Category Uncategorized

Arsenal have now made a strong move to sign a “special” Paris Saint-Germain star, who is still yet to accept an offer to extend his stay at the Parc des Princes.

Gunners under pressure after Aston Villa defeat

The Gunners’ lead at the summit of the Premier League table was reduced to just two points on Saturday, after slipping up at Villa Park, with Emiliano Buendia netting a stoppage-time winner to secure all three points for the hosts.

Gary Neville has suggested the defeat shouldn’t be a major cause for concern, given that Aston Villa are a good side, saying: “That’s a game you can lose. I wouldn’t be panicking at all if I was Arsenal off the back of that. You’re going to lose a game or two, you just are, and you’re going to win a lot of games.”

However, after coming second three years on the spin, Mikel Arteta’s side may be feeling the pressure, with Manchester City now breathing down their necks, and the north Londoners are looking to strengthen their squad in the January transfer window.

That is according to a report from Le10 Sport (via Sport Witness), which states Arsenal have now made a strong move to sign Paris Saint-Germain forward Bradley Barcola, who isn’t entirely happy at the French club, and is still yet to put pen to paper on a new contract.

PSG have made an offer to Barcola, which would see his salary increase significantly from £111k-a-week, but he is yet to commit to a new deal, amid interest from the Gunners and Premier League rivals Liverpool, who are very active contenders.

Arteta’s side have been interested in the French forward for quite some time, and the latest development is exciting, as there are plenty of signs he could be a fantastic addition to the squad…

"Special" Barcola could be exciting signing for Arsenal

With Gabriel Martinelli not in the best of form, receiving widespread criticism for some of his performances this season, it may be a savvy move to sign a new left-winger, and the PSG star has been in impressive form.

Eze 2.0: Arsenal make contact to sign £88m talent who's "like Mbappe"

Arsenal could land themselves another Eberechi Eze by signing the incredible young game-changer.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 5, 2025

Indeed, the 18-time France international has already amassed eight goal contributions in 18 matches this term, while also receiving very high praise from scout Ben Mattinson earlier this year, who described proved him as “one of the best left wingers in Europe”.

Not only that, but the 23-year-old also ranks extremely highly across a range of key attacking statistics over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

Statistic

Average per 90 (past year)

Assists

0.42 (95th percentile)

Progressive carries

5.13 (87th percentile)

Touches (Att pen)

8.72 (98th percentile)

Should the opportunity present itself, Arsenal should definitely step up their interest in Barcola, and it is promising news they have already made a strong move to secure his signature.

A slow Colombo pitch could bridge the gap between the two teams but only slightly

Madushka Balasuriya07-Oct-20252:40

Australia exude an attitude of ‘we know how to win this’

“We have an edge on this wicket. We’ve played two games here. Australia has not played any. But they have a lot of experienced players who have played cricket in most countries. The way they assess the game is better.” It was a pretty telling statement from Sidra Amin, ahead of Pakistan’s World Cup clash against Australia – an opponent they’ve never beaten before.While Pakistan have lost both matches they’ve played in Colombo, to Bangladesh and India, the prevailing school of thought is that the slowish conditions – ones that Australia are yet to experience at this tournament – might help bridge the gap between the two teams. But only slightly.”They have played all over the world. They know the conditions better,” Amin said. “They play the WBBLs and the Hundreds, and come and play in Asian conditions as well. They take preparation very seriously. I’ve heard they prepare for Asian conditions with indoor sessions with the temperature up to 35-40 degrees [Celsius]. So they can train that way as well.”Related

Winless Pakistan have uphill task of facing near-invincible Australia

While women’s cricket has grown dramatically over the past few years, it’s grown faster for some than others. This discrepancy, in part, stems from the calibre of competition each side gets to face.In the three and a half years since the 2022 World Cup, Australia have actually played two fewer ODIs than Pakistan – 32 compared to 34. However, of those 32 games, 15 have come against India and England – among the tougher challenges in world cricket. Pakistan have played only four games against those two – seven if you include Australia themselves.Ellyse Perry: I think we all go out with the same approach, and that’s to be really positive•ICC/Getty Images

