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Liverpool are now reportedly pushing to sign a Celtic youngster in what could deal the Hoops a frustrating blow ahead of Wilfried Nancy’s arrival.

O'Neill: Celtic have restored "confidence"

As far as interim managers go, Celtic couldn’t have done a lot better than Martin O’Neill. There would have been concerns that the 73-year-old was out of ideas in the modern game, but he’s since proved any doubters wrong by getting the Bhoys back on track and rolling back the years.

Signing off in style in his final European game, Celtic secured a much-needed victory against Feyenoord on Thursday evening and O’Neill admitted that “confidence” has been restored in the squad.

The veteran manager told reporters: “Judging from last season, the format, you are looking for 10 or 11 points to qualify. It won’t be easy, but Celtic have two home games and the confidence is in the side now.

“I told my two brothers who came to the game to start my chant, so they must have done so. Might as well enjoy it while it lasts. In the dressing room, the lads are full of it.

“It’s hard to say what I thought [when I took charge]. My two daughters were all in on going for it, but my wife said I would probably mess it up. I haven’t messed it up so far. It’s been great. The results are what you live by and they’ve been terrific.

“[The new manager] has got some players who are big winners, which is great. I’m sure he will lean on some of those lads and then it’s about improving some of the other players.

“The restoration of confidence is big and it’s keeping it going after that. Winning away from home is terrific – it’s not easy away from home in Europe. It gives them belief that they can come and compete.”

The job will now be passed over to Nancy, who could be about to lose one of his best academy stars right away amid Liverpool’s interest in Derek Jikiemi.

Liverpool pushing to sign Celtic gem Jikiemi

As reported by The Daily Record, Liverpool are now pushing to sign Celtic gem Jikiemi after sending their scouts to watch the 15-year-old Parkhead wonderkid. The central defender is one of the most talented players in Celtic’s academy, but could be about to follow in Ben Doak’s footsteps by swapping Glasgow for Merseyside.

Although Jikiemi is one for the future, losing him would represent where Celtic currently find themselves in the European pecking order. They won’t be expected to compete Liverpool in the market, but they must do better to keep hold of homegrown talent.

Nancy must unleash Celtic's most frustrating player since Engels

Wilfried Nancy must unleash this Celtic star who is their most frustrating player since Arne Engels.

1 ByDan Emery Nov 26, 2025

If the teenager did complete a move to Anfield then Celtic would only receive compensation for the years that he came through their system in an added blow.

The Hoops can, however, secure their young star to professional terms at the end of the season when he’s 16 years old. Whether they get the chance to do that remains to be seen, however.

Celtic now confident they'll beat Man City to history-making first signing for Nancy

Manchester City are now willing to make an unexpected decision about Rodri’s future at the club in an attempt to sign Jude Bellingham from Real Madrid in 2026.

The Citizens were in a ruthless mood against Liverpool before the international break, with Pep Guardiola overseeing his 1000th game as a manager in classic, dominant style.

Injured £150k-a-week Man City star in protective boot, will miss 20+ games

He’s had more surgery.

ByCharlie Smith Nov 14, 2025

It was the first time that the Citizens have sent a damning statement to the rest of the Premier League about their title credentials this season and former player Micah Richards believes that they could yet beat Arsenal to the crown once again.

What has made City’s quietly impressive form even better is the fact that they’ve coped without Rodri. In the Spaniard’s absence last season, they looked a shadow of their controlled best. This time around, as Rodri continues a stuttered recovery from an ACL injury, Nico Gonzalez has provided Guardiola with the perfect replacement.

It’s allowed City’s Ballon d’Or winner to slowly work his way back to his best, but has also welcomed some interesting reports about his long-term future at the Etihad. Some in Spain have even gone as far as to suggest that Rodri could yet be sacrificed as part of another £100m+ deal.

Man City willing to spend £100m+ to sign Bellingham

According to those reports in the Spanish media, Man City are now willing to spend €150m (£133m) to sign Bellingham in 2026 and could be prepared to use Rodri as a makeweight in any potential deal with Real Madrid.

There’s been more unrest at the Bernabeu since the arrival of Xabi Alonso, with Vinícius Jr particularly struggling with the Spaniard’s call for discipline, and that has opened the door for a number of potential exits.

Whether Bellingham is among those is the question that many will be asking. There’s no doubt that he — as one of the best midfielders in the world — would take City back to the level that resulted in Premier League dominance not so long ago.

Former Real boss Carlo Ancelotti has been one of many iconic names to hand Bellingham plenty of praise in recent years, having told Gary Lineker on the Rest is Football podcast earlier this week: “I think Jude is a fantastic player.

“If I have to compare, we were talking about Kaka. He is this kind of player, a really intelligent player, who is physically really strong, fantastic to arrive in the box at the right time.”

Every current manager in the 2025/26 Premier League ranked

In our first batch of team report cards for 2024: Sri Lanka, England, New Zealand, Pakistan, Ireland, the Associates

