This season is one filled with promise and excitement among the Tottenham Hotspur fanbase, understandably so, given the Europa League triumph against Manchester United in 2024/25.

After years of struggles on the pitch, the night in Bilbao will live long in the memory of all Lilywhites supporters – as they ended their near two-decade wait for a form of silverware.

The hierarchy have also backed Thomas Frank in his quest to build on such a triumph, with over £100m being spent on new additions to help the Dane in North London.

He’s already made a sensational start to life in the role, even beating Manchester City 2-0 at the Etihad – currently sitting fourth in the Premier League after the first three outings.

One of his recent additions to the squad has already made an excellent start to life at the club, potentially looking like a shrewd signing despite his expensive transfer fee.

Mohammed Kudus’ start to life at Spurs

In what was Frank’s first major addition as Spurs boss, he landed winger Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United in a deal totalling £55m including add-ons.

The Ghanaian achieved a total of eight combined goals and assists in England’s top-flight last campaign – undoubtedly being the shining light in the Hammers’ dismal season.

He’s already made an immediate impact to life in North London, registering two assists on his league debut for the Lilywhites in the 3-0 triumph over newly-promoted Burnley.

Alongside his assist tally, the 25-year-old has also created the most chances per 90 (2.4) within the current first-team squad, which has so far made him the most threatening option at Frank’s disposal.

Kudus has also completed the most dribbles per 90 (3.1) and won possession the most times out of any player in the squad per 90 (1.4) – offering an all-round presence within the final third.

If he can continue his impressive early start to life under Frank, there’s no doubt the attacker will be a key player in any future success endured during his tenure.

However, despite his big-money transfer, he’s still valued lower than one player who’s also endured somewhat of an incredible rise during his own spell at the club.

The Spurs player worth more than Kudus

Ange Postecoglou’s stint as Spurs manager brought about their recent Europa League success, with the Aussie mainly focusing on young talents in his quest with the Lilywhites.

The likes of Pape Sarr and Micky van de Ven both joined under his guidance, with both talents starting in the final and playing a key role in their victory in Bilbao.

The latter of the duo even made a miraculous goal-line clearance in the second half, maintaining the side’s clean sheet and ultimately helping them end their extended wait for a trophy.

Other players had to bide their time before making an impact in his side, often having to resort to limited minutes before getting their chance and grabbing it with both hands.

Midfielder Lucas Bergvall is a player who did just that, cementing his place within the first-team setup after his move from Swedish side Djurgarden just over 12 months ago – costing just £8.5m.

The 19-year-old was an outcast at the start of 2024/25, but rapidly made himself a key member of the squad and ended the campaign with a total of 45 appearances across all competitions.

Despite his tender age, the Swede scored the winning goal in the Carabao Cup semi-final victory over league winners Liverpool – highlighting his nouse to perform on big occasions.

He ended up making 12 appearances in the Europa League, but missed the final due to injury, which would’ve been a bitter blow given his success during his debut campaign in England.

However, Bergvall, who’s been labelled “incredible” by Squawka Sport, has seen a sharp upturn in his market value over recent months, further highlighting his superb rise to stardom.

Lucas Bergvall – Premier League stats 2024/25

Statistics

Rank among midfielders

Passes completed

Top 10%

Pass completion

Top 14%

Tackles

Top 17%

Dribblers tackled

Top 16%

Shots blocked

Top 7%

Touches

Top 10%

Carries

Top 10%

Successful take-ons

Top 5%

Progressive carries

Top 19%

Stats via FBref.

The youngster has now been valued at a staggering £50.3m by FootballTransfers, which has seen a phenomenal six times increase on the fee forked out for his signature last summer.

His subsequent valuation is higher than that of Kudus, who’s only valued at £40.4m by the same site despite his £55m transfer to the Lilywhites back in July.

At just 19, Bergvall has a huge future ahead of him, subsequently having the perfect opportunity to continue his tremendous rise in England under Frank in the years ahead.

If he can strike up an excellent partnership with Kudus in North London, the pair could play a crucial role in any future success – potentially making the side serial winners and cementing themselves as one of Europe’s elite.