Beyond this, once you dive into the importance of a strong domestic structure, you begin to see clearly how Australia have evolved over the years. A point not lost on Ellyse Perry who, having debuted in 2007, has been part of two ODI World Cup-winning sides and has seen first-hand the fruits of investing in the women’s game.”I think we’re incredibly lucky,” she said. “We’ve got wonderful support back home in terms of the programmes that we’ve got. We’ve got a full-time domestic structure that breeds great depth in Australian cricket. We’re a cricket nation too that loves playing the game. So we’ve always, throughout history, had wonderful players.”And I think as a group, we love the challenge of continuing to find new ways to get better. You know, there’s so much competition in the global landscape now. I think all the advent of the franchise leagues around the world has just grown the depth of women’s cricket.”In that context, the confidence that Perry gave off when analysing how an aggressive batting unit such as Australia’s would play on a not-so-batting-friendly surface like the one in Colombo was unsurprising.”I think we have a conversation with our batting group, which we’re quite fortunate to have some depth in. So for us, and it’s something that we’ve discussed a lot over the last 12 months, is how we use that depth. It’s never going to be everyone’s day on the same day. Quite possibly it might just be one person’s day.”But I think we all go out with the same approach, and that’s to be really positive, but also really adaptable and smart to whatever the game’s presenting, whether that’s conditions or the opposition. I think there’s a blueprint there that applies to anywhere that you play, and then you’ve just got to be adaptable all day.”

Pakistan’s batting has been their biggest problem, and they need Muneeba Ali to come good to fix some of that

Andrew Fidel Fernando14-Oct-20252:50

Winless Pakistan up against unbeaten England

Big picture: Can Pakistan put up a fight?England have won all three matches so far this World Cup. Pakistan have won three matches ever in a World Cup, and are currently on a three-game losing streak in this one. Whichever way you slice this – individual stats, head-to-head, tournament record, cricketing pedigree – it feels like a serious mismatch on paper. England are making a strong World Cup charge, having pretty much smoked each of their oppositions so far. Pakistan, meanwhile, haven’t really got close to any of their oppositions.It has been the batting that has been Pakistan’s biggest problem, as usual. Their totals so far have been 129, 159, and 114. Only Sidra Amin has hit a half-century (though she’s got there twice). The Khettarama surfaces tend to be sluggish, but even by Colombo’s standards, Pakistan’s batters have been too staid, going long stretches without boundaries. They have something of an advantage in this tournament – they play all their matches at one ground. But it still doesn’t feel like they are in a position to capitalise.Where Pakistan are already at a stage where they need to salvage something out of this tournament, England have their sights on a semi-final spot. They will also feel they have the bowling to inflict another low score on Pakistan. On Saturday, the world’s top ODI bowler Sophie Ecclestone delivered one of the spells of the tournament to take Sri Lanka down. Fellow spinners Linsey Smith and Charlie Dean have also taken six wickets apiece so far this tournament.Related

'For Theo' – a century for Sciver-Brunt, a celebration for the Sciver-Brunts

Form guideEngland WWWLW (last five ODIs, most recent first)
Pakistan LLLWLIn the spotlight: Muneeba Ali and Nat Sciver-BruntAlthough Amin has found success in this tournament, Pakistan’s other form batter, Muneeba Ali hasn’t quite made her mark yet. She had come into the World Cup with some decent form, having hit 76 and 44 in the pre-tournament series against South Africa, and had averaged 44.60 in the World Cup Qualifier in Lahore, in April. Pakistan have lost early wickets in each of their games so far. Runs from Muneeba will solve at least some of their batting woes.Pakistan need runs from Muneeba Ali•PCB

Nat Sciver-Brunt, meanwhile, strode to a fifth World Cup ton (her tenth in ODIs overall) on Saturday, and in the closing stages of that innings, unfurled some of the best batting this venue has seen in the tournament. She has partner Katherine Sciver-Brunt and their baby Theo along for this section of the World Cup, and was desperate to put on a show for them against Sri Lanka. Sciver-Brunt is never really far from form, but now that she has a hundred under her belt here, oppositions will be especially wary.Team newsIt’s possible that legspin-bowling allrounder Syeda Aroob Shah could enter the XI.Pakistan (probable): 1 Sadaf Shamas, 2 Muneeba Ali, 3 Sidra Amin, 4 Sidra Nawaz (wk), 5 Natalia Pervaiz, 6 Eyman Fatima, 7 Fatima Sana (capt), 8 Rameen Shamim/Syeda Aroob Shah, 9 Diana Baig, 10 Nashra Sandhu, 10 Sadia IqbalEngland could go in with an unchanged XI for the fourth match in a row.England (probable): 1 Tammy Beaumont, 2 Amy Jones (wk), 3 Heather Knight, 4 Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), 5 Sophia Dunkley, 6 Emma Lamb, 7 Alice Capsey, 8 Charlie Dean, 9 Sophie Ecclestone, 10 Linsey Smith, 11 Lauren BellPitch and conditions: More rain (perhaps), more spin (for sure)Colombo’s weather continues as usual. The northeast monsoon has made less of an intrusion than feared at the start of the tournament, though there is always the chance it could impose itself. The pitch will take turn.Stats and trivia Three of Sciver-Brunt’s hundreds have come against Pakistan, the opposition she averages a fearsome 92.33 against. Muneeba has a decent record against England, having made 47 and 44 in her two innings against them. England have won all 13 completed matches against Pakistan. The smallest margin of victory in terms of runs was 37, and in terms of wickets six.Quotes”Pakistan have been involved in some really exciting games of cricket, and they’ve had teams on the back foot a little bit.”

