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.

Leeds United’s remaining Premier League matches in 2025

Opposition

Venue

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.

Leeds United’s biggest xG underperformers

25/26 Premier League

xG

Goals

xG differential

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

Stats via WhoScored

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.

25/26 season

Calvert-Lewin (Premier League)

Franculino (Superliga)

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

Stats via Sofascore

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.

Related Leeds have a Gelhardt upgrade out on loan who's 'similar to Summerville'

Leeds United might need to recall at least one of their loan stars…

Posts ByRobbie Walls Nov 14, 2025

Liverpool star Ibrahima Konate has revealed that he gets calls from compatriot Kylian Mbappe every two hours to sign for Real Madrid. The French defender is into the final year of his contract and from January he will be able to hold pre-contract talks with clubs abroad. The Reds, on the other hand, are determined to offer him a new deal to avoid another situation like Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Konate's future remains uncertain

Konate has established himself as a key figure in Liverpool’s starting lineup ever since his move from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig in 2021. The 26-year-old has formed a strong partnership with Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the Reds’ defence and has made 147 appearances for the Premier League giants across all competitions and scored six goals.

However, speculation remains rife regarding Konate’s future ahead of the January transfer window. The centre-back is into the final year of his current contract and it is up in the air as to whether he will ink fresh terms at Anfield. 

reported last week that German giants Bayern Munich are tentatively weighing up a move to rival La Liga heavyweights Real Madrid by making a bid for Konate, who is eligible to hold pre-contract talks with clubs outside of England from January 1. Los Blancos, on the other hand, have been long-time admirers of the defender.

AdvertisementAFPAgent Mbappe at work for Madrid

Konate recently revealed that he gets constant phone calls from his France team-mate and captain Mbappe, as the Madrid star is determined to convince the defender to join him at the Spanish capital next summer. Speaking to , Konate said Mbappe "calls me every two hours to sign for Real Madrid."

Los Blancos are in no hurry when it comes to Konate, as Liverpool have only a few weeks to convince the player and make him sign a new deal before he starts to negotiate new offers. Madrid would want Konate to reject a new contract and then join them in the summer for free, quite similar to the way they landed Alexander-Arnold.

Liverpool told they won't miss Konate

Reds legend and pundit Jamie Carragher recently claimed that while he would love to see Konate stay at Anfield, if he leaves for Madrid next summer, the Merseyside club won't miss the centre-back much. He told the : "I’d like him [Konate] to stay but if he doesn’t stay, Liverpool will sign someone else. Liverpool won’t fall apart if Konate leaves. He's not Virgil van Dijk. He's a good centre-back who you hope will sign, but if he doesn’t want to sign, Liverpool will be absolutely fine. He's a very good centre-back, he's a title winner at Liverpool, he's played in the Champions League final against Real Madrid. He's obviously a quality centre-back. It's not poor management [if he goes for free]. You can't physically make somebody sign a contract. Then it's your decision, do you keep him to the length of his contract or do you sell him?"

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Getty ImagesKonate's mixed form amid Liverpool's slump

Konate has appeared in 16 matches for the Reds across all competitions this term. Despite featuring regularly under Arne Slot, Carragher believes there is still scope for the Frenchman to improve as he added: "It's still only a couple of games. He hasn't had a great start to the season and he needs to show a bit more consistency. 

"He was fantastic against Real Madrid and he needs to keep that going over the next few months, it can't just be two games on the bounce. There are no secrets [to picking up your form]. It’s about working harder and you become more professional. It’s on your mind constantly that you want to get back into good form and every you think tiny detail will make a difference, whether that’s what you eat, what time you go to sleep, it’s just becoming an ultra-professional on and off the pitch."

