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Tottenham are looking to get back to winning ways against Fulham tonight with Thomas Frank handed a key selection decision ahead of the Premier League clash.

Tottenham face Fulham after back-to-back defeats

Spurs face a crucial test when Fulham visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Frank desperate for a response following Wednesday’s devastating 5-3 Champions League defeat to PSG.

The Parc des Princes encounter saw Spurs’ unbeaten European run spectacularly ended despite twice taking the lead, with Vitinha’s sensational hat-trick ultimately proving the difference.

The result leaves Tottenham fifteenth in the Champions League standings, significantly increasing pressure on Frank to arrest their recent slide.

The Lilywhites have won just one of their last five games in all competitions, a 4-0 rout of Danish minnows FC Copenhagen, with London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal recently putting them to the sword.

xG

11.0

17th

Non-penalty xG

11.0

16th

Progressive passes

413

12th

Shots

110

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Shots on target

40

15th

Average shot distance

15.6 yards

17th

Dominic Solanke’s continued absence through injury compounds Tottenham’s attacking concerns. The striker has been out since undergoing ankle surgery earlier in the season, managing just 47 minutes of football all campaign.

His unavailability places enormous responsibility on Randal Kolo Muani and Richarlison to provide a consistent goalscoring threat, though Frank has suggested that the former will be given the nod against Fulham after his breathtaking PSG performance.

The Frenchman donned a mask for his fractured jaw, scoring a brace and providing an assist against his parent club, with Frank confirming that Kolo Muani is fit enough to start this evening.

However, one man who won’t be taking part is star defender Cristian Romero.

Tottenham "liability" left Thomas Frank "raging"

The Argentine endured an evening to forget away to PSG, with talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook branding him a “liability” that would have left Frank “raging”.

Romero is set to miss tonight’s clash with Fulham through suspension, meaning that Kevin Danso is more than likely set to partner Micky van de Ven at the heart of Frank’s defence.

This could be enough to get the job done against a Fulham side who are firm candidates for relegation after a lacklustre start to 2025/2026, but Frank will be wary that Marco Silva’s men have won two of their last three Premier League games.

Even after Romero’s disasterclass at PSG, the 27-year-old remains a key figurehead for Spurs and partners van de Ven to devastating effect at times.

Ange Postecoglou always had a much better time as Spurs boss when both men were available to play his high line, but Danso has proved that he can do a solid job when called upon.

India have dominated all of their 11 ODIs against Pakistan so far

Andrew Fidel Fernando04-Oct-2025Big pictureThe last time these teams met at an ODI World Cup, India won. They tend to. If you are new to the women’s version of this “rivalry”, the headline is that however big the gap is between India and Pakistan’s men’s teams, it has tended to be bigger here. Pakistan have never beaten India in 11 ODIs. They haven’t got close. India have always won by at least 80 runs or five wickets.But the last time these teams met at an ODI World Cup, something else happened that seems of greater relevance to this moment. After the match (India’s win was by 107 runs, by the way), a group of India players were seen playing with and delighting in the six-month-old daughter of Bismah Maroof, Pakistan’s then-captain, who had the infant on her shoulder. It was an uncomplicated moment of shared humanity and joy, the women cooing to the baby and trying gently to draw from her a reaction, while her mother continued to comfort her. Whatever the politics surrounding Sunday’s match, it should not be forgotten that these are athletes who have enjoyed moments of connection, and treated each other with dignity, in the past.Both teams say they are focused on the cricket ahead of this match (there has been no confirmation whether the Indian team will shake hands with the Pakistan players, though), and on a purely cricketing front, Pakistan have a lot of work to do to make a match of this. Their first problem is their batting. They were bowled out for 129 by Bangladesh on Thursday. They do have batters in form – Sidra Amin and Muneeba Ali have been especially good over the last few months. But Pakistan batters don’t have a history of batting consistently against top-quality bowling, which is what India possess.Related

The little big hit! Bismah Maroof's daughter steals the show after intense India-Pakistan contest

