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Manchester City have a wonderful chance to claim their third FA Cup victory under the leadership of Pep Guardiola at Wembley this afternoon.

Success came in 2019 and 2023 before they lost the final to Manchester United last year. The Spaniard will be keen to end the campaign on a high.

He will, however, be expecting a much better performance than the one that was delivered against Southampton in the Premier League last week.

The 0-0 draw against the club bottom of the table, having conceded 82 goals, was disappointing to say the least, particularly with Erling Haaland back in the starting line-up.

James McAtee was particularly poor during the game.

James McAtee’s game in numbers vs Southampton

The Englishman was unleashed on the right wing against the Saints, but if it was an audition to keep his place in the team next season, he failed.

The attacking midfielder lasted only 45 minutes during the game as he was subbed off at the interval. Throughout the first half, he made just one key pass, registered zero total shots, and won only one total duel.

It was clear the entire team were not quite at the races, but this was a chance for McAtee to prove to Guardiola he was worthy of a place in his plans next term.

This poor performance likely means he will drop to the bench for the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace later today.

The question is, who comes in for the youngster?

Why Man City must unleash Savinho against Crystal Palace

Savinho entered the fray last weekend with just 14 minutes left, but he registered more shots and dribbles than McAtee did during the first half.

Since joining City from Troyes last summer, the winger has scored twice and grabbed 12 assists, proving to be a solid signing by the manager, as he has provided plenty of creativity on the flank.

Metric

McAtee

Savinho

Goals

3

1

Assists

0

8

Shots per game

0.8

2

Big chances created

2

11

Successful dribbles per game

0.1

1.9

Key passes per game

0.2

1.6

Aged only 21, the Brazilian will only get better. That’s for certain. The £46m-rated, per Transfermarkt, youngster has established himself as one of Guardiola’s key players this season.

His displays are even more impressive when compared to those in a similar position across Europe’s top five leagues and European competitions over the past 365 days.

Indeed, Savinho ranks in the top 6% for progressive carries, progressive passes received, touches in the opposition penalty area, and successful take-ons when compared to other wingers per 90.

Furthermore, he also ranks in the top 11% for shot-creating actions and assists per 90, which indicates that he should start the cup final against Palace.

At the start of the season, Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson claimed that the 21-year-old could turn into a “superstar” after several encouraging displays.

Nine months later, Savinho’s City career has gone better than expected. If he can play a key role in the final this afternoon, he could use this to build on ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

New signings will be expected; That’s a certainty. But in Savinho, City have a potential world-class sensation in the making and that is why he must be unleashed ahead of McAtee in the cup final to improve the team’s chances of ending the campaign with a bit of glory.

He'd be amazing with Wirtz: Man City set to submit bid for £50m star

As Manchester City seek to sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, would the addition of another “fantastic” midfielder build an unstoppable trio?

May 16, 2025

Florian Wirtz is the name on everyone’s lips at Liverpool right now, with FSG having taken the lead in the race to sign the Germany international, who is also being courted by Bayern Munich.

That’s according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, who broke the news this evening that the Bundesliga champions are fearful of Anfield, in fact growing resigned to the fact that the 22-year-old will join Liverpool if he switches club this summer.

Manchester City had a strong interest in bringing him in, but have taken a step back given that Wirtz’s employers are believed to value him in the ballpark of €150m (£126m).

However, Spanish sources believe the Reds would need to cash in on some existing quality in order to facilitate a move, and with Barcelona hoping to sign Luis Diaz, some differing cogs might fall into place.

While Darwin Nunez is also expected to depart Anfield, Diaz, 28, has been one of Arne Slot’s most important players, but should be sold this summer nonetheless.

Why Liverpool should sell Luis Diaz

Diaz joined Liverpool from FC Porto in January 2022 for a fee rising to £49m, ostensibly as Sadio Mane’s successor, for the Senegalese superstar left for Bayern Munich the following summer.

He’s ebbed and flowed, partly due to a crushing injury suffered during his first full season, but who can say Diaz hasn’t enjoyed a special season under Slot’s wing, prolific and dynamic in a Premier League-winning team?

Luis Diaz – Liverpool Career by Season (all comps)

Season

Apps

Goals

Assists

24/25

49

17

8

23/24

51

13

7

22/23

21

5

3

21/22

26

6

5

Stats via Transfermarkt

However, he’s hardly irreplaceable, and entering the penultimate year of his contract besides. The Colombian has played as a left winger and a makeshift centre-forward this year, and Cody Gakpo holds down the fort on the flank and FSG are searching for a new number nine.

If Barcelona are serious about their interest and willing to pay a €80m (£68m) fee, as has been suggested in Spain, to pull Diaz from Merseyside, this would be something the club should consider, especially as they are searching for new attacking cogs.

Though Wirtz is the dream, Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes will be hedging his bets until the moment of truth, and indeed appears to have identified an alternative who could still prove an upgrade on Diaz, one of the Premier League’s standout wingers.

Liverpool reignite interest in PL star

As per Football Insider, Liverpool are still interested in signing Newcastle United forward Anthony Gordon, nearly one year on from exploring a deal for the England international as the Magpies sweated over PSR limitations.

