Head coach says team is not dwelling on the past, and backs captain Sciver-Brunt to play full part with ball

Valkerie Baynes01-Oct-20252:05

Edwards: Just as excited in 2025 as I was in 1997

England have touched upon some strong form heading into their World Cup campaign, now head coach Charlotte Edwards wants to see them translate it onto the big stage.Edwards took over ahead of the English summer, which consisted of 14 games – six of them ODIs – in a dominant performance against West Indies before twin white-ball series defeats at the hands of India.But a training camp in Abu Dhabi combined with four wins from as many warm-up games – against New Zealand, India and Australia – has Edwards’ team right where she wants them heading into their World Cup opener against South Africa on Friday.”The players are really responding well, certainly to a slight change of style,” Edwards said on Wednesday. “Hopefully we’ve seen the results over the last four games, which have been really positive. We’re not getting carried away, don’t worry, but we know that we’re on the right track and we’re tracking really well moving into the first game.”England followed two tight wins against New Zealand by beating co-hosts India by 153 runs and Australia, the defending champions, by four wickets.Among the most notable performances for England were Heather Knight scoring runs in her first match since tearing her hamstring in May. Knight made 41 off 48 in the first warm-up with New Zealand and Edwards described her as “vital to our success out here”.Middle-order batters Sophia Dunkley, Alice Capsey and Emma Lamb all made runs, Lamb particularly impressive with three half-centuries in four outings.England head coach Charlotte Edwards and Alice Capsey spare time during training•ECB via Getty Images

Nat Sciver-Brunt, who took over the captaincy from Knight this year following the Ashes defeat that also cost then-head coach Jon Lewis his job, proved she would be key for England by retiring out on 120 as her side amassed 340 for 9 in their win against India.Legspinner Sarah Glenn shone with 5 for 32 from seven overs to help reduce Australia to 247 all out from 34.4 overs. Prior to that, she had played just twice for England during their home summer, in one ODI and one T20I against West Indies before being overlooked for India’s tour.”There’s never a friendly against an international opposition, so I think we’ve taken a lot of confidence, not necessarily around the result, but the way we’ve played,” Edwards said. “I feel we’re really nicely placed.”England’s struggles in the field and their ability to cope under pressure had been talking points since their group-stage exit at last year’s T20 World Cup and the Ashes, where they lost all seven matches contested in the multi-format series. But Edwards insisted there were no lingering scars from those experiences.”You’ll be pleased to hear we’ve been fielding really well, that’s something that we obviously wanted to work on,” she said. “So I’m really pleased with how the four games have gone and we’ve been put in some pretty tough situations at times as well. Under pressure, the players have responded really well.Related

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Kate Cross questions future after losing England contract

“I’ve not spoken about anything about the past,” she added. “It’s all about looking forward with this group now. We’ve created an environment where it’s about taking accountability now and we’ve got real clarity on how we want to play the game.”Hopefully that clarity is going to help this team under pressure, because I don’t think we’ll leave a stone unturned in terms of our prep. The signs have been really strong so far in terms of the development I’ve seen in the last six months. I’m just hoping we can take that now onto the big stage.”Edwards has vast World Cup experience in India, having made her first and last appearances at the tournament there, in 1997 and 2013. More recently in Indian conditions, she has coached WPL side Mumbai Indians to two titles in three years of the competition.And while Sciver-Brunt has been her standout self with the bat, it is her ability to bowl that remains under the spotlight. Because of a long-standing Achilles injury, Sciver-Brunt has bowled just 9.3 overs since the WPL final in mid-March, in which she took 3 for 30 in an eight-run victory over Delhi Capitals.She took 2 for 23 in 5.3 overs during the second warm-up with New Zealand on September 20 and conceded 22 off four wicketless overs against India five days later.The luxury of a four-pronged spin attack reduces England’s reliance on the seam bowling of Sciver-Brunt, whom Edwards expected to be able to bowl a full match allocation of ten overs if required.”We are very lucky, we’ve got four of the best [spinners] in world cricket in my opinion,” Edwards said. “We knew that they were going to play a big part when we selected this squad. That comes from my experience of coaching out here, that spin’s played a massive factor even in T20 cricket and WPL cricket.”Nat’s ready to go. She’s bowling. She hasn’t bowled in every warm-up game, but she’s doing lots of training overs as well. She’s in a really good place physically, so we are hoping to get ten overs out of Nat.”We’re going to have to really monitor her workloads throughout this tournament clearly, like any of the fast bowlers, depending on how hot it gets,” Edwards added. “Nat loves bowling and I think it helps her batting. She’s been probably one of the most successful bowlers in the WPL over the last few years. So we’re hoping to continue that form into ODI cricket.”

