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Arne Slot’s achievement of winning the Premier League in his first season as Liverpool manager is nothing short of sensational, offering a seamless transition after taking over from Jürgen Klopp.

The Dutchman has led the side to the title with four games to spare, losing just two games in the process, highlighting the excellent job he’s done at the helm.

Such an achievement has secured the Reds’ 20th top-division league title, putting them level with Manchester United in terms of being the most successful side in English football history.

Undoubtedly, after tasting success in his first season, the 46-year-old will want to make it back-to-back in 2025/26, hopefully having the chance to make the necessary changes to his squad this summer.

Multiple areas of the pitch are in need of investment, with foundations already put in place by the hierarchy for potential incomings over the next few months.

The latest on Liverpool’s hunt for new signings

A striker has been on the club’s radar over the last few weeks, as Slot looks to add firepower to the frontline in place of Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez, who could both depart this summer.

Benjamin Sesko is the latest player touted with a move to Anfield, with the Reds needing to trigger his £55m release clause if they are to secure a deal for his services.

He’s been named as a potential alternative to Alexander Isak, who looks unlikely to swap Tyneside for Merseyside, with Newcastle United demanding £150m for his signature.

Alongside Sesko, Slot could make another Bundesliga addition in the form of Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman, that’s if recent reports are to be believed.

According to CaughtOffside, the Reds are set to make an offer for the 28-year-old in the coming months, with his current employers valuing him at £35m.

It also states that Vincent Kompany’s are willing to let the Frenchman depart during the off-season, with Coman himself considering his own future at the Allianz Arena.

Why Coman could be Slot’s next Gravenberch

Midfielder Ryan Gravenberch joined Liverpool in the summer of 2023 from Bayern Munich, looking to provide key depth in the middle of the park for former boss Klopp.

However, he struggled to break into the side, making just 12 Premier League starts, unable to dislodge Alexis Mac Allister from the role, with Wataru Endo even preferred to the Dutchman.

Slot’s arrival has transformed the 22-year-old’s career at Anfield, starting every single league game to date, and cementing his place alongside the Argentine.

Such a deal has proven to be a huge success for the club, with Gravenberch a key reason in their title triumph – offering a consistent presence in the side during a year of transition.

The manager could land his next version of the star in the form of Coman this summer, arriving as a fringe player from Bayern and looking to become a hit under his guidance on Merseyside.

The winger, who’s been previously labelled “one of the best players in the world” by Oliver Kahn, has struggled for game time this season, making just 12 league starts – unable to force his way into Kompany’s plans.

However, despite his limited minutes in 2024/25, he’s still managed to impress, producing numerous key figures that would bolster the Reds’ attacking department.

Games started

12

Goals & assists

9

Pass accuracy

89%

Shots on target

1.3

Chances created

2.4

Successful dribbles

3.1

Touches in opposition box

6.3

He’s still managed to register nine combined goals and assists to date, whilst registering 1.3 shots on target per 90, showcasing his threat with the ball at his feet.

Such a threat is further seen by his tally of 2.4 chances created and 3.1 successful dribbles per 90 – having the tools to further aid the likes of Mohamed Salah in forward areas.

Such a deal would certainly aid the club’s chances of replicating their success in the years to come, having the opportunity to cement themselves as the country’s best ever team.

£35m for a player of his experience and quality is a bargain in today’s market, enabling them to sign a versatile option who could easily replicate the achievements set by former teammate Gravenberch.

A big Diaz upgrade: Liverpool make approach to sign future "£100m" star

Liverpool could be about to make a move for a sensation who could replace Luis Diaz.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 30, 2025

In the absence of Harmanpreet and Ismail, the Mumbai Indians allrounder steered the ship well to take down RCB

Ashish Pant03-Mar-20242:15

Takeaways: Win toss, win games? Contrasting days for Devine and Sciver-Brunt

Regular captain Harmanpreet Kaur still not fit? Frontline fast bowler Shabnim Ismail also not available? A packed stadium rooting for the home team? No problem said Nat-Sciver Brunt as she marshalled the Mumbai Indians side with aplomb, silencing the M Chinnaswamy crowd, and on the way seeing her side catapult to the top of the WPL 2024 points table.Long before Amelia Kerr caressed a Georgia Wareham delivery through point to ace Mumbai’s 132-run chase in 15.1 overs, Sciver-Brunt had laid the foundation for the win, through her captaincy and all-round play.Right from the toss which Mumbai won and elected to field, Sciver-Brunt barely put a foot wrong. It couldn’t have been easy. With two of the most prominent names missing from the playing XI, she had a tough initiation to WPL captaincy against UP Warriorz, with Mumbai going down by seven wickets.Related

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Bhatia, Sciver-Brunt and Kerr seal clinical chase for Mumbai

