England head coach defends opener despite pair as methods come under scrutiny

Vithushan Ehantharajah23-Nov-2025

Zak Crawley bagged the first pair by an England opener since Mike Atherton in 1998•Gareth Copley/AFP/Getty Images

Brendon McCullum still believes in Zak Crawley despite his pair in the first Test against Australia, and has called on England bat with more conviction following their two-day defeat in Perth. The visiting head coach even cited Travis Head’s match-winning 123 as an example to follow.Head made light work of what looked a more-than-competitive target of 205, driving Australia most of the way home to an eight-wicket win in just 28.2 overs. With Usman Khawaja yet again suffering from a back injury, Head replaced Marnus Labuschagne (who opened in the first innings) and proceeded to slap 20 boundaries, including four sixes that belied the size of the Optus Stadium boundaries.As well as flaying an England attack that 24 hours earlier had put the frighteners up the home batters, Head was responsible for the first runs for an opening partnership in the Test. The first overs of the previous three innings had brought ducks. Crawley was responsible for two at the hands of Mitchell Starc. Jake Weatherald – knocked off his feet by Jofra Archer on day one – maintained his footing with 23, his first runs in Test cricket.A careless waft outside off stump six balls into the match was followed by a checked-push five balls into his second innings, brilliantly caught by Starc. With that, Crawley became the first English opener dismissed without scoring in both innings of an Ashes Test since Michael Atherton at Melbourne in 1998.Pegged as a batter to thrive on Australian pitches, England have groomed Crawley as an X-factor player ahead of this tour. He has been backed to the hilt by captain Ben Stokes since the start of his tenure.Though Crawley was the leading run-scorer in 2023’s Ashes, and England’s standout run-scorer on the following tour of India, he has averaged just 32.26 since the start of 2022. His career average – 30.96 – is close to dipping under the thirty mark.McCullum has previously insisted Crawley is not picked to be “a consistent player”. Essentially, he is a scorer of great runs rather than a great run-scorer. That point of view remains undimmed, as is his importance in an opening partnership with Ben Duckett that remains the fastest since 1998. Travis Head starred as an opener with an extraordinary 69-ball century•Getty Images

“We believe he is a quality player,” McCullum said, when asked if Crawley was undroppable. “Particularly in these conditions against this sort of opposition. How many balls did he face? 10 or 11? He got out cheaply, but we believe in Zak.”He’s been around this group for a long time, he’s done really well. The combination with Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley has allowed us to enter games as best as we think we can. And I’d expect to see a strong bounce-back from Zak in the next little while. Sometimes you get out early, right? It would have been nice if he hadn’t. But that’s life. If he can get going, he can do some damage.””If” being the operative word. Crawley is now joint-fourth on England’s duck list from 96 innings – the only member of that top five to have batted fewer than 142 times in Test cricket. And the suggestion he cracks on when he gets a start is not backed up by the statistics. The 27-year-old has 24 fifty-plus scores, but of openers with at least 20, his average of 85.80 is the third lowest.Of course, Crawley is not the sole batter to blame for the fact England are 1-0 down. It was a top-order collapse of 5 for 23 – including Ollie Pope, Harry Brook and Joe Root across six deliveries for no run – that relinquished what had been a lead of 105 with nine second-innings wickets in hand.It was Scott Boland who thrived during this passage, eventually finishing with 4 for 33, making amends for a difficult 0 for 62 in the first innings.Related

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Having bested the 36-year-old on Friday, England were unable to get a hold of him on Saturday. A mistake, in McCullum’s eyes, which he puts down to batters not wholly committed to their respective methods. Unlike Head.”Maybe just back away and slay it over point, or slog it to cow?!” McCullum said, tongue in cheek, when asked how England might have batted better. “I’m not saying they didn’t go hard enough, but there was a player [Head] who had total conviction in his method and has done it across different formats and on different stages over the last few years.”‘Have conviction’ – that’s been what we’ve said. Choose a method and have conviction in it. If it works then great. But if it doesn’t at least you’ve done it your way.”Despite the early finish, England are set to remain in Perth for the time being before heading straight to Queensland ahead of the second Test, a day-night affair in Brisbane, which begins on December 4.A decision is yet to be made on whether any of the main squad will drop into the England XI – originally the Lions – for the Prime Minister’s XI match in Canberra (November 29), which will offers them pink-ball practice. Most importantly for McCullum is shedding the pain of this whirlwind defeat as quickly as possible.”We will let the dust settle, but we are bitterly disappointed for us, but also all the fans who have turned up here to support us so well here and we know we will be throughout the series.”We can’t carry this one onto the next. We’ve been trying to insulate against things going wrong for a while. For us that connectivity and camaraderie is something we pride ourselves on. We will need it over the next few days.”

Chelsea dropped points for the second game in a row, suffering a disappointing 3-1 defeat away to Leeds United at Elland Road. The Blues put in a lacklustre performance in a tough environment, and never really managed to get into the game.

It was a poor start for Enzo Maresca’s side, who went 1-0 down inside the first six minutes after a fast start from the Whites. It was slack defending from a corner, with Jaka Bijol making a darting run from the edge of the penalty box and heading home at the near post.