The two wristspinners got together on the sidelines to discuss their art before CSK take on DC

Deivarayan Muthu04-Apr-20252:19

Kuldeep Yadav 2.0 – DC’s trump card

Wristspin or mystery spin used to be a bit of novelty in T20 cricket, but it has become a must-have now. Each of the ten teams in IPL 2025 has at least one bowler of this variety in their squad. Kuldeep Yadav and Noor Ahmad, two of the best in the business, got together off the field on Thursday night in Chennai, and will go up against each other on the field on Saturday.On the eve of the game, the two left-arm wristspinners provided a teaser to the mouth-watering contest. After his press conference, Kuldeep was among the first set of bowlers to bowl to the hard-hitting Jake Fraser-McGurk. The Australia batter had already warmed up by launching a Matheesha Pathirana clone into the stands beyond midwicket. That blow even had some cameramen ducking for cover. When Kuldeep was up against Fraser-McGurk, however, he kept threatening or hitting both the edges. When McGurk tried to pick him off the pitch and play him off the back foot, Kuldeep rushed him with his fizz.After Kuldeep finished his shift, Noor turned up at the adjacent net and created the same fizz at higher speeds. No Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter wanted to face him. The keeper (not MS Dhoni this time) couldn’t read which way Noor was turning the ball. In CSK’s season-opener against Mumbai Indians (MI), Noor had even beaten Dhoni with his left-arm legbreak at breakneck speed. Mystery spin at such speed is hard because batters who can’t pick the turn can’t even adjust to it off the pitch.Related

• How does the IPL overcome its many language barriers?

• Starstruck Nigam 'learning from the best' at Delhi Capitals

• Upbeat Delhi Capitals aim for a hat-trick as CSK fret over Gaikwad injury

That’s why wristspinners or mystery spinners are in such demand in T20 cricket. That’s why Noor holds the purple cap. That’s also why Kuldeep is the most economical bowler this season (for a minimum of 24 balls bowled).When Kuldeep burst onto the international scene in 2017, the slowness of his wristspin made it difficult for batters to line him up. Three years later, batters evolved and held their shape for long enough to put him away. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) leaned towards Varun Chakravarthy’s quicker mystery spin.After moving to Delhi Capitals (DC), Kuldeep has evolved with T20 cricket. He was always an attacking wristspinner, tossing the ball up and beating batters in the air. Now he’s also good at the defensive skills, the increase in his average speed corresponding to a decrease in scoring opportunities. Oppositions still try to take him down but that’s now easier said than done. Forty of Kuldeep’s 52 wickets since IPL 2022 have come when batters have attempted aggressive shots against him.”It has become a trend now, playing with a wristspinner,” Kuldeep on Friday. “Yeah, you have to stay relevant in every game and you have to practice each and every day. And just to keep working on reading the batters, what they are doing, especially on game day. And that’s what I am doing. I am just trying to read the batter, what they are doing, and sticking with my strength and yeah, simple as that.”I’m focusing on length. Length is very important, and it’s been like fourth year with DC, so nothing changes. You mature after playing so many games and understand what your strength is and obviously, spinning the ball is my strength and just keeping it very simple and just focusing on the length and we have been talking about that.”

“Obviously, he has a lovely wrong ‘un and with that kind of a pace, it’s very difficult for a batter to pick and especially when you play in Chennai, it’s always very difficult to score against any wristspinner”Kuldeep Yadav on Noor Ahmad

DC have always been on big on wristspin – Amit Mishra is still the leading wicket-taker for the Delhi franchise. This season, they have gone bigger by pairing rookie legspinner Vipraj Nigam up with Kuldeep. And among the reserves, they have a left-arm fingerspinner who can also bowl left-arm wristspin.CSK, on the other hand, have been a more conventional team. Barring the period between 2018 and 2021 when they had Imran Tahir playing for them, CSK have usually lacked a wristspinner of pedigree. Even they have gone unconventional by outlaying INR 10 crore for Noor’s left-arm wristspin this time.Stephen Fleming became a meme when he held up all his ten fingers at the auctioneer to take the bid for Noor up to INR 10 crore. “We’ve been watching him pretty closely for a few years now,” Mike Hussey, CSK’s batting coach, said of Noor. “But I think in the last probably 12 to 18 months, his improvement has just been through the roof. And I’m sure Stephen Fleming has been watching him closely through the other leagues that he’s been playing, through South Africa (SA20), through the American League (MLC) as well.”2:35