Will India shake hands with Pakistan? 'No change in last week,' says Saikia

'Focus is only cricket' – India, Pakistan on mood ahead of the game

India, meanwhile, will be pleased with the start they have made in this tournament, though they will also hope their top order can fire. Against Sri Lanka, it was the lower-order batting of Amanjot Kaur and Deepti Sharma that lifted them to a winning total. Their bowling looked in good order in the defence too, with Sneh Rana, Shree Charani and Deepti finding frequent wickets through the middle overs. They also have the advantage of knowing this venue well – India played a tri-series in Colombo earlier this year.Form guideIndia WLWLW (last five ODIs, most recent first)
Pakistan LWLLWIn the spotlight: Sneh Rana and Sidra AminOffspinner Sneh Rana took to the Khettarama surface almost immediately, taking 3 for 31 in her first ODI at the venue. In four matches since, she has built up quite the record at this ground, taking 15 wickets at an average of 14.00 here, becoming Player of the Tournament in that tri-series in May. She has also made a strong start to this World Cup, taking 2 for 32 against Sri Lanka, having also contributed 28 not out with the bat.The last time these two teams met at an ODI World Cup•PCBPakistan’s best chance of making a good score is for Sidra Amin to find some runs. Just in the last three weeks, she had hit 121 not out, 122 and a 50 not out against a good South Africa attack. She was bowled first ball on Thursday, but that was more down to the quality of Marufa Akter’s delivery than through any major failing of Amin. She is not the most aggressive batter around, but this year, she has been the rock that Pakistan build their innings around.Team newsIndia may not see a need to change their winning XI.India (probable): 1 Pratika Rawal, 2 Smriti Mandhana, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Jemimah Rodrigues, 6 Deepti Sharma, 7 Richa Ghosh (wk), 8 Amanjot Kaur, 9 Sneh Rana, 10 Kranti Goud, 11 Shree CharaniPakistan will think about bringing Eyman Fatima into the side to strengthen their batting. Legspinner Syeda Aroob Shah may also be considered, as she offers some batting as well.Pakistan (probable): 1 Muneeba Ali, 2 Omaima Sohail, 3 Sidra Amin, 4 Aliya Riaz, 5 Natalia Pervaiz, 6 Fatima Sana (capt), 7 Rameen Shamim, 8 Diana Baig, 9 Sidra Nawaz (wk), 10 Nashra Sandhu, 11 Sadia IqbalSidra Amin has been in great form but has struggled in Sri Lanka over the years•PCBPitch and conditionsIt looks like the northeast monsoon has hit Colombo; the city is starting to get day-long rains. Saturday’s match between Australia and Sri Lanka was rained out without the toss taking place (this could be a neat way to avoid the handshake question). In the match that did see some play, on Thursday, the seamers from both Pakistan and Bangladesh got movement in the air and off the surface. With the rain around, there is bound to be moisture in the square.Stats and trivia Although Pakistan’s top run-scorer this year, Amin has an awful record in Sri Lanka. Having played five innings on the island, she has a total of 24 runs here. Her duck on Thursday was her second in Sri Lanka. This has been the richest year for Rana, with 23 of her 52 ODI wickets having come in 2025. Although this stadium is their home for the World Cup, Pakistan women had never played an ODI at Khettarama before Thursday.Quotes”Deepti, Sneh Rana and Shree Charani are a very good combination, where there is a lot of experience also. There is youth as well. They’ve been playing together since the last three-four series, and the combination is really working well for us. Also, they all are very hardworking girls. Most games also, in my interactions with them, they want to improve. What they want to improve and how they want to improve are the questions around which these three are working around. They’re very hungry to go out there and give their best for the country.”
“Support from our senior players is very important for me. They help me out when I make mistakes. Sidra Amin, Diana Baig, Aliya Riaz – they make sure we are tight-knit as a group, and any mistake that one of us makes, we do our best to cover it up or compensate for it. There is great team unity. As captain, it is a challenge leading a group at such a young age, but the support from my team makes it easy.”

