Karun Nair feels “very grateful and fortunate” to have another shot at Test cricket, eight years after he last played in the format.Nair, 33, strengthened his case for a return to the playing XI by scoring a double-century for India A against the England Lions in the first unofficial Test last week in Canterbury.”Feels really special,” Nair told BCCI.tv. “[I’m] Very grateful and fortunate to be able to get this opportunity again. Looking forward to grabbing this opportunity with both hands.”Related

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• Why India picked Nair and Arshdeep and left out Sarfaraz and Shami

Nair’s return comes on the back of a mountain of runs for Vidarbha in the 2024-25 season. He made 863 runs at 53.93 in a title-winning Ranji Trophy campaign. Before that, Nair had an impressive 50-over season, hitting five hundreds in eight innings at an average of 389.50 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.At a press conference to announce the Test squad, chief selector Ajit Agarkar cited Nair’s strong domestic performances and familiarity with English conditions as key reasons for his selection. Nair played ten County Championship matches across two seasons (2023-2024) for Northamptonshire, scoring 736 runs at 56.61.”Comebacks are never easy,” head coach Gautam Gambhir told the Test squad prior to their first training session. “The amount of runs you’ve got, the never-give-up attitude – it’s inspiring for the entire team. Welcome back, Karun Nair.”Wednesday marked Nair’s return to the Indian dressing room for the first time since the summer of 2018, when he spent the entire five-match series in England on the bench. His only glimmer of hope on that tour, just before the final Test at The Oval, was dashed when the selectors flew in Hanuma Vihari, who was not part of the original squad, from India and handed him a debut.2:39

Agarkar: Karun’s experience was factor in selection

At the time, Nair had played six Tests for India and had turned his maiden century into a triple-hundred. But this snub took a toll – his domestic form plummeted, runs dried up and the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic left him at crossroads. Having been dropped from the Karnataka squad across formats, Nair spent an entire season on the sidelines.His comeback, in many ways, began in England in June 2023. Having made a plea to the game for a second chance, he took up a short stint with Burbage & ER Cricket Club in East Wiltshire in the minor counties, where he scored two hundreds and a half-century in eight innings.A week after he returned home, he received a phone call from a former manager asking if he was available to play in the county circuit. Nair jumped at the opportunity; a valid visa courtesy his club cricket stint allowed him to arrive almost immediately.KL Rahul, Nair’s good friend and Karnataka team-mate, spoke of how his time in England at the time had been lonely and tough.”I’ve known him for a very long time,” Rahul said. “The months he has spent here in the UK playing cricket and how hard and how lonely it was. For him to be able to do all of that and come back into the Indian team is special for him and his family, and friends like us who’ve seen his journey.”It’s very inspiring as well. Hopefully his experience and learnings from country cricket here will hold him in good stead when he plays the Test matches.”Eight years on, as Nair stands on the brink of a comeback, the reality of it still hasn’t completely sunk in.”Not sure actually,” he said of the prospect of returning to India’s starting XI. “I’ll have to experience that feeling myself, just go out there and feel it for myself. I’m sure there’ll be a lot of feelings, ones that I can’t express right now. It’ll be a surreal feeling.”

أعلن نادي مانشستر سيتي، عبر موقعه الرسمي بشبكة الإنترنت، قائمة المرشحين لأفضل هدف في شهر أكتوبر المنصرم، حيث تواجد ضمنهم النجم المصري عمر مرموش.

وسجل عمر مرموش هدفًا رائعًا لصالح مانشستر سيتي ضد سوانزي سيتي يوم الأربعاء الماضي في دور الـ16 من كأس كاراباو، حيث ساهم في الفوز بثلاثة أهداف لهدف. هدف عمر مرموش في مباراة مانشستر سيتي وسوانزي 

وبخلاف هدف مرموش، هناك هدف إيرلينج هالاند ضد برينتفورد في الدوري الإنجليزي، وكذلك هدفه أمام فياريال في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

كما أن هناك هدفي باني شاو وإيمان بيني، لفريق مانشستر سيتي سيدات ضد آرسنال مدرجان، بالإضافة إلى هدف الفوز الحاسم الذي أحرزته أوبا فوجينو في ليفربول.

إلى جانب أهداف لاعبي الشباب، رايان ماكيدو وتشارلي جراي وسيب نايلور، في حين كان تايرون سامبا هو الممثل الوحيد من فريق تحت 18 عامًا.

