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That was about as perfect a return from the international break Arsenal could have hoped for.

Mikel Arteta’s side played host to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon and, following losses for Liverpool and Manchester City, had a chance to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table.

Fortunately, and unlike last season, the Gunners made the most of the opportunity, bulldozing their bitter rivals 4-1.

4

Goals

1

57%

Possession

43%

3

Big Chances

0

17

Total Shots

3

8

Shots on Target

2

1

Saves

4

4

Corners

1

448

Passes

330

There were exceptional performances across the entire pitch for Arsenal, but one player really stood out, a player who could be on his way to becoming the new Ian Wright.

Arsenal's standout performers against Spurs

While every single player performed brilliantly for Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, Lenadro Trossard was once again one of the clear standouts.

The in-form Belgian was a huge attacking threat from the first minute to the 78th, when Noni Madueke replaced him, and it was his brilliant touch and strike that saw the Gunners take the lead.

He then provided an assist for the final goal of the game and made it abundantly clear that he should remain the starting left-winger for the foreseeable future.

Chalkboard

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

Likewise, even if Viktor Gyokeres is fit to face Chelsea next week, there is a strong argument, made even more so by his display on Sunday, that Mikel Merino should keep his place leading the line.

The Spaniard didn’t score against Spurs, but it was his incredible pass over the top of their backline that led to the opening strike.

Moreover, his constant dropping back into the midfield constantly gave Arteta’s side a numerical advantage there and allowed his attacking teammates to find space further up the pitch.

Finally, he didn’t get on the scoresheet either, but Declan Rice was utterly superb in the middle of the park and looked every bit the £105m monster the Emirates faithful hoped he’d be when they signed him.

The former West Ham United captain was here, there and everywhere. One minute he was winning the ball off a Tottenham player, and the next he was marauding through the middle of the park before laying it off for one of his teammates.

In fact, he provided the assist for the Gunners’ second, and with three key passes on the night, could have easily picked up another.

With all that said, while every Arsenal player impressed against Spurs, one stood out above the rest, a player who could become the club’s new Wright.

Arsenal's new Ian Wright

When it comes to the best player on the pitch against Spurs, it’s impossible to ignore Eberechi Eze.

Thomas Frank might’ve been jokingly asking who he was before the game, but by full-time, he was well aware.

The Gunners’ “unpredictable” summer signing, as dubbed by Rio Ferdinand, etched his name in North London Derby history with the first hat-trick in the game since Alan Sunderland in December 1978.

All three goals were excellent as well, with the first requiring some tidy footwork, the second coming off his weaker foot, and the third coming from the edge of the penalty area.

It was the sort of display that could truly kickstart his career at the club, and one that shows he can be just as effective as he is entertaining.

This is just one of the traits he shares with Gunners legend Wright, who not only became the club’s top goalscorer during his playing days, but was also one of the most thrilling strikers to watch.

Moreover, like the North Londoners’ new number ten, he played with a smile on his face and was clearly as in love with the club as the supporters were in love with him – just look at the reaction to his hat-trick.

On top of that, there is the Crystal Palace connection, with both players representing the South London club before making their move to N5 later in their careers than most.

Finally, both have played for England, and so long as he keeps his form up, the Gunners’ new mercurial midfielder should play a key role for the Three Lions at the World Cup next year.

Ultimately, Arsenal have signed an exceptional game-winning player in Eze, and thanks to his personality, playstyle and love of the club, he could become a modern-day Wright.

"Worst I've seen" – Gary Neville not entirely happy with Arsenal's Tottenham rout

The Gunners prevailed 4-1 in the North London derby on Sunday afternoon.

ByDominic Lund Nov 24, 2025

Celtic appear to be inching ever closer to finally appointing their long-term successor to Brendan Rodgers, who resigned last month after a loss to Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.

Martin O’Neill has been in interim charge for the Hoops since Rodgers left the club, and oversaw three wins in four matches before the international break, including a 4-0 victory over Kilmarnock last time out.

The experienced boss may not manage another game for the Scottish giants, though, as Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy appears to be on his way to Parkhead.

Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph reports that the French manager has been given permission to speak with the club this weekend to discuss a move to Glasgow.

If Nancy does take over at Parkhead, he will be looking to build on the success that Rodgers, as shown in the graphic above, achieved during his second stint at the club.

The Columbus Crew tactician should also look to build on some of the good work that O’Neill has done in his interim spell, as the experienced boss has got the best out of Johnny Kenny.

