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St James’ Park proved to be a fortress once more for Newcastle United on Saturday evening when Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City travelled to Tyneside.

This season so far in the Premier League, the Magpies are yet to win away from home, with three draws and defeats depressingly next to their name. At home, though, it’s a much different story, with four league wins collected with confidence, which now includes a 2-1 triumph over the Citizens.

Harvey Barnes was the difference maker on the day with two well-taken efforts under pressure, with this being the first time Newcastle have got the better of their opponents from Manchester since a slim 1-0 success in the EFL Cup back in 2023.

On that day, it was Alexander Isak who would break the deadlock, and while the sting of his departure to Liverpool was certainly felt in the immediate aftermath of his exit, Eddie Howe’s Toon aren’t dwelling too much on him no longer being around now, with the 47-year-old boss no doubt pleased with the attacking display on show from Barnes and many others.

How Newcastle downed Manchester City

Howe was beaming from ear to ear at the full-time whistle, as he finally got a career win over Guardiola in league action.

He would also be over the moon for the aforementioned Barnes, with the 27-year-old winger repaying his manager’s faith in him when being handed a fifth Premier League start of the season, as his first effort was stylishly placed home, before the vital second goal was somehow bundled into the back of the net.

Nick Woltemade would have felt aggrieved that he couldn’t get on the scoresheet, though, with four efforts passing him by. Still, with four Premier League efforts next to his name this season, away from drawing blanks up against Gianluigi Donnarumma, he has filled the void left behind by Isak expertly.

Both Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes also stood out during the 2-1 victory, as Guimaraes assisted Barnes’ first breakaway strike, while his Italian teammate won six duels and three tackles as a combative counterpart.

Yet, there was one star who stood out throughout who could now be labelled boldly as Howe’s next Isak, even with Woltemade at his disposal, for how influential he’s become in such a short space of time.

Howe's new Isak-esque figure

Of course, while the £125m sale is now struggling to settle at Anfield, he was a consistent top performer on Tyneside when he was still donning the famous black and white stripes.

Indeed, a deadly 62 strikes were tallied up by the lethal Scandinavian during his 102-game stay at St James’ Park, with Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher even hailing him as the “best striker in the Premier League” off the back of such potent form.

He immediately hit the ground running in England, too, with two goals from his first three league appearances for the Toon, with Malick Thiaw also making the transition from European football to English shores look easy, making him a strong candidate to be considered Howe’s next most influential player, much like Isak was.

With an 86% pass accuracy averaged across his eight Premier League games to date, and a commanding 4.6 duels won on average, some have even hailed the German as a “top five centre-back in the league this season”, with Isak also in the same esteemed conversations as a top five forward in the division.

Thiaw vs City
Minutes played	90
Goals scored	0
Assists	0
Touches	36
Accurate passes	20/25 (80%)
Tackles won	1/1
Last man tackles	1
Interceptions	1
Clearances	7
Blocked shots	1
Ball recoveries	6
Total duels won	2/4
Stats by Sofascore

Thiaw has only enhanced his reputation for being an influential member of Howe’s first team with his commanding showing against Guardiola’s visitors, with 14-goal hero Erling Haaland completely negated by the former AC Milan defender, who restricted him to just 23 touches of the ball and two shots on target.

NUFCBlog hailed the performance as “outstanding” against “the best striker on the planet” as Thiaw even impressively stood his ground one-on-one with the frightening Norwegian early in the second half, before a last-ditch intervention saw a chance go rarely astray for the number nine.

On top of that moment of ice-cold maturity, Thiaw would also bow out from the 2-1 win with seven clearances and six ball recoveries amassed, as City found it very difficult all night long to break down the Toon’s resilient back line.

The hope will just be that Thiaw gets better with more time in the Premier League, like Isak, who transformed into a £125m-calibre beast.

Although this time around, Howe will also pray he doesn’t have to give up the 6-foot-4 defender to the likes of Liverpool or any other suitor, as Thiaw becomes the manager’s most crucial player.

Last season, that was reserved for Isak. This season, it’s reserved for their new towering centre-half.

9/10 Newcastle duo look even more important than Bruno G & Tonali

These two players stood out in Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Man City

By
Joe Nuttall

Nov 23, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur’s activity in the transfer market over the summer was largely successful, with numerous of their additions already making a huge impact in the Premier League.

Mohammed Kudus was the most expensive addition during the recent window, joining the Lilywhites in a £55m transfer from London rivals West Ham United.

The Ghanaian has already adhered himself to the supporters, with his tally of one goal and four assists the highest tally of any player in Thomas Frank’s first-team squad.

However, not all of their big-money additions have hit the ground running in North London, with Xavi Simons only able to register a single league assist after his £52m switch from RB Leipzig.

At just 22, he will have bags of time to adapt to life in England’s top-flight, but the same can’t be said for another first-team member who will likely be on borrowed time in the near future.

