With the race for a top-two finish still wide open, PBKS are in control of their destiny

Hemant Brar23-May-20252:28

Moody: ‘Surprised Brar hasn’t played more games’

Big picture: Punjab’s uncrowned kingsPunjab Kings (PBKS) were 122 for 1 in 10.1 overs when their match against Delhi Capitals (DC) in Dharamsala was aborted on May 8, and IPL 2025 was suspended for a week. The two teams will replay that game on Saturday, but this time at a neutral venue Jaipur, where a victory for PBKS will take them to the top of the points table.PBKS had held a pre-season camp in Dharamsala to get acclimatised to their second home ground. But now they will play two crucial games at a third “home” venue. Their only advantage is that their previous game, against Rajasthan Royals, was also here, while DC are yet to play in Jaipur this season.While PBKS have qualified for the playoffs, the race for a top-two finish is still open and defeats for Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the last two days have left them in a good position. If they win their remaining two games, they will finish No. 1.*This is the first time since 2014 that PBKS have qualified for the playoffs. And this revival has been led by their uncapped Indian batters. Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya have given them explosive starts, Nehal Wadhera has played impactful knocks in the middle order and Shashank Singh has finished well towards the end. Add captain Shreyas Iyer to it and you have five batters with over 250 runs at a strike rate of over 150. They are the first team in IPL history to have five such batters in a season.DC are now out of the race for the playoffs. They had started strongly, with five wins in six games. But then they had a reversal of fortunes and could win only one of their next seven. However, given how important this game is for PBKS, they will not take DC lightly.Form guidePunjab Kings WWWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Delhi Capitals LLLLWShreyas Iyer could once again play as Impact Player•BCCI

In the spotlight: Shreyas Iyer and KL RahulShreyas Iyer is the first captain to lead three IPL teams into the playoffs. He did it with DC in successive seasons, in 2019 and 2020, and led Kolkata Knight Riders to the title last year. Now he has done it with PBKS. With the bat, he has 435 runs at a strike rate of 174.69, which is almost 30 points higher than his strike rate last season. His strike rate of 182.19 in the non-powerplay overs is second only to Nicholas Pooran’s 211.51.Like Shreyas, KL Rahul too has been out of India’s T20I side for a while now. Like Shreyas, he too has upped his strike rate this season. Unlike Shreyas, not being the captain seems to have brought the best out of him. Leading Lucknow Super Giants last year, he scored 520 runs at 136.12. This year, he is on 504 at 148.67 with one game to go. Can he ensure DC finish on a positive note?Team news and likely XIIsShreyas did not field in the last game because of a finger injury. If things have not improved, he may once again play as Impact Player. Meanwhile, Josh Inglis, Marcus Stoinis and Kyle Jamieson have (re)joined the squad. Inglis and Jameison could be straight swaps for Mitchell Owen and Xavier Bartlett, but picking one between Stoinis and Azmatullah Omarzai might not be as simple.Punjab Kings (probable): 1 Priyansh Arya, 2 Prabhsimran Singh, 3 Josh Inglis (wk), 4 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 5 Nehal Wadhera, 6 Marcus Stoinis/Azmatullah Omarzai, 7 Shashank Singh, 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Kyle Jamieson, 10 Harpreet Brar, 11 Arshdeep Singh, 12 Yuzvendra ChahalAxar Patel did not train on the eve of the match as he is still recovering from the illness that forced him to miss the last game. If he remains unavailable, DC may give seam-bowling allrounder Madhav Tiwari another chance.Delhi Capitals (probable) 1 KL Rahul, 2 Faf du Plessis, 3 Abishek Porel (wk), 4 Tristan Stubbs, 5 Sameer Rizvi, 6 Ashutosh Sharma, 7 Axar Patel (capt)/Madhav Tiwari, 8 Vipraj Nigam, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Mustafizur Rahman, 12 Mukesh KumarThe big questionPitch and conditionsThe average first-innings score at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium this IPL has been 200. So expect a high-scoring game once again. During the daytime, there is a warning for excessive heat. While it will be cooler in the evening, the mercury will still hover around 36°C.Key stats Axar has favourable match-ups against Prabhsimran and Inglis. Against Prabhsimran, he has conceded only 24 runs in 26 balls in the IPL while dismissing him once. And he has dismissed Inglis twice in 13 balls in all T20s while giving away just ten runs. So if he is fit to play, he could open the bowling. Shreyas has a strike rate of only 110.00 (33 runs in 30 balls, one dismissal) against Mustafizur Rahman in all T20 cricket. Rahul has struggled against Arshdeep Singh (31 runs off 25 balls, two dismissals) in the IPL but has a strike rate of 150.60 (125 off 83, one dismissal) against Yuzvendra Chahal. Chahal has had the upper hand against Faf du Plessis: 44 runs in 50 balls, three dismissals.Quotes”I’m not on the selection panel but I would expect that we’re going to pick our best team to win tomorrow. I think it’s important for us as a group to finish well and put ourselves in a position to win the match. I would have thought if it’s a lineball decision, that [trying new plyers] may happen, but generally speaking we’ll look at their team, look at the wicket today, which looks an absolute belter, and pick our best team to win the match and finish strongly, which is what all of our group wants.”
*Updated after the match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad

Celtic moved back to the top of the Scottish Premiership table on Sunday with a 2-1 win over Kilmarnock in the first game after the international break.

Goals from Daizen Maeda and Kelechi Iheanacho sealed all three points for the Hoops, who had found themselves drawing 1-1 heading into stoppage time.

Iheanacho, who came off the bench to make his debut for the club, scored from the penalty spot in the 96th minute to secure the victory for Brendan Rodgers.

Despite the fact that Celtic won the match, there were a few worrying performances across the board for Celtic, who have scored one goal from open play in their last three games in all competitions.

Rodgers has plenty of options to choose in most positions, perhaps apart from centre-forward, and players know that they need to step up and deliver consistent displays to keep their spot in the side.

With this in mind, Reo Hatate is one of the players who needs to up his game in the coming weeks to retain his position in the starting line-up moving forward.

Why Reo Hatate needs to improve his performances

The Japan international failed to impress against Kilmarnock after being selected to start alongside Callum McGregor and Benjamin Nygren in the middle of the park.

Hatate is in the team to be a threat at the top end of the pitch by scoring and creating goals, as a dynamic midfielder who is not the type to sit back and defend.

Unfortunately, the 27-year-old star was fairly anonymous at the top end of the pitch throughout his 70 minutes of game time, with no shots on target and no ‘big chances’ created for his team, per Sofascore.

Since his exceptional goal against Aberdeen, shown in the clip above, near the start of August, Hatate has failed to produce a goal or an assist for the Scottish giants in the middle of the park.

His performances across the two legs against Kairat, in which Celtic failed to score a single goal, were particularly disappointing for a player of his quality in midfield.

Reo Hatate vs Kairat	1st leg	2nd leg
Minutes	90	105
Shots on target	1	0
Pass accuracy	84%	68%
Big chances created	0	1
Duels won	0/8	3/15
Fouls committed	3	4
Possession lost	16x	25x
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Hatate did not do enough to help the team offensively or defensively, as he was dominated in duels whilst being incredibly wasteful with the ball at his feet.

It is frustrating to see the Japan international turn in consistently underwhelming performances because he has the quality to do better. Last season, he scored ten goals and created 14 ‘big chances’ for Celtic in 27 starts in the Premiership, per Sofascore.

This shows that he is capable of producing more quality in the final third, which is why Rodgers should expect him to do more if he wants to keep his place in the side.

Thankfully, for Celtic, the Northern Irish head coach has been brewing the club’s next Hatate over the last 13 months or so in the form of Luke McCowan.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

The Scottish midfielder was signed from Dundee for a fee of £1m in the summer of 2024 and he has proven himself to be a useful squad member, whose value has soared during his time at Parkhead.

Celtic are brewing their next Reo Hatate

As aforementioned, Hatate is in the Hoops team to deliver quality in the final third by scoring and assisting goals, which is exactly what McCowan was born to do.

The left-footed midfield star has been a bit-part player for the most part throughout his career in Glasgow to date, but his performances when called upon suggest that Rodgers is brewing a talent who could take Hatate’s place as a regular starter.

Per Transfermarkt, McCowan’s value has soared to £2.2m, more than double what the club paid for him. That is higher than new signing Sebastian Tounekti, who is valued at £1m, despite the Tunisia international’s impressive debut with five completed dribbles against Kilmarnock.

The Scottish midfielder has proven his worth by delivering quality performances on the pitch in the Premiership when called upon by the Scottish giants since the start of last season.

His value soaring above Tounekti’s, who is an exciting new signing for the Hoops this season, is a testament to the quality he has shown for the club to date.

