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The American League Championship Series comes down to one game to decide who will meet the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2025 World Series.

What follows is a look at the five players who will decide the outcome of Game 7 on Monday night.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Vladdy Jr. has been on fire in the postseason, hitting .462 with a franchise postseason record six home runs and 12 RBIs. He's posting a ridiculous OPS of 1.532 in October, but has hammered Mariners pitching in this series. In the last four games, he's 9-for-15 with three home runs, three walks and one strikeout. He has also done some crazy things. There isn't a baseball player on the planet hotter than Guerrero right now. He'll have his say on Monday night.

Cal Raleigh

Like Guerrero, Raleigh has been big in the playoffs. He's hitting .302 with four home runs and seven RBIs, and also boasts an OPS of 1.028. Aaron Judge's only challenger for the AL MVP award, Raleigh has been mostly bottled up in this series. The 60-homer man is 5-for-22 with two home runs against the Blue Jays. In his career against Toronto's Game 7 starter Shane Bieber, Raleigh is 2-for-8 with a pair of singles and a strikeout. Seattle needs him to break through against the righty. If he doesn't, Seattle's offense may not have the punch it needs to win.

Shane Bieber

Speaking of Bieber, who would have thought he'd be here? He spent most of the season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, then the Guardians sent him to Toronto at the trade deadline before he'd pitched a big league game in his return. Now he's starting Game 7 of the ALCS. The former Cy Young winner has made two postseason starts and is 1-0 with a 4.15 ERA, a 1.27 WHIP and 10 striekouts against two walks in 8 2/3 innings. He took the win in Game 3 of the series, as he went six innings and allowed two runs on four hits while striking out eight. Toronto would take that performance again in a heartbeat.

George Kirby

Kirby took the loss in Game 3 and had the opposite performance of Bieber. He surrendered eight runs on eight its in four-plus innings and the Blue Jays hit three home runs on him. Before that, the 27-year-old righty had allowed three runs on nine hits in 10 postseason innings. His lone ALCS start ballooned his playoff ERA to 7.07. The Mariners need him to bounce back and put his Game 3 disaster behind him. If he can't, the season may end Monday night.

Josh Naylor

Naylor has made himself a lot of money in the postseason. The Mariners acquired the impending free agent from the Diamondbacks at the trade deadline and he has been oustanding when it has mattered the post. His has three postseason home runs and is hitting .341 with a .974 OPS in October. He has hammered Toronto's pitching in this series as well. Naylor is 9-for-21 with all three of his postseason homers in the first six games of the series. In the last three games, he's 6-for-10 with two bombs. If Seattle is getting a big hit in Game 7, there's a good bet Naylor will be the one delivering it.

Suzie Bates is set to become the first woman to play 350 international games on Monday, when she faces South Africa in Indore in the 2025 women’s ODI World Cup.She has the chance to celebrate the landmark with fellow New Zealand stalwart and captain Sophie Devine, who will feature in her 300th international match on Monday.Bates had made her debut in an ODI against India in 2006 aged 19, just a few months before a 17-year-old Devine made her first appearance for the White Ferns on their tour of Australia. At the time, Bates was also an elite basketball player – she even represented New Zealand at the 2008 Beijing Olympics before switching her focus to cricket.Related

• Spin-heavy Bangladesh eye first win against New Zealand in ODIs

• Age is just a number – the women's World Cup XI of seniors

• Devine lauds NZ's fighting spirit

• Bates: 'I feel like there's no milestones on my list anymore'