Borussia Dortmund skipper Nico Schlotterbeck is confident of his team reaching the Champions League last-16 after they thrashed Spanish side Villarreal in the continental competition on Tuesday. The German side ran out 4-0 winners on home soil to keep them fourth in the European table, boosting their hopes of avoiding a knockout play-off tie.

• Dortmund dismantle Villarreal

  Dortmund thrashed Villarreal at home in their fifth Champions League game of the season. Striker Serhou Guirassy found the net twice, while Karim Adeyemi and Daniel Svensson found the net to help their side cruise past a 10-man Villarreal side. The victory keeps them high in the Champions League table and level on points with Chelsea and Manchester City after five matches, with Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Inter just two points above heading into their matches on Wednesday evening. 

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  Schlotterbeck happy for the goal difference

  The victory not only injected confidence into the side, but also provided a significant boost to their goal difference after keeping a clean sheet for the first time this month. With three games to go of the League phase of the competition, Schlotterbeck feels they have a good chance of staying in the top eight.

  "It's not easy, because I think you need 16 to 17 points," he said. "There are now three games left, two of them at home. I think if you win both at home, you're through. We have now also scored four goals. I think such a goal difference can also do good in the end. And for the first time we have now kept a clean sheet, we have already allowed a lot in the Champions League, so today is an all-round successful day."

  Striker Guirassy, who scored on the stroke of half-time and again in the 54th minute, was praised by the skipper. 

  "We came out of half-time better, that was important. In general, we hardly allowed anything and in the second half it was really good. Serhou didn't have an easy time either. He gets the trust from us and you have to stand there as a striker," Schlotterbeck commented.

• Guirassy and Svensson share their thoughts

  Guirassy was the man of the hour for Dortmund, as he piloted them to a crucial continental victory. The Guinea striker said: "It was an important win against a good Villarreal side. We are very happy with this result because it was important to win after the defeat against City. But Villarreal are a strong team. Some situations in the game went in our favour and we are satisfied tonight. It’s always nice to score goals. I’m happy that I can help the team. You can’t always score goals. We have to keep working hard."

  Svensson, who arrived this summer from Nordsjaelland after spending the second half of last season on loan at Dortmund, scored his second goal of the tournament. Delighted, he said: "We had planned to go into the game with a lot of energy. It was still a tough first half, but then we kept up the pressure. In the second half, we were a bit lucky with the penalty and the red card, of course, but overall it was a solid performance. It’s always nice to score a goal."

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  Two successive Bayer games await Dortmund

  Niko Kovac's Dortmund will turn their focus to the Bundesliga for the time being. They have a double-header against Bayer Leverkusen coming up, visiting Kasper Hjulmand's side for a Bundesliga clash on Saturday before hosting them in the DFB-Pokal on December 2. 

  A win would see Schlotterbeck & Co. leapfrog Leverkusen in the table into third place, though they could even end up second if RB Leipzig's result against Borussia Monchengladbach goes their way. Three points will be no easy task, however, given Leverkusen head into the game off the back of the Champions League win against Manchester City this week.