Related Not just Tel: Spurs dud now looks totally finished under Thomas Frank

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Posts 2 ByEthan Lamb Sep 10, 2025

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

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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.”

Chelsea have done some fantastic business in the transfer window this summer.

The likes of Jorrel Hato, Jamie Gittens and Liam Delap all look like they could be future superstars under Enzo Maresca.

However, the Conference League champions’ best signing so far has been Joao Pedro, who looked spectacular in pre-season and was outstanding against West Ham United last week.

The Brazilian forward looks ready to explode at Chelsea this season, and in even more good news, the club are now close to signing another star who will be unreal alongside him.

Chelsea agree deal to sign brilliant teammate for Pedro

Even though the transfer window is set to close on Monday evening, Chelsea appear intent on making a few more signings.

Transfer Focus

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

For example, despite supposedly holding talks with Tottenham Hotspur, the Blues continue to be linked with Xavi Simons.

Meanwhile, while Aston Villa are reluctant to sell, Morgan Rogers has once again been linked with the West Londoners.

Yet, there is another Premier League star who has been touted for a move to Stamford Bridge perhaps more than any other in recent weeks – a player who now looks set to finally make the move and will be unreal alongside Pedro.

At least that is according to a recent report from The Athletic’s David Ornstein, who has delivered a massive update on the club’s pursuit of Alejandro Garnacho.

The respected journalist has revealed that Chelsea and Manchester United have agreed to a deal worth a fixed £40m plus a 10% sell-on fee.

The young Argentine is scheduled to undergo his medical in London later today, and should that go well, will put pen to paper on a contract until 2032.

It is undoubtedly a significant amount of money to spend on someone so young, but Garnacho is undeniably talented and could be exceptional in this Chelsea side, especially alongside Pedro.

Why Garnacho would be unreal with Pedro

One of the primary reasons Garnacho could be so effective alongside Pedro this season is due to their respective output.

For example, the “superstar” in the making, as dubbed by journalist Liam Canning, scored 11 goals and provided 10 assists in 58 appearances last season, totalling 3568 minutes.

That means he maintained an average of a goal involvement every 2.76 games, or 169.90 minutes, which is really quite impressive considering he was playing in a historically terrible United side and is still just 21.

For his efforts, when you include his performances at the Club World Cup, the former Brighton & Hove Albion star scored 13 goals and provided seven assists in 33 appearances, totalling 2299 minutes, last season.

That comes out to a sensational average of a goal involvement every 1.65 games, or every 114.95 minutes.

Appearances

58

33

Minutes

3568′

2299′

Goals

11

13

Assists

10

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.36

0.60

Minutes per Goal Involvements

169.90′

114.95′

When we examine these numbers, it’s clear that, in addition to being effective in front of goal, both players are more than adept at creating chances for their teammates.

In other words, they could form a devastating and unpredictable partnership in which opposition sides will never be too sure who’s going to play provider or finisher at any given moment.

Moreover, with both players being more than comfortable in a few different positions, they’d almost certainly have more opportunities to play together, gain a better understanding of one another’s game, and interchange more effectively over time.

Finally, as both players are still in their early 20s, they will be able to grow and develop together, which should only strengthen their partnership over the coming seasons.

Ultimately, Garnacho is an exciting signing in his own right, but his potential at Chelsea is even higher with Pedro in the team.

Enzo Maresca calling £60m star with Chelsea ready to triple his salary

The Blues boss is personally contacting him.

ByEmilio Galantini Aug 28, 2025

Manchester United could revisit their interest in Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in January, despite signing Senne Lammens earlier this year. With Ruben Amorim under pressure after a poor start to the campaign, the club are expected to explore reinforcements — and former Red Devils scout Mick Brown believes Martinez remains firmly on their radar.

Amorim and Man Utd struggling with goalkeeping options

Amorim’s side have endured a sluggish start to the Premier League season, winning just two of their opening six games and crashing out of the Carabao Cup to League Two side Grimsby. Despite signing Senne Lammens as competition for Altay Bayindir, Amorim is said to be keen on adding a senior goalkeeper. Brown suggests United could return for Aston Villa’s Martinez, despite their failed move for the Argentinian this summer.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMan Utd tipped to go for Martinez again

“I’m still surprised they didn’t get Martinez,” former United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider. “They wanted him, he wanted the move, but at the end of the day they couldn’t come to an agreement with Villa so the deal collapsed. They’ve gone and got Lammens now, but Amorim has been saying he still wants a goalkeeper, so the recruitment team will be looking at their options.