How Johnny Kenny could fit in Wilfried Nancy's set-up

The Ireland international has scored four goals in four matches under O’Neill in recent weeks, having only scored two goals in his first 17 appearances for the club in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

This shows that the former Shamrock Rovers star has stepped his game up since Kelechi Iheanacho suffered a hamstring injury last month, as he has shown that he can be relied on to score goals for the Hoops.

Kenny has been playing as the sole number nine in a 4-2-3-1 system for O’Neill, after playing a similar role in a 4-3-3 set-up for Rodgers, but Nancy’s preferred formation, per Transfermarkt, is a 3-4-2-1.

Diego Rossi, who is a similar profile of player to Kenny in terms of his build and attributes, has typically been deployed as one of two second strikers operating behind a focal point centre-forward in that 3-4-2-1 shape, although he has also played as part of a front two in a 3-5-2 or a 4-4-2.

Appearances

48

37

Shots

112

123

xG

13.14

15.54

Goals

21

19

xA

5.60

6.46

Big chances created

14

11

Assists

7

5

As you can see in the table above, Rossi has thrived in that role under Nancy in the last two seasons, racking up 40 goals and 12 assists in all competitions.

Kenny, therefore, could look to thrive as one of the two players behind a starting number nine, as he perhaps lacks the physicality to play as the focal point on his own in that system.

With this in mind, the Hoops could land an upgrade on him as an out-and-out centre-forward by signing a Premier League player who is a reported target.

Celtic eyeing move for Premier League striker

According to 67HailHail, Celtic are monitoring Brighton & Hove Albion centre-forward Evan Ferguson ahead of a potential swoop for his services in the January transfer window.

The report claims that he was linked with a move to Parkhead in the summer transfer window before the Ireland international, understandably, opted to sign for Serie A side Roma on loan.

Transfer Focus

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

It adds that his loan spell with the Italian giants could be cut short, though, in January because of his struggle for form, with no goals in ten matches so far.

Celtic are keeping tabs on his situation with a view to chasing a deal to sign him on loan for the second half of the 2025/26 campaign to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

Despite his struggles with Roma this season, which is why he may become available in January, Ferguson could arrive as a dream first signing for Nancy at Parkhead.

Why Evan Ferguson would be a dream first signing for Wilfried Nancy

The Ireland international would come in as a dream first signing because he could be the focal point that the French head coach needs to play his 3-4-2-1 formation with the Hoops.

Celtic, since they sold Adam Idah in the summer, do not have a physical and imposing centre-forward who can act as a focal point, as Kelechi Iheanacho and Johnny Kenny are both more suited to playing with another striker or as a second striker behind a number nine.

Ferguson, standing at 6 foot 2, can provide that natural number nine presence to lead the line as the centre-forward in a 3-4-2-1, acting as an upgrade on Kenny as the main number nine.

In fact, former Match of the Day host Gary Lineker once likened him to Manchester City’s monstrous forward Erling Haaland. He said: “I do see a hint of Haaland about him, his stature, his movement, his youth and stuff like that.”

He has a physically imposing presence that could make him a handful for Premiership defenders to deal with, whilst his career so far also suggests that he could offer more quality than Kenny as an out-and-out number nine.

Age

21

22

Height

6 ft 2

5 ft 8

Senior Ireland caps

26

0

Senior Ireland goals

8

0

Top 5 European leagues + SPFL games

75

15

Top 5 European leagues + SPFL goals

13

5

As you can see in the table above, Ferguson has 26 more caps and eight more goals than Kenny, who is older than him, for Ireland, whilst he has also scored eight more top-level goals.

The Brighton loanee has struggled in the Serie A this season, undoubtedly, but he managed six Premier League goals each season as a teenager in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns, per Sofascore, which is no mean feat.

The 21-year-old marksman, whose finishing was hailed as “phenomenal” by James Milner, has shown incredible promise in the Premier League and at international level for Ireland, whilst Kenny has never played at a level above the Premiership and is yet to be capped by Ireland, although he is in the current squad.

This suggests that Ferguson would be an upgrade on his international teammate as an out-and-out centre-forward, potentially taking his place or forcing Nancy to unleash him in the Diego Rossi role behind Ferguson.

"I will step aside" – O'Neill says no talks with Celtic board over permanent role

He’s had his say.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 14, 2025

Overall, the Brighton striker would be a dream first signing for the French boss, should he take over at Parkhead, because of the role that he could play in the team, and the quality that he could bring to the pitch.