The home side doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time. It was yet more questionable defending from the West Londoners, who let Ao Tanaka have acres of space just outside the area. The Japanese international unleashed a vicious shot which nestled into the back of the net.

Chelsea did pull a goal back, with just 50 minutes on the clock. Pedro Neto managed to shake off his marker and pull to the back post, firing home Jamie Gittens’ cross.

It was all in vain, though, after a defensive error with 18 minutes to go meant Leeds scored a third and sealed the win.

It was a disappointing night for Chelsea, with some particularly worrying performances across the board.

Chelsea’s worst performers vs. Leeds

There were some notable bad showings from a few of Maresca’s men against Leeds. One of those came from Tosin Adarabioyo. It was his error which led to Leeds’ third goal and all but secured the three points for the West Yorkshire side.

The former Fulham man received the ball inside the penalty area and took a heavy touch before playing a five-yard pass back to Robert Sanchez.

It was a frustrating lack of awareness from the Chelsea number four, who put his goalkeeper under pressure from the Leeds press.

Another member of the Chelsea side who struggled was centre-forward Liam Delap. It was a night where the Blues’ number nine seemed isolated. Aside from a snapshot in the second half, which he fired over the crossbar, he did little to trouble the Leeds defence.

One person who was critical of Delap’s performance at Elland Road was Goal journalist Tom Ritchie. He gave the English striker a 4/10 for his efforts, and described him as a ‘bystander’ during the first half.

Those two Chelsea stars were not the only players to struggle on Wednesday night, though.

Maresca could boldly bench £180k-per-week Chelsea star

It was a night to forget for Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez. The Argentine, who captained the Blues at Elland Road, struggled to get any sort of control in midfield.

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Perhaps that coincided with the fact that his usual partner in the centre of the park, Moises Caicedo, was suspended.

Chelsea’s number eight was arguably at fault for Tanaka’s goal. He was dispossessed in midfield, facing his own goal, with the ball breaking loose, a situation Leeds capitalised on.

This weighed into the 3/10 rating he got from Ritchie, who said he ‘looked rattled at times’. Indeed, Fernandez’s stats from the game show how much of a tough night it was.

Normally, so good on the ball, the £180k-per-week asset only had a pass accuracy of 77% in the Whites’ half, losing the ball 21 times. He also failed to complete a dribble or a tackle.

Touches

106

Opposition half pass accuracy

77%

Number of times ball lost

21

Unsuccessful touches

5

Ground duels won

1/4

Tackles

0

Dribbles

0

After a showing like that, it will be interesting to see if Maresca keeps Fernandez in the starting lineup for their next game against Bournemouth this Saturday. He certainly struggled without Caicedo next to him, and Reece James inverting from right-back.

There are options at his disposal, too. Cole Palmer is now back from injury and played 30 minutes at Elland Road on Wednesday. Whether or not he can play from the start remains to be seen, but he could slot into the side.

Alternatively, James could be brought back into the starting XI and operate in midfield, as he has done this season to a good degree of success.

Fernandez’s performance at Elland Road was disappointing, and it would not be a surprise if he dropped out of the side, especially with options at Maresca’s disposal.

As bad as Tosin: Maresca's 4/10 flop must never start for Chelsea again

Chelsea’s title hopes seemingly went up in smoke away at Leeds United.

ByRobbie Walls Dec 4, 2025

تلقى نادي الزمالك انفراجة بشأن مستحقات لاعبيه الأجانب، بعد الأزمات الأخيرة المتعلقة بإنذارات بعض النجوم، وسط محاولات الإدارة لتوفير الأجواء المناسبة لاستمرار الفريق في المنافسات المختلفة دون أي عقوبات أو مشاكل قانونية.

وفي خطوة دعم للنادي، تبرع هاني برزي عضو مجلس إدارة الزمالك بمبلغ مالي ضخم، يهدف لسداد مستحقات اللاعبين الأجانب.

اقرأ أيضًا.. اتحاد طنجة عن عبد الحميد معالي بعد فسخ عقده مع الزمالك: حالته النفسية ممتازة

ووفقًا لمصادر بطولات، فإن المبلغ الذي قدمه برزي يصل إلى 25 مليون جنيه حوالي 400 ألف دولار، كقرض حسن للنادي، بحيث يتم الاتفاق لاحقًا على إعادته دون أي فوائد، مما يسهل على النادي التعامل مع مستحقات اللاعبين.

واللاعبون المستفيدون من القرض مثل خوان بيزيرا، محمود بنتايج، شيكو بانزا، عدي الدباغ وآدم كايد، الذين أنذروا النادي رسميًا مع التهديد باللجوء للفيفا حال عدم السداد.

وتسعى إدارة الزمالك عبر هذا الدعم المالي لتفادي أي أزمات قانونية أو خصم نقاط محتملة من الدوري، مع محاولة استعادة الانضباط المالي للفريق قبل انطلاق المنافسات المقبلة.

مصادر مقربة من النادي أكدت أن الاتفاق مع هاني برزي سيضع إطارًا محددًا لإعادة المبلغ في موعد لاحق، مع التأكيد على أن القرض سيكون دون فوائد، لتجنب أي عبء مالي إضافي على خزينة النادي.

