They haven’t won every game, but this season is shaping up to be a truly special one for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta has got his side playing some sensational football at times while simultaneously ensuring they remain the best defensive team in the Premier League.

It seems like every player, new and old, is all pulling in the exact same direction and helping each other reach new levels.

One of the team’s best players in recent weeks has been summer signing Eberechi Eze, and so fans should be excited about recent reports linking Arsenal with someone who could be another version of the Englishman.

Arsenal target another Eze

There was tremendous excitement from the Arsenal fan base when it was announced that the club had signed Eze, and understandably so.

Transfer Focus

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

After all, here was a player who many considered to be one of the most exciting in the Premier League, and had just spearheaded Crystal Palace to FA Cup glory.

Fortunately, while it took him a few games to get up to speed, the 27-year-old has more than delivered so far this season, racking up a tally of nine goal involvements in 19 games for the club and scoring that North London Derby hat-trick.

So, with all that in mind, it’s not all that surprising to hear that the Gunners may be after another player who has the potential to be another Eze in Kenan Yıldız.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal have maintained their intense interest in the Turkish wonderkid.

In fact, the report has revealed that the North Londoners are going all out to sign him and have been in contact with his representatives.

However, Juventus are understandably keen to keep hold of the incredible youngster and, according to other reports from earlier this month, would need a fee of at least £88m to consider selling him.

Therefore, it could be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Yıldız’s ability and potential, it’s one worth pursuing, especially as he could be another Eze.

Why Yıldız would be another Eze

Now, there are obviously some key differences between Yıldız and Eze, such as their age, but there are also more than a few similarities between them.

For example, like the Englishman, the young Turkish superstar is an attacker who can and does play in a multitude of positions.

Since making his first team debut for Juventus, the 20-year-old monster has played as a second-striker, on the left and right wings, in attacking midfield and even up top a few times.

The second similarity is that, like the former Palace star, he is a dual threat, someone who is as happy scoring a goal as he is assisting one.

For example, in 52 appearances last season, totalling 3520 minutes, he scored 12 goals and provided nine assists, which comes out to a goal involvement on average every 2.47 games, or every 167.61 minutes.

Then this season, he has become even more dangerous, scoring five goals and providing five assists in 18 appearances, totalling 1457 minutes, which is a goal involvement every 1.8 games, or every 145.7 minutes.

Finally, and this is related to his output, the 26-capped international is, in the words of content creator Alex Moneypenny, “capable of the spectacular.”

He doesn’t just score tap-ins; he already has quite the impressive catalogue of goals, ranging from long-distance strikes to ones stemming from brilliant close control.

It is also this ability to create magic on the football pitch that likely led European football writer Danny Corcoran to describe the youngster as having “Mbappe-like ability.”

Ultimately, it won’t be an easy transfer to get done, but Arsenal should be going all out to sign Yıldız in 2026, as he could be another Eze.

A Saka & Olise hybrid: Arsenal in contact over signing £70m "superstar"

The incredible talent would be as game-changing for Arsenal as Bukayo Saka has been over the years.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

7 days ago

Left-arm wristspinner is returning to India to prepare for the upcoming Test series against South Africa

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Nov-2025

Left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav has been released from the T20I squad in Australia to return to India and prepare for the upcoming Test series against South Africa.Kuldeep has now been included in the India A squad for the second four-day game against South Africa A beginning on November 6 at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. India A won the first game on Sunday, with Rishabh Pant scoring 90 in a chase of 275.The BCCI said in a statement that the request to release Kuldeep had come from the Indian team management. Kuldeep had played only one of the three ODIs and the first two T20Is in Australia. He was left out of the XI for the third T20I in Hobart and Washington Sundar took his spot. India play the fourth and fifth T20Is in Carrara and Brisbane on November 6 and 8.Related

Arshdeep and Washington help India level the series against Australia

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Arshdeep's career highlights the balancing act T20 cricket imposes on India

India’s first Test against South Africa starts on November 14 in Kolkata.India squad for last two T20Is in AustraliaSuryakumar Yadav (capt), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill (vc), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar.India A squad for second four-day game vs South Africa ARishabh Pant (capt & wk), KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Sai Sudharsan (vc), Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurnoor Brar, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav

England have confirmed their opponents for the March international break, which they are set to play their final games before Thomas Tuchel picks his final squad for the 2026 World Cup. They have been drawn in Group L and will face Croatia, Panama and Ghana at the finals, where they will be looking to break their major trophy curse, which has extended to 60 years.

