Sam Konstas missed out in his first Ashes audition of the new Sheffield Shield summer as New South Wales slumped against Western Australia on a rain-shortened opening day at the WACA ground.The NSW opener, who turned 20 this week, fell for 4 off 25 balls before rain stopped play on Saturday in Perth. Team-mate Kurtis Patterson also was dismissed for 8 from 36 balls after WA won the toss and had no hesitation in sending NSW in on a moist green surface under overcast skies.Related
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Konstas’ low score came on a day when another Ashes hopeful, Tasmanian opener Jake Weatherald, made 67 from 99 balls against Queensland in Brisbane.When rain stopped play in Perth, NSW were in early strife at 35 for 3.Konstas came to Perth with a head of steam after scoring a century for Australia A in India but batting was much harder on the bowler-friendly surface at the WACA. He survived two lbw appeals, while wicketkeeper Joel Curtis dropped a tough catch off his inside edge from the bowling of Matt Kelly.But WA left-arm seamer Joel Paris was ultimately rewarded for an impressive opening spell when he trapped Konstas lbw. Paris bowled eight overs with seven maidens and has figures of 1 for 1.Cameron Gannon had Patterson caught behind and Test all-rounder Cameron Green took an outstanding catch at second slip off spinner Corey Rocchiccioli to dismiss opener Blake Nikitaras for 9 from 57 deliveries.Matthew Gilkes and Oliver Davies were trying to rebuild having come together at 23 for 3 in the 20th over but rain halted play after 25.1 overs and teams never got back on.
Athletes motivate themselves in a variety of different ways. Some use the criticisms of others as fuel for the fire. Others take a more positive route. Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki may have found one of the most unique—and dramatic—ways of motivating himself. Suzuki has two motivational sayings on his glove, written in Japanese, that are amusingly over-the-top, and apparently designed to help him field better.
"…I asked him about it. One said, 'Absolutely catch it.' The other said, 'If you make another error, you'll be fired,' " reported Marquee Sports Network's Taylor McGregor during the Cubs' 2-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.
So why did Suzuki resort to such, er, drastic measures to motivate himself?
"This year he put them on his glove because he made some errors last year," McGregor continued. "He had three in the outfield. And so he goes, 'Over the course of a long season, certain moments you're not locked in and that one moment, that could make or break a play.' "
Maybe there's a method to the madness when it comes to Suzuki's quirky motivational tactic? The Cubs outfielder has played over 180 innings—and counting—in the outfield thus far in 2025 and has yet to be charged with an error.
If there were an Academy Award for the year's best pitching performance, Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal surely sewed it up Sunday.
The 28-year-old southpaw dazzled against the Cleveland Guardians, striking out 13 and allowing just two hits in a 5–0 complete-game shutout. He seemed to get more effective as the game went on, striking out Guardians shortstop Gabriel Arias on a 102.6-mph fastball to end the game.
When the dust settled on Skubal's opus, the reigning American League Cy Young winner took a moment to acknowledge how far he's come.
"You get a little teary eyed out there, honestly," Skubal said after the game via Cody Stavenhagen of about fans chanting his name before the ninth inning. "I just thought to myself 12-year-old me wouldn’t believe (there) was an opportunity to have a fanbase support you the way it does and be in that moment."
Skubal made a quantum leap from 2023 to 2024; last year, he went 18-4 with a 2.39 ERA and 228 strikeouts to win the AL's Triple Crown. This year, he is as good if not better: he leads the AL in FIP and strikeouts per nine innings and leads the majors in walks per nine innings and strikeout-to-walk ratio.
There is, all told, a reason why the Tigers have the best record in their league.
Newcastle United will be hoping for a smoother January transfer window than the one they experienced in the summer. Eddie Howe’s side were embroiled in several sagas, including Alexander Isak’s move to Liverpool, which was the talk of the entire transfer window.