الخطوة جاءت بعد تصاعد التوتر داخل الفريق بسبب المستحقات المتأخرة، وتعد بمثابة حل مؤقت يسهم في استقرار الأجواء مع اللاعبين الأجانب.

Game 7 of the World Series unfolded in truly epic fashion on Saturday night and it resulted in an absolutely gut-wrenching loss by the Blue Jays to the Dodgers. Thanks to a Will Smith home run in the top of the 11th and a clutch double play in the bottom of the frame Los Angeles won its third Fall Classic in the last six years to officially establish a dynasty. Toronto, meanwhile, has a very long offseason of painful reflection ahead after coming close to its first championship in over 30 years.

It was as brutal a loss as you’ll ever see in sports and Sportsnet broadcaster Caleb Joseph was not happy about it. Appearing on the Canadian broadcast after the game, Joseph did not hesitate to declare he believed the better team did not win the series, even dropping a curse word on television as he memorialized the best Blue Jays season in decades.

“There were a lot of wet eyes and I don’t blame them for that,” Joseph said as he described the scene at Rogers Centre following the defeat. “It’s going to sound like sour grapes, and I don’t really give a s—, but I think the better team did not win this series. I think the Blue Jays are the better team. I feel like they played baseball a certain way, it was infectious, it grabbed the attention of the fans, and it’s disheartening to see that the better team did not win. That’s not to take anything away from the Dodgers, but the Blue Jays, they did so many things correct, so many things right.”

Joseph did spend the 2020 season with the organization and has followed their postseason run with Sportsnet. So the strong emotions are perhaps not a surprise.

But it ultimately doesn’t matter who was the “better team” in the way Joseph is talking about. The Dodgers won four out of seven games and thus they are the victor. The Blue Jays had their chances but couldn’t take advantage. Through that lens, the better team was from Los Angeles, and another World Series trophy belongs to the franchise as a result.

Joseph’s comments undoubtedly resonated with the Canadian audience who have loyally watched Sportsnet throughout this run. But no amount of lamenting who was the better team changes the outcome: the Blue Jays lost. The Dodgers won. And that’s how it'll be remembered forever.

MatériaMais Notícias

A ESPN e o Disney+ garantiram os direitos de transmissão da Libertadores e da Sul-Americana após a rodada de concorrência da Conmebol. O Grupo renovou e ampliou o acordo com a entidade, marcando presença nos principais torneios do continente.

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Pelo novo contrato, válido a partir de 2027, a empresa exibirá 238 jogos por temporada em seus canais e no streaming. O pacote inclui prioridade na escolha de partidas da Libertadores, mais jogos da Sul-Americana e a transmissão da Recopa Internacional.

— A renovação do acordo com a CONMEBOL reforça nossa oferta esportiva na televisão e no streaming e reafirma nosso compromisso de oferecer programação de alto valor para nosso público. Estamos orgulhosos de continuar avançando em nosso objetivo de oferecer de forma sustentável os conteúdos mais relevantes dentro de nossas propostas de entretenimento esportivo e consolidar nossa liderança em toda a América Latina — afirmou Bruno Zurlo, Head de Esportes da The Walt Disney Company Latin America.

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➡️ Acompanhe os negócios no esporte em nosso novo canal. Siga o Lance! Biz no WhatsApp

Além de fortalecer seu portfólio com as Copas Libertadores, Sul-Americana e Recopa Internacional, a ESPN também garante, a partir de 2027, a transmissão exclusiva de outros importantes torneios da Conmebol: Libertadores Feminina, Libertadores Sub-20, Libertadores de Futsal (masculino e feminino) e Libertadores de Futebol de Areia.

Em 2026, Flamengo, Palmeiras, Cruzeiro, Mirassol, Fluminense, Botafogo e Bahia estão garantidos na principal competição do continente. Já São Paulo, Grêmio, Bragantino, Atlético Mineiro, Santos e Corinthians estarão na Sul-Americana. Há ainda uma vaga de Libertadores aberta, a depender do resultado da Copa do Brasil.

continua após a publicidadeSem TV Aberta na Conmebol Sul-Americana

A Copa Sul-Americana deixará de serexibida na TV aberta a partir de 2027.O SBT perdeu os direitos de transmissão do torneio que exibiu nas últimas temporadas. A organização não divulgou os valores envolvidos na negociação entre e os responsáveis pelo torneio.

Cabe ressaltar que o atual contrato do SBT permanece válido até o final de 2026, quando então entrará em vigor o novo acordo que inclui TNT Sports, ESPN e Disney+.

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The 2025 MLB season featured a wild finish, with a seven-game World Series that captivated the sports world. Less than a week after the Dodgers raised the Commissioner’s Trophy for the second straight year, all focus has turned to 2026. Based on early discussions, there should be a ton of player movement this offseason.

The free agent class has a decent number of big names in it, but the competition for those players could send teams browsing on the trade market. There should be plenty of options available. What follows is a look at the 10 best players who could be on the trade block this winter.