ويمكن للتصويت لـ عمر مرموش في جائزة هدف شهر أكتوبر من هنا.

Glasgow Rangers finally got their first win on the board in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday, after they failed to win any of their first five league games under Russell Martin.

There would not have been a more relieved man in the ground than the Light Blues head coach when Max Aarons popped up in stoppage time to score the winning goal for the away side.

The Ibrox loanee came off the bench to rattle a finish into the bottom corner from Nicolas Raskin’s corner to prevent Rangers from falling to a fifth draw in six league games.

James Tavernier’s penalty miss did not help matters in the first half, as the captain failed to make it 2-0 before half-time, but the Gers still conceded a sloppy goal and lacked a cutting edge in the final third before Aarons scored the winner.

It was a win and a much-needed one for Martin. However, the manager may not be too pleased with some of the individual performances that were on display when he goes back to review the match.

Summer signing Bojan Miovski is one of the players who may end up finding himself on the bench because of his underwhelming start to life at Ibrox.

Why Bojan Miovski may be dropped to the bench

The Macedonia international was signed on a permanent deal from Girona in the summer transfer window to bolster the club’s attack, as a player who has already proven himself in the Premiership.

Miovski, as shown in the graphic above, scored 32 league goals in the division during his two seasons at Aberdeen before a move to Girona in the summer of 2024. This shows that he can score goals at an impressive rate at that level.

The Light Blues are yet to see the best of the left-footed forward in front of goal, though, as he missed a huge chance to open the scoring in the 2-1 win over Livingston on Sunday.

It was like watching Miovski at Aberdeen to create the chance. His movement on the last line to beat the offside trap was superb and he looked in control and composed, up until he needed to find the target.

The 26-year-old marksman, who scored his first goal for the club in the League Cup against Hibernian, has not done enough in his Premiership outings to warrant keeping a place in the starting line-up.

xG

0.87

Top 47%

Goals

0

Bottom 3%

Shots

4

Bottom 28%

xA

0.02

Bottom 9%

Assists

0

Bottom 3%

Duel success rate

21.2%

Bottom 9%

Aerial duel success rate

11.1%

Bottom 6%

As you can see in the table above, Miovski ranks lowly among his positional peers in a host of attacking and physical metrics, as he has failed to deliver quality in the final third and reliability out of possession.

This is why Martin must drop the former Aberdeen and Girona centre-forward from the starting line-up, because he has not offered enough to the team in or out of possession.

The Macedonian number nine is not the only Light Blues star who showed that he should not be starting for the club at the moment in the win over Livingston on Sunday.

Chalkboard

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

Thelo Aasgaard was selected once again in the left-sided central midfield role in Martin’s 4-3-3 system, but he failed to justify his inclusion in the team with a strong performance.

Why Thelo Aasgaard should not be starting for Rangers

The Norway international was signed from Luton Town during the summer transfer window with a view to adding an attacking threat to the team from a central midfield position.

Aasgaard scored 11 goals in 45 matches in all competitions for Wigan Athletic and Luton combined in the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that he did offer a decent threat in front of goal last term.

The English-born star, who was described as a “huge talent” by former Wigan communications officer Jamie Allen, has yet to show the Rangers fans what he is capable of at the top end of the pitch.

That has not been through a lack of opportunity, though, because Martin has provided him with six starts in all competitions, yet the attacking midfielder has not delivered a single goal or assist.

Aasgaard made no key passes, did not complete any dribbles, and did not register any shots on target in 73 minutes against Livingston, per Sofascore, which shows that he offered next to nothing in possession for the Gers.

Unfortunately, a lack of quality at the top end of the pitch has become a theme for the Norway international in the Premiership for Rangers so far this season.

Appearances

4

Starts

4

Goals

0

Big chances missed

2

Big chances created

0

Key passes per game

0.3

Assists

0

As you can see in the table above, the summer signing from Luton has created one chance in four starts in the league, with no goals or assists to his name.

These statistics show that he is not offering enough to the team in front of goal, as is also the case with Miovski, despite being in the side to provide a spark and break down opposition defences.

This is why the Rangers head coach should ruthlessly drop both players from the starting XI for the trip to Falkirk in the Premiership after Thursday’s Europa League clash with Sturm Graz, because both of their performances on Sunday showed that they should not be starting.