• England learn their March opponents

  The Football Association have scheduled two friendlies against Uruguay and Japan on March 27 and 31, respectively. These games represent the last chance for players to stake a claim prior to Tuchel naming his group for the 2026 finals. The FA is also planning a series of further friendlies in the United States in June, giving Tuchel and his staff valuable time to acclimatise to conditions ahead of their opening match on June 17 in Dallas.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  South American and Asian tests chosen

  Uruguay, ranked 16th in the world by FIFA, will provide England’s first challenge of 2026. The fixture marks Uruguay’s first visit to England in two decades. The last meeting on British soil came in 2006, when Peter Crouch and Joe Cole secured a 2-1 win at Anfield. The more recent encounter between the two nations took place at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, which ended in a 2-1 defeat for England, courtesy of Luis Suarez’s brace, while Wayne Rooney scored the only goal for England. 

  Japan, ranked 18th, complete the March pairing. England’s limited history with the Samurai Blue consists of only three previous contests, the most recent of which came in Austria ahead of the 2010 World Cup. That game resulted in a 2-1 English victory. Their only previous Wembley meeting came in 1995, a 2-1 England win. In a clash in Manchester in 2004, the two teams played out a 1-1 draw.

  Tuchel said he specifically sought opponents inside the world’s top 20 to ensure the competitive level was sufficiently high.

  "We are really pleased to have these two fixtures confirmed as our World Cup year takes shape," he said. "We wanted to play two teams ranked in the top 20 in the world, but also to test ourselves against opponents from outside of Europe. After Friday’s draw, the excitement for next year is really building."

• Tuchel happy to play on the East Coast

  Tuchel admitted that the cooler temperatures on America’s East Coast, where England will play two of their group games, against Ghana and Panama in Boston and New York, respectively, come as a personal relief. 

  Talking to , Tuchel said: "That would be very helpful for me personally! But I didn't get my head fully around it, so we need to come up with a good plan to be well prepared. We need to be prepared to be flexible, we need to be prepared to travel a lot no matter what's happening. The biggest focus will be on the group and to not get distracted in thinking too far ahead."

  Tuchel is aware that external perceptions of England have changed. For years, debates raged over whether the national team could live up to the extraordinary individual reputations of its players. Now, after qualifying with eight wins from eight, remarkably without conceding a single goal, England arrive in the United States as one of the contenders most feared by other nations.

  On being considered as a favourite, Tuchel added: "I think they [other nations] do. We made sure that they do, if they don't do it's also good, so we can play the underdog card. But I think the team played so well and they know that we are full of hunger and we will arrive full of desire to make something special happen, they take us very seriously."

• Getty/GOAL
  

  England’s World Cup route: Group stage offers favourable timings

  England’s campaign begins against Croatia on June 17 in Dallas, followed by Ghana in Boston on June 23 and Panama in New York on June 27. The match timings, 9 pm, 9 pm and 10 pm BST, have been welcomed by supporters who feared dawn kick-offs, given the five-hour time difference between England and most host cities. Indeed, the group stage offers relatively comfortable viewing windows for UK audiences. 

  But progress could complicate matters. Should England top Group L, their first knockout fixture in the round of 32 would take place in Atlanta at 5 pm BST. Beyond that, however, the schedule becomes far more gruelling. Their round of 16 tie, should they win the group, would begin at 1 am BST, potentially against co-hosts Mexico at the iconic Azteca Stadium. It would represent one of the most unforgiving kick-off times for an English fan.

While the results this season might suggest otherwise, West Ham United do have a fair amount of talent in their squad.

For example, when he’s not getting himself sent off, Lucas Paqueta can be a magician on the ball, and while he’s still raw, summer signing El Hadji Malick Diouf has an unreal cross on him.

Furthermore, Nuno Espírito Santo seems to be getting more out of Mateus Fernandes and has finally given Freddie Potts a proper run in the team, as fans have been calling for.