1. Tarik Skubal, SP, Detroit Tigers

Skubal is about to win his second AL Cy Young in a row, and he’s the Tigers’ best player. Despite that, the two sides remain far apart in discussions over a long-term contract. The ace lefty will be 29 when the 2026 season starts and will be a free agent after it ends. If they’re not going to pay him what he’s worth, the Tigers may be better off getting a haul for him before he walks away, especially if they don’t plan on spending enough cash this offseason to build a World Series contender.

In 2025, Skubal went 13–6 with a 2.21 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 241 strikeouts against 33 walks in 195 1/3 innings. He was second in baseball in FIP (2.45), third in strikeouts per nine innings pitched (11.1) and led MLB pitchers in fWAR (6.6). Over the past three seasons, Skubal has made 77 starts, going 38–13 with a 2.39 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 175 ERA+ and 571 strikeouts in 467 2/3 innings. He’s baseball’s most dominant pitcher and is in the middle of his prime. Any contender would be crazy not to at least explore a deal to get him.

Fits: Mets, Giants, Padres, Red Sox, Astros

2. Jarren Duran, OF, Boston Red Sox

Duran’s name keeps popping up in trade rumors as a young core continues to fortify Boston’s ranks. The Red Sox could attempt to move the veteran outfielder in order to fortify their starting rotation. Duran regressed a bit in 2025, but still provides a ton of value as a speedy corner outfielder who consistently produces good exit velocities.

The 29-year-old was phenomenal in 2024 when he slashed .285/.342/.492 with 21 home runs, 75 RBIs, a 131 wRC+ and 34 stolen bases. He produced 6.8 fWAR (which was almost cut in half in 2025) while also leading the league in doubles and triples. This season, he slashed .256/.332/.442, with 15 home runs, 84 RBIs, a wRC+ of 111 and 24 stolen bases. His 3.9 fWAR was solid, but sent the message that he’s unlikely to ever reach the highs he experienced in 2024. Still, he’d be one of the top bats on the market if Boston made him available, and given that he’s under team control through 2028, he would net a hefty return.

Fits: Phillies, Dodgers, Royals, Orioles

3. Freddy Peralta, SP, Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers had an outstanding season in 2025, and Peralta was a big part of that. But he’s due for free agency after next season, and, like Milwaukee did with Corbin Burnes, it looks like they club will move him before he walks in 2026. Peralta was excellent this season, going 17–6 with a 2.70 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP and 204 strikeouts in 176 2/3 innings. The 29-year-old continued showing he’s a durable frontline guy, having made 95 starts over the past three years.

Peralta is under contract for $8 million next season, so virtually any team could afford him. That’s great news for Milwaukee, as there could be a bidding war for his services. He’s widely regarded as the second-best arm on the market, and if the Tigers opt to keep Skubal, he’d jump to the top of the list. The Brewers should be able to net a substantial return in that case.

Fits: Padres, Yankees, Mets, Orioles, Diamondbacks

4. Joe Ryan, SP, Minnesota Twins

Ryan has slowly broken out over the past two years, but he took things to another level in 2025. In 31 appearances (30 starts), the 29-year-old went 13–10 with a 3.42 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 194 strikeouts against 39 walks in 171 innings. Ryan, a first-time All-Star, allowed a .233 xwOBA on his sweeper, and his fastball was almost as good (.277). His 4.89 ERA over the final two months of the season raised some red flags, but Minnesota was awful as a whole over that stretch.

The Twins sold big at the deadline and are looking at a full rebuild centered around one of the best farm systems in baseball. They can enhance that by moving Ryan, who will be one of the hottest names on the trade market this winter. He’s under team control through 2027, so he should net a larger return.

Fits: Red Sox, Padres, Tigers, Angels

5. Steven Kwan, OF, Cleveland Guardians

Despite all the issues listed above, Kwan was a popular target at the trade deadline. Other teams are interested, and the Guardians could choose to sell while he’s still a hot name. He’s under team control through 2027, which will only add to his allure.

The Guardians floated Kwan at the trade deadline, but were asking for a significant return that they couldn’t find. The 28-year-old is a four-time Gold Glove winner and has been an All-Star in each of the past two seasons. He’s one of the best defensive corner outfielders in MLB, but his bat is a bit of a problem. Kwan rarely strikes out and regularly squares balls up (99th percentile) but produces weak exit velocities, which leaves him mostly powerless. In 2025 he slashed .272/.330/.374 and had a wRC+ of 99. In his four seasons, he has never broken the .800 OPS barrier. His career slugging percentage of .390 is incredibly weak. Despite stellar defense, he only produced 3.2 fWAR in 2025.

Fits: Dodgers, Orioles, Cubs, Phillies

6. Adley Rutschman, C, Baltimore Orioles

Two years ago, this would have been unthinkable when Rutschman was the Orioles’ cornerstone and was named first-team All-MLB. His decline began in 2024, but the 27-year-old bottomed out this season as he only played 90 games due to strains in both obliques, and slashed a woeful .220/.307/.366, with nine home runs, 29 RBIs and a wRC+ of 91. With top catching prospect Samuel Basallo now in the big leagues, the writing is on the wall for Rutschman.

The Orioles were MLB’s most disappointing team in 2025 and need to bounce back in 2026. Trading Rutschman could beef up the MLB roster. He’s still well-respected as a leader and solid defensive catcher, and he’s only two years removed from an .809 OPS and 20 home runs. He’s under team control through 2027, so there will be no shortage of teams interested.