Sri Lanka struggled to get breakthroughs with the ball and endured a collapse of 4 for 8 in their chase

Shashank Kishore16-Sep-20252:13

Maharoof: Sri Lanka played with a ‘fear of failure’ mentality

Two weeks ago, Sri Lanka were stretched into a decider by a spirited Zimbabwe side. On Monday, they nearly stumbled against Asia Cup’s lowest-ranked team, Hong Kong, but eventually pulled through, courtesy Pathum Nissanka’s 68 in their chase of 150.What ought to have been a cruise – Sri Lanka needed 32 off 30 with eight wickets in hand – turned into a mini-collapse. Nissanka was run-out at the start of the 16th over while chancing a second that didn’t seem on, and Kusal Perera fell off the very next delivery when he was lbw attempting a slog sweep.Six balls later, it was the captain’s turn to be dismissed as Charith Asalanka sliced a fullish delivery to short third. And when Kamindu Mendis slogged one straight to deep midwicket, attempting a release shot, Sri Lanka had lost 4 for 8, needing another 23 off 17 balls.Related

Nissanka helps Sri Lanka edge sloppy Hong Kong in a thriller

“In that moment, I think our heart was in our mouths,” Asalanka said. “There are a few areas I am really disappointed about. First three overs when we were bowling and then the 16th over, we lost a couple of wickets and then lost my wicket.”In the shorter format, these things can happen but it cannot keep happening consistently. We have to analyse it and improve ourselves.”It wasn’t just the middle-order batting Asalanka was critical about. He wasn’t happy with the way they started with the new ball, with Hong Kong racing to 38 without loss in four overs, after Anshy Rath and Zeeshan Ali took on the new-ball bowlers.In the sixth over, Sri Lanka missed a DRS appeal for lbw with replays confirming all three reds, reprieving the experienced Babar Hayat. After his dismissal, Rath and Nizakat Khan put on 61 to shore up Hong Kong to 149 for 4.”We felt confident of chasing it because the pitch was looking good,” Asalanka said. “Credit goes to them (Hong Kong), they batted really well and we bowled badly in the first three overs.Wanindu Hasaranga’s nine-ball 20 not out saw Sri Lanka through•Sajjad Hussain/AFP/Getty Images”This is not the way we wanted to play. When we are playing these sides, there is always pressure. But we are professionals and as professionals, we have to do much better than this.”It wasn’t all doom and gloom for Sri Lanka. Nissanka rallied their chase with a patient innings, his second straight half-century. The ball wasn’t coming on, and Hong Kong’s seasoned spinners – Ehsan Khan and Yasim Murtaza – had Sri Lanka in a stranglehold.Yet, at no point did Nissanka look like a batter desperate for a release shot, fully knowing the target was always within touching distance. He brought up a half-century off 35 balls, and it wasn’t until the asking rate jumped past eight an over, with eight overs left that Nissanka decided to shift gears.And when he did so, it was exhilarating to see him beat two deep fielders on the leg side with precision with two pull shots off two different deliveries – first off a slower bouncer that needed him to hold his shape, and the next off a hard-length delivery dug into the pitch.”Over the last two years, I’ve worked on my strike rates,” Nissanka said at the post-match press conference. “I started off as a red-ball batter, but I’ve worked on becoming consistent across all formats. The coach [Sanath Jayasuriya] has always given me the confidence to play my game, that really is a boost.”After starting the tournament with two wins, Sri Lanka will automatically progress to the Super Fours if Afghanistan beat Bangladesh on Tuesday. A Bangladesh win will leave the two spots to be decided on Thursday, when Sri Lanka play Afghanistan. That said, it’s Bangladesh who have all the catching up to do on the net run rate front.