• Devine to retire from ODIs after the World Cup

Bates said that she and Devine will put those milestones on the back burner for now, and that the focus is on their crucial World Cup fixture against South Africa after they had lost their opening game to Australia on October 1.”Yeah, there’s probably a little bit of embarrassment from both of us,” Bates said at her press conference on the eve of New Zealand’s clash against South Africa. “We just feel that when we celebrate these milestones, it’s just because we’re getting old. But yeah, it’s one of those things that maybe in the moment, you probably take for granted, and it’s a World Cup game, and we don’t want to get too carried away with that milestone.”But I know after the game, Sophie and I will sit and reminisce on how far we’ve come, not only as players together throughout this career, but as a team. I just think there’s been so much growth in New Zealand women’s cricket and those younger players coming through. So, yeah, we’ll be really proud. But in the morning, I think we’ll just be trying to get on with the cricket. And it’s something [in] ten years’ time when we’re both not playing, we might have a cup of coffee and think how cool it was to do it in Indore in India.”Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates – New Zealand’s two superstars•ICC/Getty Images

Devine had kicked off New Zealand’s campaign with a run-a-ball 112 – her ninth ODI hundred – but it was not enough to stop the Australia juggernaut on Wednesday. Despite the opening defeat, Craig McMillan, New Zealand’s assistant coach, was pleased with Devine’s form.”Well, I think the thing about whenever Sophie Devine’s at the crease, the game is never over,” McMillan said on Friday. “I think Australia felt that as well because she’s so powerful, can hit boundaries, and even though we were needing to go at nine or ten an over… for quite a while we were actually doing that, and she was the key to that. It was a class, a great way to start the tournament, really. She’s really put a stamp on this tournament right from the start, and that’s what you want from your captain, from your leader, and the other girls will follow her.”Devine will retire from ODI cricket at the conclusion of the ongoing World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, but will remain available for T20Is under a casual playing agreement with New Zealand Cricket [NZC]. Bates, who has had a front-row seat to Devine’s rise, delivered a glowing appraisal of her all-around ability and suggested that Devine is irreplaceable.”You’re not ever going to be able to replace Sophie Devine,” Bates said. “I think she’s changed the game through her power with the bat. I know every opposition fears the way she plays the game, and we haven’t had many players like that from New Zealand who can take the game away from an opposition.”And then with the ball, everyone talks about her batting, but the way she competes with the ball and the fact that she’s captain, it’s just going to be impossible to replace her. And I’m really glad that it’s just 50-over cricket that she’s talked about stepping away from. It probably feels right with the World Cup being four years away, but there’s plenty of 20-over cricket for her to contribute. And there’s going to be no other Sophie Devine that New Zealand cricket [will] produce. It’s going to be hard to find an allrounder as explosive as her in world cricket”Rosemary Mair bowled and batted on the eve of the match against South Africa•ICC via Getty Images

‘Still a little bit of work to do for Mair’

Seamer Rosemary Mair, who had missed New Zealand’s first match of the competition against Australia, with a side strain, is recovering well, according to McMillan. Bates also suggested that Mair is “getting close to full fitness,” but she is unlikely to be rushed back into action against South Africa on Monday.”She’s going well,” McMillan said on Friday. “Would have been nice for her to get a few more overs in tonight, that was the plan, but she’ll probably bowl tomorrow. She’s coming along nicely. There’s still a little bit of work to do, so not sure how she’ll be for the next match, but she’s not far off, and she’s certainly progressed a lot over the last week, which is encouraging to see.”

Mark Goldbridge has commented on how Arsenal look when managing the absence of a key part of their attacking line.

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Brian Brobbey scored a last-gasp equaliser as high-flying Sunderland held Premier League leaders Arsenal to a 2-2 draw at the Stadium of Light.

A stop-start first-half suddenly sparked into life when former Arsenal academy product Dan Ballard sent the hosts ahead with a thumping finish, ending the Gunners’ run of eight consecutive clean sheets in all competitions.

Bukayo Saka levelled with a low effort after the break and, with Arsenal having controlled most of the game for the second half, Leandro Trossard sent the visitors ahead with a stunning effort from outside the area.

Late drama followed as Brobbey stabbed home from Ballard’s header to earn a point for the hosts against the division’s top side.

Roefs then denied Calafiori at the death, with Ballard blocking Merino’s follow-up after the save, as the Black Cats held on for the point.