Sciver-Brunt didn’t have a lot of time to reflect on the loss – just two days – and with Harmanpreet and Ismail still missing, back she was at the helm. This time though, she looked much more settled and in control from the get-go. Most of the surfaces so far in the WPL have shown a tendency to get better to bat on as the night progresses. Sciver-Brunt knew wickets would be key, so off she went ringing in the changes, in the hopes of preventing the batters from getting into rhythm.Mumbai employed four different bowlers in the first six overs. There were mostly just one-over spells with no one getting more than two at any point in the game. And the plan worked. Issy Wong sent back Smriti Mandhana in the third over with Sciver-Brunt taking a smart catch back-peddling from extra cover. The captain herself trapped S Meghana with an excellent bouncer and by the time the powerplay was done, RCB had already lost three wickets with their run rate below six an over.Barring Ellyse Perry (44) and to an extent Wareham (27), none of the RCB batters looked settled at any stage. And the credit for that should go to how well Sciver-Brunt shuffled the bowlers around and the bowlers themselves for responding to her tactics. She later returned to end the Perry-Wareham stand as well, finishing with 2 for 27 off her four overs as RCB were restricted to 131 for 6.2:38

Amelia Kerr: Nat’s been amazing in ‘incredible’ Harmanpreet’s absence

“You don’t want to bowl too many in a row apart from at the start of the game when a bowler might be swinging it, you don’t want to get lined up too much,” Sciver-Brunt said after the match. “We reviewed the game [that they lost to UP Warriorz] really the other day and put some things right today. That was a pretty complete performance from our side today and we are pretty happy in the camp.”Wong also echoed her captain’s statement about how continuous changes in bowling disrupt a batter’s rhythm.”I feel it is easier as a bowler because you never really get a chance for someone to line you up,” Wong said. “Especially in this short format, we’ve seen people bowl really good first overs, come back and bowl again and it is easier to get lined up having bowled two in a row. I think that definitely helps us bowlers, the batters don’t necessarily have that continuity.”With job done with the ball, it was now time for Sciver-Brunt the batter to shine. She came in at the fall of Yastika Bhatia’s wicket, with Mumbai already off to a flyer. Sciver-Brunt got off the mark with a cheeky reverse paddle past short third before square-driving Sophie Devine past point as Mumbai raced to 60 for 1 in their powerplay.Thereon, it was more about taking her side as close to the finishing line as possible for Sciver-Brunt. She found an ally in Kerr, who found boundaries at regular intervals while the captain was happy to turn the strike over. The duo added 49 off 35 balls for the third wicket and by the time Sciver-Brunt fell for 27, victory was only 14 runs away.Kerr, who finished the chase and ended up with an unbeaten 24-ball 40, was effusive in praise of the way Sciver-Brunt led Mumbai in Harmanpreet’s absence.”Nat has been amazing. Obviously, Harman has been an incredible leader for Mumbai. For Nat to step up the way she has, has been outstanding,” Kerr said. “She has captained England before in games and she has got a great way about it. She is very level and calm and has a good cricket brain.”I thought tonight was exceptional as well. It’s been great. We are obviously looking to having Harman back too. She is key for Mumbai, but Nat has done a great job and I think that is the beauty of this team is that everything is so seamless, and we just get on with it.”Sciver-Brunt was the fulcrum behind Mumbai’s title win in WPL 2023, with runs and wickets aplenty. Now, armed with the added responsibility of being stand-in captain, she remains undeterred. She might not be in as flawless a form as she was last season, but her presence and cricketing smarts will be essential in Mumbai’s quest to add another silverware to their cabinet.

de Kock has sounded a warning before the playoffs whereas Rinku is gone for now

Sidharth Monga19-May-20223:08

Shastri: The way de Kock played spin was fabulous to watch

Quinton de Kock does not quite have the poker face. Poker face suggests some kind of effort put in to stay neutral and emotionless. Poker face suggests the person is enjoying being there. de Kock is effortless in almost not wanting to be there. It almost feels like having to deal with the rest of the world is, to him, the price he must pay to do what he loves: play cricket.Which is why the show of emotion on reaching the century was rare. He went down on his knees, almost as if in a , and then sort of didn’t know whether to kiss the ground or touch his forehead on it but even there the helmet was in the way. It was just a spontaneous release, the awkward execution evidence that he is not used to any show of emotion.Lucknow Super Giants assistant coach Vijay Dahiya let us in on the possible reason behind that release. It turns out de Kock has been telling Dahiya for the last two-three matches that he has never felt “this good”. “How come I am not scoring runs then?” Dahiya paraphrased de Kock’s conversations with him. “One thing is for sure, the day I get in, a very long innings is due.”Related

