’s head for six, looked unperturbed, driving stylishly and stroking the ball into the gaps. His 10th four brought him to 100 in the shadows of tea.Tom Helm provided great support with two huge sixes in a sprightly cameo, allowing the hosts to declare at the interval.Northamptonshire began brightly, McManus unfurling a flurry of boundaries, Middlesex’s left-arm seamer Noah Cornwell on the receiving end of the flack.He and Ricardo Vasconcelos rattled up a 50-stand, but the left-hander played a little skittishly before edging Higgins to Du Plooy at slip, who clung on at the second attempt.Aadi Sharma was dropped on nought by Holden at long leg to deny Higgins a second wicket, but his response was to trap McManus lbw with his next delivery.Gohar soon found the edge of James Sales’ bat, and though Sharma threatened to make the most of his reprieve with some wristy cuts and fluent drives he too fell to Roland-Jones in the death throes of the day.

The Real Madrid dressing has responded angrily to Lamine Yamal's comments about the club as tensions ahead of El Clasico reach boiling point. Los Blancos are supposedly frustrated with Yamal, whose off the pitch antics are beginning to get under the skin of the players in the Spanish capital. Ahead of Sunday's game, Yamal has added fuel to the fire.

Real Madrid out for revenge

Real Madrid did not need any further incentive to end their run of disappointing results against Barcelona. Xabi Alonso’s men were on the losing side four times last campaign and will be determined to right the wrongs of last season.

The quest for revenge has only been heightened by Yamal’s off-field comments. Earlier this week, the Barcelona star accused Real Madrid of ‘stealing and complaining’ and poked fun at the Blaugrana’s bitter rivals.

According to , Madrid have taken umbrage at the remarks and are growing tired of Yamal’s persistent goading. The players were reportedly not surprised at the 18-year-old’s digs and, even though he is still a young player, Madrid do not offer him any excuses owing to his age.

Rather, the noises coming out of the Madrid dressing room suggest that they are "fed up" with his behaviour and believe that Yamal does not offer the basic levels of respect required of a professional footballer.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportYamal takes aim at Madrid

Yamal initially triggered outrage when he suggested that Madrid often found themselves the beneficiaries of favourable decisions. Speaking on a Twitch livestream of a Kings League game, Barcelona legend Gerard Pique was keen to make fun of his former great rivals and made a series of light-hearted jokes at Madrid’s expense.

Taking the banter a little further, Yamal added: “They steal, they complain, and they do things…”

Also in the conversation, Ibai Llanos, Real Madrid fan and owner of Kings League side Porcinos FC, asked Yamal what he meant by ‘steal’. The winger then laughed before saying: “Well, let’s see, let’s see.”

He may be young, but Yamal will not be naive to the impact that his comments could have on his opponents ahead of a clash that could have serious implications for the title race. Los Blancos will no doubt be fired up and ready to take all three points.

Yamal is Madrid's tormentor

This is not the first time that Yamal has drawn the ire of Real Madrid for comments made before big games. In May, the teenager curled a stunning effort past Thibaut Courtois to equalise in the Clasico before mocking both Kylian Mbappe and Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo. The winger first chose to do the Portuguese forward's ‘calma’ celebration and then did Mbappe’s trademark arms-crossed pose.

The previous month, Barcelona won the Copa del Rey in a fantastic final that finished 3-2 to the Blaugrana. Making it their fourth win of the season over Carlo Ancelotti’s team, Yamal was keen to offer his thoughts. He said: “This year, they simply can’t beat us. We’ve proven that. I’m really happy. Visca Barca!”

With his strong words have come stronger performances and Yamal will be hoping that his latest mocking of Madrid won’t come back to haunt him and his team-mates on Sunday.

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Getty Images SportRace at the top gets tighter

Barcelona go into the game two points behind Madrid, but know a victory will see them overtake their old foes. Alonso’s side have been strong in the league this season, suffering just one defeat and winning each of their other eight games. Flick’s men, on the other hand, were unable to turn their one draw into victory and match Madrid’s total.

This season is shaping up to be a two-horse race for La Liga’s crown. The two giants of the division are the clear standout teams and are trailed by Villarreal and Atletico Madrid – two sides who were on the receiving end of heavy defeats in the Champions League by Manchester City and Arsenal, respectively.

