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Former Premier League star Luke Moore has told Wrexham fans that they shouldn't hold their breath over the prospect of promotion, as the club aim to find a way out of the Championship and into the promised land of the top-tier. The Welsh side have enjoyed back-to-back-to-back promotions from the National League, but Moore thinks they will simply run into too much resistance to climb out of the second-tier at the first time of asking.

Wrexham eyeing promotion

The Welsh club have enjoyed a staggering rise from non-league to within one more promotion of the Premier League. Phil Parkinson's side, though, have found it difficult as they attempt to adapt to the increased competition in a league that regularly features massive clubs dropping out of the top-flight with immense parachute payments behind them. Thus far this season, they sit 10th, having won six, drawn eight, and lost four of their 18 games. Parkinson's troops are just three points behind Bristol City in sixth, the final play-off spot, and are seven behind second-placed Middlesbrough. Leaders Coventry City are almost out of sight, sitting 17 points clear of Wrexham.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMoore's warning

Moore is unsurprised that Wrexham have found the adaptation period difficult, and believes it would take a "fairytale" for them to win promotion and has praised the "innovation" of Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac.

He told BetVictor Casino: “It would be really a fairytale if they managed to get promoted this season. But the Championship is so hard to get out of, so I wouldn't hold my breath. But in terms of them as a club, they're doing incredible things. From what I hear, they're quite innovative in terms of how they are getting money through the door as well, which obviously helps them grow.

“The boys look like they're enjoying playing for the club. I think sometimes that's always the biggest indicator of how well a club's run or how healthy it is. I think it's a good thing and I think we need more team like Wrexham. I wouldn't call them a disturber, but they're making noise and they're making a mark, so you can't knock it.

“It’s more the merrier in that sense, I think the clubs need to be more innovative of how they get fans to the games and put across their brand, especially in the lower leagues, it needs to be better. People say that football's getting boring so we need every bit of excitement that we can get, honestly. So I'm all for documentaries, I think you have just got to keep pushing a good product out on the pitch so the fans enjoy it.”

Wrexham's ambition

Regardless of their results this season, co-owners Reynolds and Mac have firmly set their sights on reaching the Premier League. 

Mac has confirmed they are going to continue reaching for the pinnacle of the sport, whether they get there quickly, or gradually. 

He said: "That's the way the pyramid is set up and why not us? Why should that be reserved for other towns, for other cities?

"It doesn't mean it's going to be easy and it doesn't mean that it's just going to happen quickly. It could take many, many years for it to happen. We're going to make a push to do it as quickly as possible, because we don't know any other way to do it, but we're going to do it the right way."

He added: "We're going to do it [reach the Premier League] in the same way that we've been doing it from day one, which is asking the town," McElhenney said. "I sort of jumped the gun early on and just assumed that that's what the people of the town wanted for their club, and that that wasn't necessarily the case.

"I had a lot of very long conversations with people that said, 'Well, we might not be ready for that. The town might not be ready for that and the club might not be ready for that.'

"We have to make sure that we're always checking in with the community to make sure that this is what they want. It was a crazy pipe dream four or five years ago where we got laughed at by the media and by the world, but I don't think anybody's laughing anymore."

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Mac has accepted that Premier League promotion brings with it its own challenges, but he is not giving up. 

He added: "We don't want to build something that's unsustainable. As glorious as it might be to be promoted to the Premier League, it would be equally as tragic to be relegated again, because that can very quickly create that spiral downwards.

"Is the ultimate goal the Premier League? Yes, of course. Is it winning the Premier League? Yes, of course. But that actually isn't the number one goal. The number one goal is building something for the next generation and leaving something behind that is sustainable for the rest of its existence."

Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye has quickly addressed the shocking red card he was shown in the first half of his team's eventual win over Manchester United on Monday night, received for raising his hand to collegaue Michael Keane after an altercation between the pair on the pitch. Both Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Toffees boss David Moyes have also given their reaction.

• Gueye's public apology

  The incident erupted when Keane seemingly took exception to Gueye carelessly giving the ball away near to Everton's goal, which resulted in Manchester United having a shot. There were angry words exchanged and then pushing and shoving between the pair, during which Gueye's hand swiped at Keane's face. He was quickly pulled away from the situation by goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, but it was the latter action which resulted in the midfielder being sent off.