Spinners Smale and Maqsood strangle chase as visitors fall narrowly short

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay18-Jul-2025

Cordelia Griffith’s bustling knock of 60 from 35 balls laid the foundations for Essex to end their Vitality Blast campaign on a high by seeing off Durham at Chelmsford.The right-hander shared a second-wicket partnership of 66 from 44 with skipper Grace Scrivens (48 from 39) as the home side posted 164 for 3.Durham looked well-placed to chase that down after an opening stand of 78 from 57 between Suzie Bates, who top-scored with 45 from 39 and Emma Marlow – but the momentum shifted after the pair both departed in quick succession.Spinners Abtaha Maqsood and Sophia Smale, who both returned 2 for 26, squeezed the visitors further and their five-match unbeaten sequence came to an end as they fell nine runs short.With Lauren Winfield-Hill returning to Yorkshire at the end of her loan spell, Maddie Penna moved up to open with Scrivens and their partnership of 63 from 52 provided Essex with a strong start after winning the toss.Having pummelled Katherine Fraser to the fence twice in her knock of 25 from 29, the hard-hitting Australian was then given out leg before, but Griffith took up the baton with relish as she lifted Sophia Turner over long-on for six.Griffith’s positive running between the wickets, allied with aggressive strokeplay, propelled her beyond her partner as she raced to a 26-ball half-century but Scrivens narrowly missed out on that landmark, caught reverse paddling Sophia Turner.Durham finished strongly, with legspinner Katie Levick (1 for 24) removing Griffith and she and Sophia Turner gave away just 13 from the last two overs – six of those from the final ball of the innings, dispatched out of the ground by Jo Gardner.Like the home side, Durham progressed through their batting powerplay without shedding any wickets and Bates’ powerful striking kept the scoreboard ticking along as she thumped Kate Coppack for successive boundaries.Marlow (25 from 23) filled a capable supporting role until her miscued drive off Smale sailed into the hands of extra cover – and Durham lost their other set batter in the next over when Bates holed out off Maqsood.The legspinner also accounted for Hollie Armitage, bowled attempting a reverse sweep, but former Essex player Mady Villiers (28 from 22) and Bess Heath (24 from 18) kept the visitors in contention, adding a quickfire 40.However, the task of scoring 17 from the final over proved beyond Durham, who lost two wickets in three balls to stumpings by Amara Carr as Penna closed the game out.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Botafogo fez festa e mostrou apoio ao time nos 90 minutos. Porém, após o empate em 1 a 1 com o Goiás, nesta segunda-feira (2), no Nilton Santos, em jogo válido pela vigésima-quinta rodada do Brasileirão, a torcida perdeu a paciência com o técnico Bruno Lage. Depois de ver o Esmeraldino abrir o placar com Lucas Halter e o Glorioso igualar com Tiquinho Soares, os torcedores entoaram gritos de “burro” para o comandante ao término da partida.

O empate deixa o Alvinegro com 52 pontos, na liderança do campeonato. Mas o desempenho da equipe, aliado à barração de Tiquinho, sinalizaram a bronca da torcida. A diferença para o vice-líder Red Bull Bragantino é de sete pontos. Grêmio e Palmeiras, terceiro e quarto colocado, respectivamente, estão oito pontos atrás do Botafogo. O Flamengo, quinto, possui nove pontos a menos.

+ Garanta a sua vaga no curso que formou craques como Pet, Dante e Léo Moura! Cupom: LANCE1000

Veja quais foram os cinco lances principais da partida:

>COMO É QUE PERDE UMA DESSAS? A chance mais clara do Botafogo na etapa inicial veio nos pés de Diego Costa. O camisa 19 ficou na cara do gol e bateu, mas a bola parou em boa defesa do goleiro Tadeu.

>AÍ COMPLICA… O Goiás conteve o ímpeto do Botafogo e, aos poucos, foi à frente. Até balançar a rede. Após cobrança de escanteio, Lucas Halter surgiu livre e cabeceou para a rede.

>”TIQUINHO! TIQUINHO!” Como o Glorioso era nulo ofensivamente, os botafoguenses perderam a paciência. Aos 43 minutos do primeiro tempo, a torcida gritou o nome de Tiquinho, que estava no banco de reservas. Houve vaias ao apito final do primeiro tempo.

>”TIQUINHO SOARES É F…” Lançado na volta do intervalo, Tiquinho Soares logo honrou os apelos da torcida. O atacante recebeu de Luís Henrique, ajeitou e chutou. A bola desviou em Lucas Halter e parou no ãngulo de Tadeu, encerrando o fim de um jejum de quatro jogos (ou dois meses).

>”BURRO, BURRO!” Irritada com a atuação da equipe, a torcida não poupou o técnico Bruno Lage ao fim do jogo. Os 34 mil torcedores entoaram gritos de “burro” para o português.