The total cost of Spurs’ deal to land Richarlison

Back in the summer of 2022, Spurs paid a reported £60m for the signature of striker Richarlison, with the Brazilian moving to North London from fellow Premier League side Everton.

Many supporters were excited upon his arrival, no doubt due to the size of the fee, but it’s safe to say the 28-year-old’s spell at the club has been nothing be plain sailing.

During his three years with the Lilywhites, he’s racked up a total of 108 appearances across all competitions, but has only scored a total of 24 goals in such a period.

However, he’s also taken home a small fortune in wages, with his £90k-per-week wages seeing him earn a total of £18.72m in wages alone since his transfer.

When combining his transfer fee with his wages, Richarlison has cost the hierarchy a total of £78.72m – a simply staggering amount of money given his lack of impact.

Given his tally of 24 goals, he’s cost around £3.28m per effort – further highlighting how much money the board have wasted on his signature over the last few seasons.

The cost of Richarlison’s move to Spurs
Statistics	Tally
Games played	108
Cost per appearance	£728k
Goals scored	24
Cost per goal	£3.28m
Assists	11
Cost per assist	£7.15m
Stats via Capology

The player who could end Richarlison’s Spurs career

The numbers behind Richarlison’s deal at Spurs are nothing short of mind-boggling, but his underlying stats from the current campaign further indicate his lack of positive impact.

The Brazilian has only scored four times in the Premier League to date, but he has missed six big chances in the process, which has no doubt hindered his ability to provide the goods.

He’s also registered the least amount of touches of any player on the pitch in four of his 11 league appearances, often being unable to make a real impact on proceedings.

When in possession, the 28-year-old has struggled to find a teammate, only completing 63% of his passes – a tally which ranks him in the bottom 12% of all players in the division.

His lack of quality, coupled with his staggering cost, should see the club look to move him on in the near future, with Frank desperately needing to drop him from his starting eleven.

However, that may be a tricky task given the recent injuries to Dominic Solanke and Randal Kolo Muani, but the Dane does have an excellent option in the form of Mathys Tel.

The Frenchman originally joined on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich last campaign, but he made such a move permanent in the summer – costing a fee in the region of £27m.

However, he’s found minutes hard to come by under Frank, with the 20-year-old only starting three matches out of a possible 11 in England’s top-flight to date.

Tel, who’s been labelled “one of the best finishers in Europe” by Ben Mattinson, has managed to impress despite his limited minutes, as seen by his tally of two goals.

Such a tally is all the more impressive when delving into his minute per goal ratio, with his 124-minute goalscoring record the best in the current squad in North London.

Mathys Tel – PL stats (2025/26)
Statistics (per 90)	Tally
Games played	8
Goals scored	2
Minutes per goal	124
Pass accuracy	83%
Dribble success	50%
Touches in opposition box	3.9
Possession won in final third	1.1
Shots taken	2.2
Stats via FotMob

The youngster has also caught the eye with his dribble success, often taking the ball past the opposition and handing the side a more nimble and off-the-shoulder type of centre-forward.

Despite his small frame, Tel has managed to make a nuisance of numerous backlines, even impressing out of possession and winning the ball back 1.1 times per 90 in the final third – which places him in the 95th percentile.

There’s no disputing that Tel is still a young and raw talent, but he’s already demonstrated glimpses of his quality, which should see Frank hand the Frenchman a consistent run of starts.

As for Richarlison, he could find himself on the fringes in the coming months, with the hierarchy needing to cash in as soon as possible to avoid losing a small fortune on their investment.

Forget Simons: Spurs have an academy sensation who could be Dele 2.0

Tottenham Hotspur already have a sensation who could replace Xavi Simons in North London.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 13, 2025

Being the massive club they are, Arsenal have had some genuinely world-class players represent them.

From the likes of Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp in the Invincibles era, to Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and their backline today.

However, the Gunners also have more than their fair share of cult heroes, such as Sunderland’s current captain, Granit Xhaka.

The Swiss international left Arsenal in the summer of 2023, but it looks like Mikel Arteta might have someone in his squad today who could be the club’s next Xhaka.

Xhaka's turbulent Arsenal career

It’s summer 2016, and after a reasonably impressive Euros with Switzerland, Arsenal opt to splash around £34m on Xhaka.

Chalkboard

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

Unfortunately, while he certainly wasn’t one of the team’s worst players, the former Borussia Mönchengladbach ace was fairly underwhelming over the following few years.

However, given his experience, combative nature, and general personality, he was chosen by his teammates to become the club’s captain in September 2019, under Unai Emery.

It was a decision that would cataclysmically backfire just a month later, when, during a game against Crystal Palace, he was substituted off to a jeering crowd, to which he responded by throwing the shirt and armband to the floor and swearing.

At that point, it looked like his Arsenal career was well and truly over, but once he was appointed manager, Arteta was able to convince the fiery midfielder to stay and fight for his place.

Over the next two years or so, that is exactly what the Basel-born titan did, and finally, against all the odds, away to Brentford in September 2022, the fans began to sing his name once more.