During the game, a comment was made about the Gunners going forward when they are without one of their summer additions.

Gyokeres "massively" missed by Gunners

Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, Goldbridge noted how much Arsenal were missing Gyokeres, who picked up an injury in their game against Burnley. The content creator said:

Signing in the 2025 summer transfer window, much has been said about Gyokeres since he arrived at Arsenal, having been signed to solve their striker problems. The Swede has not yet found a consistent string of goalscoring form, but has had a positive impact on the team in other ways.

Against Sunderland, Mikel Merino picked up an assist for Saka’s opener, having been deployed as a makeshift striker. Otherwise, however, the Spaniard, who is a natural midfielder, struggled to have much of an impact, with Arsenal facing initial struggles in breaking the Black Cats down.

Unflinching at their status as a newly-promoted team, Sunderland’s stoppage-time equaliser against the Gunners ensured a point that, based on their display, was certainly deserved. Arsenal can only hope that it does not go onto hamper their Premier League title hopes.

It is apparent, however, that the club lack a certain fluidity in attack when Gyokeres is absent from the first team, which was a contributing factor in them failing to come away from the North East with three points.

Arsenal have best finisher since van Persie for Arteta

عزز مانشستر سيتي تقدمه أمام ليدز يونايتد بهدف ثالث في الوقت المحتسب بدلاً من الضائع، خلال مباراة الفريقين ببطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، المقامة مساء اليوم السبت.

ويستقبل مانشستر سيتي خصمه ليدز يونايتد على ملعب “الاتحاد” ضمن مباريات الجولة الثالثة عشر للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “البريميرليج”.

وأحرز فيل فودين الهدف الثاني له والثالث لصالح مانشستر سيتي أمام ليدز، في الدقيقة الأولى من الوقت المحتسب بدلاً من الضائع.

الهدف جاء بعد تمريرة ريان شرقي التي وصلت إلى فيل فودين، والذي توغل وأبدع وسدد كرة مميزة وهزت الشباك.

وكان فودين قد أحرز مانشستر سيتي الأول في الدقيقة الثانية من اللقاء، وسجل جفارديول الهدف الثاني في الدقيقة 25.

وأحرز دومينيك كالفيرت لوين ولوكاس نيمتشا هدفين لصالح ليدز في الدقائق 49 و68 من عمر المباراة. هدف فودين الثاني في مباراة مانشستر سيتي وليدز

GOAL!@PhilFoden started the scoring, and may just have finished it! He restores @ManCity’s lead in stoppage time 👏#beINPL #MCILEE #MCFC pic.twitter.com/4hWud5uFYn — beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) November 29, 2025

أصبح اسم الأردني يزن النعيمات لاعب العربي القطري، يتردد بقوة خلال الوسط الرياضي المصري، في الفترة الحالية، وذلك بعد أنباء عن وجود اهتمام قوي من النادي الأهلي لضمه.

ووفقًا لصحيفة الراية الأردنية، قالت إن محمود الخطيب رئيس النادي الأهلي كلف سيد عبد الحفيظ عضو مجلس الإدارة بإنهاء المفاوضات مع يزن النعيمات لضمه في انتقالات يناير القادمة.

وتواصل برنامج “استاد المحور” مع المتحدث الرسمي لنادي العربي القطري الذي يضم يزن النعيمات، لمعرفة حقيقة المفاوضات وموقف النادي من رحيل لاعبه إلى الأهلي.

وقال جمال الغندور مقدم برنامج “استاد المحور” المذاع على قناة “المحور”، :”محمد الكواري المتحدث الرسمي لنادي العربي القطري قال غير صحيح تفاوض الأهلي معنا لضم يزن نعيمات في الفترة الحالية”.

طالع | حقيقة مفاوضات الأهلي مع بابلو الصباغ لاعب منتخب سوريا

وأضاف: “الأهلي لم يتواصل معنا رسميًا أو شفهيًا، واللاعب مستمر بشكل طبيعي في صفوف العربي القطري”.