Liverpool made sweeping changes in the summer transfer window, going where no team had gone before in spending more than £400m in a single transfer window.

A multitude of sales meant the total net spend fell behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, but the scale of Liverpool’s transformation cannot be understated, with FSG breaking the British transfer record twice.

First, Florian Wirtz arrived from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m, and the world-class playmaker has been one of the most worrying parts of Arne Slot’s side’s struggles this season, yet to score or assist in the top flight.

Alexander Isak has been a concern too, signing on deadline day for £125m. The former Newcastle United striker was called “the best striker in the Premier League” by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher last year, but injuries and a struggle to click under Slot’s wing have left him with one goal and one assist across all competitions so far.

These players have to come good. Surely they will. These are two of the world’s finest, after all. However, the blunder of the Darwin Nunez deal serves as a cautionary tale that FSG perhaps haven’t heeded.

Why Liverpool sold Darwin Nunez

Nunez is one of the biggest and most frustrating enigmas of recent times at Liverpool. A maverick of a forward, the 25-year-old was horribly inconsistent across his three years at the club, only scoring 25 Premier League goals in total and missing so many more golden opportunities.

Given that he signed from Benfica for what would have been a club-record £85m fee (not reached due to clauses being left unmet), Nunez can only be considered a flop of a signing, never able to string together the prolificness needed to lead the line at Liverpool.

The likes of Wirtz and Isak will be worried that they face assuming similar reputations, no doubt, although both have arrived at Liverpool from a higher station than Nunez, who was sold to Al-Hilal this summer.

In any case, Nunez will be remembered fondly for his efforts and, for the most part, tenacity in a Liverpool shirt, but it’s clear that had Liverpool’s fortunes been bleaker across his years at the club, he would have faced more scathing rebuke.

And that might be the case for one new Redman. This player arrived this summer for a hefty fee and looks utterly lost in Slot’s system. In this, he is in danger of falling into a similar category.

The Liverpool star in danger of becoming Nunez 2.0

Signed from Bournemouth this summer for a £45m fee, Kerkez arrived at Liverpool with a weight of expectation and a reputation as one of the most exciting young left-backs in the world.

He was breathtaking in Andoni Iraola’s team last year, but Kerkez has fallen by the wayside across the opening months of his move to Merseyside.

Kerkez’s transfer fee might come in at less than half of that of someone like Nunez, but this is still a pretty penny for a full-back, and he faces a plummet into similar territory as the Uruguayan if he fails to hit a consistent vein of form.

There’s no question that this young man has what it takes to thrive at Liverpool; he was included in the 2024/25 PFA Team of the Year, after all.

However, Kerkez has really struggled across these opening months in Liverpool, a shadow of that south coast star.

Erratic and at odds with the tactical role that has been provided for him, the 22-year-old has lost his place in the starting line-up in recent weeks, unable to effectively add to the build-up.

Last season, Kerkez ranked among the top 12% of Premier League full-backs for progressive carries per 90 (2.86), but this has been reduced under Slot’s wing, ranking among the bottom 36% this year, with a 1.55 average (data courtesy of FBref).

But the wider shift of Kerkez’s tactical role is more clearly understood when looking at the wider scope of his malaise since that big-money transfer to Liverpool.

Matches (starts)

38 (38)

10 (9)

Goals

2

1

Assists

5

0

Touches*

59.6

50.8

Accurate passes*

28.6 (80%)

27.5 (86%)

Chances created*

1.0

0.5

Dribble (success)*

0.6

0.3

Recoveries*

4.7

2.7

Tackles + interceptions*

2.6

1.6

Clearances*

2.6

3.4

Duels won*

4.0 (54%)

3.7 (61%)

Errors made

4x

2x

The £75k-per-week talent is no longer making those overlapping runs into the box, and neither has he found fluency and balance in his creativity this season. Given that he has been branded a “nervous wreck” by pundit Jamie Redknapp, it’s hard to see what he is offering his new club at this present moment, and that is why he has been benched for the Reds’ past two matches in both the Premier League and the Champions League.

Of course, it is far too early to write Kerkez off, and this argument has been formed to underline the need for improvements on Kerkez’s part, but also with the hope for patience. This is a young and talented left-back who is struggling to perform in a system that has malfunctioned across the past several months.