Finally, there is the club captain, Jarrod Bowen, who remains one of the best attackers in the Premier League, and therefore, fans should be excited about a young Potts-esque academy prospect who could well be the next Bowen.

Bowen's start to the season

Considering they finished down in 14th place, it would be fair to say that last season wasn’t exactly a great one for West Ham.

Yet, even though those around him were letting him down, Bowen once again proved he was one of the best attackers in the country by racking up a sensational tally of 14 goals and ten assists in 36 appearances, totalling 3148 minutes.

That comes out to a world-class average of a goal involvement every 1.5 games, or every 131.16 minutes.

So, with numbers like those, fans and pundits alike were expecting the former Hull City star to have another stellar personal campaign this season.

However, so far anyway, it hasn’t quite worked out that way.

Appearances

36

14

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1260′

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14

3

Assists

10

2

In his 14 appearances, totalling 1260 minutes, the Hammers’ captain has scored three goals and provided two assists, which is an average of a goal involvement every 2.8 games, or every 252 minutes.

With that said, it’s still early, and the start of the season was such a car crash that it feels almost unfair to judge him.

Moreover, Bowen has proved himself time and time again in claret and blue, so it’s likely just a matter of when and not if he rediscovers his best form and therefore, fans should be very excited about an academy product who could be West Ham’s next version of the Englishman.

West Ham's next Bowen

The good news for West Ham is that they have more than a few seriously exciting young prospects coming up through the academy at the moment.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

The likes of Preston Fearon, Josh Landers and Emeka Adiele, for example, could all get their chance with the first team in the coming years.

However, when it comes to a Potts-esque youngster who could go on to be the club’s next Bowen, it’s impossible to ignore Andre Dike.

The 17-year-old gem signed scholarship terms with the club in July 2024, and while he had a good 24/25, he has reached another level entirely this year.

For example, in 12 appearances, totalling 987 minutes, he has already scored six goals and provided one assist, which comes out to an impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.71 games, or every 141 minutes.

This ability to reliably produce goal involvements for his team is one of the reasons he could become the club’s next Bowen, and another is that he does so primarily from the right wing.

Moreover, like the first-team captain, he is more than just an output machine, as he’s got brilliant close control and an ability to create something from nothing, stemming from what Academy Manager Kenny Brown described as his “great technical ability.”

Finally, what makes him a Potts-esque prospect, you may ask.

Well, that is partly due to his impressive output, partly down to him being highly rated within the academy from people like Brown, and then partly due to him already making an appearance with the u21s despite being just 17.

Ultimately, there is still a long way to go for Dike, but West Ham look like they have a real talent in him and someone who could one day replace Bowen.

Nuno could solve big Lucas Paqueta blow by unleashing West Ham academy star

The incredible talent could be the perfect answer to Nuno and West Ham’s Paqueta problem.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 3, 2025

Pakistan hardly put on a clinic against Bangladesh, but the universe, it seems, can’t prevent the contest this competition has been destined for

Danyal Rasool26-Sep-20252:24

Aaron: Pakistan found right ‘mixture of calm and emotion’

Shaheen Shah Afridi is apparently a low-value wicket. So low-value, in fact, that Pakistan didn’t even use him with the bat against India last Sunday, which is objectively a high-value match. So low-value that even Bangladesh – impeccable in the field until then – appeared to momentarily forget it was still a wicket worth taking, and put down two fairly straightforward chances Afridi offered up. He had said on Tuesday after Pakistan’s victory over Sri Lanka he was willing to “give his life” for Pakistan, but no one seemed to take him seriously.But there hadn’t been much value from the batters Pakistan do set store by either. Within the first ten balls of the innings, Sahibzada Farhan had sliced Taskin to the backward-point fielder, and Saim Ayub had got his fourth Asia Cup duck after a heady two-game streak of getting off the mark.At this point, Hasan Ali had sprinted up to the middle – not, mercifully, to bat, though with Pakistan sticking and twisting with their order all tournament, you never could be too certain. He gave Fakhar Zaman a drink, and a message, as if Pakistan’s Plan B specifically covered being 5 for 2 inside ten deliveries.Related

• How can Pakistan turn it around against India in the Asia Cup final?