Gordon, a boyhood Liverpool fan who was released from the academy before joining Everton aged 11, had informed his inner circle that he wanted to make the move make to Merseyside, and though he’s now signed a new long-term deal at St. James’ Park, would still be open to the transfer.

Of course, the reality would be far more strenuous for the Reds given the 24-year-old is valued at £100m by his side, who are in a good position to qualify for the Champions League ahead of the weekend’s culminating round of Premier League fixtures.

Why Anthony Gordon would be an upgrade on Diaz

Whether Liverpool would have the means to sign both Wirtz and Gordon after adding full-backs on both sides of the backline and with the ongoing need for a new striker remains to be seen. However, it’s unlikely all of this would happen.

Instead, Gordon could be signed as a contingency if things don’t fall into place regarding Wirtz, and the Newcastle man has enough quality to still prove an upgrade on the high-flying Diaz.

Gordon might not have had quite the same year as the 2023/24 campaign, in which his talismanic performances helped Newcastle through injury woes, sealing an individual accolade as United’s Player of the Year.

He hit 28 direct goal involvements, which is more than Diaz has ever achieved in a single campaign for Liverpool. Moreover, Gordon is four years younger than Anfield’s man, thus with plenty of scope for growth.

Of course, this isn’t to say he hasn’t enjoyed a good year on Tyneside, scoring nine goals and adding seven assists from 32 starts across all competitions.

He also ranks among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League this season for successful crosses made into the penalty area per 90, as per FBref, which is a weapon Liverpool could certainly do with if they are to sign a recognised focal frontman this summer.

But his most interesting tool, aside from some immense physicality and athleticism, the cornerstones of his skill set, is his fluidity, used across different attacking areas since leaving Everton for Newcastle in a £45m deal back in January 2023.

Anthony Gordon – Newcastle Career by Position

Position

Apps

Goals

Assists

Left winger

71

18

17

Right winger

13

1

6

Centre-forward

8

2

0

Attacking midfield

4

1

0

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see, Gordon’s been ferried about the frontline during his time in Eddie Howe’s system, though it’s clear he’s at his rip-roaring best when in his natural left-sided berth, with blistering speed and tricky feet allowing him to get the better of even the meanest defenders on the continent.

This is a further illustration of how he could replace Diaz, whose excellent season at Liverpool boils down to his ability to provide relief as a striker, thus allowing Gakpo to play off the wing.

Gordon’s price tag is further evidence that he has what it takes to become a superstar in red. Not just a potent threat, the English winger averages one tackle and 4.4 successful duels per game this season, bringing a tenacious attitude that emphasises his dynamic underlying qualities.

He’s also younger now than Diaz was when he first signed for Liverpool (25 years old). While Liverpool’s chiefs would be wary of spending £100m on an attacking player who failed to hit double figures in goals or assists this season, Gordon’s talent is unquestionable, having described himself as a “nightmare to play against.”

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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If a deal for Wirtz falls through, this is the one to go for.

Related Bigger talent than Salah: Liverpool make offer to sign "world-class" star

Liverpool are ready to defend their Premier League title by attacking the transfer market.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair May 23, 2025

Attempting to solve their left-back problem at long last, Manchester City are now reportedly in constant contact with one £30m target who Kyle Walker has recently got to know fairly well.

Man City planning major overhaul

Whilst Kevin de Bruyne’s pending departure is likely to be an emotional one at the Etihad, Manchester City may have to get used to bidding farewell to club veterans in the coming months as the Blues commence a much-needed overhaul.

City boss Pep Guardiola has already paid tribute to De Bruyne’s time at the club as the Belgian prepares to leave, whilst revealing that it was the club’s decision. The Spaniard told reporters: “The decision has been made for the club, and the club is the club. Me, Txiki [Begiristain, sporting director], and the club, so this is what it is. It was not easy for me to tell him it won’t continue.

Man City could now make £51m summer bid for "insane" goalscoring midfielder

The Sky Blues are now very keen on signing a central midfielder, who Pep Guardiola has personally identified as a target.

ByDominic Lund Apr 11, 2025

“The last year and a half, he was out injured because he gave everything for the club. Everything he had in his body and his mind, he’s done it, so there’s no doubt about it.”

The focus has since shifted towards replacing De Bruyne and whilst some may see that as mission impossible at the Etihad, a number of candidates have already emerged. Recent reports have mentioned the likes of Florian Wirtz and even Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White regarding players on City’s radar and there’s no doubt that both have their own standout qualities.

When comparing the two, however, it must be said that it’s Wirtz who would steal the most headlines having become one of the most dangerous attacking midfielders during his time at Bayer Leverkusen.

Meanwhile, away from their need to replace De Bruyne, Manchester City must also finally sign another left-back this summer – allowing Josko Gvardiol to move back into central defence and ending Rico Lewis’ unsuccessful role down that side.

Man City in constant contact with Theo Hernandez

On that front, one name that has recently emerged as a potential solution is Theo Hernandez. According to The Boot Room, Manchester City are now in constant contact with Hernandez’s representatives over a summer move from AC Milan and are racing to secure his signature alongside Tottenham Hotspur.