ويعد يزن النعيمات، أحد اللاعبين المميزين في الوقت الحالي بالوطن العربي، حيث يقدم مستويات رائعة تجعل جميع الأندية تهتم بضمه والظفر بخدماته، وساهم في تأهل منتخب الأردن إلى نهائيات كأس العالم 2026 القادم، كما كان قد وصل إلى نهائي بطولة كأس أمم آسيا الأخيرة وخسر مع النشامي اللقب أمام قطر.

Watching Tottenham Hotspur’s 4-1 defeat to their bitter rivals in the Premier League on Sunday made it clear where Thomas Frank’s priorities need to be moving forward.

Whilst you could look at that loss and suggest that they need to improve defensively, which would be a fair comment after they conceded four goals, it is in possession where they really need to improve.

xG

11.0

17th

Non-penalty xG

11.0

16th

Progressive passes

413

12th

Shots

110

19th

Shots on target

40

15th

Average shot distance

15.6 yards

17th

As you can see in the table above, Spurs are one of the worst teams in the Premier League at progressing play with passes, creating shooting opportunities, and creating high-quality chances.

The Lilywhites ended the match against Arsenal with three shots on goal and 0.07 xG, per Sofascore, with their goal coming from Richarlison’s stunning long-range lob over David Raya.

Tottenham’s struggles at the top end of the pitch explain why the club are reportedly considering a move to sign Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo.

The Ghana international has a £65m release clause that can be activated at the start of the January transfer window, and Spurs are one of the teams vying for his signature.

How Antoine Semenyo could solve Tottenham's attacking problems

Whilst a lot of Tottenham’s problems could come down to coaching issues, with how players are asked to play, the team selections, and the patterns that are or are not coached in training, having a top talent in the final third can make up for some coaching problems.

Semenyo is the kind of forward who can create things for himself with his incredible speed, power, ball control, and ability in front of goal when he gets near the opposition’s box.

The former Bristol City striker’s goal against Liverpool at Anfield earlier this season is the perfect example of the kind of quality that he could bring to North London in the second half of the campaign.

With Tottenham’s lack of progressive passing and high-quality chances this season, having a player who has runs and goals like that in his locker would be invaluable for Frank.

That strike against Liverpool was also not a flash in the pan for the versatile attacker, who can play out wide or through the middle, because he has been in impressive form in the Premier League this term.

xG

4.58

Top 1%

Goals

6

Top 1%

Shots

23

Top 10%

Shots on target

14

Top 1%

Assists

3

Top 6%

Successful dribbles

21

Top 5%

Touches in the opposition’s box

45

Top 12%

As you can see in the table above, Semenyo has been one of the most productive wingers in the division for Bournemouth this season, with more goals than any other winger in the league.

These statistics, and the nature of his goal against Liverpool in particular, suggest that signing the Cherries star would go a long way to solving some of the attacking issues that Frank’s side have.

Therefore, Spurs should push hard to win the race for his services by activating his release clause at the start of the January transfer window and trying their hardest to convince him that a move to North London is the best next step in his career.

£65m, though, would make him the club’s joint-record signing alongside Dominic Solanke, who also came from Bournemouth, so it would take a big financial commitment from the Lilywhites.

Chalkboard

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

In order to make a move for the 25-year-old star viable, sporting director Fabio Paratici should look to ruthlessly sell some of the club’s current players to fund a transfer for Semenyo.

One of the sellable assets who should be cashed in on by Paratici to create funds for a swoop for the Cherries sensation in January is right-back Pedro Porro.

Why Spurs should sell Pedro Porro

Ahead of the summer transfer window, CaughtOffside reported that the Spain international was attracting interest from Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City.

It was claimed that Spurs were not interested in selling the full-back at the time, which was in May, but that they would have changed their tune if an offer of around £57m came across their desk.