All the key numbers as West Indies secure a series victory in thumping style

Sampath Bandarupalli13-Aug-20251991 – The previous instance of West Indies winning an ODI series against Pakistan – a three-match series in Pakistan, which they won 2-0. Pakistan were unbeaten in 11 series before losing the latest one, including winning their previous ten series.West Indies have now won each of their last four ODI series at home, having defeated Bangladesh last year and England in 2023 and 2024. Only once before had West Indies won four (or more) consecutive bilateral ODI series at home – nine between 1981 and 1990.2011 – West Indies also registered their first series win against Pakistan in any format since winning the one-off T20I at home in 2011. Pakistan went undefeated in 16 series against West Indies across formats in this period.The previous instance of West Indies winning a series consisting of more than one match against Pakistan was back in 2000, during a Test series at home. Pakistan won 20 of the 24 series in between, while another four ended in a draw.202 – West Indies’ win margin in the third ODI against Pakistan. It is only the fourth instance of West Indies winning by a margin of 200-plus runs in men’s ODIs. It is also only the fourth such defeat for Pakistan in the format.6 for 18 – Jayden Seales’ bowling figures at Tarouba are the third-best for West Indies in ODIs. The two better efforts came in the 1980s: 7 for 51 by Winston Davis against Australia in the 1983 World Cup, while Colin Croft took 6 for 15 against England in 1981.Seales’ figures are also the best by any bowler against Pakistan in this format, surpassing Dale Steyn’s 6 for 39 in 2013.Four of the six batters that Seales dismissed bagged a duck. Only one West Indies bowler had four batters dismissed for a duck in an ODI before Seales: Joel Garner against England in the 1979 World Cup final.18 – Hundreds for Shai Hope in ODIs, the third-most for West Indies, going past Desmond Haynes (17), and is now behind only Chris Gayle (25) and Brian Lara (19).Hope required 137 innings to score 18 hundreds in ODIs. Only Babar Azam (97), Hashim Amla (102), David Warner (115) and Virat Kohli (119) got there quicker.13.46 – Run rate of the partnership between Hope and Justin Greaves, who added an unbeaten 110 in only 8.1 overs. It is the second-highest run rate for a century stand for West Indies in ODIs – where balls faced by a partnership data is available.The unbeaten 110-run stand between Hope and Greaves is also the third-highest for West Indies for the seventh or a lower wicket in ODIs.92 – Pakistan’s total in the third ODI against West Indies, the tenth instance of them being bowled out under 100 in an ODI; four of those against West Indies.Pakistan’s previous sub-100 total in an ODI was 74 all out against New Zealand in 2018, while the last sub-100 total against West Indies by any team was 70 all out by Bangladesh in 2014.28 Difference between Pakistan’s total and Hope’s score in the third ODI. Only one West Indies batter had a higher difference between his score and the opposition’s total in an ODI: 54 by Richie Richardson, when he scored 109 at Sharjah in 1986 against Sri Lanka, who were later bowled out for 55.

Manchester United’s work in the transfer market over the last couple of seasons has certainly been brought into question, amid the big money spent and lack of impact produced by some players.

The Red Devils hierarchy have spent upwards of £800m on new additions since the summer of 2022, but the signings have been unable to catapult the club to any Premier League glory.

Ruben Amorim is the latest manager to try his luck in the role at Old Trafford, with the 40-year-old already spending just shy of £250m in his first 12 months at the Theatre of Dreams.

Big names like Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu have all arrived under his guidance, but it’s evident that the manager still wants added reinforcements.

With January now just around the corner, he’s already started to rack up a shortlist of talents, with more transfer business expected to take place in the coming months.

United’s early work ahead of the January transfer window

Over recent weeks, United have been linked with a plethora of new options in multiple areas of the pitch to try and sustain their positive start to the season.

A new forward could well be on the cards for Amorim, with Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo just one player they’re said to be considering at present.

However, he will cost a pretty penny this winter, with his current employers currently demanding a fee in the region of £65m to part ways with the Ghanaian international.

Semenyo isn’t the only attacker being eyed up by Amorim, with Borussia Dortmund star Karim Adeyemi another option that’s being discussed ahead of the winter window.

According to German outlet BILD, the 23-year-old is said to be unhappy with the lack of progress in contract talks, which could open the door to a move to Old Trafford.

The report claims Amorim’s side are closely monitoring the situation at present, but like Semenyo, it could cost a small fortune, with the Bundesliga setting a £70m asking price for his signature.

Why United’s £70m target would be a Sesko repeat

During the summer transfer window, United finally ended their pursuit for a new talisman, after forking out a reported £74m on the signature of Benjamin Sesko.

The Slovenian international arrived from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, with such a move generating huge excitement within the fanbase – no doubt due to the nature of the transfer fee.

However, his start to life in Manchester has been far from ideal, with the 22-year-old only able to find the back of the net twice in his first 11 top-flight appearances.

It’s safe to say he’s presented an inconsistent figure at the top end of the pitch, often struggling to make the desired impact after his mammoth transfer to Old Trafford.

He will certainly need time to settle into life in England, but as seen with Rasmus Hojlund, the professional game is a cutthroat business and it can be unforgiving.

However, they could be about to land a similar talent in Adeyemi this winter, with the German replicating Sesko in joining the Red Devils from a Bundesliga side.

The winger is also an inconsistent figure, as seen by his tally of two goals in ten appearances, with both of his efforts coming back-to-back, just like Sesko managed in the Premier League.

Adeyemi is a rapid forward who loves to get in behind the opposition backline whenever possible, which has led to former boss Edin Terzic labelling the 23-year-old as a “roadrunner”.

His underlying stats do showcase his quality at present, even resulting in analyst Ben Mattinson dubbing the youngster “world-class” despite his inconsistent nature.