A Champions League winner who could reportedly be available for as little as £30m this summer, Manchester City may well get themselves a bargain solution by signing Hernandez this summer. There’s no doubt that he would be an instant upgrade on Lewis and a player who could match Gvardiol’s quality or allow the Croatia star to move into the middle.

Minutes

2,254

2,647

1,720

Assists

3

0

2

Tackles Won

22

33

19

Ball Recoveries

111

119

89

Dubbed “electric fast” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Hernandez will have the chance to find out all about Manchester City whilst at AC Milan if he speaks to former captain Kyle Walker, who had plenty of pace of his own, often relied upon to halt counter-attacks as City dominated possession.

The England international is currently on loan at the San Siro and whilst he may yet leave on a permanent basis, he could first bring back the gift of Hernandez this summer.

And how many women have fifties from No. 10 in a World Cup match?

Steven Lynch14-Oct-2025Who’s scored the most runs at the women’s World Cup over the years? Is it Mithali Raj? asked Anjuli Desai from India

That’s a decent guess, as Mithali Raj is currently second on this list with 1321 runs in all editions of the women’s one-day World Cup. But she’s some way behind the leader, New Zealand’s Debbie Hockley, who made 1501 runs in 45 World Cup matches between 1982 and 2000.The leading current player is another New Zealander, Suzie Bates, who started this year’s competition with 1179 runs. Nat Sciver-Brunt’s 117 against Sri Lanka in Colombo last weekend – a record fifth World Cup century, passing the four of Bates and England’s Jan Brittin – put her in sight of four figures with 974 runs.How many women have scored a half-century from No. 10 in a World Cup match, as Alana King did against Pakistan? asked Melanie Crozier from Australia

Alana King’s staunch 51 not out against Pakistan in Colombo last week, which helped Beth Mooney rescue Australia from 115 for 8 and take them to a match-winning 221 for 9, was not only the highest by an No. 10 in the women’s World Cup – previously 42 not out by Yulandi van der Merwe for South Africa against India in Christchurch in 2000 – but also the highest in any women’s white-ball international (Kim Garth also made 42 not out for Australia vs South Africa in North Sydney in 2024).There have been three bigger scores from No. 10 in women’s Tests, the highest being Shelley Nitschke’s unbeaten 81 for Australia against England in Hove in 2005.I noticed that Ricky Ponting scored more than 1000 Test runs at four different grounds. Has anyone else done this? asked Michael Chesterton from Australia

Ricky Ponting scored 1743 Test runs in Adelaide, 1480 in Sydney, 1338 in Melbourne and 1335 in Brisbane. The only other man to reach 1000 on four different grounds is Jacques Kallis, with 2181 in Cape Town, 1267 in Centurion, 1266 in Durban and 1148 in Johannesburg.Seven men made more than 1000 Test runs on three different grounds: Hashim Amla, Allan Border, Greg Chappell, Javed Miandad, Brian Lara, Kumar Sangakkara and Steve Waugh. Sangakkara’s long-time Sri Lanka team-mate Mahela Jayawardene only did it at two grounds, but made it count with 2921 at the Sinhalese Sport Club in Colombo (his home club) and 2382 in Galle. Those are the two highest aggregates at any single venue: Jayawardene is the only player to make 2000 Test runs on two different Test grounds.Rather surprisingly perhaps, the England opener Jack Hobbs didn’t make 1000 Test runs on any home ground, but he did amass 1178 in Melbourne: he’s still the only man to pass 1000 at an away venue.Jacques Kallis has over 1000 runs at each of four grounds in South Africa, including 2181 at Newlands, Cape Town•Getty ImagesHarry Brook has a healthy Test average of 57 after 30 matches. Where does he rank among batters after their 30th Test? asked Vinod Nair from India

England’s new vice-captain Harry Brook goes into the Ashes with a batting average of 57.55 after 30 Tests. It turns out there are 40 men who averaged 50 or more after 30 matches, and Brook lies 18th among those, not far behind Jack Hobbs (57.77), Viv Richards (58.21) and Steve Smith (58.52).Way out at the top, as regular readers will probably already have guessed, is Don Bradman, who averaged 92.30 after 30 Tests. Next comes England’s Denis Compton with 64.10, just ahead of another Australian, Michael Hussey (64.05). Six other men averaged over 60 after 30 Tests: Javed Miandad (62.38), Herbert Sutcliffe (62.33), Everton Weekes (61.21), Neil Harvey (60.92), Marnus Labuschagne (60.82) and Adam Gilchrist (60.38).I noticed that David Warner scored exactly 100 in a T20 international on his 33rd birthday. Has anyone else made a birthday ton in a T20? asked Kyle Morton from Australia

Australia’s David Warner hit 100 not out against Sri Lanka in Adelaideon October 27, 2019, his 33rd birthday. He was the second (and last to date) to score a T20 international century on his birthday, after Afghanistan’s Mohammad Shahzad, who hit 118 not out against Zimbabwe in Sharjah on January 10, 2016, his 29th birthday.Seven men have scored a birthday century in a one-day international: Vinod Kambli, Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar of India, Tom Latham and Ross Taylor of New Zealand (against Pakistan in Pallekele during the 2011 World Cup), Sanath Jayasuriya of Sri Lanka (on his 39th birthday in 2008, against Bangladesh in Karachi) and Mitchell Marsh of Australia.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Who got what they wanted? Who missed out? A look at how the franchises fared at a historic IPL auction

Shashank Kishore and Hemant Brar19-Dec-202315:25

Who had the best and worst IPL auction?