Bishop explains what makes Noor special

While CSK have gone on record about the apparent tension with the curators at Chepauk, Noor has taken the pitches out of equation and has emerged this IPL’s highest wicket-taker. He has, on average, taken a wicket once every eight balls.CSK had originally picked Noor as a middle-overs operator, but he can also do the job in the powerplay and end overs, given his exceptional skills. “I just like the look of him,” Hussey said. “I mean, he’s a good guy to have in the team. He’s an attacking spinner. Not many batsmen around the world read him very well. So, he becomes a real attacking option for us. I know Fleming in particular was very keen to get hold of him in the auction and was delighted when we were able to get him. And yeah, he started the season fantastically well.”Kuldeep, too, is impressed by Noor. “I was sitting with him, and we had a chat about how to go about the legspin,” Kuldeep said. “Obviously, he has a lovely wrong ‘un and with that kind of a pace, it’s very difficult for a batter to pick and especially when you play in Chennai, it’s always very difficult to score against any wristspinner.”The blockbuster battle between the two left-arm wristspinners could decide which way the game turns on Saturday.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Santos superou a Portuguesa por 4 a 2 nos pênaltis, após empate em 0 a 0 no tempo regulamentar, pelas quartas de final do Paulistão, na Vila Belmiro. Destaque da partida foi o goleiro João Paulo, que fez ótimas defesas durante o jogo e pegou uma das cobranças da Lusa na disputa de penalidades.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

O equilíbrio do confronto do início ao fim foi surpreendente, considerando os resultados das duas equipes até aqui no estadual. O Santos teve a segunda melhor campanha da fase de grupos, enquanto a Portuguesa foi a pior equipe dos oito classificados às quartas, com 15 pontos a menos do que o Peixe. Mesmo assim, o empate não saiu do placar e a decisão ficou para os pênaltis.

⚽ COMO FOI A PARTIDA?

O Santos iniciou o jogo tentando pressionar a saída de bola da Portuguesa, mas foi a Lusa quem criou as melhores chances no primeiro tempo. Os visitantes apostaram na bola aérea e levaram perigo, até que Quintana perdeu chance claríssima aos 21 minutos. Depois, o Peixe cresceu e conseguiu bons ataques, principalmente com Otero no lado direito.

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Na segunda etapa, o duelo seguiu equilibrado, com ótimas chances para os dois lados. Contudo, quem teve a oportunidade mais clara foi a Portuguesa, quando Henrique Dourado ficou cara a cara com João Paulo e parou em um milagre do goleiro santista. Pouco depois, Otero foi expulso após pisão em Giovanni Augusto e deixou o Peixe com um a menos por 20 minutos. Ao final, nada de gols e a vaga na semifinal foi decidida nos pênaltis, e o time da Vila Belmiro venceu por 4 a 2, com JP defendendo uma das cobranças.

✅ O QUE VEM POR AÍ?

Com a classificação, o Santos irá enfrentar o Red Bull Bragantino nas na semifinal do Paulistão, marcada o dia 27 de marços, quarta-feira, ainda sem horário definido. Palmeiras e Novorizontino fazem a outra partida das semis.

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Campeonato PaulistaPaulistãoPortuguesaSantos

Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase has been put on non-disciplinary paid leave as part of Major League Baseball's sports betting investigation, according to a report from ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Clase joins fellow relief pitcher Luis Ortiz on leave. They're both tied to the same investigation.

The Guardians addressed the issue in a statement on Monday.

"The Guardians have been notified by Major League Baseball that as part of their sports betting investigation Emmanuel Clase has been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave per an agreement with the Players Association. We have been informed that no additional players or Club personnel are expected to be impacted. The Guardians are not permitted to comment further at this time, and will respect the league's confidential investigative process as we continue to fully cooperate."

Clase has recorded a 5–3 record with a 3.23 ERA in 48 games this season, with 24 saves.

تعرض النجم المصري محمد صلاح لهزيمة جديدة مع ليفربول أمام آيندهوفن برباعية لهدف، في الجولة الخامسة بمرحلة الدوري لدوري أبطال أوروبا.

شارك محمد صلاح في أولى هجمات ليفربول في الدقيقة 13، قبل أن تخرج الكرة خارج مرمى آيندهوفن.

وفي الدقيقة 18 شارك صلاح في هجمة جديدة ولكن دفاع آيندهوفن نجح في افتكاك الكرة، وفي الدقيقة 20 سدد النجم المصري أول تسديدة بعيدة جداً عن شباك الفريق الهولندي.