+ Confira a classificação e os próximos jogos do Brasileirão

Como foi o primeiro tempo?

Em noite de muita chuva, o Botafogo passou por apuros desde os primeiros minutos. Mesmo com novidades como a opção por Tchê Tchê na lateral direita e as entradas de Gabriel Pires e Diego Costa, a equipe de Bruno Lage deixava algumas lacunas, especialmente pela esquerda. Anderson surgiu livre e chutou rente à trave. Em seguida, Allano obrigou Lucas Perri a fazer boa defesa. Os alvinegros ensaiaram uma reação em cabeçada de Cuesta, mas tiveram sua principal chance da etapa inicial nos pés de Diego Costa. O camisa 19 aproveitou um cochilo esmeraldino, avançou e concluiu, mas o goleiro Tadeu se desdobrou para defender. O Glorioso continuou a tentar atacar, apostando em investidas para Victor Sá.

Porém, o Esmeraldino foi mais certeiro. Em cobrança de escanteio de Guilherme Marques, Lucas Halter subiu sozinho e, de cabeça, mandou para a rede aos 26. Em desvantagem, os botafoguenses se lançaram ao ataque, mas de maneira afobada e, invariavelmente, recorriam a cruzamentos. Os lampejos da equipe aconteceram em finalizações de Hugo e Gabriel Pires, ambas defendidas por Tadeu. Pires também cobrou uma falta que passou rente à trave. Irritada com a postura da equipe, a torcida começou, aos 42 minutos, a entoar os gritos de “Tiquinho! Tiquinho!”. O camisa 9 estava no banco de reservas, por opção de Lage.

E o segundo tempo?

O Alvinegro voltou do intervalo com duas mudanças: Luis Henrique e Tiquinho Soares foram lançados nos lugares de Gabriel Pires e Júnior Santos, respectivamente. Bastaram seis minutos para o camisa 9 justificar os apelos da torcida. Luis Henrique serviu, e Tiquinho arriscou. A bola contou com leve desvio antes de parar no àngulo de Tadeu, aos seis minutos. Empurrado pela torcida, o Botafogo mudou de ritmo e foi para cima. Diego Costa tentou duas investidas e foi travado pela defesa da equipe goiana. Em seguida, Marlon Freitas lançou para a área, mas o camisa 19 chegou atrasado na hora de concluir.

Aos poucos, o Goiás foi “picotando” o jogo e, gradativamente, voltou a dar calafrios à defesa alvinegra. João Magno cabeceou livre e obrigou Lucas Perri a sair para defender. Em seguida, Hugo deu finalização traiçoeira, e a bola raspou na trave do camisa 12. Depois de muita luta, o Botafogo voltou a encontrar um espaço. Matías Segovia deu passe, e Tchê Tchê encheu o pé, só que a bola carimbou o travessão. Segovinha ainda exigiu o goleiro esmeraldino no lance seguinte. Nos últimos minutos, a partida ficou bastante franca. Eduardo tentou chance na pequena área e pediu pênalti. No contra-ataque, Apodi arrancou e serviu Matheus Babi. O atacante concluiu, e Adryelson se desdobrou para salvar. Mesmo com sucessivos lançamentos, o Glorioso não evitou o empate e os primeiros gritos de “burro” para Bruno Lage.

E os próximos jogos?

O Goiás mede forças contra o Bahia na Serrinha, no sábado (7), às 16h. O Botafogo volta a campo no domingo (8), quando faz o clássico contra o Fluminense, no Maracanã.

FICHA TÉCNICA

BOTAFOGO x GOIÁS

Data e Hora:2 de outubro, às 20h (Brasília)
Árbitro:Braulio da Silva Machado (SC-FIFA)
Assistentes:Guilherme Dias Camilo (MG-FIFA), Thiaggo Americano Labes (SC) e Grazianni Maciel Rocha (RJ)
VAR:Rafael Traci (SC-FIFA)

Renda / Público: R$ 1.371.485,00 / 31.285 pagantes (34.294 presentes)

Cartões amarelos: Lucas Perri, Diego Costa, Tiquinho Soares (BOT), Allano, Morelli, Maguinho, Lucas Halter (GOI)

Gols: Lucas Halter, 25/1T (0-1), Tiquinho, 6/2T (1-1)

BOTAFOGO (Técnico: Bruno Lage)

Lucas Perri; Tchê Tchê (Di Plácido, , Adryelson, Victor Cuesta e Hugo; Marlon Freitas, Gabriel Pires (Luis Henrique, intervalo) e Eduardo; Júnior Santos (Tiquinho Soares, intervalo), Victor Sá (Matías Segovia, 34/2T) e Diego Costa.