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de Kock confirmed that at the post-match presentation. “It was just a bit of frustration that came out,” de Kock told . “The last couple of games, just the way I have been getting out. Obviously I have been feeling very good and nothing has been coming off it. So it was nice to come out and the feeling of actually having done it. Just a bit of a release. I was trying to keep it in but when I let go it just happened.”It was an innings with the de Kock hallmarks but with some initial caution that perhaps had to do with collective nerves around the team still waiting to confirm its progress into the playoffs. Once he started going, though, de Kock didn’t hold back, which is how he is known to play. No match-ups, no seeing off bowlers.The very long innings came but not at the cost of momentum. He could have easily taken it easy against the spinners but he went after them, even Sunil Narine whom nobody goes after these days, despite holding an average record against spin in the IPL. He strikes at 116.37 against spin in the IPL, but here he took 51 off 28 balls from them, including a reverse-swept six off Narine.In the end, though, we got back the de Kock we know: hardly any emotion except perhaps not wanting to be there now that the last ball had been bowled. Another man, though, would have never wanted the night to end. He brought his side desperately close to stay alive – even if for the time being – in the season. In the season that he finally went from being the specialist substitute fielder to a batter everybody is taking note of.Kolkata Knight Riders’ final moments in another inconsistent IPL season will be that of Rinku Singh fighting to save the last night and fight the break of dawn that will come to take him away. Year after year he had been on TV running after balls without getting a chance to actually play. It appeared he would go down as a piece of trivia around Knight Riders’ gamesmanship, the specialist fielder who was a great replacement for a slow bowler who was done with his quota but not good enough to actually get a decent run in the XI.It was a huge ask, but Sunil Narine and Rinku Singh weren’t about to give up•BCCIThis season was no different to begin with. It was only in their eighth match that Knight Riders brought Rinku in. They had lost four matches out of seven by then. They hardly had a middle order to speak of. It looked like a punt.Rinku didn’t immediately set the world alight, but equally apparent was this was no specialist fielder. On the morning of the third match, Rinku doodled “50” on his hand and drew a heart underneath it. In the evening he scored an unbeaten 42 off 23 to help beat Rajasthan Royals. There is a video on Knight Riders’ Twitter handle of coach Brendon McCullum using Nitish Rana as an interpreter when talking to Rinku but there is more that Rinku has communicated to McCullum without actually needing words.”Before the first game that he played, I was lucky enough to spend a little bit of time with him,” McCullum told the Knight Riders website. “He knew for his own self-worth and his own career, he needed to make a statement in this competition. He was able to do it in the first game. He’s such a great team man, a wonderful human being and the real vibe and culture of the group is set by Rinku. His older brother and Nitish Rana as well were out there with him and I think that gave him great confidence. Some players just deserve to have things go their way and Rinku is one of them.”On Wednesday night, in Knight Riders’ last league game, Rinku made that statement. The bigger batters had come and gone, and they still needed 61 off 20 balls to give themselves a chance to hope for some other results to go their way and get them a playoff spot. Nobody knows more than Rinku about that fight for hope. He hit Avesh Khan and Jason Holder for a six each before going four, six and six against Marcus Stoinis in the last over. He wanted to have more of this season, one more chance to show what he is made of because who knows what happens next season.In the ultimate irony, having brought his side to needing three off two balls, Rinku was denied by a sensational fielding effort from Evin Lewis, who has hardly had anything else to do all season.”Good things happen to good people,” McCullum said in his last press conference as Knight Riders coach before he joins with England as their Test coach. “Rinku is just an incredible story. A man who has been around IPL now for five years. He has sat on the sidelines for so long, he has worked so hard, he gives to the team every single day that he has been around. He has had to wait for his opportunity, he got it late in this tournament, and gee he has taken it. He plays the game for all the right reasons. All the reasons that I love as a coach, and as a fan of cricket. He is a guy you really want to do well.”Except that the scorecard doesn’t have space for all this. de Kock is guaranteed a playoffs spot, and a warning has been sounded: he has never felt this good. Rinku is gone for now. As is McCullum.

Liverpool are now ready to accelerate talks to sign a key defensive addition, who could put an end to Ibrahima Konate’s struggles.

Romano shares update on Slot's Liverpool future

It’s been a disastrous season for Liverpool so far. The defending champions have seen their crown go from gold to paper in a matter of 12 Premier League games. Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Anfield against Nottingham Forest turned a blip into a crisis and questions are now being asked of Arne Slot.

The Dutchman, for the first time in his Liverpool career, is under pressure to turn his side’s form around. According to Fabrizio Romano on his YouTube channel, however, the Reds are not searching for another manager just yet, even if everyone involved at the club is well aware that the current results cannot go on.

The news will come as a relief for Slot, who clearly has plenty of credit left in the bank after winning the Premier League title in his first season at the club.

There is still no denying that the Red must turn a corner sooner rather than later, though. They currently sit 12th and are on course for one of the worst title defences in Premier League history.

Having spent big in the summer, breaking their transfer record twice, those at Anfield could turn towards the January window to make further, much-needed additions.

Names such as Marc Guehi have continued to steal the headlines on that front, but reports are now claiming that Liverpool are ready to accelerate their talks to sign Goncalo Inacio.

Liverpool ready to accelerate Inacio talks

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are ready to accelerate their move to sign Inacio from Sporting CP in 2026. The impressive central defender has a release clause worth €80m (£70m) in Portugal, but that looks unlikely to be enough to fend off the interest of those at Anfield.

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The Spaniard is also under pressure in Spain.

1 ByTom Cunningham Nov 26, 2025

By signing Inacio, Liverpool would also have the chance to rub salt in the wounds of Ruben Amorim. The Manchester United boss was a big fan of the centre-back at Sporting, telling reporters: “Gonçalo is perfect for the way we play. He can defend aggressively, step up to win the ball, and then start an attack with one pass. His ability to do both phases so well is rare.

“I’ve said it before—Gonçalo has everything to play at the highest level. His technique, his vision, his bravery. He’s brilliant, and he’s still improving every day.”