  The red card meant that Everton played all but 13 minutes of the match with a player disadvantage, miraculously still able to pick up a rare 1-0 win at Old Trafford, and Gueye didn't fail to see the significance of what he had done.

  "I want to apologise first to my team-mate Michael Keane," the player began, in a statement published as an Instagram story. "I take full responsibility for my reaction. I also apologise to my team-mates, the staff, the fans and the club. What happened does not reflect who I am or the values I stand for. Emotions can run high, but nothing justifies such behaviour. I'll make sure it never happens again."

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  Gueye 'said his piece' to Everton team-mates

  Before going public, Gueye had already said sorry to the rest of the Everton squad behind closed doors, straight after the full-time whistle in Manchester.

  "Idrissa has apologised to us at full-time, said his piece and that's all he can do," Dewsbury-Hall, scorer of what proved to be Everton's winning goal in the first half, told afterwards.

  "We move on from it. The reaction from us, was unbelievable. Top tier. We could have crumbled but if anything, it made us grow.

  The former Chelsea midfielder was also asked what Moyes had made of the dismissal and how the manager had reacted to it at half-time, adding: "He just said: that's done now. We'll deal with that another time. It was about keeping to the plan we had. He made sure we do the right things, continue what we're doing. We can't change that now, second half we continued to do that."

• Moyes bizarrely pleased by incident

  He might have thought very differently had the game not finished up as Everton's first win at Old Trafford since 2013 – ironically when Moyes himself was Manchester United manager and Bryan Oviedo scored the decisive Toffees goal – but the Scot claimed he saw a major positive in the Gueye flashpoint because of what it represented.

  "There's another side to it," Moyes said. "I like my players fighting each other, if someone didn't do the right action. If you want that toughness and resilience to get a result, you want someone to act on it."

  On the actual decision to send Gueye off in the first place, Moyes added: "If nothing happened, I don't think anyone in the stadium would have been surprised. I thought the referee could have taken a bit longer to think about it. I got told that the rules of the game are that if you slap your own player, you could be in trouble.

  "I'm disappointed we got the sending off. But we've all been footballers, we get angry with our team-mates. He's apologised for the sending off, he's praised the players and thanked them for it and apologised for what happened."

  co-commentator Gary Neville disagreed with the decision to send Gueye off: "How much venom was in that slap? He has been sent off for that. Was it a little slap or a proper whack? There is no doubt a hand comes out to the face but it didn't look too much. They might have had to send him off purely because there is a strike to the face. They were not fighting, it wasn't a scrap. It could have been dealt with by a yellow. I don't think it needed to be a red."

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  Gueye to serve automatic suspension

  The standard punishment for a straight red card in the Premier League is an automatic three-game ban, which the FA has the power to increase on a case by case basis, depending on the severity of the incident. With debate as to whether a red card was even a fair punishment, this instance differs vastly from the infamous on-field between Newcastle team-mates Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer, who had bans upgraded to seven games, so increasing it is highly unlikely.

  As it stands, Gueye will miss Everton's three upcoming Premier League games against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest, and will be eligible to return for the trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea on December 13.

Former West Ham United player Don Hutchison has urged the club to sign Real Madrid star Endrick. The Brazilian is not receiving enough playing time under the new Los Blancos head coach, Xabi Alonso, and is looking for a new club in the upcoming January transfer window. Although he has a few suitors, West Ham are yet to establish themselves as a top option for the youngster, who has a few conditions before making a switch.

• Endrick not receiving minutes at Real Madrid

  In 2024, Endrick was signed with a lot of hope by the Madrid board, as he shone bright in Brazil while featuring for Palmeiras. His first season, which was under Italian head coach Carlo Ancelotti, saw him register 37 appearances, scoring seven goals and providing an assist. However, ever since the start of the Xabi Alonso era this season, the Brazilian wonderkid has yet to find a place in the starting lineup, or even in the squad. As now now, he has managed only 11 minutes in La Liga, and is currently seeking a way out of the club to reclaim his firing form. While Alonso had claimed that he has faith on the 2006 born Brazilian, he is yet to give me a proper chance to shine. Moreover, the competition inside the squad has been immense, with Gonzalo Garcia climbing the pecking order after his sensational performances at the Club World Cup and Kylian Mbappe establishing himself as their most important goal-getter. 