McCowan has already scored one goal in one start in the league so far this term for the Hoops, with his strike against St Mirren on the opening day to claim all three points for the team.

The former Dundee star, who was described as “tenacious” by writer Kai Watson, ended the 2024/25 campaign with eight goals and eight assists in 16 starts in the Premiership for Dundee and Celtic combined.

24/25 Premiership	Luke McCowan per 90	Percentile rank vs CMs
xG	0.31	Top 3%
Goals	0.46	Top 4%
Shots on target	1.26	Top 3%
xA	0.40	Top 3%
Assists	0.46	Top 5%
Chances created	2.51	Top 5%
Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, McCowan racked up 0.92 goals and assists per 90 in the top-flight last season, which shows that he consistently delivered when called upon in the final third.

This suggests that he has the potential to overtake Hatate as the starter in that midfield slot, because the Japanese flop has only scored one goal and failed to provide any assists in six starts in all competitions this season, per Sofascore.

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Therefore, Rodgers may be brewing the successor to Hatate’s place in the XI in McCowan, who could become a regular if the Japan international does not improve his performances.

Already plotting one January move, Manchester United and INEOS reportedly want to finalise their deal to sign a Premier League rival when the winter window arrives.

Gary Neville: Amorim "not off the hook" after Sunderland win

It was a good weekend for Man United and a much-needed one after defeat against Brentford prior sparked further questions about Ruben Amorim’s immediate performance. It was particularly promising to see summer signing Benjamin Sesko find back-to-back goals to truly get his Old Trafford career going. Alas, for all the positives, Gary Neville was quick to remind Amorim that there’s still work to be done.

The United legend and Sky Sports pundit said on the Gary Neville podcast: “It was a must-win game and I don’t think it lets him off the hook.

“There’s too many defeats, the record’s too poor so I don’t think anybody will be celebrating too much tonight at Manchester United but I think they’ll be relieved that there is a victory which allows a little bit of peace going into the international break.

“Manchester United win the odd game but that’s nowhere near enough. I don’t think anybody would be kidded on by the fact that Manchester United beat Sunderland at home. The fact that it was even in doubt before the game is probably the problem in itself.”

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The Red Devils enter the international break after a mixed start to the campaign.

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What should help the Red Devils kick on is the introduction of Senne Lammens, who impressed on his debut against Sunderland. Whether it was Altay Bayindir or Andre Onana, Amorim’s had a goalkeeper problem for far too long, but one that could now be solved by his summer signing.

That said, it seems as though those at Old Trafford are still looking to ensure that their shot-stopping department receives further upgrades. Reports are now even suggesting that they’re ready to finalise one move to do exactly that in January.

Man Utd want to finalise Martinez move

According to reports in Spain, Man United now want to finalise their deal to sign Emiliano Martinez at Amorim’s request in the January transfer window. The Aston Villa goalkeeper very nearly became a Man United player in the summer, before they chose Lammens instead. Now, they reportedly want both and the Argentine could finally get his move as a result.

Going from Bayindir and Onana to Lammens and Martinez would represent the ultimate upgrade for Amorim’s side. From struggling to find a reliable No.1, the Portuguese manager would suddenly have a tough decision to make for all the right reasons.

If United do make their move for Martinez, Villa boss Unai Emery will be disappointed to have to face another transfer saga having praised Martinez so highly after he stayed put.

The Spaniard told reporters: “In football, things always happen with players—some leave, some stay, sometimes someone is close to joining, sometimes close to departing.

“For me, that’s normal; I completely understand it. The fact that Martínez is staying with us is fantastic news. I’m very, very happy. For me, he’s the best goalkeeper in the world. We have the best goalkeeper in the world. His commitment is immense.”

Former Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy made the bold decision to part ways with head coach Ange Postecoglou after the club won the Europa League at the end of last season.

The dismal Premier League form, which resulted in a 17th-placed finish, was enough to see the former Celtic boss lose his job, and Thomas Frank was brought in to replace him.

The Danish tactician has won five, drawn two, and lost two of his first nine matches in charge of the Lilywhites, in what has been a fairly impressive start to life in North London.

Frank will not have been happy with his side’s performance in their 1-1 draw at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out in the Premier League, though, as they needed a last-gasp equaliser from Joao Palhinha to snatch a point.

Levy backed the new head coach in the transfer market with a host of new signings, including Palhinha, before he moved on from the club after the summer transfer window.

One of the summer signings who has divided opinions among the fanbase so far this season is former West Ham United attacker Mohammed Kudus.