Minutes

990

976

Progressive Passes

98

45

Successful Aerial Duels

24

42

Ball Recoveries

69

30

It’s also worth noting how impressive Inacio has been compared to Konate this season. If the Frenchman does leave as a free agent next summer, then Inacio would provide Liverpool with the perfect upgrade.

Liverpool launch move to sign "perfect" right-back ahead of Arsenal

Mohamed Salah’s name has dominated the headlines at Liverpool for so many years, but never as intensely, and as negatively, as in recent days.

The Egypt international’s incendiary interview after Arne Slot’s side blew their advantage and drew at Leeds United has torn at fraying fabric and left Liverpool in dangerous and unknown territory.

The iconic forward, an all-time great on Merseyside and in the Premier League, is facing the very real possibility of leaving Liverpool in January. There is a good chance he has played his last game for the club.

This is a painful situation, to be sure, but Salah is ageing and ostensibly past his prime.

Slot does, however, need to get a tune out of the club’s expensive summer signings, with Florian Wirtz’s struggles a stark representation of the dysfunctional tactical set-up.

Why Wirtz has struggled under Slot

It’s fair to say Wirtz has not been good enough this season, far below the standard expected when Liverpool signed the German midfielder for a £116m fee. It’s also fair to say he’s walked into a burning building, making it difficult to shine against the backdrop of the flames.

It is clear that when Liverpool signed Wirtz this summer, they had landed one of the most talented playmakers in the world. It was also clear that Slot planned to reorient Liverpool’s creative supply line after Trent Alexander-Arnold left for Real Madrid.

So many variables have been at play this season, but there is no excuse for the toothless, spineless performances that Liverpool have laboured through this season. Slot has to take responsibility, and he has to get more out of Wirtz, who won the Bundesliga Player of the Year in 2023/24 after steering Bayer Leverkusen to an invincible title.

Wirtz has what it takes to succeed. Claims that he lacks physicality are simply untrue. Moreover, he ranks among the top 6% of positional peers in the Premier League for progressive passes and shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref, so he needs just a little nudge in the right direction, with an uptick from Liverpool’s wider system too.

Liverpool need results, and they need them quickly.

Liverpool lining up Slot replacement

According to Anfield Index, FSG chiefs Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes have held talks with Como manager Cesc Fabregas as they continue to weigh up Slot’s future.

Fabregas, 38, is one of the brightest young coaches in the world, and he’s enjoyed a stunning start to life in Serie A, his Como side sixth in the standings.

The Spaniard’s expansive, free-flowing brand of football is not too dissimilar from Slot’s own vision, and this suggests he could dovetail into Liverpool’s first team, taking the reins at the season’s midpoint and restoring balance and confidence.

He may also be the perfect coach to give rise to Wirtz’s latent quality.

Why Liverpool should appoint Fabregas

Fabregas is a young and talented coach, but some would understandably have reservations over his youth and inexperience. However, were FSG to make the appointment, they would no doubt reference Arsenal’s meteoric rise under Mikel Arteta’s wing as a yardstick which they could follow.

Fabregas knows the Premier League, having featured 350 times in the division as a player, having scored 50 goals and supplied 117 assists across stints with Arsenal and Chelsea.

Moreover, Fabregas knows a thing or two about playmaking in the Premier League, lauded as a world-class “maestro” by former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho during his trophy-laden spell at Stamford Bridge.

Truly, he was a “genius” of a footballer, as claimed by former boss Antonio Conte, and he has translated that wealth of footballing knowledge to the coaching scene, with Como playing some slick attacking football this season while maintaining a steely defensive line, for the most part. In the words of one notable analyst on X, he’s “football’s next elite manager.”

This foundation could be perfect for Wirtz, who shares certain tactical tendencies with the rising managerial star. Look at Nico Paz, for example, who has been immense this season ahead of his much-anticipated return to Real Madrid.

Paz, 21, is one of the hottest creative talents in the business, and he has been in fine fettle for Como this season, posting five goals and five assists apiece across 15 matches in all competitions this term.

Like Wirtz, he’s as naturally gifted as they come, but he has also been tasked with defensive responsibilities that have given him a coating of completeness that Fabregas’ tactics would play into Wirtz’s own game.

One thing’s for certain, Liverpool have crumbled under Slot’s wing. After that blistering start at the beginning of last season, the Reds have slowly tapered off, shipping so many goals and losing so many games.

Arne Slot at Liverpool (2024 vs 2025)
2024	#	2025
27	Games	52
23	Wins	26
3	Draws	10
1	Losses	16
2.66	PPG	1.69
73	Goals scored	91
27	Goals conceded	69
Data via Transfermarkt

Liverpool have a whole host of problems that have shown little sign of abating this season, but among the most egregious issues are the woes of Wirtz and Alexander Isak, who look shells of their former selves.

This cannot continue. Changes are needed. While FSG will continue to persist with Slot for the time being, given that Hughes has held preliminary talks with Fabregas (and who knows who else?), we can be sure that the plug will be pulled if improvements are not seen quickly.

Fabregas, with fresh and innovative ideas, could be the shrewd solution.

Sell him before Salah & Konate: FSG must bin Liverpool's "major issue"

Liverpool have collapsed this season, and some tough decisions need to be made.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

6 days ago

Sunderland fans have waited an awfully long time to see their beloved team face off against Newcastle United again in the Premier League at the Stadium of Light.