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  Don Hutchison wants West Ham to sign Endrick

  It is estimated that Endrick is moving out of Madrid, but his destination is yet to be guaranteed. Amidst this, former West Ham player Hutchison has urged his former club to sign the 19-year-old. 

  He told Sportscasting: "Yeah, I think it would be a good move for West Ham to get Endrick if it’s possible. He's a strong boy. You look at the physicality. He’s stocky and he's strong. He needs to be given time, which is hard in the Premier League. He might be better off going to Sociedad like Isak or Odegaard did. Sometimes it pays to stay in La Liga, but you go and play every single week, building your strength, lungs and legs up. You get your confidence, goals and your mentality and bring it up that way. 

  "Because what you wouldn't want to do is bring him to West Ham or a team in the Premier League that are in a relegation fight, where you haven't got time to play them every single game, because you might be losing games along the way. You haven't got time to bed these young kids in. So if I was Endrick, I'd be looking at a short-term move in La Liga to try and play every single week to then have the potential to either move to England or back to Real Madrid. That being said, it’s a move that I would endorse for the Hammers."

• Endrick has some clauses for a transfer

  Signing Endrick would not be easy for West Ham, as the youngster has some conditions to fulfil in his procedure of selecting a new club. His first criterion is the weight of the league, and it has to be among the top ones in Europe. While he might consider the top clubs in Portugal, his preference is England, Spain, France, Italy, and Germany. Moreover, the club needs to be a participant in the continental competitions and a strong contender for the domestic league. Lastly, the team needs to have an attacking mindset so as to comply with Endrick's strengths. French outfit Lyon have emerged as a potential destination for the 19-year-old, ousting Manchester United's approach of signing the player on loan. However, the deal is yet to be completed, and might take a drastic turn in case another club emerges in the mix.

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  West Ham's current situation and Endrick's possible move

  While Hutchison has recommended Endrick's name to the club, West Ham might not be the ideal destination for the Brazilian. The Hammers currently sit 18th in the Premier League and are not a part of a continental competition. Battling to establish a better ranking to not fight relegation, West Ham do need a few reinforcements in the side, but signing Endrick might not be the best option for them. Returning from injury, Endrick is yet to achieve a start this season. Moreover, the club's conditions don't comply with the clauses set by the player. 

Coach Sammy doesn’t want to “let the pitch play on our minds” while his Bangladesh counterpart felt it looked like a “normal Mirpur wicket”

Mohammad Isam17-Oct-2025

Going by the reactions of both Phil Simmons and Darren Sammy, how exactly will the pitch at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium play?The Bangladesh and West Indies coaches wore curious smiles when they were asked about the pitch ahead of the first ODI. West Indies coach Sammy said he had “never seen anything like it before,” while his Bangladesh counterpart called it a “normal Mirpur wicket.”A sneak peek of the pitch, captured by one journalist, revealed a black surface – typical for this venue. Sammy said the West Indies players would have to assess the conditions before deciding on how they are going to approach batting here.Related

Bangladesh, West Indies prepare to do battle with puzzles to solve

“I’m not sure if we can replicate it; we’ve never seen anything like that before,” Sammy said. “I don’t know how to describe it. However, we will not let the pitch play on our minds. Wherever we go, the mantra remains the same: you still have to assess the conditions that you are faced with. And then once you’ve assessed it, you’ve got to decide what skill set is required to be successful, and then you back yourself in your delivery. And that’s where you add something to your game: ADD (Assess, Decide, Deliver).”Simmons suggested the pitch would bring some turn into the contest. “It looks like a normal Mirpur wicket,” he said. “So, it usually has some sort of turn in it, which is good.”Bangladesh coach Phil Simmons felt the lack of form of the top order had forced Mehidy Hasan Miraz to curb his attacking style•Randy Brooks