Karim Adeyemi – Bundesliga stats (25/26)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

10

Goals & assists

3

Pass accuracy

75%

Successful dribbles

2.3

Touches in opposition box

6.8

Shots taken

2.8

Duels won

5.9

Aerial success rate

60%

Stats via FotMob

The forward has completed 2.3 dribbles per 90 in the Bundesliga to date, whilst also notching 6.8 touches in the opposition’s box per 90 – highlighting his all-round threat in attacking areas.

Adeyemi has also registered 2.8 shots per 90 this campaign, showcasing his ability to add the end product to his mazy runs when taking on the opposition.

The prospect of the German linking up with Sesko at Old Trafford is certainly an exciting one, with the pair potentially able to aid one another and transform the club’s frontline.

£70m would be another huge investment, but it’s one that could prove to be worthwhile if he can replicate his recent numbers produced in the Bundesliga this campaign.

Related Their new McTominay: Man Utd in talks to sign £25m future "superstar"

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Nov 21, 2025

The Blue Jays are headed back to Toronto with a 3-2 lead over the Dodgers in what has been an excellent World Series thus far. Game 5's hero was unexpected, too.

Rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage got the starting nod for the pivotal Game 5 on Wednesday night and was spectacular. The 22-year-old righty struck out 12 batters in seven innings to set a new World Series record and gave up only one run. The legendary outing led to a critical Blue Jays win and will go down in the history books no matter what happens next. On top of it all, the young pitcher had a funny and relatable admission after the game that gave fans everywhere a good laugh.

About an hour before his start, Yesavage was captured staring intently at his phone with headphones on during the Fox Sports pregame broadcast. The clip apparently made the rounds on social media as an example of how "locked in" Yesavage was before he dominated the Dodgers.

It turns out he saw that and admitted he was not actually locked in on anything. Instead, he was just scrolling TikTok and Instagram.

"I saw something on Instagram that someone took a video of me on my phone saying I was locked in," Yesavage said, via ESPN. "But I was just doomscrolling on TikTok and Instagram reels. I just keep it as chill as possible. I don't change anything I say to myself, but I'm also just here to go to work. I try not to think about anything."

In today's modern society, the blank stare Yesavage had on his face means he's either completely focused on something or he's just swiping through videos. In this instance, it was the latter.

Boy, did it work out. Yesavage came up huge for his team, an unlikely hero amidst the sea of extremely well-paid stars who dot both rosters in this Fall Classic. His work is probably done this season but he can scroll easy knowing he delivered.

أعلن الألماني هانز فليك، المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة قائمة فريقه لمواجهة آينتراخت فرانكفورت ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويستضيف ملعب “كامب نو” مباراة برشلونة وآينتراخت فرانكفورت، في إطار منافسات الجولة السادسة من مرحلة الدوري لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويمتلك برشلونة 7 نقاط محتلًا المركز الثامن عشر في ترتيب جدول دوري أبطال أوروبا، في حين أن آينتراخت فرانكفورت لديه 4 نقاط في المركز الـ 28.

ويسعى برشلونة إلى تحقيق الفوز في مباراة اليوم بعدما تعثر في الجولة الأخيرة وخسارته أمام تشيلسي بثلاثة أهداف دون رد على ملعب “ستامفورد بريدج”.

وشهدت القائمة عودة مارك تير شتيجن لأول مرة هذا الموسم، بيما ما زال رونالدو أراوخو غائبًا عن الفريق لمعاناته من ظروف نفسية. قائمة برشلونة أمام آينتراخت فرانكفورت في دوري أبطال أوروبا

في حراسة المرمى: تير شتيجن – خوان جارسيا – فوتشيك تشيزني.

في خط الدفاع: بالدي – إيريك جارسيا – اندرياس كريستنسن – باو كوبارسي – جيرارد مارتن – جول كوندي – خوفري.

في خط الوسط: فرينكي دي يونج – فيرمين لوبيز – بيدري – كاسادو – بيرنال – درو فرنانديز.

في خط الهجوم: لامين يامال – روبرت ليفاندوفسكي – فيران توريس – ماركوس راشفورد – رافينها – روني باردجي.

📋 𝗦𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗗 𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧 #BarçaEintracht pic.twitter.com/MzWC67Bys6 — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 9, 2025

TORONTO — The inside story of how the Toronto Blue Jays won the American League pennant begins where most stories do about the peskiest, most annoying and toughest-to-kill team to make it to the World Series in a decade: the batting cage.