Whilst Porro ultimately remained in North London, that report in the summer shows that there are some top clubs across Europe who would be interested in him if he became available, although it remains to be seen if any of them would pay the £57m price tag.

The Spaniard attracted interest from those teams after a return of four goals and nine assists in 51 appearances in all competitions for Spurs in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, but his form this season has left a lot to be desired.

Polish journalist Michał Okoński described his crosses into the box as a “disaster” earlier this month, and it is hard to disagree with that assessment when you consider that he has lost possession 222 times and delivered one assist in 12 Premier League games, per Sofascore.

Appearances

33

12

Possession lost per game

17.5

18.5

Key passes per game

1.7

1.2

Big chances created

10

2

Assists

6

1

Pass accuracy

76%

73%

Cross accuracy

31%

17%

As you can see in the table above, the Spain international’s use of the ball has regressed since the end of the 2024/25 campaign. He is currently giving the ball away more frequently whilst creating less for his team.

Porro has been far too wasteful with the ball at his feet at right-back for Tottenham. That is evident in his regressing creative stats, but it is also evident in that he has made four errors leading to shots for the opposition in the Premier League, twice as many as he made in 33 matches last season.

As well as his struggles on the ball, the former Sporting star has gone from averaging 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game last season in the Premier League to averaging just 1.7 per match in the current campaign, per Sofascore.

These statistics show that Porro has regressed in and out of possession at right-back for the Lilywhites, which is why it could be the right time for Paratici to cash in on him in January, amid interest from City, Barcelona, and Bayern, to avoid his value dwindling if his form does not improve.

Fewer touches than Vicario: Frank must drop 3/10 Spurs dud after Arsenal

Thomas Frank has numerous glaring errors he needs to address at Tottenham Hotspur after the Arsenal defeat.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 24, 2025

Whilst it remains to be seen how much teams would be willing to pay for him, any fee in the region of the quoted £57m would go a long way to funding a deal for Semenyo, who has a £65m release clause.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav said the move was planned in alignment with the BCCI and the Indian government

Shashank Kishore14-Sep-2025No handshakes were exchanged before or after India’s seven-wicket win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup on Sunday as tensions between the two countries spilled out onto the field in Dubai.Suryakumar Yadav, the winning captain, said India had decided before the match – in alignment with the BCCI and the Indian government – that they would not shake hands with the opposition, a move that left Pakistan visibly disapppointed. Mike Hesson, the Pakistan coach, said the team had been waiting after the game to shake hands only to discover India were snubbing them.Related

PCB to take 'final decision' on Asia Cup withdrawal by Wednesday

Hesson: We were a bit frenzied at the start with the bat and then got squeezed

How Kuldeep and Axar slammed the door shut on Pakistan in middle overs

Suryakumar: Spinners come well prepared so things move 'on autopilot'

Asia Cup: India-Pakistan set to go ahead after Indian government clarifies stance

