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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is under pressure after the 3-1 defeat away to Hearts on Sunday.

Rodgers critical of Hearts' approach vs Celtic

The Scottish Premiership champions were soundly beaten over the weekend, allowing Hearts to pull eight points clear at the top of the table, with Chris Sutton ripping into Celtic after the defeat..

Rodgers was clearly a frustrated figure after the game too, admitting that he could never choose to adopt the hosts’ more direct style of play at a club like Celtic.

“The approach, I think, when you’re at a club like Celtic, people talk about plan A, plan B, but Celtic is a club whose DNA is about playing football. We’ll never lose that. When we play to that identity, it’s totally different.

“Hearts, it’s a different DNA here. The ball’s direct. The supporters love that. It’s a second ball fight. It’s set pieces, all that. Celtic hasn’t become winners in that way. Our DNA is to play a fast-attacking game of football, whatever the system is. The systems are relevant. You can play whatever system you want, but your style of football and the style of Celtic is fast-attacking football.”

Boyd lays into Rodgers' comments

Speaking on Sky Sports after the game, former Rangers striker Kris Boyd didn’t hold back in his criticism of Celtic boss Rodgers, calling his comments “disrespectful” to Hearts in a 14-word atatck on the Irishman.

Boyd also added: “To question the way Derek McInnes’ or Hearts’ teams play, because Celtic didn’t come here and dominate and win. They got bullied. Deal with it. You’re talking about fast, attacking football – that’s not their DNA. Winning is Celtic’s DNA. To have a go at Derek McInnes for the way they played, it’s so disrespectful for me.”

In truth, Rodgers’ comments do sound a little on the bitter side, with Hearts just feeling like the hungrier of the two sides at Tynecastle on Sunday lunchtime.

Celtic are not firing at all at the moment, and haven’t done all season by their high standards, and they now have a genuinely big challenge on their hands when it comes to retaining the Scottish Premiership title next May.

Granted, it is still early days and there is every chance that the Hoops find their feet, and Hearts begin to feel the pressure at some point, but their rivals have still only dropped two points in 2025/26 to date, which is worthy of respect.

“Shambles” – Sutton names the 3 ways Celtic were poor against Hearts

The Bhoys were defeated in Edinburgh today to cap another dismal day at the office.

BySean Markus Clifford Oct 26, 2025

Rodgers has cut a disgruntled figure throughout the campaign, not helped by a frustrating summer in the transfer market, and his latest comments feel like those of a manager who is feeling the heat. He has proved that he is a winner in the past, though, and he remains the right man to take Celtic forward for now.

Newcastle, Liverpool and England legend Kevin Keegan has named the player he would sign if he were managing in football today, while praising Eddie Howe for his "profound" impact at St James' Park. The 74-year-old, who was speaking as he helped launch 10,000 free pints of Guinness for non-league fans on Boxing Day, won the Ballon d'Or twice as a player and had two spells in charge of the Magpies, famously leading one of their best ever teams in Premier League title races during the 1990s before returning for a brief stint in 2008.

• Guinness
  

  Keegan surprises fans for non-league initiative

  Keegan is one of England's greatest ever players, having made his name during a trophy-laden spell with Liverpool before moving to the Bundesliga with Hamburg. He later returned to the United Kingdom for two seasons with Southampton before spending two campaigns with Newcastle. He briefly came out of retirement to play for Blacktown City in Australia, but that spell only lasted two games.

  Now, he has returned to the spotlight by helping Guinness launch a new campaign which will see 10,000 free pints be poured around non-league grounds on Boxing Day. He surprised fans at Scunthorpe United, where he played three seasons in the Fourth Division, scoring 22 goals in 141 appearances before moving to Anfield.

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  Keegan names the star he'd sign as a manager

  Keegan managed in the Premier League, taking charge of just over 250 games in all competitions during his first spell at Newcastle, which lasted just under five years. He would go on to lead Fulham for little over a year before an ill-fated time as England manager, with his next role coming at Manchester City. He won 77 of his 176 matches between 2001 and 2005 and then made a brief return to Newcastle in 2008, though that stint only lasted 22 games.

  Clearly an expert who knows a good player when he sees one, the 74-year-old picked out a current Newcastle star as the player he would look to sign if he were managing a team in today's game.