Indeed, it’s been ten long years since the Black Cats last did battle with the Magpies in the Tyne-Wear Derby on their own patch in the league, with the Wearside hosts running out as slim 1-0 victors.

Regis Le Bris would gladly take another nervy win like that right now, with Jermain Defoe the hero on the day that guided Sunderland away from their ongoing relegation troubles, with that vital strike.

Remembering Defoe's Derby Day heroics

Of course, Sunderland will feel disheartened if they come up short against their sworn enemy from Tyneside, but it’s not as make-or-break as other ties have been in recent memory between the two fierce rivals.

With six league wins already notched up this season, Le Bris and Co. are nowhere near the bottom three positions in the challenging division. But, back in April 2015, the Black Cats just about had their heads above water when facing off against John Carver’s Toon.

Thankfully, Defoe had packed his shooting boots for the tense game, with this stunning volley ending up being the difference-maker, which handed Sunderland their first win in nine league clashes, and placed the ex-Tottenham Hotspur striker firmly in the Stadium of Light good books.

Amazingly, the diminutive centre-forward would never come unstuck against Newcastle when donning Sunderland red and white, with a memorable 3-0 win also collected in 2016, while another goal in the eventful Derby would fall his way in a 1-1 draw at St James’ Park.

With Defoe further noted as loving the burden of scoring the goals to keep his team afloat, it will be intriguing to see in the here and now whether any stars will come to the surface for Le Bris who are willing to take the pressurised clash by the scruff of its neck.

One attacker could well be itching for a start to prove himself in this regard, having once been labelled as a “goal machine” by scout Jacek Kulig.

The "goal machine" who can Le Bris' answer to Defoe

Amazingly, Dick Advocaat had only occupied the Stadium of Light dug-out for two games when Defoe produced that moment of magic.

Le Bris also enters into the unknown later on today, having never overseen such a fierce and intense showdown, with a Defoe-style figure perhaps what he needs, too, to get one over on Eddie Howe’s tricky visitors, in the form of Brian Brobbey.

After all, the Dutchman has already chipped in with a memorable goal on Wearside, himself, when he powerfully got the better of David Raya late on in November to hand his new side a deserved share of the points against table-topping Arsenal.

With a further goal and assist also coming his way this season, despite just one limited Premier League start, he could be just what the doctor ordered for Sunderland in attempting to unnerve Howe and Co later on, with main striker option Wilson Isidor also deep in a six-game barren patch in front of goal in league action.

Dropping Isidor for Brobbey to lead the line might well prove to be an inspired switch, therefore, with the 23-year-old’s exposure to more game time perhaps catapulting him to reach Defoe’s insane Premier League numbers.

To date, Brobbey already has a stunning 144 goals next to his name playing for Ajax at senior level and youth level, alongside his glimpses of brilliance in England, with Defoe bowing out from his long-established Premier League career with a venomous 163 top-flight efforts.

Ajax (senior team)

163

56 + 24

Ajax U19s

41

37 + 7

Ajax U21s

34

17 + 5

Ajax U17s

25

26 + 6

RB Leipzig

14

0 + 3

Sunderland

10

2 + 1

Ajax Youth League

8

5 + 0

Sunderland U21s

1

1 + 0

Further noted as being a “natural born killer” in front of goal by Kulig, Brobbey will be chomping at the bit to be thrown in for just his second Premier League start of the season.

A bolt from the blue strike from the Amsterdam-born menace could see him be instantly held in the same high esteem as Defoe before him.

Sunderland could now make £12m approach to sign "unreal" defender in January

The Black Cats are assessing their options ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

ByDominic Lund 6 days ago

While Arsenal dropped points prior to the international break, this weekend represented a colossal opportunity for Mikel Arteta’s men to stamp their authority on this Premier League title race.

Manchester City and Liverpool suffered defeat, meaning that once the Gunners had beaten fierce rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, their advantage over City in third was now seven points.

As Jamie Carragher put it at full-time on Sky Sports, the only team who can stop Arsenal from winning the league are Arsenal.

They have the tactics, they have the defensive shape and they now have the attacking firepower and depth to their squad to take on anyone.

As Arsenal swatted aside Spurs, they did so without a recognised centre-forward, they did so without captain Martin Odegaard and they did so without Gabriel, one of the most influential players in the entire division this season.

The man to thank? Well, it was certainly Eberechi Eze.

The key men as Arsenal defeat Spurs

Coming into this game the narrative was all about Eze.

The attacking midfielder had famously rejected a move to Spurs in the summer in favour of returning to his boyhood club.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank was quizzed on that in his pre-game press conference and muttered a response that he will now live to regret: “Who’s Eze?”

The Dane said that with a smile. Well, he certainly knows who Eze is now.

He became the first Arsenal player to score a hat-trick in the north London derby since Alan Sunderland in 1978 and he did so in some style.

It was Leandro Trossard who has opened the scoring but Eze, signed for £67.5m over the summer from Crystal Palace, stole the show.

Arsenal have lacked a player with his ability to shoot on sight and boy did he do so on Sunday evening. His first was a brilliant taken effort in a crowded penalty area but his second and third goals came with more space.