28-Dec-2024Englandby Andrew Miller
Ben Stokes once claimed his captaincy role model was Brad Pitt’s tank commander in the World War 2 film . At times in a tetchy 2024, he bore more resemblance to Jerry Maguire, Tom Cruise’s slick sports agent, in the midst of a locker-room meltdown.”You don’t know what it’s like to be me out here for you!” Stokes more or less implored, as a distinct lack of gratitude greeted England’s one-team mission to make Test cricket fun again – including widespread criticism of their eight often-thumping defeats out of 17 Tests played, and the ICC’s intransigence towards their tardy over-rates, which left Stokes cocking a snook at the World Test Championship in response.And yet, with apologies to a low-key home summer against West Indies and Sri Lanka, and tours of Pakistan and New Zealand that were a little bit samey, given the thrills of Bazball 1.0 only 18 months earlier, this was primarily a year of repositioning for England’s teams – red and white alike.The Test squad’s major objective, victory in India, had gone south by the end of February, taking with it the careers of James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes, to name but three key casualties. Likewise, head coach Matthew Mott carried the can for a T20 World Cup defence that was considerably less inspired than England’s semi-final finish would suggest.The future looked bright from the get-go, however. Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jamie Smith and Jacob Bethell were just some of the Test debutants who immediately seized their stage, while Harry Brook and Joe Root’s 454-run stand in Multan was the prelude to them taking turns at topping the ICC’s batting rankings.With a home rematch against India looming in the summer, and the 2025-26 Ashes thereafter, England’s sins of 2024 will be amply forgiven if 2025 turns out to be a year to remember.Much the same will apply to England’s women, with the Ashes awaiting in the new year. Their unbeaten home summer against Pakistan and New Zealand was swiftly forgotten thanks to their catastrophic failure at the T20 World Cup, where West Indies booted them out in the group stages. Heather Knight’s team did, however, end the year with a first Test win in ten years, to cap a successful multi-format tour of South Africa, and warm up for their main event in 2025.High point
Two of England’s nine Test victories were truly astonishing, including their run-romp in Multan. But nothing could compare with the heist in Hyderabad in January, where Ollie Pope swept and reverse-swept his way to arguably the greatest innings by an England batter in Asia. He overturned a 190-run deficit to put England 1-0 up, and the Bazball effect seemingly knew no bounds.Low point
It wasn’t the most damaging defeat of the year, but it was the most roundly condemned. England’s attitude stank during their dead-rubber loss to Sri Lanka at The Oval, particularly in a slap-happy second innings that opened the way for Pathum Nissanka’s fourth-innings victory march. The team could have been gunning for a first home summer Test sweep for 20 years. Instead they got bent over Mother Cricket’s knee for an eight-wicket spanking.Results
Men
Tests: P17 W9 L8
ODIs: P8 W3 L5
T20Is: P17 W10 L5 NR2Women
Tests: P1 W1
ODIs: P15 W11 L3 NR1
T20Is: P22 W19 L3Pakistan marked a surprising resurgence in ODIs towards the end of the year with a 2-1 ODI series win in Australia•Getty ImagesPakistanby Danyal Rasool
If it wasn’t for the last couple of months, Pakistan’s 2024 would be about as bleak as a Kafka novel. There was disaster at the T20 World Cup, and an embarrassing 2-0 home Test defeat against Bangladesh. There was bedlam at the administrative level, where PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has held on to power but little else is stable. Mickey Arthur, Grant Bradburn and Mohammad Hafeez left their coaching positions in January, before Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie were appointed in April. Before the year was out, both had quit in frustration.The year was salvaged slightly by a surprising turnaround to defeat England 2-1 in a home Test series, and by Pakistan’s ODI form, which saw them win three away series in a row, over Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.There was little to cheer for Pakistan supporters in the women’s game. The side won just five of 25 matches across formats, failing to win a single ODI of the six they played. There were series losses to West Indies and England in ODIs and T20Is, and they struggled to break through in multi-team competitions too, running Sri Lanka close but failing to make the Asia Cup final. At the Women’s T20 World Cup, an impressive win over Sri Lanka was a false dawn, and they lost their next three matches heavily. Moreover, the women’s PSL that the PCB has frivolously name-dropped, appears further away than ever.High point
All of Pakistan men’s sustainable gains appear to have come in ODIs – decent timing, with a home Champions Trophy around the corner. They played no ODI cricket between last year’s World Cup and November this year, but they show signs of having stumbled into assembling a 50-over team that can take on the best, and a four-pronged pace attack put Australia to the sword in a thrilling 2-1 series win. Saim Ayub’s explosive form up top marks him as arguably the best ODI opener in the world currently, and Pakistan’s resurgence in the format is as unexpected as it is welcome.Low point
Perhaps the Test defeat at Bangladesh’s hands at home was a graver sign of decline, but what happened at the T20 World Cup trumps it for sheer shock value. Pakistan began with one of their worst ICC tournament performances in history, scraping to a tie with the USA before losing the Super Over. They followed up with a stutter of monumental proportions against India, when they somehow found a way of messing up a chase where they required 48 in eight overs with eight wickets in hand. Days later, they had marked their earliest exit in T20 World Cup history.ResultsMen
Tests: P6 W2 L4
ODIs: P9 W7 L2
T20Is: P27 W9 L17 NR1Women