“I have no doubt Martinez is still one of those, because he’s a top-class goalkeeper and one who would immediately solve the issues they’ve had recently. He’s strong, imposing, a top shot-stopper and a character in the dressing room which it feels like they’re sorely lacking at Man United at the moment. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see them go back in for him, especially with the manager still demanding a goalkeeper, whether that’s in January or next summer.”

(C)Getty ImagesWould Martinez be open to Man Utd move now?

Martinez was reportedly disappointed to miss out on a move to Old Trafford, having been Amorim’s preferred choice to succeed Onana. The Argentina international has since been reintegrated into Unai Emery’s first-team setup at Aston Villa. However, with Aston Villa enduring an inconsistent start, speculation around his future could resurface if United firm up their renewed interest.

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Martinez unlikely to push for January move

Martinez remains under contract at Villa Park and is not expected to push for a move mid-season unless circumstances change dramatically. United’s focus will depend on Amorim’s position and whether Lammens or Bayindir can regain form. Should their struggles continue, the Red Devils could make another attempt to secure Martinez as part of a January reshuffle.

Jurgen Klopp has explained why he believes Liverpool are at "risk of being exposed" under Arne Slot. The Dutchman's reign has been almost dreamlike since he arrived in England. He guided Liverpool to the Premier League crown last season and opened this campaign with a perfect run of seven straight wins in all competitions. But the first cracks showed at Selhurst Park on Saturday as Crystal Palace beat the Reds 2-1, and Klopp has raised the alarm bell with his observations.

• Smooth sailing turns shaky in London

  The Reds’ flawless streak hit the buffers on Saturday against Crystal Palace, who delivered a bruising reality check. Ismaila Sarr fired the hosts ahead from a corner after Palace dominated the early exchanges. Liverpool clung on thanks to Alisson’s world-class saves before Federico Chiesa looked to have rescued a point, slotting home after VAR waved away a Mohamed Salah handball shout. But the drama in the Premier League clash wasn’t done. With minutes left, Will Hughes hurled in a long throw that was flicked back into danger, which allowed Eddie Nketiah to control and lash past Alisson. The home crowd erupted, and Liverpool trudged off with their first defeat of the season.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Klopp’s stark assessment

  Klopp, now watching on from the outside, stopped short of outright criticism but made it clear that the high-octane approach under Slot leaves open doors for opponents to exploit.

  In an interview with he said: "[Man] City is on the way back, they change a little bit. Managers need that as well… a new way of looking at things to keep it fresh. Liverpool is playing a specific (style), so really, really good. Very offensive oriented. Do they take the risk a little bit of being exposed? Different ways to go, let me say it like that. I’m not the pope of football who tells people what to do. At least not outside the Red Bull world.”

• Warning signs for the champions

  Seven wins from seven in 2025-26, plus last season’s title, prove Slot has got plenty right. However, opponents will smell blood if they believe Liverpool are vulnerable during set pieces. Selhurst Park was the first real glimpse of that weakness.

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• (C)Getty images
  

  All eyes on Galatasaray clash

  Liverpool travel to Turkey on Tuesday night to face Galatasaray in a Champions League clash that suddenly feels like a test of Slot’s resilience. However, one thing is certain: Klopp’s comments will echo loudly if Liverpool show the same soft underbelly in Istanbul during dead-ball situations.

Tottenham added much-needed quality to their squad in certain areas, but there are a few key targets that Spurs’ recruitment team missed out on.

Lilywhites boss Thomas Frank was backed by the arrivals of Kevin Danso, Mathys Tel, Kota Takai, Mohammed Kudus, Joao Palhinha, Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani before Monday’s 7pm deadline, but partly due to complications with their locally trained quota, some were forced to miss out on their 22-man Champions League squad for the league phase.