The tough-tackling, all-action international had his best campaign in red and white that season, ending it with nine goals and seven assists in 47 games as the club launched a surprising title charge.

16/17

46

4

3

17/18

48

3

8

18/19

40

4

5

19/20

41

1

2

20/21

45

1

2

21/22

30

1

2

22/23

47

9

7

It would prove to be his final year with the club, but instead of leaving in disgrace like so many thought he would, the Swiss icon was serenaded by an adoring Emirates crowd as he grabbed a brace and said his goodbyes.

Now, two and a half years later, it looks like Arteta could have his own Xhaka-type player in his Arsenal squad.

Arsenal's new Xhaka

Now, arguments could certainly be made for either Declan Rice or Martin Zubimendi becoming the next Xhaka for Arsenal, but instead, it’s actually Myles Lewis-Skelly.

It might sound a little out there at first, but there are a few reasons, such as the youngster’s natural position.

Yes, the teenager has played at left-back for the first team, but spent most of his time in the academy playing as either a defensive or central midfielder.

Moreover, when you watch him play, it is so apparent that he’s more of a central player, as not only does he have the spatial awareness and range of passing to thrive there, but he also has the carrying ability.

In fact, it was his incredible drive and assist for Gabriel Martinelli against Atletico Madrid that led one content creator to label him as one of the best in “world football” when it comes to carrying.

Furthermore, the 19-year-old has already shown the physical and mental strength Xhaka possess, and as Rice has pointed out, he seems utterly “fearless” on the pitch, regardless of the opposition.

Finally, in addition to the fiery attitude, the Hale End gem also has a wand of a left foot, and has already chalked up a few assists thanks to his weight of pass.

Ultimately, it is still so early in his career, but it’s clear that Lewis-Skelly shares some of Xhaka’s best traits and could become Arsenal’s new version of the Swiss monster.

Forget Dowman: Arsenal's "explosive" Hale Ender looks like another Saka

The impressive youngster could be the next Saka and the next talent off the block for Arsenal after Dowman.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 7, 2025

The wheels are in danger of coming off for Chelsea this season, if they haven’t already.

Enzo Maresca’s side have looked a shadow of the team that demolished Barcelona over the last week or so.

First, they lost to Leeds United, then drew with Bournemouth, and then, to make matters even worse, they threw away a one-nil lead and lost to Atalanta on Tuesday night in the Champions League.

It’s a run of form that should see the board reflect on who is and isn’t good enough to represent Chelsea, and there is one player who has been even worse than the underwhelming Jamie Gittens and therefore shouldn’t play another minute this season.

Chelsea's poor performers vs Atalanta

Unfortunately for Maresca, although he bears a great deal of responsibility for the loss, more than a handful of Chelsea players were seriously poor against Atalanta on Tuesday night.

Chalkboard

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

Gittens, for example, once again put in a performance that should seriously worry fans as he was utterly ineffective against the 12th-placed Serie A side.

Somehow, the former Borussia Dortmund gem remained on the pitch for the full 94 minutes, despite doing nothing of any note on or off the ball.

For example, he registered a combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.26, lost seven of his ten duels, failed to take a single shot on target and played just a single key pass.

To say it was an underwhelming showing from the Englishman would be an understatement, and therefore the 5/10 match rating he received from the Standard’s Dom Smith was more than justified.

The journalist gave Benoit Badiashile the same rating, and it’s hard to disagree.

Sure, the French centre-back made a few good interceptions and tackles in the first half, but he was partly responsible for Charles De Ketelaere’s winner, as he kept backing off from the Belgian before he shot.

It was also a really disappointing night for Enzo Fernández.

The World Cup winner has been crucial for the Blues at times this season, and a source of goals from the middle of the park.

However, against the Bergamo outfit, he was hugely frustrating, as while he did get into dangerous positions on more than one occasion, he either fluffed his lines or made the wrong decision.

Minutes

67′

Expected Goals

0.01

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.42

Assists

0

Key Passes

1

Crosses (Accurate)

1 (0)

Passes (Accurate)

24/33 (73%)

Lost Possession

15

Dribbles

0

Duels (Won)

10 (3)

Now, there is an argument that all three of these players should be dropped for this weekend’s game, but there is another player in the squad, someone who’s been worse than Gittens, who should probably never play for the club again.

The Chelsea flop who cannot play another minute for Maresca

While there are a few Chelsea players who need to be sold in the upcoming transfer window, the first one out the door should be Tosin Adarabioyo.

Now, it should be said that he was far from the worst player on the pitch on Tuesday night, but he still managed to disappoint in the 18 minutes he spent on the pitch.

For example, he lost 100% of his ground duels, committed a foul, lost the ball four times and didn’t even make a tackle, despite the hosts pushing more in the closing minutes.

However, the defeat to Atalanta is not the sole reason the 28-year-old should no longer be getting any minutes for the team, as he has cost the side on multiple occasions this season.