GOIÁS (Técnico: Armando Evangelista)

Tadeu; Maguinho, Lucas Halter, Bruno Melo e Hugo; William Oliveira (Matheus Babi, 41/2T), Morelli e Guilherme Marques (Raphael Guzzo 18/2T), ; Allano (Apodi, 41/2T), João Magno (Sidimar, 41/2T) e Anderson Oliveira (Aleson, 30/2T).

Looking to get contracts done far earlier these days, Liverpool are now reportedly planning talks with two of Arne Slot’s key players in the coming months.

Liverpool confirm Leoni injury blow

It was meant to be a dream come true for Giovanni Leoni when he stepped out at Anfield for the first time on Tuesday evening. And for 80 minutes it was exactly that. The Italian, at just 18 years old, looked as composed as a veteran centre-back and showed off exactly why the Reds were so keen to secure his arrival from Parma in the summer.

A dream start quickly turned into a nightmare in the 81st minute, however, when Leoni suffered a knee injury that is likely to end his campaign before it’s truly got started.

Liverpool confirmed the news and the defender, himself, took to social media to say: “I want to sincerely thank every single who has shown me support in this difficult moment. It wasn’t the debut I had always dreamed of but I will give everything to be back playing in this magical stadium as soon as possible. Thank you so much.”

England star wanted by Real Madrid tempted by Liverpool and Man Utd interest

The Reds could finally get one over on the Spanish giants.

By
Tom Cunningham

Sep 25, 2025

For the teenager, it’s an undeniable blow. For Liverpool, it’s a problem that they must now solve. Without Leoni, the Reds have just three senior centre-backs available, with one of those being the injury-prone Joe Gomez. Suddenly, Slot is just two injuries away from turning towards an auxiliary defender.

That said, one of the options that could play there if the emergency situation occurs is reportedly about to enter contract talks and keeping hold of him is now more important than ever.

Liverpool planning Jones & Gravenberch contract talks

As reported by The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Liverpool are now planning contract talks with Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones.

Gravenberch, now one of the most important players at Anfield, is set to be rewarded for his new role well before his current deal runs out in 2028. Jones, meanwhile, has until 2027 and is arguably due a pay rise up from his current £19,000-a-week salary.

Bailey told TBR: “When it comes to Liverpool contracts, I think Curtis Jones will be sorted pretty soon. Ryan Gravenberch will be the next cab off the rank after that. They know they’ve got a potential world-class player on their hands.

“Previously, they’d been linked with the likes of Caicedo and others, but in Gravenberch, they believe they’ve got someone who, for his age, can hold a candle to anyone in world football. He’ll be dealt with very soon, too.”

It’s deals that both have certainly earned as Premier League champions and that is likely to be reflected in any potential wage increase in the near future.

Ryan Longman failed to convert an easy chance as Wrexham suffered yet another Championship defeat at the hands of high-flying Stoke City. The loss comes as yet another setback for Ryan Reyndols and Rob Mac's side, who continue to remain in the bottom half of the league table. Sorba Thomas scored a stunning goal for the hosts in the 36th minute to seal a key win for his side.

Stoke too strong for Wrexham

Stoke City dominated possession in the first half-hour of the game, though it was Wrexham who looked more positive with their moves in quick counter-attacks. The Red Dragons had a golden opportunity to go one up in the game in the 24th minute when Ryan Longman found himself in front of goal but the Wrexham star somehow contrived to miss from close range. Issa Kabore entered the box from the right side and attempted a shot on goal, which was parried away by Viktor Johansson but the ball fell to Longman's feet. The winger had an empty net in front of him but could only find the side-netting with a lacklustre shot.

The miss proved costly for Wrexham as the hosts shortly broke the deadlock through Sorba Thomas' brilliant strike in the 36th minute. Stoke won their first corner of the match, which was taken by Lewis Baker, whose delivery lacked sting but it somehow went to Thomas on the left side. The Stoke winger quickly switched the ball to his right foot and took a shot which flew into the top right corner.

The home side could have doubled their minutes after the hour mark as Million Manhoef rattled the crossbar with a powerful shot. Baker initiated the move and found Manhoef, who cut into the penalty box on his left before unleashing a shot. Unfortunately for him, the ball came off the crossbar, saving Wrexham from more embarrassment. 

Phil Parkinson's side had an opportunity to restore parity towards the end of the game when Aaron Cresswell almost sliced the ball into his own net, while trying to clear Liberato Cacace's cross but it went over the crossbar. 