ODIs: P6 L5 NR 1
T20Is: P19 W5 L14Chamari Athapaththu led from the front again to give Sri Lanka women their first Asia Cup title•Sri Lanka CricketSri Lankaby Andrew Fidel Fernando
For the first time since 2014, perhaps, Sri Lanka fans can reflect on a year of cricket and mark it down as “mostly good”. Both the men and the women crashed out of their T20 World Cups at the first opportunity, so let’s temper the good vibes with some hard truths. But still, there is reason to look to the future with optimism, for now at least.The men’s greatest triumphs came in the second half of the year. They beat India in an ODI bilateral series for the first time in 27 years, before triumphing in limited-overs series against New Zealand and West Indies (all at home). In Tests, their best performance was in the third Test against England, at The Oval, in which their four-pronged pace attack scythed through the home team in seaming conditions. There were, additionally, 2-0 wins against both Bangladesh (away), and New Zealand (home).The women lit up the early parts of the year. They won a T20I series in South Africa, before drawing the ODI series there. They then surged through the WT20 Qualifier before, in July, winning six T20Is in a row to lift the Asia Cup. Though the team are still heavily reliant on Chamari Athapaththu, who keeps dropping hints that she is retiring soon, 2024 was the year in which Harshitha Samarawickrama broke out, while teenager Vishmi Gunaratne also made strides.High point
There’s very little in cricket to match the fun of winning a multi-team tournament, and Sri Lanka Women’s Asia Cup triumph was especially sweet for having come in front of an adoring crowd in Dambulla. Packed stands and grass banks roared for Sri Lanka in their tough final against India. The images and emotions from that win will last those players – and many fans – a lifetime.Low point
While the women failing to win a single match at the World Cup was a shock, the men’s tumbling out of their World Cup within the first few days was especially facepalm-worthy. There was also the 42 all out in Durban – the lowest Test total Sri Lanka have ever made in Tests.Men
Tests: P10 W6 L4
ODIs: P18 W12 L3 T1 NR2
T20Is: P20 W10 L10 Women
ODIs: P9 W5 L3 NR1
T20Is: P23 W15 L8The 2024 T20 World Cup was New Zealand Women’s first global title in the format•Getty ImagesNew Zealandby Deivarayan Muthu
The year 2024 was one of unprecedented highs and lowly lows for New Zealand cricket. The Black Caps pulled off the unthinkable by not only securing their first-ever Test series victory in India but handing India their first-ever whitewash at home in a series of three or more matches. Hours after the men’s side had won the first Test, the White Ferns hit similar heady highs when they clinched their first T20 World Cup, toppling South Africa in Dubai.However, soon after conquering India, New Zealand men suffered back-to-back crushing losses at home against England’s Bazballers and eventually fell out of the race to make it to the World Test Championship final. Their 323-run drubbing in Wellington was their worst defeat at home in terms of margin of runs. Earlier in the year, in the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean, New Zealand’s men failed to make it out of the group stage, with their prep – or lack thereof – coming into sharp focus.The women’s side did deliver a T20 World Cup title but there was no indication that success was coming. Before that tournament, they lost ten T20Is in a row, their longest losing streak in the format.It was also a year where the cricketing landscape changed in New Zealand, with Neil Wagner and Tim Southee retiring from international cricket and Trent Boult signing off from World Cups. Kane Williamson, Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson and Adam Milne all gave up their central contracts to become freelancers. With the mushrooming of T20 – and T10 – leagues, the likes of Tim Seifert and Doug Bracewell even knocked back their domestic contracts to go the same route. Before the triumphant tour of India, Tom Latham took over from Southee as full-time Test captain and towards the end of the year, Mitchell Santner assumed charge as full-time white-ball captain.Speaking of changes, an unknown, uncapped domestic player, Bevon Jacobs, was plucked out from the Super Smash to turn up for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2025.High point
The New Zealand men’s side came to India with just two wins in 12 Test trips from 1955. In just six days in 2024, they turned that into five wins and swept India 3-0. “I think there’d be not many pundits around the world [who] would say that you would go to India and win 3-0 and probably deep down, I’m not sure if we even believed that it was possible ourselves to do this, considering it’s never been done in history before,” New Zealand coach Gary Stead said.The White Ferns staged a stunning turnaround of their own to hand New Zealand their first world T20 title.Low point
Though the women lurched from one defeat to another in the early half of 2024, and the men were walloped in Wellington towards the end of the year, the Black Caps’ T20 World Cup performance in the Caribbean in June was the performance that left them red-faced.Men
Tests: P12 W6 L6
ODIs: P3 L2 NR1
T20Is: P19 W9 L9 NR1
Women
ODIs: P11 W2 L9
T20Is: P19 W6 L13Ireland’s six-year wait for a Test win ended this year, in Abu Dhabi•ACB MediaIrelandby Andrew Miller