• Simmons rues dropped catches and 'bad decisions'

• Afridi, Rauf and Ayub set up a Pakistan vs India Asia Cup final

It’s unclear what Hasan said, though it didn’t seem to have helped Fakhar’s game much. He would spent his brief, tortured stay at the crease trying to charge Bangladesh’s quicks, his wild hacks connecting only with the desert air. By the time Rishad Hossain came to bowl after the powerplay, the 35-year-old was like the old family faithful that had fought to the very end, and had earned the right to give up. A weary slog off his 20th ball found long-off; his 100th T20I innings would also be his slowest in games where he had faced at least that many balls. The end of the powerplay had seen 24 dot balls, by that stage the highest for any side all tournament.When the innings’ halfway stage arrived, a bedraggled Pakistan had limped to 46 for 4, half of what they managed against India in their last game at this venue, and for the loss of three further wickets. Four days on from the perfect start to the one game Pakistan want to win most, the worst of Pakistan reared its head in the game they had viewed as a stepping stone to one last crack at beating India.

****

It is said in football that the most dangerous situation is a two-goal lead, even though every side wants to get themselves in that position. That is perhaps because momentum, or the perception of it, feels like it plays an outsized role in a sporting contest, like a tug of war contest where the exact position of each line doesn’t matter so much as the direction of travel.With Pakistan 51 for 5 after 11 overs, Bangladesh are ascendant; that wouldn’t have changed even if Nurul Hasan’s little goose-step to the left had been timed well enough to allow the ball to stick in his hand. But it doesn’t. Three balls later, another primitive smear from Afridi flies up into the Ring of Fire lights. Mahedi Hasan puts it down again. Within a couple of overs, Afridi has connected with two balls that are sent sailing out of Dubai. That two-goal lead doesn’t seem quite as secure anymore.1:49

Wahab: Additional pressure on India in the final

“We’ve won a lot of games in the last few months where we were far from owning the whole 40 overs,” coach Mike Hesson said after the game. “We had to fight back. But what I can say about this team is they are incredibly proud to represent Pakistan. Every single one had belief we could fight our way out of it. That’s what you want in a team representing your country. We’re incredibly proud of the way we fought. We don’t want to be 4 for 33 all the time, I assure you that. But the fact we can win games from that position shows the character in the group.”That belief may also have to do with Pakistan’s addiction to these situations. Hesson would say after the game that Bangladesh had prevented Pakistan from playing the perfect match, but Pakistan’s ultimate yearning has always been for chaotic glory, not structured success. High on their own supply of fateful triumphs past, Pakistan strut their way around the remainder of the innings in a manner that belies the position they are in, or the circuitous route they took to get here. This is merely the latest turn for Pakistan in a tournament that has taken on a sense of inevitable destiny for them.That is a force much too powerful for Bangladesh to resist, who will wistfully look back at the last three quarters of the game, and how they allowed themselves to be background characters in Pakistan’s madcap adventure. Hesson’s tactic of eschewing specialist fast bowling to squeeze every last bit of batting into Pakistan’s side always felt like a tactic in search of a situation, but as Pakistan closed out their innings, you imagined this was the kind of game he kept envisioning: nos. 6-9 score a combined 89 in 60 balls, the final nine overs producing 84, the second-highest in the Super Fours so far.Bangladesh supporters outnumber Pakistan’s by at least three to one, so the noise in the stands is a verdict of Bangladesh’s position in the game. As the scorching heat of Dubai relents, more seats are gobbled up. But the voices seem to go even quieter.3:15

Why do Bangladesh struggle in pressure situations?