It was about two hours before Game 3 of the AL Championship Series at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. The Blue Jays trailed the Mariners two games to none, having fallen so flat in two home losses that they lost to two pitchers on short rest. Of most concern was the rare clunkiness of the swing of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the heartbeat of the offense and, at a freshly invested $500 million, of the entire franchise.

In going 0-for-7, Guerrero grounded out six times, three times in back-to-back games for the first time all year. Toronto is 19–33 when Guerrero is held hitless.

“Time to go to work,” hitting coach David Popkins said to Guerrero.

When Guerrero is right, he wields a Lamborghini of a swing. It is long (7.5 feet), fast (76.7 mph, eighth fastest in MLB) and sleek (at 1°, he has the flattest attack angle in MLB). He shifts smoothly through many gears to get it on time: step back, bat tilt, stride and crescendo. But it kept misfiring oddly in Games 1 and 2.

On the off day before Game 3, Popkins looked at the diagnostics and discovered the problem. It wasn’t the swing. It was a timing issue. Guerrero was making contact only a few inches or so farther in front of his body than ideal, turning line drives and long flyballs into turf-hugging grounders.

What Popkins needed to do was the equivalent of replacing the timing belt, chain and tensioner. Don’t overhaul anything; just re-set the timing.

Popkins brought Guerrero into the cage to hit against the curveball machine.

“It slows him down,” Popkins says. “Let’s him get a little confidence in his path.”

After Guerrero left the shop, he hummed through the remaining five ALCS games by slashing .526/.609/1.158 to win the ALCS MVP and continue one of the most sublime hitting performances in postseason history. Guerrero is the first player to slug as many as six homers in a postseason while striking out just three times. Barry Bonds (2002) and Albert Pujols (’04) whiffed a previous-low six times while banging six homers.

The story is instructive because of how the Blue Jays play offensive baseball as designed by a hitting coach who went undrafted out of college, played six minor league seasons without reaching Triple A, including three seasons with the Wild Things (of Washington, Pa.) and the Canaries (of Sioux Falls, S.D.), and who, after being fired by the Twins, was hired by Toronto manager John Schneider after meeting him for the first time. Turning 36 next month, Popkins is two months younger than Toronto DH George Springer.

“I’m a big fight fan,” Popkins says, “and you’ve got to be able to win different ways. You’ve got to be able to wear out the body … You’ve got to be unpredictable. And that's what we pride ourselves on.

“If we were a fighter, we’d be Jon Jones or maybe Floyd Mayweather. That’s the type of offense I say I want. It’s just this dynamic fighter. And we're going to face a great challenge in L.A.”

How the Blue Jays Match Up With the Dodgers

The World Series starts Friday in Toronto, not L.A., because the Blue Jays, fighters to the finish that they are, ground out four wins in their last four games to not only seal the AL East title but also wrest homefield from the Dodgers by one game. The series is blockbuster stuff if only for whatever jaw-dropping unprecedented greatness Shohei Ohtani has in store for us, this time against the Blue Jays, the team that thought it had a shot at signing him before the Dodgers closed the deal. Ohtani loves hitting at Rogers Centre (.288/.417/.610 in 16 games) because it reminds him of the Sapporo Dome, his former home with the Nippon Ham Fighters. In his first trip to Rogers Centre after signing with Los Angeles, Ohtani, for one of the rare times, was roundly booed—to which he responded by smashing a home run.

But for a baseball aficionado, the series is a fascinating contrast—to borrow from Popkins’s love of pugilism—of fighting styles. It’s the swing-and-miss stuff of the Dodgers’ pitchers versus the feint-jab-and-slug peppering of the Blue Jays. It’s an especially delicious matchup for Popkins, who went to minor league camp in 2019 with the Dodgers and coached in the Dodgers’ minor league system in ’20 and ’21.

“It’s going to be great,” Popkins says, “You know, I love those guys. They’re great, great players, a great staff, a great organization. I love those guys over there. And it's going to be a great, great matchup.

“Still to this day I still talk to a good amount of those guys and I can’t wait. I couldn’t be more happy that it’s them. This movie could not have written itself any better than this. I can’t wait.”

The Blue Jays blitzed the Yankees in the ALDS by hitting .338 and they sent Seattle home by putting the ball in play against the Mariners’ steady diet of in-zone fastballs. Toronto struck out only 40 times in seven ALCS games while Seattle fanned 71 times.

The Game 7 sequence for Toronto that turned a 3–1 defeat into a 4–3 win in the seventh inning was vintage 2025 Blue Jays when it came to throwing combinations. Leadoff walk (Addison Barger), 0-and-2 single (Isiah Kiner-Falefa), sacrifice bunt (Andrés Giménez), earth-shaking, roof-raising, drought-killing, jaw-dropping three-run bomb by George Springer. Gnats are less irritating than the Toronto lineup.