The Australia fast bowler has been a colossal cricketer, marrying longevity with success across all three formats

Andrew McGlashan09-Jul-20251:08

Watch: Starc stars from around the wicket

Think of Mitchell Starc and one thing probably comes into your mind: the booming inswinger, thundering into either the batter’s pads, toes or stumps. But to reach 100 Tests, the club Starc will join at Sabina Park this week, as only the second Australian fast bowler ever, you must have much more than one calling card, even if it’s as destructive as Starc’s can be.There is every chance the Jamaica Test turns into a double milestone for Starc: he is five wickets away from 400. Given his record in pink-ball matches – 74 wickets at 18.14 – few would bet against him, but even if he needs to wait a bit longer for the wickets, he will be just the eighth fast bowler to complete the 100 Test/400 wicket double.Starc, who until 14 was a wicketkeeper, has been a colossal cricketer, marrying longevity with success across all three formats. It was the ODI game where he initially secured a legacy, removing Brendon McCullum in the opening over of the 2015 World Cup final at the MCG, and for a time it was possible to ponder how his Test career would be viewed, but the word great can sit comfortably alongside him. Where does he stand in an all-time Australia fast bowler’s list? If Dennis Lillee and Glenn McGrath jostle for the top two, a case can easily be made to be among the top five.Related

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From Galle to Lord's: Starc's ten greatest Test performances

“It’s an incredible achievement,” coach Andrew McDonald said. “You think of the surfaces we play on in Australia, they’re firm, they’re hard, they take their toll. There’s a reason why there’s only two that have ever done it for Australia. His resilience, his planning, his preparation… and he’s sacrificed a fair bit along the way as well.”You look to some of the IPLs that he’s missed to get his body right to play for Australia. He’s put a lot of work into it. I’m really proud of him and he’s getting his great reward for what he’s given up and the way he’s gone about it. All the plaudits that are coming his way this week he deserves.”Having made his Test debut in 2011 against New Zealand (McCullum was his first wicket), Starc has previously spoken about 2015 being the period when he started to feel he belonged in the format. He has maintained outstanding consistency with his average not rising above 30 since 2016.That was the year he produced a prolific series in Sri Lanka with 24 wickets at 15.16, albeit where Australia lost 3-0. One of his most influential displays also came on the subcontinent. It won’t sit among his biggest hauls, but the 4 for 33 he took against Pakistan in Lahore in 2022 broke the game open and set up Australia’s historic series win.Mitchell Starc is set to become only the second Australian fast bowler to play 100 Tests•AFP/Getty ImagesThere have been some periods of struggle, however, notably a couple of series against India in 2018-19 and 2020-21, while he only played one match of the 2019 Ashes in England when he was not considered an ideal fit for the Dukes ball. It’s worth noting that the Test he played at Old Trafford, he helped secure victory to retain the Ashes. Oddly, he was left out of the next match at The Oval as Australia got too cute with their selections. He was also omitted for the opening match of the 2023 Ashes but went on to be the series leading wicket-taker and would be named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year for his efforts.The evolution of Starc’s Test bowling in recent years has been significant. He has been a leading adopter of the “wobble seam” delivery, which has given him more wicket-taking options. He retains the lethal inswinger, but has a full set of tools at his disposal and when the ball reverses, there remain few better at taking advantage.”As a younger bowler, it was all about speed and swing and getting the ball full,” McDonald said. “If you look at the evolution of Mitchell Starc, it’s his ability to hold line and length now. He can do any role you want. He’s still got those full swinging deliveries, which we really encourage at the right time but he’s able to hold length and control the scoreboard.”I don’t know how he’ll age in terms of what he’s been able to do across three formats, but I’d say arguably he’s our best 50-over bowler that we’ve had in terms of his impact on games. You add that with 100 Test matches, 65 T20s and the impact he’s had there. It’s an incredible record.”Mitchell Starc goes into the day-night Test against West Indies with 74 pink-ball wickets at 18.14•Getty ImagesStarc was termed “soft” early in his career by Shane Warne, who often remained one of his more vocal critics. For a while, he took notice of a lot of what was said about him, although latterly he has become confident enough in himself not to be affected. Ahead of the 2021-22 Ashes, his place in the team was questioned. He responded by removing Rory Burns with the first delivery of the series and since then has 140 wickets at 27.07. Two other times he has struck with the opening delivery of a Test, and on 20 occasions in the first over. It’s not just a white-ball trick.Against India last season, with Australia under immense pressure after their drubbing in Perth, he righted the ship with a career-best 6 for 48 in Adelaide. This year, he is averaging 20.86.Since the start of the 2021-22 Ashes, he has bowled more overs than any quick in the world (currently 1.3 ahead of captain Pat Cummins) with only Prabath Jayasuriya and Nathan Lyon ahead of him. In Jamaica, he will bowl his 19,000th Test delivery. His fitness record stands out, but he has regularly bowled through the pain barrier: a broken finger against South Africa at the MCG in 2022, groin problems in the 2023 Ashes and a troublesome ankle at the backend of last season’s India series, after which he went on to play as the lone specialist quick bowler in Sri Lanka.It has been noted in recent days how, at the age of 35, his speeds are not dropping. “I can’t fathom playing 100 games and keeping that kind of [145kph] speed,” Cummins said. “He’s just a warrior. Turns up every week and wants to play no matter what.”How much longer he goes remains to be seen, but completing this new World Test Championship [WTC] cycle certainly seems realistic. Then, perhaps, one last dart at winning an Ashes in England? But regardless of when Starc calls time, at what feels like a critical juncture in the game’s history it is not outlandish to suggest there may not be another player – and almost certainly not an express quick – to have a career quite like his.