After seven defeats out of seven in their first five years as a Test nation, Ireland landed not one but two Test victories in 2024, against Afghanistan and Zimbabwe. They were made to toil, with crippling top-order collapses in each of their meagre chases, but at least the struggle was in keeping with the straitened circumstances that continue to dog the poor men of Europe.That latter contest, Ireland’s first home Test since 2018, came close to being canned due to the prohibitive cost of erecting temporary facilities. Australia’s planned white-ball stopover in August was abandoned instead, but not before an unseemly rumpus concerning the purchase of two costly Tesla cars for Cricket Ireland’s senior executives, one of which was subsequently returned.Ireland did manage a three-match home series against Pakistan in May, as preparation for their T20 World Cup campaign, but they subsequently outsourced their next “home” series, against South Africa in September, to the UAE. By then they had at least had the good news that their administrators had long been praying for: approval from the Irish government for the development of a permanent cricket stadium and High Performance Centre in Dublin.The cricket itself was hit-and-miss. The T20 World Cup – Ireland’s qualification for which had been their high point of 2023 – was a disaster: three heavy defeats included an embarrassing loss to Canada, while their potentially diaspora-engaging clash with USA in Lauderhill was a long-foreseen washout.They did at least prove their mettle with a spirited T20I victory over Pakistan in Dublin – their first in the format – and two wins out of five across formats against South Africa, including a series-squaring ten-run win in the second T20I, in which Ross Adair crashed nine sixes in his 57-ball hundred, and his brother Mark faced down South Africa’s own big hitters with four wickets.Ireland’s women had a mixed time of it too. Scotland pipped them to a T20 World Cup place by winning their crucial semi-final at the Qualifier, but Ireland beat Sri Lanka in a home ODI series, then followed up with a pair of gripping wins (one in each white-ball format) over an admittedly under-strength England in September. A clean sweep followed on the T20I leg of their tour of Bangladesh – all the more impressive given that their tour had begun with a record 154-run thumping in the first ODI.High point
The debate will rage about the importance of Test cricket to Ireland’s future, but Andy Balbirnie’s emotional reaction to that first win in the format spoke volumes. It was good, he said, to “get that monkey off our backs”, after he steered his team over the line with an unbeaten half-century against Afghanistan. A chase of 111 hadn’t looked so straightforward when the first three wickets tumbled in the space of 4.3 overs, but the earlier dominance of Ireland’s own seamers, who claimed 19 wickets, did not go unrewarded.Low point
Fortunately for Ireland, the USA’s stunning win over Pakistan was the result that captured the imagination during the New York leg of the World Cup. However, 24 hours later, they too suffered the ignominy of being unseated by an Associate nation, as Canada held their nerve to win another low-scoring thriller by 12 runs. Ireland slumped from 26 for 0 to 59 for 6 in the space of seven overs.Men
Tests: P2 W2
ODIs: P5 W1 L4
T20Is: P14 W6 L8Women
ODIs: P12 W5 L6 T1
T20Is: P18 W15 L3Saurabh Netravalkar and Harmeet Singh celebrate USA’s milestone win against Pakistan•AFP via Getty ImagesUSA, Nepal, Netherlands, UAE, Namibia, Canada, Scotland, Oman, Kenyaby Ashish Pant
It was a year where USA cricket touched great heights. They won a T20I series against Bangladesh, their first series win against a Full Member team, and then outclassed Pakistan at the men’s T20 World Cup to qualify for the Super Eight, which also guaranteed them automatic qualification for the next T20 World Cup, in 2026.Nepal couldn’t quite replicate the highs of 2023, and weren’t as consistent this year as last, but they showed fight at the T20 World Cup, their first time at the tournament in a decade. They ran Bangladesh and South Africa close in the tournament. Elsewhere, Dipendra Singh Airee’s six sixes in an over against Qatar was a highlight.Netherlands, like Nepal, gave South Africa a scare at the T20 World Cup, but on the whole were unable to string together consistent performances like they did in last year. They did win more games than they lost: ten wins against nine losses in T20Is, and 7-5 in ODIs. And Sybrand Engelbrecht’s superhuman save against Sri Lanka got them some social media buzz.UAE had a contrasting year in terms of ODI and T20I results. They played 11 ODIs and managed just two wins, while in T20Is, they won 20 out of 26 matches, which included winning the ACC men’s Premier Cup and the men’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier B.Namibia had a grand start to the year with Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton smashing the fastest century in T20I history at the time, against Nepal, but Namibia’s results nosedived as the year progressed. They secured a solitary win at the T20 World Cup, against Oman, and generally had a less than ideal time in ODIs and T20Is.Canada recorded their first win in T20 World Cups when they brushed aside Ireland by 12 runs in New York. Apart from that, it was a pretty average year, where they only managed five wins in 15 T20Is and eight wins in 15 ODIs.Off-field issues continued to plague Scotland’s cricket board, but on the field, the men’s and women’s teams fared well. The men’s team gave a good account of themselves in T20Is against England and Australia, while the women’s side made their maiden appearance at the T20 World Cup.Oman made it to the T20 World Cup but failed to win a single game and struggled consistently in both ODIs and T20Is this year.Kenya had a consistent run in T20Is this year, winning 14 of the 19 matches they played.High point
USA caused one of the upsets of the year when they shocked Pakistan at the T20 World Cup. The game went into a Super Over and the USA players held their nerve. They then also secured a Super Eight berth ahead of Full Member nations such as Pakistan and Ireland.The Nepal women’s team also chalked up a first when they beat UAE to claim their first win in the Women’s Asia Cup .Low point
Sandeep Lamichhane was sentenced to eight years in jail for rape and fined Rs 300,000 (about US$ 2255). Though he was acquitted of the crime a few months later for lack of evidence, Lamichhane was twice denied a visa to the USA for the T20 World Cup and only played the Caribbean leg of the tournament.More in our look back at 2024Stats current as on December 27, 2024