That led to their captain Salman Agha not appearing for the post-match TV interview, as is a broadcast norm. Pakistan’s displeasure over these events has extended as far as match referee Andy Pycroft.Hours after the match ended, the PCB said in a statement that Pakistan’s team manager had registered a “formal protest” against him, because he had “requested the captains not to shake hands during the toss”.This was the first meeting between the two sides since India and Pakistan exchanged cross-border hostilities following the Pahalgam terror attack in April, and uncertainty had surrounded the match in the intervening months, with several calls for India to boycott it.Clarity only emerged when the Indian government came out with its official policy for sporting engagements with Pakistan, greenlighting meetings in multilateral events while refusing to engage in bilateral contests. All that remained to be seen was how the match would play out against this backdrop.”Our government and BCCI – we were aligned today,” Suryakumar said at his post-match press conference. “Rest, we took a call [about not shaking hands]. We came here to just play the game. We have given a proper reply.”The match was played against the backdrop of heightened political tensions between India and Pakistan•Associated PressAsked if their refusal to shake hands was against sporting spirit, Suryakumar said: “Few things in life are ahead of sportsman spirit also. I’ve [said] it at the presentation as well, we stand with all the victims of Pahalgam terror attacks, stand with their families, and express our solidarity.”Hesson expressed “disappointment” at India’s stance.”We were ready to shake hands at the end of the game, we obviously are disappointed that our opposition didn’t do that,” he said. “We sort of went over there to shake hands and they’d already gone into the changing room.”That was a disappointing way for the match to finish, and a match we were disappointed for the way we played, but we were certainly willing to shake hands.”Hesson said Agha’s absence from the presentation ceremony was a “follow-on effect” of India’s refusal to shake hands. The PCB statement confirmed this, terming India’s actions to be “against sportsmanship”.”Manager Naveed Akram Cheema has registered a formal protest against the match referee’s behaviour,” the PCB statement said. “Match referee requested the captains not to shake hands during the toss.”Pycroft’s response to Pakistan’s statement is awaited.

West Ham United are in desperate need of attacking reinforcements and could now be set to lodge a bid to land Lazio star Tijjani Noslin in January.

Nuno Espirito Santo has walked into quite the job in East London, facing up to the possibility that a real fight for survival could be the story of the campaign unless his side get their act together over the next few weeks.

Fan unrest, dwindling forward options, and a set of difficult festive fixtures are unlikely to whet supporters’ appetites. However, West Ham is a club that has been built on fighting spirit, which is something the former Wolves boss will hope to incorporate to push them closer to Premier League safety.

Conceding from set-pieces has also become a major concern. While some would be led to believe that the Hammers could solve their problems by spending in January, journalist Dean Jones believes Nuno will have a ‘restricted’ budget to work with at the London Stadium.

He explained: “I am told there is a pretty restricted budget that will limit what they are capable of. It’s a pretty worrying time for their fans.”

Something has got to give, one way or another, albeit the Portuguese boss will have to press on with the squad he has for now, hampered by injuries to Ollie Scarles, Kostantinos Mavropanos and German international Niclas Fullkrug.

After facing Newcastle United, West Ham take on Burnley next weekend in a critical match relative to the context of their mission to secure survival. Winning is all that matters, with the consequences if they don’t looking bleaker than ever.

January is a lifeline in some respects, and they may now have their eyes on an attacker to gift Nuno some much-needed flexibility across his frontline.

West Ham set to launch bid for Lazio star Tijjani Noslin

According to reports in Italy, West Ham are lining up a move worth in the region of £14 million for Lazio attacker Tijjani Noslin, who could be cashed in on by the Serie A giants after joining from Hellas Verona in 2024.

The Amsterdam-born man is capable of playing on either flank or through the middle and has registered six goals and four assists in 43 appearances for his current club. However, he would be open to the possibility of a January departure.

Ultimately, West Ham’s willingness to spend will determine whether there is movement on his situation. Despite possessing an element of physicality and athleticism that could benefit the Hammers, he has only featured in 37 minutes worth of football for Lazio this season.

Versatile by nature, Noslin is capable of fitting into different tactical systems due to his robust skillset after being brought in to help replace veteran Ciro Immobile.

Jarrod Bowen refusing to leave West Ham despite relegation fears

Nevertheless, he hasn’t exactly been a rip-roaring success at Lazio, and his return of 31 goals in 159 senior career matches doesn’t suggest the attacker would be a prolific solution to the Irons’ goalscoring woes of recent times.

How batters like Saim Ayub and Pathum Nissanka score in the upcoming series is also worth keeping your eyes on

Andrew Fidel Fernando10-Nov-2025So we have arrived at another bilateral ODI series. Believe it or not, these were all the rage back in the first half of the 2010s – used so frequently as schedule-filler, to bulk up tours. T20Is and T20 leagues serve that purpose now, and the ODI World Cup is not till 2027. Still, this is a chance for Pakistan and Sri Lanka to do some building towards the next big event. Here are five things to watch for the three-match series starting on Tuesday.