Wrexham's misery continued as they remained in 18th position after Saturday's result. They have managed to register just two wins out of their first 10 matches and have now lost four times. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportThe MVP

Thomas stole the limelight in a match where both teams lacked sting in attack and remained toothless throughout the 90 minutes. The Welsh winger stepped up when his team needed him and scored the winner with a stunning effort in the first half to seal a crucial three points. 

The big loser

Longman turned out to be the villain for Wrexham as he embarrassingly missed a sitter by being unable to find the back of the net in the 24th minute despite having an empty net in front of him. The miss cost the Red Dragons dearly as their six-game unbeaten run across all competitions came to an end. It's also the first time this season they've failed to find the back of the net in a Championship game.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportMatch rating (out of five): ⭐⭐⭐

Acknowledging the hurt their fans must be feeling, Hussey suggested this was the time “where you really find out who are your true supporters”

Deivarayan Muthu11-Apr-20252:05

Is this the worst CSK have ever looked in the IPL?

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are hurting after losing five games in a row for the first time in an IPL season, but they are “not putting the white flag up” just yet. That was batting coach Mike Hussey’s reaction soon after CSK were blown away by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their IPL 2025 match at Chepauk on Friday.”Well, this one hurts a lot. I mean, it really does,” Hussey said at his post-match press conference. “The players are hurting, and the support staff are hurting. And, as I said earlier, the fans, I’m sure, are hurting with this one as well. This is a time where you really find out who are your true supporters.”We’re certainly not putting the white flag up just yet. You only have to get in to scrape into that fourth [and final playoffs] place. And in a big, long tournament like the IPL, it is about momentum. Now, certainly the momentum is not with us at the moment whatsoever. We haven’t been playing good cricket consistently. We definitely acknowledge that, put our hands up, and say that is a fact at the moment. But that’s not to say things can’t turn around and can’t turn around quickly.”Related

Outdated CSK near a point of no return

Dhoni's demands: 'A bit more partnerships, a bit more runs, a bit more application'

CSK suffer fifth loss on the trot as KKR register monster win

Stats – CSK's firsts of the worst in the IPL

CSK's lowest totals: where does the collapse against KKR rank?

Before Friday, CSK had never lost three successive games in Chennai in an IPL season, but Hussey has backed their leaders to navigate the team through the unfamiliar terrain.”I just know Stephen Fleming, obviously, he is a great coach,” Hussey said. “And MS Dhoni… he’s been a great captain for a long time as well. Ruturaj [Gaikwad] is still going to be around the team. I think they’ll really try and bring this team as tight and as close together.”They will make sure there’s no fractures, make sure we’re still sticking tight because I’m sure we’re going to cop plenty of criticism from the outside and, look, we deserve it. We haven’t performed as well as we would have liked so far in the tournament. But from an inside, internal side of things, we’ve got to stick really tight.”CSK have cycled through 18 players this season, including all their overseas players, but are still searching for a winning combination. On Friday, they hit a new low by struggling to 103 for 9 in 20 overs, their lowest IPL total at Chepauk. Even before KKR began their chase, parts of the stadium began to empty out. Hussey hoped CSK would be able to change the mood of the fans and give them some joy.”The fans we have for the Chennai Super Kings have been absolutely phenomenal ever since day one, really,” Hussey said. “We hope they continue to keep turning out and supporting us. And I know the guys will be really hurting from this and will want to turn it around for the fans as much as for the dressing room and for each other as well, but more for the fans. Because they have stuck tight with us for a lot of the good times. And we hope they stick with us now when things haven’t quite gone to plan just yet.””The guys will be really hurting from this and will want to turn it around for the fans as much as for the dressing room and for each other”•Associated PressHussey disagreed with the suggestion that some of CSK’s Indian players were past their prime, and hoped to bring the best out of them in the upcoming games. He pointed out that a number of players had previously enjoyed late-career T20 revivals at CSK.”I don’t agree with that,” he said. “You know, we’ve had players in the twilight of their career come and play at CSK in the past. I think of Shane Watson. I think of Ajinkya Rahane. And they’ve performed really well for CSK. So I still think that the players that we’ve got still have some good cricket in front of them and can still offer us a lot. So, I don’t necessarily agree that, you know, they’re beyond their best. I still think we can find their best and see some great performances from them.”Despite considerably low output from Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tripathi and Deepak Hooda, CSK have preferred them over IPL rookies such as Delhi’s Vansh Bedi and Tamil Nadu’s C Andre Siddarth. While Hussey acknowledged that CSK had some talented youngsters on the bench, he said the team management wouldn’t fast-track them into the team until they were ready for the challenge.”With regards to blooding youngsters, we want to pick guys when they’re ready to perform as well,” Hussey said. “We’ve got some very good players that are waiting for their chance. No question about that. But sometimes I think when teams give up the ghost and think, ‘oh well, we can’t win the tournament anymore; well, we’ll just try the youngsters now’. We’re still here to try and progress in the tournament as far as we can.”