Overlooked for West Indies series, opener sets up 202-run win at Northampton

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay08-Aug-2025Pakistan international Imam-ul-Haq struck a superb, classy 159, his highest List A score to set up a comprehensive Yorkshire victory over Northamptonshire by 202 runs in the Metro Bank One Day Cup at Wantage Road.Imam, 29, averages 47.04 across a 75-match ODI career, with nine hundreds, but has been overlooked for Pakistan’s three-match series against West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago, which starts on Friday night. His 159 was a reminder of his talent to their selectors.His innings propelled Yorkshire to a mammoth 374 for 5, their highest ever team total against Northamptonshire in List A cricket – and just five short of their highest against any first-class county. It also helped inflict the highest ever home defeat on Northamptonshire by any team in List A cricket.Facing 130 balls, Imam hit 20 fours and two sixes, passing 5,000 career List A runs and beating his previous highest score of 151 against England in 2019. It follows his half-century to steer Yorkshire to victory against Warwickshire at Scarborough on Tuesday.While Imam cashed in against a frequently wayward Northamptonshire seam attack, his innings was full of delicate timing, perfect placement and silky cover drives before growing more aggressive. He was well supported in stands of 83 with Will Luxton (41), 158 with James Wharton (66) and 75 with a belligerent Matt Revis who smashed 69 from just 33 balls, his highest List A score. Liam Guthrie’s bowling figures suffered in the run-fest but he picked up 3 for 87.In reply, Northamptonshire were never in the chase, a tight spell from Yorkshire opening bowlers Matt Milnes and Ben Cliff setting the tone. While the hosts will count themselves unlucky to have lost two early wickets, they scored at just 4.4 an over throughout the innings. While George Bartlett (30) and Justin Broad (24) forged an enterprising partnership of 49 in eight overs, no-one else contributed anything of substance. Dan Moriarty was the pick of the bowlers with 4 for 38.Earlier, Guthrie struck quickly when Adam Lyth slashed straight to cover, but Northamptonshire’s seamers strayed in line and length, allowing Yorkshire to rattle along at over six runs an over, Luxton driving consecutive wide deliveries from Guthrie for boundaries.Imam played a beautiful straight drive and a couple of stylish backfoot punches, but Northamptonshire missed a chance to remove Luxton when Luke Procter dropped a sharp catch at point.Bowling in tandem, spinners Rob Keogh and Yuzvendra Chahal stemmed the flow of runs but the breakthrough came via a mix-up between the batters. Imam cut square and started to run before sending Luxton back, Bartlett and Keogh affecting the runout.Imam reached 50 off 58 balls before playing two silky cover drives off Dom Leech to take Yorkshire to 142 for 2 at the halfway stage. A pull off Leech perfectly bisected the field as he moved into the nineties before reaching 100 off 95 balls.Dan Moriarty (file photo) was the pick of the Yorkshire attack•Getty ImagesAt the other end Wharton grew becalmed, his first boundary not arriving until the 53rd ball he faced when he hooked Guthrie for six. Shackles released, he made up for lost time, powering Guthrie down the ground, while Imam went through the gears too, slog-sweeping Chahal for six. Chahal finally broke the stand, tossing one wide, Wharton reaching for it and slicing to cover.Imam targeted Leech, taking 15 off one over including six down the ground. Revis was severe on former Yorkshire bowler Leech too, garnering two legside boundaries off short balls and swinging Procter for six.Imam’s long innings finally ended thanks to a stunning bit of boundary fielding off Guthrie when Tim Robinson held a brilliant boundary catch, throwing it up before he crossed the rope and holding on as stepped back in.Revis tucked into Guthrie, smashing two sixes over the infield before carving square for six more. His wicket was scant consolation for Guthrie when he holed out in the deep.Northamptonshire’s first powerplay was positively sedate, just six boundaries shared equally between Ricardo Vasconcelos (23) and Lewis McManus (25) as they reached 41 after 10 overs.The hosts then lost two wickets in an over as McManus was adjudged caught behind off the inside edge off Ben Cliff, although the ball looked to have hit his pads. Next Aadi Sharma’s List A debut ended in a runout at the non-strikers’ end, Cliff deflecting the ball onto the stumps in his delivery stride.Yorkshire picked up a third when Moriarty beat Vasconcelos, bowling him as he advanced down the pitch, attempting to force the pace. George Hill then nipped one back sharply to knock back Robinson’s stumps.With the required rate above 10, Bartlett and Broad looked to score against the spinners, Bartlett striking a straight six off Dom Bess. But the drinks break brought two wickets, Broad chipping Bess to Revis at mid-on after the resumption, before Bartlett skied Moriarty to long-on.Rob Keogh and Luke Procter both made starts, but after Procter was bowled by Bess, Moriarty had both Leech and Guthrie caught in the deep, while Keogh (23) was bowled by Cliff.

The Bangladesh coach singled out the middle order and bowling line-up in his praise after they sealed the series against Afghanistan

Mohammad Isam04-Oct-2025Bangladesh coach Phil Simmons is happy with the “exciting, aggressive” cricket his side has been playing in the T20I series against Afghanistan, adding he was particularly impressed with batting contributions from the lower middle order.Bangladesh are 2-0 up in the three-match series, successfully chasing down totals despite batting collapses. In the first match, they struggled against Rashid Khan, losing six wickets for just nine runs before Nurul Hasan and Rishad Hossain finished the game. In the second, they lost three wickets inside the powerplay and were saved by the middle order, Nurul again contributing with a 31 not out.”The good thing about winning close games is that you gain confidence when you are coming to a close game,” Simmons said. “It’s good that we are doing that, but it’s not good for any of us our hearts. Yesterday the openers showed what they are made of, and today, the lower middle order showed what they are made of.”The way we want to play is exciting, aggressive cricket, and that’s what we’ve been doing. We played their spinners well, at least today. That’s their strength. Yesterday we didn’t do that very well, but today we played their spinners a lot better. We did what we came to do today. ]Nurul] played a really great knock and brought us back from a stage. Jaker [Ali] and Shamin [Hossain] started it, and Nurul finished it for us. That’s what we have been asking our batsmen to do: make sure that they take responsibility when they get the chance.”Related

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Simmons also said he was not concerned about Jaker’s form. The Bangladesh captain reached double figures for the first time in four innings, hitting 32 off 25 balls, and struck his first six in seven innings.”When you look around the world, international batsmen fail a couple of times. I don’t see any problem; he had a couple of bad games, and that’s normal with batsmen. Cricket is like that.”Bangladesh’s bowlers have stepped up in both games, with Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed and Mohammad Saifuddin bowling tight spells. Bangladesh gave away 35 runs in the powerplay and just 40 runs in the last five overs to restrict Afghanistan to a below-par score in the second T20I.”I think our bowling has been improving consistently, and it is at a stage now where we know we can depend on our bowling, whatever combination we use,” Simmons said. “I think our bowling has been that good over the last five, six, or seven weeks. It is part of our growth.”The bowling has put us in this position for the last two games. Yesterday, they started really well, and we pulled them back. Today, they started well, but we bowled well in the middle and especially at the end.”