West Indies have brought a group of young batters into the ODI setup for this tour of Bangladesh. Only captain Shai Hope and Roston Chase have played in these conditions previously. Hope said he was sharing his knowledge with the rest of the group.”I am trying to share as much experience as I can,” Hope said. “When you play in foreign conditions, it’s very important as an experienced player or as a senior player in the team to share all the knowledge that you possibly can. In this situation, we all have a desire to do well for the West Indies, and it’s very important as a cricketer, especially as a batter, to come into these conditions and perform well.”So all the little learning that I would have gained from my previous trip – it’s about having those conversations with the remaining batters and trying to get the best out of each and every one of us.”At least West Indies have played in India recently. The home side, on the other hand, have a lot to worry about, especially with their batting line-up. There are only one or two automatic picks, as the likes of Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, and Jaker Ali have all struggled for form recently. The promising opener Tanzid Hasan even lost his place in the ODI side during the series against Afghanistan last week.Because of the lack of form of the top order, Bangladesh coach Simmons felt captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz has had to curb his strokeplay to ensure wickets are conserved. “Because of the start we’ve had, that’s the way he’s had to play – especially the one with him and Towhid Hridoy in that partnership [in the first ODI against Afghanistan].” he said. “He had to build it back. And that’s been the pace that we have to look at. In that situation, he had to play like that, but I’m sure in a different situation, he will play accordingly.”

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.

Greaves and Roach stayed put for 68.1 overs to deny New Zealand and eke out a miraculous draw

Abhijato Sensarma06-Dec-20251:01

Chase: Roach is a modern-day legend

Strong winds make impressions on the sweaters worn by New Zealand’s players. Creases on their foreheads make a bigger one. The sun is out, shadows lengthen, and they are being made to sweat.Cricket’s most aesthetic miracles end in victory against the odds – Kolkata 2001, Edgbaston 2005, Gabba 2021 to pick three from this century. High drama and tense finishes. Christchurch 2025 is different.West Indies are 72 for 4, chasing 531, before tea on the fourth day. Defeat appears inevitable. Shai Hope and Justin Greaves survive until stumps. Normal service resumes when Hope and the No. 7 Tevin Imlach fall quickly on the final morning. Kemar Roach joins Greaves. They begin to bat, and bat.Related

• Justin Greaves: 'Test cricket a massive step up from first-class cricket in Caribbean'

• Greaves 202*, Roach 58* anchor West Indies to epic draw

• Greaves' fourth-innings double and WI's marathon

• Greaves: 'Special, special day for me; special day for the team'

For the next session and a half, they survive on a pitch without much jeopardy. The odds of a draw increase ever so gradually; the faintest glimmer of a shot at victory. West Indies need 132 in the final session of the final day, but are one wicket away from it all crashing down. A crowd of a few hundred around the lush banks at Hagley Oval is watching.Across the Tasman, thousands are watching Test cricket in fast-forward at the Gabba. If Bazball is aesthetic for some, Australia are responding with their own brand of break-neck batting. Roach, however, has not scored for 72 balls. At some point during this passage of play, he survives an appeal for caught behind to a Michael Bracewell delivery spinning away from off stump, and is saved because New Zealand have no reviews left. Soon, a ball from Zak Foulkes rises at him. He gets inside the line – almost in a tangle – and somehow pushes it to mid-on.Justin Greaves and Kemar Roach helped West Indies pull off an epic draw•Getty ImagesNew Zealand will not be breaching his defences today.At some point in the final session, as the rest of the cricket world begins to wake up to the possibilities in Christchurch, it becomes evident West Indies are playing for a draw. Like the summit of a mountain, 531 is within sight, but it’s farther and more fraught with risk than it appears to those on the outside. Fatigue is physical and mental, and focus is fragile.Roach deadbats deliveries. The pitch is placid but once in a while a ball rips in from the footmarks outside off to threaten the stumps or the edge, forcing the batter into coming forward to block. At other times, he contorts into positions that keep the bat face tilted down, knocking the ball into the pitch.Defence becomes an all-encompassing routine: eyes on ball, move your feet, keep head still, pat it down, repeat. No matter whether you need one run to win, or a couple hundred, you defend the same. The ball yields no result beyond an annotation for itself: it’s a , an acknowledgment of the inability to – or intent not to – score off it.Turbo-charged batting influenced by white-ball formats has contributed to some memorable Tests in recent years, but this match has entered a meditative space unique to the five-day format – the aesthetic of attrition. Roach is on 53 for the longest time… and suddenly, 54. He keeps meeting the ball with the full face of the bat anyway. His contortions do not matter as much as the fact that he is running down the overs.1:36

Did West Indies think of going for the win on the last day?