The quality, however, was equally as good each time. The England international scored a stunning goal for his country over the international break and was bang in form again here. The way he dispatched his second on his weaker foot spoke volumes of the form this man is in.

The third was also sumptuous. Fed the ball by Trossard, the former Palace star took one touch to set himself, ignored Bukayo Saka to his right and rifled the ball home.

Eze deserved most of the plaudits but the aforementioned Trossard did too. He scored and assisted, meaning that in the 32 games where he has found the net for Arsenal, he has never been on the losing team.

An amount of praise must be passed to Piero Hincapie too.

With Gabriel injured and out of the side the Ecuadorian stood in at centre-half and was exemplary on his first start in the Premier League, winning all three of his contested aerial duels.

Still, there was a rather underrated performance elsewhere that we’re yet to mention.

Arsenal star shows shades of Ozil and Odegaard

An attacking midfielder lights up the Emirates again and you’d be forgiven for thinking that Eze was the most alike to a certain Mesut Ozil and Odegaard.

Yet, in rather surprising circumstances, the player who evoked memories of those dazzling Arsenal players was Mikel Merino.

Chalkboard

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

When the Spaniard signed for the Gunners in 2024 he was renowned as something of a duel monster. While he’s played regularly in midfield for Arteta, he has been most impactful as a makeshift striker.

Injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus last term meant that the Spain international needed to fill in as a centre-forward. He performed admirably too, notably scoring against Real Madrid and rescuing that win against Leicester when he first featured as the number 9.

Arsenal signed Viktor Gyokeres in the summer but have still had to rely on Merino with Jesus, Havertz and the Swede on the sidelines in recent weeks.

The £32m midfielder netted twice against Slavia Prague in the Champions League a few weeks ago but perhaps saved his finest display of the season for Spurs on Sunday.

He started the game slowly but held the ball up admirably and although he won’t run the channels like Gyokeres, he made the team click and was the catalyst for Eze’s hat-trick. That was outlined by analyst Raj Chohan on social media.

That wasn’t the best thing Merino did, however. The pass for Trossard’s goal was remarkable.

He received the ball 25 yards from goal, waited for precisely the right moment to clip the ball into the box and he did so delightfully, finding the Belgian who swivelled and then found the net.

It was a scarily good pass, one that evoked memories of a certain Ozil.

In the process of being hailed as “Arsenal’s most underrated player” by club insider, Hand of Arsenal, he stated that “if that pass is made by Ozil we are raving.”

Minutes played

88

Touches

44

Accurate passes

16/22 (73%)

Shots

1

Key passes

1

Successful dribbles

0/2

Tackles won

5/5

Ground duels won

8/15

Aerial duels won

2/7

Recoveries

3

CBS reporter James Benge had a similar viewpoint, remarking that it was “an Arsene Wenger building an entire midfield out of diminutive playmakers” type of pass.

Cast your mind back to the days of Ozil, to some of Odegaard’s magical assists in Arsenal colours, it was right out of their playbook and it broke down what had been a stubborn Spurs defence up to that point.

Merino is not the most stylish of players, he is not the Rolls-Royce. However, what he will always guarantee is a mighty strong shift and a very efficient performance. He delivered just that on Sunday again, all with a bit of Ozil flavour.

Not just Eze: £27m star just had his best game for Arsenal

Eberechi Eze scored a remarkable hat-trick as Arsenal defeated Spurs.

ByMatt Dawson Nov 23, 2025

The biggest move of baseball’s offseason has been made—Juan Soto is a New York Met.

In the wee hours of Sunday night, news broke that Soto was heading to Queens on a 15-year deal worth $765 million. It’s the biggest player contract in the history of sports.

Soto had multiple gigantic offers from teams, including a $760 million deal on the table to stay with the Yankees, with whom he had just won the AL pennant. But in the end, Steve Cohen and the Mets won out, landing the services of the 26-year-old who is already well on his way to the Hall of Fame.

While the Mets were busy popping champagne, the rest of Soto’s suitors had to get back to work on building out their roster for the 2025 season. Speaking with media at MLB Winter Meetings, Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora shared his feelings about the Soto sweepstakes.

“Obviously I can’t get into the details, but from my end, it was fun. To get to know people, players of that status, it’s amazing,” Cora said of Soto. “The kid, he gets it. Let me put it that way.”

Cora said he was in a restaurant when the news broke, and saw super agent Scott Boras walk by moments after everyone got the notification on their phone.

“It’s good for baseball, that’s the way I see it. Everybody was waiting for this to happen,” Cora said. “It was interesting the way everybody reacted when we were in the restaurant.”

As for the Red Sox’s plan from here, Cora made clear that they had plenty of options, and just had to get back to work.

“We have plan A, Plan A1, A2, A3, A4, so there’s a lot of ways to accomplish what we’re set to do. We’re talking about winning the division, making the playoffs. There are different avenues, different ways, and we can attack them.”

The Red Sox finished the 2024 season 81-81, coming in third in the AL East, marking the third straight season they had missed the playoffs.

In exactly one day, Pablo Sanchez and the rest of the gang will head to Eckman Acres once again for the official return of .