Let’s not forget how Robertson struggled to adapt in Klopp’s team after joining from relegated Hull City for about £8m in 2016. Imagine if Liverpool had sold the Scotsman after that up-and-down maiden year, written him off before he ripened.

Equally, we cannot ignore the depths of Kerkez’s struggles since joining Liverpool, so incongruent on the flank of Slot’s system.

Given the coach’s need for hearty contribution from his full-backs in the build-up, it’s somewhat confusing that Kerkez has been signed for a big-money fee; he is an athletic, touchline-hugging kind of player, darting up and down and getting involved in attacks and stretching the width of his side.

Whether Liverpool fashion a superstar out of this young Hungarian is anyone’s guess at this stage, but we know he needs to do more, lest he fall into a similar category as Nunez before him, signed for a big fee after hitting heights in a smaller sphere but ultimately tripping up when heading down Anfield Road and putting on the heavy Liverpool shirt.

More than Wirtz: £36m Liverpool star is becoming a "serious issue" for Slot

Liverpool were condemned to a fifth defeat in six Premier League matches at the Etihad.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 10, 2025

Pakistan batter Babar Azam has been fined 10% of his match fee for hitting the stumps with his bat before leaving the crease, following his dismissal in the third ODI against Sri Lanka. Babar was found to have breached Article 2.2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an International Match.”In addition, a demerit point has been added to his disciplinary record, making it a first offence for Babar in a 24-month period. The incident occurred in the 21st over of Pakistan’s innings, when Babar, batting on 34, was bowled by Jeffrey Vandersay.On-field umpires Alex Wharf and Rashid Riaz, third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid and fourth umpire Faisal Afridi levelled the charge while Ali Naqvi of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees proposed the sanction.Since Babar admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction, there was no need for a formal hearing. Pakistan went on to clinch a 3-0 series sweep over Sri Lanka with Babar playing a lead role with the bat, scoring 165 runs – the most in the series – which included a 20th ODI ton.Babar’s next international assignment is the T20I tri-series at home, against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, starting Tuesday.

Television presenter Laura Woods has shared a positive update following a worrying collapse during live coverage of the Lionesses' friendly against Ghana on Tuesday evening. Woods was taken ill ahead of kick off when she fell and was caught by pundits Ian Wright and Anita Asante, and ITV immediately cut to an advertising break. The presenter has now taken to social media to reassure fans and thank those who helped her.

• Worrying scenes as Woods taken ill live on air

  There were worrying scenes on Tuesday night as Woods collapsed just minutes into ITV's broadcast of England's friendly against Ghana. Woods was introducing the game when she collapsed and ITV cut to a break. Woods was then replaced by Katie Shanahan, who explained to the audience that the host had been "taken ill" and then added a little more information at half-time. She said: "As you may all be aware, Laura Woods fell ill at the start of the programme. We want to reassure you that she's doing OK. We all send her our love."

  The popular television presenter's fiancé Adam Collard subsequently posted an update on X that read: "Laura is all OK and with the right people. Thank you for all of your kind messages."

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• Woods shares positive update

  Woods has now offered her own update on Instagram that reads: "Gosh that was a bit weird. Sorry to worry everyone, I'm OK, the wonderful paramedics at Saints have said its probably a virus, just need a bit of rest and hydration. I'm really embarrassed that happened on TV, but a big thank you to my colleagues at ITV who have really looked after me tonight. And to Wright and Neets for catching me and sorry again x."

  Instagram

• Good wishes sent to Woods

  The worry scenes prompted an outpouring of support on social media. Woods, who also presents Champions League coverage on TNT Sports and has previously worked with talkSPORT, received messages of support from both broadcasters. 

  TNT Sports posted: "Everyone at TNT Sports would like to send Laura Woods our very best wishes. Get well soon, Woodsy."

  And talkSPORT added: All of us at talkSPORT send our best wishes to Laura Woods. Get well soon, Woodsy. 

  ITV Football also wished Woods a "speedy recovery" on social media, while the Lionesses wrote a message that read "Sending our love and wishing you a speedy recovery laura woods."

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  Lionesses finish year with a win

  ITV's coverage continued with the Lionesses finishing off 2025 with a 2-0 friendly win over Ghana. Lucia Kendall scored her first international goal in the victory after just six minutes, before a late penalty from Alessio Russo wrapped up the victory for Sarina Wiegman's side.

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis lashed out at FIFA and UEFA over the number of players picking up injuries on international duty as he called for extra transfer windows and compensation for clubs. The debate of releasing players for international duties has intensified in recent years with many arguing that clubs are being unfairly impacted by the number of games players are being forced to endure.