At the other end is Greaves, taller, with a higher back-lift, and a more solid defence, inching towards a double-century. New Zealand’s bowlers pull back their lengths. Greaves plays with a long stride, and brings his bat down with flair, almost like a full-frontal chop.He too has pared back his scoring options as the overs go by. New Zealand start bringing fielders in as the danger of defeat recedes. For Roach, there are four close catchers on the corners of the small box around him. Once in a while, ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ are heard: a close chance at short leg, a ball drifting in padded away, the faint hopes of a fainter edge.The final hour begins. West Indies are 96 away with four wickets in hand. Greaves on 185, Roach on 53. No Bazball batting here. Spectators stroll beyond the boundary, a child stretches out on his father’s shoulders, and out in the middle they block.After another incidental run, an announcement is heard that West Indies have achieved the second highest fourth-innings total in Test history – 452. It’s received with a ripple of applause. Greaves and Roach gently bump fists in the middle. They have climbed a summit no one else has this century.Justin Greaves scored his maiden double hundred in Tests•Getty ImagesGreaves gets to his own landmark in the penultimate over of the match – off a rare full delivery, sliced over backward point. For once, the ball means something beyond survival. He takes off his helmet, bumps fists with his partner, and acknowledges his dressing room. He’s only the seventh man to make a double hundred in the fourth innings of a Test.They remain unbeaten for 68.1 overs. Greaves for 388 deliveries, Roach for 233. West Indies finish 74 short of the target, but their victory is in 163.3 overs survived.Let’s stay with them for this one last ball. Rachin Ravindra jogs in. His delivery is short of a length, sliding across off. Greaves moves back, head still, eyes on the ball, offering the full face of the bat for one final time.The shadows are now long in Christchurch. Greaves and Roach take off their helmets and gloves and embrace near the pitch. It’s still a sunny evening. A strong wind makes impressions on their jerseys. And as they begin walking towards their team-mates in the dressing room, the creases on their foreheads are gone.

Mhatre’s 65 gave India A a strong start, but they slumped from 90 for no loss to 234 all out to concede a 75-run first-innings lead

Shashank Kishore31-Oct-2025

Prenelan Subrayen is, in every sense, a marathon man. How else does one describe a cricketer whose spirit refuses to be dimmed, even after the repeated heartbreak of being reported for a suspect action? Each time he has been forced to rebuild, he has returned with more fire, more resolve, more love for his craft than before.At 32, Subrayen’s career is just two Tests old. Earlier this month in Pakistan, he played the first Test in Lahore, and made way when Keshav Maharaj returned from injury for the second Test in Rawalpindi. Then, last week, he learned of his non-selection for the India tour.Related