Seattle manager Dan Wilson kept bringing in fastball-pumping strike throwers: George Kirby, Bryan Woo and Eduard Bazardo. The Mariners chucked more heaters this regular season than any team (55.5%) and they boosted that percentage in the ALCS (59%). It did not work, not against the contact-heavy, ambush-happy Toronto lineup.

After the Giménez bunt, Wilson had eight outs to cover to get the Mariners to their first World Series. He had one more at-bat each with which to navigate against Springer and Guerrero. He chose to put the lead and those at-bats not in the hands of his closer, Andrés Muñoz, but a rubber-armed Bazardo.

Putting Bazardo on Springer meant Muñoz never faced Springer in the series but Bazardo would get him for a third time. The first pitch was a sinker that missed. Bazardo had thrown Springer eight pitches in the series. Seven were sinkers. Four of those were inside sinkers. What do you think Bazardo would throw at 1-and-0 on the ninth pitch? Yep, sinker inside.

At every turn, the Mariners could not shut down innings and get off the field without stress, if not runs. The Blue Jays struck out 1,099 times this year, the fewest for a full-season World Series team since the 2017 Astros, or, if you dismiss teams that cheat to steal signs, the 2015 Royals.

Dodgers pitchers are averaging 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings this postseason. The Dodgers need only to make 17 plays in the field to win a game. They are not an elite defensive team. Their defensive efficiency (turning batted balls into outs) ranked 11th, their worst showing in a decade. They ranked below average in defensive runs saved. By putting the ball in play and turning the lineup over, the Blue Jays can pressure the Dodgers defense and the trigger of manager Dave Roberts as to when he goes to his bullpen.

This is getting serious now. Liverpool’s abject run of form under Arne Slot’s management this season has been a massive concern, but one which all of a Reds persuasion have been steadfast in their belief that the blip will be overcome.

Mohamed Salah’s flaming comments at the weekend have threatened to split the Slot machine wide open, with terms such as civil war and crisis being bandied about like never before.

What sparked this latest drama in a season weighed further and further down by setbacks? Well, Liverpool blew a two-goal lead at Elland Road in the Premier League, and Salah did not get even a flash of the action.

Liverpool's implosion at Elland Road

Liverpool just can’t pull all the strings together at the moment, having blown their two-goal advantage over Leeds United to draw 3-3. Dominik Szoboszlai thought he’d salvaged a draw late, but the hosts struck deep into stoppage time to condemn the Reds to their latest in a long litany of disappointments.

The frustrating part is Liverpool were comfortable and well worth their lead until spineless, error-riddled habits crept in after the break.

It was Konate’s lunging challenge, clumsy, needless, which started the Leeds fightback, and this underlines the point that Liverpool keep putting themselves through the wringer, incapable of playing to their strengths and retaining balance and composure throughout 90 minutes.

Konate is only months away from the end of his Liverpool contract, and while FSG continue to keep a door open regarding the France star’s renewal, Spanish sources suggest they could be open to cashing in for £15m this summer.

It would possibly be unwise to sell Konate right now, given the dearth of depth across Slot’s backline. Salah, too, is a player FSG wish to keep, but there is another struggler who flattered to deceive at Leeds and should be sold first.

FSG must get rid of Liverpool's "major issue"

Two things can be true: Salah has been well out of sorts this season, and he cannot convincingly tout the undroppable status he has carried through his glittering Liverpool career on his current form; Salah has every right to feel aggrieved, with players like Cody Gakpo reprising their starting berths in spite of dire performances.

It is Gakpo who is becoming a “major issue” for the Anfield side, and in more ways than one, as has been observed by analyst Raj Chohan.

Though the Dutchman has been a moderately efficient force on the left flank this season, scoring four goals and providing three assists in the Premier League, it’s clear that he is limited in his approach, and that the Reds could do with a more dynamic left winger to replace Luis Diaz, sold to Bayern Munich in August.

Gakpo, 26, has been at Liverpool for three years, scoring 46 goals and providing 21 assists across 149 appearances. He is versatile and has played his role throughout his time on Merseyside, but the Netherlands man has been exposed as lacking dimensions as Liverpool’s main man on the left wing.