Can Pakistan build on victory over South Africa?

What is clear is that both Sri Lanka and Pakistan are middling ODI sides. The rankings are some reflection – Sri Lanka are currently fourth on the ODI charts, and Pakistan are fifth, and neither side has had a glut of ODIs this year. The difference, though, is that Sri Lanka appear to be an ODI outfit on the rise, having won seven of their 10 matches this year. Pakistan have lost 10 of their 14, and had also crashed out of their “home” Champions Trophy.There is a little recent uptick for Pakistan, however. They sneaked a victory in the first ODI against South Africa earlier this month, then strode to a thumping win over them in the third ODI to seal a 2-1 series win. That was against a depleted South Africa, and Sri Lanka have sent a full-strength squad.Still, for a team that was looking for inspiration, perhaps their first series under Shaheen Shah Afridi has provided a new beginning.

Saim Ayub a threat at the top of the order

Saim Ayub averages 50.85 in ODIs•AFP via Getty ImagesSo fragile have their runs of form been in the last couple of years, you praise Pakistan batters at your peril. But so far, young left-hand batter Saim Ayub has been putting together the makings of a good ODI career. He has only played 15 innings in the format so far, so we are at the very early stages. But he averages 50.85, and crucially has a strike rate of exactly 100, having hit 712 runs so far.Against South Africa, he made scores of 39, 53, and 77 off 70 in the third ODI. This is the kind of consistency that could prove helpful in concert with Fakhar Zaman’s more erratic returns from the other end. This will be Ayub’s first series against Sri Lanka.

How effective will Sri Lanka’s bowlers be on Pakistani tracks?

While Sri Lanka have won three series this year, against Australia, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe, only the Zimbabwe win came away from home. Generally, over the course of the last two years, as they have rebuilt under captain Charith Asalanka and coach Sanath Jayasuriya, much of their limited-overs success has come at Sri Lankan venues still famed for the turn their tracks offer. The surfaces in Pakistan will likely be more batting-friendly, which will test Sri Lanka’s spinners in particular. This is the less-favoured of Wanindu Hasaranga’s formats, and Maheesh Theekshana has been far from his best in 2025. Sri Lanka will need them to assert themselves.

Can Pathum Nissanka continue unlocking new levels?

By his own increasingly-high standards, 2025 has been just a middling year for Pathum Nissanka in ODIs. In ten innings, he has hit one century and two fifties, and has an average of 32.40, and a strike rate of 84.81. He has been expanding his game in other formats, however. He has hit two Test hundreds in just three innings this year, and his most-recent T20I knock was an outstanding 107 off 58 balls against India. If the surfaces in Rawalpindi are on the flatter side, Nissanka may be a serious force.

Abrar-Hasaranga fun

Wanindu Hasaranga celebrates a wicket with the Abrar Ahmed celebration during the recent Asia Cup•MB Media/Getty ImagesAsia’s rivalries are packed with machismo and cheap political posturing these days, but one that continues to buck the trend is the Sri Lanka-Pakistan relationship. In their match in the Asia Cup, Abrar Ahmed mimicked Hasaranga’s wicket celebration (which Hasaranga had himself pinched from football player Neymar Jr.), and Hasaranga mimicked Abrar’s wicket celebration in return. Although this had the potential to turn tense, the players met after the match, and were seen animatedly bro-ing out together (this is the scientific term).That clip of them shaking hands and half-embracing then became a little piece of viral “brotherhood” content, in an otherwise acrimonious and shameful Asia Cup. The general vibe of Pakistan vs Sri Lanka fixtures over the last 15 years has been that although there can be on-field altercations, the tension seems to almost invariably give way to off-field cuteness.

Over the last couple of weeks, Tottenham Hotspur have massively struggled to deliver within the final third, which has resulted in numerous disappointing results.