They did make some pretty big signings, too. Malick Thiaw joined the club from AC Milan and has gone on to become a key player for Howe’s side.
They also managed to replace Isak with Nick Woltemade, who has impressed in the four months he has been at St. James’ Park, following his club-record £69m switch.
It seems as though the Magpies are lining up some more moves with the next window around the corner.
Newcastle’s latest transfer target
The Magpies are already linked with a couple of midfield targets. Former academy star Elliot Anderson is one man on their shopping list, as is ex-Manchester United and Napoli man Scott McTominay.
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However, according to a recent report from The Athletic, there is another midfielder on their list of targets.
That man is Stuttgart star Bilal El Khannouss, and the report explains he is a player whom the higher-ups at St. James’ Park have already held ‘internal conversations’ about in recent weeks.
This would not necessarily be an easy deal for the North Eastern giants to complete.
The Moroccan star only joined the Bundesliga side on loan this summer from Leicester City. However, he has a buy option in the deal, which may add complications.
As for a price, El Khannouss’ buy clause is worth £21m, so the Magpies may well have to pay a similar fee.
Why El Khannouss would be a good signing
Adding a player with the attacking quality of El Khannouss to their squad would certainly enhance the final third quality that Howe has at his disposal.
As football scout Antonio Mango said, the 21-year-old is a “magician” on the ball.
Indeed, he has shone for German outfit Stuttgart this season. In just 16 appearances across all competitions for the club, he’s managed to score five times and assist four, operating as a number ten.
In the top flight of Germany, the attacker has five goals and assists in ten games.
Let’s not forget that the former Leicester star shone for the Foxes in the Premier League last season. In a tough campaign for the club in which they got relegated, he grabbed five top-flight goal involvements, including this sublime strike against Tottenham Hotspur.
The attacking midfielder’s stats from the Bundesliga season so far show the sort of quality he can add to Newcastle’s attack.
For example, he’s averaging 6.52 progressive passes and 2.81 key passes per 90 minutes, which both rank him in the top 5% of attackers.
El Khannouss – 25/26 Bundesliga
Stat (per 90)
Number
Percentile
Key passes
2.81
95th
Passes into final third
4.5
95th
Passes into penalty box
1.8
85th
Progressive passes
6.52
95th
Shot-creating actions
4.5
85th
Stats from FBref
This signing certainly has shades of the addition of Woltemade this summer.
As El Khannouss is doing now, the German striker shone in what proved to be his solitary season at Stuttgart and impressed with 18 goals and three assists in just 36 appearances for the Bundesliga side.
Since moving to the North East of England, Woltemade has continued that good form.
He already has seven goals to his name in that famous Black and White shirt, with his most recent effort being this exquisite chip against Everton last weekend.
It is easy to see how the potential move for El Khannouss has shades of the Woltemade deal. It seems like the Moroccan star will also spend just one season at the club, and Newcastle could well be his destination.
That is certainly one parallel, but the form which both players have, or did, showcase in the Bundesliga is another interesting dynamic.
Newcastle bought Woltemade based on his sensational 2024/25 campaign, and it feels as though that was some of the logic behind signing the Morocco international too.
If they do only have to pay £21m, that is an extraordinarily cheap fee for a player who could instantly improve their attacking quality.
Outscoring Woltemade: Newcastle preparing move for one of the PL's best strikers
Leeds United are now reportedly prioritising a deal to sign a South American defender ahead of Italian giants Juventus in the January transfer window.
Leeds still plotting Farke replacement despite Chelsea win
The Premier League is a harsh world, isn’t it? The pressure was increasing on Daniel Farke ahead of the Chelsea game, but you wouldn’t have known it after his side swept past Chelsea in a stunning 3-1 victory.
Reports in the build-up to the game claimed the German had to avoid defeat against the Blues and Liverpool this weekend to ensure that his job remains safe. It seemed an impossible task. Chelsea had just pushed Premier League leaders Arsenal all the way with 10 men and Liverpool, even in a difficult moment, remain the champions.