There’s no doubt that Gakpo is a naturally prolific player, but if anything, this underscores the significance of the concerns surrounding his name: thee is a lack of expansiveness about his skillset, and he is averaging just 0.4 shots on target per Premier League match this season, ranking among the bottom 4% of league forwards for percentage of shots on target per 90, as per FBref.

Mohamed Salah

39 + 26

65

Cody Gakpo

23 + 11

34

Dominik Szoboszlai

12 + 14

26

Luis Diaz

17 + 8

25

Alexis Mac Allister

8 + 8

16

Someone like Antoine Semenyo, perhaps, who is ostensibly gearing up for an exit from Bournemouth in January, with Liverpool right at the top of the shopping list.

Liverpool may need a central defender, but there is a reason Slot suggested during a presser last month that he and sporting director Richard Hughes are looking further up the pitch as a priority position to smooth out the many wrinkles in the tactical fabric.

Though it would be foolish to start thinking about selling Gakpo in January, and an upgrade on the left is desperately needed, and bringing someone like Semenyo in would solve a ‘major issue’ and help launch Slot’s squad back into the ascendancy.

Salah and Konate’s respective futures are in doubt, but it might be that getting rid of Gakpo is the move Hughes needs to make first.

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Mohamed Salah may leave Liverpool in January after an extraordinary outburst at Elland Road.

ByAngus Sinclair 4 days ago

Mumbai Indians allrounder Nat Sciver-Brunt, Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Smriti Mandhana and Gujarat Giants allrounder Ashleigh Gardner have been retained for the maximum price of INR 3.5 crore ahead of the 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction.The WPL officially released the list of players retained by the franchises on Thursday and Sciver-Brunt – not the captain Harmanpreet Kaur – was MI’s first retention. RCB wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh was retained for INR 2.75 crore, the second-highest bracket, while Harmanpreet and Giants opener Beth Mooney were retained for INR 2.5 crore each. There were a few notable surprises in the retention list. UP Warriorz chose not to retain Deepti Sharma, the recent ODI World Cup’s Player of the Tournament, holding on to only one player in Shweta Sehrawat. Among other major releases were Amelia Kerr, Alyssa Healy, and Delhi Capitals captain Meg Lanning.As per WPL retention rules, franchises can retain a maximum of three capped Indian players, two overseas players, and at most two uncapped Indian players. If a franchise wanted to retain five players, at least one of them should be an uncapped Indian player. The WPL has for the first time given teams right-to-match (RTM) options at the auction to buy back a player who was part of their 2025 squad.Each franchise has been allotted INR 15 crore to build their squad for WPL 2026. It is understood that the mega player auction will take place in Delhi on November 27.Here’s the full list of players retained by all five franchises:

Mumbai Indians

Players retained: Nat Sciver-Brunt – INR 3.5 crore, Harmanpreet Kaur – INR 2.5 crore, Hayley Matthews – INR 1.75 crore, Amanjot Kaur – INR 1 crore, G Kamalini – INR 50 lakh
Money spent: INR 9.25 crore; Purse remaining: INR 5.75 crore; No RTM option available
Notable players released: Amelia Kerr, Nadine de Klerk, Yastika Bhatia, Chloe Tryon, Shabnim Ismail

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Players retained: Smriti Mandhana – INR 3.5 crore, Richa Ghosh – INR 2.75 crore, Ellyse Perry – INR 2 crore, Shreyanka Patil – INR 60 lakh
Money spent: INR 8.85 crore; Purse remaining: INR 6.15 crore; One RTM option available
Notable players released: Renuka Singh, Sophie Devine, Sophie Molineux, Danni Wyatt-HodgeWhat they said: “Her association with risk and how she faces pressure situations is exactly what we want in our batting order,” new head coach Malolan Rangarajan said of retaining Ghosh. “And somebody we view with leadership potential as well.”

Delhi Capitals

Players retained: Jemimah Rodrigues – INR 2.2 crore, Shafali Verma – INR 2.2 crore. Annabel Sutherland – INR 2.2 crore, Marizanne Kapp – INR 2.2 crore, Niki Prasad – INR 50 lakh
Money spent: INR 9.3 crore; Purse remaining: INR 5.7 crore; No RTM available
Notable players released: Meg Lanning, N Shree Charani, Radha Yadav, Arundhati ReddyWhat they said: “It’s been really tough,” DC head coach Jonathan Batty told JioStar about not retaining Lanning. About who could now lead DC in WPL 2026, he said: “Jemimah’s got a great captaincy record [in domestic cricket]. Obviously, Annabel Sutherland captains in WBBL as well. So there’s lots of candidates out there. We also got the mega auction to come, so there’s some candidates out there as well. So we’re leaving our options open.”