Eden Carson, part of the new generation, had taken out West Indies’ top order before the team’s most experienced figured closed it out

Valkerie Baynes19-Oct-2024West Indies needed 15 runs off the last over with seven wickets down and Suzie Bates wanted the ball.With the backing of captain Sophie Devine and Amelia Kerr – with whom Bates forms an impressive White Ferns triumvirate – she took it.Zaida James, in the middle of a crucial cameo for West Indies with a place in the T20 World Cup final on the line, crunched Bates’ first ball through the covers for four. New Zealand were only allowed three fielders out due to an over-rate penalty. But this wasn’t the first time Bates had been here, and it showed.Related

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Eden Carson – NZ's reel sensation who clicked at the biggest stage

New Zealand overcome Dottin's all-round brilliance for first T20 World Cup final since 2010

A dot ball followed by a fuller one that angled in and pegged back James’ leg stump meant New Zealand were almost there. A single to Ashmini Munisar left Bates’ fellow 37-year-old Afy Fletcher with 10 to get off the last two balls. When she managed just a single off the last, Bates was there to collect the ball, fired in by Kerr from deep midwicket, and slammed it into the stumps in triumph.Some 14 years of waiting for another shot at the title was over.”I looked at Suzie and said, ‘Suzie I think you should bowl,’ and she said to Sophie, ‘bowl me, I want to bowl it,’ Kerr said of that last over. “That’s huge from your leader, your most capped player, to step up again in that moment.”She’s done it before for us, she’s a bit of a last-over specialist and she likes to call herself Michael Jordan. I think that was a Michael Jordan moment.”It was reminiscent of Bates’ over against England in March, the final one of the match in which she defended eight runs and took 2 for 4 to win it and keep their five-game series alive after two defeats.Playing her 333rd international match, equalling Mithali Raj’s record for appearances, in what could be her final campaign for New Zealand, Bates’ solitary over against West Indies in Sharjah on Friday night was the ultimate complement to Eden Carson’s efforts in the powerplay.Carson, the 23-year-old offspinner, was Player of the Match for a second consecutive time at this tournament with 3 for 29 as New Zealand defended a modest total of 128 for 9.

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She removed Qiana Joseph, star of West Indies’ upset against England in their final group game, and Shemaine Campbell inside the first five overs. After six overs, New Zealand had sent down 19 dot balls between Carson, 20-year-old left-arm spinner Fran Jonas and seamer Rosemary Mair.When Carson rearranged Stafanie Taylor’s stumps in the ninth over with one that ripped past the bat to end a laboured innings of 13 off 20, West Indies were left with too much to do, despite Deandra Dottin’s best efforts to chase down the target with her 33 off 22 balls.It was Kerr who removed Dottin via a top edge to Jonas, who held on at short fine leg on a night when New Zealand put down five catches and missed two reviews that would have yielded wickets.So there it was, Bates representing the old guard with Devine, Carson representing the future, and 25-year-old Kerr with 158 caps the bridge between two generations of White Ferns.That all three came together at the perfect time following a difficult period since the last T20 World Cup was something no one on the outside saw coming at the start of the tournament but those on the inside believed in.Since New Zealand crashed out in the group stages of the 2023 edition in South Africa, Devine has spoken of wanting to protect the likes of Carson, Jonas and Izzy Gaze, the 20-year-old wicketkeeper-batter who scored a vital 20 not out off 14 balls on Friday, from any pressure.That theme continued through series defeats to England at home and away and a 3-0 series defeat in Australia immediately before this tournament and now New Zealand, young and old(er), are seeing the benefits.Eden Carson celebrates dismissing Qiana Joseph•ICC/Getty Images”It’s been a tough year but I think it speaks volumes of the character and the people in the group,” Kerr said of her side’s achievement. “Those series were tough and they were against England and Australia, who are both two world-class teams.”Losses can dent your confidence but coming to a World Cup you want to stay positive and believe that you can win any game and hopefully those losses made us better, which I think they 100% have. To stay upbeat and together just shows the character this group has.”While it’s been almost impossible to completely shield the youngsters, as Carson revealed, they have been able to thrive.Georgia Plimmer, the 20-year-old opener, is another example of New Zealand keeping the faith with a young player. After struggling through their tour of England, she rewarded them with a half-century against Sri Lanka in the group stage then top scoring in their eight-run win over West Indies with 33 off 31. That Plimmer’s innings came as Bates battled her way to 26 off 28 was another sign that the future is bright for New Zealand.”As a team we could have fallen into a bit of a hole with each other and getting a bit of stick from people online, but I think that just built us as a team,” Carson said. “We’ve been a lot closer over the past year. We don’t try speaking too much about the losses, we just speak about the learnings that come from that.”The more experienced group, it has been tough on them as well. I know mentally and emotionally it has been draining for them but to be able to show up every day to training, to camps back in New Zealand, to now the World Cup on the big stage. Anything can happen at a tournament like this. In a series we can go 3-0 down like we did against the Aussies but I think those games, we took a lot out of those.”With England and Australia making shock exits in the group stage and semi-finals respectively, New Zealand now face South Africa in Sunday’s title decider, guaranteeing a new champion. That seems apt for a side unearthing new champions within.

Arsenal are now the last team with a perfect Champions League record this season after they beat Bayern Munich 3-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday. The Gunners have recorded five wins from five and kept up their 100 percent start by ending that of the Germans' in the process. Jurrien Timber put Arsenal ahead in the first half, while Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli came off the bench to score.

Midway through the first half, Arsenal broke the deadlock. Bayern's terrible record on set pieces was emphasised before the game, and the hosts took full advantage from a corner, with Timber getting in front of Manuel Neuer to nod in a Bukayo Saka corner.

That lead should have been doubled soon after when Eberechi Eze played a neat one-two with Mikel Merino to set himself in on goal, but Joshua Kimmich made a brilliant recovery challenge to deny the derby-day hero. And that missed opportunity came back to haunt Arsenal as Bayern levelled the score seconds later. Kimmich's delectable ball over the head of Myles Lewis-Skelly found Serge Gnabry, whose first-time cross picked out teenager Lennart Karl to thunder in at close range.