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But in his first outing since that disappointment, Subrayen reminded everyone of his qualities. On Friday in Bengaluru, he wheeled away tirelessly, bowling 22 overs unchanged to rip through the heart of India A’s batting order and restore South Africa A’s advantage by stumps on Day 2 of the first unofficial Test. From 90 for no loss, India slumped to 234 all out as Subrayen picked up 5 for 61. Having pocketed a 75-run first-innings lead, South Africa A ended the day 30 for no loss.Subrayen’s five scalps included some noted names. He deceived Ayush Mhatre in flight as he advanced, forcing him to chip to midwicket for 65, the highest score of the India A innings. Devdutt Padikkal mistimed a lofted hit to mid-off as he stepped out, and Rajat Patidar was bowled through the gate attempting to drive against the turn.Subrayen employed as many as four catchers around the bat at most times. Tanush Kotian, who has bailed Mumbai out of tough situations time and again, was out jabbing to one of them, short leg, and Khaleel Ahmed mistimed a slog to long-on to give Subrayen his 13th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.While Subrayen did the bulk of the damage, others had moments to remember too. Okuhle Cele is likely replay his ball to dismiss Rishabh Pant over and over.Midway through the second session, when Pant walked out to bat for the first time since returning from his broken foot, there was a sense of anticipation around the ground among the handful present. He charged down the pitch first ball, and swung hell for leather, only to connect with thin air.Cele then bowled short at Pant, attempting to target his ribcage, not wanting to give him any room to drive or slash. And on 17, the tactic found its reward, Pant jabbing to Zubayr Hamza in the slips while attempting to fend one away.The only India A batter to make an impression with the bat was young Mhatre. He fearlessly drove on the up, played a few delightful straight drives, and took on spin from get-go. All of this brought him a 46-ball half-century. He was eventually out for 65, his knock containing 10 fours.B Sai Sudharsan, his opening partner, was edgy for much of his 94-ball stay. Early on, an attempt to pinch a single to mid-off nearly had him run out on 2; he was saved by a full-stretch dive at the non-striker’s end. Sudharsan alternated between denying himself outside off and poking at deliveries that left him. Eventually, Tshepo Moreki worked him over with an away-going delivery that he nicked behind for 32.This was when Subrayen stepped up and began his marathon spell, which has now put South Africa A firmly in the driver’s seat with two full days remaining.

Barcelona sporting director Deco has ruled out triggering Marcus Rashford's buy option before next summer and he instead revealed an alternate plan for the January transfer window. Rashford, who joined the Catalan giants on a one-year loan deal after falling out of favour under Ruben Amorim at Manchester United, has made a bright start to his maiden campaign in La Liga.

Rashford enjoying life in Spain

Rashford’s Barcelona career is off to a flying start following his summer loan from United. After years of inconsistency in the Premier League with the Red Devils, the English winger has finally rediscovered his spark at the Catalan club under Hansi Flick. Rashford's blistering pace, improved decision-making, and renewed confidence were on full display during last month's El Clasico, where he set up Fermin Lopez’s goal, and also in his Champions League brace against Olympiacos. 

The 28-year-old’s resurgence has been aided by Brazilian winger Raphinha’s injury troubles since the start of the 2025-26 campaign, which opened the door for Rashford to become the club’s first-choice left winger. He has made the role his own, striking an immediate connection with the likes of Ferran Torres and Lopez in Flick’s fluid attacking system.

The Englishman’s turnaround has not gone unnoticed, with Barcelona officials already in talks to activate the option-to-buy clause included in his loan deal with United. He has also made a comeback to the England national team and looks set to make Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad next year. 

AdvertisementGettyBarca unlikely to trigger Rashford buy option before summer

Despite Rashford's impressive performance, Barcelona will not trigger the buy option in his contract in January as the club are not in a healthy position financially. Speaking at Camp Nou's reopening for a training session, sporting director Deco said: "If we are doing well and there are no surprises, I don't think it's necessary. We know exactly where we can improve and the difficulties we face. Last season, we also went through some difficult moments and we were able to overcome them. 

"When we lower the intensity, we suffer. We need to have the best players. There are no excuses, but when you can't make changes because of injuries and they affect our midfield. There are things to improve even when we win."

Rashford ready to further elevate his performances

After scoring in the Blaugrana's 3-1 win over Elche last weekend, Rashford admitted that he is capable of performing even better as he told reporters: "I try to give my best. I could have done better against Elche and I promise to improve, but I'm generally happy with my performance. It's a very important win. It's always important, after a defeat, to win the next game; that's the most important thing. In my opinion, if I do things right on the pitch and with the team, I'll always be able to score and create goals. My goal is to connect with my team-mates and feel in sync with them, and that's exactly how I feel right now.

"We work hard to win. We're taking it one game at a time. We need to keep playing as a team. This is Barca , and the demands must always be at their highest. It's true we have a lot of injuries, but that's football, and the same eleven players won't win every game. We must keep playing as one team and show fighting spirit and unity."

Speaking on Rashford's performance, Flick had said: "When you see the chances he has, one or two goals more will be good, also for him. But we can be happy with him, of course. I am very happy with him. He can play on this level and I am happy he shows it, for the fans and for the club, and also for the teammates he is a very important player."