Fits: Rangers, Phillies, Nationals, Rays

7. Sandy Alcántara, SP, Miami Marlins

Alcántara struggled for much of the 2025 season after returning from Tommy John surgery. In 31 starts, the 2022 NL Cy Young winner went 11–12 with a 5.36 ERA and 1.27 WHIP with 165 strikeouts and 57 walks in 174 2/3 innings. He produced 1.7 fWAR, his lowest total ever in a full season. On the bright side, his xFIP was 4.19, much lower than his bloated ERA. He’s only 30 and should be much better in his second season back from elbow reconstruction.

The Marlins missed the playoffs by four games this season, but they have a new front office regime in place led by Gabe Kapler. That group will likely want to be bold in establishing a new direction. Alcántara is set to make $17.3 million in 2026, and his contract has a club option for $21 million in 2027. Yes, Miami would be selling low here, but dealing him could clear some cash off the books while netting a solid return.

Fits: Braves, Giants, Blue Jays, Angels

8. Jo Adell, OF, Los Angeles Angels

After years of waiting, Adell finally broke out in 2025 and delivered on some of the promise he showed as a top-five prospect in the game back in 2020. Adell slashed .236/.293/.485, with 37 home runs and 98 RBIs, and produced a career-best wRC+ of 112. Can he repeat that in 2026? The jury is still out, but he’s under team control through 2027, so there’s value to be mined here.

The Angels lost 90 games, Mike Trout is a shell of his former self and they own one of baseball’s worst farm systems. It would be wise for L.A. to start unloading the few assets it has and look to the future. Taylor Ward, Luis Rengifo, Jorge Soler and Kenley Jansen should also be on the table. As for Adell, a team needing some pop from a corner outfield spot could buy high on the 26-year-old banking that 2025 represented his immense underlying talent showing through, not a fluke.

Fits: White Sox, Royals, Orioles, Red Sox

9. MacKenzie Gore, SP, Washington Nationals

Gore was excellent in the first half of the season, showing the stuff that led the Padres to select him with the third overall pick in the 2017 draft. He made his first All-Star team as he entered the break with a 4–8 record, 3.02 ERA, 2.96 FIP and 138 strikeouts in 110 1/3 innings. He still surrendered too many walks, but he was mostly in command on the mound. Then it all fell apart. Over his final 11 starts, Gore went 1–7 with a 6.75 ERA, 1.70 WHIP and 47 strikeouts against 29 walks in 49 1/3 innings. That kicked his ERA up to 4.17 on the season. Simply put, he walks too many guys, and his fastball is too hittable, as opponents had an xSLG of .497 against it.

Despite his second-half struggles, the 26-year-old should be a popular target this winter as the Nationals rework their roster to build for the future. He’s under contract through 2027, and when he’s on, Gore has the stuff to be a frontline starter. He may not garner as big of a return as he would have two years ago, but in the hands of the right pitching coach, he could quickly turn things around.

Fits: Braves, Mets, Giants, Padres

10. Luis Robert Jr., OF, Chicago White Sox

Robert has seemingly been on the trade block for a solid two seasons now, but the White Sox haven’t found a deal they like. That might change this offseason. The 28-year-old had a monster year in 2023 in which he hit 38 home runs and boasted an OPS of .857 and a wRC+ of 129. But he’s looked like a totally different player at the plate since then. In 2025, he slashed .223/.297/.364, with 14 home runs and a weak wRC+ of 84. Some of that decline might be due to the White Sox just being terrible, but there are legitimate concerns that Robert’s best days are behind him. He has also missed significant time in 2024 and ’25, only playing a total of 210 games.

Chicago picked up the $20 million option on Robert’s contract for 2026 and holds another at the same price in 2027—so he’s not a rental, is still a plus defender and can still run, as he stole 33 bases this season. The power/speed combination is still there if someone can get him back on track. When he’s right, Robert is a 30/30 threat who plays good defense in center. There are plenty of teams who could use someone like that, but there is quite a bit of risk here.

Fits: Cubs, Royals, Mets, Orioles

Glasgow Rangers failed to get back to winning ways in the Scottish Premiership on Wednesday night as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Dundee United.

The Light Blues, who were held to a 0-0 draw by Falkirk at Ibrox at the weekend, had to come from behind on two occasions to secure a point on their travels, on a night where they should have aimed for all three points.

Max Aarons was caught as he got to a loose ball first in the box deep into stoppage time to provide Nedim Bajrami with a chance to equalise from the spot in the 98th minute.

That came after their first goal was a stunning long-range strike from Brentford loanee Jayden Meghoma, who rifled in his first goal for the club with a sweet left-footed finish.

Ultimately, Danny Rohl will be unhappy with the fact that his team only came away from the game with one point to show for their efforts after they created seven ‘big chances’, per Sofascore, to the host’s two.

One of the players who was guilty of wasting one of those ‘big chances’ was Macedonia international Bojan Miovski, who should be dropped by the German boss.