Miovski and Aasgaard are not terrible players, as their records at previous clubs prove, but they are not delivering enough quality on the pitch for the Gers, which is why they should have a spell on the sidelines.

Worse than Tavernier: Martin must drop Rangers flop who was saved by Aarons

Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin must drop this flop who was saved by Max Aarons against Livingston.

ByDan Emery Sep 29, 2025

If the two attackers can impress off the bench and start to show more promising signs at the top end of the pitch in matches, then they can earn back their place in the XI and start to kick on at Ibrox.

Manchester United director of football Jason Wilcox has spoken about the club's continued need to invest in new players ahead of the January transfer window, as they seek to drive standards on and off the pitch following three successive Premier League wins. Approaching one year since Ruben Amorim was appointed as head coach, the Red Devils have taken strides in the right direction but Wilcox reiterated that there is still a way to go.

Investment and improvement major targets for Man Utd

In a recent interview published on the club website, United chief Wilcox expressed some of the biggest aims for himself, head coach Ruben Amorim and those inside the club as the Red Devils seek to take their recent improvement to another level. He cited Premier League and Champions League titles as long-term goals which suggest the 20-time top-flight champions retain the ambitions to reattain their former glory.

In the short-term investment is key, said Wilcox, but he stressed that the club must bring in the right players who can contribute to higher standards and push the club in the right direction with the right character and mentality required for a high-pressure environment like Old Trafford.

AdvertisementAFPUnited must bring in the right players to drive turnaround

Wilcox said: “We have got a clear plan. We know what we have got to do, we know the areas of the team that we have got to improve. For us to get in the top four and consistently challenge for Champions League places, win Champions Leagues, win Premier Leagues, we have got to invest in the squad. We have got to buy the right players. The right players who are talented but also who can deal with the pressure, who can take the squad forward. 

“It is not always about just signing elite talent, they have got to have the right character and be somebody who can bring something different to the team. 

“We are really happy with where we are, we know we have got to improve and, you know, the players, they will never be satisfied, Ruben [Amorim] will never be happy, I will never be happy, it is just how we are built. We are always looking to improve. Anybody who works at Manchester United should be thinking the same and they do, with the standards we are driving every day.”

Wilcox praises impact of new signings on Amorim's side

“The guys have settled in really, really quickly," continued Wilcox. "I think especially when you look at Matheus [Cunha] and Bryan [Mbeumo], they have played in the Premier League and they have lived in England, so there is a quicker transition. I think for Benji [Benjamin Sesko] and Senne [Lammens], you look at their transition and they have transitioned really well. We are really pleased. They are two young players, two for the future, but they have settled in amazingly well. 

“They are all good guys, even from last summer's window, they are top professionals, top players and we are really optimistic we are going in the right direction. We have a clear plan. I am sure there are going to be bumps in the road, but we have just got to make sure we stay calm irrespective of the noise outside.”

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AFPNottingham Forest up next as United seek four on the spin

United must not let their foot off the gas in the coming weeks if they are to convince the world that they have truly turned things around. 

A tricky visit to Nottingham Forest on Saturday for Sean Dyche’s first home Premier League match as boss will indicate a little better where the Red Devils are, as many recent United sides may have crumbled under the pressure exerted by an opponent with a point to prove.

“We have just got to keep this going now,” said Wilcox. “Not get too carried away when we win and not get too disappointed when we lose. We know we are making progress. It will be another tough game at the weekend. Ruben and the guys will be fully prepared, we know what we are going to get at Nottingham Forest, a new manager, they have got a good playing squad, we saw that last year, and it is going to be a really difficult game for us.”