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AFPWhen will Rashford play next?

Rashford will be back in action for the Catalan side on Sunday as they take on Celta Vigo in a crucial La Liga fixture. The striker will then link up with Tuchel's England for their upcoming World Cup qualifying matches against Serbia and Albania on November 13 and 16 respectively.

Arsenal star Bukayo Saka has slammed the club's critics for constantly changing their opinion on the Premier League title race. Mikel Arteta's side have made a dream start to the 2025-26 campaign and they find themselves four points clear at the top of the table after 11 matches, but Saka has dismissed the favourites tag been placed upon the Gunners at this early stage.

• Arsenal eyeing first title in over two decades

  It has been 22 years since Arsenal last won the Premier League title under Arsene Wenger's tutelage. After decades of disappointment, Arteta is finally making the Gunners dream again to become the champions of England. The Spanish manager has transformed Arsenal back into title challengers over the last few seasons with three successive runners-up finishes.

  They looked well placed to go one better this term, having lost just just one out of their first 11 matches in the Premier League to move four points clear of Manchester City at the summit. Arsenal have remained unbeaten across all competitions since losing against Liverpool in August, and enjoyed a ten-game winning run before drawing 2-2 with Sunderland on Saturday.

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  Saka refuse to accept favourites tag

  Speaking to talkSPORT about Arsenal's chances of winning the league this season, Saka said: "That’s for other people to say. We just have to win every game, that’s the mentality we go into the games with. See where it leaves us, we can’t get carried away with what people are saying. Because one day they’ll say something, the next day they’ll say something different. It’s exactly what I said, people’s opinions and thoughts about us change like the weather. The most important thing is the changing room, how solid we are, the foundation we have, the belief we have in ourselves. How we stick together, through the good and bad, that’s the most important. We can’t pay attention to the external noise because it’s always fluctuating. We’re good, we’re in a good place, and now it’s time to focus on international duty."

• Neville backing Arsenal to win the league

  In October, after Arsenal's win over Crystal Palace, Manchester United legend and pundit Gary Neville said on the : "This has got to be them, hasn't it? This has got to be their year. This is the fourth season on the bounce that I've had them to win the league, but they're not necessarily miles better, they're repeating their levels of consistency, and that's all they're going to have to do this year to win the league. They're not going to have to go and get 100 points, they're not going to have to get even 90 or 95 points to win the league, mid-80s, high 80s will win them this title, and they can do that. I mentioned before about the other teams [being] inconsistent and unreliable, that's not this Arsenal team. They're very reliable. You can trust them. The way in which they defend is fantastic. 

  "They're all around each other. They don't concede goals. They've got a threat up front in multiple areas. They've not got a sensational centre-forward, but they've got a battering ram up there as honest as a day's long, and that can work for them. They've got [Eberechi] Eze, they've got so they've got [Noni] Madueke, [Gabriel] Martinelli, [Leandro] Trossard, lots of players who can contribute goals. They've got [Declan] Rice who can obviously deliver in set-pieces. They've got four fantastic full-backs and three excellent centre-backs."

  He added: "So there are a lot of very good things going for Arsenal. It's about making sure now they don't get carried away. It's about making sure they just keep doing the same things. They don't need to do anything spectacular here. Just keep doing your jobs. Keep doing what you do, and you will win this league. It's yours to win. This is your title, Arsenal. I've never really felt that sure before. It's so early in the season, it's madness for someone with the experience that I've got of winning titles to say that 'it's yours', but it really is. They must feel it themselves. The Arsenal fans must feel it. They must know that this is the moment that Arsenal can get back on top. This is a moment for Mikel Arteta, for these players, for Arsenal to represent themselves as being the best in the country. The chance and the opportunity is there for them, they've got to go and take it."

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  Is this finally Arsenal's year?

  It is too early to predict the outcome of a fiercely competitive competition like the Premier League, with a hectic festive period now looming large. However, Arsenal's squad depth and their consistency are giving hope to the fans that the club might finally get job done this season. Arteta's side will next face rivals Tottenham in the north London derby on November 23.

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.