Kolkata Knight Riders

Squad strength: 23 (overseas 8)
Players bought: Mitchell Starc (INR 24.75 crore), Mujeeb Ur Rahman (INR 2 crore), Sherfane Rutherford (INR 1.5 crore), Gus Atkinson (INR 1 crore), KS Bharat (INR 50 lakh), Chetan Sakariya (INR 50 lakh), Angkrish Raghuvanshi (INR 20 lakh), Ramandeep Singh (INR 20 lakh), Manish Pandey (INR 50 lakh), Sakib Hussain (INR 20 lakh)
The wins: Knight Riders needed fast bowlers and they acquired Mitchell Starc for an all-time high of INR 24.75 crore. Towards the end, they also snapped up Gus Atkinson. In Mujeeb Ur Rahman and KS Bharat, they got a back-up spinner and a back-up wicketkeeper.
The misses: They rely a lot on Gurbaz coming good. Atkinson may not fit into the first-choice XI, and their Indian seamers lack experience. They also seem to be lacking the batting depth; Ramandeep Singh scored 127 runs at a strike rate of 222.80 in the recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy but is unproven at this IPL.
Full squad

• Openers: Jason Roy, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Angkrish Raghuvanshi
• Middle order: Shreyas Iyer (capt), Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, KS Bharat (wk), Manish Pandey, Sherfane Rutherford
• Allrounders: Andre Russell, Anukul Roy, Ramandeep Singh
• Fast bowlers: Mitchell Starc, Gus Atkinson, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Chetan Sakariya, Sakib Hussain
• Spinners: Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Suyash Sharma, Mujeeb Ur Rahman

ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Squad strength: 25 (overseas 8)
Players bought: Travis Head (INR 6.8 crore), Wanindu Hasaranga (INR 1.5 crore), Pat Cummins (INR 20.5 crore), Jaydev Unadkat (INR 1.6 crore), Akash Singh (INR 20 lakh), Jhathavedh Subramanyan (INR 20 lakh)
The wins: Sunrisers out-bid four other teams to get Pat Cummins for a whopping INR 20.5, while Wanindu Hasaranga, at his base price, was a steal. Travis Head was another big buy and can replace either Mayank Agarwal or Abhishek Sharma, depending on their form, at the top.
The misses: It will be nit-picking but perhaps they could have looked for a back-up for Abdul Samad.
Full squad

• Openers: Travis Head, Mayank Agarwal, Abhishek Sharma, Anmolpreet Singh
• Middle order: Aiden Markram, Rahul Tripathi, Glenn Phillips (wk), Abdul Samad, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Upendra Yadav (wk)
• Allrounders: Marco Jansen, Washington Sundar, Sanvir Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shahbaz Ahmed
• Fast bowlers: Pat Cummins, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Fazalhaq Farooqi, T Natarajan, Umran Malik, Jaydev Unadkat, Akash Singh
• Spinners: Wanindu Hasaranga, Mayank Markande, Jhathavedh Subramanyan

ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Chennai Super Kings

Squad strength: 25 (overseas 8)
Players bought: Rachin Ravindra (INR 1.8 crore), Shardul Thakur (INR 4 crore), Daryl Mitchell (INR 14 crore), Sameer Rizvi (INR 8.4 crore), Mustafizur Rahman (INR 2 crore)
The wins: Most bases covered. Ambati Rayudu’s replacement in Sameer Rizvi. Two gun allrounders in Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell for the price (well, almost) of the released Ben Stokes. Shardul Thakur as the bowling allrounder and Mustafizur Rahman as a back-up for the injury-prone Matheesha Pathirana.
The misses: They missed buying Gerald Coetzee, who also plays for their SA20 side Johannesburg Super Kings (they went upto INR 3.2 crore) and Alzarri Joseph (their last bid: INR 2.8 crore).
Full squad

• Openers: Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rachin Ravindra
• Middle order: Sameer Rizvi, Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni (capt, wk), Shaik Rasheed, Aravelly Avanish
• Allrounders: Ravindra Jadeja, Daryl Mitchell, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Nishant Sindhu, Ajay Mandal
• Fast bowlers: Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Simarjeet Singh, Tushar Deshpande, Matheesha Pathirana, Mukesh Choudhary, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Mustafizur Rahman
• Spinners: Maheesh Theekshana, Mitchell Santner, Prashant Solanki

ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Mumbai Indians

Squad strength: 25 (overseas 8)

Players bought: Gerald Coetzee (INR 5 crore), Nuwan Thushara (INR 4.8 crore), Dilshan Madushanka (INR 4.6 crore), Mohammad Nabi (INR 1.5 crore), Shreyas Gopal (INR 20 lakh), Naman Dhir (INR 20 lakh), Anshul Kamboj (INR 20 lakh), Shivalik Sharma (INR 20 lakh)
The wins: Mumbai have always liked their overseas fast bowlers, and it was no different this time. They got Gerald Coetzee, who can also bat lower down the order, and the Sri Lankan duo Dilshan Madushanka and Nuwan Thushara. They also picked up Shreyas Gopal as a back-up to Piyush Chawla.
The misses: In hindsight, they could have bid for Wanindu Hasaranga as they may end up playing only three overseas players in their XI.
Full squad