Villarreal (home)

September 16

Bodo/Glimt (away)

September 30

Monaco (away)

October 22

FC Copenhagen (home)

November 4

PSG (away)

November 26

Slavia Prague (home)

December 9

Borussia Dortmund (home)

January 20

Eintracht Frankfurt (away)

January 28

Both Tel and Takai won’t be playing Champions League football for Spurs this season, at least until they’re allowed to amend their selections past the league phase, if Frank’s side do indeed make it that far.

Nevertheless, whilst Tel and Takai will feel hard done by as absentees from Europe, both men are likely to play a key role in the Premier League.

A high-ranking recruitment team of chairman Daniel Levy — who’s now resigned after a shock announcement — CEO Vinai Vinkatesham, technical director Johan Lange and unofficial advisor Fabio Paratici eventually managed to navigate what was a notoriously tricky window, with plenty of bumps along the way.

Tottenham were involved in two of the most dramatic transfer soap operas of the summer, and ultimately felt a devastating effect from both of them.

Morgan Gibbs-White was on the verge of joining Spurs for around £60 million before Nottingham Forest blocked the deal, threatened legal action and convinced the 25-year-old to sign a club-record contract – humiliating Levy in the process – while Arsenal sensationally hijacked their rivals for Eberechi Eze at the eleventh hour in very public fashion.

Eventually, Frank got his hands on a much-needed playmaker to replace the injured James Maddison by signing Simons from RB Leipzig for £52 million – mounting a hijack of their own on Chelsea and restoring some pride.

In the final hours of the window, Tottenham also sealed an “un-Spurs-like” straight loan deal for PSG striker Randal Kolo Muani, perhaps in reaction to Dominic Solanke’s latest injury, but it is worth nothing that the Frenchman can also play out wide.

In terms of their other transfer pursuits, Spurs were targeting a left-winger and centre-back in the final weeks of the window (Sky Sports), but to no avail.

Manuel Akanji, before his move from Man City to Inter Milan, and Brentford captain Nathan Collins were among the names linked with moves to N17 before the deadline, but neither came through the door.

The same can be said for Akanji’s former teammate, Nathan Ake.

Tottenham plan Nathan Ake talks in January after Thomas Frank request

Tottenham reportedly held discussions over a late summer swoop for Ake, but the £160,000-per-week centre-back ultimately stayed at Eastlands despite his struggle for game time ahead of Rayan Ait-Nouri and Josko Gvardiol.

Now, as per CaughtOffside, it is believed that Spurs are planning to reopen talks for Ake in January, as Frank wants to add more experience to his squad.

Their interest in the Netherlands international stems from wanting an alternative to Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie on the left, with Ake versatile enough and capable of playing both roles.

City value Ake at a minimum £15 million with just two years left on his contract, which could be seen as great value for a prestigious player who Virgil van Dijk called “underrated”.

Ake also played an under the radar role in helping the Sky Blues win their historic 2023 treble, with Pep Guardiola calling him a “proper defender”.

تلقى نادي برشلونة بعض الأمل عقب الخسارة التي تعرض لها الفريق يوم أمس الأحد أمام ريال مدريد في كلاسيكو الدوري الإسباني للدرجة الأولى.

برشلونة مني بخسارة قاسية أمام ريال مدريد بهدفين مقابل هدف واحد على ملعب سانتياجو برنابيو في قمة الجاولة العاشرة من الدوري الإسباني، ليبتعد البلوجرانا بفارق خمس نقاط عن الميرنجي المتصدر.

ولعب برشلونة بشكل سيء حقًا ضد ريال مدريد وتلقى الفريق انتقادات عديدة، حيث لم يظهر رجال المدرب هانز فليك ردة فعل قوية أمام رغبة الفريق الملكي في الانتصار.

لكن برشلونة حصل على أنباء سعيدة في تدريبات الفريق، حيث ذكرت صحيفة سبورت، أن روبرت ليفاندوفسكي عاد من جديد إلى تدريبات الفريق الجماعية اليوم الإثنين.