Why Rohl should drop Miovski for Rangers

The left-footed marksman was given the chance to lead the line for the Light Blues once again in the Premiership against Dundee United, but he did not do enough on the pitch to suggest that he deserves to keep his place.

Miovski, who was signed from Girona during the summer transfer window, missed the only ‘big chance’ that came his way, as he failed to beat Dave Richards.

To his credit, the Rangers striker was more involved than he usually is. Miovski completed 32 of his 33 passes on the night, despite averaging ten completed passes per game for the season, per Sofascore, which shows that he was trying to get involved and was reliable with his passes.

However, the 26-year-old flop is in the team to score goals, as the main number nine, and he has not been anywhere near good enough in that respect for the Light Blues.

After Wednesday night’s 2-2 draw with Dundee United, the former Aberdeen centre-forward has only scored one goal in 11 outings in the Scottish Premiership for the Ibrox giants.

Appearances

11

Goals

1

Minutes per goal

730

Big chances missed

5

Assists

1

Ground duel success rate

32%

Aerial duel success rate

31%

As you can see in the table above, Miovski has not done enough this season to suggest that he has been a good addition to the squad by former sporting director Kevin Thelwell, as he has struggled in front of goal and physically on the deck and in the air.

That is why Rohl should ruthlessly drop him from the starting XI for the trip to Kilmarnock on Saturday, because he was wasteful again on Wednesday night, and is yet to prove that he can be relied upon week-in-week-out in a Rangers shirt.

Chalkboard

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

Whilst the goalless Miovski was disappointing again for the Light Blues, Emmanuel Fernandez was even worse than the Macedonia international with what was his worst performance for the Scottish giants since his permanent move from Peterborough United in the summer transfer window.

Where that performance ranks in Emmanuel Fernandez's Rangers career

The English central defender has played seven matches for the Light Blues since his move, and his display against Dundee United was his worst outing for the club to date.

Fernandez, who was given a 3/10 player rating by IbroxNews, was beaten far too easily in the channel for the opening goal from Zach Sapsford, who burst past the centre-back before racing through to chip the ball over Jack Butland.

Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar described it as “dreadful” defending, which is hard to argue with, as he got sucked in on the halfway line and spun with ease.

On top of that error, Fernandez only won ten of his 18 duels and six of his 11 aerial duels. Per Sofascore, he has won 75% of his aerial battles in the league this season, which makes his 55% success rate against Dundee United look poor by his usual standards.

He was even worse than Miovski, therefore, because the central defender was nowhere near his best and was at fault for a goal, whilst the striker at least looked a lot better in his all-round game as a passer, even if his finishing was not good enough.

When looking at his other performances for the Light Blues, it is hard to look past Wednesday night’s showing being his worst display for the club.

1

Livingston (H)

2

Falkirk (H)

3

Braga (H)

4

St Mirren (A)

5

Alloa Athletic (H)

6

Dundee United (A)

N/A

Hibernian (A)

He only played one minute off the bench against Hibernian, which makes it impossible to judge, and he scored goals against Alloa Athletic in the League Cup and Livingston in the Premiership.

Fernandez also won ten of his 12 duels against Falkirk and nine of his 12 duels against Braga, per Sofascore, as Rangers conceded two goals in those games, whilst he was not at fault for the goal conceded in the 1-1 draw with St Mirren under Russell Martin.

Per Sofascore, his 55% aerial duel success rate against Dundee United was his lowest in a game for Rangers in any competition, which speaks to how off the pace he was on the night, without even taking into account his error for the opening goal.

With John Souttar and Derek Cornelius out injured, though, Rohl does not have many alternatives in his position at the moment, so Fernandez may keep his place at the heart of the defence against Kilmarnock.

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If that is the case, the former Peterborough colossus will need to get back to his usual dominant self at the back, after a disappointing game against Dundee United.

The new tournament will see 90 women’s players from Full Members and Associates and has applied to get sanctioned by the ICC

Firdose Moonda01-Dec-2025

Mignon du Preez, Hayley Matthews and Deandra Dottin have featured in the previous editions of the FairBreak Invitational tournament•FairBreak Global

A restructured FairBreak has promised to create “the Wimbledon of cricket” in partnership with Saudi Arabia, which will see 90 women’s players from both Full Member and Associate teams compete at an elite level in a multi-team T20 event. The tournament, which has its roots in the FairBreak Invitational, has, through Saudi Cricket, applied for ICC sanction and will run for five years starting in 2026.”It’s an event played in one city, one stadium, with one hotel where everybody stays and it’s over in two weeks,” Ramasamy Venkatesh, FairBreak’s MD, told ESPNcricinfo. “It means that every day at breakfast, women across different countries and teams will be mixing, chatting, and forming relationships. Then you get players contacting their heroes like Shabnim Ismail and Katherine Sciver-Brunt and asking them questions as they continue playing. That kind of relationship-building and feedback is invaluable.”FairBreak, which was founded in 2013 by former Australian captain Lisa Sthalekar and her manager Shaun Martyn, seeks to champion the cause of gender equality in cricket and democratise the space for women across the playing spectrum. After several invitational fixtures, it launched its first tournament in 2022, which included six teams.Related