• Openers: Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk)
• Middle order: Hardik Pandya (capt), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Dewald Brevis, Tim David, Nehal Wadhera, Vishnu Vinod (wk)
• Allrounders: Romario Shepherd, Mohammad Nabi, Shams Mulani, Shivalik Sharma, Anshul Kamboj, Naman Dhir
• Fast bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Jason Behrendorff, Arjun Tendulkar, Akash Madhwal, Gerald Coetzee, Dilshan Madushanka, Nuwan Thushara
• Spinners: Piyush Chawla, Kumar Kartikeya, Shreyas Gopal

ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Rajasthan Royals

Squad strength: 22 (overseas 8)
Players bought: Rovman Powell (INR 7.4 crore), Shubham Dubey (INR 5.8 crore), , Nandre Burger (INR 50 lakh), Tom Kohler-Cadmore (INR 40 lakh), Abid Mushtaq (INR 20 lakh)
The wins: Rovman Powell, who leads Barbados Royals in the CPL, will add muscle to the middle order. Nandre Burger and Tom Kohler-Cadmore at their base prices are excellent back-ups for Trent Boult and Jos Buttler, respectively.
The misses: They spent more than 90% of their purse on the first two buys (Powell and Shubham Dubey), With the remaining, INR 1.30 crore, they couldn’t buy the allrounder they were missing. Maybe they can coax a few overs out of Powell. Also, they already have Riyan Parag, who had an excellent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (279 runs and 11 wickets in 10 matches). Their squad size of 22 is the smallest among the ten teams.
Full squad

• Openers: Jos Buttler (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tom Kohler-Cadmore (wk)
• Middle order: Sanju Samson (capt, wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Donovan Ferreira, Kunal Singh Rathore (wk), Shubham Dubey
• Allrounders: Riyan Parag
• Fast bowlers: Avesh Khan, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Sen, Navdeep Saini, Sandeep Sharma, Trent Boult, Nandre Burger
• Spinners: R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Adam Zampa, Abid Mushtaq

ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Delhi Capitals

Squad strength: 25 (overseas 8)
Players bought: Kumar Kushagra (INR 7.2 crore), Jhye Richardson (INR 5 crore), Harry Brook (INR 4 crore), Sumit Kumar (INR 1 crore), Shai Hope (INR 75 lakh), Tristan Stubbs (INR 50 lakh), Ricky Bhui (INR 20 lakh), Rasikh Salam (INR 20 lakh), Swastik Chikara (INR 20 lakh)
The wins: Wicketkeeping back-ups in Tristan Stubbs and Kumar Kushagra for Rishabh Pant. A bargain buy in Harry Brook to strengthen their batting.
The misses: Brittle lower middle order. They also lack a back-up Indian opener to Prithvi Shaw, who has battled form and fitness issues.
Full squad

• Openers: David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, Shai Hope
• Middle order: Rishabh Pant (wk), Harry Brook, Tristan Stubbs, Ricky Bhui (wk), Kumar Kushagra, Yash Dhull, Abishek Porel (wk)
• Allrounders: Axar Patel, Lalit Yadav, Mitchell Marsh, Sumit Kumar
• Fast bowlers: Lungi Ngidi, Khaleel Ahmed, Ishant Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Anrich Nortje, Rasikh Salam, Jhye Richardson
• Spinners: Kuldeep Yadav, Praveen Dubey, Vicky Ostwal

ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Punjab Kings

Squad strength: 25 (overseas 8)
Players bought: Harshal Patel (INR 11.75 crore), Rilee Rossouw (INR 8 crore), Chris Woakes (INR 4.2 crore), Ashutosh Sharma (INR 20 lakh), Vishwanath Singh (INR 20 lakh), Shashank Singh (INR 20 lakh), Tanay Thyagarajan (INR 20 lakh), Prince Choudhary (INR 20 lakh)
The wins: Chris Woakes and Harshal Patel add value as bowlers who can also bat. Rilee Rossouw is a back-up for Liam Livingstone.
The misses: They could have bought back Shahrukh Khan – they lack an Indian middle-order batter. Towards the end, it got a bit chaotic. They first bought Shashank Singh, then realised they didn’t want him, and tried to unsuccessfully un-buy him. It might not have hurt them but it was a bit embarrassing.
Full squad

• Openers: Shikhar Dhawan (capt), Prabhsimran Singh (wk)
• Middle order: Jonny Bairstow (wk), Rilee Rossouw, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Liam Livingstone, Atharva Taide, Harpreet Bhatia, Ashutosh Sharma, Shashank Singh
• Allrounders: Rishi Dhawan, Sam Curran, Sikandar Raza, Shivam Singh, Chris Woakes, Harshal Patel, Vishwanath Singh, Tanay Thyagarajan
• Fast bowlers: Kagiso Rabada, Nathan Ellis, Arshdeep Singh, Vidwath Kaverappa,
• Spinners: Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Prince Choudhary

ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Gujarat Titans

Squad strength: 25 (overseas 8)
Players bought: Spencer Johnson (INR 10 crore), Shahrukh Khan (INR 7.4 crore), Umesh Yadav (INR 5.8 crore), Robin Minz (INR 3.6 crore), Sushant Mishra (INR 2.2 crore), Kartik Tyagi (INR 60 lakh), Azmatullah Omarzai (INR 50 lakh), Manav Suthar (INR 20 lakh),
The wins: Pace reinforcement for Mohammed Shami in Umesh Yadav. The addition of Shahrukh Khan to an already strong finishers’ group.
The misses: Absence of a seasoned Indian wicketkeeping back-up to Wriddhiman Saha, which may result in them struggling to get Kane Williamson into their XI. Went up to INR 24.50 crore for Starc but couldn’t get him
Full squad

• Openers: Shubman Gill (capt), Wriddhiman Saha (wk)
• Middle order: Kane Williamson, Abhinav Manohar, David Miller, Sai Sudharsan, Matthew Wade (wk), Shahrukh Khan, Robin Minz (wk)
• Allrounders: Rahul Tewatia, Jayant Yadav, Vijay Shankar, Azmatullah Omarzai
• Fast bowlers: Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma, Darshan Nalkande, Umesh Yadav, Sushant Mishra, Kartik Tyagi, Josh Little, Spencer Johnson
• Spinners: Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, R Sai Kishore, Manav Suthar

Getty Images

Lucknow Super Giants

Squad strength: 25 (overseas 8)
Players bought: Shivam Mavi (INR 6.4 crore), M Siddharth (INR 2.4 crore), David Willey (INR 2 crore), Ashton Turner (INR 1 crore), Arshin Kulkarni (INR 20 lakh), Arshad Khan (INR 20 lakh)
The wins: Pre-auction trade for Devdutt Padikkal. Got spin back-up in M Siddharth.
The losses: Lack of experienced Indian middle-order batters, which may prompt KL Rahul to bat at No. 4 instead of opening the innings
Full squad

• Openers: KL Rahul (capt, wk), Quinton de Kock (wk), Kyle Mayers, Devdutt Padikkal
• Middle order: Nicholas Pooran (wk), Ayush Badoni, Deepak Hooda, Ashton Turner
• Allrounders: K Gowtham, Krunal Pandya, Marcus Stoinis, Prerak Mankad, Arshin Kulkarni, David Willey
• Fast bowlers: Mohsin Khan, Mark Wood, Yash Thakur, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mayank Yadav, Yudhvir Singh, Shivam Mavi, Arshad Khan
• Spinners: Ravi Bishnoi, Amit Mishra, M Siddharth

ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Royal Challengers Bangalore

Squad strength: 25 (overseas 8)
Players bought: Alzarri Joseph (INR 11.5 crore), Yash Dayal (INR 5 crore), Lockie Ferguson (INR 2 crore), Tom Curran (INR 1.5 crore), Swapnil Singh (INR 20 lakh), Saurav Chauhan (INR 20 lakh)
The wins: Lockie Ferguson’s buy in the accelerated round.
The losses: Lack of an experienced wristspinner to replace Wanindu Hasaranga and a specialist death bowler.
Full squad

• Openers: Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli, Will Jacks
• Middle order: Rajat Patidar, Suyash Prabhudessai, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Anuj Rawat (wk)
• Allrounders: Cameron Green, Glenn Maxwell, Mahipal Lomror, Manoj Bhandage, Tom Curran, Swapnil Singh
• Fast bowlers: Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Reece Topley, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Rajan Kumar, Alzarri Joseph, Lockie Ferguson, Yash Dayal
• Spinners: Karn Sharma, Mayank Dagar, Himanshu Sharma, Saurav Chauhan

ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Steven Smith completes 3000 Ashes runs in 54 innings, becomes quickest to the milestone behind Don Bradman

Sampath Bandarupalli08-Jan-202210 – Test centuries for Khawaja, all since the start of 2015. He is one of ten players to score ten or more Test centuries in this period, that too after missing 30 of the 66 Test matches Australia have played in this period.Khawaja missed 14 Tests in succession before the ongoing Sydney Test, the most consecutive Tests missed by a player before scoring twin centuries in a Test. The previous record was nine Tests for Steven Smith (in 2019), when was serving a ban, followed by Rohit Sharma (three in 2019) and Andy Flower (two in 2001).2 – Batters before Khawaja to score centuries in both innings of a Test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Doug Walters scored 242 and 103 against West Indies in 1969 at this venue, while Ricky Ponting scored two centuries against South Africa in 2006, which was also his 100th Test match.ESPNcricinfo Ltd9 – Khawaja is one of only nine batters to score hundreds in both innings of an Ashes Test. The last to achieve the feat was Smith, in 2019, when scored twin 140-plus scores in Birmingham.9 – Players to score centuries in both innings of a Test match while batting at No. 5 or lower before Khawaja in Sydney. Only two others have done it in the Ashes: Denis Compton in Adelaide in 1947, and Steve Waugh in Manchester in 1997.Related

Khawaja raises the roof amid groundswell of support

Seventy balls of England struggle

How can Australian selectors leave Usman Khawaja out of fifth Test?