Smith struck at 180.35 across the three-match series, including a 25-ball half-century in the third ODI

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Jun-2025Jamie Smith believes that opening the batting in England’s ODI series against West Indies has provided him with “great practice” for facing India’s Test-match quicks. Smith cracked a 25-ball half-century – his first in ODIs – in England’s seven-wicket win at The Oval on Tuesday and said facing “quality” new-ball bowlers has been beneficial to his wider game.”There’s an opportunity there to go and play, and experience opening when the ball is still swinging and nipping around against quality bowlers,” Smith said. “It’s definitely great practice [for the India series]. It feels like we’re close to it now, we’re almost there. It’s been great playing these three games and obviously the Zimbabwe Test leading up to it.”Smith struck at 180.35 across the three-match series, scoring 37, 0 and 64 as England swept West Indies 3-0. He has been ever-present in their ODI squads since last September, having made his international breakthrough in Test cricket last summer as Jonny Bairstow’s successor.Related

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Bumrah confident India can take down 'ultra-aggressive' England

Atkinson out of WI ODIs, but could return in time for India Tests

Smith is not in England’s squad for the T20I series that starts on Friday, with Phil Salt returning from the IPL to replace him, and will have a short break before the first Test starts on June 20. “I feel good,” he said. “Hopefully, the next 10 days or so can go well, prep-wise, and we can head into [the] India [series] quite fresh, which is amazing.”He has never previously faced Jasprit Bumrah, India’s spearhead, in any format, but said he will not be spending much time watching footage of his bowling in the build-up to the series. “Hopefully, down at No. 7, I can watch other lads go and face him first,” Smith said. “[He is] certainly a challenge there.”Nor will Smith, who became a father in December, be watching the World Test Championship final next week. “I’ll have enough to do at home to keep me busy and entertained,” he said. “I’ll be trying to stay away and hopefully get myself mentally and physically in a good place for once the Test series starts, so come the last Test, I’m still feeling fresh and ready.”England’s next 10 Tests could be legacy-defining, with an Ashes series in Australia looming after the five-match India series. “We’re playing the two best nations,” Smith said. “It’s always going to be talked about, and the key for us and the group that we have at the moment is we’re focusing on one game at a time.”Everyone knows the magnitude of what you’ve got coming up, but if we can try and stay in the present then it’s a good time to test ourselves against the best. We feel in a really good place, and I think everyone’s really excited and in a great place to go and attack them.”

Over the last 25 years, Leeds United have cashed in on a number of star players, most recently after failing to secure immediate promotion back to the Premier League.

The Whites have done deals with the likes of Barcelona, Manchester City and Manchester United, but who is Leeds’ most expensive departure of all time?

Here is a look at Leeds United’s most expensive sales in their history, as per Transfermarkt, with a detailed look at the top 10.

Leeds United’s most expensive sales of all time
Rank	Player	Fee	Sold to	Year
1	Raphinha	£55m	Barcelona	2022
2	Kalvin Phillips	£45m	Man City	2022
3	Georginio Rutter	£40m	Brighton	2024
=4	Archie Gray	£30m	Tottenham	2024
=4	Rio Ferdinand	£30m	Man Utd	2002
6	Crysencio Summerville	£25m	West Ham	2024
=7	Tyler Adams	£20m	Bournemouth	2023
=7	Luis Sinisterra	£20m	Bournemouth	2024
9	Chris Wood	£15m	Burnley	2017
10	Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink	£12m	Atletico Madrid	1999
11	Ross McCormack	£11m	Fulham	2014
12	Jack Clarke	£10m	Tottenham	2019
13	Jonathan Woodgate	£9m	Newcastle	2003
14	Glen Kamara	£8.4m	Rennes	2024
=15	Robbie Keane	£7m	Tottenham	2002
=15	Lewis Cook	£7m	Bournemouth	2016
=15	Alan Smith	£7m	Man Utd	2004
18	Ronaldo Vieira	£6.2m	Sampdoria	2018
=19	Robbie Fowler	£6m	Man City	2003
=19	Fabian Delph	£6m	Aston Villa	2009

Here’s a detailed look at the top 10 Leeds United sales…

10

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

£12m to Atletico Madrid, 1999

Leeds United was Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s first taste of English football, with the Dutch forward joining from Boavista in 1997.

Hasselbaink finished as the joint Premier League Golden Boot winner in his second season, and after a dispute over a new deal, was sold to Atletico Madrid for £12m, with the club making five times the fee they paid for the striker.

9

Chris Wood

£15m to Burnley, 2017

Striker Chris Wood arrived at Elland Road from Leicester City in 2015 and enjoyed two solid seasons with the club, scoring 30 goals in all competitions during the 2016/17 season.

His displays caught the eye of Burnley, and the lure of Premier League football persuaded Wood to move to Turf Moor, resulting in the Whites making a healthy profit following his £15m move.