  He said: "Bruno Guimaraes: a midfielder who plays with imagination and bravery, traits increasingly rare in possession-heavy modern football and perfect for an attacking, expressive side."

• Keegan reacts after Newcastle end long wait for major silverware

  Keegan was also delighted to see Newcastle end a 56-year trophy drought when they lifted the Carabao Cup last season.

  He added: "I was absolutely delighted for Eddie [Howe] because he’s not just a good coach – he understands the identity and emotional heartbeat of Newcastle, something many managers before him struggled with. He’s rebuilt the club’s connection with supporters through honesty, hard work and a clear style of play, and delivering the first trophy in my lifetime since I was a child shows how profoundly he’s changed the mood around the place. 

  "For Newcastle to challenge again, they need to keep building on that clarity – smart signings, patience, stability and maintaining their strong culture. With Europe now part of the journey, they finally look like a club moving upwards with real purpose."

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  What comes next for Newcastle?

  Non-league fans up and down the country will be able to get their hands on a free pint on Boxing Day. Many supporters could find themselves watching such fixtures, with the Premier League only featuring one game that day, which coincidentally is Newcastle's trip to Manchester United.

  Before then, Newcastle have an intriguing trip to Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday night. Howe's side have won three of their five games in the Champions League so far, most recently losing at Marseille after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's double despite taking an early lead through Harvey Barnes. 

  Following that trip to Germany, Newcastle face local rivals Sunderland, Fulham in the Carabao Cup, Chelsea, United and Burnley in their remaining December fixtures.

Also, some numbers on India’s left-hand batting dominance and KL Rahul’s role

Sampath Bandarupalli27-Jul-20252:09

Manjrekar: ‘Warriors’ keep sprouting for India when needed

2 – Number of Tests involving England ending in draws since Brendon McCullum became their head coach. This was the 40th Test under McCullum. The other draw was against Australia in 2023, also at Old Trafford.ESPNcricinfo Ltd7 – Number of 350-plus totals for India in the four Test so far, the most for a team in a Test series. The previous best was six, by Australia, who have done it three times in the Ashes, in 1920-21, 1948, and 1989.This series is also the first instance of India crossing 300 on seven occasions in a series. Eight is the record.0 – Instances of a team winning a Test match at Old Trafford after choosing to bowl first. Teams electing to bowl first here have lost three of the 12, while nine ended in draws.The latest result continued India’s winless run at Old Trafford, where they have played ten matches, the most by them at a venue without a win.ESPNcricinfo Ltd4 – Number of hundreds for Shubman Gill in the series, the joint-highest by an India batter in a series. Sunil Gavaskar had four hundreds against West Indies in 1971 and 1978-79, while Virat Kohli also scored four on the 2014-15 tour of Australia.Gill is also only the third captain with four hundreds in a Test series, following Don Bradman against India in 1947-48 and Gavaskar against West Indies in 1978-79.Gill’s four hundreds are also the joint-highest in a series in England. Bradman (in 1930) is the only other visiting batter with four hundreds in a series in England.ESPNcricinfo Ltd722 – Runs scored by Gill in this series. Only Gavaskar has scored more runs in a Test series for India – 774 in 1970 and 732 in 1978-79; both against West Indies.188 – The partnership between Gill and KL Rahul is by far the highest third-wicket stand in Test cricket history after being two-down for zero. The previous highest was 105 by Mohinder Amarnath and GR Viswanath against Australia in Melbourne in 1977.Gill and Rahul batted 417 balls together during their partnership. It is the longest Test partnership for India in England since 1998.9 – 50-plus scores for Ravindra Jadeja in Tests in England, all while batting at No. 6 or lower, the joint-highest by a visiting player alongside Garry Sobers. Jadeja and Sobers are also the only visiting players with 1000-plus runs from No. 6 or lower in England.Jadeja also has 34 wickets in England. Only two visiting players have taken more wickets while scoring 1000-plus runs in a country: Wilfred Rhodes (1032 runs and 42 wickets in Australia) and Sobers (1820 runs and 62 wickets in England).511 – Runs aggregated by Rahul in this series so far. He is the first visiting opener to score 500-plus runs in a Test series since Graeme Smith’s 714 in 2003. Only Gavaskar among India openers (542 in 1979) has scored more than Rahul in a series in England.Four India batters have aggregated 400-plus runs in this series – Gill, Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Jadeja, the first such instance for them. The previous series in which four (or more) batters scored 400-plus runs for a team was in 1993 – six Australia batters did it in the Ashes that year.4 – Instances of India knocking off a 300-plus first-innings deficit to draw a Test match. The highest is 368 against England – also at Old Trafford in 1936 – while they overhauled 334 against Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad and 314 against New Zealand in Napier, both in 2009.3 – Century-makers in the second innings for India at Old Trafford – Gill, Jadeja and Washington. It is the first instance of three batters scoring hundreds for India in the second innings of a Test match.Ravindra Jadeja celebrates his well-deserved century•Getty Images1 – Five left-hand India batters – Yashasvi Jaiswal, B Sai Sudharsan and Pant in the first innings, while Washington Sundar and Jadeja in the second innings – had 50-plus scores in the Old Trafford Test. Only once before have five left-hand batters scored at least 50 for a team in a Test.Seven left-hand batters got at least 50 runs at Old Trafford, including Ben Duckett and Ben Stokes, the most for a Test match.A total of 12 batters got past 50 across both teams. This is the joint-second-highest, behind the 13 by South Africa and England in Durban in 1939.Seven of them at Old Trafford were by India batters, the joint-most for them in a Test match. Only Pakistan (eight vs India in 2006 in Karachi) had more players with 50-plus scores.5 – Number of sessions where India batted 20-plus overs without losing a wicket at Old Trafford. Since the start of 2014, only one team has had as many wicketless sessions in a Test match – six by Pakistan against Australia in 2022 in Rawalpindi. No other team have been as strong in more than three sessions in a Test match in this period.ESPNcricinfo Ltd12 – Batters who have scored a century in this series. Australia’s tour of the West Indies in 1955 is the only other series to feature 12 century-makers.A total of 18 centuries have been scored in this series so far, the third-highest in a Test series. Eleven have come from India, the joint-highest for them in a Test series, alongside the 1978-79 home series against West Indies.