As the MLB regular season winds down, the races for a playoff spot in both the AL and NL are heating up.

So, here at SI Betting, we are going to share a detailed look at the playoff picture every week so fans can see where their teams stand and bettors can potentially find some value in a team that is just outside the wild card race.

Last week, it was pretty clear where each division leader stood, but a huge winning streak by the Seattle Mariners has flipped some things in the American League.

Meanwhile, the New York Mets and New York Yankees are struggling, and the teams trailing them in the wild card picture are starting to make a real push to enter the top three.

Let’s break down the odds for every team that still has a shot to make the playoffs at this point in the MLB season. 

American League Playoff OddsDivision LeadersToronto Blue Jays: -3000Detroit Tigers: -3000Houston Astros: -1400

The AL division leaders have remained the same week over week, but the Seattle Mariners are making a real push in the AL West.

Seattle, which is -1100 to make the playoffs, has won seven games in a row and nine of its last 10 to pull within half a game of the Astros in the standings. Houston still has the inside track to a playoff spot (-1400), but it could end up in the wild card picture if it loses its early-week series with another wild card team – the Boston Red Sox.

Meanwhile, Detroit (six-game lead in the AL Central) and Toronto (four-game lead in the AL East) both have pretty comfortable margins – for now – atop their divisions. An 8-2 stretch by the Cleveland Guardians has tightened things for Detroit, which has a worse record than Toronto in the 2025 season. 

Wild Card RaceSeattle Mariners: -1100Boston Red Sox: -370New York Yankees: -330Cleveland Guardians: +200Texas Rangers: +275Kansas City Royals: +700Tampa Bay Rays: +1800Minnesota Twins: +1800Los Angeles Angels: +5000

Last week, I wrote about the Yankees fading in the AL playoff picture, and they’ve continued to do so by losing a weekend series to the Astros.

New York has a half-game cushion on the surging Guardians and just a 2.5-game cushion on the Texas Rangers in the standings. So, it’s very possible the Yankees could find themselves behind multiple teams if they don’t turn things around sooner rather than later.

Texas has lost four in a row, allowing the Guardians to leapfrog it in the standings. Cleveland may be the team to bet on right now, as it’s peaking at the right time and has a shot at both a wild card spot and the division lead. 

New York and Texas are both third in their respective divisions. 

National League Playoff OddsDivision LeadersMilwaukee Brewers: N/ALos Angeles Dodgers: -20000Philadelphia Phillies: -10000

The Milwaukee Brewers have been so good, winning nine games in a row, that their odds to make the playoffs are off the board, a sign that oddsmakers expect them to be in the playoffs no matter what.

Milwaukee could move to 30 games over .500 with a win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night. 

Meanwhile, the Dodgers’ lead in the NL West is just two games, as the San Diego Padres (7-3 in their last 10 games) are making a serious push. As of now, it seems like the team with the best record in MLB will come out of the NL, but a lot could change over the final weeks of the regular season.

Wild Card RaceChicago Cubs: -2500San Diego Padres: -1200New York Mets: -280Cincinnati Reds: +320San Francisco Giants: +550St. Louis Cardinals: +650Arizona Diamondbacks: +3000Miami Marlins: +50000

The Chicago Cubs have the best odds to make the playoffs of any wild card team, but I think the Padres may be the safest team here since they are still within striking distance of their division lead.

Chicago is six games back in the NL Central, while the Mets, who have lost seven in a row, are 5.5 games back in the NL East.