Why Spurs need to see more from Mohammed Kudus

The Europa League champions swooped to sign the Ghana international from their Premier League rivals for a fee of £55m in the summer, hoping to improve their attack.

There have been flashes of quality from the left-footed star early on in his Spurs career, with three assists in six Premier League matches to date.

His best moment in a Spurs shirt so far was his assist for Richarlison’s wonder goal against Burnley on the opening day of the season, with a lightning-quick change of direction to create space for a cross for the Brazilian striker.

His three assists, though, have come from one ‘big chance’ created and an xA of 1.09. This suggests that he has been slightly fortunate to have been rewarded with as many assists as he has.

Kudus’ assist against Brighton is perhaps an example of that fortune, as the winger appeared to be going for goal with a shot that fell to the feet of Richarlison, who bundled the ball in from close range.

Mohammed Kudus

Vs Brighton

Vs Wolves

Minutes

90

90

Shots

2

2

Dribbles completed

6/12

5/10

Key passes

2

1

Assists

0

1

Duels won

8/20

8/24

Possession lost

27x

22x

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the £55m signing from West Ham has been incredibly wasteful in the last two matches for Spurs against Brighton and Wolves, losing the ball a staggering 49 times in 180 minutes.

To create only three chances for the team whilst losing the ball 49 times suggests that Kudus is not providing enough quality in his end product, as a dribbler or as a creator.

His lack of threat as a goalscorer is also a cause for concern. Kudus has yet to score from 1.01 xG in the Premier League for Spurs, which comes after he scored just five goals from 6.90 xG for West Ham in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore.

Therefore, Tottenham and Frank need to see more from the winger on the ball and in the final third, because his current lack of goals and his wastefulness in possession are not ideal.

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Spurs, though, do have a young talent emerging in their academy who could have the potential to replace the £55m signing in the mid-to-long-term.

Luca Williams-Barnett made his first-team debut for the club against Doncaster in the League Cup earlier this month at the age of just 16, and he could be a future star in North London.

Why Luca Williams-Barnett could replace Mohammed Kudus

The versatile attacker got eight minutes of senior football under his belt off the bench in that match, which shows that he is in Frank’s thoughts and has done enough at academy level to warrant a chance in the first-team.

Williams-Barnett’s form for the club at youth level has been sensational and suggests that the Lilywhites have a major talent on their hands that they need to carefully develop.

Described by analyst Ben Mattinson as “one of England’s best talents at youth level”, the 16-year-old talent has started the 2025/26 campaign with a return of six goals and four assists in all competitions, including a hat-trick for the U21s against Leicester City earlier this month.

Williams-Barnett predominantly plays through the middle as a number ten, per Transfermarkt, but he has also been deployed out wide on the left and the right during his youth career in North London.

The teenage sensation was described as a “pure talent” with “silky dribbling” by U23 scout Antonio Mango. Talent scout Jacek Kulig, meanwhile, hailed him as the figurehead of an “exciting” generation of young talents at Spurs.

Luca Williams-Barnett

24/25

25/26

Appearances

23

8

Minutes

1857

599

Goals

20

6

Minutes per goal

93

100

Assists

12

4

Minutes per assist

155

150

Minutes per goal contribution

58

60

Stats via Transfermarkt

It is easy to understand why talent scouts are so excited by the potential of Williams-Barnett when you look at his statistics in the table above, because he has averaged a goal or an assist every hour of football at youth level since the start of last season.

These statistics show that he provides a regular threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals for Spurs at U21 and U18 level, which earned him a first-team debut against Doncaster.

The next step for Williams-Barnett in his development is to make his Premier League debut and show that he can translate his attacking prowess to first-team level.

Given that Kudus is yet to fully convince on the right flank and that the youngster has played out wide at academy level, unleashing the 16-year-old star on the right wing could be one way to plot a pathway into the team for him.

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There is no rush for that to happen this week or next month, or even this year. He only turns 17 on Wednesday and has plenty of time left ahead of him, but his impressive progression at youth level suggests that Frank has a Kudus replacement in the making.

AC Milan have announced a landmark five-year extension of their long-standing partnership with Emirates Airlines, worth €100 million. The renewed deal sees Luka Modric and Christian Pulisic front the campaign as Milan celebrate nearly two decades with the Dubai-based airline. The extension marks one of football’s most lucrative and enduring sponsorships.