The four sixes Bangladesh hit in the powerplay belie the leaden timidity they display for much of it. When the fielding restrictions are lifted, they have already outdone Pakistan’s tournament-high dot-ball count; they have played 25. The required rate is soon climbing, and the moment has overtaken them. While Pakistan can grow into these situations, Bangladesh have historically shrunk from them. It is the perfect cocktail to turn them into fodder for Pakistan’s juggernaut.There is no sense, even in that passage of dominance, that Pakistan are putting on any kind of clinic. Even with victory virtually guaranteed, there are moments of comic Pakistan frenzy. Haris Rauf over-exerts himself in the 18th over, falling to his knees in the delivery stride. He will not get up for six minutes as he receives extended treatment. But when he does, he’ll send the bails flying twice in the next three balls.With Bangladesh down to their last pair, Pakistan let them get uncomfortably close, dropping a catch before conceding 21 in ten balls. It leaves the chase a mathematical possibility right down to the last two deliveries. But the universe, it seems, simply cannot hold back the contest this competition was probably created to deliver as frequently as possible.An India vs Pakistan final may have been divinely ordained, but it needed Pakistan at its flawed, human best to take the tournament to that point. There may have been plenty lost in Pakistan cricket over the years, but as the small pocket of supporters who stayed back to dance to “Dil Dil Pakistan” on a muggy Dubai night reminded you, it is still anything but low-value.

“Leave the football before the football leaves you” was the message that Jamie Carragher handed to Manchester United midfielder Casemiro in early 2024.

It was one of the aggressive forms of criticism we’ve seen on Sky Sports in recent years and it was arguably deserved.

The Brazilian was one of the best midfielders in the world at Real Madrid. He was a serial winner, a Champions League legend.

At Old Trafford, however, his career has started to wane. Who could forget Casemiro’s tired and laboured display against Crystal Palace at the back end of 2023/24?

He was dribbled past a remarkable eight times during that game. For no context, no player in the whole of that Premier League campaign was dribbled past on more occasions in one match.

Since then, however, Casemiro has enjoyed something of a revival under Ruben Amorim in 2025/26. Long gone are the days of Erik ten Hag fielding the veteran at centre-half. He looks like a proper midfielder again.

The Brazil international has been one of United’s most consistent players this term, scoring three goals and supplying an assist. Yet, that should not distract supporters from the fact that he is still a problem.

He’s now 33 years of age and cannot be trusted to play for 90 minutes. Because of that, the transfer chiefs at United are considering launching a big-money move for a new midfielder in 2026.

The search for a Casemiro heir at Man United

While many problems linger in the air at Old Trafford, the biggest arguably lies at wing-back and in the centre of midfield.

United bolstered their attacking line significantly in the summer with the additions of Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha but the midfield went untouched. That needs to change in January or next summer.

There are three players who appear to be at the forefront of their minds. Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson would appear to be the dream target but he is also being chased by rivals Manchester City and could cost a fortune.

Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton is another long-term target and could finally make his big move in 2026. He gave Casemiro the runaround during United’s 2-1 win on Sunday. Samuel Luckhurst noted that the Brazilian looked “haunted” by his experience at Selhurst Park just a couple of years ago.

The other target is Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba but his form has taken a downturn in 2025/26 and he doesn’t look like a player worthy of a previous £100m price tag.

Touches

48

Accurate passes

23/29 (79%)

Key passes

1

Accurate crosses

1/3

Shots

1

Tackles won

3/3

Interceptions

1

Clearances

2

Recoveries

7

Duels won

5/7

Anderson and Wharton would be the ideal solution to United’s woes and according to the numbers, it’s the former who should be the priority target.

He’s a bigger threat in the final third but he doesn’t shirk his defensive duties. He’s won more duels and made more ball recoveries per 90 minutes this season than his England colleague. According to Thomas Tuchel, he’s “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League”.

Yet, what if United had already signed their answer to Wharton and Baleba?

Man United have found their own Wharton and Baleba

United have taken a vested interest in improving their youth ranks since INEOS completed their takeover of the club.

Towards the beginning of 2025 they signed young Malian midfielder Sekou Kone in a bargain deal and while he is yet to appear for the first-team just yet, he has endured an injury-hit first few months at Carrington and looks a real superstar in the making.

There is also left wing-back Diego Leon, the young defender who looks well set to replace either Patrick Dorgu or Diogo Dalot in that position before too long.

The latest talent who looks set to arrive is a 17-year-old midfielder by the name of Cristian Orozco.

It was reported last week that United were set to complete a move to sign the teenager, with Orozco flying to the UK over the weekend to formalise a $1m move from Colombian side Fortaleza.

So, who is the budding youngster? Well, he’s notably been compared to both Casemiro and Moises Caicedo. Already it’s clear to see why comparisons are also being made to Baleba, the man Brighton actually tasked with replacing Caicedo at the Amex.