If New York continues to struggle, there is a real path for the Cincinnati Reds (1.5 games back in the wild card) to make the playoffs.

Cincy doesn’t have as talented a roster as the Mets, but it did go all in at the trade deadline by adding Ke’Bryan Hayes, Zack Littell, and others. The Reds are +320 to make the playoffs, which is good for an implied probability of 23.81 percent.

However, with the Reds just 1.5 games out of a playoff spot, they may be undervalued at this price.

Arya and Prabhsimran are among the pairs to have delivered strong starts for their teams this season


Omkar Mankame30-Apr-20255:32

Aaron: Sai Sudharsan ‘definitely’ in if there’s vacancy in India’s T20I side

Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan (GT)Last year, in Wriddhiman Saha’s absence, GT briefly tried out Sai Sudharsan to open with Gill, and it worked. The pair crossed fifty in all three innings they opened together. Building on that, GT have stuck with the same opening combination this season and it’s paid off.A standout feature of their campaign has been the ability of the openers to bat deep. Only once this season have both fallen inside the first ten overs. While the duo may not be ultra-aggressive in their approach, their consistency has been key to GT’s success in IPL 2025.Phil Salt and Virat Kohli have been consistent this season•Getty ImagesVirat Kohli and Phil Salt (RCB)Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, RCB released their captain and opener Faf du Plessis and invested INR 11.5 crore in bagging Salt. The move paid immediate dividends. In the season opener, Salt and Kohli stitched together a 95-run stand off just 51 balls, taking the sting out of Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) 175-run target. While they’ve occasionally been separated early, the duo has consistently provided rapid starts, often putting RCB in commanding positions within the powerplay.Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya, the uncapped PBKS wunderkinds•AFP/Getty ImagesPriyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh (PBKS)Two uncapped Indians walking out to open an IPL innings is usually the result of an emergency – injuries, loss of form, or last-minute reshuffles. But PBKS placed their trust in Prabhsimran, a retained player, and Arya, an IPL debutant, and they have been vindicated. Though their aggressive style has often led to brisk but brief partnerships, they did demonstrate impressive composure in a rain-affected clash against KKR. On a slow Eden Gardens wicket, the duo stitched a 120-run stand off 72 balls, pacing their innings smartly and choosing their moments to attack.Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram have been dominant up top•Associated PressAiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh (LSG)LSG went into IPL 2025 with an overseas-heavy top order. Marsh, despite having limited experience as an IPL opener, was up and running as he scored more fifties in his first five outings this season than he did in his previous eight campaigns combined. Markram took a few matches to find his rhythm but has since added four fifties to his name. While their scoring rate has been modest, the duo has brought a measure of reliability to LSG’s top order.Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma haven’t found their golden touch from last season•AFP/Getty ImagesAbhishek Sharma and Travis Head (Sunrisers Hyderabad)It was the ‘Travishek’ pair that transformed SRH’s fortunes in IPL 2024. They picked up from where they left off with a 45-run blitz in just 19 balls in their season opener this year. But over the next four games, oppositions have found early breakthroughs, dismissing one of them inside the first three overs. A glimpse of their last year’s form came against PBKS at home, where they put on a 171-run stand off just 75 balls during a chase of 246. Outside of such flashes, they’ve struggled to produce consistent partnerships this season.

What do former Arsenal players Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Emile Smith Rowe and Aaron Ramsdale all have in common?

They were three of the first names on the team sheet during the early days of the Mikel Arteta reign at the Emirates Stadium but it wasn’t too long before they were given the boot.

While Ramsdale was actually signed by Arteta, replacing Bernd Leno, the Englishman was eventually told to find a new club once David Raya had established himself as the number 1.

Aubameyang’s situation was altogether rather different. His public falling out with Arteta is well documented (video below) after the Spaniard famously stripped the striker of the club captaincy.

The forward’s attitude and punctuality were questioned on a regular basis. The Gabonese was regularly late for things.

Despite being key to the FA Cup, still Arteta’s only trophy to date, he left in controversial circumstances and is not remembered in too many glowing terms now.

The same cannot be said of Smith Rowe. His exit from north London was far sadder.

The downfall of Emile Smith Rowe at Arsenal

The date is 26th July 2018. Arsene Wenger is no longer in the hot seat and during Unai Emery’s first pre-season in charge, Arsenal face Atletico Madrid.