The most recent example of this came in the game against Leeds United.

It was at Elland Road that, under very little pressure, he lost the ball in the Blues’ penalty area, which led directly to the hosts scoring, and content creator Tom Overend calling him “utterly embarrassing.”

Moreover, the statistics from his season overall do not make for pleasant reading.

In the four Champions League appearances he’s made this season, the former Fulham star has averaged just one point per game and conceded eight goals.

Games

9

5

1

Starts

5

3

1

Minutes

557′

239′

90′

Goals

0

0

0

Assists

0

0

0

Points per Game

1.78

1.00

3.00

Then, in the Premier League, he has averaged just 1.78 points per game across nine appearances, five of which have been starts.

Finally, FBref have ranked him in just the top 38% of centre-backs in the league for tackles won per 90, but the top 13% for tackles attempted, meaning he simply isn’t winning enough of them.

Ultimately, Gittens has been disappointing this season, but he’s still young and could come good.

However, Tosin is an experienced defender who has directly cost Chelsea points and, given he was signed for free, should be sold as soon as possible.

Watch out Delap: Chelsea set sights on "one of Europe's most in-form CFs"

The free-scoring forward could spell the end of Liam Delap at Chelsea.

ByJack Salveson Holmes 3 days ago

Can England swallow their pride and settle for stalemate in the second Test?

Vithushan Ehantharajah03-Jul-2025

Ben Stokes prepares to bowl on day two•Associated Press

Michael Jordan did not always take clutch shots.Arguably his most famous passing on a moment came at the end of game six of the 1997 NBA Finals against Utah Jazz. In the final seconds, Jordan kicked the ball out to Steve Kerr on the edge of the key, who drained the game winner.”Well, I guess I gotta bail Michael out again,” joked Kerr afterwards. For all his qualities, Kerr knew this was more Jordan’s bag. But even a man who prided himself on being him – one such Jordan make in a playoff game against Cleveland Cavaliers is immortalised simply as “The Shot” – saw the value of going against his nature.Of course, to not feed Kerr in that moment would have been irresponsible. Sure, Jordan is Jordan. But swarmed by defenders, taking up the option of a trusted alternative was a no-brainer. He might have a brand to preserve, but he’s a winner first.Related

'We want to play exciting cricket, but it's all about winning'

India's quicks cause damage after Gill's epic 269

Gill walks the talk even as India stumble to unforced errors

Stats – All the records Gill broke during his historic 269

On Thursday evening, as Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj swarmed all over England’s top-order batters, you wondered if they may finally try and kick one out to the reliable free man. One that, while they have never used, has been a handy crutch of pretty much every other team to make a success of Test cricket. The draw.In 37 Test matches since Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum joined forces to revolutionise the Test side, England have not once chosen to play for the draw. The sole stalemate in that sequence came during 2023’s Ashes, the result of almost two days of rain being dumped on Manchester. Now, trailing in the first innings by 510, with three days to go, they might have to embrace it.It’s as much an ideological stance as a placebo. Ahead of the summer, Stokes, when handed a scenario of a chase of 400 in 40 overs during an Ashes by Nasser Hussain, joked, “well, Adelaide is short square”, without actually answering if maybe that would be the time to shut shop.That same bolshiness filters to the team, and in creating a belief that the win must be pushed for at all costs, you get situations like last week in Leeds when 371 is chased with little fuss.1:39

Aaron: English bowlers were way off their mark

Now, though, we might be on the cusp of England needing to hold on to what they have. Not only do they have a 1-0 lead, but it is one they earned in one of Jasprit Bumrah’s three scheduled appearances. Given the storm that played out on day one following India’s decision to rest Bumrah, they should be wary of offering the tourists a more straightforward route to victory without their frontman. This could be a momentum-shifting equaliser for them.Typically, even in the short history of this England team, there are crumbs to nourish them. While this is only the fourth time in Test history that England have won the toss, bowled, and conceded 500, it is the second time they have done so in the Stokes-McCullum era.That first time came against New Zealand in that 2022 summer, when they strolled down a target of 299 in Nottingham. And while they do not have a Jonny Bairstow anymore, they do have unusually short Test boundaries – none longer than 65 metres – to offer some Trent Bridge-like qualities. It is also worth noting the other two times a team has scored 500 in their first innings – both Pakistan (Rawalpindi 2022, Multan 2024) – England have won.

“What happens tomorrow – and I suppose what happens every day – is a big direction-turner in terms of how we approach the game. I think we’ll have a little think about it tonight and we’ll see how tomorrow pans out, especially that first session”Jeetan Patel

As such, you can forgive the optimism Jeetan Patel brought to the end-of-the-day press conference, particularly with Joe Root and Harry Brook resuming on Friday morning.”Oh, 100%,” England’s assistant coach immediately answered when asked if winning remained a possibility. “I’ve said this many a time in front of all of you and you keep laughing at me,” Patel added, referencing similar utterances two years ago, midway through the Hyderabad heist, and in Multan, when Pakistan had put on 328 for 4 on the opening day of the first Test in 2024.”We’ll just try and find another way to get over the line. And I think that’s the beauty of the team that we have and the players that we have.”There’s still three days of cricket left, there’s lots of cricket to go and, on a fast-scoring ground, I think you never know what can happen… And we’ve got two of the greatest batters in the world at the crease at the moment.”1:11

How significant will the Jadeja-Gill partnership prove to be?