وفي الدقيقة 24 وصلت الكرة إلى محمد صلاح ولكن جاءت عرضيته خاطئة، وفي الدقيقة 26 تصدى دفاع آيندهوفن للعبة متبادلة بين المصري ودومينيك سوبوسلاي قبل أن تشكل خطراً على دفاعاته.

وتدخل دفاع آيندهوفن في الدقيقة 27 ليبعد فرصة هدف محقق من أمام محمد صلاح بعد تمريرة رائعة من جاكبو، وكاد ليفربول أن يسجل ثاني أهدافه بأسيست من النجم المصري لكن رأسية فان دايك اصطدمت بالقائم.

اقرأ أيضاً.. ريان أبو الناي يسجل في فوز كاسح لـ باريس سان جيرمان أمام توتنهام في دوري أبطال أوروبا للشباب

وشارك محمد صلاح في هجمة جديدة لصالح ليفربول حيث مرر الكرة للمجري سوبوسلاي ولكن الحكم رفض احتساب خطأ من خارج منطقة الجزاء في الدقيقة 41.

وفي الدقيقة 43 دخل محمد صلاح منطقة جزاء آيندهوفن بعد مشاركته في إحدى الهجمات ولكن الكرة مرت بدون خطورة.وتصدى دفاع الفريق الضيف لتمريرة النجم المصري قبل إطلاق صافرة نهاية الشوط الأول.

وكان صلاح نشيطاً في بداية الشوط الثاني، وحاول صناعة خطورة على مرمى آيندهوفن لكنه لم تهدد أي كرة مرمى الفريق الهولندي في نهاية كل الهجمات.

وفي الدقيقة 63 قام صلاح بلعبة متبادلة مع سوبوسلاي قبل أن يمرر الكرة إلى فان دايك، وفي الدقيقة 70 تدخل دفاع آيندهوفن ليبعد كرة من أمام النجم المصري.

وفي الدقيقة 71 نفذ محمد صلاح ركلة ركنية ولكن رأسية فان دايك خرجت خارج المرمى، وفي الدقيقة 81 مرر النجم المصري لكن بدون خطورة، ومرت الدقائق حتى انتهت المباراة بفوز آيندهوفن برباعية لهدف.

The addition of Brewers flame-throwing rookie Jacob Misiorowski to the National League All-Star roster was a controversial one.

Misiorowski was added to the NL All-Star team as an injury replacement. The 23-year-old received the nod over some more experienced players who have also been enjoying strong seasons, despite Misiorowski having made just five MLB starts.

That didn't sit too well with members of the Philadelphia Phillies, who voiced their displeasure after Misiorowski was selected over Ranger Suarez and Cristopher Sanchez, two pitchers who were also deserving of the recognition. Not everyone in the All-Star Game seems to be upset about the call from commissioner Rob Manfred.

Yankees slugger Aaron Judge isn't too worked up about Misiorowski's controversial addition to the Midsummer Classic, though, and even expressed his excitement about potentially getting to face the rookie.

"Try to get one over the plate and see what I can do with it," Judge said when asked about possibly facing Milwaukee's emerging star on Tuesday. "He's a special talent. We've seen it so far in his five or six starts he's had in the big leagues. He's gonna do something special in this league for quite a long time," Judge said.

Judge didn't seem to have any qualms with the relatively inexperienced Misiorowski getting an All-Star nod, and he spoke highly of the potential the young Brewers pitcher has.

Hopefully, that's a matchup we'll get to see take place Tuesday night.

Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford and Romario Shepherd have been rested for the Nepal series, while Shimron Hetmyer had made himself unavailable

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Sep-2025The West Indies team management is looking to expand the bowlers’ pool ahead of the T20 World Cup early next year in India and Sri Lanka.Their next T20I assignment is against Nepal at the end of this month for which the selectors have picked five uncapped players, including legspinner Zishan Motara, left-arm quick Ramon Simmonds and legspin-bowling allrounder Navin Bidaisee, apart from batters Ackeem Auguste and Karima Gore, who played international cricket for USA until 2021 but is yet to get his West Indies cap.They have also picked a support staff heavily stacked with former bowlers to accompany the 15-man squad to Sharjah, with Rayon Griffith as the head coach, Ottis Gibson as fast-bowling consultant, and Nikita Miller and Jerome Taylor as assistant coaches.Related