1 – Number of players older than Khawaja (35y, 18d at the start of this Test) to score two centuries for Australia in a Test match. Donald Bradman was 39 years and 127 days old at the beginning of the 1948 Test against India in Melbourne, when he scored 132 and 127*. Khawaja is also the oldest of the nine players to score centuries in both innings of an Ashes Test.179 – Khawaja’s partnership with Cameron Green, the second-highest fifth-wicket stand in the Ashes after the fall of the first four wickets for less than 100 runs. Matthew Elliott and Ponting added 268 after Australia were four wickets down for 50 runs at Headingley in 1997. The 179 runs scored by the Khawaja-Green pair is also the highest for any wicket in the current series.54 – Innings needed for Smith to complete 3000 runs in the Ashes, the second-quickest in terms of innings. Bradman was the fastest to the milestone, needing only 38 innings. Smith is also one of the eight players with 3000-plus Test runs against a single opponent, and the fifth to achieve it against England.

Chris Sale has been named an All-Star for the second straight year. This is quite the accomplishment for the 36-year old who hadn't been an All-Star since 2018 and missed the entirety of the 2020 season after having Tommy John surgery.

Sale isn't quite where he was last year when he won his first Cy Young, but it's still an impressive showing considering where he was just a few short years ago. Even more importantly, it's a chance for Sale to prove to his youngest kids that he's pretty good. Sale explained what his kids thought of him as a baseball player using a joke he stole from Jake Peavey.

"I remember Jake Peavy telling me one time and I felt like this a few years when I was going through it I remember him telling me when he had three sons at the time he's like my oldest son knew I was a bad—. My middle son knows I played baseball. My youngest son thinks I stink. I stole that joke from him a few years ago. It's cool to let the boys in the house know dad's still got it a little bit."

Peavy retired when he was 35, four years after his last All-Star appearance. By the time Sale retires, hopefully all his kids know he was a bad—.

Liverpool were unable to return to winning ways once again in the Premier League last night, that’s despite a late equaliser at Anfield against high-flying Sunderland.

Arne Slot’s men looked to be staring down the barrel of yet another home defeat, but Florian Wirtz’s deflected effort late on secured a needed point to help stop the rot.

It could have been a lot worse for the Reds last night had they not found a leveller, with Chemsdine Talbi putting Regis Le Bris’ side ahead with just under 20 minutes remaining.

However, the picture still looks incredibly bleak for the Dutchman and his side, as the Dutchman’s side currently occupy eighth place and sit 11 points off leaders Arsenal.

During the draw, it was yet another evening to forget for one player, with his selection by the manager once again coming under huge criticism after failing to deliver.

The stats behind Ibrahima Konate’s display against Sunderland

After a mistake against PSV in the Champions League last week, Slot has continued to operate with Ibrahima Konate at the heart of the backline for Liverpool.

The Frenchman has previously been one of the club’s leading talents in their recent success, but the 2025/26 campaign has been one to forget to date.

His showing against the Black Cats was yet another to forget for the 26-year-old, with his underlying figures showcasing his struggles on Merseyside once again.

Konate nearly misjudged a header, which led to the visitors going ahead before their eventual game, no doubt contributing to his measly tally of 57% aerials won.

He also won just 50% of the tackles he entered, whilst making just one interception – resulting in the club once again being unable to keep a clean sheet in England’s top-flight.

The defender desperately needs replacing over the coming months, with the same potentially being said about another player who failed to deliver on Wednesday night.

The Liverpool star who needs to be dropped after Sunderland

The draw against Sunderland last night now extends Liverpool’s run to just one win in their last five outings, highlighting the issues Slot currently has to deal with.

He definitely needs to find a solution to the recent issues, with the club facing a real possibility of missing out on all forms of European football if such a trend continues.

Whether that be a formation change or a personnel change in certain areas of the pitch, the Dutchman has a real task on his hands – potentially finding himself out of a job should he fail to do so.

Alongside Konate, numerous players have failed to deliver in the Premier League, with Cody Gakpo also massively underperforming against the newly-promoted outfit.

The winger has been a consistent starter for the Reds so far this season, as seen by his tally of 12 starts in the first 14 league outings of the ongoing campaign.

However, last night was one of his worst to date, so much so Slot decided to substitute the 26-year-old at the break and replace him with fan-favourite Mohamed Salah.

He was very predictable in the first half of the clash at Anfield, often cutting inside onto his favoured right foot, something which full-back Trai Hume read on the vast majority of occasions.

Gakpo’s underlying stats against the Black Cats further demonstrate his lack of quality, which led to hefty criticism being directed his way at the final whistle.

During his 45-minute showing, the attacker only managed to complete a total of seven passes, with none of which being into the final third – showcasing his lack of creativity at Anfield.

Cody Gakpo – stats against Sunderland

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

45

Touches

26

Passes completed

7

Passes into final third

0

Dribbles completed

0

Crosses completed

1

Shots taken

1

Duels won

1/5

Stats via FotMob

He also failed to complete any of his attempted dribbles, whilst managing to register just one successful cross – reaffirming his struggles on Merseyside.