8

Luis Sinisterra

£20m to Bournemouth, 2024

Luis Sinisterra was one of a number of players who exercised their relegation loan clause to leave Elland Road in 2023, returning to the Premier League with Bournemouth.

Jaidon Anthony moved to Leeds on loan from the Cherries, and in February 2024, Sinisterra’s move to the south coast was made permanent for a £20m fee.

7

Tyler Adams

£20m to Bournemouth, 2023

Weeks before Sinisterra joined Bournemouth on loan, holding midfielder Tyler Adams had swapped Elland Road for the Vitality Stadium in a permanent transfer, reportedly worth in excess of £20m.

The USA international’s one campaign in West Yorkshire ended in relegation, but Leeds did make a small profit on Adams, while his sale also kept the club in line with FFP.

6

Crysencio Summerville

£25m to West Ham, 2024

After starring in the Championship and winning the league’s Player of the Year award in 2024, it was no surprise that Leeds’ failure to win promotion back to the top flight resulted in Crysencio Summerville’s exit.

Leeds signed Summerville from Eredivisie giants Feyenoord for a fee believed to be just over £1m, resulting in a huge profit when West Ham triggered an exit clause that cost the Hammers £25m.

5

Rio Ferdinand

£30m to Man Utd, 2002

Defender Rio Ferdinand was Leeds’ record departure for 20 years after he joined rivals Manchester United in 2002 for what was a mind-boggling £30m.

Signed from West Ham in 2000, Ferdinand went from strength to strength at Elland Road, and following Leeds’ financial troubles, the Red Devils took advantage and made him the most expensive British footballer in history at the time.

4

Archie Gray

£30m to Tottenham, 2024

Academy graduate Archie Gray only made his senior debut for Leeds at the beginning of the 2023/24 season, and less than 12 months later, he was joining Spurs in a big-money £30m deal.

Gray starred in midfield and at right-back in the Championship and was another who had a release clause triggered after Leeds lost at Wembley to Southampton in the play-off final.

3

Georginio Rutter

£40m to Brighton, 2024

Like Summerville and Gray, Georginio Rutter also left Leeds in 2024 and was another who had a release clause activated after the club’s failure to win promotion.

Brighton triggered the clause with hours to spare, with the Whites making a profit on the fee they paid Hoffenheim in 2023. Rutter’s £40m sale was the largest sum they received that summer.

2

Kalvin Phillips

£45m to Man City, 2022

Academy graduate Kalvin Phillips was transformed by Marcelo Bielsa, becoming a key cog in the Argentinian’s Leeds side between 2018 and 2022.

The holding midfielder even went on to star for England and helped Leeds to the Premier League, which resulted in Manchester City and Pep Guardiola taking Phillips to the Etihad for £45m. However, Phillips held the record as Leeds’ biggest departure for just 11 days…

1

Raphinha

£55m to Barcelona, 2022

Leeds United’s most expensive sale of all time is Raphinha, who is also arguably the most talented player the Whites have had this millennium.

Signed from French side Rennes on deadline day in 2020, Raphinha helped Leeds finish ninth in their first season back in the Premier League and almost single-handily kept Leeds up in 2022 before sealing his dream move to Camp Nou following a £55m transfer.

Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed in a new interview with Piers Morgan that he doesn't expect to extend his history-making football career for that much longer, also admitting that his interests in retirement will ultimately lie outside the sport he has dedicated his life to. It comes after the Portuguese icon had been billed as "perfect" for a role upstairs at former club Manchester United.

Ronaldo has retirement planned out

Having chosen Piers Morgan for an incendiary interview marking his exit from Manchester United in 2022, Ronaldo again linked up with the divisive media personality, this time on YouTube channel .

The 40-year-old forward, who has a contract with Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League until the end of the 2026-27 season, was asked outright about eventual retirement. "Soon," Ronaldo replied, revealing he has been thinking about how it will go for years. "I think I will be prepared. It will be tough, of course. Will be difficult, yes. Probably I will cry, yes…

"It will be very, very difficult but I've prepared my future since [I was] 25, 26, 27 years old. So I think I will be capable to support that pressure."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFuture outside football

There will be lots of calls for Ronaldo to stay in football when he eventually does hang up his boots, with a wealth of expertise and experience to share. But coaching, management or executive roles within the sport don’t appear to appeal to the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.