Rangers supporters have certainly enjoyed their Europa League nights in recent seasons and, well, their side appear destined to return to their favourite competition.

On a truly disastrous Tuesday night at Ibrox, the Light Blues were demolished by Club Brugge in the first leg of their Champions League play-off, three down inside 20 minutes, before Danilo’s goal from close range shortly after the interval reduced the deficit, but could not spark a full-scale comeback.

The Brazilian was leading the line due to an injury suffered by Cyriel Dessers, while Hamza Igamane was only deemed fit enough to come off the bench on the hour mark, given that he’s still recovering from an injury of his own.

Nevertheless, both Dessers and Igamane have been strongly linked with moves away throughout the summer, the Light Blues rejecting a bid from Lille for the latter as recently as earlier this week, so perhaps Russell Martin will need to strengthen his attack.

Rangers' need for attacking firepower

Danilo’s consolation goal against Club Brugge was, remarkably, his first in a Rangers shirt since the demolition of Celtic all the way back on 2 January.

In total, since arriving from Feyenoord for around £6m two summers ago, the Brazilian has scored just 13 goals in 56 outings for the club, sitting out a whopping 58 matches due to various injury problems.

Appearances

56

Starts

24

Apps of 15 mins or fewer

11

Matches not in the squad

58

Matches an unused sub

11

Goals

13

European goals

2

Minutes per goal

185

Assists

10

Thus, should Dessers and Igamane both be sold, Rangers cannot rely on Danilo, both in terms of quality but also his availability.

Thus, according to reports, via the Sun, Rangers are interested in signing young Villarreal striker Karl Etta Eyong.

Reports in Spain claim that Swansea City have had a loan offer rejected, while Leeds United and Levante, as well as Rangers, are also interested in signing the 21-year-old.

Transfer Focus

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

The Glasgow giants have already signed ten new players this summer, so could the centre-forward be the latest name added to that list?

What Karl Etta Eyong would bring to Rangers

Born in Cameroon, Etta Eyong began his senior career at Cádiz, primarily representing their B team, featuring only twice for the senior side, before swapping one Yellow Submarine for another last summer.

Well, fair to say, he caught the eye playing for Villarreal B in the Spanish third-tier, scoring 17 goals in 30 Primera Federación appearances, thereby the division’s second-highest scorer, behind only Club World Cup star Gonzalo García of Real Madrid.

As a result, he was rewarded with his senior debut in April before, in only his second substitute outing in La Liga, heading home a last-gasp winner against Girona at Montilivi that was key to his side securing Champions League qualification.

Now, following the sale of Thierno Barry, the 21-year-old started a La Liga match for the very first time last Friday night, again breaking the deadlock with a header as Villarreal beat newly-promoted Real Oviedo 2-0 at Estadio de la Cerámica.

Thus, he has been labelled both an “exciting talent​​​​​​​” and a “physical beast”, with writer Kai Watson describing him as a “powerful penalty box striker​​​​​​​”, impressed by his “determination​​​​​​​” and “anticipation” in the penalty area.

As all Spanish clubs continue to tighten the purse strings​​​​​​​, in an attempt to comply with La Liga’s Draconian squad cost limit regulations, Villarreal would surely be open to selling the youngster, whose estimated transfer value is around £5.6m.

Signing Etta Eyong would of course be a risk, as he’s certainly not proven himself consistently at a high level, but he could turn out to be an absolute bargain in the long run.

Hamza Igamane, for example, arrived from Botola Pro side AS Far 12 months ago for just £1.7m, and could now be sold for around £15m, which is exactly the type of recruitment Rangers need to be targeting if they’re going to compete with Celtic financially.

Danilo is offering very little as Rangers’ centre-forward, that we know. He’s the third choice centre-forward without any injuries, so if Etta Eyong did arrive and thrive in Glasgow, it would surely only be bad news for him.

Not Djiga: Rangers must axe star who "looks like he's hasn't kicked a ball"

As Rangers’ Champions League hopes went up in flames, beaten 3-1 by Club Brugge, a summer signing “looks like he’s hasn’t kicked a ball before”.

Aug 20, 2025