Liverpool splashed the big bucks and then some over the summer, hopeful of retaining their Premier League title in style.

However, the majority of the whopping £415m spent now looks as if it has gone down the drain, with both Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak remaining goalless, despite costing a combined £225m to bring to Anfield.

Arne Slot thankfully has the January transfer window coming into view now to try and turn around his side’s lacklustre campaign, with Liverpool all the way down in eighth position at the moment, as Manchester United are even ahead of the Reds on goal difference.

Liverpool planning to spend big again

You would think that the Merseyside giants might be more cautious in the transfer department after such a wild summer spending spree.

However, reports suggest that the underwhelming reigning champions could go all out to try and win Michael Olise from Bayern Munich for an astronomical £177m fee.

Moreover, one of the best players in the top-flight this term in the shape of Antoine Semenyo is reportedly also on their radar as they try to upgrade on an attack that looks short on confidence, even with Mohamed Salah starting week in, week out.

On top of flashy recruits being rumoured to join the Anfield ranks in attack, an update from Liverpool-based writer DaveOCKOP has also revealed that the Reds are holding initial talks with Crystal Palace over midfield star Adam Wharton.

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

It is stated that the move is more likely for the summer of 2026 than the upcoming January window, but never say never when it comes to Liverpool’s ambition in this department, with it also being revealed back in September that the English international’s preference – if he were to leave the Eagles behind – was a switch to Slot and Co.

Having just made his first start for the Three Lions during this international break, the sky really does appear to be the limit for Wharton currently, with a mammoth £100m price tag also above his head.

How Wharton can become Slot's own Gerrard

As Slot looks to reshape his midfield in 2026, he could find a new beating heart at the centre of his team in the form of Wharton, much like a certain Steven Gerrard was back in the day.

By the close of his distinguished career at the very top, Gerrard was showered with some immense praise, with Gabriel Agbonlahor notably once describing him as the best midfielder in Premier League history, even ahead of Kevin De Bruyne.

Indeed, away from bagging a stunning 186 goals and picking up 155 assists for his boyhood club, the well-rounded servant also closed out his long-standing career on Merseyside with a Champions League title.

As Liverpool’s website affectionately put it when Gerrard hung up his boots, the Englishman was a revered “gladiator” for his boyhood side.