Come Wednesday night, however, there were no complaints from Farke. Instead, there was tactical genius. His 5-3-2 sytem physically outmatched Chelsea and Leeds, against the odds, secured a stunning 3-1 victory at Elland Road.
It would now be easy to assume that Farke’s job is safe. Yet, according to the BBC’s Sami Mokbel, those at Elland Road are still preparing for the worst-case scenario.
The reporter revealed: “Sources have told BBC Sport that the process of identifying potential candidates to replace Farke has begun. It is not unusual practice for clubs to plot a succession plan for their managerial position regardless of the incumbent’s job security.
“But Leeds’ poor form, which left them in the relegation zone before Wednesday’s win, has placed significant pressure on Farke – serving to amplify the club’s movement towards pinpointing possible successors to the German.”
It would be a ruthless decision by the 49ers, but that may not be the only change on the way. With the January transfer window approaching, Leeds have already set their sights on Real Betis star Natan.
Leeds prioritising Natan deal
According to reports in Spain, Leeds are now prioritising a deal to sign Natan from Real Betis in the January transfer window. The Brazilian defender is valued at around €40m (£35m) by the Spanish club and has also attracted the interest of Serie A giants Juventus.
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It’s clear to see why both Leeds and Juventus have set their sights on the 24-year-old. He’s enjoyed an impressive start to the current campaign and could now secure a move, be it in the new year or next summer.
Minutes
1,260
1,260
Ball Recoveries
41
50
Tackles Won
10
3
Successful Aerial Duels
41
42
Statistically speaking, Natan would have no trouble getting into Farke’s best side. Compared to Joe Rodon, the South American has thrived out of possession and particularly impressed in the air.
The big question that remains is whether Leeds will be willing to splash out £35m for his signature. Their record signing still sits at £35.5m for Georginio Rutter and it would take some doing to break that as early as the January transfer window.
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West Bromwich Albion are back in action in the Championship this evening as they prepare to travel to St. Mary’s to take on an in-form Southampton side.
The Saints, now led by Tonda Eckert, have won five of their last six matches in the division, beating Birmingham City 3-1 in their most recent outing.
Ryan Mason will have to make some tweaks to his side after they were beaten 3-1 by QPR at Loftus Road on Saturday, and Josh Maja is one star who could lose his place in the XI.
Why Ryan Mason should drop Josh Maja for West Brom
The Nigeria international was given a starting berth for the trip to West London after he came off the bench to provide an assist in the 3-2 comeback win over Swansea in the previous game.
Unfortunately, though, the former Sunderland centre-forward was unable to build on that assist with another strong performance, as he struggled against QPR.
Maja joined Aune Heggebo to form a front two for the Baggies in London, but was unable to provide much of a threat at the top end of the pitch in a drab loss.
Minutes
64
Shots
1
Touches
20
Possession lost
8x
Key passes
0
Duels won
2/5
As you can see in the table above, the 26-year-old attacker offered very little in the final third and was wasteful with his use of the ball, only retaining possession 12 times from his 20 touches.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
With this in mind, Mason should ruthlessly ditch the striker from the starting line-up to bring Isaac Price back into the starting line-up as a number ten against Southampton.
Why West Brom should unleash Isaac Price against Southampton
The Northern Ireland international should be brought back into the side for multiple reasons, and not only for the attacking quality that he can provide.
As a natural attacking midfielder, Price replacing Maja could make West Brom more difficult to play through than they were in a 4-4-2 shape against QPR, as the youngster can drop into a midfield three, making it a 4-5-1 out of possession, which Maja would not be comfortable doing.
This is why bringing the former Standard Liege talent into the team could make a lot of sense for tactical reasons, ahead of a clash with an in-form Southampton team that will be expected to be on the front foot.
Of course, Price should also come into the starting XI because he has the potential to offer more quality to the side at the top end of the pitch than Maja does.