• Milan land massive €100M Emirates deal

  Milan have officially confirmed the renewal of their partnership with Emirates Airlines, continuing one of the most iconic collaborations in football. The new five-year contract, valued at around €100 million, ensures the airline remains both the Rossoneri’s Official Airline Partner and Principal Partner. Emirates first partnered with Milan in 2007, becoming the club’s front-of-shirt sponsor in 2010.

  In a promotional video released by the club, Croatian superstar Modric and US international Pulisic took centre stage alongside Rafael Leao and Adrien Rabiot, symbolising Milan’s blend of experience and star power. The video, featuring the players in match action and also training ground moments, highlights the shared values of ambition and global reach between Milan and Emirates. The deal will see the partnership reach its 20-year anniversary in 2027, a milestone that underscores the strength of this alliance.

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• CEO hails 'historic' partnership

  Milan’s Chief Commercial Officer, Maikel Oettle, described the extension as a defining moment for the club’s commercial future. “The renewal of our relationship with Emirates is testament to one of the most historic and admired partnerships in the world of football, a shared journey that looks to the future with ambition and vision,” Oettle said.

  He further added: “Emirates will continue to accompany us, helping to strengthen the solid foundations of our Club and, together, to connect new generations of fans around the world and create unique experiences that go far beyond the pitch.”

• Modric and Pulisic in the spotlight

  Modric, one of the stars featured in the new promotional video, has quietly impressed since joining Milan, contributing leadership and composure in midfield. Remarkably, despite operating in a defensive role, he has yet to commit a single foul in his first six Serie A matches, a testament to his precision and control.

  Meanwhile, Pulisic has been Milan’s standout attacker this season, leading the Serie A scoring charts with six goals and two assists across eight appearances. However, the American forward may miss the upcoming fixture against Fiorentina due to a hamstring injury sustained in the USMNT’s friendly against Australia. Pulisic had just returned from an ankle issue but was forced off after 30 minutes.

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  Emirates and Milan – A new era for football and travel

  Since 2007, the collaboration between Milan and Emirates has evolved into a benchmark for global sports partnerships. The airline’s logo has been synonymous with Milan’s resurgence in European football, helping enhance the club’s international identity. The agreement also aligns with the club’s expanding footprint in the Middle East, particularly after the opening of Casa Milan Dubai in 2023, a move designed to strengthen Milan’s global presence and deepen ties with Emirates’ core market.

  The partnership’s renewal also coincides with 25 years of flights between Milan and Dubai, a symbolic milestone highlighting how both brands have connected cultures and communities worldwide. From iconic campaigns to memorable trophies, Emirates and Milan’s collaboration has stood as a model of how sport and travel can unite fans globally.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Atlético Mineiro, no jogo inaugural do seu novo estádio, venceu o Santos, por 2 a 0, em duelo válido pela 21ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. Com dois gols de Paulinho, o Galo garantiu a festa e deixou o Peixe estagnado na zona de rebaixamento da competição. Veja no vídeo acima os melhores momentos da partida!

+ Já atualizou sua camisa de 2023? Confira os novos uniformes do Peixe!

CLASSIFICAÇÃO DOS TIMES

Com o resultado, o Atlético acumula 30 pontos pula para a 8ª posição da tabela, mas a sua colocação pode mudar por conta do desenrolar dos jogos da competição. Enquanto isso, o Santos permanece com 21 pontos e continua na 17ª classificação da tabela.

PRÓXIMOS JOGOS DO SANTOS: DATAS, HORÁRIOS E ONDE ASSISTIR

América-MG x Santos – sábado, 2/9, às 18h30. Independência. Brasileirão. Onde assistir: Premiere
Santos x Cruzeiro – quarta-feira, 13/9, às 21h30. Vila Belmiro. Brasileirão. Onde assistir: Globo e Premiere
Bahia x Santos – segunda, 18/9, às 20h. Arena Fonte Nova. Brasileirão. Onde assistir: Premiere

PRÓXIMOS JOGOS DO ATLÉTICO MINEIRO: DATAS, HORÁRIOS E ONDE ASSISTIR

Athletico x Atlético-MG – sábado, 2/9, às 16h. Arena da Baixada. Brasileirão. Onde assistir: Rede Furacão
Atlético-MG x Botafogo – sábado, 16/9, às 21h. Arena MRV. Brasileirão. Onde assistir: SporTV e Premiere
Atlético-MG x Cuiabá – quinta, 21/9, às 21h30. Arena MRV. Brasileirão. Onde assistir: SporTV e Premiere

Kylian Mbappe found the back of the net again and super-sub Vinicius Junior baited two red cards as Real Madrid beat Getafe 1-0 on Sunday night. Los Blancos were dragged into a rather ugly contest, but the Frenchman's second-half goal saw them get the job done and go two points clear of arch-rivals Barcelona at the La Liga summit ahead of next week's Clasico.