Having captained Colombia at U17 level, he already boasts natural leadership skills but it’s his skillset in and out of possession that makes him so exciting.

Como scout Ben Mattinson has outlined that Orozco is capable of ‘controlling the game from deep in midfield’. His best attributes are his press resistance and footwork to turn past defenders, while he’s ‘so composed under pressure’ and is capable of ‘recycling possession’ superbly well.

On that evidence, it’s easy to see why comparisons to Wharton are being made. The Palace midfielder is one of the most press-resistant midfielders in the English top-flight and that was clear for all to see when he supplied the pass that led to Palace’s penalty on Sunday. He evaded his marker with ease and then picked out a punchy forward pass.

Orozco, however, isn’t just about making things look pretty. Further labelled as “a midfield destroyer with leadership maturity far beyond his age” by one analyst on social media, he also brings the best of Baleba who is more defensively minded than Wharton.

United’s new signing is unlikely to provide them with too much threat in the final third but like Wharton he’ll evade the press and manoeuvre the ball nicely. Like Baleba, he’s also capable of sitting in front of the defence and breaking up play.

The teenager certainly isn’t ready for first-team football just yet but INEOS could well save themselves a fortune in the transfer market here.

Not just Zirkzee: Man Utd star who was a "waste of time" is now undroppable

This Man Utd player starred in their 2-1 win away to Crystal Palace

1 ByJoe Nuttall Nov 30, 2025

There really is nothing like the World Cup. Even just qualifying generates a level of nationwide excitement that the club game simply cannot match, which is why we witnessed truly joyous scenes all across the globe during the November international break, as 14 more countries booked their seat at next summer's festival of football in North America.

It obviously came as no surprise to see the likes of France, Spain and Germany secure their spots at the finals, but Curacao's qualification was absolutely incredible, while Scotland, Norway and Austria are all bound for their first appearances at a World Cup since 1998. Of course, there are still six slots to be filled but it's fair to say that we now have a much better idea of who will be contention to lift the most famous trophy in sport at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19. 

So, who's looking like a potential victor and which countries still have a lot to work to do between now and the opening game in Mexico City on June 11? Below, GOAL assesses the prospects of the three co-hosts (United States, Mexico and Canada) and the other 39 teams to have confirmed their participation in the 2026 World Cup ahead of Friday's group-stage draw in Washington DC…

Getty Images Sport42New Zealand ⬇️

FIFA's decision to grant Oceania a guaranteed spot at the 2026 World Cup made New Zealand's qualification for the finals for the first time since 2010 a formality, as they have nothing remotely resembling worthy rivals in OFC. As defender Michael Boxall said after the All Whites progressed with a 3-0 win over New Caledonia, "We've gone through heartbreak in [previous campaigns] but once the tournament expanded, we expected this of ourselves."

The question now is whether they can make any kind of impact in North America next year. Much will obviously depend on their group-stage opponents, and a recent draw with Norway offered some grounds for optimism – but it's hard to be confident about the prospects of a team that has now slipped to 86th in the world rankings after a run of seven games without a win.

Indeed, they've still only won 11 games against non-OFC opposition in the past 15 years, and Nottingham Forest forward Chris Wood is the only truly top-class player in New Zealand's squad.

AdvertisementAFP41Qatar ⬇️

After underwhelming everyone on their World Cup debut as hosts in 2022, Qatar will be aiming to leave a much more positive impression on the tournament four years on. However, their qualification was shrouded in controversy, with the two-time Asian champions inexplicably allowed to play both of their fourth-round matches on home soil and, after holding Oman to a scoreless draw in Al Rayyan, they beat the United Arab Emirates 2-1 at the same venue to clinch top spot in their three-team group.

Former Real Madrid and Spain boss Julen Lopetegui oversaw the conclusion of Qatar's campaign after taking the manager's job in May, and did a good job shoring up a defence that conceded 24 times in 10 matches during the third round of qualification. In striker Almoez Ali, Lopetegui is also in possession of a prolific striker who scored more goals (12) than anyone else in the AFC section.