The 22-year-old star, who was described as a “breath of fresh air” by Chris Brunt, has been more effective than the Nigerian centre-forward with his play in and out of possession in the Championship so far this season.
Appearances
17
19
xG
1.88
4.65
Goals
1
5
Key passes per game
0.4
1.4
Big chances created
0
3
Assists
1
2
Duel success rate
36%
49%
As you can see in the table above, Price has scored four more goals, outperforming his xG, and created chances for the team on a far more regular basis than Maja.
These statistics suggest that the Northern Irish talent is far more likely to be a difference-maker in the final third against Southampton this evening, which is why he should be given the nod from the start in the hope that he can make an impact at St. Mary’s.
Their respective success rate in duels also further backs up the belief that Price would be the better option out of the two for West Brom’s plan out of possession, as he is better in his physical battles against opposition players.
Given that Southampton have won five of their last six games, the Baggies will need to roll up their sleeves and put in a lot of fight to come away from Hampshire with some points, and Price seems more likely to be effective in that situation.
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Therefore, Mason must ruthlessly drop Maja from the starting line-up, after one match, to bring Price back into the side in an attempt to secure a positive result against Southampton this evening.
Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl was thrown in at the deep end at Ibrox after the Kevin Thelwell and Russell Martin double act lasted less than half a season.
The former Gers sporting director left the club a few weeks after Rohl’s arrival, and the German manager will now have an opportunity to spearhead recruitment heading into the January transfer window.
It will be interesting to see which areas of the squad he deems need to be added to after working with the group for the last couple of months, as a central defender will surely be on his agenda.
Why Rangers need to sign a centre-back
Rangers currently have Derek Cornelius, John Souttar, Emmanuel Fernandez, Nasser Djiga, and Clinton Nsiala as their centre-back options, whilst Dujon Sterling and James Tavernier are full-backs who can also play at centre-back.
On paper, that is a healthy set of options when they are all fit and available. However, the Gers have conceded 11 goals in six Europa League outings and 13 goals in 15 games in the Scottish Premiership, which shows that they have not had a tight defensive unit.
Nsiala has not played a single minute in any competition this season, per Transfermarkt, and may want to move on from Ibrox to pursue game time elsewhere.
That could open the door for Rohl to target a new centre-back addition, perhaps an experienced operator, because Fernandez and Djiga’s collective efforts have left a bit to be desired in recent weeks.
The German boss must find a way to drop both of them from the starting line-up because they look like they belong in the Pedro Caixinha era together.
Why Rohl must drop Fernandez and Djiga
Football FanCast recently noted that Djiga looked like the most improved player under Rohl, after he was dubbed a “rotten” player by Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar earlier this season.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Unfortunately, the Burkina Faso international, who is off to the African Cup of Nations after Monday’s game, regressed to his old self against Ferencvaros.
The Wolves loanee looked shaky throughout the match, losing 100% of his aerial duels (3/3), per Sofascore, and his central defensive partner, Fernandez, was arguably worse.
The English defender lost five of his nine aerial duels and five of his ten ground duels, per Sofascore, whilst he was caught out by Varga’s movement for what turned out to be the winning goal.
Fernandez left Ally McCoist, as shown in the clip below, lost for words as he somehow ended up facing the wrong way as their forward scored from close range in a bizarre moment.
Unfortunately, that mistake came only a couple of matches after he was beaten far too easily by Zac Sapsford in the 2-2 draw with Dundee United for the opening goal in that game, making it two high-profile errors in the last three matches.
During Caixinha’s time at Rangers, the club finished third in the Premiership in the 2016/17 campaign and were sat in third when he was sacked at the start of the 2017/18 season, per Transfermarkt, which speaks to the state that Ibrox giants were in before Steven Gerrard came through the door.
Djiga and Fernandez’s performances in recent matches suggest that they belong in that era of the Gers, as they have not shown that they can deliver consistently quality performances befitting of a team that wants to win trophies.