Of course, it would be crazy to expect Wharton to be as impactful from minute one of his own Anfield journey, but in time, he could be Gerrard 2.0, displaying a similar level of composure and ball manipulation from midfield.

The data above displays Wharton’s similar well-roundedness from the middle of the park, which is very much like the Liverpool great, with the 21-year-old only getting better with time, as he becomes more and more used to the demands of the Premier League.

Unfortunately, he hasn’t quite uncovered a goalscoring mojo in the top-flight yet, like Gerrard, but with the likes of Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai next to him if he takes on this huge Anfield opportunity, there is a possibility that he enhances his varied game to that next level.

Hailed as a “genius” at a very early age at Blackburn Rovers by ex-boss Tony Mowbray, and now an “incredible” star by former Selhurst Park teammate Eberechi Eze, it does feel as if a big move soon awaits Wharton.

If all clicks into place for the 21-year-old at Liverpool, he might well be the second coming of Gerrard; a powerful English midfield technician who has all of the tools to be a Three Lions mainstay for years to come.

It will take some big bucks to land his services, but if Slot can win a new legend in the process, it’s a bold investment that’s definitely worth making.

New Trent: Liverpool star is "one of the most underrated players in England"

Slot could find a shrewd solution to Liverpool’s problems in this talent.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 17, 2025

Birmingham Phoenix 113 for 3 (Duckett 49*, Clarke 40) beat Manchester Originals 109 for 7 (Klaasen 34, Livingstone 2-11) by seven wicketsBirmingham Phoenix produced a polished display to thrash Manchester Originals by seven wickets at Emirates Old Trafford and move up to fourth in the table.The Phoenix have struggled for consistency in the tournament, and their defeat to Welsh Fire on Friday evening ended any hope of qualifying for the knockout phase, but a disciplined performance in the field and a clinical partnership of 72 from 45 balls between Ben Duckett (49 not out from 38) and Joe Clarke (40 from 21) delivered a consolation victory.Set just 110 to win, Will Smeed nicked off to Sonny Baker for 13 but it was plain sailing thereafter, Clarke announcing his arrival with three consecutive boundaries off his Nottinghamshire teammate Josh Tongue before dispatching Ish Sodhi for a slog-swept six.Duckett had been more circumspect but came to the party by taking 14 off Sodhi’s second set and the Phoenix wasted no time in racing to their target, Tongue’s dismissals of Clarke and Liam Livingstone only delaying the inevitable as victory was secured with 17 balls to spare.Earlier, the Originals had made a positive start after winning the toss and electing to bat. Phil Salt (31 from 20) hit Adam Milne for a six and a four in the second set, and belted two maximums off Trent Boult in the third, but Liam Patterson-White got the breakthrough when he clean bowled Ben McKinney for 2 with an arm ball and the hosts badly lost their way when Salt followed, caught at long-on by Duckett off Jacob Bethell.Jos Buttler came and went for 5, trapped lbw by the excellent Livingstone (2 for 11), and wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, with Heinrich Klaasen (34 from 35) unable to fully unleash his range of shots on a slow surface that played into the hands of the Phoenix spinners.The South African was eventually caught in the deep off Chris Wood (2-11) in the penultimate set and the Originals could only muster 109-7, ultimately slipping to a fifth defeat in seven, bottom of the table on net run rate, as their formidable batting line-up again failed to fire.Clarke, named the Meerkat Match Hero, said: “I feel in good rhythm and have good confidence, so it was nice to contribute to a win.”The pitch had been used a few times so it was slightly on the slower side. I felt like once the seamers were on I could inject pace into it and it helped having Ben at the other end who could knock it around and run hard.On the partnership with Duckett, he added: “We wanted to stick to our strengths. He’s a very good player of spin, he hits gas really well, and it was about limiting dot balls. We’ve played cricket together for a long, long time, so it’s nice to be out there in the middle with him.”