And yet, for all that Baz-zeal, there were nuggets of practicality on day two. Slivers of a more considered and less confrontational manner amid the toil, hinting at a more open view of preservation.Previously, Stokes might have hammered the short-ball tactic, and perhaps even flogged himself out of being able to fulfil his allrounder role fully in the third Test at Lord’s. Instead, he and Chris Woakes tried to eke something out of the new ball at the start of play.As soon as that trail went cold – England have this pitch down as a new-ball wicket, and could themselves have had India 20-odd for 3 on day one, as they themselves were on day two – neither Stokes (having bowled the 92nd over) nor Woakes (93rd) were seen again for the remaining 58 overs of the innings.Brook bowling five overs of filler, on the ground where he came on as first-change against Australia two years ago, could not have better summed up this shift from their galaxy-brain ideas. And though he later launched an aggressive retaliation when charging Siraj and clouting him back over his head for six – taking England to 50 for 3 – the 23 dots he and Root accumulated together as they saw out the final five overs were geared towards survival.1:24

Aaron impressed with Akash Deep’s pace

Prior to the start of this series, Stokes spoke about the need to be smarter in situations when the opposition are in control. And those final 13.5 overs, having been 25 for 3, spoke to that.”What happens tomorrow – and I suppose what happens every day – is a big direction-turner in terms of how we approach the game,” Patel said, perhaps hinting at a more open perspective to other results than he had previously let on. “I think we’ll have a little think about it tonight and we’ll see how tomorrow pans out, especially that first session.”There is a broad understanding within the England dressing-room that this chapter of their story should be about success. And they know their default style of play will fulfil the entertainment side of the deal, without having to force it.But the most loved Test teams are the ones that win series. And nothing will be cherished more than achieving those against India and then Australia.That might mean going against the brand from time to time. And this could play out as one of those times. The relentless pursuit of wins is not always a route to success. Even Jordan kicked a few out to someone else.

Henil Patel, Naman Pushpak and Udhav Mohan finish Australia off for 116 in their second innings to set up 81-run chase, which is knocked off in 12.2 overs

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Oct-2025Bowlers, faster ones and spinners alike, held sway right through the second four-day match between Australia Under-19s and India Under-19s in Mackay, which ended inside two days with the visiting side running out convincing victors.The Australian batting unit didn’t give a particularly strong account of its abilities in familiar conditions in Brisbane in the first game, scoring 243 and 127 to go down by an innings and 58 runs, but there were pockets of resistance. In Mackay, that was never really in evidence. It was only Alex Lee Young, the wicketkeeper, who showed his batting chops, but there was little to nothing around him.He scored the only half-century of the match, 66 in the first innings where Australia put up 135, while the second dig was even more abject, Australia folding for 116. That left India, who had taken a 36-run first-innings lead – handy in a low-scoring contest – with just 81 to knock off, which they did for the loss of three wickets.The second – and as it turned out, last – day began with India at 144 for 7 in their first innings after having bowled Australia out in 43.3 overs. Henil Patel and Deepesh Devendran, the overnight batters, were separated quickly in the morning when Henil fell, becoming Kasey Barton’s fourth wicket of the innings. But Devendran added 22 to his overnight 6 to take India to 171. For Australia, Charles Lachmund, Will Byrom and Julian Osbourne picked up two wickets apiece to go with Barton’s four.Alex Lee Young was the best batter across the two teams•Getty Images

Australia batted again, and were 9 for 3 inside seven overs, Henil picking up two of the wickets to fall and Udhav Mohan one. It never really got better for Australia, the 32-run stand for the sixth wicket between Jayden Draper (15) and Young (again the top-scorer with 38) their best as they lasted just 40.1 overs. Henil and Naman Pushpak picked up three wickets each, while Mohan got two as only four Australians got into double-digits.The chase to the finish wasn’t a big one, but with conditions giving the bowlers confidence, there was still a job to do. Vaibhav Suryavanshi couldn’t, falling for a first-ball duck to Lachmund in the first over. Ayush Mhatre, the captain, also didn’t last long, bowled by Barton for 13 off just six balls, including three boundaries. But Vihaan Malhotra and Vedant Trivedi, who have both had such a good series across formats on the tour, stitched together a 39-run stand in just over six overs, scoring quickly and not allowing the bowlers to get any kind of grip on the game.Malhotra fell to Barton with India still 29 away from victory, having scored a-run-a-ball 21 with five fours, but Trivedi (33 not out in 35 balls) and Rahul Kumar (13 not out in 14) took India home in just 12.2 overs, and to a 2-0 series sweep after India had swept the preceding one-day series 3-0 too.While Barton was the most impressive of the Australian bowlers, picking up six wickets with his right-arm medium, for India, quick bowlers Henil (six wickets) and Mohan (four) were on target, as were spinners Khilan Patel, the left-arm orthodox, and Pushpak, the legspinner, who picked up seven wickets between them and had a three-for apiece.