Not much is remembered about that game besides the impact a 17-year-old Smith Rowe made. He scored a sumptuous goal from range, showcasing an abundance of potential in the process.

For the most part, the young attacking midfielder lived up to his early hype, but it was not until the Arteta regime began that he became one of the finest in the Premier League.

Smith Rowe earned his England debut in 2021 and went from strength to strength, buoyed further by the emergence of fellow Hale Ender, Bukayo Saka.

In 2021/22, the goalscoring midfielder was in electric from, notably finding the net on 11 occasions.

However, a dismal run of injuries eventually halted the now 25-year-old’s progress. Smith Rowe still has a dazzling run in him but his fitness was totally unreliable. Show an unreliable trait and more often than not you don’t last very long with Arteta.

No one can fault the academy graduate’s commitment and attitude but so rotten were his injury problems that he only started three league games during his final year with Arsenal.

That said, even when he was available, he very rarely started many games of football towards the end. He was an unused substitute on a remarkable 18 occasions in 2023/24 and only played 346 Premier League minutes.

Smith Rowe looked bright in cameos but he must have known his race was run. A mighty fine player he was, but he had now fallen victim to injuries and Arsenal’s increased depth and quality. By now, Martin Odegaard had entered the fray.

So, in the modern day, who is now facing the same treatment from the manager?

Arsenal "warrior" is becoming their new Smith Rowe

The job Arteta and his transfer chiefs have performed in the transfer window in recent years has been extraordinary, but it took for Edu Gaspar to leave and Andrea Berta to arrive for things to really ramp up.

While many thought Liverpool had won the summer transfer window of 2025, spending British record sums on Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, Arsenal were rightfully commended for the way they went about their business.

The forward line was finally bolstered but the defence was not neglected either, of course it wasn’t. Arteta loves a defender and he has totally transformed the Gunners’ backline since becoming head coach.

From the days of Rob Holding and David Luiz to William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, it’s been quite the change. Well, this summer saw the arrivals of Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie. In the process, it has hurt the game time of two players.

Hincapie and Riccardo Calafiori are now ahead of Myles Lewis-Skelly in the pecking order, while Benjamin White has perhaps suffered even more from Arsenal’s increased squad depth and quality.

White arrived in a £50m deal from Brighton back in the summer of 2021 and has proven himself to be a fabulous capture. It was an eye-watering amount of money to pay for a player with one full season of Premier League experience but that price tag has looked like a relative bargain considering his performances.

Arriving as a centre-back, he endured a tricky debut game against Brentford where Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville criticised his ability in the air and his strength.

While White has featured at centre-back plenty of times since then, it’s at right-back where he made a home for himself in Arteta’s side. His partnership with Bukayo Saka on the right flank became one of the club’s biggest weapons. Michael Owen said as much, describing it as “very important for Arsenal.”

It was a potent attacking threat but one that worked tremendously well defensively too. “The amount of defending he does for me is crazy. He never leaves me one-on-one,” White once said about Saka.

That once fabled partnership has been a rare one over the last year, however. That’s largely because of Jurrien Timber, but also because of injuries.

Timber bounced back from a horrific ACL injury during his debut year in north London to become the undisputed number one choice at right-back last season. The Dutchman played 48 times in all competitions, scoring twice and assisting four goals. White, on the other hand, featured in 26 matches but started on just 13 occasions in the league. That was not just due to Timber’s remarkable form but a troublesome knee problem.

This term, White has returned to full fitness but like Smith Rowe, cannot break into the team despite his qualities.

2021/22

37

0

2022/23

46

7

2023/24

51

9

2024/25

26

2

2025/26

6

0

In his final campaign with the Gunners, the attacking midfielder was regularly a substitute, something we’ve alluded to already, and White is suffering the same fate.

The 28-year-old played 71 minutes during the 1-0 win over Manchester United on the opening weekend of the campaign but has not played a single minute of Premier League football since. He has been an unused sub on eight occasions.

Firmly being given the Smith Rowe treatment, the defender is also struggling to break into the Champions League side, having played only 82 minutes across Arsenal’s four ties.

White has been an excellent servant since signing. He’s a “warrior” in the words of scout Jacek Kulig, but he has been surpassed swiftly by Timber, just as Odegaard surpassed Smith Rowe all of those years ago.