اقرأ أيضًا .. أول رد فعل من ريال مدريد على تصرفات فينيسيوس في الكلاسيكو

وأكدت الصحيفة، أن ليفاندوفسكي تعافى بشكل تام من إصابته ومن المتوقع أن ينضم بشكل تدريجي إلى التدرب بشكل طبيعي مع بقية زملائه في برشلونة، بينما تبدو حالته الصحية في أفضل حال.

وأوضحت الصحيفة، أن ليفاندوفسكي عاد بعد أسبوعين فقط من غيابه بسبب الإصابة، وقد يكون جاهزًا للعب بشكل طبيعي مع برشلونة الأسبوع المقبل أمام إلتشي بالدوري الإسباني.

كما أفادت صحيفة موندو ديبورتيفو، أن حارس مرمى برشلونة، خوان جارسيا، هو الآخر يتعافى بشكل جيد من إصابته التي كان يعاني منها في الغضروف الداخلي لركبته اليسرى والتي تعرض لها خلال مواجهة البرسا ضد ريال أوفييدو بالدوري الإسباني، ما جعله يخضع لعملية جراحية يوم 27 سبتمبر الماضي.

وأردفت الصحيفة، أن جارسيا سيتم تقييم وضع إصابته يوم الأربعاء المقبل بجانب ليفاندوفسكي، وعلى أساسه سيتحدد أمر مشاركة الثنائي أمام إلتشي.

He smashed the second-fastest century in IPL history as RR chased down 210 in 15.5 overs

Sidharth Monga28-Apr-20255:27

‘Otherworldly’ Suryavanshi wows Bishop, Aaron

In his third IPL match, the 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi brought down to their knees seasoned pros from the best bowling unit in IPL 2025, some of whom have been playing for longer than he has lived.The youngest T20 centurion, among the youngest handful of centurions in all representative cricket, the second-quickest century in the IPL in 35 balls, joint-most sixes – 11 – for an Indian in an IPL innings, highest boundary percentage in a T20 ton, with 94 of his runs coming in boundaries, Suryavanshi knocked off plenty of records. Oh, did we mention that it sealed the chase of 210 in 15.5 overs, the fastest successful chase of 200-plus in an IPL match, after Rajasthan Royals (RR) had lost three straight chases despite bossing 35 overs of those matches?Watch highlights of Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s record-breaking hundred on JioHotstarSuryavanshi’s opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal played a lovely unbeaten T20 innings of 70 off 40, but he was the first one to admit he was left in the background by “one of the best innings I have seen”.Suryavanshi tried to hit boundaries off 26 out of the 38 balls he faced. He nailed 15 of those attempts, but also got 25 off the 11 false shots when he tried to attack. The most impressive was a six over long-off off a slower hard-length ball from the tall Prasidh Krishna.A perfect mix of intent, skill and luck. All at an age when most kids are dreaming of doing exactly what he did. Or do they even dare dream so high?Gujarat Titans’ top three continue to score bigSurely, there must be teams thinking it is a matter of two wickets, and GT can be toppled. Yet, their top three keep churning out runs while making them look easy and risk-averse. At the end of the 20 overs, GT had all their top three in the top six run-getters in IPL 2025.B Sai Sudharsan regained his Orange Cap, but he wasn’t quite at his most fluent. Dropped on nine, he was dismissed for 39 off 30, but thanks to Shubman Gill’s quick start, GT still had 93 in 10.2 overs. This was the fifth stand of 50 or more for the pair in just nine innings.Brief slowdown before the explosionSai Sudharsan’s wicket brought a period of lull created by Wanindu Hasaranga’s three boundaryless overs. There was a period of four overs for 23 runs, which Gill broke with two sixes off Yudhvir Singh’s pace in the 14th over. Immediately after that, Jos Buttler, who had got off to a slow start of 7 off 10 balls, laid into Hasaranga first and then compatriot Jofra Archer.Hasaranga’s figures were rearranged to 4-0-39-0, and Archer went for 19 in the 18th over. Thought RR pulled things back with just 21 runs off the two last overs, not many gave them a chance of avoiding being knocked out.2:29

Rapid fire review: Jaiswal getting back to his best?