Gakpo’s lack of impact was topped off by his tally of just one shot, which was blocked, resulting in John O’Sullivan saying he was sick of the winger’s “1/10 performances”.

With players on the bench such as Federico Chiesa and Hugo Ekitiké, it’s vital that Slot drops the winger ahead of their next outing at the weekend in an attempt to end the recent barren run.

There’s no understating the struggles at Anfield at present, but the manager desperately needs to get a grip of the situation if any credibility is to come out of the ongoing campaign.

Related Fabinho 2.0: Liverpool in pole position to sign £35m midfield "machine"

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Dec 3, 2025

It is not often that a manager has an opportunity to win a trophy in one of their first few matches in charge of a club, but that is the prospect facing Wilfried Nancy at Celtic this afternoon.

The French boss can win his first trophy as the new Hoops manager by overseeing a win over St Mirren at Hampden Park in the League Cup final this afternoon.

After defeats to Hearts and Roma in his first two matches in the dugout since his move from Columbus Crew, Nancy needs a response from his players to secure the trophy and get the fans on board with his project.

To do this, the Celtic boss must be ruthless with his team selection after a couple of disappointing performances, which is why Benjamin Nygren should be dropped from the team.

Why Celtic must drop Benjamin Nygren

The Sweden international was one of three players to be substituted at half-time in the defeat to Roma in the Europa League on Thursday night, which suggests that Nancy was far from pleased with what he was doing on the pitch.

Chalkboard

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

Nygren has been subbed off after 65 and 45 minutes in the first two games under the French boss, playing in one of the two attacking midfield positions behind the striker, after failing to make much of an impact in either match.

Minutes

65

45

Shots

1

0

Shots on target

0

0

Key passes

0

0

Big chances created

0

0

Pass accuracy

84%

84%

Tackles

1

0

Interceptions

1

0

As you can see in the table above, the left-footed attacker offered incredibly little at the top end of the pitch, despite playing in a second striker or attacking midfield role, with no shots on target or chances created against Hearts or Roma.

Nancy can finally drop the Swedish midfielder, after two poor performances in the last two games, by bringing Kelechi Iheanacho, who is starting to look like Aaron Mooy 2.0, into the team.

Why Kelechi Iheanacho must start against St Mirren

The Nigeria international did not arrive at Parkhead to a lot of fanfare because of the circumstances around the signing. Celtic had just missed out on signing any strikers during the summer transfer window, despite allowing Adam Idah to leave, and swooped to sign him on a free transfer instead.

Despite it appearing to be an underwhelming signing on paper, as he had been released by Sevilla, Iheanacho has proven himself to be a classy operator for Celtic when available, with three goals and one assist in nine appearances, per Sofascore.

When Mooy joined on a free transfer in 2022, the Daily Record stated that many expected him to be a squad player, and others questioned the logic in giving him a two-year deal, as the 31-year-old had spent the previous two years in China.

The Australian star, as the Daily Record put it, defied expectations to become a key performer for Ange Postecoglou in the middle of the park, with seven goals and 11 assists in 42 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, before he retired.

Iheanacho, who Brendan Rodgers claimed is in his “peak years”, looks to be on his way to defying expectations in a similar way, and he can take another step on that journey by starting ahead of Nygren against St Mirren today.

The former Leicester star has shown flashes of quality for the Hoops, like the goal in the clip above, and brings great experience to the side, as a player who has played in LaLiga, in the Premier League, and in the Champions League.

With Nygren’s poor performances in recent weeks, bringing Iheanacho in to offer quality and composure in such a high-pressure game could make a lot of sense for Nancy.

Playing the Nigerian striker up front would also allow Daizen Maeda, who won four out of 13 duels in the last two games, to focus more on making runs and scoring goals than competing with defenders that he cannot outmuscle as the lone number nine.

Therefore, Nancy must ditch Nygren to unleash the “outstanding” striker – as hailed by Aiden McGeady – in the centre-forward position, with Maeda dropping back as one of the number tens alongside Arne Engels.

Worse than Engels: Nancy must drop Celtic flop who looks awful in new role

Wilfried Nancy must drop this Celtic flop who was even worse than Arne Engels in the 3-0 defeat to Roma.

ByDan Emery 3 days ago

Philadelphia Phillies superstar Bryce Harper found our the gender of his fourth child while he was in the middle of a game against the San Francisco Giants. Fellow Phillie Trea Turner handed Harper a custom bat that's color aligned with the gender of the newest Harper.

Turner passed along a bright blue twig and the Harpers found out they were having a boy. Kayla Harper, Bryce's wife, was in the crowd and learned the gender of her new child as her husband walked to the plate. And on Monday, Kayla posted her reaction to the surprise on her Instagram account, along with some new details on how it all went down.

"We wanted to be surprised and find out together, so we recruited Trea for some help," Kayla wrote on her Instagram account. "The doctor texted him the news and he was given two bats—one pink, one blue. Right before Bryce’s first at-bat, Trea gave him the bat that matched the baby’s gender. We’re so excited to add another boy to the family to even us out."

The Harpers currently have one son, Krew, and two daughters, Brooklyn and Kamryn. Now, there’s another boy on the way. What a special way to find out—all thanks to a thoughtfully executed plan from a great teammate in Turner.