Whether the full-back gets back into the team only time will tell, but it may take an injury to one of the backline for him to save his career at the Emirates Stadium.

Gary Lineker is reportedly in talks with Netflix to feature in its US coverage of the 2027 Women's World Cup. The former Match of the Day host left the BBC's flagship football show in May after a string of controversies. Now, the former England international could return to sports broadcasting in 2027, with fellow Rest is Football podcast hosts Alan Shearer and Micah Richards potentially also being involved.

Lineker's long stay with BBC ends

In late May, Lineker announced his exit from MOTD after 25 years in the role. The ex-Tottenham striker eventually left the organisation after sharing an Instagram post about Zionism that included an antisemitic symbol. Now, The Times claims he is in discussions with Netflix about presenting at the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil. This follows after the streaming giant secured the rights to show live coverage in the US of the 2027 and 2031 Women's World Cups. 

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'Quit or be quitted'

Following his BBC departure, the 64-year-old revealed his exit from the broadcaster was not entirely of his own volition.

In July, when asked if his exit was "of his own volition, or a case of quit or be quitted?", Lineker told The New World, via The Independent, "the latter".

He also apologised for his actions, saying, "I made a mistake and I immediately took it down and apologised, which I thought should have been enough."

'A defining voice in football coverage'

At the time of his departure, Tim Davie, the BBC's then director general, praised Lineker, while also alluding to his error of judgement. 

"Gary has acknowledged the mistake he made. Accordingly, we have agreed he will step back from further presenting after this season," he said. "Gary has been a defining voice in football coverage for the BBC for over two decades. His passion and knowledge have shaped our sports journalism and earned him the respect of sports fans across the UK and beyond. We want to thank him for the contribution he has made."

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Getty Images EntertainmentWhat comes next for Lineker?

While those talks with Netflix continue on in the background, Lineker will continue hosting his popular football podcast with Shearer and Richards. Aside from football, he is currently fronting the ITV game show, The Box.

Sourav Ganguly also holds posts with the Delhi Capitals teams in the T20 franchise circuit

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Sep-2025Former India captain and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has filed his nomination for the post of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president. With no other nominations filed, he is expected to take over from his elder brother Snehasish Ganguly when the CAB elections are held on September 22.”I would like to thank everyone for their support,” Ganguly said in a CAB statement on Sunday. “At CAB, there is no opposition. Everyone is a part of this association. We will all work together to take CAB and Bengal cricket ahead.”There are important events coming up – Eden Gardens’ India’s Test match against South Africa, [matches of the men’s] T20 World Cup, Bengal Pro T20 League. I will try and do my best.”Ganguly was in the same post between 2015 and 2019 before becoming the BCCI president, a post he held from 2019 to 2022. Since then, he has been involved with various teams in the T20 franchise circuit.In a recent update, Ganguly took over as the Pretoria Capitals head coach for the fourth season of SA20. He was present at the SA20 auction last week as well. It is his first stint as head coach of a T20 franchise team but has earlier been the mentor of Delhi Capitals (DC) in the IPL (in 2019).He was appointed director of cricket at JSW Sports (co-owners of the Delhi Capitals teams around the world) last year and worked closely with the DC team at the WPL too. It is unclear how the appointment at CAB will affect his coaching/mentorship roles.

No one’s taken more wickets at a single venue against India in India than Ajaz Patel’s 25 at the Wankhede