Kuldeep and Prasidh set up the victory by sharing eight wickets between them

Sidharth Monga06-Dec-2025 • Updated on 08-Dec-2025KL Rahul resorted to spinning the coin with his left hand and finally won India a toss for the first time in their last 21 ODIs. They followed it up with a nine-wicket win to show what a challenge it had been for them to stay competitive and force a decider against South Africa, despite losing both the earlier tosses in this series.The beleaguered Prasidh Krishna began India’s turnaround, bowling Quinton de Kock after a sensational century. Kuldeep Yadav – playing with the dry ball for the first time in the series – then ran through the lower middle order to restrict South Africa to 270, after they would have entertained thoughts of 350 at various points in the innings.India penalised for slow over-rate

India’s players have been fined 10% of their match fees for their slow over-rate against South Africa in the second ODI in Raipur on December 3.

KL Rahul’s team was ruled to be two overs behind the target in match referee Richie Richardson’s estimation, and the team was penalised in accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC’s code of conduct for players.

The charge against India was levelled by on-field umpires Rod Tucker and Rohan Pandit, third umpire Sam Nogajski, and fourth umpire Jayaraman Madanagopal.

The low target allowed Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal to be measured in the initial overs, as the ball moved for longer and the dew appeared later than in the first two matches. Rohit shepherded Jaiswal in the early parts of his innings as the youngster found his tempo in a new format. However, Rohit didn’t stay long enough to watch him cruise to a maiden ODI hundred.In the end, the match wasn’t as simplistic as “win the toss, win the match” – it ebbed and flowed with a variety of conditions presenting themselves.Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana used the early moisture – perhaps a touch extra, to stop the pitch from drying out in the first innings – beautifully to tie South Africa down. Ryan Rickleton was opening, with Aiden Markram pushed down the order – to No. 5 – in Tony de Zorzi’s absence. Arshdeep took Rickleton’s edge in the first over. Rana followed it up with a maiden. India bowled three maidens in the first eight overs and only two edged boundaries from de Kock’s bat took South Africa to 25 for 1.Quinton de Kock brought up his seventh ODI ton against India•BCCIThe introduction of Prasidh, already under fire in this series, brought South Africa an opportunity to break free. De Kock took a special liking to him, pulling him for two sixes in his first two overs and playing the two shots of the day: an aerial extra-cover drive on the up for a six and one along the ground for four. Prasidh went for 27 in his first two, and runs started to flow in a 113-run stand between de Kock and Bavuma. The latter scored only 48 of those in 67 balls, which was more indicative of the conditions and the quality of bowling. De Kock, on the other hand, was already 63 off 55 at this point.The pitch had settled by now, and Matthew Breetzke took down the part-time spin of Tilak Varma, playing in place of Washington Sundar. By the end of the 26th over, the fifth-bowler combination of Prasidh and Tilak had leaked 56 runs from their five overs. De Kock was well on his way to a seventh century against India in just 23 innings. No one has scored more against India. Nor has any visiting batter scored more than his seven centuries in India.Related