Madrid struggled to create an opening in the first half. Mbappe came close, only to see a weak-footed shot parried away by the excellent David Soria in the Getafe net. David Alaba, too, was denied by the Spaniard, who saved an awkwardly spinning free kick. 

Mbappe had a good chance after 65 minutes, running onto a Jude Bellingham through ball before firing into the side netting. 

What followed was a remarkably odd sequence. Right back Allan Nyom was subbed on to protect Kiko, who was on a red and facing the dangerous Vinicius Jr. Nyom was sent off after 50 seconds for elbowing the Brazilian. In the ensuing chaos, Getafe failed to reorganize their defensive setup, and Mbappe ran through to make it 1-0. 

Vinicius baited a second red soon after, drawing a silly booking from Alex Sancris, who had already been cautioned and left Getafe with just nine men for the final stages of the game. And with a two-man advantage, Madrid rather cruised. Not an easy win, but a valuable one ahead of El Clasico. 

GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from Estadio Coliseum…

GettyGoalkeeper & Defence

Thibaut Courtois (8/10):

Made a miraculous save in second half stoppage time to secure the win. Immense. 

Federico Valverde (7/10):

A bit mixed after facing heavy criticism of late. Covered ground, played some nice passes, but looked a little vulnerable defensively. 

Eder Militao (6/10):

Erratic at times, and could have done with holding down the back line when Alaba was benched. 

David Alaba (7/10):

A good contest to hand the injury-plagued defender a start, especially given that Madrid would have little defending to do. Unlucky not to score a free kick. 45 tidy minutes. 

Alvaro Carreras (7/10):

Sat in, held his position, and ensured that the left side was tidy enough. 

AdvertisementGettyMidfield

Aurelien Tchouameni (7/10):

Sat at the base of midfield. Won the ball, and kept it moving. 

Eduardo Camavinga (7/10):

Ensured Getafe had pretty much nothing through the middle. Did his job – even if it wasn't a glamorous one. 

Jude Bellingham (7/10):

A composed performance. Made things happen, played some clever passes. 

GettyAttack

Franco Mastantuono (5/10):

Clever in tight areas and combined effectively with Bellingham, but didn't leave a lasting mark. Rather outdone by the physicality of it all. 

Kylian Mbappe (8/10):

Had one saved that he would usually bury, and then fired wide. Made up for it by smashing in the winner to bring up 50 goals in 2025. First Madrid player to score 10 or more goals after his first nine games of a season since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2014-15.

Rodrygo (5/10):

Handed a rare start in his preferred position. Didn't do much to show that he deserved more of them. Moved to the right soon after. 

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GettySubs & Manager

Raul Asencio (6/10):

An assured second half, aside from one defensive lapse.

Vinicius Jr (8/10):

Made things happen. Got kicked a lot. Baited two reds. 

Arda Guler (7/10):

Assisted Mbappe for the 5th time this year alone. 

Gonzalo Garcia (N/A):

No time to make an impact. 

Brahim Diaz (N/A):

No time to make an impact. 

Xabi Alonso (7/10):

Shuffled his pack, benched Vinicius and gave Rodrygo a rare start on the left. Got a disciplined showing out of his side, and will take the win – even if it was an ugly one. 

Former India allrounder says Rohit and Kohli retiring will create a leadership vacuum

ESPNcricinfo staff13-May-202513:14

Gill or Bumrah – the only decision selectors need to make?

R Ashwin has said the sudden retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have created a significant leadership vacuum in India’s Test team and that Jasprit Bumrah is a deserving candidate for the captaincy.”I didn’t have an idea both [Rohit and Kohli] would retire together,” Ashwin said on his Youtube show . “This will a testing time for Indian cricket, and I’ll say this is truly now the beginning of the Gautam Gambhir era.”The team that will tour England will be a completely new team, a transformed team where Bumrah will probably be the senior-most player. He is obviously one of the captaincy options; I think he deserves the captaincy, but the selectors will take a decision based on his physical capacity.”Their retirements will definitely create a leadership vacuum. You can’t buy experience, especially on tours like this. Virat’s energy and Rohit’s composure will be missed.”Related