"Nothing will compare to the adrenaline we have for football to score a goal," Ronaldo explained, revealing that retiring from football will finally give him the time to pursue other things.

"But I have other passions. [When I retire] I'm going to have more time for me, have more time for my family, to raise my kids. I want to be more a family person, more present. Also, to have my own hobbies. I like to see UFC, the fights. I like padel. I like and I want to learn more about my companies.

"I'll never be a [full-time] YouTuber, of course, but I want to be there. I'm going to spend more time on that to learn. I think I'm going to do funny things and things I'm not used to doing before. Because I live football 24 hours [each day] to do the right things and perform."

Post-playing role at Man Utd now unlikely

Ronaldo's desire to do things with his life other than football suggests leaving the sport altogether, which means recent speculation that he could consider a post-playing career in the boardroom, potentially even back at Manchester United, is quite unlikely to come to fruition.

Former team-mate Wes Brown, who won the Champions League alongside Ronaldo in 2008, had said he wouldn't put it past Ronaldo to remain involved in football that way. "He could definitely move into the boardroom," Brown said. "He's got the ability to swerve away from coaching and into the executive level, 100 per cent. Why not? If he's enjoying it, it'll be perfect for him."

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Getty Images SportIn pursuit of more trophies

Ronaldo probably isn't going to call time on his career before the end of his Al-Nassr contract. Aside from it being incredibly lucrative – worth a reported €257m (£235m/$280m) per year – the veteran forward is still freely scoring for the club and continues to chase trophies.

The lack of a major domestic or international trophy since moving to Saudi Arabia – the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup is the only silverware so far – is a notable blot on Ronaldo's record. Al-Nassr have seen both Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal win the Pro League in recent seasons, while the King's Cup and wider continental success has also been beyond them.

So far in 2025-26, though, Al-Nassr lead the way in the domestic table with a 100 per cent record after seven games. They are only competing in the secondary AFC club competitions this season, but could feasibly be back in the Champions League Elite next year – potentially Ronaldo's last dance in football.

Next summer also comes Ronaldo's last crack at the World Cup with Portugal.

The fans might still be basking in what ended up being a brilliant Premier League weekend, but Arsenal now have to shift their focus to the Champions League.

Mikel Arteta’s side are currently sitting on a 100% record in the competition after wins against Athletic Club and Olympiacos, but will face their biggest challenge against Atlético Madrid.

While famous for their defensive nous in seasons past, Diego Simeone’s side are looking a far more potent threat this year, and should give the Emirates faithful a spectacle.

However, to ensure his team comes out on the right side, Arteta might need to make a few changes and keep a keen eye out for two particularly dangerous Atleti stars.

Atlético Madrid's dangermen

Unfortunately for Arteta and Arsenal, more than a handful of Atlético Madrid players could cause them some real trouble on Tuesday night, but there are two who perhaps stand out above the rest.

Chalkboard

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

The first is, of course, Julián Alvarez, who the Gunners will already be all too familiar with due to his time winning Premier League titles with Manchester City at their expense.

However, while the Argentine has ultimately had the last laugh over the North Londoners, his personal record against them isn’t great, as in the four matches he’s played against Arteta and Co, he has won two, lost two and failed to score or assist a goal.

Yet, the player fans saw leave England last summer is not the same one who’s become Atléti’s talisman, as in 57 appearances last season, totalling 3967 minutes, he scored 29 goals and provided eight assists, which works out to a goal involvement every 1.54 games, or every 107.21 minutes.

Then, so far this season, the Calchín-born monster has scored seven goals and provided three assists in ten appearances, totalling 800 minutes, which is an astounding average of a goal involvement every game, or every 80 minutes.

Appearances

57

10

Minutes

3967′

800′

Goals

29

7

Assists

8

3

Goal Involvements per Match

0.64

1.00

Minutes per Goal Involvement

107.21′

80′

There is no doubt that Alvarez is the most dangerous player for the Spanish side.

Even so, Arteta and Co cannot forget about Antoine Griezmann, as while he’s no longer as prolific as he once was, he is still more than capable of causing trouble and pulling strings from just behind the centre-forward – plus he scored his 200th goal for the club last month.

In all, the attack is what Arsenal have to worry about most from Atlético, so it’s good that the Gunners’ defence is their biggest strength, although Arteta should make at least one change to it.