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This is when, at 158 for 2, Prasidh started his second spell. His first over went for just two. Rana came on at the other end, with India desperate for a wicket. De Kock hit a four to take South Africa past a run a ball for the first time. In Prasidh’s next, Breetzke tried to get back to dominating him and made an error in judging length. He was out plumb lbw playing back and across the line to a ball hitting top of off. In the same over, Markram ended up chipping one to Virat Kohli, fielding close at short cover.Given the depth in their batting and the need to capitalise on the overs before the extra fielder went out for the last 10 overs, South Africa kept going. The run rate stayed up, but de Kock ended up playing all around a long half-volley from Prasidh, dismissed for 106 off 89 out of a score of 199 for 5 in 32.5 overs.Dewald Brevis and Marco Jansen kept attacking, but the return of Kuldeep brought new challenges. India needed to bowl five overs of spin in the last 14, which could have been tricky. However, Kuldeep was cherishing the dry ball for the first time this series as well as the older ball for the first time in his career, since the bowling side is now allowed to bowl with only one of the two balls after the 34th over.Brevis and Jansen were bullish in their response. They were not willing to play out Kuldeep, the leading wicket-taker in the series despite a predominantly wet ball in hand. When Kuldeep started the second over of this new spell, there had been 19 balls without a boundary. The extra fielder would go out in two overs as well. Aware of a big shot around the corner, Kuldeep kept tossing the ball wide and taking it away. Both of the batters holed out in the same over.Rohit Sharma celebrates with Kuldeep Yadav, who took four wickets•Associated PressKuldeep’s wizardry picked up two more wickets – only Adam Zampa has taken more hauls of four or more since Kuldeep’s debut – and Prasidh wiped off the last man.If South Africa had to compete in this defence, they needed early wickets. The ball moved around for Jansen and Lungi Ngidi, but seven wides in the first two overs and the occasional calculated strike from Rohit kept India in touch with the asking rate.Even as Jaiswal struggled, Rohit took the game on, charging and pulling Ngidi for a six and chipping Keshav Maharaj for a four against the turn. His trademark imperious pull made an appearance soon enough. While Jaiswal’s strike rate hovered around 50, Rohit got to his 94th score of 50 or more at a run a ball, buying Jaiswal time.It hasn’t been an ideal scenario for Jaiswal, filling in for the injured captain Shubman Gill. He was obligated to hit out in the first two ODIs as India strived for above-par scored to counter the toss disadvantage, but here, he could use the extra time and post a big score before Gill takes over again.The innings flowed smoothly after he reached 50 off 75 balls. He reached his hundred in just 36 more balls, becoming the sixth batter to be a centurion for India in all three formats. He batted with the two others in this chase. After Rohit fell 25 short of what would have been a 34th ODI hundred, Kohli displayed yet another upgrade to his game: he took his sixes tally to 12 – more than he has ever hit in a series before. He finished unbeaten on 65 off 45, as India won with more than 10 overs to spare.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Cole Palmer is set to make his return after two months out against Leeds in midweek. The Blues star has been absent since the club's defeat to Manchester United on September 20, and while he returned to the bench against Arsenal at the weekend, he did not come on, with the England international being eased back into action.

Palmer's return

Palmer has been absent for Chelsea since their defeat to United but was back on the bench against Arsenal at the weekend. While Moises Caicedo's red card may have scotched any chance of the England international coming on, he is now poised to play against Leeds on Wednesday. The playmaker's return from a groin issue was pencilled in for last week, but he broke his toe in a freak accident at home, and his comeback was subsequently delayed. Now, he is set to play at Elland Road, his manager, Enzo Maresca, has confirmed.

AdvertisementAFPMaresca's confirmation

Maresca told reporters:"He is available. The last game he was on the bench. For sure with the players was more complicated for Cole because now he needs to come back in terms of fitness condition. He is available, he can start the game.

"The idea of the game is to start giving minutes until he can play 90 minutes."

Maresca has also confirmed that he is facing a "complicated" decision over Reece James' selection, adding: "It's complicated. I would like to start him, but we need to do the right thing."

Asked if he can play in midfield, he said: "I think he can play in both positions. He has been full-back all his life. He also has played as a midfielder. But I think he can be good in both positions. When we decide for him as a midfielder, most of the time it's also when we want physicality in terms of midfielders, when we face some teams that are strong in the middle. So it depends a little bit on the game plan. But as you said, he's doing very well in both positions."

Chelsea challenging at the top end

Chelsea and Manchester City are currently running Arsenal the closest in the Premier League and held the leaders to a 1-1 draw at the weekend, despite Caicedo's red card.

And midfielder Enzo Fernandez insists they should be seen as proper title contenders, telling GiveMeSport: “Of course we are [title contenders]. This season, there are many contenders: Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United. All the teams are battling towards the top.

“There are some very strong Premier League sides. Arsenal have also been doing really well for many years. And Liverpool are a great side. I’m not going to choose one because they’re all good.

“And we know the Champions League is very tough. We’ll try to reach the final, which is what we deserve as a club. We’ve been doing well, so we’re capable of being right up there.”

On the lure of moving to west London, he added: "When Chelsea came in for me, I had no doubts. I wanted to make the move up, in sporting terms, to the Premier League.

“I wanted to come to Chelsea at all costs and didn’t want to let the opportunity pass me by. Everyone knows that and thank God it worked out. I’m here now and I’m very happy."

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Getty Images SportWhat next for Maresca's men?

Chelsea face Leeds this week and sit six points behind Arsenal ahead of the week's fixtures. The Blues also face Bournemouth this weekend, as they attempt to close the gap on the Gunners at the top-end of the table. 

Meanwhile, Arsenal face Brentford in midweek in a potential banana skin of a London derby, before then taking on Aston Villa this weekend. The Gunners, of course, also face European obligations, and will play Club Brugge three days after their clash with Villa; Chelsea play Atalanta on Tuesday.