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What makes it distinct from other franchise competitions is that there is no auction and squads are decided by a panel of between four and six selectors. Each squad composition is the same, with half the players coming from Full Members and the other half from Associates. Players are paid across four salary bands ranging from US$20,000 for category A to US$5,000 for category D (category B players earn US$15,000 and C players US$10,000). These signature features will remain in place for the upcoming event.All six teams will be owned by FairBreak, with the option to partner with a corporate sponsor for brand rights. Previous sponsors included the Barmy Army, and FairBreak intends to procure others, especially as that could impact players’ remuneration.”Our interest is always to increase the compensation to the women to make it more remunerative for them because we want the girls to be paid equally as men. That’s our long-term vision,” Venkatesh said. “If we get enough sponsorships to support an increase in pay, the first thing we’ll do this time is to increase the pay for the women.”The event has previously featured players from 35 countries, but none from India as the previous editions clashed with domestic tournaments in India. With FairBreak eyeing a September-October window that will fall after the Women’s Hundred and before the WBBL – both events that Indian players participate in – it is hoped there will be no obstacles to Indian players taking part this time. While only retired Indian men’s players can get NOCs to play in overseas leagues, active Indian women’s players have been involved in T20 leagues around the world, and FairBreak and Cricket Saudi are hopeful of achieving the same for this tournament.Chiefly, FairBreak’s focus is on casting the net as wide as possible to involve as many ICC members as they can. That will include Saudi Arabia, where there is a significant expat sporting community and women mostly play tape-ball cricket. “Right now, Full Member nations are getting a good amount of cricket, especially India, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia,” Venkatesh said. “Our aim is to make sure Associate nations can also take the step up to the higher levels. Today, women’s cricket is the fastest growing segment of cricket.”Shizuka Miyaji of Japan also played in the FairBreak tournament•FairBreak Global

Recognition of this growth is growing after the ICC launched an Emerging Nations Trophy for women last month and confirmed the expansion of the Women’s ODI World Cup. FairBreak, while not part of the ICC, works in the same area of development and aims to continue to partner with member countries to raise the profile of the women’s game, especially as their organisation has come through a period of uncertainty to find stability.After their inaugural event in 2022 in the UAE, FairBreak held a second tournament in 2023 in Hong Kong and appeared to be growing. They were due to hold a third event in 2023 in the USA which was initially pushed back to 2024 and then postponed indefinitely. Venkatesh explained that the logistical challenges of hosting the 2024 event with the Women’s T20 World Cup in October that year and several other tours prompted the organisation’s decision to hold off as they also faced internal changes.In 2026 too, the new FairBreak tournament will face the challenge of a calendar clash with the women’s Asia Cup, which is also scheduled for mid-September to early October as of now, along with bilateral tours such as England touring Ireland for six white-ball matches in September and West Indies hosting Zimbabwe for eight white-ball matches mid-September onwards.Martyn stepped down in January 2024 and Venkatesh, who is also the founder of a multi-national healthcare group Gencor and an ICC Development Panel umpire, was confirmed the MD in September this year. By that time, talks on another tournament were in full swing and FairBreak had identified the Middle East as a potential region for an event. They began negotiations in the first quarter of 2025 and believe they have signed a deal that will ensure their “sustainability” into the future.

Manchester United aren’t alien to spending a pretty penny in the transfer market, as seen by their recent attempts over the last couple of years under various managers.

The hierarchy have splashed over £800m on new additions since the summer of 2022, with Ruben Amorim the most recent beneficiary of the huge spending.

He’s already been handed over £200m worth of funds since taking the reins in November last year, but was only able to guide the club to a 15th-place finish in the Premier League.

His summer additions have already made an immediate impact, as seen by the sixth-place standing at present, but certain areas are still in need of added depth.

With January now rapidly approaching on the horizon, it could provide INEOS and the manager with yet another opportunity to finally nail their recruitment in the market.

United’s hunt for added attacking reinforcements this January

Over the last couple of weeks, United have been named as just one side who are contemplating a winter move to land Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo to improve options in the final third.

It’s been reported that the Ghanaian international is available for a fee in the region of £65m due to his release clause becoming active on the 1st of the new year.

However, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are all said to be interested in a move for the 25-year-old, which could lead to huge competition for his signature.

Semenyo isn’t the only attacker currently in their sights at present, with PSG star Bradley Barcola another option the hierarchy have identified ahead of January.

According to one Spanish outlet, the Red Devils are considering a move for the French forward, after his impressive start to 2025/26, which has seen him net five goals in Ligue 1 to date.

However, the report also states Luis Enrique doesn’t want to lose one of his star players next month, leading to a €70m (£60m) asking price being placed on his head.

Why Barcola would be an upgrade on Cunha

As part of the club’s £200m spending spree during the summer window, United managed to clinch the signature of Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha from
Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Red Devils paid a reported £62.5m including add-ons for his services, a deal which was seen as excellent business, after he netted 15 league goals last season.

However, a few months into his career at Old Trafford, Cunha has struggled to meet expectations and has been unable to produce his best performances in the Premier League.

In his 12 league matches to date, he’s only scored once and registered a single assist – the lowest tally of any of the three forwards who moved to the Theatre of Dreams in the summer.