• Anguissa blow for Napoli

  The Serie A champions were rocked by a fresh injury blow as in-form midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa picked up a hamstring injury during a training session with Cameroon ahead of their World Cup qualifiers. Zambo Anguissa has displayed great form for Antonio Conte's side, having already scored four goals for the Italian champions and has appeared for the club in 10 out of their 11 Serie A matches thus far. He has since been ruled out for months, which comes as a major blow for Napoli.

  In September, Amir Rhahmani suffered a similar hamstring injury while playing for Kosovo, which kept him out of action until the start of November, when he returned to action against Como in the Serie A. 

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  Napoli chief blasts FIFA and UEFA

  Napoli president De Laurentiis slammed FIFA for the club's losses as he told Motore Italia: "I loaned Rrahmani, and he came back in a wreck, Anguissa came back in a wreck. We can't go on like this. When the championships are on, I have to get to the end without interruptions. We need fewer teams, fewer matches.

  "Players earn a salary from their clubs, and clubs should be able to decide whether or not to send them to their national teams. If a player gets injured on international duty, a transfer window should be reopened and we should be compensated. But it seems FIFA and UEFA don't care about national leagues."

• Yamal's injury blow created tension between Spain and Barca

  Earlier this week, Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal pulled out of the Spain national team for the November games, citing injury problems, which irked the Spanish Football Association (RFEF). Following Yamal's decision, the RFEF released a statement expressing their surprise.

  "This procedure was carried out without prior communication to the medical staff of the National Team, with knowledge of the details only through a report received at 22:40 last night, which indicated the medical recommendation of rest for 7-10 days," the statement released on Tuesday read. "Given this situation, and prioritising at all times the health, safety and well-being of the player, the Royal Spanish Football Federation has made the decision to release the athlete from the current call-up. We are confident that he will recover well and wish him a speedy and full recovery."

  Before naming Yamal in his squad for the November games, Spain boss Luis De La Fuente had justified his decision to pick the teenager because of his recent appearances for Barcelona, claiming that he was in "perfect condition". With Yamal facing fitness issues this season, the RFEF's insistence on calling him up has sparked reports of tension between the organisation and Barcelona. 

  A similar issue has occurred in France, where Paris Saint-Germain saw Ousmane Dembele ruled out for several weeks after playing for his national team, causing another public feud between club and national association. France coach Didier Deschamps left Dembele out of his latest squad after the Ballon d'Or winner was hit with another injury while playing in the Champions League for PSG.

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  How is it going for Napoli?

  Napoli started their title defence campaign on a bright note, but have now failed to win in their last two Serie A games. Conte's side are now fourth in the league after their latest loss to Bologna as Inter overtook them to climb to the top of the Serie A table with 24 points from 11 games, two more than the reigning champions. They will be back in action after the international break on November 22 as they host Atalanta in a crucial Serie A clash. 

Back in his first game after 93 days, Bumrah bowled the toughest phases – one in the powerplay and two in the death – and, as expected, came out unscathed

Alagappan Muthu07-Apr-20253:56

Bangar: Bumrah has the experience to deal with injury

For a little while at the Mumbai Indians (MI) training, Jasprit Bumrah was bigger than everybody. Towering over the man that won them multiple titles and soaring above their one-of-a-kind captain. He was put there because someone had hoisted him up into the air.It is not a space Bumrah is used to. He rarely puts himself there. History is littered with fast bowlers who believed they could fly. The trigger is usually when they manage to break a set of wooden sticks that people keep putting 22 yards in front of them. Bumrah is an expert at it and though there are instances where he too indulges, for the most part he prefers being where his feet are.He showed that once more against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), when his first ball after suffering a back injury was so no nonsense. On a length. Threatening the stumps. Forcing the batter to act. It was at 139.5kph. That’s not far off his top speed. He cranked it up when Virat Kohli was on strike: 142kph. But the batter – thanks to a long history of both watching Bumrah on the field and facing him in the nets – knew exactly what he would do. Hit that length again. Keep the stumps in play again. Kohli gave up his stumps and thanks to that bit of bravery he now had the room to smash the ball over midwicket for six.Related

After fourth loss, Jayawardene points to powerplays as 'a concern'