Liverpool have now reportedly held concrete talks to sign Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth, as they look to the January transfer window in an attempt to solve their problems.

The Reds are in a crisis, that can no longer be denied. Defeat against Nottingham Forest at Anfield on Saturday slammed home just how much trouble Arne Slot’s side find themselves in. Their crown has evaporated, their dominance has subsided and they sit in the bottom half after 12 games in the Premier League.

Liverpool legend and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher had his say on the Reds’ problems on Monday Night Football, saying that he would like to see Mohamed Salah come out and speak for the side.

“A year ago this weekend, Mo Salah wasn’t shy in coming out and speaking about his own situation, about the club not offering him a contract.

“I only ever hear Salah speak when he gets man of the match or he needs a new contract. I would like to see Salah come out as one of the leaders, one the legends of Liverpool, come out and speak for the team. It shouldn’t always be the captain.”

The Egyptian, however, may decide to let his football do the talking as Liverpool desperately look to get back on track against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday night.

The Champions League has often handed the Premier League champions some much-needed reprieve this season, with victory over Real Madrid the best win of their season last time out.

Now, the visit of PSV presents Slot’s side with a similar opportunity to turn results around, before squaring off against West Ham United this weekend.

"I'm told" – Romano shares what Slot thinks about his own Liverpool future

Arne Slot is under pressure at Liverpool and Fabrizio Romano has delivered a telling update on his future.

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By
Sean Markus Clifford

Nov 24, 2025

Meanwhile, in the middle of their dismal period of form, Liverpool have reportedly been getting to work off the pitch on much-needed reinforcements.

Liverpool now "seriously working" on Semenyo deal

As reported by Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool are now “seriously working” on a deal to sign Semenyo from Bournemouth in the January transfer window.

Despite suggestions he has chosen to join Manchester United, those at Anfield have reportedly held “concrete talks” in pursuit of the winger, who has a release clause worth around €70m (£62m).

There is plenty of competition, but Liverpool should go all out to land Semenyo in January. They’ve missed the direct ability that Luis Diaz provided them – the ability that draws fouls, breaks low blocks down and evades an opposition press. Semenyo, however, can offer them exactly that.

The Bournemouth star has enjoyed 10 more successful take-ons than Salah so far this season and has earned high praise from ex-Liverpool man Jamie Redknapp as a result. The Sky Sports pundit described Semenyo as “unique” earlier in the campaign.

Who is to blame for Isak's form at Liverpool?

South Africa blown away for 72 to go down by 342 runs – the heaviest defeat in men’s ODIs

Matt Roller07-Sep-2025Jacob Bethell cracked the first hundred of his professional career as England thrashed South Africa by a record margin in Southampton. Bethell’s 110 off 82 balls, a timely reminder of his immense talent, was more than South Africa’s batters managed between them as Jofra Archer ran through their top order in a blistering new-ball spell to set up a thumping consolation win.At 21, Bethell became the second-youngest England player to score a men’s ODI hundred and set the platform for a huge total in a 182-run partnership with fellow centurion Joe Root, who hardly broke a sweat. South Africa were never likely to chase 415 even if Temba Bavuma – who strained a calf in the field – had been fit to bat, but after a dramatic collapse it took a last-wicket stand of 15 for them to surpass their lowest-ever ODI score of 69.Archer struck with his second ball, a loosener which Aiden Markram edged behind, but there were no more of those across an opening burst of 4 for 10 in seven overs. He had Ryan Rickelton nicking behind, Matthew Breetzke top-edging while trying to leave one alone, and Tristan Stubbs caught in the slips as he cranked the pace up to 93mph/150kph.SA fined for slow over rate

South Africa were fined 5% of their match fee for maintaining a slow over rate. They were one over short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration. As per Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct, players are fined 5% of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.