Still, getting out of their group in North America is likely to be a tall order for Qatar, who lost a friendly against Zimbabwe in Doha last month and are presently struggling on home soil in the Arab Cup.

AFP40Jordan ⬇️

Jordan made history on June 5 by qualifying for the World Cup for the first time, sparking wild scenes of celebration all across the country. A 3-0 win over Oman, which came courtesy of a hat-trick from Ali Olwan, left Al Nashama on the verge of clinching a spot at the finals, and a top-two finish in AFC Group B was ensured thanks to South Korea's 2-0 win over third-placed Iraq later in the day.

Obviously, not much will be expected of Jordan at the finals. The majority of Jamal Sellami's side ply their trade in their homeland, though star winger Mousa Tamari has spent the majority of his career in Europe, and left Montpellier for Rennes earlier this year.

Jordan, who are ranked 66th in the world, have also been steadily improving over the past few years and even upset South Korea on their way to a runners-up finish at the 2023 Asian Cup in Qatar, but recent friendly defeats to Bolivia, Albania and Tunisia underline that their World Cup campaign is likely to be a hard slog.

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AFP39Curacao 🆕

Curacao have improved enormously over the past 10 years, rising from 150th to 82nd in the world rankings, but their qualification for the finals is nonetheless astonishing. Indeed, it still looked unlikely during their decisive group game against a heavily-fancied Jamaica side, who hit the woodwork three times in last month's clash in Kingston and also had an injury-time penalty overturned by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).

However, despite also being shorn of the services of coach Dick Advocaat, who missed the game for personal reasons, Curacao held firm to claim the point they needed to become the smallest nation – both in terms of size and population – to ever qualify for the World Cup. So, while The Blue Wave is unlikely to make a big impact in North America with a low-profile group of players (Manchester United academy product Tahith Chong will be the most familiar face to Premier League followers), it doesn't really matter. Curacao have already made history.

New Zealand’s four-man pace attack tore through West Indies’ fragile batting line-up with swing, pace and bounce, dismissing the visitors for 161 in the third ODI in Hamilton. Having already wrapped up the series, New Zealand swept West Indies 3-0 and fortified their command at home – they have lost just two ODIs at home since the start of 2020.Only South Africa (17) have achieved more consecutive bilateral series wins than New Zealand’s 11 at home in men’s ODIs.In the absence of the injured Daryl Mitchell, the current No.1-ranked ODI batter, New Zealand were made to work hard in their chase. They lost their top three within 11 overs, and then Tom Latham also fell cheaply, but Mark Chapman settled New Zealand along with Michael Bracewell. He crashed 64 off 63 balls, countering both Matthew Forde and Jayden Seales, who had posed a bigger threat with the new ball, and putting New Zealand back on the road to another win.Michael Bracewell also flexed his muscle at the other end in a 75-run partnership for the fifth wicket off only 48 balls. Their presence kept left-arm fingerspinner Khary Pierre, who had replaced the injured Romario Shepherd, away from the attack. Pierre didn’t bowl at all and ended up playing as a specialist fielder during West Indies’ defence.Chapman and captain Mitchell Santner holed out when New Zealand were on the doorstep of victory, but Bracewell and Zak Foulkes took them home with four wickets and almost 20 overs to spare.After opting to bat first, West Indies had left almost 14 overs unused in their innings. Matt Henry was the wrecker-in-chief, coming away with 4 for 43 while Kyle Jamieson, Jacob Duffy and Foulkes, who had replaced the injured Nathan Smith (hamstring issue), shared four among them. In the absence of Shepherd, who was out with a hamstring niggle of his own, West Indies’ batting lacked depth.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