Given the situation at the top, it is little wonder that Yamal is seeking to gain any advantage possible. If that includes getting into the heads of his opponents, the youngster will do just that

Sunderland fans have historically been viewed as a downtrodden, pessimistic set of supporters, with the Black Cats usually struggling at the very top of the English game, instead of succeeding.

Indeed, even when Premier League football was regularly on the menu during the 2010s, the Wearside outfit would never blow anyone’s socks off, with just one promising top-half finish coming at the end of the 2010/11 season due to Asamoah Gyan’s heroics in front of goal.

From that point on, it was regular scraps and fights against the drop, with a seven-season exodus from the Premier League then following after relegation was finally confirmed in 2017.

Eight years on, however, the mood is a buoyant one currently at the Stadium of Light when it comes to top-flight life, with Regis Le Bris already steering Sunderland to the dizzy heights of fifth spot from just six clashes.

Tasting defeat just the once has resulted in a positive new dawn being spoken about on Wearside, with Sunderland wanting to show they belong at the very pinnacle of the English game with statement signings galore this summer.

Granit Xhaka is the main figure that continues to stand out from the Black Cats’ luxurious spending this summer, as the ex-Arsenal battler continues to look every bit worth the £17.3m it cost to bring him in from Bayer Leverkusen.

How Xhaka compares to other top-flight midfielders

Sunderland picking up Xhaka way back in July was, arguably, one of the first significant pieces of the jigsaw acquired that showed to the rest of the top-flight that Le Bris and Co. weren’t there to simply make up the numbers.

Instead, they were willing to flex their muscles in the competitive market to go all out to win Premier League-ready warriors, with the Swiss international noted as being “valued by so many” when previously on the books of Arsenal in the unforgiving league by analyst Ben Mattinson.

His fiery Gunners stint might well have seen him tally up a worrying four red cards in league action, but with 17 goals and 24 assists also next to his name at the Emirates in the top-flight, it almost went without saying that he was going to add some much-needed quality to proceedings upon his arrival at the Stadium of Light, with equal measures of flair and bite the two main components to his well-rounded and assured game.

It has played out like that so far, too, with the 33-year-old collecting three assists as a vital cog in Le Bris’ machine from the middle of the park, while also averaging a high 6.8 duels won across his near faultless six league encounters.

Xhaka – 25/26 PL stats

Stat

Xhaka

Games played

6

Goals scored

0

Assists

3

Touches

422

Successful passes

270

Pass accuracy

83.3%

Duels won

41

Aerial duels won

20

Recoveries

28

Stats by FotMob

To further wax lyrical about the Swiss international, who Sky Sports’ Keith Downie said the team is “built around,” his excellent numbers so far this season put him alongside some esteemed competition.

Indeed, his pass accuracy coming in at 83.3% per Premier League contest to date sees him actually trump Sandro Tonali for Sunderland’s arch rivals Newcastle United, who has just 42.5 accurate passes per match to show for his season so far.

Moreover, with eight big chances also created from his six outings, he further trumps Ryan Gravenberch’s tally in this department by two, despite recent shouts suggesting that the Dutchman is “the best player in the country” by journalist Daniel Storey for his electric start to the season with title-chasing Liverpool.

That just brings into view even more clearly how impressive Xhaka has been so far to be reaching the same unbelievable heights as the Dutchman, for a side believed to perhaps be in a relegation battle before the campaign officially got underway.

Yet, it’s not the biggest shock in the world to see the new Sunderland captain return to the Premier League and shine, considering he showed that he still had what it takes to be an elite-level performer with Leverkusen.

Therefore, another of Sunderland’s various signings could be more suited to the crown of being the best purchase made this summer, with another shrewd capture perhaps a more worthy recipient.

Sunderland's signing of the summer

There would have been some worries in the air this summer on Wearside that the rapid pace of the signings could lead to a disjointed look on the pitch.

It’s been far from that, thankfully, particularly in defence, as Le Bris has his new-look defence already playing like a well-oiled unit.

While Nordi Mukiele and Omar Alderete are undoubtedly also in the running to steal Xhaka’s thunder, Robin Roefs is a worthy frontrunner, too, with his early form for the Black Cats being hailed as “absolutely remarkable” by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley.