Suryavanshi and Jaiswal dominateIt might be tempting to think that RR had nothing to lose, which freed Suryavanshi up, but we have seen enough of him in the first two games to know he doesn’t need any external freedom. His first act of disdain came in the first over, off the second legal delivery he faced. Mohammed Siraj, rejuvenated after a break from international cricket, 12 wickets to his name, bowled on a good length, not half-volley, but Suryavanshi launched him over long-on.Related

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Vaibhav Suryavanshi, 14, becomes youngest centurion in men's T20 cricket

At the start of the second over, Jaiswal was dropped, and he celebrated it with a six and three fours by the end of the third over. That was the last time Jaiswal enjoyed any kind of lead over his partner.Ishant Sharma was bowling that one extra over to Ricky Ponting in the Perth Test back in 2007-08. Suryavanshi was born in 2011. Ishant tried to bounce the kid, the kid hooked him for six. He overpitched slightly, and Suryavanshi whipped him over midwicket. Ishant did him with a slower one, but the momentum of charging down and his amazing bat speed put enough in the mis-hit to clear mid-off. Then he played the regulation cut so hard that the top edge flew over straight third for a six.Missing Gill because of back spasms in the second innings, GT were being led by Rashid Khan, who went to the offspin of Washington Sundar to the two left-hand batters. At 21, Washington was helping India win the Gabba Test and with that the most ridiculous Test series win of all time. There are levels to it, he was being shown now. Pull, sweep, inside-out drive over cover, and we had the youngest IPL half-centurion of all time, and the quickest this season, in 17 balls.2:31

Ian Bishop impressed with Gill’s crisp ‘timing of the ball’

Prasidh and Rashid brought some sanity to proceedings with ten runs in two overs. Prasidh is the second-highest wicket-taker this IPL. He is tall and generates disconcerting bounce from hard lengths. He can also bowl a mean slower ball into the pitch. That is exactly what he did. He might have expected some respect, but Suryavanshi hit him for a six over long-off off the back foot. The exclamation mark of the innings.IPL debutant Karim Janat was just a lamb to the slaughter with his gentle medium pace as Suryavanshi hit a boundary off each ball of the 30-run tenth over to take RR to 144. And himself to 94 off 34. The asking rate was now only a trickle above a run a ball.It was only fitting that the century came through a six. A six off someone who will be on the Mount Rushmore of T20 bowling. Rashid, who bowled four overs for just 24 amid all the mayhem. Just too quick and too accurate to punish. Suryavanshi kept trying without success, but finally broke even Rashid down.It took a pinpoint yorker from Krishna to send Suryavanshi on a slow walk back. The night he made his debut, Suryavanshi went back with tears in his eyes despite having wowed everyone with a six first ball. He wanted to show more of his batting. Did he ever.

Kent captain converts overnight hundred to leave hosts up against it in final innings