Thomas Frank will no doubt have huge questions to answer in the near future, with the Derby Day defeat against Arsenal the latest failure in his tenure after taking the reins in the summer.

The Dane made a bold decision to switch to a 5-4-1 system at the Emirates to try and nullify the threat posed by Mikel Arteta’s side, but ultimately, it was ineffective as seen by the 4-1 scoreline.

Such a decision also restricted the Lilywhites massively within attacking areas, as Richarlison’s long-range effort was the only moment of note in the final third.

Numerous figures from the club’s recent Premier League outings highlight the struggles in attacking areas, with an immediate solution desperately needing to be found by the manager.

The stats behind Spurs’ recent struggles in attacking areas

As previously mentioned, Sunday was an afternoon to forget for all Spurs supporters, with the defeat arguably the worst of Frank’s tenure after his appointment in June.

The defensive setup massively nullified their own attacking threat, resulting in an embarrassing 0.07 xG produced, with only one shot on target registered, excluding the goal.

In total, the Lilywhites only managed to notch a total of three shots, whilst also registering just four touches in the Gunners’ 18-yard box during the 90-minute contest.

However, the club’s struggles have also been evident in other outings, with the defeat to Chelsea on home soil at the start of the month also showcasing their struggles in front of goal.

Frank’s men failed to find the back of the net in the London derby, again only notching one shot on target and amassing a total xG of just 0.10 in the loss.

No player in the squad was able to complete a cross against Enzo Maresca’s men, which no doubt would have contributed to the lack of quality within the final third.

The Spurs star who can solve Frank’s attacking woes

Spurs’ lack of quality in front of goal has undoubtedly produced a cause for concern, especially given the numbers produced under Ange Postecoglou last season.

The Lilywhites managed to score 64 goals in the Premier League during 2024/25, an average of 1.7 per 90, despite recording a measly 17th-placed finish in England’s top-flight.

Such a tally was the sixth best in the division, but Frank’s men have been unable to replicate such levels over the last couple of months of the new season.

His men have netted 20 goals in the 12 league outings to date, an average of 1.6, with Richarlison sitting as their top scorer on five goals – a quarter of the whole team’s tally.

However, the manager could find an immediate solution to the Lilywhites’ issues in attacking areas by unleashing Brennan Johnson over the next few weeks.

The Welsh international netted 18 goals across all competitions last campaign, but has often struggled for starts under the Dane after the investment from the hierarchy.

Mohammed Kudus arrived in a £55m transfer from West Ham United, which has seen the Ghanaian international often fill the void on the right-hand side of the attack.

However, Johnson is deserving of a recall to the starting eleven, with his numbers from last campaign showcasing the threat he carries within the final third.

His goalscoring tally from 2024/25 was by far and away the highest of any player in the first-team squad, with his underlying figures reflecting his all-round quality.

The 24-year-old achieved a total xG and xA per 90 of 0.51, the third highest in the squad, which further highlights his ability to star alone or find a teammate in dangerous areas.

Games played

51

2nd

Goals scored

18

1st

xG & xA per 90

0.51

3rd

Chances created

22

4th

Crosses per 90

1.4

2nd

Dribble success

56%

2nd

Shots per 90

2.2

3rd

Penalties won

2

1st

Johnson, who’s been labelled “impossible to defend” by one analyst, also ranked fourth in the first team for chances created – which could provide Richarlison with the ammunition to improve his own tallies.

Other tallies, such as 1.4 crosses completed per 90 and how dribble success of 56% both placed him in second position, with the winger having the all-round quality Frank’s men have hugely lacked.

There’s little denying that Johnson is a player who has divided opinion in North London, but his figures from last season highlight the quality he does possess with the ball at his feet.

If Frank is to find an immediate short-term solution to his side’s struggles, he may need to recall the Welshman back to his starting eleven against Fulham on Saturday afternoon.

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