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Virat Kohli has been Indian cricket's most influential figure

Kohli and Test cricket gave each other their best

Shubman Gill is considered the frontrunner to succeed Rohit despite Bumrah having been vice-captain until the tour of Australia earlier this year. He was the stand-in captain during the victory in the Perth Test and also led the side when Rohit stood down for the fifth Test in Sydney.The primary consideration around whether Bumrah should be captain or not is the managing of his workload, given his recent injury concerns. He had trouble with his back during the Sydney Test and had to miss the home bilateral series against England, the Champions Trophy, and the start of IPL 2025.Reflecting on the timing of Rohit and Kohli’s retirements, Ashwin said he thought both players had more to offer. “There will be a sense of fulfilment, but I honestly feely Kohli definitely had one-two years of Test cricket left in him,” Ashwin said. “Rohit, I felt would at least go on till the England Test series, because there’s a leadership vacuum in the team.”Tests has been the finest [format for India] in the last 10-12 years, but just for the sake of leadership, Rohit should’ve played till the England series, and if he’d performed, he could’ve carried on and given some more leadership.”My favourite piece of batsmanship of Rohit for India was when he played in England [2021],” he said. “When he and KL Rahul opened, we were 2-1 ahead because of Rohit. The opening partnership was gun, strong.”Between 2018-19 to 2022-23 was Rohit’s best phase as a Test batter. Even the Covid series in Australia which we won, his batting was top notch. Then also he was looking very good, didn’t get big runs but batting was top notch.”Ashwin picked Kohli’s twin centuries in Adelaide during his Test captaincy debut in 2014 as one of the finest performances he had seen.”Kohli the Test cricketer was box office, he was brand ambassador of Test cricket in many ways,” Ashwin said. “Some of his best knocks haven’t always resulted in wins, but that’s taking nothing away from those knocks. The twin hundreds in Adelaide in 2014 – that knock not finishing in a win is a shame. The 153 in Jo’burg, the pink-ball Test when we were all out for 36, the 74 he made in the first innings – some of the knocks are incredible.”

عبر ديكلان رايس، نجم نادي آرسنال، عن سعادته الكبيرة، جراء الفوز الذي حققه فريقه اليوم السبت على بيرنلي، بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، مفسرًا كذلك سبب احتفاله بتلك الطريقة بعد هدفه في مرمى أصحاب الأرض.

واستمر آرسنال في نتائجه المميزة خلال الفترة الأخيرة من هذا الموسم، وحقق الانتصار على حساب بيرنلي بهدفين دون مقابل، ضمن الجولة الـ10 من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وابتعد آرسنال في صدارة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، ليؤكد الجانرز نيته لكسر لعنة عدم الفوز بلقب البطولة المحلية منذ موسم 2004.

وسجل رايس هدف آرسنال الثاني في لقاء اليوم، والذي جاء من رأسية رائعة.

اقرأ أيضًا .. ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي بعد فوز آرسنال على بيرنلي

واعترف رايس في تصريحات نقلتها “بي بي سي سبورت”، أن سبب احتفاله بالإشارة إلى السماء يعود إلى عمته والتي توفيت الأسبوع الماضي.

وقال رايس: “توفيت عمتي قبل مباراة فولهام. كنت أحبها حبًا جمًا وسافرت إلى كل مكان لمشاهدتي مع والدتي، أعلم أنها تشاهدني من الأسفل الآن، لذا كان هذا اليوم من أجلها”.

وعن الانتصار على بيرنلي، أضاف رايس في حديثه: “ربما خسر بيرنلي مرة واحدة على أرضهم خلال 18 شهرًا، كنا نعلم أنها ستكون مباراة صعبة، لذلك كان علينا التمسك بمبادئنا، برز أداؤنا بشكل واضح وكان بإمكاننا تسجيل أربعة أو خمسة أهداف في الشوط الأول”.

واختتم لاعب وست هام يونايتد السابق: “من المهم أن نواصل تسجيل الأهداف، هدفان مثاليان لنا، إذا نظرنا إلى الهدف الثاني ككل، نجد أننا ندافع ضد رمية تماس لعبت بشكل طولي من نصف ملعبنا، ثم جابرييل يحصل على الكرة وأنا أواصل الجري بها، كنت أشبه بلاعب خط وسط تقليدي اليوم”.

 

All football fans will be familiar with the chant “can we play you every week?”, but it would be more apt if Wolverhampton Wanderers supporters started signing “can we play in the Carabao Cup every week?”, even if it hasn’t quite got the same ring to it.