Jayawardene says Bumrah is in 'good nick' after IPL comeback

Patidar lauds Krunal's 'courage' after triple-wicket final over

Kohli, Patidar and Krunal star as RCB end ten-year Wankhede jinx

Virat Kohli's fastest IPL half-centuries

It is remarkable, given the gifts that Bumrah has, how much he values the basics of fast bowling. He hits the pitch hard. He makes sure the seam is upright. He asks questions that are entirely textbook. Just that they feel out of syllabus sometimes because of his bowling action and crucially that hyperextended elbow, which shrinks the length of the playing surface. It is perhaps this adherence to the tried and tested that makes it possible for him to return to cricket after 93 days in rehab and be the only bowler who isn’t smashed all around the park.The difference in his economy rate (7.25) and the next best (10) was once again startling. Doubly so given it’s only been days since he’s been cleared to bowl after the back injury that denied him a full participation in the Sydney Test earlier this year. People expected him to be rusty. At least a little bit. And he was. There have been 19 other instances in the IPL where the difference between his economy rate and the next best was higher (only bowlers who had finished their quota of overs were considered.)As ever, he bowled the toughest phases. One in the powerplay and two in the death. He came on for the 18th over after his captain Hardik Pandya had been hit for 24 runs in the previous one. At the time, it felt like the ball had taken leave of the earth’s gravity, intent only on flying through the air. Bumrah, though, brought it back to where his feet were. Six runs in six balls. A set batter and a finisher shut all the way down. Rajat Patidar and Jitesh Sharma couldn’t line him up. His slower balls worked. His back-of-lengths gave them no room. His full tosses – he bowled seven – might have actually surprised them. Nobody expects Bumrah to miss his mark. He might hold fire, like he did when he jogged up to collect the ball and then feign a throw at Kohli’s stumps. The two players shared a big old laugh after that.With more games behind him, he will start to trust his body and those fast-twitch fibers will make sure the attempted yorker count goes down and the executed yorker (three) count goes up. Soon he will be back to his best. A man worth more than anybody else in the MI dugout. A star who turned a two-time T20 World Cup winner into a preening fan boy. “Welcome Mufasa,” Kieron Pollard said. Bumrah came down shaking his head. He really doesn’t like getting carried away.

Sunderland have laughed off the doom mongers who pointed out the fact that the last six teams to earn promotion to the Premier League have all been instantly relegated.

The Black Cats are, remarkably, sixth in the top-flight after 13 games, ahead of Man United and Liverpool, after a 3-2 win over Bournemouth at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Summer signing Granit Xhaka was, once again, vital with an impressive assist for Bertrand Traore’s goal, in what has been a phenomenal season for the Swiss star so far.

Where Granit Xhaka ranks among Sunderland's summer signings

Sunderland paid £13m to sign the experienced midfielder from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, and they have got their money’s worth from the left-footed star in the Premier League.

With 297 games for Arsenal under his belt, per Transfermarkt, the Black Cats knew what they were going to get from Xhaka as a proven performer in the top-flight.

The 33-year-old star has delivered one goal and four assists, per Sofascore, whilst winning 63% of his defensive duels across 13 appearances in the Premier League this season, which shows that he has made an impact in and out of possession.

Ranking Sunderland’s 5 best summer signings

Rank

Player

1

Robin Roefs

2

Granit Xhaka

3

Nordi Mukiele

4

Noah Sadiki

5

Omar Alderete

As you can see in the table above, we have ranked him as the second-best signing made by the Black Cats in the summer, only behind the incredibly impressive Robin Roefs, who leads the league in goals prevented (3.28), per Sofascore.

Xhaka has stepped straight into the team as a regular starter and shown that he can be relied upon week-in-week-out, like Roefs has, which is why he has been one of the best signings made for Regis Le Bris’ team.

Whilst Sunderland should be delighted with their current position and the signing of Xhaka, they once had a star on loan who is now even more exciting than the Swiss ace and is one of the best players in the Premier League.

The Sunderland loanee who is now one of the Premier League's best

In January 2020, Antoine Semenyo signed for the club on loan from Bristol City for the second half of the season, and manager Phil Parkinson cited his “pace and power” as two of his main attributes.

Antoine Semenyo at Sunderland

Stat

19/20 League One

Appearances

7

Starts

1

Goals

0

Key passes per game

0.4

Big chances created

1

Assists

0

Stats via Sofascore

Unfortunately, as shown in the table above, the Black Cats loanee was unable to use his pace and power to cause many problems for opposition defences, as he ended his time on Wearside without a single goal contribution.