Whilst he still has plenty of time to turn things around, the board will no doubt be concerned about his lack of impact during the early stages of his career in Manchester.

He could find minutes harder to come by after January if the hierarchy manage to complete a move for Barcola, with the French youngster one of Europe’s biggest stars.

When comparing his stats to Cunha in 2025/26 to date, the PSG sensation has dominated in key areas, which could provide Amorim with a huge upgrade in the attacking department.

Barcola, who’s been described as “one of the best wingers in Europe” by European football expert Zach Lowy, has massively outscored the United star whilst posting a better shot on target accuracy rate in attacking areas.

Such numbers showcase the dominance he possesses over Cunha when in front of goal, which could hand Amorim the added firepower he is currently craving.

Games played

12

12

Goals & assists

5

2

Shot on target accuracy

52%

33%

Progressive carries

4.6

2.8

Progressive passes

4.1

3.8

Pass accuracy

84%

79%

Key passes

2.1

1.2

Take-on success

2.9

2.1

Carries into opposition box

3.3

1.4

However, the Frenchman has also provided a more creative option than the Brazilian this season, as seen by his better tallies in progressive passes and key passes per 90.

Getting past the opposition has also been a strength of Barcola, as demonstrated by his higher tally of take-ons per 90 and dribbled into the opposition box.

At just 23, it’s evident that Barcola is already a bigger talent than Cunha, but he also has age on his side, which could allow him to reach the next level in the years ahead.

£60m would be yet another huge investment from the board, but it is one that could allow the Red Devils to be a force to be reckoned with in the Premier League for many years to come.

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Arsenal have been almost faultless this season, but on Sunday, their unbeaten run finally came to an end.

Mikel Arteta’s side once again came unstuck at the hands of Unai Emery’s Aston Villa and now sit just two points clear of Manchester City atop the Premier League table.

It wasn’t a dreadful showing from the league leaders, but it was a disappointing and potentially worrying one.

Moreover, it was another game in which a particular player flattered to deceive, a player who could end up being Arteta’s worst signing since Fabio Vieira.

What went wrong for Fabio Vieira at Arsenal

Arsenal fans largely remember the summer of 2022 as the window when Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko arrived from Manchester City and helped the team on their first title charge in a generation.

However, that summer also saw the club sign Vieira from Porto for around £34m, and while it was a surprise move, it was an exciting one.

After all, the Portuguese midfielder had just come off a campaign in which he produced 23 goal involvements in 39 games.

Unfortunately, aside from the odd moment of brilliance, the Santa Maria da Feira-born talent failed to make much of a mark during his first season in North London, racking up a tally of just two goals and six assists in 33 first-team appearances.

Things would only get worse the following season, as a combination of injuries, poor form and suspensions limited him to just 16 appearances, in which he scored one goal and provided four assists.

With two disappointing campaigns under his belt in as many years, the 25-year-old was sent back to Porto on loan for 24/25, where he did improve, but only marginally and ended the season with a tally of 11 goal involvements in 42 games.

The Portuguese giants did not want to bring their player back on a permanent deal this year, and so, with few other options, the Gunners agreed to send him on another loan, this time to Hamburg, with an option to buy.

Vieira’s Arsenal record
Season	22/23	23/24
Appearances	33	16
Goals	2	1
Assists	6	3
Goal Involvements per Match	0.24	0.25
All Stats via Transfermarkt

In all, it’s clear that Vieira is a talented player, but it’s equally clear he is not, and never was, good enough to play for Arsenal.

Worryingly, the same might eventually be said about another of Arteta’s signings, someone who could go down as his worst since the Portuguese midfielder lest he improve, and quickly.

Arsenal star in danger of becoming Arteta's worst signing since Vieira

Overall, it would be fair to say that Arsenal’s summer business this year was a success.

Chalkboard

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

The likes of Eberchi Eze, Martin Zubimendi and Noni Madueke, for example, have all looked good to great so far.

However, there is one signing who has divided opinion more than any other, and is in danger of being labelled a flop if he doesn’t improve: Viktor Gyokeres.

Now, before the pitchforks and torches come out, there is every chance the Swedish international will prove his doubters wrong and become the goalscoring monster Arsenal need him to be.

Unfortunately, there have been few signs of that happening so far this season.

For example, in 17 appearances so far, the former Sporting “powerhouse” forward, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored just six goals, which is not terrible, but it’s not enough for someone who wants to lead the line for a title-winning side.

Gyokeres vs Villa
Minutes	50′
Shots	0
Expected Assists	0.03
Key Passes	0
Touches	11
Lost Possession	6
Passes	4
Crosses (Accurate)	1 (0)
All Stats via Sofascore

Moreover, the game against Villa on Saturday was another one in which he failed to stamp his authority on things.

The 27-year-old came on at half-time, but in his 50 minutes of action, he took just 11 touches, lost the ball six times, completed four passes, failed to take a single shot or create a single big chance.

It was a worrying display, and one that could easily see the likes of Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus leapfrog him in the pecking order when they are both fully fit.

Ultimately, while there is time for him to make his mark on this team, Gyokeres has underdelivered for Arsenal so far this year and is in real danger of becoming Arteta’s worst permanent signing since Vieira.

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