This is because, having already ousted West Ham in round two, Wolves beat Everton 2-0 in the EFL Cup at Molineux on Tuesday, thanks to goals from Marshall Munetsi and then Tolu Arokodare.

So, despite having beaten two top division teams in the League Cup, the Old Gold have lost all five Premier League matches they’ve played so far, the club’s worst-ever start to a season, following last weekend’s 3-1 reverse at the hands of Leeds.

On Saturday night, Wolves will face Spurs in North London, and an appointment with Doctor Tottenham might just be what they need to cure their relegation woes, but Vítor Pereira will need to unleash his “huge talent” if his side are going to get off the mark in the capital.

Jørgen Strand Larsen's importance to Wolves

This is Wolverhampton Wanderers’ eighth successive season in the top division, their longest stay since the 70s, but many fear that the streak could come to an end, given that they continuously sell their best players.

In 2023, it was Matheus Nunes and Rúben Neves who were sold for big money, with Pedro Neto and Max Kilman following suit 12 months later, while Rayan Aït-Nouri and Matheus Cunha were sold for a combined £93.5m during the most-recent transfer window.

Cunha scored 17 goals last season, directly involved in 39% of Wolves’ Premier League goals, despite sitting out five matches due to various suspensions.

Thus, he was always going to leave a rather large void in the Black Country, one that Jørgen Strand Larsen is attempting to fill, having himself scored 14 times during his debut campaign at Molineux, netting twice so far this season, both in the Carabao Cup.

As already outlined, Wolves have become accustomed to selling their stars in recent times, but recognised the potentially disastrous consequences of allowing Strand Larsen to leave, thereby rejecting multiple bids from Newcastle for the Norwegian’s signature, the highest of which was £55m.

The 25-year-old has been nursing an achilles issue, thereby sitting out the defeats to Everton and Newcastle, before being introduced off the bench against Leeds on Saturday, so he simply must start at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, but which new teammate will help get the best out of him?

Wolves' new Matheus Cunha

On deadline day, Wolverhampton Wanderers signed striker Tolu Arokodare from Genk for a reported fee of £24m.

The Nigerian international started against both Newcastle and Leeds, in the aforementioned absence of Strand Larsen, before opening his account in old gold by scoring off the bench in the EFL Cup on Tuesday.

From his time in Belgium, Arokodare is certainly highly rated, with Graeme Bailey labelling him a “huge talent” and at 6 ft 6 in (197 cms), he is imposing and a major attacking threat.

Earlier this year, the striker bagged his first two international goals, netting for Nigeria against Russia at the Luzhniki and then during a victory over Rwanda in a World Cup qualifier in Uyo earlier this month.

At club level meantime, Arokodare scored 22 goals in 34 appearances for his first European club, namely Valmiera in Latvia, spending time at Köln and then Amiens, before truly bursting onto the scene with Genk.

Last season, he scored 23 goals in all competitions for the Smurfs, thereby sharing the Jupiler Pro League golden boot.

The table below indicates how prolific he was in Belgium.

Arokodare – Pro League 2024/25
Statistics	Arokodare	League rank
Goals	21	1st
Goals inside the box	21	1st
Headed goals	3	1st
Shots	158	1st
Shots on target	52	1st
Big chances missed	34	1st
Aerial duels won	156	3rd
% of aerial duels won	63.41%	5th*
*minimum 100 won.
Stats via SofaScore

As the table documents, Arokodare led the way for all attacking metrics in Belgium’s top-flight last season.

Worth highlighting that all 21 of his goals were scored inside the penalty area, including three headers, underlining his style of play, albeit the fact he missed a whopping 34 Opta-defined big chances has to be a concern.

Nevertheless, the fact he won the third-most aerial duels is commendable, emphasising how he could be useful to Wolves.

Pereira has favoured a back five as Wolves boss, a shape which would allow him to deploy two centre-forwards together, having notably seen Cunha and Strand Larsen work in tandem last term.

Chalkboard

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Thus, if he selects Arokodare and Strand Larsen together against Tottenham, it would prevent one or the other from becoming massively isolated while, together, they’re capable of causing Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero problems, potentially helping Wolves cause a massive shock in North London.

100% passing, 100% dribbles: Wolves star is as undroppable as Strand Larsen

Wolves secured their place in the next round of the Carabao Cup with a 2-0 win over Everton.

By
Ethan Lamb

Sep 24, 2025