Celtic’s annual general meeting collapsed into acrimony on Friday as open conflict between supporters and board members forced proceedings to be abandoned. Interim manager Martin O’Neill, who was warmly applauded upon his introduction, later described the morning as "one of the saddest" he had witnessed in his long association with the club.

• A bitter AGM ends early amid chants and accusations

  The meeting, held at Celtic Park, descended almost immediately into hostility. Within minutes, chants of “sack the board” echoed around the room, prompting a temporary adjournment less than five minutes after it began. Attempts to resume were short-lived. Shareholders erupted again when director Ross Desmond, son of the club’s majority shareholder Dermot Desmond, read a statement accusing a section of the fanbase of "bullying" behaviour. The atmosphere deteriorated further, and the AGM was brought to an early close.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  O'Neill speaks of a "sad morning"

  Speaking afterwards, O’Neill cut an emotional figure as he reflected on a morning filled with tension and division.

  The 73-year-old said: "I thought it was a really sad, sad morning, really sad morning. I just wonder what the great Jock Stein would have thought of it all, who preached unity at the football club, said that a club not united would never be successful. It's as sad a morning as I've seen."

  O’Neill, who has attended several AGMs during more successful periods, noted the stark contrast.

  "I mean I've been to a few of these AGMs before and I suppose because we've been doing well at the time that it was nice," he said. "Not even sure I was ever asked a question in them at the time. But that was rather raucous."

  The board acknowledged mistakes, particularly regarding the summer transfer window and failure to qualify for the Champions League, but the apology did little to soothe tempers.

  "There were people who would have wanted to ask questions and the board have said that they've made mistakes," he said. "There's only so many times that you can apologise and then you have to get on with things again. So we'll start again and hopefully that will start when the new manager comes in. A united Celtic will be far better equipped to compete and try and win again."

• Supporters demand change as board relations hit new low

  Desmond’s statement branding some supporters "bullies" appears to have worsened tensions, with many fans calling it “provocative” and "tone-deaf". The relationship between the board and the fanbase is now at its most strained since O’Neill’s first arrival more than 20 years ago. But the interim manager believes bridges can be rebuilt.

  "It shouldn't be impossible, really it should not be impossible," he said. "There's got to be a coming together again from this. There's an obvious disconnect at this minute, but that surely can be rectified. You asked me a question, would my interim period fuse things together? I don't think that was ever going to happen.

  "But you've got to now realise that that has happened, mistakes have been made, and they can be rectified and hopefully rectified quickly. If I'd got an opportunity, I would probably be saying what I'm saying here, so I wish now I had said a few words. Listen, my words don't go down all that well in my own household, so I don't think it would really make much difference."

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  A club at crossroads

  Celtic’s AGM meltdown laid bare the fractures within the club. Anger aimed toward the board, accusations of bullying from senior figures, and rising frustration from supporters have created one of the most fraught atmospheres in recent memory. Speculation about Brendan Rodgers’ permanent successor intensified after reports suggested the club was closing in on Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy, leading bookmakers to suspend betting. But on Tuesday, the club clarified that O’Neill and Maloney will remain in charge for the foreseeable future. The pair will lead the first team into Saturday’s Premiership clash with St Mirren. O’Neill’s return has sparked nostalgia among supporters who remember his first spell fondly. Between 2000 and 2005, he guided Celtic to seven major trophies and the 2003 UEFA Cup final, where they fell 3–2 to Jose Mourinho’s Porto after extra time.

Stats highlights from day one of the second Australia-India Test match in Adelaide