After all, while Xhaka didn’t cost an eye-watering amount to pick up at the £17.3m region, landing Roefs for only £11.5m already looks to be the steal of the summer, with pundit Chris Sutton also praising the capture of the former NEC Nijmegen goalkeeper as a “brilliant” bit of business.

Top 5 PL keepers for goals prevented

Player

Goals conceded

Goal prevented

1. Robin Roefs

4

+2.6

2. Dean Henderson

3

+2.3

3. Guglielmo Vicario

4

+2.2

4. James Trafford

4

+1.9

5. Nick Pope

5

+0.9

Stats by FotMob

While Xhaka is in some notable conversations regarding the cream of the midfield crop in the division, Roefs is arguably head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to the goalkeeper department, notably named among the nominees for September’s Premier League Player of the Month.

Indeed, the Dutchman boasts the best goals prevented numbers so far this season with +2.6 next to his name.

Only pipped by Guglielmo Vicario in terms of save percentage, too, it’s clear, even at this early stage, that the 22-year-old has been instrumental to Sunderland taking the division by storm, with a mammoth six saves managed against Nottingham Forest last time out, securing a hard-fought 1-0 win.

Come the close of the long, hard season, it will be fascinating to see how many victories were clinched just off the back of Roefs, being a rock-solid pair of gloves for Le Bris and Co. to rely on.

Of course, Xhaka’s expertise in the gruelling division will also come in handy, but to survive in the Premier League, and ultimately thrive, you need a dependable ‘keeper that can bail you out regularly, with Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton finding that out the hard way last campaign when shipping a sorry 248 goals as they were all relegated.

In Roefs, Sunderland have hit instant gold in between the sticks, with the ex-Eredivisie stopper a firm fan’s favourite already, with that tag only strengthening if he can keep his insane performance levels up.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson Sep 30, 2025

Manchester United fans have come up with new chant for Senne Lammens after the Belgian goalkeeper impressed on his debut for the club. After more than a month since moving to United from Royal Antwerp, Lammens was finally handed his much-awaited debut as Ruben Amorim benched Altay Bayindir, who has been the Portuguese coach's first-choice custodian since the start of the new season.

Lammens impresses on debut

Lammens finally got to make his long-awaited debut for the Red Devils as he was placed in the starting lineup by Amorim for their Premier League clash at Old Trafford against Sunderland on Saturday. The Belgian goalkeeper passed the test with flying colours as United kept a clean sheet while beating the Black Cats. Amorim had earlier explained that in a bid to rotate his squad, Bayindir was rested for the Premier League clash. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportUnited fans come up with a new chant

Watching Lammens keep the club's first clean sheet of the season encouraged the Old Trafford faithful to come up with a new chant for the Belgian as the fans at the Stretford End were heard singing a rendition of "are you Schmeichel in disguise"?

While comparing a debutant to one of the greatest United goalkeepers of all time might be an exaggeration but the fans are elated that the club finally seem to have a steady custodian after some nightmare performances by Bayindir and Onana's forgettable two seasons at the club. 

Amorim explains why he waited to give Lammens his debut

Speaking to reporters after the match, Amorim spoke about Lammens' performances, as he said: "First of all, when Senne arrived here, Altay was playing. Then you could feel it, he needed to adapt. It was a new country, new training. The pressure you guys [the media] put on the goalkeeper is massive, so it was a little preparation for him to be ready to start his first game. But it is just one game and he needs to work. He needs to be prepared [because] in our club things are really hard. He did well and was comfortable during the game. That's a really good sign."

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Getty Amorim confident of staying at Man Utd after much-needed win

United desperately needed a win to ease the pressure that was mounting on the club as well as the manager, whose position came under intense scrutiny after a poor start to the new season. However, the former Sporting CP boss is confident that his players have full faith in him, while claiming they don't want a regime change. Even attacking midfielder Mason Mount heaped praise on the United boss after scoring against Sunderland. The Red Devils are back in action after the international break against Liverpool.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have had a frustrating start to the campaign and Vitor Pereira has been dealt an injury blow involving one of his key players.