• 'Not tactics, just team belief' – Pooran toasts TKR's spirit after CPL glory

• Nepal, WI to play first bilateral T20I series in September

• Five uncapped players in Akeal Hosein-led WI T20I squad against Nepal

“The tour of Nepal is quite strategic for us,” CWI director of cricket Miles Bascombe said in a press meet. “We have recognised that probably over the last few years, our bowling has been a little bit of the Achilles’ heel in our white-ball team. So we have tried to bolster the support for the bowling group.”After touring the UAE, West Indies will tour Bangladesh for six white-ball matches in October and then fly to New Zealand for five T20Is and three ODIs.Full-time head coach Daren Sammy explained that some of the first-choice players like Gudakesh Motie, the second-highest wicket-taker in the ongoing CPL, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford and Romario Shepherd had been rested for the games in Nepal to manage their workloads. Except Shimron Hetmyer, who blew hot and blew cold this CPL and was unavailable for the tour.Ottis Gibson’s presence raises the profile of the West Indies support staff•Getty Images

“If you look at the workload of these guys, Rovman for sure, he has been battling a wrist injury that prevented him from playing in the Pakistan series,” Sammy said. “I mean, he pushed it through this CPL. He requested a time off for him to further look at it. Motie and Shepherd, because of their workload over the last few months, we gave them a time off for that. Sherfane was also [rested] because of his workload.”Hetmyer also requested that he was unavailable for that Nepal trip. So again, like I said, it’s not always a bed of roses. Some things we don’t see, but it’s always a challenge. I’ve said that when I call somebody and tell them, ‘you’ve been selected for some of the series’, and I have to ask to everyone, do you accept the selection to play for West Indies? It’s something that I must do because we don’t own the players. We could only select from what’s available to us. Hettie has been one of our promising, talented players from the Under-19 level. However, the scope of things that now… we could only select and hope guys accept this selection. But he’s always available for selection from our side.”Sammy further said that the selectors and coaches also looked at the performers from the inaugural Breakout League – a new T20 league launched earlier this year to spot talent from across the Caribbean – and the CPL to pick fresh players for the upcoming T20Is.Nathan Edward is a rare left-arm quick in West Indies cricket•ICC/Getty Images

“You look at the Breakout [League] and again, I will emphasise the need for continued avenues for us to showcase and unearth talent,” he said. “And the Breakout, maybe some people were against it because it was a T20 format, but if you see this year, the amount of players that came through – Bidaisee was one of them that came through and show his skillset in the Breakout. And, he reminds me of Samuel Badree, who probably could bowl in the powerplay, bowl in the middle, very consistent around that good-length area that brings challenges to batsmen.”And two areas that I’ve spoken about in our bowling department in T20s is the need for a wristspinner. And every single team I could remember in World Cup T20 cricket, has had a left-arm seamer. Just the angle they bring and the difficulty, especially in the back-end of an innings, or whether the ability to swing. I don’t think in the history of West Indies cricket we’ve actually even had two left-arm seamers playing together, much less three. And we also, from the Breakout, you see a young Nathan Edward, who’s been quite quality as well. So again, you put that and you’re hoping that one or two will graduate so quickly that they could be into the senior team.”We gave Jediah [Blades] the exposure, but the way Ramon Simmonds has been bowling in all phases of the game gives me, and I’m pretty sure the selection group, confidence. It makes us excited about the prospects, the promise he’s shown. And then to top that, having somebody like an Ottis Gibson working with them, it’s a win-win situation for us. And hopefully that experience that they will gain or learn from getting the skillsets and the technical aspects of fast bowling or seam bowling from Ottis on that short trip could be a step…”Matthew Forde was still not fit to be considered for selection after he dislocated his shoulder in August, which made him miss the ODIs against Pakistan. CWI is, however, hoping he will be “up and running again” by the Bangladesh series.