After that, Semenyo went on to establish himself at Bristol City in the Championship before a permanent move in January 2023 to Bournemouth, which is where he has flourished in the Premier League.

The same player who struggled in League One with Sunderland has now scored 17 goals and provided nine assists in the top-flight for the Cherries since the start of last season, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has been effective as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

In the Premier League this season, only Erling Haaland (15) and Igor Thiago (11) have more combined goals and assists than Semenyo (nine), per FotMob, which is an impressive statistic when you consider that he plays out wide.

Earlier this term, former Spurs and England star Chris Waddle dubbed Semenyo “the best winger in the country (England) right now”, and that still rings true, as he has at least two more goal contributions than any other winger in the top-flight, per FotMob.

This is why he is currently an even better and more exciting player than Xhaka, because the Ghana international has, statistically, been one of the most impactful players in the league with goals and assists to earn his team points.

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He may not have shown his potential during his brief time at the Stadium of Light, but it is clear to see, now, that Semenyo would be the club’s best player on current form.

The five franchises in the WPL are set for a revamp, with the BCCI deciding to hold a mega auction ahead of the 2026 season. ESPNcricinfo has learned that the franchises have been told informally about the mega auction, which is likely to be held by end of November.The franchises are awaiting confirmation from the WPL on the number of retentions, the auction purse, the retention slabs and how many right-to-match (RTM) card options would be available. Those decisions will be finalised by the WPL committee, but there is no confirmation on when they are likely to meet. The dates for the 2026 edition are yet to be announced, although the BCCI had indicated earlier that the tournament would be held in the January-February window.The five-team WPL, the most lucrative event in women’s cricket, was launched in 2023 with Mumbai Indians emerging as the inaugural champions. Mumbai are the defending champions, while Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) won the title in 2024.It is understood that both Mumbai and RCB, along with Delhi Capitals, losing finalists in all three seasons of the WPL so far, are three teams who were not in favour of the mega auctions. All three franchises, it is learned, reasoned that they have worked hard to build their squads over the past three seasons and asking them to dismantle just when the WPL brand is getting established, could prove to be counter-productive.It is understood, however, that the two other franchises – Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz – support a mega auction. Both these teams have never made the final and are keen to overhaul their squads and rebuild. One WPL official said that while they understood the reservations of the three franchises against the mega auction, it was important to ensure the tournament had five strong teams, otherwise the imbalance could only harm the brand. The official also pointed out that franchises like RCB have shown in the IPL that they can build their brand identity independent of the players retained, though they agreed the presence of Indian star Virat Kohli was well leveraged by the franchise.Mumbai Indians celebrate with the 2025 WPL trophy•Getty Images

This official pointed out that at the same time, the WPL would ensure that teams would still have the opportunity to retain their core. It is understood while some teams were in favour of being allowed to retain at least six or seven players, the WPL could lean closer to five. What also needs to be worked out as part of the retention formula is how many RTMs each team could exercise at the auction along with the combination of capped and uncapped players.For the IPL mega auction in 2025, each of the 10 franchises were allowed a maximum of six retentions via a combination of retention and RTM. The six would comprise a maximum five capped players (Indian/overseas) and maximum of two uncapped Indian players. The RTM option gives a franchise the chance to buy back a player during the auction by matching the highest bid made for the player by another franchise once the bidding is over. The RTM rule has never been used in WPL auctions.The WPL has been viewed as a gamechanger in women’s cricket, especially because of the monetary benefits for players. In 2023, Viacom 18 bought the WPL broadcast rights for INR 951 crore (USD 116.7 million approx.) for the period 2023 to 2027. The per-match value was worth INR 7.09 core (USD 866,000 approx.). India’s star batter Smrit Mandhana, the first player to be bought at the inaugural WPL auction (2023), remains the most expensive buy at INR 3.2 cr ($415,000 approx.).

Leeds United reportedly have no plans to part ways with head coach Daniel Farke after the club’s 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest last time out in the Premier League.

Sky Sports recently claimed that there is ‘growing discontent among supporters’ over the German manager’s position at Elland Road, but the Whites are not planning to fire him.

The West Yorkshire outfit are sat on 11 points from 11 matches and are one point above the relegation zone, which means that they are currently on course to achieve their goal of survival.

However, the Whites play Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea in three of their next four matches and may find themselves in the bottom three heading into the festive period.