Wolves turn focus to Everton clash after defeat at Newcastle

The Old Gold are still to pick up a point in the Premier League and find themselves rooted to the bottom of the table after a frustrating 1-0 loss to Newcastle United last weekend.

Despite a closely contested encounter with plenty of solidity from both sides, Nick Woltemade’s header proved to be the difference, and in a way, he also highlighted Wolves’ lack of attacking potency.

Furious at how the flow of the match was halted, Pereira vented his frustration on Match of the Day by claiming the officials’ willingness to dish out yellow cards slowed his side’s momentum.

He said: “I’m very proud of my team. I think we competed since the first minute until the last minute in a difficult stadium.

“In the end I have a question. How is it possible for a team to press and be aggressive and win duels if we got yellow cards? It spoiled our game. It’s not possible to be aggressive and compete at this level with yellow cards in the middle of the field.”

Nevertheless, their lack of creativity has had a knock-on effect in the final third, something that will need to be rectified as Wolves gear up for a crucial double-header against Everton in the EFL Cup before Leeds United visit Molineux this weekend.

Dele Alli could provide an out-of-window dose of inspiration for the Old Gold. However, Pereira has now been dealt another blow in his search for coolness in front of goal that will frustrate supporters.

Wolves fear Jorgen Strand Larsen injury is now 'more serious'

As relayed by The Yorkshire Evening Post, Wolves may be without Jorgen Strand Larsen for the visit of Leeds this weekend, after Pereira admitted last week the Norway international’s Achilles injury is ‘more serious’ than first feared.

Explaining that the timeline for his return can’t be set in stone, he said after Saturday’s defeat to Newcastle: “Day by day, it’s his Achilles tendon, we cannot push — we need to be patient.”

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ByCharlie Smith Sep 5, 2025

During the summer, Strand Larsen was the subject of significant interest from Newcastle and was valued at around £65 million by the Old Gold, hence why he ended up remaining at Molineux.

In a frustrating turn of events, the 25-year-old may be missing a while longer and unable to add to his return of 16 goals and five assists in 41 appearances across all competitions since joining initially on loan from Celta Vigo last summer.

Tolu Arokodare made his debut in the defeat at St James’ Park, and he may now be called upon for the coming run of matches following his move to the West Midlands from Genk.

“I missed a full toss. It wasn’t ideal.” This is one of the greatest contemporary batters speaking on a moment that swung the match away from his team.Steven Smith was batting on 73 in the 37th over against India, and seemed set to guide Australia into the death overs. Then he ran at Mohammed Shami, got a full toss at around knee-height, and missed it completely. The off stump was rattled.From there, Australia got 66 runs off the 75 balls available to them. Alex Carey hit 61 off 57, batting with the tail in the later stages. Nathan Ellis tried to crash some late boundaries. But if you are looking for a moment in the match that paved the way for India’s dominance, this is a big one.Related

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“My plan was to try and put the seamers under a bit more pressure, and just rotate the spin,” Smith said after the match. “But I didn’t do it very well. I lost my wicket at probably a crucial stage. Had I batted a little deeper, we could have potentially got up to near 300 or something. Alex was batting really nicely at the other end. It was a disappointing time to get out, but that’s the game sometimes.”Australia only set India 265 for victory. But given this was likely the most batting-friendly surface at this venue for the whole tournament, Smith rued the chance to go big.”I think we had our opportunities throughout to post something up above 300,” Smith said. “We were probably just that one wicket down too many at a few stages throughout the innings. If we extended one of those partnerships a little bit, we’re probably getting up to 290 to 300 and we’re putting a bit of pressure on the scoreboard.Steven Smith was bowled by a full toss•Associated Press

“The square block as a whole, I think, has seen a lot of cricket over the last couple of months. We can see it’s pretty tired and that’s probably the reason why we haven’t seen a score above 300 in the tournament here so far. So we did a reasonable job, but we probably just lacked a couple of those partnerships just dragging out a little bit further.”Australia were also poor in the field. They dropped Rohit Sharma twice, and Virat Kohli was put down on 51. All of these were tough chances, though.”I think when you’re trying to squeeze the game and you’re trying to build a lot of pressure, you need to take those chances when you’ve got 260 [264] on the board,” Smith said. “But that’s the game, it happens. No one means to drop a catch. It’s part of the game.”