Marc Skinner's side shipped three first-half goals to effectively put the game to bed as the Red Devils toiled in the Manchester derby and saw their rivals pull seven points clear of them in the WSL table. It'll surely take something spectacular for United to get themselves back in contention now, even after only nine games, as they struggled to contain the likes of Lauren Hemp, Vivianne Miedema and Bunny Shaw and were comfortably beaten 3-0.

City would break the deadlock after an even start when Shaw rose above Elisabeth Terland and nodded across the box for Rebecca Knaak to head home what was her third goal in a Manchester derby to give the hosts the lead.

United, who failed to muster a single shot on target over the entire 90 minutes, tried to get going, with Ella Toone and Jess Park showing flashes of their quality in and around the box, but City's defence were having none of it, and Andree Jeglertz's side would double their lead on 43 minutes. Shaw, who looked a class above all game, would be involved again, this time scoring herself as she raced in front of a sleeping Dominique Janssen and slotted home for 2-0, bagging her sixth WSL goal of the season in the process.

And the game was effectively over just before the half-time whistle blew, when Hemp, afforded far too much time and space to pick her spot, arrowed a ferocious drive past a helpless Safia Middleton-Patel to end the afternoon as a contest.

GOAL rates Manchester United's players from the Etihad Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Safia Middleton-Patel (6/10):

  Powerless to stop any of the goals and saved well from Shaw in the second half to prevent a fourth.

  Jayde Riviere (5/10):

  She found life tough against a resurgent Hemp and failed to stop the cross on more than one occasion.

  Dominique Janssen (4/10):

  Should've been more switched on to the danger posed by Shaw for City's second goal and struggled to contain the Jamaican goalscoring sensation all afternoon.

  Maya Le Tissier (5/10):

  Her and Janssen will be having nightmares about Shaw tonight. Couldn't really blame her for any of the goals but will be angry that United shipped three having been so consistent at the back this season.

  Anna Sandberg (5/10):

  Struggled to deal with Kerstin Casparij's marauding runs from right-back and should've got out to the Netherlands international far quicker to try to prevent the cross that led to Shaw's goal.

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  Midfield

  Julia Zigiotti Olme (4/10):

  Had a bit of a nightmare. Lost the midfield battle and allowed Hemp all sorts of time and space to get her shot away for City's third goal.

  Hinata Miyazawa (5/10):

  Not her day. Loose with her passing and couldn't stop City dominating the midfield area.

  Ella Toone (6/10):

  No hat-trick at the Etihad this time. A really frustrating afternoon for Toone, who looked bright in possession but failed to put her stamp on the derby.

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  Attack

  Jess Park (5/10):

  Linked up well with Toone at times but was well marshalled by her former City team-mates. Struck the post with United's best chance of the game when she should've really hit the target.

  Elisabeth Terland (3/10):

  Given the nod in attack but hardly had a touch and was dominated in the air by Shaw for City's opener. Hauled off at half-time for Malard.

  Leah Galton (5/10):

  Still working her way back to full fitness and the rustiness showed, with her end product particularly poor. Hooked midway through the second half.

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  Subs & Manager

  Melvine Malard (6/10):

  On at half-time and looked far more of a threat than the ineffective Terland but ultimately the game was already over.

  Fridolina Rolfo (5/10):

  Bright on midway through the second half but it was game over by this point and she had little impact.

  Hannah Blundell (5/10):

  Brought on as United legs began to tire but couldn't help spark any sort of recovery.

  Rachel Williams (5/10):

  Introduced for Park but it was 3-0 and there was no way back.

  Simi Awujo (N/A):

  On for the final few minutes.

  Marc Skinner (4/10):

  Made the decision to switch things up after the midweek win over PSG and it backfired. Dropping Malard for Terland was the biggest call and it didn't go his way, with United now needing a minor miracle to get back in the WSL title picture.

All Arsenal supporters prayed for this international break was no injuries, but those prayers certainly have not been answered.

On Saturday, at their own home Emirates Stadium no less, Gabriel hobbled off around an hour into Brazil’s 2-0 friendly victory over Senegal in North London.

Reports suggest he has suffered an adductor injury, the severity of which is not yet known, but any absence would be a massive blow.

To make matters worse, Riccardo Calafiori has returned home early from the Italy camp, sitting out the Azzurri’s Thursday night victory over Moldova in Chișinău.