The change Arteta should make

It should go without saying that for a game of this magnitude, William Saliba and Gabriel Mageheles simply have to start, and Jurrien Timber probably should as well, leaving Riccardo Calafiori as the man to come out of the side.

Now, this is no slight on the Italian international, as he has been exceptional for much of the campaign, so much so that it would be hard to disagree with one analyst’s opinion that he has been “Arsenal’s Player of the Season so far.”

However, there are a few reasons he should come out of the lineup for this game, the first of which is his fitness record.

24/25

175

30

23/24

4

2

22/23

53

15

21/22

73

18

20/21

118

33

19/20

43

5

18/19

291

75

Since joining the club last summer, the former Bologna gem has missed 30 games for club and country through injury, four of which have been problems with his knee.

So, considering he has already started nine games this season, it would make sense to let him sit this game out, as losing him to fatigue could be detrimental to the league campaign.

Second, while he is a maverick on the pitch and really helps out with attacks, it would be fair to say he has not shown himself to be quite as solid defensively, especially when compared to the player who should come in to replace him: Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The incredibly talented Hale Ender was Arteta’s starting left-back for much of last season, and while he has the ability to help out offensively, and has a wand of a left foot, he’s even better when it comes to locking down attackers.

For example, he helped keep a clean sheet at home against Real Madrid last season, and then looked brilliant at the Bernabeu as well.

The 19-year-old has a real tenacity about him, an edge that makes opposition attackers think twice before having a go, and that is why he has been hailed as a “future captain” by club insider Hand of Arsenal.

Ultimately, with Calafiori needing a rest and Lewis-Skelly being more than good enough to lock down Alvarez and Co, this change feels like a no-brainer for Arteta.

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Newcastle United knew they would make forward progress after PIF completed their much-anticipated takeover in 2021, but the appointment of manager Eddie Howe has helped grease the wheels and then some.

There have, of course, been bumps in the road, but the Magpies have qualified for the Champions League across two of the past three Premier League campaigns; last year, they won the Carabao Cup after beating Liverpool in the final.

One of Howe’s biggest strengths, aside from his deep tactical understanding and awareness of how to bring many players together, is his ability to keep a bond knitted through his side. Togetherness and Toon DNA.

That’s why selling Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest was such a bitter thing. Academy gems are crucial for a team rising to the top, and this Howe knows.

Elliot Anderson's return to Newcastle

When Anderson stepped out at Newcastle on Sunday, he did so with the knowledge that Howe had publicly intimated his interest in bringing him back to the club.

Sold. £35m. August 2024. Nottingham Forest benefitted from United’s financial troubles, losing a homegrown player who had clear and compelling potential.

Maybe Sunday’s showdown has reinforced in Anderson’s mind the potential for a return to Tyneside, a permanent return. After all, Howe revealed last week that he would be keen on welcoming the 22-year-old back to St. James’ Park.

And for good reason: Anderson is a “do-it-all midfielder”, as said by analyst Ben Mattinson, and the statistics back that up.

Matches (starts)

37 (33)

7 (7)

Goals

2

0

Assists

6

1

Touches*

54.2

103.3

Pass completion

82%

89%

Key passes*

1.0

1.1

Dribbles*

1.0

1.3

Ball recoveries*

5.6

7.9

Tackles + interceptions*

2.5

3.7

Duels (won)*

6.5 (52%)

7.9 (57%)

Newcastle must ensure something similar does not happen again. There are a number of high-quality prospects waiting in the wings, and none more so than Seung-soo Park, who may even be a bigger talent than Anderson – and the rest.

Meet Seung-soo Park

This summer, Newcastle signed Park from K League 2 side Suwon Bluewings for an undisclosed fee. He posted a goal and three assists across 27 appearances in South Korea and landed on Tyneside as a potential superstar.

Primarily appearing down the left channel, the 18-year-old is fleet-footed and powerful when on the ball, and he made a positive impression during pre-season.

Thailand’s Brazilian coach Emerson Pereira has singled out the youngster’s “dangerous” presence on the ball, so direct and slippery when taking on defenders. He is always willing to cause his opponents problems, and if he can marry this with requisite athletic improvements that come with growing up, he may well be a fierce forward indeed.

So fast is the winger that he has even been described by Asian football expert John Duerden as being “similar to Mbappé”, and if he can refine his shooting ability over the coming years, this could be quite the addition for Howe’s starting line-up.