Back in August, Playground Productions—a new production company dedicated to creating family-friendly content—announced plans to bring back the iconic franchise that was a staple in many millennial childhoods. And in September, it was announced that the original video game would be re-released exactly 27 years after it was initially launched in 1997.

That day nearly has arrived. On Thursday, Oct. 10, fans will be able to purchase on the PC for $9.99 via Steam and lead their teams to Backyard League glory, just as we did decades ago.

was lucky enough to get early access to the video game early for a chance to review it. There was only one way to properly do so: Play an entire season in league mode.

Let's get to it:

Establishing the rules

Alright, so for my first season in the Backyard Baseball League in probably 15 years, I decided to make it as difficult as possible. I didn't want to select a team of all studs and defeat the Mighty Bombers 15–1 every game.

So, here are the ground rules I set for my first season: Play on the hardest level with no pitch locator, making it difficult while batting to determine a ball or strike. Also, the only power-up that I was allowed to use—hitting or pitching—was "More Juice," which increased my pitcher's stamina during the game. Additionally, every player that I selected, no matter their skill set, would have to make at least one start on the mound during the year. I wasn't about to have Reese Worthington's mom sending me nasty emails about unfair playing time.

Picking the team

The first step to create any franchise is to pick the team name and color scheme. I had to go with the classic "Humongous Melonheads." I know the Melonheads are really the New York Yankees of the Backyard League, but it just felt right for my first season back.

The Mighty Wombats finished a close second, though.

Now, to pick my roster. I couldn't play a season without Pablo Sanchez, so he was my first pick.

As I listed above, however, I didn't want to take a bunch of studs. Sanchez was my only selection with a maximum batting rating (four of four possible points). I took two players with three batting points (Stephanie Morgan and Dmitri Petrovich) and six with two batting points (Kenny Kawaguchi, Sidney Webber, Ashley Webber, Ernie Steele, Jorge Garcia and Ricky Johnson).

Offense might be an issue, but Sanchez is capable of carrying the team on his back, obviously.

Here was my starting lineup for the season opener against the rival Fishes, with the fan-favorite Kenny Kawaguchi taking the mound.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose. Or something like that.

Playing the regular season

A wave of nostalgia overcame me as Sunny Day and her broadcasting partner Vinnie The Gooch graced my computer screen for the first time. Every one of their comments took me back to my family's shared PC in the living room in the early 2000s.

But there wasn't enough time to get sappy. It was time to win some ball games.

The script writers in Hollywood couldn't have written a better season opener. Trailing the Fishes 1–0 in the fourth inning, Pablo Sanchez hit a go-ahead two-run homer off a zig-zag pitch for a 2–1 lead, which proved to be enough for the Melonheads' first win.

We cruised to a 3–0 win over the Bombers and a 5–3 victory over the Wombats on Ashley Webber's walk-off two-run blast in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Melonheads were 3–0 and taking the league by storm, just as we planned.

But then, just as I gained all the confidence in the world that this season would be a cakewalk to the playoffs, disaster struck. It became obvious that the 3–0 start was against three bottom-dwellers in the league, and I wasn't ready to face the better competition.

The Melonheads suffered three straight losses to the Hornets, All-Stars and Giants to drop to .500. I couldn't buy a run. The opposing teams would not make a mistake. I was reminded the hard way that speed is incredibly important in the game when Ricky Johnson was thrown out at first on a line drive to left field. Or when Stephanie Morgan flew out to the warning track, and Dmitri Petrovich—representing the winning run in extra innings on third base—tagged up only to be thrown out at home by five feet.

That's just poor coaching on my part.

In order to advance to the BBL All-City Playoffs, I needed to finish in the top two in the league. But with five games to play, I was three games out behind the juggernaut Giants and Hornets. I needed a miracle.

Unfortunately, the Melonheads never found that miracle. We lost a couple more tough ones, 1–0 to the Wombats and 3–1 to the Hornets. By the time I found some rhythm on offense (which mostly was me finally learning what a ball and strike looked like with no pitch locator) it was too late in the year, and the Melonheads finished one game out of a playoff spot.

My experiment to take Pablo Sanchez and a rag-tag group of kids to postseason glory had failed. At least this time.

To make matters worse, the legendary Mr. Clanky sent me the saddest note after my Backyard League failure.

You will definitely see me back next season, Mr. Clanky.

Backyard Baseball '97 review

In no way did the Melonheads missing the playoffs affect my enjoyment of the game. In fact, it probably enhanced it.

Playground Productions' re-released video game is exactly how I remember. It brought me a ton of joy to be back on the PC, listening to the same theme songs and on-field chatter that was often the soundtrack of my childhood.

Really, the only difference in the revamped game is the Steam achievements and global leaderboards that will track home runs, grand slams and strikeouts among all users. The users that find themselves on top of the leaderboards will get "Backyardified," meaning the artists will whip up a cartoon drawing of yourself that make it look like you're in the game. Pretty cool.

The only bummer of the game is that it is only available on PC due to the complicated process of remastering the game from the original CD-ROM version, but Playground Productions did state they plan to bring their games to multiple platforms in the future. (Also, a pro tip: If you start up the game and it opens in a tiny window, just hit the spacebar and click "expand screen." This took me way too long to figure out.)