After the break, Mikel Merino spurned a free header after an excellent cross from Saka to the back post, while Karl went down the other end in search of his second but his tame shot was held by David Raya. Merino then headed wide from a wicked Declan Rice corner and Neuer kept out Cristhian Mosquera from a few yards out shortly afterwards in a manic 15 minutes following the interval.

An almighty scramble saw Rice force Neuer into a low save with his foot, and the rebound didn't fall kindly for Saka to be able to convert, with the Bayern goalkeeper able to sweep up the loose ball, much to the frustration of a brooding home crowd.

With 20 minutes remaining, Arsenal went back in front. Riccardo Calafiori, just on as a substitute, drilled in a low cross right through the Bayern box, and Madueke arrived ahead of Konrad Laimer to tap in his first goal for the Gunners.

Bayern nearly pulled level again when another straight ball over the defence found former Gunner Gnabry, but he couldn't make contact with his acrobatic effort and Arsenal were let off the hook.

The hosts wrapped up the points in the final quarter of an hour after another howler from Neuer. Eze's dink over the top found Martinelli, who still had 50 yards to go to goal, only for the German keeper to try and meet him halfway, fluffing his clearance and allowing the winger to roll the ball into an empty net.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Emirates Stadium…

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David Raya (6/10):

As has been the case for much of the season, the Spaniard had very little to do.

Jurrien Timber (8/10):

Got Arsenal off the mark with his third goal of the season, heading in Saka's corner. Scarcely troubled with his defensive duties despite Gnabry's fine performance, with the German winger having to vacate that flank to get most of his joy. Afforded a rest with White taking his place.

William Saliba (7/10):

Nearly cost his side when a clearance hit Zubimendi straight in the backside, but Raya was on hand to clear up the mess. Otherwise dealt well with Kane, who offered very little.

Cristhian Mosquera (7/10):

Similarly didn't allow Kane to have a sniff, allowing home fans to gleefully chant, 'Harry, what's the score?'.

Myles Lewis-Skelly (4/10):

A testing night for the teenager, who was continually targeted by Bayern's attackers, including in the build up to Karl's equaliser. Mercifully taken off for Calafiori.

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Martin Zubimendi (7/10):

Positionally and technically fine again, though his contributions paled in comparison to the scorers and midfield partner.

Declan Rice (8/10):

Ran through Bayern in the second half like they weren't even there. Unfortunate not to have grabbed an assist for himself with his tremendous set-piece deliveries.

Eberechi Eze (7/10):

Technically set up Martinelli though you could probably chalk that one down as a Neuer assist instead. Didn't look out of place on this Champions League stage. Subbed for the returning Odegaard.

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Bukayo Saka (7/10):

For the most part a thorn in Bayern's side, coming up with the assist for Timber from a corner, but Arsenal fans may be worried about his rusty physicality. Taken off for Martinelli.

Mikel Merino (6/10):

Led the line well and had some opportunities to get on the scoresheet with a couple of headers, but lacked that scoring touch this time out.

Leandro Trossard (5/10):

Was set through on goal in the opening exchanges but completely fluffed his lines when faced with the onrushing Neuer. Substituted before half-time with an injury.

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AFPSubs & Manager

Noni Madueke (8/10):

Replaced the injured Trossard before the break. Took it upon himself to constantly get at the Bayern defenders and was eventually rewarded with a goal.

Gabriel Martinelli (8/10):

Similarly got what he deserved for showing enthusiasm and personality, racing beyond Neuer to add Arsenal's third goal of the evening.

Riccardo Calafiori (8/10):

Made an instant impact in place of Lewis-Skelly, putting in a cross that Madueke couldn't miss.

Ben White (N/A):

A late replacement for Timber.

Martin Odegaard (N/A):

Made his return from injury in place of Eze.

Mikel Arteta (8/10):

Credit to the Arsenal boss again. His side drifted to the end of the first half before they grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck, and his substitutions were pivotal to that.

It's been a rough season for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who haven't been able to capitalize on Paul Skenes's lights-out pitching and jumped out to a 32-50 start. But over the course of their last four games they have suddenly flipped the switch and turned into a wagon. On Monday night they crushed the St. Louis Cardinals, 7-0, as Andrew Heaney flirted with a no-hitter.

It was the fourth consecutive contest that the Bucs have won by at least seven runs, an accomplishment the franchise has not enjoyed since the 1925 club got hot. The Pirates began their hot play by cruising past the New York Mets by scores of 9-1, 9-2 and 12-1.

The exceptional play has improved their run differential from -70 to -35 and been a major bright spot in a season that hasn't seen many on display.

For some context on just how rare it is for a team to dominate like this, even for a short period, the only two teams in baseball history to win four straight by 7-plus runs while allowing two or fewer runs in each victory are the 1911 Pirates and 1882 White Stockings. And any time you're harkening back to the time of Chester A. Arthur, you're doing something pretty special.

Corinthians’ financial troubles have reached a breaking point, with unpaid wages, heavy debts and over €2.5 million already drained from club accounts this season. In a gesture of solidarity, Dutch star Memphis Depay has offered to give up his €40,000-a-month hotel suite to help the club reduce expenses. This comes after there were reports that the club had asked the forward to cut-back on his finances and move to a cheaper accommodation.

Depay’s offer to help Corinthians

Depay’s career has been defined by flair, self-expression, and a strong sense of identity. But in Sao Paulo, it’s empathy that’s making headlines. The Dutch attacker, who joined Corinthians in 2024, has reportedly offered to give up his €40,000-per-month luxury hotel suite to ease the club’s growing financial burden.

According to , the suite which is located in one of Sao Paulo’s top hotels, costs the club around 250,000 Brazilian reais monthly and includes premium services like room service, laundry, a chauffeur, and 24-hour concierge support. Since his arrival, Corinthians have already spent over €405,000 on his accommodation alone.