Head Coach Gennaro Gattuso stated “he tried to be available, but he can’t force it now”, which has to be worrying for Mikel Arteta, considering the 23-year-old’s injury history.

Both players have started all 11 Premier League fixtures to date, so to be without both considering the Gunners’ next three fixtures, Tottenham (H), Bayern Munich (H) and then Chelsea (A), could be a massive issue.

Nevertheless, Arteta boasts an ideal deputy already.

The numbers behind Arsenal's defensive solidity

Prior to last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Sunderland, Arsenal had kept eight successive clean sheets, equaling a club record set in 1903.

The statistics back up how dominant a defence Arteta’s side has been this season to date.

Arsenal defensive statistics 25/26
Stats	Arsenal	PL rank
Goals conceded	5	1st
Clean sheets	7	1st
xG against	6	1st
xGoal difference	+12.8	1st
Goalkeeper saves	16	1st
Shots faced	81	1st
Shots on target faced	21	1st
Corners conceded	34	1st
Stats via FBref & SofaScore

As the table documents, Arsenal rank first for every defensive metric out there in the Premier League this season.

Their tally of seven clean sheets has been achieved while facing only 21 shots on target, with some jokingly suggesting that David Raya could request to start working from home, even if the Spaniard has pulled off some extraordinary saves in fairness to him.

However, both Gabriel and Calafiori have been such key contributors to this solidity, supporters may be concerned as to how Arteta’s team will fare in their absence, but do they have a ready-made quality player waiting to step in?

How Arsenal can solve their defensive injury blows

After last season was completely derailed by injuries, Arsenal recruited heavily in the summer to avoid a similar eventuality and a sense of déjà vu.

In terms of defenders, Cristhian Mosquera arrived from Valencia for £13m, and the Spaniard has been excellent every time he has featured, with Sid Lowe of the Guardian noting that everyone in North London agrees that he is an absolute ‘bargain’.

By contrast, the summer signing that went under the radar the most was the arrival of Piero Hincapié on deadline day, joining on loan from Bayer Leverkusen but with a £45m obligation to buy, a not insignificant outlay, so after a few weeks watching from the wings, is their Gabriel and Saliba hybrid about to be thrust into the spotlight?

Upon his arrival, Arteta noted that the 23-year-old possesses a “real physical presence”, praising his “versatility and tactical flexibility”, thereby bolstering the team’s “defensive options”, which is certainly pertinent now.

Meanwhile, U23 scout Antonio Mango has described him as “an absolute beast”, and his agent has gone further than that, calling him “a warrior” and “a leader.” It’s easy to see why he’s drawn comparisons to the club’s two main centre-halves.

Chalkboard

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

During his four seasons at Bayer Leverkusen, Hincapié made 166 appearances for die Werkself, a key figure in Xabi Alonso’s side that won both the Bundesliga title and DFB-Pokal unbeaten in 2023/24, delivering the club’s first-ever Meisterschale.

He has also been part of a rock-solid defence at international level, starting 14 of Ecuador’s 18 World Cup qualifiers as Sebastián Beccacece’s team conceded only five goals throughout the entire campaign, equalling the South American record.

As outlined by Phil Costa of Arseblog, Hincapié’s greatest strength is his ability to play both as a reliable centre-back but also as an attacking left-wing-back, excelling in both roles under Alonso, labelling him ‘aggressive’ and ‘unashamedly South American’, highlighting his ‘strong recovery pace’.

Well, considering that both Calafiori and Gabriel are now major doubts for Sunday’s North London derby, Hincapié is likely to start, either as a left-back or left-sided centre-back.

The alternative options are Myles Lewis-Skelly and the aforementioned Mosquera, but Arteta is unlikely to bring in such a young duo together, while he has proven that he favours a left-footed left-centre-back, Pablo Marí and Jakub Kiwior among many examples, suggesting the Ecuadorian will get the nod in the middle alongside William Saliba.

During Arsenal’s recent victory over Slavia Prague, the 1,000 or so Gooners who had made the trip to the Czech capital spent much of the afternoon and evening singing Hincapié’s new song.

One line includes the lyrics “the Arsenal get excited when they see you play”, which is just as well, given that he is set for a prominent role in crucial upcoming fixtures.

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