So far, he has only featured six times for Newcastle’s development side, although it’s curious to note that he was named on the bench for United’s Premier League opener against Aston Villa, an unused substitute.

It will take time before he reaches the fluent level to sustain a place in the first team, but Anderson was a part of Newcastle’s U21 squad when he was Park’s age, then spent the second half of the 2021/22 campaign on loan in League Two with Bristol Rovers.

Park has the skills and the playing style to rocket right to the top, and by keeping hold of this one, Newcastle might even strike gold with an even bigger talent than Anderson, the one who got away.

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ByWill Miller Oct 7, 2025

Leeds United fans have been blessed with some outrageous attackers to cheer on over recent years.

The obvious names that immediately spring to mind here are the likes of Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter, and Raphinha, but Pablo Hernandez is also deserving of equal levels of adoration from the Elland Road masses for the magic he regularly conjured up during his time in West Yorkshire.

Hernandez would notch up a stunning 36 goals and 39 assists for the Whites in the Championship during Marcelo Bielsa’s heyday at the helm, with the much-loved Leeds boss even going out of his way to laud his Spanish playmaker as a “silent leader” who can “harm the opponent” at a moment’s notice.

Unfortunately, though, the silky attacking midfielder would only go on to collect a measly two assists for the West Yorkshire titans in the Premier League.

Noah Okafor has already matched that same amount of goal contributions for the newly promoted Whites in the here and now, as the electric Swiss international attempts to go down in his new club’s history books as a similarly entertaining spark.

Okafor's promising Leeds start

Much like Hernandez, too, Okafor has already been showered with plenty of lavish praise when pulling on Leeds white.

Leeds-based content creator Oscar Mario has dubbed the ex-AC Milan attacker as a “difference-maker” for Farke’s side, with the two goals that he’s already confidently put away this season, undoubtedly placing him in the same bracket as the captivating Spaniard before him.

With Okafor also constantly looking to bomb forward with pace to carve out an opening – as seen in him ridiculously completing six successful dribbles versus Wolverhampton Wanderers – it’s very clear that he could go on to be a fan favourite in the same ilk as Hernandez, only this time, with the talent to be a success in the top-flight.

Yet, with no assists next to his name as of the time of writing, he hasn’t quite hit the same creative peak as the former Leeds number 19 just yet, with an unexpected creative force elsewhere in Farke’s camp perhaps more in line to be viewed as a Hernandez-type talent, with the star in question boasting league-best numbers in this regard.

The Leeds star showing shades of Hernandez

While Hernandez was known for firing home an audacious strike or two during his five-season stint in England, he is definitely more commonly remembered as an ace who could “change the course of a game” with an “exceptional” assist, as former Leeds player Noel Whelan once put it.

His 2018/19 offering in the second tier for Bielsa’s Whites saw the quick-witted midfielder create a mammoth 16 big chances in total, with Sean Longstaff potentially heading towards the same jaw-dropping numbers in the Premier League for Farke’s men this campaign, if his early scintillating form in the tough division is anything to go by.

Longstaff’s PL numbers for Leeds (25/26)

Stat – per 90 mins*

Longstaff

Games played

9

Goals scored

1

Assists

2

Touches*

46.2

Accurate passes*

27.1 (85%)

Key passes*

2.0

Big chances created

5

Tackles*

3.0

Ball recoveries*

3.0

Total duels won*

5.0

Stats by Sofascore

Indeed, Longstaff has looked a man reborn since leaving boyhood employers Newcastle United behind this summer for a modest £12m, with five big chances already created by Leeds’ new star man, putting him at the very top of the list of the Premier League’s most effective playmakers.

If he can keep this unbelievable run of form going, he could give Hernandez’s Championship peak a run for its money.

The “outstanding” number eight – as Farke has also already lovingly labelled him – further has the necessary bite in his game to be a long-term success at the very pinnacle of English football, with tackles and duels also won aplenty this season, when looking at the table above, away from just offering up an incisive pass.

Ultimately, Farke will just want all of his troops to come together and battle hard to ensure relegation is staved off.

But, with Longstaff in the same conversations as Bruno Fernandes in what he offers going forward, he will hope his unbelievable start in West Yorkshire can be kept up, as he strives to be the driving force that pushes his new side way away from the relegation zone come next May.

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