Depay’s willingness to forgo this contractual privilege is seen as a commendable gesture at a time when Corinthians’ finances are stretched thin. Despite his €11 million annual salary (which could rise to €19m with bonuses), the forward has acknowledged the club’s fragile situation and expressed readiness to help reduce costs.

So far, Depay has scored nine goals and registered 10 assists in 44 games for Corinthians this season.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportCorinthians can't afford Depay's luxurious lifestyle

Depay's stance in the Corinthian's case marks a shift in tone for a player long known for his confidence and occasional controversies. In early 2025, the Dutch player clashed with the Brazilian club officials over his unpaid $1m in debt. The forward further notified the club that if the situation is not resolved quickly he would not fulfil his contractual obligations. He also missed a few training sessions in a bid to boycott the club. The situation was resolved after he met the club's president, Augusto Melo.

Corinthians, one of Brazil’s most historic football institutions, is currently navigating one of its worst financial crises in decades. The club’s debt has reportedly ballooned to R$2.7 billion (around €500 million), driven by mismanagement, inflated contracts, and unpaid transfer fees.

Amid this turmoil, Depay’s luxurious living arrangement became a symbol of excess. Reports suggest that club executives recently approached the Dutchman to discuss ending the deal or asking him to bear part of the costs. While the suite was part of his signed agreement, the club can no longer sustain such high non-sporting expenses.

At first, sources claimed Depay was reluctant to change terms, arguing the club must honour its contract. But in a surprising turn, the 31-year-old forward later expressed a willingness to help.

Corinthians’ mounting debt and the struggle to survive

Corinthians’ financial crisis runs deep. The club has faced wage delays, transfer bans from FIFA and threats of point deductions due to unpaid fees. Over the past two years, their debt has climbed to around half a billion euros, a figure that dwarfs even some European clubs.

Sponsorship disputes and heavy spending on marquee signings like Depay have worsened the situation. The club has been forced to cut costs drastically, delay transfers, and renegotiate contracts.

This economic strain has already impacted results. Corinthians have struggled in both domestic and continental competitions, unable to strengthen their squad or retain key players. Local media reports suggest that morale inside the camp is low, with several foreign players frustrated by delayed payments.

Depay’s offer to ease the burden comes as a rare positive in an otherwise grim narrative. It also highlights a wider conversation in football: whether players and clubs can find balance between contractual rights and moral responsibility in times of crisis.

The Brasileiro-side currently stands 10th in the league table after 32 games.

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Getty Images SportDepay remains a complicated figure in Brazil

Depay’s time at Corinthians has been anything but quiet. Beyond the financial headlines, he has been at the centre of both brilliance and controversy. On the pitch, his flair and goal-scoring instinct made him a key figure; off it, his personality, high-profile disputes, and rumoured personal scandals have kept him in the spotlight.

The forward has been facing pregnancy claims by Brazilian influencer Lary Simoes after she publicly claimed that Depay got her pregnant and then ghosted her. Multiple reports also confirm that the Dutch footballer had received a four-month suspended prison sentence for a drunk driving offense that occurred in Monaco in 2024.

However, Corinthians are reportedly looking to extend Depay's current contract after they are done with their current financial obligations. His recent action has also come as a relief for the club, giving more hope to the club for a renewed bond but the road to recovery is still a long one for the club and to manage to personality like Depay will take a lot of toll on the club. 

A new update has emerged regarding Vitor Pereira’s potential replacement at Wolves, with the club eyeing a cheap alternative option to him if he is sacked.

The Old Gold have suffered a dire start to the 2025/26 Premier League season, picking up just two points from nine matches and sitting rooted to the bottom of the table. Their only points have been draws away to Tottenham and at home to Brighton.

After a promising period in charge last season, Pereira now finds himself battling to save his job, with the manager having to be dragged away from the supporters after last weekend’s dramatic 3-2 defeat at home to Burnley, and asking for their support after the game.

“We understand the frustration of the people and supporters but what I must say, if we fight united with them, we can win games and compete and achieve our targets – without them, it is impossible. If we win two or three games in a row, things will change.”

Potential replacements for Pereira have already been mentioned, including Brendan Rodgers, who left Celtic earlier this week after a disappointing start to the season, and who may like the idea of a return to the Premier League.

On Saturday afternoon, Wolves make the trip to Fulham, with defeat at Craven Cottage potentially proving to be the final nail in the coffin for the Wanderers boss.

Wolves have cheap managerial plan to replace Pereira

According to Football Insider journalist Pete O’Rourke, Wolves “would hope to find an out-of-work manager” to replace Pereira in charge, should he be relieved of his duties in the near future.

The Premier League strugglers “will be looking for a cheap option” instead of “poaching a manager from another club”, and Wanderers “would prefer not to pay the compensation fee needed to release a working boss from their current contract”. That’s partly due to Pereira getting a big payout if he is sacked.

There is plenty of sense in this approach by Wolves, rather than bringing in a manager who is already in charge elsewhere, immediately making it a more expensive venture.

Wolves targeting Brendan Rodgers amid doubts about Vitor Pereira

The Old Gold have made a very poor start to the season.

2 ByDominic Lund Oct 29, 2025

Ideally, though, Pereira will turn things around at Molineux, overcoming this dreadful start to mastermind a great recovery as the seasons goes on.

Wolves targeting Brendan Rodgers amid doubts about Vitor Pereira

Sadly, that feels unlikely at the moment, with Wolves’ performances so disappointing on a regular basis, and the fact that a chunk of the fanbase has already turned on him feels like the writing is on the wall.

In Rodgers, Wolves could have a good option to bring in, with the Northern Irishman proving himself in the Premier League in the past, not least coming so close to winning the title with Liverpool back in 2013/14, playing some stunning attacking football along the way.