Sampath Bandarupalli03-Nov-20241 – It’s the first instance of India being whitewashed at home in a Test series of three or more matches. India were blanked in a Test series at home only twice before – 2-0 by South Africa in 2000 and 1-0 by England in 1980.This is also the first instance of India losing three Tests in a series at home since 1983. India had suffered three defeats (in longer series) five times between 1958 and 1980.1 – This is the first time New Zealand have won three matches in a Test series.31-1 – India’s win-loss record while chasing targets of 200 or fewer runs in Tests at home. The defeat in Mumbai was the first for India. The previous lowest target was 221 against Pakistan in 1987 in Bengaluru (then Bangalore).2 – This is also the second-lowest target they failed to chase down in a loss – the lowest is 120 against West Indies in 1997 in Bridgetown, where they were bowled out for 81.It is also the second-lowest target that New Zealand have defended successfully in Tests. The lowest is 137 against England in Wellington in 1978, which they won by 72 runs.ESPNcricinfo Ltd4 – Number of defeats (in ten home Tests) for India in 2024, the joint-highest for them – it also happened in 1969.Rohit Sharma now has five Test defeats at home as captain, the second-highest for India behind MAK Pataudi’s nine, which included the four losses in 1969.Ajaz Patel tops Ian Botham; unwanted record for Rohit Sharma25 – Wickets for Ajaz Patel in the two Tests he has played at the Wankhede Stadium, the most by any bowler at a venue against India in India. The previous highest was 22 for Ian Botham, also at the Wankhede.8 – Bowlers with two ten-wicket match hauls at an away venue, including Ajaz at the Wankhede. Shane Warne was the last of the previous seven; he had two ten-wicket match hauls in four Tests at The Oval.1 – Ajaz and Ravindra Jadeja combined for the first instance of four five-wicket hauls by left-arm bowlers (spinners or otherwise) in a Test match.Only once before did two left-arm bowlers have ten-wicket hauls in the same Test – Iqbal Qasim and Ray Bright in the 1980 Karachi Test between Pakistan and Australia.7.1 – The point at which India lost their fifth wicket, the earliest in a Test innings in India since 1998. The previous mark was at 8.2 overs, also against New Zealand in 1999 in Mohali.13.3 – Rohit Sharma’s batting average across ten Test innings in this home season, the second-lowest for a captain in a home Test season (minimum of eight innings in the top seven). The lowest is by Nasser Hussain, who averaged 10.22 across six home Tests in 2000.2 – India batters to complete their fifties at better than a run-a-ball in both innings of a Test match: Yashasvi Jaiswal against Bangladesh in Kanpur earlier this season, and Rishabh Pant in this Test.

Manchester United now hold an advantage in the race to sign Sporting CP star Morten Hjulmand, with the midfielder being targeted as a replacement for Casemiro.

Casemiro has repaid Ruben Amorim’s faith in him with some fantastic performances this season, most recently picking up a goal and an assist in the 4-2 victory against Brighton & Hove Albion, while also making a number of other important contributions.

Statistic

Number completed

Tackles

3

Interceptions

2

Ground duels (won)

6 (4)

The Brazilian was lauded by Amorim after the match, with the 40-year-old suggesting he should be a role model for the other United players, saying: “I think he gives a lot of experience,

“He’s so important for us. Today he run a lot. He had to press so high and then return, and he’s doing that. So, I’m really pleased with him. And the other guys need to look at Casemiro.”

However, the 33-year-old’s long-term future at Old Trafford remains up in the air, given that his contract is set to expire next summer, and the Red Devils are now lining up moves for new midfielders, with Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson emerging as a target.

A deal for Anderson could be on the expensive side, however, with it being reported Forest could hold out for £120m, and the England international is not the only target on the shortlist…

Man Utd hold advantage in race for Hjulmand

According to a report from Football Insider, Man United hold an advantage in the race for Sporting CP midfielder Hjulmand, given his links with Amorim, with the Portuguese manager signing the Dane from Lecce back in 2023.

The central midfielder has a £70m release clause in his contract, but there is now a feeling he could be available for the cut-price fee of £50m, which will also be welcome news for the Red Devils.

Amorim is known to be a big fan of the 26-year-old, but there may be competition for his signature, with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City also in the race.

With it also being revealed that United don’t plan to trigger the extension clause in Casemiro’s contract, the Sporting star could be brought in as a replacement, and he may be a solid option, having impressed for club and country.

The Denmark international displayed his ball-striking ability with a fantastic goal against England at Euro 2024, and there are signs he could have a positive influence in the Man United dressing room, having been dubbed a “leader” by sporting boss Rui Borges.

It would be a shame to see Casemiro depart, but the 33-year-old is on massive wages, raking in £350k-a-week, so it could make sense to sign a younger midfielder this summer, and Hjulmand, who’s made 12 Champions League appearances, may now be ready to test himself at a top club.

Find out the latest on Man Utd's move for Conor Gallagher Man Utd set to push for "amazing" English signing, £52m bid in the works

The Red Devils have identified a new top target in midfield, and they could make a move in the January transfer window.

ByDominic Lund Oct 28, 2025