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay04-May-2025Daniel Bell-Drummond’s second highest score in first-class cricket allowed Kent to take charge of their Rothesay County Championship Division Two clash with Middlesex on day three at Lord’s.The 31-year-old Kent skipper, took his overnight 103 not out to 223 as the visitors piled up 473 all out.Jamal Richards (43), Joey Evison (35) and Chris Benjamin (34) all shared half-century stands with the right-hander as the Middlesex bowlers were ground into the dirt, Toby-Roland-Jones taking 3 for 107 for match figures of 8 for 140.Left to better a record fourth-innings winning score against Kent harking back more than 100 years to the days of the legendary Patsy Hendren, Middlesex stumbled to 81 for 3 at stumps, two wickets for Evison.With the visitors already 117 ahead, Middlesex needed early wickets and they weren’t without opportunities. After edging a four to the vacant third, Bell-Drummond was rapped on the pad by Dane Paterson, moving swiftly leg-side of the wicket as the home side’s pleads for lbw were not upheld.If that was unlucky Middlesex’s next wound was self-inflicted, Ryan Higgins failing to cling on to Evison’s slash to gully before the batter had added to his overnight score. The drop proved costly as by the time Henry Brookes held a caught and bowled at the second grab, the all-rounder, helped by a towering six back over the head of spinner Zafar Gohar had added 62 with Bell-Drummond.Any hope the new ball would bring further reward soon evaporated, a Bell-Drummond edge wide of a diving second slip the closest they came to another breakthrough.That scare survived Bell-Drummond, whose highest first class score of 300 not out came two summers ago against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road, crunched a lovely on-drive to the fence at mid-on before his 21st four, a cut behind point took him past 150 on the stroke of lunch.Upon the resumption, Bell-Drummond was becalmed, only adding a single boundary in the afternoon session. Wicketkeeper Benjamin though played positively, four boundaries helping him to 34 out of a stand of 74 before Higgins snuck one between bat and pad to trim the bails.Debutant Richards came out on a pair and was given a life on four, Ben Geddes failing to cling on the a low catch at second slip.As with Evison earlier, Richards made Middlesex pay, a thunderous straight drive the pick of his five fours in an entertaining 43 ended when he was harshly adjudged leg before to a ball from Gohar which appeared to strike him outside leg stump.Bell-Drummond continued on, marshalling the tail, to the point of refusing singles to protect Garrett, even though the lead was beyond 300.A tickled single to square leg took him to 200, after which he smote three huge sixes before being last man out caught at third.The target of 365 was exactly 50 more than Middlesex’s previous best successful fourth- innings chase against the men from the Garden of England, a total of 315-5 made at Lord’s in 1921.The gargantuan task was made more difficult when Sam Robson was bowled by a beauty from Garrett with only nine on the board.Max Holden flourished briefly in a stand of 53 for the second wicket with the obdurate Stephen Eskinazi, but Evison flattened his off-stump, before having nightwatchman Brookes caught a slip by Crawley to leave the hosts in the mire.

Arsenal legend Martin Keown has lavished praise on another player after the Gunners’ dramatic late win away to Athletic Bilbao.

Mikel Arteta’s side opened their Champions League account for the season with a 2-0 victory in Spain on Tuesday evening, courtesy of goals from super subs Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard — emphasising the importance of strength in depth.

Leandro Trossard

8.1

Gabriel Martinelli

7.9

Jurrien Timber

7.4

Riccardo Calafiori

7.4

Cristhian Mosquera

7.3

via WhoScored

The attacking duo have been linked with Arsenal departures regularly even after the summer window closed on September 1, but their presence in the squad was vital as Arsenal kickstarted their European campaign by beating an in-form Bilbao side.

Martinelli’s burst of pace and excellent close control allowed him to get a yard on Bilbao’s defence, after bringing down a clever flick-on from Viktor Gyokeres, before driving through and slotting the ball home from close range.

The Brazilian then set up fellow substitute Trossard for Arsenal’s deflected second after a great run down the left, wrapping up what turned out to be a hard-fought victory at the San Mames.

It was a match-winning performance by the 24-year-old amid the constant criticism and uncertain future hanging over his head, with Arteta reserving special praise after the 90.

While Martinelli’s performance has understandably grabbed most of the headlines, Keown expressed how impressed he is with summer signing Cristhian Mosquera too.

Martin Keown praises Cristhian Mosquera after Arsenal win against Bilbao

The young Spaniard has deputised for the injured William Saliba to great effect, and is currently making the initial £13 million paid for his signature look like an absolute bargain.

Mosquera played at right-back against Leeds, but in the absence of Saliba, the 21-year-old has looked assured and composed at such a young age. His value has reportedly tripled already, with Keown praising Mosquera after Arsenal’s win in Bilbao.

Amid the noise surrounding Noni Madueke’s electric start at Arsenal, the impressive showings of Martin Zubimendi and Gyokeres’ goal return, Mosquera has perhaps gone under the radar.

Cristhian Mosquera to star for Arsenal

According to some reports, Arsenal believe Mosquera could be one of the best in the world in a few years, and if he carries on like this, the centre-back could hit that landmark sooner than anticipated.

The 21-year-old is good with the ball at his feet, able to play out of defence without panicking and is comfortable in multiple positions — whether that be in the middle or as a full-back.

Last season, Mosquera had the highest true tackle success rate out of any La Liga centre-back last season with over 76.7 per cent — which shows just how strong he is in one-on-one duels (Opta).

Still very young, the ex-Valencia sensation will only get better, and from what we’ve seen so far, the sky really is the limit.