It was Henry who started West Indies’ slide in the powerplay when he removed rookie opener Ackeem Auguste and Keacy Carty in the fifth over. Auguste, 22, squandered another start when he flapped a hard-length delivery to mid-on for 17 off 19 balls. Henry then shifted to a Test-match line and length to have an indecisive Carty chopping on for a duck.The Seddon Park conditions didn’t offer prodigious swing or seam movement, but there was enough to keep Henry and Jamieson interested. Jamieson went around the wicket and found movement and extra bounce to have John Campbell, the other opener, nicking off to slip for 26 off 24 balls. Apart from Campbell, Roston Chase was the only other West Indies batter to pass 25.Shai Hope, the best batter in this West Indies ODI side, had a decent start, but his innings was cut short on 16 when Foulkes had him caught by the keeper down the leg side off an inswinger. West Indies slumped to 77 for 4 at that point.Only the early juice disappeared, New Zealand’s quicks relentlessly banged the ball into the pitch and discomfited West Indies’ batters. Henry, Jamieson and Duffy all showed their creativity and range by bowling cross-seamers and scrambled-seam deliveries into the pitch.Sherfane Rutherford, Chase and Shamar Springer all were bounced out and at one stage, Santner had even installed Rachin Ravindra at short leg. Neil Wagner, who was in the commentary box, might have had memories of his own short-ball bursts.Shai Hope throws his head back in disappointment after being strangled down the leg side•Getty Images

Chase needed some treatment and taping on his hand after Jamieson smacked him on his glove with a lifter in the 30th over. After Jamieson had softened Chase up, Henry made the incision in the next over when he had the batter top-edging a catch to extra-cover.Pierre and Seales showed some semblance of resistance with an 18-run stand for the last wicket before Henry broke through and applied the finishing touches.Santner had also done his bit with the ball, picking up the wickets of Justin Greaves and Forde in his first over to hasten West Indies’ collapse.West Indies then hit back through Forde and Seales with the ball. Seales dared Devon Conway to hook and had him caught at long leg before prolonging Will Young’s lean run. Forde, who has troubled left-handers with his sharp angle from around the wicket and swing throughout this tour, had Ravinda chopping on for 14. When Chase had Latham caught at midwicket, New Zealand appeared vulnerable at 70 for 4, especially in the absence of Mitchell, but the left-handed duo of Chapman and Bracewell saved the day for them.Chapman had a slow start – he was on 13 off 29 balls at one point – but turned up the tempo to reach his fifty off 58. He took Forde for 4,6,4,4 in the 27th over and ruined his figures. Bracewell remained unbeaten to seal the deal along with Foulkes.

Aston Villa are now prepared to make a £52m offer for a “baller” in the January transfer window, with Unai Emery personally keen.

Villa make major statement in dramatic Arsenal victory

Villa sent out a message to the rest of the Premier League by picking up a dramatic late victory against league leaders Arsenal on Saturday afternoon, with Emiliano Buendia firing home in stoppage time to secure a 2-1 win.

In the wake of the result, which leaves Emery’s side just three points behind the Gunners, Mikel Arteta has admitted the Villans are genuine Premier League title contenders.

When asked whether the Villa Park outfit can challenge, Arteta said: “They are. When you look at where they are, the way they play, they have beaten some big teams, especially at home. Everybody is going to have to play everybody, so at the moment they are where they are and we are there as well.”

That said, it is still early days, given that we aren’t even at the half-way stage of the season just yet, and Emery is eager to bring in some new reinforcements, who could boost his side’s title push, during the January transfer window.

That is according to a report from Spain, which states the Aston Villa manager is now personally keen on signing Athletic Club star Mikel Jauregizar next month, but a deal could be on the expensive side.

Villa are prepared to offer up to €60m (£52m) to secure Jauregizar’s signature, with the Spanish club reluctant to sanction a departure unless they receive an ‘irresistible’ bid.

Emery believes the central midfielder would be an ideal fit in his system, and the Villans are now determined to get a deal done, so much so that they may even be willing to make an even higher bid.

"Baller" Jauregizar impressing in the Champions League

If Villa are going to make a genuine push to win the Premier League title, they may need to bring in some new players with experience at the highest level, and the 22-year-old has been impressing in the Champions League this season, chipping in with two assists in five matches.

Hailed as an “underrated baller” by scout Ben Mattinson, the maestro is also strong at winning back possession, averaging 2.87 tackles per 90 over the past year, placing him in the 89th percentile, when compared to other midfielders.

Related Aston Villa now want to tempt Chelsea summer signing with surprise January move

It would be a head turner.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini 7 days ago

Jauregizar is clearly a very well-rounded midfielder, capable of making an impact at both ends of the pitch, and Aston Villa could strengthen their title chances by getting a deal done in January.

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