It was a searing spell which had South Africa’s batters hopping around, with Stubbs and Corbin Bosch both wearing blows on the body. Archer was well backed up by Brydon Carse, who had Wiaan Mulder caught off the top edge and Dewald Brevis edging to third slip, before Adil Rashid mopped up the tail. It could have been even worse but for two dropped catches.Harry Brook, England’s captain, hailed the “ultimate performance” from his side, while Bavuma promised a debrief after “a poor showing” in which things went “terribly wrong” for South Africa. “A display like that doesn’t do us justice,” he said, before sheepishly lifting the series trophy.Bethell’s twin failures in England’s fifth-Test defeat to India at The Oval sparked countless column inches, which highlighted the low volume of cricket that he has played this summer. He acknowledged on Sunday morning that he could have played more, but his 76-ball hundred underlined that he is a special talent whose rapid promotion to this level is deserved.Jofra Archer ripped the heart out of South Africa’s batting•Philip Brown/Getty ImagesSouth Africa had the chance to inflict England’s first home whitewash since 2006 after sealing the series at Lord’s on Thursday but were completely bereft of intensity. They rested Lungi Ngidi and were uncharacteristically sloppy in the field: Breetzke made a hash of a very simple chance off Jamie Smith at cover, but Nandre Burger’s drop of Bethell on 44 at mid-on proved particularly costly.Retaining his spot at No. 4, Bethell took the initiative early in his innings by attacking Keshav Maharaj. He punished the short ball, launched three straight sixes, and reached three figures with a rasping cover drive, celebrating his first senior century in his 141st innings across first-class, List A and T20 cricket by running towards the pavilion with his arms outstretched.Bethell has now made at least 50 in four of his six ODI innings this year, and this hundred confirmed his status both as an automatic pick in England’s white-ball teams and as one of the world’s most exciting young batters. If he can continue his form on a tour to New Zealand in late October, he could yet displace Ollie Pope as England’s No. 3 for the first Ashes Test in Perth.Related

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Root played in Bethell’s slipstream, reaching an effortless hundred – his 19th in ODIs, six more than any other England batter – in 95 balls. It was vintage Root: he hit only six boundaries but scored 50 singles, 10 twos and two threes to run South Africa ragged. For the second ODI series in a row, they conceded 400-plus in a dead-rubber after going 2-0 up with a game to spare.England made their best start of the series after being asked to bat first by Bavuma, reaching 59 in the ninth over before Ben Duckett’s international summer ended with a top-edged pull to midwicket. Smith looked in fine touch, racing to his second half-century of the series, before he swung Maharaj straight to long-on for 62 two balls after the drinks break.South African heads dropped during Bethell and Root’s vast stand, and even two quick wickets in the 41st over – Bethell stumped charging Maharaj, and Brook run out for the second time in the series while attempting a casual second – could not slow the scoring rate, as Jos Buttler and Will Jacks ensured a strong finish.Buttler belted 62 not out off 32, launching Maharaj back over his head, scooping Mulder for six and turning a ramp off Burger into a late deflection for four. Jacks’ straight six off Burger doubled as a forewarning for the government’s emergency alarm test, which set off a flurry of phones in the stands; a loft over cover took England past 400 for the seventh time in ODIs.South Africa’s bowling effort was summed up by them conceding 27 extras, including 19 wides, while Burger’s analysis – 0 for 95 off 10 – was the most expensive in their ODI history. Codi Yusuf only narrowly avoided the feat himself in conceding 80 from his 10 wicketless overs of medium pace – the most by a South African debutant in ODIs – then became the second of Rashid’s three victims.

In the final minutes before the trade deadline hit, the Minnesota Twins agreed to trade reliever Griffin Jax to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for starting pitcher Taj Bradley, ESPN'sJeff Passan reported.

The Rays ship off another starting pitcher after previously sending right-handed starter Zack Littell to the Reds on Wednesday. They bring in Jax, who is 1-– with a 4.50 ERA and 72 strikeouts through 46 innings pitched this season. While his ERA isn't ideal, Jax has tallied an impressive amount of strikeouts, and holds a 5.5 strikeout-walk ratio this season.

After being the biggest sellers at the deadline this year, the Twins bring in Bradley, who is 6–6 with a 4.61 ERA and 95 strikeouts through 21 starts this season. Minnesota had previously traded away utilityman Willi Castro, infielder Carlos Correa, outfielder Harrison Bader, starting pitcher Chris Paddack, and relievers Jhoan Duran, Danny Coulombe and Brock Stewart all in the final days before the deadline.

By the time the Twins take the field again for Friday's game against the Guardians, their lineup and bullpen might be unrecognizable.