The game holds up. Whether you're a millennial looking to relive the glory days or hand the iconic video game franchise to the next generation, is worth your time. And hopefully there will be more re-released classics and new Playground Productions originals to play in the new future.

is available on Steam Wishlist now and will be available for fans to purchase on Thursday for $9.99. Once you do purchase it, just don't miss the playoffs in your first season like I did.

Scores were level after first innings as India were bowled out for 387, with Rahul scoring 100

Alagappan Muthu12-Jul-20251:58

Manjrekar: Rahul hasn’t put a foot wrong

India were in the middle of a careful, painstaking build. Then they got distracted by something shiny, and spent the rest of the day paying for it. Cricket may be a team sport but the events leading up to lunch on the third day at Lord’s epitomise how much individual records matter – for better or worse.KL Rahul offered a sheepish look after his clattering of a short and wide delivery proved insufficient to beat deep point. So now he was on 98 instead of 101, and facing the prospect of a nervous 40 minutes inside the change room. Rishabh Pant wanted to spare his team-mate that trouble and went for a risky single. Ben Stokes pounced.That moment coloured the rest of play on the third day, which ended with India drawing level with England’s 387. There were six minutes left. England dragged their feet. Tempers began to flare. Shubman Gill had some choice words, and sarcastic claps as Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett’s delay tactics allowed for only one over until stumps.Three players earned the opportunity to take this game by the scruff of its neck. Jofra Archer summoned fire and brimstone during a four-over spell right after lunch. Lord’s lived every ball, clapping him on as he ran in, their oohs and aahs defying the physics of a wide open space to create an echo. Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy couldn’t appreciate any of this. It was all they could do to survive.Archer unleashed at this ground is addiction. On a slow pitch, with an old ball, he was generating an average speed of 150.3kph/90.3mph. He had never bowled quicker in Test cricket.2:12

Manjrekar: ‘Pretty mediocre how England bowled in first session’

But England couldn’t break through. It was a feeling they had to get used to on Saturday morning. Stokes didn’t care for it. He had been functioning as less than himself over the last two years, his body coming in the way of his myth. The England captain used to be known for his ferocity with the ball in hand. And now, after hamstring surgery, it seems he will be able to carry on that persona.For five overs, Stokes bombarded India. Twenty-six bouncers or back-of-a-length deliveries, many of them aimed at Pant, who was nursing an injured finger which seemed to behave itself except when Stokes was close and cranking his own pace up to 90mph.It was at the tail-end of this little skirmish that India’s focus shifted from the team’s needs to an individual’s, and Stokes could feel it happening. He was hyperalert to Pant trying to pinch a single to cover and help Rahul get to his century before lunch. There was anger in the celebration of that run-out – itself an homage to Stokes’ athleticism as he swooped down on the ball, spun around and completed a markedly more difficult direct hit at the bowler’s end. He brought his cap to his mouth, a trick used to prevent the cameras from catching what you’re saying, even as the rest of the team rallied around him, rose with him.Rahul set the rhythm of this Test match. He was partly the cause of England’s frustration. He was the source of India’s calm. He secured their eighth century on tour, a new record. Repeatedly, he talks about the discrepancy between effort and reward, and when he does so, it is tempting to extrapolate he had learned that lesson the hardest way possible. Obsessing about his lack of success and doubling down on his prep work in search for a change.At some point, though, Rahul realised he needed to let go, which is funny because, one time, in South Africa, he started speaking about how letting go of the ball was where his joy was. Bit by bit, his focus turned from scoring runs to just being the best batter he can be. Well, in this series, he has made two hundreds in three Tests, and as he scurried to this one, he took time for himself, running practically all the way to the boundary as he completed a quick single, and then looking up at the sky with closed eyes. Once again, it was tempting to imagine him looking back at all the struggle and telling himself it was worth it.1:30

Manjrekar: ‘The grind’ a great facet of Jadeja’s batting evolution

All of these stirring performances, and yet the third Test of this series remains evenly poised.Stokes tried to sway it again – this time with the new ball – a seven-over spell where a dead pitch came to life just for him and helped England break the 72-run Jadeja-Reddy partnership that had been immune to their own abysmal running.Pant had tried to sway it earlier, braving time in the middle, even though he was far from 100%. But injured or not, he was still him, so it was natural that he charged down the track to Archer in the first over of the day. Or that he was irked by a stretch of 25 dots and tried to break it with a reverse scoop. Or that he turned the first ball of spin he faced into his 88th six, which means he is only two short of Virender Sehwag, who holds the India record. Frenetic. Unpredictable. And in the end, fallible.India slipped from 248 for 3 to 254 for 5 when Rahul was dismissed on 100, which was 11 balls later. That prompted Stokes to wind Archer up and let him loose. The idea was to burst through India’s allrounders into the tail just in time for the second new ball. But Jadeja wouldn’t budge. He made 72 off 131 balls. His technique – particularly the ability to discern between the balls he needs to play and those he doesn’t – is under-rated. When he’s in form, he’s as good as a top-order batter, and he seemed to be the final play, a decisive shift in the game, until he was dismissed with India 11 runs off England’s total, and they were bowled out for exactly the same score: 387.Lord’s and ties. It’s starting to get ridiculous.