The English defender made two high-profile errors in the games against Dundee United and Ferencvaros, whilst Djiga lost three of his four aerial duels against the former and all three of his aerial duels against the latter, per Sofascore.
This shows that neither of them have shown that they have the consistency or quality, at this moment in time, to be relied upon by Rohl in the present day, which is why the manager should ruthlessly ditch both of them from the starting XI.
Djiga, of course, will have to come out of the team after the clash with Hibernian because of international duty, but Fernandez should also come out to provide another player with an opportunity to play, whether that is Sterling or Nsiala, or both of them.
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Then, when the January transfer window opens, Rangers will have an opportunity to find a permanent solution to that position by signing a new option.
تعرض ريال مدريد لضربة مبكرة أمام سيلتا فيجو، خلال اللقاء الذي يجري حاليًا بين الفريقين ضمن منافسات الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم.
ويقام اللقاء بين الفريقين على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو” في إطار منافسات الجولة السادسة عشر.
وشهدت الدقيقة 21 سقوط المدافع البرازيلي إيدر ميليتاو، والذي لم يستطع أن يكمل المباراة، ليغادر الملعب ويدخل بدلاً منه أنطونيو روديجر.
ومن المقرر أن يقوم المدافع البرازيلي بإجراء فحوصات طبية غداً لتحديد حجم إصابته، وقد أشارت عدة تقارير إسبانية أن اللاعب يعاني من مشكلة عضلية في أوتار الركبة لساقه اليسرى.
اقرأ أيضاً.. “لم نستطع رؤية الكرة”.. مارسيلو يكشف عن أصعب كلاسيكو في مسيرته
ودخل تشابي ألونسو مدرب ريال مدريد، لقاء اليوم بتشكيل مكون من: كورتوا، ميليتاو، كاريراس، جارسيا، أسينسيو، تشواميني، جولر، فالفيردي، مبابي، بيلينجهام، فينيسيوس.
جدير بالذكر أن ريال مدريد أصبح يبتعد عن برشلونة بفارق 4 نقاط، بعد فوز البلوجرانا مساء أمس ضد ريال بيتيس بخماسية لثلاث أهداف على ملعب لاكارتوخا.
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.
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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.
O Bolívar recebe o Palestino nesta terça-feira (28), às 21h (de Brasília), pela 6ª rodada da fase de grupos da Libertadores. O confronto será transmitido pela ESPN 3 e Star+. (Assine agora e assista esse e mais jogos da Liberta pelo Star+).
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Confira todas as informações que você precisa saber sobre o confronto entre Bolívar e Palestino (onde assistir, horário, escalações e local).
✅ FICHA TÉCNICA BOLÍVAR X PALESTINO FASE DE GRUPOS DA LIBERTADORES – 6ª RODADA 🗓️ Data e horário: terça-feira, 28 de maio de 2024, às 21h (de Brasília); 📍 Local: Estádio Hernando Siles, em La Paz (BOL); 📺 Onde assistir: ESPN 3 e Star+; 🟨 Árbitro: Andres Merlos (ARG); 🚩 Assistentes: Cristian Navarro (ARG) e Maximiliano Del Yesso (ARG); 🖥️ VAR: Mauro Vigliano (ARG).
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BOLÍVAR (Técnico: Flavio Robatto) Carlos Lampe; Luis Paz, Jesús Sagredo, Jairo Quinteros, Erwin Saavedra, Lucas Chavéz, Leonel Justiniano, Fernando Saucedo, Henry Vaca, Ramiro Vaca e Carmelo Algarañaz.
PALESTINO (Técnico: Pablo Sánchez)
César Rigamonti; Bryan Véjar, Cristian Suárez, Antonia Ceza, Benjamín Rojas, Ariel Martínez, Nicolás Linares, Joe Abrigo, Michael Fuentes, Misael Dávila e Bryan Carrasco.