Gujarat Giants

Players retained: Ash Gardner – INR 3.5 crore, Beth Mooney – INR 2.5 crore
Money spent: INR 6 crore; Purse remaining: INR 9 crore available; Three RTM options available
Notable players released: Harleen Deol, Deandra Dottin, Laura Wolvaardt, Phoebe Litchfield

UP Warriorz

Player retained: Shweta Sehrawat – INR 50 lakh
Money spent: INR 50 lakh; Purse remaining: INR 14.50 crore; Four RTM options available
Notable players released: Deepti Sharma, Alyssa Healy, Sophie Ecclestone, Tahlia McGrath, Alana King, Kranti Gaud, Chinelle HenryWhat they said: “I feel the thought process from the think tank, from the support group, was more so to go in with a clean slate, try and have as much money in the purse, to make sure we can not only get the team that we feel we need to win that championship, but also get a lot of these players back in the auction, given the opportunity,” Abhishek Nayar, newly appointed head coach, said. “But the thought process also behind having someone like a Shweta Sehrawat in the ranks and retaining her, was the faith this franchise has put into as a youngster playing three years, being someone who’s played almost every game for us and being able to perform, and now going up the ranks in domestic cricket. We just felt we would love to have someone like that back in our set-up.”

Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso is under increasing pressure after a tough start to life back in the Spanish capital, with reports going so far as to claim the Los Blancos boss could be sacked if his side lose to Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday night. But is dismissing the former Madrid midfielder the right decision?

Alonso at risk of early dismissal

According to reports, the hierarchy at Madrid have held a meeting over the future of their head coach and offered no guarantees that Alonso will remain in the job if the club's form does not improve. The Spanish giants have forfeited their lead at the top of La Liga, and now sit four points behind champions Barcelona. That is despite beating the Blaugrana 2-1 in the first El Clasico of the season back in October. With the pressure now ramped up, Alonso faces arguably his toughest test yet – Pep Guardiola. 

The City boss is certainly not going to take it easy on his fellow countryman, and he refused to be drawn into speculation about his future. Guardiola said: "I wish Xabi all the best, but his future is an answer I don't know. You all know the situation better than I do; I'm far removed from it. I haven't spoken with Florentino, and he hasn't told me that tomorrow will be Xabi's last match. If you don't win big games, things get difficult. But Xabi is in control of the situation and knows what this whole thing is about. My concern is seeing what we've done well. To beat Real Madrid in this competition, it's not enough to be better; you have to be much better."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMadrid must ease expectations

Alonso has a proven track record. He led Bayer Leverkusen to their first-ever Bundesliga title and their biggest success since claiming the 1993 German Cup. The 44-year-old then had the whole of Europe at his doorstep, begging him to join, but he chose Madrid, the club he represented 158 times during his career. There is no doubt that he is a world-class coach, and it would benefit Los Blancos to loosen the weight of expectation during his first term as manager. Understandably, it is not always that simple in Madrid, and failure is very rarely rewarded; however, despite their run of just one win in their last five games in La Liga, four points is not an insurmountable deficit to overturn in the second half of the season, and the club are better off putting their trust in Alonso, rather than ripping his project up and starting again.

Alonso's toughest task: Managing a team of superstars

One of Alonso's biggest threats is managing the ego-driven squad Madrid currently possesses. Sometimes, too many big personalities can cause more harm than good, and given time, the Spaniard can drive out the unwanted crop and replace them with players he knows will thrive in his system. Fans have already seen him clash with Vinicius Junior, but Alonso must also contend with the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Rodrygo, Jude Bellingham and Endrick. Three of the five mentioned have been linked with moves away from Madrid; perhaps that is the action needed to give the manager a stronger grip over his team.

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Getty ImagesPatience will be rewarded

Arsenal are the ultimate example of a club who are being rewarded for their patience and trust in the process. Madrid are not exactly battling relegation, although you could argue that with the quality of their team, challenging on all fronts is the bare minimum. After a few short months, it is incredibly hard to gauge an idea of how well things are going under new leadership, especially when that person is taking over from Carlo Ancelotti, a man who was given four years to deliver, and did not always manage it. If Madrid fans can take anything away from the opening months of the 2025-26 campaign, let it be the big wins rather than the losses. Victories over Barcelona and Juventus are clear indicators of what the team can be; it might just require a bit of patience in the short-term.

What do you think? Should Madrid sack Alonso if they lose to Madrid in Wednesday night's blockbuster Champions League clash? Cast your vote in the poll below!