Sampath Bandarupalli06-Dec-20243 Instances of India winning the toss, batting first, and getting bowled out for 180 or less in 2024. Only one team has been bowled out for 180 or less more often in a calendar year after electing to bat – five times by India in 1959.6 for 48 Mitchell Starc’s bowling figures in India’s first-innings are his best in Tests. It was also Starc’s maiden five-wicket haul against India in Tests, after 51 wickets in his first 19 matches against them.3 Instances of Starc taking a wicket off the first ball of a Test match. He and Pedro Collins are the only bowlers to strike with the first ball of a Test on three occasions.Starc previously dismissed Dimuth Karunaratne in the 2016 Galle Test and Rory Burns in the 2021 Brisbane Test on the first ball. He became the first bowler to take a wicket off the first ball of a day-night Test match by dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal on Friday.ESPNcricinfo Ltd50 Wickets by Jasprit Bumrah in Tests in 2024. He is only the third India fast bowler to achieve this milestone in a calendar year, after Kapil Dev (74 in 1979 and 75 in 1983) and Zaheer Khan (51 in 2002). Bumrah is also the first fast bowler to take 50-plus wickets in a calendar year since Pat Cummins in 2019.4 Five-wicket hauls for Starc in day-night Test matches. No other bowler has taken more than two. Starc has played 13 day-night Tests so far, the joint-most by any player.53 Test wickets for Starc at the Adelaide Oval. He is the third bowler to reach the milestone of 50 at this ground, after Nathan Lyon (63) and Shane Warne (56). Starc’s bowling strike rate of 34.9 in Tests at the Adelaide Oval is the third best among the bowlers with 50-plus Test wickets at a venue.ESPNcricinfo Ltd8 of the nine dropped catches by wicketkeepers off Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling in international cricket have been by Rishabh Pant. Pant has taken 34 catches off Bumrah out of 42 chances, at a percentage of 80.95. That number goes up to 92.42 against other fast bowlers, off whom he has only dropped only ten out of 132 chances.6 Sixes by Nitish Kumar Reddy across his three innings in this series. Five of those have come against fast bowlers, the most by any Indian in Tests in Australia. Zaheer, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane and Pant have hit three each.

With several months between matches and a World Cup on the horizon, MLS players are finding different ways to stay sharp through the winter to ensure they get off to a strong start

For several years, the concept of an offseason has been a hot topic in global soccer. As players play more games than ever, there are fewer breaks and moments to shut the body down to recover. Major League Soccer, generally, has had the opposite problem.

The reality is that those who missed the postseason are staring down just about four months without a club match. That's a long time in comparison to the leagues in Europe, where the offseason can be less than a month when factoring in friendlies played over the summer. The best professionals know how to navigate that time in a way that gets them the rest they need and the training required to stay sharp.

Staying sharp is always paramount, but even more so this year. When the MLS season kicks off in February, it'll be just a three-month sprint before World Cup rosters are selected. Those on the fringes will know that, and they'll know there will be no time to waste. Starting the season strong will be more important than ever before, and to do that, players will need to understand a vital fact: this is no regular offseason.

 "I'll treat this preseason and offseason the same way I treat every single one and come back from preseason knowing that 2026 is going to be a huge, huge year," U.S. men's national team and Charlotte FC defender Tim Ream said. "I have goals I want to reach, and it's what you do when no one's looking that allows you to reach those goals."

So how are players approaching it? What are they doing to stay fit? GOAL, in partnership with Catepillar, takes a look…

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  The initial days

  Diego Luna's season ended much earlier than he wanted. Real Salt Lake were knocked out in the Wild Card round of the MLS Cup Playoffs on Oct. 22, ending their campaign, in Luna's mind, wildly prematurely. With a few weeks between that loss and the U.S. men's national team's final camp of 2025, Luna had to stay sharp. As a result, he spent a whole bunch of time training on his own to ensure he kept his legs for USMNT camp.

  "I show up every single day at the RSL facility with a bag of balls to run my butt off for three weeks straight of grinding. No one there; just me in the dark, lights off," Luna told GOAL. "It's three weeks of hard work that no one is noticing, but everyone's thinking 'Diego's done this' or 'Diego's done that'. I show up against Uruguay and put in a performance, but people don't see the hard work that was done before."

  Luna's work, ultimately, paid off. He dazzled against Uruguay, scoring a goal in the 5-1 win. He was joined on the scoresheet that day by another player who endured something similar: Alex Freeman. The Orlando City star scored twice against Uruguay, having gone through a similar process in Florida. After falling in the Wild Card round himself, the fullback grinded on his own in South Florida for a few weeks before earning his own USMNT call-up.

  With the international break now over, though, there are no immediate games to train for. It's easier to stay motivated for a few weeks when you know that national team camp is around the corner. With that over, though, the hard work really begins.

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  Staying fit

  Tim Ream has been doing this for a while. It's fair to say he's done this longer than most. Now 38, the Charlotte FC star has had a whole bunch of offseasons in his career, so he knows what it's like not just to shut down, but get back going again.

  As he's gotten older, that second part has become more difficult. In his eyes, resting is important, of course, but it's vital not to let the levels drop too much, simply because getting them back requires more work than ever.

  "I think I hit 45 games between club and country this year at 38 years old," Ream said. "It's been a lot, especially when you throw in the travel. Listen, when you finish here, it's about rest and recovery. I'm one of those who struggle with too much time off, so I'll take 10 days off, completely shut the body down, then get back on the bike and get back to running and doing the things that I know work for me in the offseason. As you get older, you actually need or should be taking less time off. I've found, for me, that's the approach."

  That's not just the approach for wily veterans. Ethan Sonis, who works with stars like Christian Pulisic, Rafael Leao, and Sergio Aguero with S.A.T. Soccer, says he'll work with between 20 and 30 players this winter to help them stay in shape during these colder months.

  Luna's approach is similar: he'll be training extensively throughout this offseason "break." 