Aston Villa

Elland Road

Manchester City

The Etihad

Chelsea

Elland Road

Liverpool

Elland Road

Brentford

GTech Community Stadium

Crystal Palace

Elland Road

Sunderland

Stadium of Light

Whilst one reaction to a bad run of form in that tough run of fixtures could be to remove the manager, another could be to back him with the right tools in the January window.

Adding more attacking quality to the squad should be one of the board’s priorities, because Leeds have not had enough of that in the Premier League so far this season.

Leeds United's biggest xG underperformers

The Championship champions have underperformed their xG of 12.7, scoring just 11 goals, per FBref, which shows that Farke’s players have let him down in front of goal in the top-flight.

Ultimately, the German boss cannot score the goals for them. If his coaching is creating high-quality chances on a consistent basis, as the xG suggests that it is, then it should be the players who are looked at if they are not taking those chances.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

2.89

1

-1.89

Jayden Bogle

0.88

0

-0.88

Brenden Aaronson

1.79

1

-0.79

Joel Piroe

0.73

0

-0.73

Pascal Struijk

0.65

0

-0.65

Dan James

0.47

0

-0.47

Jack Harrison

0.41

0

-0.41

As you can see in the table above, five of the seven players who have underperformed their xG the most in the squad this season have not scored a single goal, including attackers like Joel Piroe, Jack Harrison, and Dan James.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s significant underperformance in front of goal is possibly the most frustrating, as he was signed from Everton in the summer as an experienced Premier League operator.

The £100k-per-week centre-forward, whose only goal for the club so far came against Wolves in September, has scored one goal and missed ten ‘big chances’ in ten appearances in all competitions for the Whites, per Sofascore.

These statistics show that the former England international has been incredibly wasteful in the final third, which is why it would have pleased Farke to see Lukas Nmecha score with a clinical finish against Forest before the start of the break.

Calvert-Lewin’s underperformance is a cause for concern and may be why the Whites are reportedly looking at another striker to potentially add to their squad.

Leeds keeping tabs on star with club-record price tag

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Leeds United are showing an interest in FC Midtjylland centre-forward Franculino ahead of the January transfer window.

Bailey told LeedsUnitedNews: “He’s (Franculino) got a lot of teams looking at him. West Ham like him a lot, they looked at him in the summer. Midtjylland have put a £40m price tag on him.

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“Teams will possibly try to soften that by putting in lesser offers. He’s got an awful lot of interest; I’m told over 20 clubs across Europe like him. Leeds have looked at him, he’s on their radar, they’ve watched him.”

A £40m move for Franculino would be a club-record fee for the Whites, as it would eclipse the £35.5m deal they agreed to pay Hoffenheim for Georgino Rutter in January 2023.

It now remains to be seen whether or not the 49ers are prepared to break the club’s record transfer fee to bolster Farke’s squad ahead of the second half of the season.

Why Leeds United should sign Franculino in January

The Whites should break the bank to sign the Guinea-Bissau international in the January transfer window because he could come in as a big upgrade on Calvert-Lewin in the centre-forward position.

Since his move from Benfica in 2023, the left-footed marksman has racked up an eye-catching 52 goals and 13 assists in 99 appearances in all competitions for Midtjylland, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has averaged a goal more than every other game for the Danish side.

Three of those 52 goals have come in his four appearances in the Europa League so far this season, per Sofascore, which shows that he can deliver quality in front of goal at a respectable level.

Whilst there may be question marks over how the Danish Superliga translates to the English Premier League, there is no denying that his form for Midtjylland is incredibly eye-catching.

Appearances

9

14

Goals

1

14

Minutes per goal

615

76

Conversion rate

6%

38%

Big chances missed

6

7

Big chances created

1

3

Assists

0

3

As you can see in the table above, the Guinea-Bissau international has averaged a goal every 76 minutes, with a goal every game, in the Danish top-flight, whilst Calvert-Lewin has only managed a goal every 615 minutes.

Franculino, who was described as “simply unstoppable” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has offered significantly more to his team this season than Calvert-Lewin has in the final third, as both a goalscorer and a creator.

The 21-year-old star’s all-time statistics for Midtjylland also suggest that it is not a flash in the pan, as he has a terrific overall record, and that is why he could be an exciting addition to Farke’s squad to solve their finishing problems.

Calvert-Lewin’s form for Leeds since his move from Everton has not been good enough, as evidenced by his xG underperformance, and Franculino appears to be a player who could come in and be the clinical finisher that the Whites lack, which is why he may be worth paying a club-record fee for.

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