  "This is maybe my most exciting offseason yet," Luna says. "It's definitely my most important offseason. I'm seeing it as my preseason to my preseason. I'm not treating it like an offseason. I'm going to manage it well. I'm going to clear the space from 10 months of soccer, but I'm going to be working my butt off."

  Historically, some of the league's biggest players have worked their butt off in a different way: by going on loan. It'll be an option for some, but those situations have become far less common in recent years.

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  Are loans in consideration?

  During previous World Cup years, MLS stars like David Beckham famously spent time with AC Milan, Landon Donovan crushed it for Everton. Thierry Henry famously got one final swansong with Arsenal in his final years, giving fans one last goal and one last memory. Those three are among those to have spent an MLS offseason on loan, and you can understand the allure: competitive games in big leagues at a time when, normally, you wouldn't have much going on.

  Son Heung-Min, one of the biggest names in MLS, had been rumoured for a loan of his own. He's not interested, he insisted. His focus on rest, recovery, and Los Angeles FC as he heads into his weeks-long break without the intention of moving.

  “I’ve never spoken to any club about a winter move. Such talk is simply untrue,” Son said, reported TV Chosun. “For me, showing respect to my club and giving everything where I play – that’s what matters most. That won’t change. I won’t leave LAFC this winter, or ever, while I’m here. I respect this club deeply. As long as I’m wearing this badge, there will be no such thing as a loan or a move. Never.”

  “I’ll rest well, recharge, and get myself in the best condition for the World Cup,” Son added. “My focus is fully on LAFC and my country – nothing else."

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  Resetting and starting new

  At the end of the day, staying fit is vital, but players are human, too. Because of that, there is a necessity to restart the body and mind. For someone like Freeman, who enjoyed an award-winning breakout 2025, the offseason is a natural conclusion.

  "I think everyone knows I probably need a reset, and maybe not even a reset, but a rest. I want to see family, maybe travel a little," Freeman told GOAL. "Maybe even go visit my national team teammates in different countries. For me, it's going to be a reset. I'm going to train and be fit as well, but it's been a long year for me, and I want to share this time with he people that have been supporting me."

  Colorado Rapids star Paxten Aaronson will be doing the same. He's blending work with pleasure as he plans to spend his offseason going back to where it all began: training with his dad.

  "I think some of the best preseasons I've come into at my sharpest have been when I've just been able to train with my dad," he said. "I haven't really been able to with the European off-season, just because they're so condensed. So yeah, I think off-season is a great time to kind of just work on the things you don't get to in the real season – just because you're so focused on the match minutes and your body's always fatigued."

  Everyone will have a different approach and a different system. The key thing is finding whatever works for each particular player.  Everyone, though, will be eager to start the 2026 campaign hot, and that campaign doesn't start in February. In many ways, it's already started.

  "This is not an offseason for me," Luna says, "but a season where I get to combine having fun with my family with the work ethic and understanding that this year is a huge year that could be an amazing year. That's the mindset."

Stats highlights from the first day’s play at Headingley, where Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal scored hundreds

Sampath Bandarupalli20-Jun-2025359 for 3 – India’s highest total on the opening day of a Test in England. Their previous best was 338 for 7 at Edgbaston in 2022.India’s 359 is also the highest opening-day total for a visiting team in England since South Africa made 362 for 4 at The Oval in 2003.5 – Indians with a century on captaincy debut in men’s Tests, including Shubman Gill. His unbeaten 127 at Headingley is the third-highest score on captaincy debut by an India batter, behind Vijay Hazare’s 164* against England in 1951 and Virat Kohli’s 141 against Australia in 2014.ESPNcricinfo Ltd3 – Test hundreds for Yashasvi Jaiswal away from home – 171 in Roseau in 2023, 161 in Perth in 2024, and now 101 in Leeds. All three centuries have come in his first Test in these countries. No other player has hundreds in their maiden Tests in the West Indies, Australia and England.23 years 174 days – Jaiswal’s age when he scored his hundred at Headingley. Syed Mushtaq Ali is the only younger India opener to score a Test hundred in England; he was 21 years and 221 days old when he scored 112 at Old Trafford in 1936.ESPNcricinfo Ltd402 – Number of international matches India have played between Karun Nair’s previous Test appearance in 2017 and this one – the most games a player has missed between two appearances for his country. Nair missed 77 Test matches in these eight years. Only Jaydev Unadkat (118), Dinesh Karthik (87) and Parthiv Patel (83) missed more Tests between two appearances for India.1 – B Sai Sudharsan became the first India player to bag a duck on debut while batting at No. 3 in men’s Tests. Only six Indians, including Sai Sudharsan, have bagged a duck in the top three on their Test debut.Sai Sudharsan’s first-class average coming into this match was 39.93, the lowest for a specialist batter on Test debut for India since 1990. Wriddhiman Saha made his Test debut as a batter with a first-class average of 35.59, but was predominantly a wicketkeeper.